Marrying the Man in the Dark

“Brilliant!” Beckham exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he tightened his grip on Cherise’s hand. “Do I look alright? First impressions are important, especially when meeting your aunt, your mom’s sister.”

“You look fantastic. Absolutely dashing,” Cherise assured him, a warm smile spreading across her face.

Seeing Beckham like this, any flicker of resentment that Gwenn had ignited in Cherise’s heart sputtered and died.

No matter how he treated her, Cherise knew deep down that Beckham still held her mother dear. Her mother had passed away years ago, yet her father’s anxiety about meeting her family was evident. Perhaps his awkward attentiveness was just another layer of grief.

Beckham had barely taken a few steps when he abruptly stopped, spinning around as if he had remembered something. Gwenn remained rooted to the spot, her face unreadable.

of annoyance flashing across his eyes. “Gwenn,

her voice monotone. “She was

nonchalantly. “I won’t intrude on your family reunion. I promised the editor some interesting material, and the camera needs

voice cut through the air. “Don’t go. Come

at her outfit, a glittering, barely-there ensemble, with distaste. “Cherry said her aunt has a similar body type. Maybe you can borrow something from

of color. “No way! I’ll buy my

gave her a firm nudge towards the stairs. In his mind, Gwenn’s fashion sense was a ticking time bomb. What if she showed up in something even

Cherise’s sister was not known for being a party animal, Beckham assumed her wardrobe would be more subdued compared to

move for damage control. With her middle-aged tastes,

that was just

Cherise were his

been a distant presence. Beckham longed to bridge the gap, hoping this reunion would mend their fractured bond. He didn’t realize that the divide ran