Marrying the Man in the Dark

“Cherise”

Mr. Tanner spoke with a furrowed brow during dinner. His voice was low and filled with concern, “Do you have something on your mind?”

Cherise quickly snapped back to reality. “No, nothing.”

“You’re telling me there’s nothing bothering you?”

Gwenn retorted with an eye-roll, her tone laced with annoyance. “You just reached for the food in my bowl, didn’t you?”

Cherise was taken aback.

She quickly realized she had indeed extended her fork into Gwenn’s bowl, even picking up a piece of vegetable from it.

She withdrew her hand at once, gave an embarrassed smile, and lowered her head to continue eating.

“Cherise, what did you do today?”

Mr. Tanner sighed softly and asked.

“Both your father and Damien are busy today. It’s just the three of us here at dinner tonight. If something’s troubling you, let me know.”

Cherise shook her head. “It’s… nothing.”

“What else could it be?”

an icy demeanor. “You must

and looked at Mr. Tanner. “Grandpa, if she doesn’t want to change her name and return to her Tanner roots, then stop pushing

eyes, the last name Shaw holds more weight than our renowned Tanner family.”

are you belittling

for Cherise never to change

the truth, she would

sharing this

“Silence!”

then turned to Cherise. “Cherise,

her lips and looked earnestly at Mr. Tanner. “No.”

I’ve made up my mind. I want to take my mother’s

the Tanner family wishes to announce my identity to the public and provide me with shelter, you may do

was taken aback. He probably had not expected the

your mother’s surname

you intend to take the surname Miles or Neller?”

Tanner patted his head and chuckled in realization. “How foolish of

name Miles was never hers to begin with. It was only after her marriage that she took her

be Neller,

The name Cherise Neller is a bit of a mouthful. How about

still

with my mother today.”

“Mother…”