Cherise observed Ian’s smug portrait from her vantage point across the screen. She subtly tightened


    her grip on the microphone as she listened to his haughty tone. She asserted confidently, “I’m pretty


    sure Cherise won’t buy into your story.”


    “Why not?” Ian retorted. “You don’t know that country bumpkin well enough,” he chuckled. “Back in high


    school, she was always buried in her books while the rest of us cked off. Thus, she was constantly


    ostracized by others. Whenever I showed her the slightest attention or gifted her anything, she’d be so


    moved that she practically fell in love with me on the spot.”


    “Damien, I acknowledge that you facilitated my release from the mental hospital, apologized, and even


    provided financial support. From your perspective, that’s a monumental gesture. But let’s not overlook


    the fact that it was your actions thatnded me in the mental hospital in the first ce, shaping me into


    who I am today!”


    Cherise’s heart raced at Ian’s revtion. Damien was the reason Ian ended up in the mental hospital?


    She pressed her lips together. “Is that so? I almost forgot if you hadn’t brought it up. Were you


    admitted. because of me?”


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    “Obviously! You saw fit to confine me to a mental hospital for the past six years because of that minor


    incident. And your sister even shattered both my legs back then. If it weren’t for my resilience, I’d be a


    cripple by now!”


    “Don’t youprehend the magnitude of your actions?” Cherise gripped the voice-altering microphone


    tightly. “If it were merely trivial, I wouldn’t have resorted to locking you away.”


    “Yes, I concede!” Ian’s jaw clenched. “It was my fault for spreading rumors about Cherise being


    pregnant with Lennon’s child, and I was also wrong to drug her and terminate her pregnancy. But at the


    time, your child wasn’t even two months old. It was merely the size of a fingernail. Its loss wouldn’t


    have made a difference.”


    “And didn’t I assist you in testing Cherise’s loyalty to you?” After uttering those words,n seemed to


    wrestle with guilt, seemingly realizing he was wrong. “Regardless of my past rights and wrongs, you


    need my help now. You’ve chosen to release me and even offered me financial assistance for your


    beloved Cherise…”


    “Since you’ve done so much, an extra three million and a house should be like spare change to you…”


    On the other side of the screen,n grew more excited, oblivious to “Damien’s” prolonged silence.


    Cherise clenched the voice-altering microphone, herplexion pale. Ifn hadn’t spilled the beans,


    she wouldn’t have fathomed what had transpired back then… The high school senior she had once


    revered deeply was actually such scum… At this moment, she was both furious and distressed.


    Damien was someone who desired children greatly. Given hown had caused them to lose their first


    child, Damien must have harbored such hatred for him. Flow could Damien have put his animosity


    aside?


    However because she could only remembern and recall memories rted to him, Damien had


    swallowed his bitterness. Not only did Damien releasen… but Damien was also willing to provide


    with financial assistance and even extended an apology… seized a pair of scissors at her side, and


    strode forth resolutely to slice through the screen,


    On the other end of the screen, Ian’s face appeared. Sporting a thick beard, he continued spewing vile,


    repugnant remarks. It took him a moment to register that something was amiss, and he turned around.


    “C-Cherise?”


    “Yes, it’s me,” Cherise retorted coldly, advancing toward him and locking gazes. “Hello, Ian. It’s been a


    while.”


    Ian gawked at her nkly. “Y-yes… It’s been a while.”