“I won’t…” Deirdre’s hand was swollen from the hit. She pulled back her hand and held it with her other hand as she said in an airy voice, “I want to live because I will only meet my mother by staying alive.”

Brendan’s expression was tainted with sternness when he heard that. He removed the tie that he had been attempting to tie around his neck but had failed due to agitation. He grabbed Deirdre’s hand and stuffed the tie into her fingers.

“Fasten the tie for me!”

Deirdre reacted when her ha