Marrying the Man in the Dark

You’re home, Cherise greeted Damien as he entered.

Her eyes, still carrying traces of sleepiness but unable to hide their innate clarity and brightness, as she fixed them on him. “Did you eat?”

“I grabbed a light bite at the office,” Damien replied, gently tucking her in with a thin blanket. I’ve told you not to wait up for me.”

“It’s already past ten,” he remarked, noting the lateness of the hour.

*If I hadn’t come back tonight, were you planning to sleep at the dining table?” Damien queried a hint of amusement in his tone.

Feeling a twinge of embarrassment, Cherise hesitated before admitting, “I have something to discuss with you.

Furrowing his brow, Damien inquired, “Why didn’t you call me if it was urgent?”

“I thought it would be better to talk in person,” Cherise explained as she rose from the bed.

Damien sighed in exasperation. “If it couldn’t wait, you could have asked me to come home earlier.

Cherise’s lips formed a slight pout, her voice tinged with hesitation. “I was concerned that… I might disturb your work if you were busy.”

After expressing her thoughts, she looked up at him with a gentle smile, her eyes reflecting. innocence and clarity. “I don’t mind waiting a bit longer. I have ample time.”

his brow as he peered down at the petite figure seated on

light filtering through the lampshade illuminated her pure

tender sensation stirred within Damien’s

slender form without hesitation and cradled her in his arms?

he murmured

his embrace so tight that she

gentler,” she managed to utter, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can hardly

said in a deep

her

to talk about

his gaze steady

research institute where 1 used to work,” Cherise explained, retrieving a voice recorder from the bedside table and passing it

it to you through me before she left Adania,” she added.

voice recorder, his brow furrowing in concern. “Yolanda gave this to

Cherise confirmed, her lips

that you must

hint of helplessness. “You