Marrying the Man in the Dark

Jacob emitted a quiet sound of acknowledgment, and his lips pressed together in a tight line as he nodded.

“Fair enough,” Lennon conceded. He took a deep breath, steeling himself before announcing. “I’ll gather my belongings and seek refuge at Lenoir Manor.”

Surprise flickered across Jacob’s features, and Damien interjected, “There’s no vacancy.”

“I’ll crash on the couch,” Lennon retorted, determination lacing his words.

“I’d rather let a stray dog crash on my couch,” Damien countered.

Lennon fell into a tense silence, grappling with the turn of events. Frustration bubbled within him. “D*mn it!” He hurled the pen from his grasp, watching it clatter against the floor. “Damien, are we even friends?” he seethed.

precisely because we’re friends that I can’t let you crash here,” Damien shot back, his brow wrinkling. Lucy’s warning echoed in his mind, her words from her last visit haunting him. “Don’t

clear she doesn’t want any encounters with you,” he declared firmly. “Even if you can’t confront her here, you can still catch a glimpse of

in. After a beat, Lennon offered a bitter smile on the video call, his voice tinged with desolation. “We

let out a deep sigh, his tone weighted with emotion. “Let me correct you. You don’t love each other, he began. She loved you unconditionally, only to be left high and dry in the end. How could you subject her to such pain if your love

with anguish. “What have I done to her?!” he exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion. “That’s not what I intended! I never meant to

implement any precautions?” As a physician, he comprehended the sacrifices Lucy

“You’re not privy to the whole story, so hold your tongue

end of the video call. “I’ve always… actually…” he began, trailing off. After a moment of silence, Lennon mustered a bitter smile and shook his head. “Forget it,” he muttered, resigned. “Just catching