Resent, Reject, Regret

Chapter 42 Running Away? With Whom?
“If this is your revenge on me for stubbornly keeping my child, then shouldn’t his death have pleased you enough?! I was
incarcerated for a year! I’ve lost everything I’ve ever had! Everything... God... What will it take for you to be satisfied? To let me
go?
“I’ve already regretted ever taking up the... the toxic mantle of being the fake Mrs. Brighthall, and I don’t want it anymore... Let
me go, I’m begging you... I don’t want it anymore. I don’t want to be Mrs. Brighthall anymore...”
She swooned after that.
Brendan released her. His chest was wrangled in pain, a pain so great that he could not contain it. It pressed against his lungs,
denying him any chance to breathe.
What was going on?
He had always seen himself as an ubermensch unstoppable and almost omnipotent . And yet he could not answer this one
simple question. His mind was beleaguered by sheer frustration. He stood on the balcony and began to empty his cigarette pack,
as though he was trying to self-medicate, however temporarily, with nicotine.
Out of all these inscrutable knots, Brendan was sure of
one thing: He wanted Deirdre to return to him and be his devout lover. She had nothing left, after all. Not her eyes or her looks,
not even her mother. Sterling might claim to love her now, but Brendan was sure his love was as fleeting as an impulse. All he
needed from Deirdre was docility. In exchange for her submission , he would gladly take care of her for the rest of her life. She
would never want for anything.
Deirdre had no idea how much time had passed. All she knew was that her phone was ringing, and that is what woke her up.
She opened her eyes and was immediately assaulted by a wave of soreness.
She inhaled sharply upon recognizing it all. Deirdre’s hand felt its way to her phone. “Hello?” she asked, her voice hoarse and
raspy. “Who’s this?” “Dee, it’s me!”
His voice made her wake up for good. “Sterry?”
Concern filled his every word. “Are you okay? Your voice sounds so... hoarse. Are you sick?”

Pieces of what that beast of a man had done to her formed in her memories, each of them ushering new chills into her bones.
She clenched her fists and replied, “I’m okay. It’s been raining for the past few days, and I caught a cold. What about you,
though? How are your injuries?”
“We... should meet.” Sterling always spoke to Deirdre
with a special kind of loving, gentle tone, but this was the first time he sounded grave and afraid. “Every time my mind drifted to
the thought of you being caged by t-t that psychopath, I just... God, I couldn’t help feeling anxious! I’m just glad he at least
granted you the freedom to answer calls. You’re not homebound too, are you? Tell me your address. We’ll talk when I get there.”
Deirdre wanted to tell him no. She was deadly terrified of dragging Sterling back into this nightmare. She could not –and would
not-entangle herself with him anymore. But there were words yet unspoken that had to be said in person, so...
“A-Alright.
Deirdre had always known where her house was. She told Sterling the address, took some clothes out of her luggage, got
changed, and left. She waited at the fork of the street.
“>
Ten or more minutes passed before Sterling Fuller appeared —a frantic man, his back hunched as he paced toward his
destination as quickly as he could. His eyes caught a glimpse of Deirdre in the distance and he quickened his pace.
He skipped a few steps ahead and wrapped his arms around Deirdre, pulling her into him hard.
“God, oh God! I’m sorry, Dee... I’m so sorry,” he
muttered, sounding guilt-ridden. “I couldn’t protect you as well as I should — I should have protected you better! I wanted to go
after you that day. I wanted to run out of the house, but the rest of my family... They kept me at home. I haven’t been able to go
outside until now! Thank God you’re okay... Lord knows I will never forgive myself if anything happens to you!”
Deirdre cast her eyes to the floor. He felt so warm that she began to sniffle.
Then, she remembered the depths of Brendan’s cruelty.
She pushed his arms away, freeing herself from his hug. Sterling paused , dread trickling into his mind. “What’s wrong?”

Deirdre took a deep breath. “Thanks for everything you’ve ever done for me, Sterry. Those years were really good, and I’ve
always wanted to repay you... But so many things stood in the way,” she said. “So I guess this is it. This is goodbye.” Sterling’s
eyes narrowed in disbelief. He then gripped her shoulders. “W-What are you saying, Dee? Did he make you say it? He did, didn’t
he?!” Sterling demanded.“ Don’t believe a single thing he says! He says he’s so powerful that he’s the law of the land, doesn’t
he? Well, he can’t do jacksh*t if we leave this country altogether – and that’s what we’ll do! I’ll take you with me right now!”
Deirdre’s lips parted. Before she could say anything,
though, she heard a new voice interject. “Take who?”