Marrying the Man in the Dark

In truth, a pang of hunger gnawed at Cherise’s stomach.

The ordeal of last night’s car ride had sapped much of her energy.

She pressed her lips together and instructed, “Pop it in the fridge for me; I’ll eat it when I return.”

With a concerned glance, Frances slipped two packets of hot milk into Cherise’s bag. fearing she might grow famished on her way.

Cherise sipped on the warm milk, exiting the manor while settling into Mr. Kolson’s car.

Thirty minutes later, the vehicle pulled up at the research institute.

Just as before, upon stepping out of the car at the institute’s entrance, Cherise noticed her colleagues‘ furtive glances and hushed murmurs.

The unresolved plagiarism issue cast a pall over her interactions.

These silent judgments weighed heavily on Cherise’s spirits.

She hastened towards Heather’s usual workspace, milk in hand.

Heather had mentioned earlier that Mr. Whitlock sought to speak with her, prompting Cherise to head straight for his office.

she approached within twenty meters of the door, Cherise caught the sound

barely registered the first cry.

the second one jolted her to action.

was Heather’s

flinging open

sight that greeted her shook Cherise to

Yolanda, clad in white, sat nearby, delicately puncturing Heather’s blisters with

Whitlock stood at Yolanda’s side, offering

that had echoed earlier had been Heather’s cries as

earth are

demeanor cracked

did Yolanda deign to acknowledge her presence, her

teeth, Cherise watched Heather’s distress, unable to suppress her anguish, “Attending

“Indeed,”

brandishing the ointment, “This is the special balm Ms. Weiss procured. It promises to

“Precisely,”

dabbing it onto Heather’s punctured blisters with a cotton swab. “It’s better to endure brief