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.

twenty meters of the door, Cherise caught the sound of a

registered the first

second one jolted her to

Heather’s voice!

she rushed forward, flinging open the director’s

her shook Cherise

stripped to her shirt, while Yolanda, clad in white, sat nearby, delicately puncturing Heather’s blisters with

side, offering

had echoed earlier had been Heather’s cries

earth are you doing?”

composed demeanor cracked at

did Yolanda deign to acknowledge her presence,

watched Heather’s distress, unable to suppress her anguish, “Attending to her?”

“Indeed,”

balm Ms. Weiss procured. It promises to

“Precisely,”

with a