Marrying the Man in the Dark

Damien closed his eyes, and a teardrop trickled down from the corner of his eye.

His voice was low and quivered, “I don’t know.”

Cherise regained consciousness and immediately noticed her right hand wrapped in bandages.

“Mom!”

As Cherise awoke, the first image that flashed in Cherise’s mind was Charisa.

The haunting recollection was etched in her memory as she recalled Charisa being carried away on a stretcher, soaked in blood, just before she lost consciousness.

Mom’s health was already fragile.

Could she still endure?

“Aunt Charisa is fine.”

Zachary rose from his seat, grabbed a pillow, and skillfully positioned it behind Cherise, allowing her to relax against the headboard easily. Reflecting on the unsettling incident, he remarked, “I don’t know if Maeve hesitated at the last moment or if it was a mere slip of the hand.”

“She didn’t hit any of Aunt Charisa’s vital organs; Aunt Charisa barely managed to pull through.”

“Thirsty? Would you like a glass of water?”

“Mm.”

Cherise breathed a sigh of relief, but when she reached for Zachary’s glass of water, she noticed his heavily bandaged right hand and gasped.

noticed this, too.

concern, he approached with water and gently asked,

“Mm.”

The girl nodded.

glass and explained, “Although Aunt Charisa’s condition isn’t critical, her health demands ongoing hospital monitoring. It will

Cherise nodded.

I see her

until

smiled reassuringly, “Don’t

-Aunt Charisa is doing

for her as much as you care

I wouldn’t be

hesitated, and finally believed

“Where’s my father?”

could he be? He’s

poured a glass of water. He sighed while drinking, “Mr. Lenoir

her hand, expressing his longing to be by her side in the next chapter of

trailed off.

Beckham also professed, “Ari, if you die, I will

share this with

recently accepted Aunt Charisa’s illness.

knew that Beckham

her newly acknowledged parents all at once would be too harsh for

pursed her lips and sighed, setting aside her