Resent, Reject, Regret by Aqua Summers

Chapter 81 I Owe Her This Much

Brendan was not going to shy away from a hard conversation. He stepped closer to Madame Brighthall and said, “Do you know what happened to her?”

It took all his willpower to suppress his rage. “By the time I found her, she was drugged and set up to be raped under the influence! The aphrodisiac they used on her damaged her body enough that her life is hanging by a thread. She just came out of the ER, but she’s still unconscious!”

“What?!” Madame Brighthall cried in disbelief. She then leaped to her feet. “How did that even-? No, who would commit such an atrocity in this age and society? It’s barbaric!”

He took a deep breath. “Just because you’re blissfully unaware of it, it doesn’t mean cruelty has ceased to exist.”

Madame Brighthall furrowed her eyebrows. “Oh, so this is you looking for someone to crucify, isn’t it? And to you, I happen to be the one who caused all of this, right?” she retorted. “As if that woman wasn’t the one who drove a wrench into Lena’s and your relationship! As if she wasn’t the one who broke Lena’s leg! What kind of attitude do you demand I assume when facing someone like that, huh? Am I supposed to kiss the back of her hand? Curtsy? Arrange for someone to buy her a luxury house and hire a retinue of live-in nurses after seeing her off?”

Brendan suddenly felt really tired. “There’s something you need to know, Mom. The truth is, Deirdre is actually the one you-”

“B-Bren!” Charlene blurted out in a panic, her voice shaking. What was he planning to do-tell Madame Brighthall the truth about those two years of marriage?

Had he

not occur to him just what sort of peril he would put her

with these… insane actions?!

someone to blame, Bren, blame it on me, okay? It

isn’t your fault,” Madame Brighthall cooed, sounding heartbroken. She turned back to Brendan and shot him a

then? Lena saved you

in an attempt to move me-to make me accept her. And then I did. I gave my blessing and treated Lena

then what happened? You just had to take after your deadbeat father! Do you remember that he abandoned his wife and son? Do you remember that he spent his time with all kinds of

but the claws of her deepest wound cracked her

genuinely weary now. “There’s nothing wrong with me and Lena, mom,” he said with a sigh. “There are no cracks to stress

break us

have so much, then break up with Miss McKinnon and

“No way!” Brendan retorted.