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, determinationcing 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 tter against the floor. “Damien, are we even
friends?” he seethed.
“It’s 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 herst visit haunting him. “Don’t breathe
a word to Lennon that I’ve been here. If you do, I’ll never return, even if Cherise is in a bind next time.”
Damien locked eyes with Lennon, his expression unwavering. “She’s made it clear she doesn’t want
any encounters with you,” he dered firmly. “Even if you can’t confront her here, you can still catch a
glimpse of her from a distance outside. But if you do show up, she won’t return to Adania again, not
even for Jake or Cherise.”
A heavy silence hung in the air as Damien’s words settled in. After a beat, Lennon offered a bitter smile
on the video call, his voice tinged with destion. “We love each other. Must I be reduced to observing
her from afar?”
Jacob 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 for her was genuine?”
Lennon’s eyes shot up, his eyes brimming with anguish. “What have I done to her?!” he eximed, his
voice trembling with emotion. “That’s not what I intended! I never meant to cause her any harm!”
“But that child is yours,” Jacob asserted, his eyes narrowing with skepticism. He adopted a scornful
tone. “If you didn’t love her, why stay with her? And if you were with her, why not implement any
precautions?” As a physician, heprehended the sacrifices Lucy had made for Lennon. “If you didn’t
love her, why pledge to marry her? If not for your promise back then, she wouldn’t have…”
“Enough!” Damien interjected icily before Jacob could conclude. “You’re not privy to the whole story, so
hold your tongue for now.”
Lennon visibly slouched on the other 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 a glimpse of her from a distance will suffice.”
Cherise stirred from her sleep, finding her pillow damp with tears. She couldn’t quite grasp why she had
been weeping, but remnants of her dream lingered-a vision where Damien appeared kind, handsome,
and attentive. He even had a blindfold obscuring his eyes.
“Seems like you’re in fine spirits today, Mrs. Lenoir, Frances remarked cheerfully, tapping lightly on the
door as she entered, bearing a tray of breakfast delights. Tve whipped up your favorites. Have a peek
and see if they tickle your fancy.”
“If it’s not to your liking, just say the word, Frances continued, swiftly arranging the dishes before
Cherise. I’m here to cater to your every whim. Whatever you desire. I’ll whip it up in a jiffy!” FrancesN?velDrama.Org owns all content.
suddenly thought of something. “Oh, Mr. Lenoir left a message for you this morning.” Frances added.
with a bright smile. “Ms. Staber will be paying you a visit today. With herpany, you certainly won’t
be bored!”
“Ms. Staber?” Cherise’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Tacy?”
“Exactly!” Frances affirmed, passing a set of utensils to Cherise. “Please, dig in. I need to attend to
some matters downstairs. If you require anything, don’t hesitate to summon me.”