《My Blind Husband novel (Damien and Cherie)》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    ¡°Uhm¡­ should I undress and get on the bed first or¡­ help you undress first?¡± Cherise Shaw


    asked cautiously, standing at the bathroom door with her body wrapped in a towel.


    It was her wedding night.


    The wheelchair-bound man, who was blindfolded with ck silk, would be her husband from now


    on.


    This was her first time seeing him in person, and he was more good-looking than in pictures. The


    man had distinct facial features, with a sharp nose and thick eyebrows. His tall and slender figure


    matched the image of Cherise¡¯s dream man. But s, he was a disabled, blind man.


    Some used Damien Lenoir of being a jinx, causing his parents to pass away when he was nine


    and his elder sister¡¯s demise when he was thirteen. Not only that, his three fianc¨¦es passed away


    one after another.


    When she first heard the rumors, Cherise was intimidated, but her uncle, Elvis Shaw, imed the


    Lenoir family would fund her grandmother, Mary Dawson¡¯s treatment. For the sake of Mary, she


    was willing to take the risks.


    Perceiving no response from Damien, Cherise thought he didn¡¯t hear her, so she repeated her


    question.


    ¡°Ha! Do you know who I am?¡± The aloof man slowly removed the ck silk and nced at Cherise


    coldly.


    His gaze was so cold that Cherise instinctively shivered, but she soonforted herself not to be


    afraid. He was a blind man, after all! Nheless, she was surprised to perceive such a profound


    gaze from a blind man.


    Cherise had not seen a blind man, so she wasn¡¯t sure, but she answered him honestly. ¡°I know.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of death?¡±


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    He looked moreposed and intimidating after the blindfold was removed.


    Cherise¡¯s heart was pounding. ¡°No. We¡¯re indebted to you because you saved Grandma. I¡¯ll keep


    my promise to bear you children and care for you for a lifetime!¡± Staring at Damien, she dered


    firmly with a serious look on her delicate face.


    Damien silently scrutinized her for a moment before letting out a sarcasticugh. ¡°Well, then. Help


    me take a bath.¡±


    Cherise hesitated briefly before saying, ¡°Sure.¡±


    She had not regretted it after promising Peter Lenoir, Damien¡¯s grandfather, to marry Damien. It


    was natural for a wife to bathe her disabled husband.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the bath ready.¡± With that, Cherise went into the bathroom.


    Damien knitted his brows as he watched Cherise disappear. In fact, he had sent his men to


    investigate her. The woman¡¯s background was as simple as it could be ¨C she came from a poor


    family in a vige and was willing to marry an infamous jinx like him for the sake of her


    grandmother¡¯s medical expenses.


    Previously, he had three fianc¨¦es, all of which were socialites in Adania and came from wealthy


    families. However, they were brutally assassinated the night before the wedding. To his surprise, a


    silly and innocent girl like Cherise managed to be safe even until their wedding night.


    Either she was too insignificant for others to bother about her, or she was ying dumb.


    While Damien was lost in thought, the bathroom door was opened. He was momentarily stunned


    when he lifted his eyes to see the petite woman walk out of the steamy bathroom.


    The water vapor dampened her lengthy, ck hair, with a few strands hanging above her


    corbones. The towel wrapping her body was wet and stuck to her skin, outlining her curvy figure.


    ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Cherise crouched down to pull out her suitcase from beneath the bed.


    Her clothes were neatly arranged in the suitcase. She took out a whitece sleepwear and tore off


    the price tag before putting it on.


    Thinking Damien was blind, she changed before him, but the innocent act took on a different


    meaning in Damien¡¯s eyes. Is she testing if I¡¯m actually blind?


    ¡°Huff!¡± After changing, Cherise walked up to Damien and wheeled him to the bathroom. She


    assisted him into the bathroom and started removing his shirt. Through the thick steam, Damien


    looked at Cherise with his eyes narrowed.


    Cherise looked concentrated with her head lowered. Her clear eyes showed no trace of emotions.


    She was so focused, as if she was carrying out an assignment.


    She removed his watch and blouse, then¡­ When only the underwear was left, Cherise pulled


    back her hand hesitantly. ¡°Can you¡­ bathe with this on?¡±


    Damien examined her with a tinge of mischief in his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t bathe thoroughly without


    removing it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± Cherise turned away and reached out her hand.


    Damien was startled. Staring coldly at her focused look, he furrowed his brows. Is this woman


    really dumb, or is she putting on an act? She doesn¡¯t seem to be embarrassed at all!


    ¡°This way to the bathtub.¡± Cherise carefully helped Damien into the bathtub as if she had not seen


    his naked body. Yet, her cheeks flushed.


    She patted her face to calm down before asking Damien, ¡°You¡¯re tolerant of pain, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Then, Cherise tucked her hair behind her ears and turned around to rummage through the cab.


    Momentster, she returned with a bath scrub.


    Damein¡¯s temples involuntarily twitched, surprised that she actually nned to bathe him on their


    wedding night.


    Without asking for his permission, Cherise directly scrubbed his back. ¡°Let me know if it¡¯s painful.


    I¡¯ll be more gentle.¡±


    Damien remained silent as Cherise diligently bathed him.


    Before marrying Damien, she had cared for her old, sick grandmother for many years. Mary loved


    Cherise¡¯s bathing service, saying she feltfortable and could sleep better after a bath. So,


    Cherise assumed Damien would enjoy it too.


    Crouching beside the bathtub, she carefully scrubbed every inch of his skin. Although she exerted


    all her strength, it felt like a tickle to Damien. Nheless, he perceived her effort and sincerity.


    It didn¡¯t take long before ayer of perspiration covered Cherise¡¯s forehead.


    Frowning, Damien suddenly began to doubt if he had mistaken her. What schemes could an


    innocent girl like her have?


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Should I wash there too?¡± After cleaning other parts of his body, Cherise blushed and


    pointed at his private part.


    Damien looked at her with his deep-set eyes. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Cherise hesitated briefly and mumbled, ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Just as she reached out her hand, Damien swiftly seized her wrist.


    At once, the atmosphere became tense.


    Cherise didn¡¯t think that her action would make Damien ufortable. She lifted her head and


    looked at Damien naively, ¡°I can¡¯t wash it with you holding my wrist.¡±


    Coldness shed across Damien¡¯s eyes as he blurted, ¡°Get out.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Cherise was confused, thinking Damien couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Can you bathe yourself if I leave?¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t answer, but the atmosphere grew colder. Realizing that Damien might be annoyed,


    Cherise timidly took the bath scrub and left. ¡°Be careful, alright? Call me if you need anything!¡± After


    leaving the bathroom, Cherise became restless and unconsciously nced at the door. The floor is


    slippery. What if he identally falls? What if he falls and dies? I¡¯ve just gotten married and don¡¯t


    wanna be a widow so soon¡­ Just as Cherise¡¯s mind was running wild, her phone rang. Lucy Staber,


    her best friend, sent her a video titled ¡®Revision Materials¡¯. Revision materials? Why did she send me


    this when the final exams are still far off? Cherise wondered as she clicked into the video. ¡°Mm¡­


    Ahh¡­¡± To her shock, what came into sight was a woman pressing against a man! At once, Cherise


    blushed to the root of her hair. In a panic, she wanted to close the video, but her knock-off phone froze


    at that very moment, and she couldn¡¯t switch it off no matter how she tried! Suddenly, the bathroom


    door opened. When Damien heard the erotic sound, his face darkened. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cherise,


    who was already sweating nervously, almost dropped her phone on the floor, frightened by Damien¡¯s


    sudden appearance. Flustered, she shoved her phone under the nket. The volume became smaller,


    but the woman in the video moaned more passionately. ¡°You¡­¡± Damien stared sternly at Cherise. ¡°I-


    I¡¯m watching a bathing video!¡± Cherise pressed the nket forcefully, hoping to cover the sound. A


    shadow fell across Damien¡¯s countenance. ¡°A bathing video?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Cherise sat on the nket,


    nervously wiping the sweat from her forehead. ¡°It was a man giving a woman a rubdown. The woman


    was sofortable that she moaned.¡± Damien was rendered speechless. Not only does she think I¡¯m


    blind, but she probably also thinks I¡¯m dumb. There was a pin-drop silence in the room beside the


    woman¡¯s muffled voice that emerged from under the nket. Dressed in her sleepwear, Cherise


    pressed onto the nket in an awkward position. The warm, yellow light shed on her fair skin, exuding


    an alluring aura. Damien¡¯s breath grew heavier, and his eyes darkened. Beads of perspiration covered


    Cherise¡¯s forehead. She never knew pressing on a soft nket could get this tiring! Fortunately, the


    video ended after a while. Cherise wiped away her sweat and took out the overheating phone from the


    nket. Damien sat down at the edge of the bed and gazed at her with a half-smile. ¡°Has the video


    ended?¡± Cherise wore an awkward smile. ¡°Yeah¡­ Indeed, it¡¯s not good to scrub too hard when


    bathing¡­¡± Damien made noments. Cherise immediately deleted the video and angrily messaged


    Lucy. ¡®You almost got me into trouble!¡¯ Lucy replied instantly. ¡®Come on. I¡¯m being helpful!¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t your


    husband disabled? I especially found this video for you. Have you picked it up?¡¯ Cherise¡¯s face


    reddened. ¡®Go to hell!¡¯ Since Damien was blind, Cherise didn¡¯t excuse herself when texting Lucy. As a


    result, Damien could clearly read their conversation. ¡®My phone froze just as I was about to close the


    video. And he heard it!¡¯ ¡®He asked me what I was doing. I barely managed to lie my way out!¡¯ Damien


    continued remaining silent. ¡®Haha! Cherry, I¡¯mughing so hard right now!¡¯ ¡®You devil!¡¯ ¡®The first night is


    precious. I shall not disturb you and your handsome blind husband any longer!¡¯ Damien


    frowned. Handsome blind husband? What an unttering address. Taking a deep breath, Cherise put


    down her phone and looked at Damien. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Damien stared at her but said nothing. Cherise


    clenched her fists. She had known this man for less than twenty-four hours and knew he didn¡¯t like her.


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    But¡­ Sarah Miles, her aunt, had said it was a must during their first night. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be


    happy for the rest of their marriage! She pounced onto Damien and encircled his neck with her arms,


    clumsily kissing his cold lips. Her tongue ventured into his mouth and awkwardly touched his like a kid


    sucking a jelly stick. Damien¡¯s expression grew somber. Cherise looked serious and focused as she


    was determined toplete the task. Damien ced his hands on her waist. ¡°Will you regret it?¡±


    Blushing, Cherise shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t. You¡¯re my husband.¡± A tinge of tenderness appeared in


    Damien¡¯s eyes as he gazed at the girl. ¡°Are you afraid of pain?¡± He asked in a deep voice, restraining


    his emotions. ¡°No.¡± Cherise pursed her lips and wanted to press forward, but Damien grasped her


    wrist. ¡°It¡¯s better for the man to take the lead.¡± ¡­ The next morning, the two servants who were in


    charge of preparing breakfast arrived at the Lenoir Residence sleepily. ¡°The new Mrs. Lenoir looks


    ignorant, while Mr. Lenoir is blind and disabled. I wonder ifst night was smooth for them.¡± ¡°I guess so.


    The bodyguards on dutyst night said they heard Mrs. Lenoir making some noises.¡± ¡°At first, she was


    really loud. Later, it seemed like she hid under the nket, but the moaning was still passionate.¡±


    ¡°Really? She seemed quite innocent. Who knows¡­¡± The servants gossiped as they walked toward the


    kitchen. ¡°Good morning!¡± The spectacled youngdy, who wore a pink apron, cheerfully put two cups of


    chocte drinks on the dining table. ¡°You came so early!¡± The atmosphere turned awkward as the two


    servants exchanged nces. After confirming Cherise didn¡¯t hear their conversation, they quickly


    walked over to help Cherise. ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Lenoir. You¡¯re up so early.¡± Grinning, Cherise


    nced at the clock and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that early. It¡¯s already past six!¡± In fact, she got up slightlyter


    than usual because she hadn¡¯t slept wellst night. The servants were flustered, thinking Cherise was


    food was already served. There were hard-boiled eggs, oatmeals, and a few golden pancakes. The


    servants were shocked. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, these¡­¡± ¡°I made them! I¡¯m not sure what Damien likes, so I just


    prepared something simr to what I usually prepare for my grandmother.¡± Then, she pushed the


    pancakes to the servants. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you guys woulde so early, so I didn¡¯t prepare yours. You


    can have this first. I¡¯ll make more.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Cherise was about to enter the kitchen again, but the servants quickly stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs.


    Lenoir.¡± They were paid to prepare breakfast every day. They would lose their jobs if Damien


    discovered that Cherise had prepared the breakfast! ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Frances and I are in charge of


    preparing breakfast in this household. You¡¯re new here and don¡¯t know Mr. Lenoir¡¯s preferences, so it¡¯s


    better for you to stay out of the kitchen.¡± The other servant chimed in, ¡°Yeah, June is right. Mrs. Lenoir,


    please leave it to us.¡± ¡°Mr. Lenoir won¡¯t eat this kind of breakfast.¡± June nced disdainfully at the


    simple breakfast Cherise had prepared. ¡°Someone as noble as Mr. Lenoir always has a full English


    breakfast in the morning. Don¡¯t you think the food you prepare is too simple?¡± A startled look washed


    over Cherise¡¯s rosy face before a dejected look reced it. She lowered her head and hummed,


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Indeed, the rich usually have fancy preferences. Back in school, my ssmates who


    were from wealthy families wouldn¡¯t eat simple breakfasts from the cafeteria, let alone someone as


    esteemed as Damien. I must have lost my mind. A few secondster, Cherise regained herposure


    and smiled brightly at June. ¡°I¡¯ll throw them away then!¡± Frances, the other servant, was shocked.


    June¡¯sment was harsh, yet Cherise wasn¡¯t upset and was even willing to dispose of her food. She


    looked at the freshly prepared breakfast on the table and felt sorry for Cherise, so she went forward to


    stop her. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, it¡¯s a waste to throw them away. If you don¡¯t mind, please let us eat it. But you


    should leave the task to us next time.¡± Cherise hesitated briefly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going upstairs.¡± When she


    turned around, a lump rose in her throat. It seems like I¡¯m not wee in this house¡­ ¡­ The


    handsome man was sound asleep in the bedroom. Kneeling beside the bed, Cherise observed his


    chiseled jawline and muttered, ¡°You city people are so fussy! Who eats a full English breakfast every


    day? I¡¯ve never had that before. How would I possibly know how to make them¡­¡± Before Cherise


    married, her aunt repeatedly reminded her that a woman should satisfy her husband¡¯s sexual desire or


    feed him well to ensure a happy and longsting marriage. Cherise felt all the more aggrieved, thinking


    about what happenedst night and the episode in the kitchen just now. She had just gotten married


    and didn¡¯t want a miserable marriage! Last night, Damien stopped after kissing her for a while. She was


    worried that his condition might not allow it, so she didn¡¯t insist, thinking she had good cooking skills.


    But now, even her cooking was despised. If that was the case, she could only satisfy him sexually.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m gonna kiss you if you don¡¯t wake up soon.¡± Cherise pressed her lips while staring at Damien¡¯s


    sharp nose. Damien¡¯s long eyshes fluttered, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes. Cherise¡¯s heart pounded


    as she looked at the man¡¯s cold, attractive face. She bent down and almost wanted to kiss him but


    ended up giving up. Finally, she left the room, deted. It¡¯s okay. Maybe Aunt Sarah was wrong. A


    happy marriage might not necessarily be corrted with sexual satisfaction. However, Cherise couldn¡¯t


    help feeling discouraged. Just then, she received a call from Sarah. She trotted to the washroom


    before answering the call. ¡°Hey Cherise, did everything go wellst night?¡± Sarah went straight to the


    point as soon as the call was connected. The washroom door was left ajar. Sarah and Cherise¡¯s voice


    came forth clear. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Not really? Have you guys done it?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Cherise, you have to


    remember your current identity. You¡¯re the Lenoir family¡¯s daughter-inw, and your primary task is to


    bear Damien¡¯s children. Don¡¯t forget you¡¯ve promised them to bear Damien a child within two years!¡±


    Sarah urged earnestly. Cherise gripped the phone firmly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Sarah. I


    remember.¡± She was merely inexperienced because it was her first marriage. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to bear


    him children!¡± Getting Cherise¡¯s firm reply, Sarah sighed in relief. ¡°Also, since you guys have gotten


    married, you should call him ¡®Honey¡¯.¡± Cherise¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Just then, the bedroom door


    was opened. Cherise thought it was the servants. Worrying that they might wake Damien, she quickly


    hung up the call and went out. To her surprise, Damien was nowhere to be seen in the bedroom, and


    his wheelchair was gone too. Cherise hurried downstairs and found the man in ck elegantly having


    breakfast in the dining room. His eyes were blindfolded with the ck silk, looking aloof and


    mysterious. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, your breakfast is served. Please try it out. I hope it suits your taste!¡± June


    called out to Cherise passionately. Her warm attitude was a sharp contrast to her earlier scornful


    behavior. Cherise went forward obediently. A full English breakfast, which Cherise had never had


    before, was served on the dining table. After the incident earlier, Cherise couldn¡¯t bring herself to eat


    this breakfast that didn¡¯t suit her taste. Suddenly, she remembered she kept a bowl of oatmeal in the


    fridge this morning. Damien doesn¡¯t like it, but I can have it. So, she trotted to the kitchen to bring out


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    the oatmeal. Then, she savored it happily in her seat. Sitting at the other end of the wide table, Damien


    asked with a frown, ¡°What are you eating?¡± Cherise mumbled sulkily, ¡°Something that you wouldn¡¯t


    like.¡± Damien wore a faint smile. ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t like it?¡± Cherise pouted and answered


    naively, ¡°June told me so.¡± A shiver ran down June¡¯s spine. Damien held the ss of milk and elegantly


    took a sip of it. ¡°June said I wouldn¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why would there be something I don¡¯t like in the


    fridge?¡± Damien asked with a wry smirk. Cherise muttered apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s me¡­ I didn¡¯t realize your


    preference and prepared for you what I normally made for breakfast, not knowing that you wouldn¡¯t eat


    simple food like this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Damien slowly put down the ss. When the ss hit the table, the clink


    was so unnerving that June almost fell to her knees. Damien¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t


    know I would dislike the food you made.¡± Before Cherise could understand the meaning behind his


    words, he pulled the bowl of oatmeal toward himself. Then, he pretended to detect the position of the


    oatmeal with his spoon before precisely taking one scoop and tasting it. It was a vor he had never


    tasted before ¨C a savory oatmeal. ¡°Not bad.¡± Damien put down the spoon elegantly. ¡°How did June


    know this is not to my liking?¡± He figured out Cherise must haveined about him beside the bed


    this morning because Junemented on her cooking. Damien¡¯s aura was so intimidating that June


    trembled in fear and instinctively hid behind Frances. Damien continued, ¡°June, why are you remaining


    silent? Is it because you don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to exin it to a blind man like me?¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    The man¡¯s frosty tone turned the atmosphere in the dining room cold. ¡®Thump.¡¯ June kneeled on the


    floor. The edges of her eyes were red. ¡°I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have said that to Mrs. Lenoir.¡± Damien¡¯s usual


    gentle demeanor did not mean he would never get displeased. No one could bear it if he were enraged.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t mean any harm, Mr. Lenoir! I thought Mrs. Lenoir might feel tired if she prepares breakfast


    herself¡­¡± Damien smiled and nced at June. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you justify reducing a newlywed wife¡¯s


    effort to prepare breakfast for her husband?¡± Silence enveloped the room. Damien¡¯s words shocked


    June and Frances. Even Cherise watched with her eyes wide open. Is Damien defending me


    now?! June was trembling. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean¡­ We didn¡¯t throw away the food Mrs. Lenoir made.


    Frances and I ate it.¡± The smile on his face grew colder. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re the owner of the house,


    not me.¡± ¡®Thump!¡¯ Frances kneeled immediately. June crawled to Cherise. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, please forgive


    me. I genuinely thought that since you just came here, you might feel that we are not serving you


    properly. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to let you cook¡­¡± June was old enough to be Cherise¡¯s mother.


    Cherise could not just watch when June was begging her that pitifully. She pressed her lips together


    and spoke up stiffly. ¡°Hu¡­ Hubby, June was doing it for my sake¡­ If you want to eat, I¡¯ll just make¡­¡±


    She turned toward the kitchen. As she passed by Damien, he pulled her hand, and she fell into hisp.


    The distinctive minty scent on him was masculine. Cherise¡¯s face turned red immediately. He ced a


    hand on her thin waist. ¡°What did you call me just now?¡± Her face turned even redder. ¡°¡­ Hubby.¡±


    ¡°What did you prepare for your hubby?¡± ¡°Grilled cheese sandwiches, some chocte drink,


    hashbrowns, and some¡­¡± Observing her reddened face, he smiled and pecked her forehead. ¡°Cook


    some for me tomorrow, alright?¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s breakfast¡­¡± He ced her back on the


    floor. ¡°Have a few bites. You¡¯re going to bete.¡± She returned to her senses and looked at the


    clock. It¡¯s almost eight! Her ss would start at half past eight. She shoveled some food into her mouth


    and rushed upstairs for a change of clothes and her bag. When she returned downstairs, June was


    nowhere to be seen while Frances was still kneeling in her spot. The man with the ck cloth around


    his eyes was calmly sipping on some milk. He must have heard her when she came down. ¡°I¡¯ve


    arranged for the driver to pick you up. Don¡¯t stay back for too long.¡± Her face was still crimson. ¡°Thank


    you.¡± ¡­ ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯ve told June everything you told me to. She should be reporting to them just as


    what I have said.¡± Frances said it slowly after Cherise had left. ¡°You can get up now.¡± Damien shifted to


    make himself morefortable and leaned back in the wheelchair. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite


    understand. Both you and June came here on the old man¡¯s arrangement. Jean epted my uncle¡¯s


    offer. Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Her face turned white. ¡®Thump.¡¯ She fell onto the floor again. ¡°It¡¯s because you


    have another task, isn¡¯t it?¡± He wiped his mouth with a napkin gracefully. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you for


    now. Since Old Mr. Lenoir instructed you to watch me, you should report exactly what you had seen to


    him. I was livid and got rid of June to protect Cherise.¡± Frances understood. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry,


    Mr. Lenoir!¡± ¡­ ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kolson!¡± Carrying her bag, Cherise opened the car door a couple of


    streets away from Adania University and sprinted in its direction. A breath of youthfulness was radiating


    from the sunrays shining on her ponytail. When she disappeared from view, the driver made a call. ¡°Mr.


    Lenoir, Mrs. Lenoir stopped the car two streets away from the university.¡± The man¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°She said that the car was too luxurious. She doesn¡¯t want anyone to know she¡¯s


    married to a rich man.¡± ¡°I see. Do as she says.¡± ¡­ Cherise stepped into the ssroom a few minutes


    before ss started, huffing. Lucy stared at her, bbergasted. ¡°You¡¯re here for ss?!¡± Cherise wiped


    the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m on time!¡± She was still wearing the usual white shirt and


    faded pair of jeans. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and no trace of makeup was found on her face.


    There was not a single sign showing that she was married. Cherise took out a textbook and notes from


    her bag. ¡°Our lecture might probably finish the theorem from thest ss, right?¡± Lucy¡¯s expression


    was as though she had seen a ghost. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Cherise¡¯s hot, blind husband is already


    twenty-six. A twenty-six-year-old who had never touched a woman should be an insatiable beast when


    he marries! Yet, there was no mark on Cherise¡¯s neck. Her voice seemed fine. She was not in great


    pain to the point that walking was impossible. She was even arranging her notes calmly before ss.


    Lucy¡¯s heart was all over the ce. Can it be that Cherise¡¯s husband is not only blind, but his physical


    condition is not good as well? Even if the woman is leading? Then what about Cherise¡¯s sex


    life? Lucy¡¯s heart ached. She could not leave Cherise alone in such dire conditions. Anxious, she


    messaged her cousin specializing in andrology. ¡®Is there any medicine for men who can¡¯t do it?¡¯ He


    replied in no time. ¡®What is the situation? Is the duration short? Is it short? Or he can¡¯t even get hard?¡¯


    Lucy peeked at Cherise. She was taking down notes, engrossed in the lecture. It¡¯s fine. She won¡¯t even


    tell me anyway. Lucy replied, ¡®All of it. I¡¯ll head over after ss to pick up the medicine.¡¯ Cherry, this is


    the best that I can do to help you. ¡­ When ss ended, Lucyined that her stomach was


    aching. She begged Cherise to apany her to her cousin¡¯s hospital. Seeing that Lucy was very


    ufortable, Cherise agreed, thinking she had nothing else to do anyway. They went to the


    andrology department. For some reason, Lucy began chatting about trivial family matters with her


    cousin. Thinking it was inappropriate for her to hear, Cherise sat on the hallway bench reading her


    novel. She was engrossed in a novel that was still being uploaded. The CEO male lead and the female


    lead had been at each other¡¯s throats for years, but they finally tied the knot. ¡°Cherise?¡± She was


    reading the part where the couple was about to spend their first night together. A man¡¯s voice suddenly


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    broke her concentration. Cherise was already nervous reading such a scene in public. When she


    suddenly heard her name, her hand loosened its grip. ¡®Thud!¡¯ Her phonended on the floor. Arge


    hand-picked it up and handed it to her. ¡°Thank¡­¡± Blushing, she raised her head but froze when the


    man¡¯s face came into view. Ian Philips. The stunning man in a white coat was her longtime crush in


    high school, Ian. ¡®Thud!¡¯ The phone fell to the floor again.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Cherise returned to her senses and fumbled for her phone while smiling at Ian. ¡°Ian¡­ are you working


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    here?¡± An easy smile adorned the man¡¯s attractive face. He reached out and ruffled her hair. ¡°You¡¯re


    still as clumsy as ever. How old are you now?¡± Her eyes were shining. ¡°I¡¯m twenty now.¡± He nced


    away andughed. ¡°Why are you at the hospital?¡± Cherise pointed to the consultation room behind.


    ¡°My friend is chatting with her cousin.¡± Ian nced at the time. ¡°It¡¯s lunch break. Your friend might take


    some time. Do you want to join me for lunch? My treat.¡± She pursed her lips and gave it a thought.


    Knocking on the door, she called out to Lucy. ¡°I¡¯m going first.¡± Ian smiled and went ahead. Cherise


    followed him quietly. Her crush on Ian started when she was sixteen. Grandma fainted when she came


    to visit Cherise at school. Ian rushed over. After giving her emergency treatment, he carried her to the


    nearest hospital. The sun¡¯s rays were shining brightly that day. While waiting in the corridor, Ian told


    Cherise he was a medical student. He gave her tips on taking care of her grandmother. It was the first


    time she was attracted to a man. It was also the reason she decided to pursue medicine. She wanted


    to attend the same school as Ian and walk the path he had taken. Yet, she did not have the courage to


    meet him even after she had realized her dream. Thest time they met was when she was eighteen.


    He came to encourage her. Ian led her into a small restaurant. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± He seemed


    even more striking with his coat removed. He flipped through the menu. ¡°I remember you like desserts,


    right?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± It had been too long since theyst met. Cherise¡¯s throat felt tight as she answered him.


    All of a sudden, her phone rang. It was an unknown number. She apologized and answered the call.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± The man¡¯s voice was familiar. She furrowed her forehead. ¡°And you¡¯re?¡± ¡°Damien.¡±


    ¡°How do you have my number?!¡± ¡°Is that surprising?¡± His cold voice traveled into her ear. ¡°Come back


    for lunch with me.¡± Cherise did not reply. She peeked at Ian, who was looking closely at the menu.


    ¡°Can I have a little more time?¡± She could not leave when they had just sat down, especially when she


    had not met him for a long time. The man was silent for a moment. ¡°Ten minutes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Smiling, Ian asked when she ended the call. ¡°No, not my boyfriend.¡± She scratched her


    head sheepishly. ¡°He¡¯s my husband.¡± His smile turned stiff. A few momentster, he smiled again, but it


    did not reach his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re already married? When was the wedding?¡± She hesitated before


    answering, ¡°Yesterday.¡± The look in his eyes darkened. He coughed lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get you a gift


    for your wedding. I guess this meal is your gift, then!¡± He turned to call a waiter. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Cherise


    stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ll just finish this drink. My husband asked me to have lunch with him.¡± Ian¡¯s face turned


    white. After a moment of silence, he sighed. ¡°How long have you been together?¡± How long? Cherise


    pondered. They were together for about¡­ twenty-six hours? Needless to say, she would not tell him


    the truth. She lied, ¡°It¡¯s been a couple of months.¡± He smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty short time. Was it love at


    first sight?¡± She sipped some water out of guilt. ¡°Yeah, love at first sight.¡± When the warm liquid


    touched her pink lips, she remembered the feeling when they kissedst night. Damien¡¯s lips looked


    firm, but it was soft and hot when they kissed¡­ She felt her cheeks warm up. From Ian¡¯s point of view,


    she was blushing from shyness about mentioning her lover. His face turned paler. ¡°Cherry!¡± Lucy


    entered, breaking the silence between them. ¡°Your husband¡¯s driver is waiting for you outside. Are you


    going to take more time chatting?¡± Cherise looked at the time. It had been ten minutes since she ended


    the call with Damien. She rose to her feet and looked at Ian apologetically. ¡°Let¡¯s chat some other time,


    Ian.¡± He nodded. ¡°Take care.¡± Sitting next to the window, he watched the other woman pull Cherise into


    a ck BMW whileughing. A bitter smile appeared on his lips. It looks like she¡¯s happy. ¡­ ¡°Cherry, I


    got my cousin to prepare this medicine for your husband¡¯s eyes!¡± Lucy stuffed a few bottles into


    Cherise¡¯s bag when they were in the car. ¡°Those that are disabled usually feel inferior. If you say these


    are for his eyes, he will think you¡¯re looking down on him. So, tell him that these are vitamins for his


    health! I already tore off all thebels. The dosage and time are all written down in the paper!¡± ¡°Thank


    you.¡± Cherise was upset that she did not get to say much to Ian and did not look through the medicine.


    Mr. Kolson dropped Lucy off at the university entrance and drove Cherise home. Damien was sitting


    alone at the dining table in the empty house. The noon sun shone on him. The shadow cast on the floor


    seemed forlorn. Cherise rushed to the table after washing her hands. She sat on a chair and looked at


    the table full of food, astonished. ¡°Do we have guests?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man with a ck silk cloth over his


    eyes answered, ¡°It¡¯s only us two.¡± Taken aback, Cherise could hardly reply. ¡°We can¡¯t finish all this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± He picked up his spoon slowly. ¡°I asked the cook to make more food.¡± ¡°Why would


    you do that?¡± His hand paused before he smiled. ¡°Just in case. In case people say that I¡¯m mistreating


    my wife when they see her having a meal with some other man the day after we married.¡± Cherise was


    speechless. ¡°You¡­ Did you know I was at the restaurant?¡± He continued eating nonchntly. ¡°It looks


    like it¡¯s true that Mrs. Lenoir was having a meal with another man.¡± She was dumbfounded. Does he


    think that I¡¯m dense? I can see what he means behind those words! She hated it the most when others


    minced their words. Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean that the food at home is awful, and I


    don¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t want to eat at home. I just met someone I knew at the hospital.¡± He raised an


    eyebrow. ¡°What were you doing there?¡± She went to her bag, pulled out the medicine bottles, and


    arranged them before him. ¡°I got some vitamins for you since you¡¯re not doing well.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    The atmosphere in the vi turned sullen. Damien nced at the bottles of medicine on the table. His


    gaze turned cold as he said, ¡°It turns out my wife is concerned about me. I¡¯ve wrongly used her.¡±


    However, Cherise was not stupid. She keenly sensed the sarcasm in his tone and gaze. Damien turned


    to the butler and gestured to him indifferently. The butler hurried over and took the bottles of medicine


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    away. Cherise felt guilty. ¡°Why did you get the butler to take them away? Don¡¯t¡­ you want to take


    them?¡± He seems in a bad mood. Damien pursed his lips and smiled vaguely. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch.¡± His


    voice was gruff and cold. Cherise sensed the surrounding air turn chilly. It looks like he¡¯s angry. Cherise


    sped her hands nervously. I brought him medicine on the second day of our marriage. Is it


    wrong? Did giving him the medicine so soon after our wedding make him think I detest him? Cherise


    suddenly recalled Lucy¡¯s advice. ¡®A disabled person has low self-esteem.¡¯ She could not resist


    grumbling about Lucy in her mind. Goodness, Lucy! You know a disabled person has low self-esteem.


    Why did you ask me to get those medicine? But I¡¯m partially at fault. I should have expected this. ¡°Eat


    up,¡± Damien said gruffly. Cherise grabbed a fork and began to eat. She felt nervous and tensed


    throughout the meal. Once she finished her food, the butler approached her and said, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Old


    Mr. Lenoir called and invited you and Mr. Lenoir to dinner tonight. The driver will pick you up after


    school, so please refrain from scheduling other activities.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Cherise smiled politely. ¡°I


    don¡¯t have any ns tonight anyway.¡± Her eyes crinkled as she smiled, making her appear sincere and


    adorable. Anyone would think she was too innocent to have any schemes. After saying that, she


    grabbed her bag and waved at Damien. ¡°I¡¯m off to school!¡± Once she disappeared from the room, the


    butler stood behind Damien and said respectfully. ¡°I¡¯ve sent the medicine to ab for testing. The result


    will be ready soon.¡± He paused and could not resist adding, ¡°I don¡¯t think Mrs. Lenoir is a calctive


    person.¡± Damien looked indifferently in the direction Cherise had left. ¡°Investigate the doctor who asked


    her out.¡± The butler pursed his lips and reminded, ¡°The driver said Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s friend brought the


    medicine. I think her friend is more suspicious¡­¡± However, Damien¡¯s domineering aura intimidated the


    butler into silence. Damien smiled vaguely, ¡°I wish to investigate the man who asked my wife out. Do


    you have any problem with that?¡± ¡°No¡­ No, sir!¡± ¡­ Once the sses were over, Cherise left the


    campus to find the driver waiting at the main gate. Moreover, a magnificent Rolls-Royce was parked


    nearby. Her heart sank. She rushed the driver and said urgently, ¡°We must leave now!¡± Cherise feared


    other students would see her getting into a luxury car and spread rumors. Unfortunately, what one


    feared tended toe true. Once she entered the car, she nced through the window and saw her


    ssmate, Cressa Lyes looking at her with a shocked expression. Oh no¡­ Cherise¡¯s heart sank.


    Cressa was the campus¡¯ notorious gossiper. Any secrets she discovered would be spread all over the


    campus before the end of the day. ¡°Sit tight.¡± A gruff male voice sounded as Cherise pondered how to


    salvage the matter, prompting her to turn to him in shock. A man with a strip of ck silk over his eyes


    was sitting in the seat behind her. She could feel the intimidating aura around him. Cherise eximed,


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Didn¡¯t the butler say the driver would pick me up for dinner with Old Mr.


    Lenoir? ¡°It¡¯s on the way,¡± Damien replied sinctly as he leaned into the seat made of genuine leather.


    He appeared reluctant to speak. It seems he hasn¡¯t gotten over what happened at noon¡­ Cherise


    looked out the window gloomily. After the car traveled for a while, she noticed something was


    wrong. Why isn¡¯t this car heading to Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s house but to our home? She frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t


    we going to Grandpa¡¯s ce?¡± Damien answered disdainfully, ¡°Do you want to meet him while dressed


    like this?¡± His words prompted Cherise to look at her clothes. She wore a pair of faded jeans from


    repeated wash and a white T-shirt with ck writing ¡®Rude Fairies!¡¯. Oh¡­ My clothes aren¡¯t appropriate


    for meeting an elder. But¡­ ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m wearing?¡± Isn¡¯t he blind? Damien snorted. ¡°I


    don¡¯t trust your taste.¡± Cherise was rendered speechless. Even though she was mild-tempered, she


    could not help but feel displeased to be mocked repeatedly. Thus, she rolled her eyes at him. Then,


    remembering that he could not see her, she scowled at him. Once she had enough of venting her


    anger, she pursed her lips and looked out the window. ¡°Since you made me go home to change my


    clothes, you should have stayed there. Why bothering out?¡± He can¡¯t see. It must have been


    troublesome to leave the house repeatedly. Damien smirked. He turned to the driver and said


    indifferently, ¡°Mr. Kolson.¡± A divider immediately appeared between the front and back seats, creating


    two sealed-off spaces in the car. Damien moved gracefully as he offered Cherise a document. ¡°Have a


    look at it.¡± Cherise was confused, but she flipped through the document nevertheless. It was ab test


    report. The items tested were two bottles of ubeled medicine. Ubeled medicine? Aren¡¯t these the


    ones from Lucy? The ones I gave him this afternoon? Cherise was shocked that Damien tested the


    medicine she gave him. On further thought, she realized he was right to get them tested. After all, he


    had a weak constitution and could not simply take any medication. It would be troublesome if they


    triggered his allergy. Rich people are so thoughtful! With that in mind, she skipped the rest of the report


    and read the conclusion. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Cherise was stumped as she read the test result. ¡®Our tests identified


    the samples as drugs to treat the male reproductive system, specifically impotence, premature


    ejaction, and other conditions.¡¯ Cherise was rendered speechless. What¡¯s going on? Her hands


    shook, and the document fell onto the carpet with a loud st. Damien¡¯s tone carried a hint of threat.


    ¡°My wife thinks I¡¯mcking in that department.¡± ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ I¡­¡± Cherise was so flustered that she


    kept stuttering. When Lucy gave her the medicine, she said they were for his eyes. Cherise and Lucy


    were close, so Cherise never expected Lucy to trick her. If she had known the medicine¡¯s actual usage,


    she would never have epted them. Damien suddenly reached out and grabbed her, lifting her onto


    hisp. He had an intimidating yet seductive aura. Cherise hated herself for blushing. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Seems like


    my wife is dissatisfied with our wedding night.¡± He held Cherise¡¯s chin with his big hand and slowly


    parted his lips. ¡°So, she went to the hospital on the second day of our marriage and got me those


    medicines. How kind of her.¡± A strip of ck ribbon covered his eyes, making him appear sensual and


    flirtatious. Cherise instinctively avoided Damien¡¯s gaze as he held her chin. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know the


    medicines were for that purpose!¡± ¡°I thought they were for¡­¡± ¡°Mmn¡­¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Damien kissed Cherise¡¯s lips before she could figure out her exnation. He kept a firm grip on her


    arms and locked her securely in his embrace, kissing her without restraint. Furthermore, his stern and


    domineering presence assailed her, making her feel light-headed. Whenever he kissed her, it felt like


    he sucked away a part of her soul. Then, he let her go andughed deviously. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, was that


    good enough for you?¡± Her heart thumped rapidly, and she was unable to calm down. She struggled


    and broke free of his embrace, only for him to trap her in his arms again. They were dangerously close.


    There was hardly any space between them. Cherise continued struggling, but Damien maintained a


    firm hold on her. It went on for some time until Cherise ran out of energy. She pursed her lips. ¡°Why are


    you so strong¡­¡± Before they got married, Old Mr. Lenoir kept reminding Cherise that Damien was


    weak and sickly and that she should take good care of him. Therefore, she thought Damien was ill like


    her grandmother. However, she looked down and saw his big hands grabbing her slim waist. She had


    always had pride in her strength and health, yet she stood no chance against the ¡®sickly¡¯ Damien.


    Cherise pouted unhappily, causing her cheeks to puff up adorably. Damien smiled and moved her to a


    morefortable position. He ced her on hisp and said, ¡°I can¡¯t see, but I¡¯mpletely healthy


    otherwise.¡± Then, he smirked deviously and moved his lips close to her ears. His gruff but maic


    voice stimted her eardrums. ¡°I¡¯m also healthy down there. Do you wish to test it out, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Her face flushed and felt hot as she shook her head


    profusely. ¡°No, no! I don¡¯t want it!¡± Damien felt the urge to tease her. He held her earlobe between his


    lips. ¡°Are you sure? Didn¡¯t you say you will¡­ give me a child?¡± ¡°I¡­ I will provide you with a child, but¡­


    not now!¡± Cherise was so startled by Damien¡¯s words that she could not help but stutter. She could not


    figure out what Damien was thinking and feared he would want to do it in the car. ¡°I mean, we¡­ can¡¯t


    do it!¡± Damien did not speak but stared at her with a dangerous and domineering gaze. His gaze


    frightened Cherise. He looks like he will¡­ She looked like a frightened small animal as she looked at


    him with eyes filled with tears. ¡°No¡­¡± Damien arched his eyebrows and asked calmly, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cherise sounded on the verge of crying. ¡°You¡¯re my husband, and you can do anything to me.


    But¡­¡± She sniffled. ¡°We mustn¡¯t do it in the car! The driver¡¯s here¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡± Cherise was


    still a conservative person at heart. She could never do something so scandalous¡­ Damien smiled


    calmly. ¡°I can ask the driver to leave the car.¡± ¡°No¡­ That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve seen much news about people


    getting into idents while being intimate in the car¡­¡± Then, she continued tentatively, trying to figure


    out his mood, ¡°We can do it in our bed¡­ or if you don¡¯t like the bed¡­ I¡¯m okay with the floor¡­¡± Damien


    chuckled in amusement. ¡°But weren¡¯t you doubtful of my virility?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t!¡± Cherise shook her


    head urgently. ¡°I¡­ I took the wrong medicines. Those weren¡¯t for you.¡± Weren¡¯t they for me? Damien


    smiled. ¡°In that case, Mrs. Lenoir¡­ who are they for?¡± Cherise was rendered speechless. Her


    exnation worsened the misunderstanding. She panicked and came up with a nonsensical


    exnation. ¡°They are for my friend, Lucy. Her boyfriend has all kinds of sexual dysfunctions, so she


    went to the hospital to get medicines for him. They identally mixed up with mine.¡± Lucy tricked me


    first. She can¡¯t me me for dragging her into this! She looked so serious while mumbling nonsense


    that Damien¡¯s eyes crinkled in good humor. Sensing his anger receded, Cherise hugged his arm gently


    and tugged them. ¡°I honestly took the wrong medicines. Why would I suspect my husband to have


    sexual dysfunction?¡± Her voice was sweet as honey. At the same time, the car stopped. Damien said


    indifferently, ¡°You have half an hour to change your clothes.¡± His tone remained solemn, but Cherise


    detected a hint of mirth in his voice. He¡¯s not angry with me anymore! She got off hisp immediately


    and exited the car. Then, she took a step and suddenly recalled something. She turned around and


    asked, ¡°You¡¯re not getting out?¡± Damien calmly smirked and replied, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, are you asking


    because you wish to continue what we were doing in the bedroom?¡± Cherise was too embarrassed to


    say anything and escaped into the vi. Seeing her running away in embarrassment, Damien rested his


    hands behind his head. His lips curved into a smile. ¡­ Cherise and Frances searched the wardrobe for


    ten minutes before finding something they could agree on. They decided on ady-like light pink dress


    for Cherise. After putting on the dress, Frances carefully did Cherise¡¯s makeup to match the style of her


    dress. Other than yesterday¡¯s wedding, Cherise had never worn such a beautiful dress or had such


    exquisite makeup. She looked in the mirror and saw she was beautiful as a princess, prompting her to


    twirl happily. Frances smiled at her reaction and said, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, the half an hour is nearly up.¡±


    Cherise came to her senses and quickly grabbed her purse before stepping out in seven centimeters


    tall high heel shoes. She was too innocent to conceal her desires. Anyone could see she was eager to


    show off her new look to Damien. However, she fell silent when she saw the ck ribbon over his


    eyes. Damian can¡¯t see anything¡­ No matter how nicely I dress up, he won¡¯t be able to see it or


    compliment me about it. She pursed her lips in disappointment. ¡°We can go now.¡± Damien nced at


    her indifferently before saying. ¡°Start driving.¡± The driver drove the car away from the vi. ¡°Frances


    has a good taste in fashion.¡± Damien¡¯s tone softened slightly. ¡°You must look beautiful right now.¡±


    Cherise perked up immediately. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Frances selected a lovely dress for me!¡± She


    described excitedly how gorgeous her dress was. At the same time, she held his hand and guided him


    to touch her dress. ¡°There¡¯s a ribbon here. Can you feel it? It¡¯s a pretty ribbon!¡± ¡°Also, this part is


    tailored in such a style as to make my waist appear slimmer. Can you feel it? I look especially slim right


    now¡­¡± As the car traveled, she innocently guided his hand to touch all over her body. Sometimes, his


    hand identally touched her smooth skin. However, she did not mind and chattered on eagerly.


    Damien could not help but smile as he saw how delighted she was. Silly girl. Cherise talked so much


    that her mouth began to feel dry. At the same time, the car stopped. The driver unfolded the wheelchair


    skillfully and opened the door to help Damien get onto it. Cherise was stunned by the beautiful and


    opulent house before her. I thought Damien¡¯s vi looked luxurious. Who knew¡­ ¡°Damien, what brings


    you to Lenoir Residence today? Oh, right. I almost forgot. You got married yesterday. Are you bringing


    your wife to meet Grandpa?¡± A mocking male voice sounded. Cherise frowned and turned toward the


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    voice. A man in ck attire stood at the main door with his arms crossed. He looked at Cherise and


    Damien with a smirk. As she looked at the man, he looked into her eyes and gave an unexpected wink.


    ¡°Is she the wife you married yesterday?¡± Cherise shuddered. She had seen him in the Lenoir family¡¯s


    portrait. He was Damien¡¯s cousin, Tristan Lenoir. Tristan looked like a gentleman but was a rake. He


    walked toward them and tantly leered at Cherise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to have such a beautiful woman as


    my sister-inw.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Tristan¡¯s gaze made Cherise ufortable. She took a deep breath and smiled politely at Tristan


    before pushing Damien in his wheelchair toward the house. However, Tristan extended his arm and


    blocked her way as she tried to walk past him. ¡°Why are you so anxious to go in? Are you afraid to talk


    to me?¡± He crossed his arms and looked at Damien with disgust and contempt. In contrast, his voice


    was kind, with a hint of concern. ¡°Damien, your wife keeps avoiding me. I think she has an ulterior


    motive for marrying you.¡± He briefly nced at Cherise¡¯s chest with leering eyes. Cherise frowned and


    instinctively turned away. But that only made him leer at her more daringly. His lips curved into an


    arrogant smirk. ¡°Damien, Grandpa is old and might be unable to see through the tricks of young women


    like her. On the other hand, I have vast experience. What about this? I¡¯ll talk to your wife privately and


    assess her character for you!¡± Cherise tightened her grip on Damien¡¯s wheelchair. Although she was an


    orphan from the countryside, her uncle and his wife were generous to her. Thus, she grew up well and


    developed beautiful curves. Although several male students ogled her body at school, she was not


    afraid because Lucy protected her. However, Cherise was now in Lenoir Residence, Tristan¡¯s territory.


    Furthermore, Damien was blind and could not see how Tristan looked at her. He would also not know


    what Tristan would do to her if he were to permit Tristan to talk to her in private. Cherise could not


    rebuff Tristan because he had not done anything out of bounds. She bit her lip, praying that Damien


    would not agree to Tristan¡¯s unreasonable request. Damien sensed Cherise¡¯s hands trembling behind


    him. Even with the ck ribbon over his eyes, he could see Tristan¡¯s leering expression illuminated by


    the streetmp. Thus, he pursed his lips and replied indifferently. ¡°This is the first time you have shown


    so much concern for me after all these years. I remember when my previous fianc¨¦e died in a car


    ident, you said, ¡®Who cares. She¡¯s better off dead than marrying a cursed man.¡¯¡± Tristan¡¯s


    expression darkened. He cleared his throat. ¡°It was only a joke. Damien, I offer to vet your wife out of


    concern for you. After all, you can only hear her voice, but¡­¡± His gazended on Cherise¡¯s trim waist


    before continuing, ¡°I can see everything about her.¡± He looked at Cherie with unconcealed desire.


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s best that you allow me to examine her for you.¡± Cherise¡¯s face turned pale. Tristan


    sounded sincerely concerned but looked at Damien with disdain and mockery. How dare he use me


    of having ulterior motives? ¡°She is only a country bumpkin. You shouldn¡¯t trouble yourself over her,


    Tristan.¡± Then, Damien continued evenly, ¡°It¡¯s not easy for me to get a wife. I¡¯m happy to ept her


    even if she approaches me ulteriorly.¡± ¡°Furthermore,¡± heughed and said, ¡°Cherise is an orphan.


    She¡¯s likely jinxed, too, since she is married to a cursed man like me. It would be unfortunate if you met


    with a disaster after talking to her.¡± Damien¡¯s words were heavily implied with a warning. Tristan was


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    briefly stunned. Thinking that Cherise could be cursed like Damien, Tristan stepped back and turned


    the other way, not daring to look at her again. He was not usually superstitious, but it was better to be


    safe than sorry regarding such things. Damien wanted tough as he looked at Tristan¡¯s expression.


    ¡°We will head in first.¡± Cherise breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the wheelchair through the gate. As


    she walked past Tristan, she felt a sudden pain in her butt. It felt like someone pinched her. A wave of


    disgust filled her. She recklessly rushed ahead, pushing Damien into the residence¡¯spound.


    Cherise only dared to pause once they reached a small garden. However, she was still afraid. She did


    not expect to experience sexual harassment for the first time at the hands of her husband¡¯s cousin.


    Worse, it was right outside his grandfather¡¯s house. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Damien asked with a frown.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Cherise did not dare to tell Damien the truth. It was because she, Damien, and


    Tristan were the only ones at the scene just now. Even if she told Damien what Tristan did, all Tristan


    had to do was deny it, and she could do nothing against him. Then, the Lenoir family would think


    Cherise was a troublemaker and that Damien had lost his mind in siding with her. Therefore, she had


    no choice but to stay silent despite what Tristan had done to her. ¡°Can I have some water?¡± Damien¡¯s


    words pulled her back to reality. There was not a single servant in the garden. Cherise pursed her lips


    and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll get you a ss of water. Please wait for a moment.¡± Then, she entered the vi to get


    water for him. However, Lenoir Residence was too vast. It took her some time to find a ss of water.


    When she returned, Damien had put down a phone for the visually impaired. ¡°This ce is too big.¡±


    She wiped her sweat-covered forehead. Damien epted the ss of water and sipped before saying


    indifferently, ¡°Do you regret marrying me?¡± Cherise immediately shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret


    it.¡± Although he is disabled and is regarded as cursed by others, I would never be able to find enough


    money to treat Grandma¡¯s illness without his help. He saved my Grandma. Why would I regret marrying


    someone who saved her? Silence fell between them. After a while, Damien sighed and said, ¡°You must


    let me know if anyone wronged you. I may not be able to see, but it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t care.¡± Cherise


    was a forgiving person. After running around Lenoir Residence, shepletely forgot about the


    incident with Tristan. Therefore, she did not realize Damien referred to what had happened previously.


    She nced at the sky and said, ¡°Should we go in?¡± Damien paused before answering, ¡°Sure.¡± They


    arrived at the living room to find Old Mr. Lenoir chatting with Damien¡¯s uncle, Raymond Lenoir, and


    Raymond¡¯s wife, Wanda Payson. Old Mr. Lenoir waved upon seeing them. ¡°Cherise!¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡±


    Cherise smiled sweetly and quickly pushed Damien into the living room. Old Mr. Lenoir smiled as he


    watched here over. ¡°What a nice girl!¡± Raymond nced at Cherise. ¡°You chose her yourself. I do


    not doubt that she¡¯s a good person.¡± However, Wandaughed scornfully beside Raymond. ¡°I heard


    Damien flew into a rage this morning due to Cherise and kicked out an old servant!¡± ¡°Damien had


    always been mild-tempered, yet he behaved unreasonably so soon after marrying that girl. She must


    be a bad influence¡­¡± Old Mr. Lenoir frowned and interrupted, ¡°Damien is too withdrawn. It¡¯s good that


    he has someone who can make him angry.¡± Wanda furrowed her brow. She did not expect Old Mr.


    Lenoir to go to such lengths to defend Cherise. ¡°Good evening, Grandpa! Good evening, Uncle


    Raymond!¡± Cherise greeted them whileing over, pushing Damien in his wheelchair. Then, she


    poured Damien a ss of water and said, ¡°The garden is big. I walked for a long time to get here!¡± Old


    Mr. Lenoir looked at her and smiled. ¡°Did Damien bully you?¡± Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, he treats


    me well.¡± Wanda sneered, ¡°Of course, he treats you well. He kicked out an old servant this morning for


    your sake.¡± Damien was a peculiar person. Wanda went to lengths to nt June in Damien¡¯s vi to


    spy for her. Unfortunately, June had only been there for less than two days before Damien kicked her


    out because of Cherise. Cherise was confused. ¡°Who was kicked out?¡± ¡°Aunt Wanda, are you saying I


    shouldn¡¯t terminate the servant who humiliated my wife the day after the wedding?¡± Damien¡¯s voice


    was cold but firm. ¡°Cherise is kind. She would not say anything even though someone bullied her. Are


    you expecting me, her husband, to ignore such disrespect?¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Wanda froze. All June said was that Damien kicked her out due to Cherise. She did not exin why. It


    turned out she had humiliated Cherise! Wanda pursed her lips. She would never have brought up this


    matter if she knew the reason. Raymond smiled diplomatically. ¡°Damien is a man of dignity.


    Furthermore, Cherise is the daughter-inw of the Lenoir family. How can we allow a servant to


    humiliate her?¡± Wanda had no retort. All she could do was snort indignantly and stay silent. At the


    same time, Old Mr. Lenoir switched the conversation topic and chatted with Cherise. Suddenly,


    Raymond¡¯s phone rang. His face turned pale when he saw the number on the screen. ¡°I have to take


    this call. You all go on without me.¡± Damien¡¯s tone was a little cold. ¡°Sure, Uncle Raymond.¡± Tristan


    walked in flippantly shortly after Raymond left. He nced at the people in the living room and plopped


    himself in a seat opposite Cherise, winking at her. Old Mr. Lenoir was annoyed with Tristan¡¯s flirtatious


    attitude and scolded, ¡°She¡¯s your sister-inw!¡± ¡°I know.¡± Tristan blinked suggestively. ¡°I bumped into


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    them at the gates. Cherise and I had a ¡®deep¡¯ conversation just now.¡± He emphasized the word ¡®deep,¡¯


    prompting Cherise to furrow her brow. She turned away and noticed the servants were preparing dinner


    in the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll help out in the kitchen.¡± She stood up immediately to leave. She was determined to


    get away from Tristan. However, she only took a few steps before a rough, firm hand grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Grandpa has many servants in this house. You don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Wanda


    many servants. You have better sit still and behave like ady.¡± Cherise¡¯s face turned pale. She had no


    choice but to return to her seat. As soon as she sat down, loud noises sounded outside the house. The


    butler rushed in. ¡°Old Mr. Lenoir¡­¡± He nced at Tristan, who was nonchntly helping himself to the


    fruit tter. Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Speak!¡± The butler said nervously, ¡°Old¡­ Mr.


    Belcourt and Ms. Belcourt are outside, demanding justice¡­ They imed Mr. Tristan vited Ms.


    Belcourt¡¯s dignity¡­¡± Old Mr. Lenoir red at Tristan. ¡°What did you do?¡± Tristan continued eating fruits


    without care. ¡°They¡¯re making a fuss over nothing.¡± ¡°I was a little drunk at the nightclub that night and


    identally pinched Violet¡¯s bum. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± The living room fell into pin-drop silence.


    Suddenly, Old Mr. Lenoir threw an ashtray at Tristan. ¡°You d*mn br*t! How could you say it¡¯s nothing?¡±


    Tristan dodged the ashtray. Although it did not hit him, cigarette soot scattered over his body. His face


    and suit were covered in gray soot. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re worked up over nothing.¡± Tristan pursed his lips


    and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! That woman went to the nightclub in such a short dress that her


    underwear was almost visible. She was clearly seducing me. How could she now make a fuss when all


    I did was pinch her?¡± Old Mr. Lenoir was so angry that he threw a cushion at Tristan. ¡°Tristan.¡± Damien,


    who had been silent all this while, finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re a grown man. Since the Belcourt family came


    here to make demands, shouldn¡¯t you go out to deal with them? How can you expect Grandpa to clean


    up your mess?¡± Tristan rolled his eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t the Belcourt family members beat me up if I go out


    now?¡± Damien replied indifferently, ¡°I never knew you were this irresponsible, Tristan. If I¡¯m not


    mistaken, Grandpa appointed you as the president of a subsidiarypany, right?¡± ¡°If you have to rely


    on Grandpa for such a minor matter, the shareholders will think you¡¯re untrustworthy. Then, your status


    as president will be under threat.¡± Damien¡¯s words drove Tristan into a corner, giving him no chance of


    escape. Wanda stood up, pulling Tristan with her. ¡°It¡¯s only a minor matter. Tristan is more than able to


    deal with it. You didn¡¯t have to mock him like that!¡± Cherise furrowed her brow as she watched Wanda


    dragging Tristan out of the house. Tristan doesn¡¯t think he is wrong at all¡­ Are you sure sending him


    out won¡¯t worsen the matter? She turned to Damien and saw him sipping tea leisurely. Old Mr. Lenoir


    appeared tense. He called the butler over and whispered something to him. After the butler left, he


    turned to Damien and sneered. ¡°The Belcourt family has always been unreasonable, and Tristan feels


    no remorse over what he did. An intelligent man like you couldn¡¯t have not realized the consequences


    of sending Tristan to deal with the Belcourt family.¡± After Old Mr. Lenoir had spoken, the dispute outside


    the house grew louder. Cherise heard Tristan scolding Violet loudly. Things have indeed


    worsened. ¡°You two should leave through the back gate. I¡¯ll pretend you didn¡¯te here tonight!¡± Old


    Mr. Lenoir stood up furiously and red at Damien. ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you this time because of


    your age and ill health. However, I won¡¯t tolerate something like this again!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir pushed up


    his sleeves and left. However, Damien remained seated in his wheelchair. He smirked, making him


    appear cold and arrogant. Cherise consulted a servant about the directions to the back gate before


    pushing Damien out of the house. The dispute outside had be even more intense. Damien


    remained silent as they left the house. Initially, Cherise thought the back gate would be easy to find.


    Unfortunately, the paths at the back of Lenoir Residence wereplicated and winding. Furthermore,


    all kinds of flowers of various colors decorated the path. Soon, Cherise realized she hadpletely


    lost her way. ¡°I think we¡¯re lost.¡± Cherise looked at the stone path in despair, thinking that she had been


    returning to the same path a dozen times. Then, she sighed in frustration. ¡°I should have asked a


    servant to lead the way.¡± ¡°The servants will never do such a thing for you.¡± Cherise pursed her lips.


    ¡°Why not? This is Grandpa¡¯s house. You¡¯re his grandson!¡± Damien sneered. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know


    much about your husband. I¡¯m famous all over Adania for being cursed. My parents died when I was


    nine.¡± ¡°When I was thirteen, my yfulness caused a severe fire that killed my beloved sister and two


    servants who cared for me. The fire also blinded me and crippled one of my legs.¡± ¡°The Lenoir family


    treated me as a pariah due to the misfortunes surrounding me. No one dares to approach me.¡± ¡°Due to


    this, I was sent out to live alone. I¡¯ve been living in that vi for thirteen years.¡± Cherise opened her


    mouth in shock. Does this mean he has been living in that vi, our marital home, by himself for


    thirteen years? Damien spoke coldly, but there was a hint of loneliness. ¡°For the past thirteen years, I


    was only allowed to visit Lenoir Residence for a meal on special asions.¡± ¡°Furthermore, you and I


    only got toe here tonight because we married yesterday.¡± Then, he smiled and continued, ¡°The


    servants in the residence will not bother to respect an outcast like me.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Cherise¡¯s hands shook slightly as she held Damien¡¯s wheelchair. Damien¡¯s words prompted her to


    realize something. None of the servants bothered toe to them since they entered Lenoir


    Residence. She looked at Damien¡¯s chiseled facial features under the dim moonlight and felt pity for


    him. His cousin, Tristan, bullied him because of his disability and molested his wife right before his


    eyes. Furthermore, his aunt and uncle mocked him, never treating him with respect. As for his


    grandfather¡­ Previously, Cherise thought Damien¡¯s grandfather cared about him. Otherwise, why


    would he be concerned about Damien getting married? However, she witnessed how coldly Old Mr.


    Lenoir treated Damien in Lenoir Residence. Thus, she believed Old Mr. Lenoir also disliked Damien.


    She could not help but feel sad as she thought about this. Damien lost his closest family members from


    a young age. Furthermore, his other rtives mistreated him. It must have been heartbreaking for


    him¡­ Cherise instinctively reached out and gently held his cold hand. His hand trembled slightly, jolting


    her to her senses. She withdrew her hand abruptly as if scalded. Still, she said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m your family


    now, and I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± Damien appeared bewildered for a second. He turned to Cherise and


    looked at her through the ribbon over his eyes. Cherise thought he did not hear her properly. Thus, she


    repeated in earnest, ¡°Although we¡­ have only been married for one day, I¡¯m not like them. I will be


    loyal to you. Even if you¡¯re cursed, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± Damien chuckled silently.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Cherise went to him obediently and was suddenly pulled into his embrace. His breaths


    gently brushed against her neck, making her feel ticklish. He held her with one hand and used his other


    hand to tuck her hair behind her ears gently. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not afraid?¡± The moon appeared


    hazy, partially shrouded by wispy clouds. Cherise¡¯s heart began to palpitate as she remained in


    Damien¡¯s embrace. The ck silk over Damien¡¯s eyes made him seem forbidding under the moonlight.


    He looked alluring yet dangerous. Cherise could not help but blush. This handsome man has been my


    husband since yesterday. I guess I¡¯m lucky, right? Cherise looked adorably and alluring, with her


    cheeks flushed. Damien repeated the question in his gruff voice. ¡°You want to be with me? Are you not


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    afraid you could die?¡± Those words of warning sounded cold on his lips. It hurt Cherise¡¯s heart to see


    him like this. She nodded and looked into his eyes earnestly as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Although


    three of his fianc¨¦es died, I married him and survived. It means I have enough good luck for both of


    us! Damien looked into her innocent and sincere gaze and sighed. ¡°You silly girl.¡± However, a figure


    suddenly dashed out of the house before Cherise could determine whether he meant those words as a


    mess, and his suit was disheveled. Furthermore, his cheek was swollen with a palm print on it. He


    kicked Damien¡¯s wheelchair violently and shouted, ¡°You were usually so quiet that we thought you were


    mute. Who knew you¡¯re capable of instigating me at the right moment.¡± ¡°I should have known you¡¯re up


    to no good.¡± ¡°You egged me into fighting with the Belcourt family. Thanks to you, the Belcourt family


    threatens to drag the matter to the public, causing Grandpa to take back thepany he just gave me


    to save his face!¡± ¡°You blind b*stard! You tricked me!¡± Damien chuckled and said coldly, ¡°Since you


    knew I was up to no good, why did you still fall for it?¡± ¡°Are you so stupid that you needed beating to


    realize you shouldn¡¯t have quarreled with them?¡± His tone was harsh and sarcastic, pushing the


    already fuming Tristan off the edge. Tristan kicked Damien¡¯s wheelchair several times, causing it to


    wobble unstably. He thought he had kicked hard enough to make Damien fall out of the wheelchair.


    Unexpectedly, a woman¡¯s hands stabilized the wheelchair as it was about to tip over. Cherise held the


    wheelchair still and red at Tristan. ¡°Don¡¯t bully my husband!¡± Tristan was rendered speechless. He


    could not believe his eyes when he saw her furious re. Previously, Cherise was so meek and docile


    that she did not dare toin when he pinched her butt. Yet, she not only red but scolded him.


    He sneered and grabbed her chin. ¡°Why? Are you going to defend him?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten your


    ce? You can¡¯t even protect yourself.¡± Heughed menacingly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared I¡¯ll assault you right


    before your useless husband?¡± He thought a woman who didn¡¯t dare toin when he molested


    her would not dare to fight back. However, he was wrong. Cherise clenched her teeth. She removed


    her high heel shoes and attacked Tristan¡¯s face with them. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you bully me, but I¡¯ll never


    tolerate anyone bullying my husband!¡± ¡°What makes you think no one cares about my husband? I¡¯ll


    have you know that I¡¯m protecting him from now on!¡± Tristan was disoriented from being hit by


    Cherise¡¯s shoes. By the time he recovered, Cherise had run away barefoot, pushing Damien down the


    flower-lined path and disappearing into the distance. Tristan wiped his face and smelled the stench of


    blood. He cursed under his breath and thought to chase after them. However, Raymond shouted


    behind him, ¡°Get back here! Haven¡¯t you humiliated yourself enough?¡± ¡°But Dad, Damien schemed


    against me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because your mistake allowed him to do so!¡± Raymond red at Tristan. ¡°You have


    better behave!¡± ¡°Your grandfather is furious. If Damien tattle to him, you will lose your chance to get


    money from that old man!¡± Tristan scoffed indifferently. ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t care much about him anyway.


    It¡¯s been years since he kicked Damien out of the house. He even arranged for Damien to marry a


    country bumpkin. He¡¯s not nning to let him inherit anything!¡± Raymond sneered. ¡°Would he have


    married that country bumpkin if I didn¡¯t get rid of his three previous fianc¨¦es?¡± Tristan was stunned.


    ¡°His threete fianc¨¦es. Did you¡­¡± ¡°I did it.¡± Raymond stood in the shadow and lit a cigarette. ¡°Don¡¯t


    assume you can sit back and rx. Your grandfather cares about that cursed boy.¡± ¡­ Cherise kept


    running, pushing Damien in his wheelchair. Desperate to escape, she finally found her way out of the


    road. Once she confirmed Tristan did not run after them, she slumped to the ground and leaned


    against the wheelchair, gasping for breath. She had not been this nervous for a long time. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Damien reached for a bottle of mineral water at the side of the wheelchair and offered it to her. Cherise


    twisted open the cap and drank a few gulps. She felt much better after that. Then, she wiped her sweat


    and turned to Damien. ¡°I ran too recklessly just now. Did I hurt you?¡± Damien leaned into his wheelchair


    and smiled. ¡°My butt is bruised all over from the rough ride.¡± Cherise was stunned before asking guiltily,


    ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Do you want to see them?¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Damien¡¯s smile appeared soft and seductive under the moonlight. Cherise pursed her lips and felt her


    cheeks heating up. ¡°Check them¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check them when we get home.¡± She suddenly gasped. ¡°I was


    only bluffing in Lenoir Residence¡­ He¡¯s much stronger than me. How can I win against him in a fight? I


    don¡¯t have the power to make him stop bullying you.¡± Cherise looked down at her bare feet. ¡°But¡­ I


    can bring you to escape with me. I can run quite fast.¡± Damien could not help butugh when he saw


    her serious expression. ¡°Are you nning to run away with me every time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cherise nodded, but


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    she realized something and shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t keep running. I will be able to protect you once I


    get stronger.¡± Damien nced at her under the moonlight and smiled. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you to be


    stronger.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cherise clenched her fists. Her face was flushed. She patted her cheeks and looked


    at the dark and empty road. ¡°We might not be able to get home tonight.¡± I damaged my shoes while


    using it to hit Tristan. I can¡¯t walk home barefoot while pushing Damien in his wheelchair. It¡¯s too


    far. Damien smiled and said, ¡°Close your eyes and count to ten. I will figure out a way then.¡± Cherise


    pursed her lips. ¡°This is not the time for jokes.¡± ¡°You can give it a try. Then, you will find out whether I


    was joking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡± Cherise pouted and rolled her eyes, but she still closed her eyes as he


    asked and began to count. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± Her voice sounded bright and pure in the night. Damien


    could not stop looking at her through the ck silk cloth over his eyes. He did not notice that his gaze


    had turned unusually gentle at this moment. ¡°Eight, nine, ten!¡± Cherise opened her eyes immediately at


    the count of ten. A car shone so brightly in the distance that Cherise could not open her eyes. The said


    car stopped before her and Damien a few secondster. Then, the door opened, and Mr. Kolson, the


    driver, rushed out of the car, saying, ¡®I¡¯mte. My apologies, Mr. Lenoir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re notte yet.¡± Damien


    smiled indifferently. ¡°But we would have to deduct your sry if you were another minutete.¡± Cherise


    finally realized something. She pursed her lips as she helped Damien into the car. ¡°I thought you had a


    good n, but you only contacted Mr. Kolson to pick us up.¡± Damien got onto the car seat slowly. ¡°This


    is the best n a blind man cane up with.¡± Cherise disliked that he kept calling himself a ¡®blind


    man.¡¯ She pursed her lips and sat down beside him. Mr. Kolson started the car. Cherise did not get


    enough sleepst night. She leaned into the leather chair and identally fell asleep as the car


    traveled. She vaguely heard someone speaking softly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, we have arrived.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wake her


    up. Let her sleep.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Later, Cherise sensed herself floating in the air like someone had lifted her.


    Then, she found herself in a warm andfortable embrace. She smelled the person¡¯s minty and


    masculine scent. At the same time, she felt dizzy and was unable to differentiate between dream and


    reality. Perhaps¡­ I¡¯m dreaming. The minty and unique masculine scent continued to fill her nostrils.


    She felt drowsy, unsure whether she was in a dream or that what happened was real. Perhaps I¡¯m


    dreaming. She dreamed she was in a man¡¯s gentle embrace. He ced her on a soft bed.


    Furthermore, he carefully tidied her hair and said, ¡°Silly girl.¡± His voice was low and deep. It felt familiar,


    but Cherise could not recall where she had heard it. Cherise woke up in the early morning of the


    following day. The sunlight felt ring to her eyes. She yawned and sat in bed, realizing she was in her


    marital bedroom. Cherise frowned and tried hard to remember what happenedst night. She


    remembered getting into Mr. Kolson¡¯s car with Damien to leave Lenoir Residence. She felt drowsy then


    and wanted to rest for a while. Did¡­ I sleep through the night? How did I get to the bedroom from the


    car? Could it be¡­ She recalled the dream fromst night. No¡­ That¡¯s impossible. She shook her head


    and pushed out the illogical idea from her mind. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A gruff male voice sounded. Cherise


    was stunned. She immediately turned around and looked toward the source of the voice.


    Coincidentally, she found herself looking straight into Damien¡¯s eyes. She blushed and instinctively


    looked away. Isn¡¯t Damien blind? Why does his gaze look so sharp and focused? However, she


    recalled Damien could not see and wondered why she blushed and felt nervous. Thus, she smiled and


    said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unbeknownst to Cherise, Damien could see her every gesture. He smiled


    and stood up with the help of a crutch. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡± Cherise frowned and asked,


    ¡°Why?¡± Damien¡¯s tone carried a hint of resentment, but his eyes crinkled in good humor. ¡°You snored.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless. She cleared her throat awkwardly and changed the topic. ¡°How did I


    get herest night?¡± ¡°You sleepwalked here,¡± Damien answered, heading into the bathroom without


    ncing at her. Cherise was left without retort. She red at his back and scowled. He said I snored


    last night. That¡¯s impossible! How could he say I sleepwalked? ¡°I don¡¯t sleepwalk.¡± However, Damien


    did not respond but closed the bathroom door. Cherise rolled her eyes and red at the closed door.


    Then, she stood up and removed the severely wrinkled dress before changing into a clean pair of jeans


    and a white T-shirt. She had just finished putting on her clothes when her phone rang. It was a call from


    Lucy. Lucy sounded anxious on the phone. ¡°Cherry, you muste here now! Someone¡¯s tearing your


    books and burning your notes on campus!¡± Cherise widened her eyes in shock. ¡°What?¡± She grew up


    in a vige and felt proud to be able to study in Adania. Therefore, she reserved a space in the study


    room and ced all her study materials and notes there. Many students did the same thing, and


    nothing terrible had evere up. She could not figure out why someone would destroy her books and


    notes. ¡°You must get here immediately! Otherwise, it will be toote!¡± Cherise hung up and rushed out


    of the room. Meanwhile, Damien sat on a couch and sipped tea as he listened to Mr. Kolson read the


    news. He frowned when he saw Cherise running. ¡°Why are you rushing?¡± ¡°I need to go to school


    immediately. Something happened!¡± Cherise hurried to the doorway and changed her shoes. ¡°Can you


    let Mr. Kolson send me there? It¡¯s urgent.¡± I won¡¯t be able to get a taxi at this hour! ¡°Go,¡± Damien


    ordered indifferently. Mr. Kolson put down the newspaper and followed Cherise out of the house. ¡°Mr.


    Lenoir.¡± Mr. Hampson, the butler, waited for Cherise to leave beforeing to Damien. ¡°I received


    news from Lenoir Residence. Triston has gone to Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s school.¡± Damien sneered, ¡°Prepare a


    car for me.¡± ¡°Are you going to Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s school?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Mr. Hampson wanted to say


    something but stopped. He hesitated before saying, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, with our current n, we are not ready


    to face Tristan head-on.¡± Damien pulled off the ck silk cloth over his eyes and looked at Mr.


    Hampson sternly. ¡°He has ill intentions against my wife. Why should I care about the n?¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    The ck Maserati drove through the city streets and stopped steadily before Adania University¡¯s study


    hall. Cherise exited the car without thanking Mr. Kolson before swiftly running toward her study room.


    Not only were her ss notes in the study room, but various award certificates she had received in the


    past were also there, along with the cards her grandmother had given her during her birthday every


    year. The cards were roughly made, and the words on them were messy. Other people might even


    think of them as trash. But these were Cherise¡¯s most precious items! The study hall was packed with


    people early in the morning. A crowd of people were waiting for the elevator. Just as Cherise was


    waiting for the elevator, Lucy called her again. ¡°Cherry, when are you arriving? They¡¯re going


    overboard!¡± Cherise could hear Lucy¡¯s tearful voice through the phone! Cherise¡¯s heart tightened


    viciously. She took a deep breath and decided not to wait for the elevator. She rushed into the stairwell


    at the side. It¡¯s just on the eighth floor. It¡¯s no big deal! She hadn¡¯t eaten anything in the morning, so her


    legs felt weak when she reached the eighth floor. But she couldn¡¯t be bothered with the exhaustion in


    her legs. She ran frantically toward her study room when she arrived on the eighth floor. People were


    guarding the entire floor. Only Lucy was waiting anxiously in the corridor alone. Near Lucy was a group


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    of people dressed in ck throwing her books and notes into the fire. Cherise¡¯s precious notes zed


    in the fire! A man dressed in ck was sitting leisurely next to the fire. ¡°What a mess.¡± As he spoke, he


    picked up a first-ce certificate from a physicspetition in Adania and tore it up. ¡°Put it down!¡±


    Cherise seemed to be delirious with rage as she leaped on the man. When she pounced on him, she


    realized it was Tristan! ¡°Cherry, are you throwing yourself at me because you like me so much?¡± Tristan


    still sat there carelessly and sized Cherise up smugly. ¡°Since you¡¯re so open, why did you pretend to be


    so chaste and pure at Grandpa¡¯s house yesterday?¡± Cherise gritted her teeth and shook Tristan off.


    She picked up shredded pieces of the certificate and hugged them. Ripping sounds still came from


    behind her. The group of people dressed in ck were tearing up her other belongings. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°These


    are mine! It¡¯s illegal for you to destroy them without permission!¡± The rims of Cherise¡¯s eyes reddened.


    She used all her might to snatch her belongings. ¡°You can stop.¡± Tristan sneered while his legs were


    crossed. ¡°Give Cherry a chance.¡± The people dressed in ck finally stopped after he spoke. Lucy


    rushed forward and snatched away the things in their hands with Cherise. But many were still in the


    fire. As Cherise sorted her belongings, she raised her head to nce at the fire. She suddenly saw a


    corner of a photo album exposed in the fire. Shepletely froze. The photo album was filled with


    pictures and postcards her grandmother had sent her every year! She reached out almost


    subconsciously and took out the burning photo album from the fire. The me burned her, and her


    fingers turned crimson red, but it was as though she was unconscious. She kept using her sleeve to


    extinguish the remaining sparks on the photo album. Lucy snatched the photo album from Cherise¡¯s


    hands and put it aside. She was filled with indignance when she saw how red Cherise¡¯s fingers were


    from being burned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Tristan smiled. ¡°This is nothingpared to Damien trying to


    sow dissension yesterday.¡± After that, he seemed to recall something. He raised his hand and pointed


    at the bruise on his forehead. ¡°Cherry, you should remember how this came about, right?¡± Cherise


    thought to herself. Does it have anything to do with me? Was it because I threw my high heel at him


    last night? ¡°Compared to what you and your husband did to me yesterday.¡± Tristan sneered and looked


    at Cherise. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going overboard.¡± His gaze swept over the things in Cherise¡¯s hands as he


    spoke. ¡°If I knew about your precious trash earlier, I would have burned them all!¡± Raymond had


    reminded Tristanst night to be more well-behaved. But it was the first time in Tristan¡¯s life that he was


    hit with a shoe. How could he ept it? ¡°You deserved what happenedst night!¡± Cherise gritted her


    teeth and red at him. Her circr face seemed rounder because of her rage. ¡°You deserved it!¡± He


    harassed the Belcourt family¡¯s daughter and argued with others. How can he me everything on


    Damien? And he treated Damien in such a way yesterday. As Damien¡¯s wife, is it wrong for me to


    protect my husband? What Cherise said angered Tristan again. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and


    walked to Cherise. He raised his hands viciously and grabbed her lower jaw forcefully. He exerted so


    much strength that he almost crushed her jaw. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not taking a closer look. You¡¯re so


    pretty, after all, Cherry.¡± ¡°As it turns out, those born in the countryside aren¡¯t necessarily dark and


    tanned country bumpkins. There are such fair girls¡­¡± He sized up Cherise¡¯s figure. ¡°You have a pretty


    good figure. Your bust is huge.¡± Cherise panicked and immediately broke free. She covered her chest.


    ¡°You better show some respect. I¡¯m your cousin-inw!¡± ¡°Cherry, you really don¡¯t understand me.¡±


    Tristan drew near to her. ¡°I¡¯ve always liked sleeping with unavable women.¡± ¡°The more savage they


    are, the more I like them.¡± After that, the people dressed in ck behind Cherise caught hold of her


    before she could escape. ¡°The more you struggle, the more interested I am.¡± Tristan walked over with a


    jeer. He reached out crudely to squeeze Cherise¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve taken good care of your face. You


    don¡¯t look like you came from the countryside at all.¡± His voice was as nauseating as his words. Lucy


    rushed forward angrily. ¡°You!¡± Before Tristan could say anything, the people dressed in ck dragged


    Lucy away. Tristan had too many people there. And everyone was tall, strong, and hefty. Cherise¡¯s


    hands were clenched tightly into fists. She couldn¡¯t go up against him so stubbornly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem


    very convenient here.¡± Tristan sized up the corridor around them before raising his eyes to nce at


    the empty study room. The men dressed in ck understood intuitively and pulled Cherise in. ¡°Tristan


    Lenoir!¡± Cherise truly panicked when she was dragged into the study room. She hadn¡¯t given herself to


    her husband, Damien. She couldn¡¯t let a sc*m like Tristan destroy her innocence! ¡°Mm.¡± Tristan raised


    his hand to pinch Cherise¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I like seeing you angry. You can continue.¡± Cherise bit her lips until


    they turned white. Tristan enjoyed seeing Cherise struggle. He started tearing her clothes apart before


    his two subordinates in the room! ¡°Wait!¡± Cherise gritted her teeth. Her intelligent mind worked quickly.


    ¡°You said you like girls with wild personalities, right?¡± Tristan scoffed and nodded. She blinked. ¡°What if


    I obey everything you say and do anything you want? Won¡¯t you lose interest in me?¡± What the girl said


    even made the two subordinates dressed in ckugh. Tristan was tickled. Is this country bumpkin


    dumb?

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    ¡°That¡¯s the principle.¡± Tristan forcefully restrained himself from mocking Cherise. ¡°If you can obediently


    expression flickered across Cherise¡¯s face. But she nodded sincerely. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    Tristan couldn¡¯t hold back. He smiled and waved at the men in ck restraining her. ¡°Let her go. Let


    go!¡± I want to see how dumb this country bumpkin is! The people in ck let Cherise go after hearing it.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to y any tricks, are you?¡± Tristan said with a smile when he saw Cherise lean over.


    ¡°There are three of you here. I can¡¯t escape even if I y any tricks.¡± Cherise smiled sincerely as she


    walked to his side. ¡°We¡¯ve made a deal that I¡¯ll remove your clothes and kiss you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t touch


    me.¡± Tristan pulled her hand. ¡°Kiss me down there, not up here.¡± Cherise restrained her nausea and


    pulled her hand away. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt. One button. Two buttons. The girl¡¯s serious side


    profile was making Tristan burn up. But he wanted to see Cherise throw herself at him, so he could


    only forcefully restrain himself. But she was too slow. Every time she undid one button, she carefully


    straightened out the creases on his shirt. Tristan was impatient. He wanted to prompt Cherise to hurry


    up, but he suddenly felt something cold and hard at his heart. He looked down, and a trace of panic


    instantly flickered across his eyes. Because at that moment, Cherise was holding a mini switchde


    and pressing it against his chest. ¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m a medical student majoring in


    cardiology.¡± Cherise¡¯s crisp voice was slightly cold. ¡°I had full marks in each subject, so I can guarantee


    that when I pierce it into your skin, your heart will split into two.¡± Tristan instantly broke into a cold


    sweat! He had never had a knife pressed against him like that in his life! He gritted his teeth and


    wanted to struggle but realized that Cherise had tied his coat into a tight knot when he wasn¡¯t paying


    attention! He didn¡¯t even have the chance to struggle. He was helpless under Cherise¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Cherry¡­¡± Tristan forced a charming smile and started to plead. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m Damien¡¯s cousin. If


    youy a finger on me, how would you exin it to my family¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, please. Calm down¡­¡±


    ¡°So you know that I¡¯m your cousin-inw.¡± Cherise sneered. ¡°Did you not think of how to exin things


    to your family when you were doing those things to me just now?¡± Tristan¡¯splexion was deathly


    pale. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can do whatever you want to me just because Damien is dispensable in


    the Lenoir family?¡± ¡°Is it because he¡¯s blind, has no real power, and can¡¯t do anything to you?¡± Tristan


    looked down at the shiny silver de on his chest and could only nod. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cherise¡¯s heart sank


    violently. The scenest night in Lenoir Residence¡¯s garden appeared in her mind. He was in his


    wheelchair as he looked up at the moon and said he had no rtives. Every time she thought of his


    lonely voice, she felt distressed. ¡°I¡¯ll protect Damien in the future.¡± The girl took a deep breath and said


    solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m slightly foolish, and I don¡¯te from the same world as you two.¡± ¡°But I regard myself


    as an excellent medical student.¡± She pretended to move the de in her hands fiercely. ¡°I¡¯ve learned


    what kind of force and technique I must use to cut your heart into two or three parts.¡± Tristan¡¯s figure


    started trembling. Because he saw the malice in Cherise¡¯s eyes. The woman had just been taking his


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    clothes off innocently. He never imagined she would look at him with such a gaze in the blink of an eye!


    He evidently felt that she was serious. She was so determined that he thought if he ever infuriated


    Damien again in the future, she would track him down and plunge the knife straight into his heart! How


    terrifying¡­ Medical students with good results are frightening¡­ Cherise took a deep breath. She had


    said what she needed to. She had also threatened and scared Tristan. How should she escape next?


    Tristan¡¯s subordinates were outside. Even if she could restrain Tristan, his subordinates were still


    detaining Lucy. They could use Lucy to threaten her into releasing Tristan. But if she released Tristan


    for Lucy, she and Lucy would be two unarmed and defenseless girls. They would be no match for


    Tristan and his people. Then, Tristan would want to take revenge. But she couldn¡¯t ignore Lucy¡­ As


    Cherise pondered, she didn¡¯t notice that the tip of the knife in her hands was hovering near Tristan¡¯s


    chest. He was covered in a cold sweat. What is Cherise doing? Is she thinking about how to stab the


    knife into my heart? He was so terrified that his legs started trembling. Tristan had been pampered and


    protected by Wanda and Raymond since he was born. He was already thirty years old but had never


    suffered any hardships. Now that someone pointed a knife at his heart, he was reduced to tears.


    ¡®Crash!¡¯ The study room¡¯s door was suddenly kicked open. Mr. Kolson and Mr. Hampson stood outside.


    Before Mr. Hampson was Damien in a wheelchair. The sun cast its light from behind Damien. It made


    him look gilded. Cherise looked at the man whose eyes were covered with ck silk. Her heart started


    beating furiously. Did¡­ hee to save me? ¡°Ah! Help me! I¡¯m going to die!¡± Tristan, who was beside


    her, suddenly started screaming. Cherise furrowed her brows and came to her senses. She realized


    that the de in her hands had sliced through his shirt. Streaks of blood seeped through his white shirt.


    Tristan was covering his chest and howling in grief. The veins on Cherise¡¯s forehead twitched. From the


    amount of blood, she had just made a small cut. Does Tristan have to shriek so loudly? Moreover, she


    hadn¡¯t moved at all¡­ ¡°Send him to the hospital.¡± Damien wrinkled his brows and said coldly. Mr.


    Hampson nodded and consoled Cherise. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡± ¡°He wanted


    to escape while you weren¡¯t paying attention. He misjudged his posture and ran into the knife.¡± Cherise


    was dumbstruck. Is Tristan so dumb? A minuteter, Mr. Kolson carried the bawling Tristan and sent


    him to the hospital. ¡°The cut isn¡¯t deep, judging from the amount of blood.¡± Cherise bit her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    hurt his internal organs.¡± She walked over carefully and stood behind Damien. ¡°I hurt him¡­ Grandpa


    will me me, right?¡± ¡°Are you afraid?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    Damien smiled in exasperation. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cherise kept the switchde. ¡°When did you


    arrive?¡± ¡°When you said you would protect me.¡± Cherise was dumbfounded. She coughed lightly,


    picked up her bag, and walked to the corridor to pack the things she had saved before putting them into


    her bag. ¡°Are you okay, Cherry?¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes were red. As she helped Cherise pack, she said, ¡°I was


    worried just now that he would¡­¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Lucy didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Because she clearly felt that Damien, next to Cherise, had a strange


    disposition. Lucy bit her lips and said goodbye to Cherise before leaving. Damien was silent on the way


    back from the school to the vi. Cherise wanted to say something to Damien a few times but didn¡¯t


    know what to say, so she could only stay silent. After returning to the vi, the first thing Cherise did


    was to put together the torn certificates little by little. It wasn¡¯t easy to join together the ripped pieces.


    Most of the cards and postcards Cherise¡¯s grandmother had written her were burned and destroyed. It


    was difficult to restore them. Sitting before a desk, Cherise looked at the burned and damaged photo


    album bitterly. She privately cursed Tristan repeatedly. After that, she was about to keep the photo


    album when a card fell out. She picked it up and wanted to put it back in but realized something else


    was stuck to it. It was an old picture of a boy. Half the photograph was burned. Cherise looked at the


    picture for a long time but couldn¡¯t recognize the boy. She carefully put the photo into the album and


    kept it. When she had a chance, she had to ask her grandmother why a picture of someone else was


    stuck to a card for her. When she was done with everything, the sky had darkened. Frances knocked


    on the door. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Old Mr. Lenoir called to ask you and Mr. Lenoir to go to Lenoir Residence.


    You should get ready.¡± Cherise raised her eyes to look at the time. It was already eight o¡¯clock at


    night. Grandpa wants us to go there now? She vaguely felt a bad premonition in her heart. When


    Cherise had changed her clothes, Damien was already waiting for her in the car. ¡°Grandpa wants us to


    go there sote at night¡­ Does it have anything to do with what happened with Tristan today?¡± She


    asked cautiously when she entered the car. ¡°Naturally.¡± Damien¡¯s deep voice was intertwined with


    disappointment and frustration. ¡°I told you that many people will me you for Tristan¡¯s injury.¡± After


    that, he turned his head to look at her. His eyes were covered by ck silk. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°No.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Many things can¡¯t be reduced to being right or


    wrong.¡± Damien shook his head as though annoyed and amused by her answer. ¡°Cherise, is your world


    so simple that it¡¯s limited to right or wrong?¡± Cherise nodded. ¡°Anything that isn¡¯t right is wrong, and


    vice versa. Isn¡¯t the world like that?¡± ¡°My teacher said no one cares about your mental process during


    exams. The grader only looks at the final answer. The right answer is correct, and the wrong answer is


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    incorrect.¡± She¡¯s as innocent as an ignorant child. No. Perhaps Cherise is an ignorant child. Damien


    sighed indifferently and reached out to stroke her soft hair. ¡°People with personalities like yours are


    quite hard toe by.¡± Cherise didn¡¯t know if he was praising or belittling her, so she was sullen and


    silent. The car quickly arrived at Lenoir Residence. It was past nine o¡¯clock at night. Ordinarily, Lenoir


    Residence¡¯s lights would be turned off at this time, but it was brightly lit tonight. When Cherise pushed


    Damien¡¯s wheelchair into Lenoir Residence, Tristan sat on the couch, covering his chest bound in


    gauze as Wanda fed him fruits. Tristan started crying crocodile tears when he saw Cherise. ¡°Grandpa,


    you must bring her to justice¡­¡± Wanda also started crying. ¡°Dad, the messenger of bad luck is here.


    You must bring her to justice¡­¡± The two were howling and bawling exaggeratedly as though their loved


    one had suddenly passed away. At that moment, Old Mr. Lenoir sat at the side, ying chess with


    Raymond. When the mother and son started wailing, Old Mr. Lenoir lost control of the chess piece in


    his hands and ced it in the wrong position. Raymond captured Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s king mercilessly. ¡°I


    won again.¡± Raymondughed lightly and called out to Old Mr. Lenoir. ¡°Damien and Cherise are here,


    Dad. It¡¯s time for you to get down to business.¡± Old Mr. Lenoir looked up at Cherise, who was pushing


    Damien in. He frowned ever so slightly. He moved his legs and rose. His voice was as loud as a bell.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± Old Mr. Lenoir led them to a room at the end of the second floor. When the butler


    opened the door, Cherise realized it was a gigantic memorial hall. Various ques were inside.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw.¡± Old Mr. Lenoir called out. ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡± Cherise answered as she loosened her grip


    on the wheelchair. ¡°Come here and kneel!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir said coldly, pointing to a mat next to him.


    Although Cherise didn¡¯t know what he meant, she did it obediently out of her respect for an elder. The


    moment she knelt down, she clearly sensed Wanda smiling. Wanda seemed very pleased with herself.


    ¡®Crack!¡¯ The next moment, the butler at the side took out a whip and swung it fiercely on Cherise¡¯s


    back. Because of the sharp and raw pain, Cherise almost couldn¡¯t stay in position. She bit her lips, and


    her voice was weak. ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t know what I did wrong to bear such a punishment.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t


    know what you did wrong?¡± As Wanda stood at the side, her voice suddenly went up three octaves.


    ¡°First, you seduced Tristan. After that, he didn¡¯t give in to you, so you hurt him!¡± Wanda gritted her


    teeth. ¡°You just married Damien, and then you seduced his cousin. Are you so shameless to tell me


    you don¡¯t know what you did wrong?!¡± Cherise smiled while enduring the severe pain. ¡°Aunt Wanda,


    you say I seduced Tristan, but do you have proof?¡± ¡°Do I need proof?¡± Wanda snorted coldly.


    ¡°Everyone at the scene can testify for Tristan!¡± As she spoke, she red coldly at the butler holding the


    whip. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hit her!¡± Upon hearing it, the butler swung the whip on Cherise¡¯s back


    as it cracked. With just two strikes of the whip, the white T-shirt on Cherise tore from the force and


    exposed her raw flesh. It was clear that the butler was whipping Cherise with much strength. Cherise


    stayed kneeling on the floor and didn¡¯t avoid the severe beating. She groaned dully. ¡°I didn¡¯t seduce


    Tristan or deliberately hurt him.¡± ¡°You stupid, stubborn girl!¡± Wanda red straight at her before


    ncing at the butler holding the whip. ¡°Continue!¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Upon seeing that the butler was


    about to whip Cherise for the third time, the silent Damien said indifferently, ¡°Grandpa didn¡¯t say a


    word, but you kept whipping her.¡± ¡°Are you supposed to obey Grandpa or Aunt Wanda?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Everyone could tell the butler was hitting Cherise with such speed and strength because someone


    must have prompted him. Damien¡¯s words made the butler¡¯s actions freeze momentarily. After a


    moment, he pulled back the whip dutifully. ¡°I obey Old Mr. Lenoir.¡± Wanda rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re


    enforcing family rules on a depraved woman. You have no parents, and you weren¡¯t brought up well.


    How is it your ce to criticize us?¡± In the past, Damien always kept silent on such asions with the


    Lenoir family. Wanda naturally felt annoyed that he suddenly spoke up today. ¡°You¡¯re hitting my wife. Of


    course I have to say something.¡± Damien spoke indifferently. Cherise could tell that it was just as


    Damien had said. He didn¡¯t have any position or dignity in the family. No one paid attention to what he


    said. ¡°You think marrying such a tramp would bring you any benefits?¡± Wanda snorted coldly and


    turned to look at Old Mr. Lenoir. ¡°Dad, I think Cherise won¡¯t learn her lesson if she isn¡¯t hit.¡± ¡°But since


    she¡¯s already the Lenoir family¡¯s daughter-inw, we shouldn¡¯t go overboard. As long as she admits her


    mistake, we can stop, right?¡± On the surface, it seemed like Wanda was giving Cherise a way out.


    However, because of Cherise¡¯s obstinate personality, Wanda was sure that Cherise wouldn¡¯t admit


    fault. Old Mr. Lenoir looked down and nced at Cherise. ¡°Do you admit your mistake?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cherise


    straightened her back. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why must I admit fault?¡± Old Mr. Lenoir waved his


    hands restlessly. ¡®Crack!¡¯ The butler holding the whip hit Cherise. ¡°Do you admit you were at fault?¡± ¡°I¡¯m


    not at fault!¡± ¡®Crack!¡¯ ¡°Are you admitting your mistake yet?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡®Crack!¡¯ The butler used all his might


    to whip her viciously. Kneeling on the mat, Cherise was in so much pain that she almost couldn¡¯t


    straighten her back, but she still gritted her teeth and prepared for the whip to hit her. But she never


    thought that when the whip cracked, the pain still didn¡¯t hit her after a long time. ¡°Damien!¡± Old Mr.


    Lenoir¡¯s astonished voice rang behind her. Cherise immediately turned around and realized Damien


    had exited the wheelchair without her noticing. He had thrown himself behind her and helped her take


    the hit entirely. The in white shirt on him was dyed with his blood. His handsome face slowly turned


    pale. ¡°Who told you to hit him?!¡± Cherise¡¯s hands clenched into fists as she shouted at the butler. ¡°Are


    you blind? Why did you strike the whip at him? Don¡¯t you know he¡¯s in poor health?!¡± The butler didn¡¯t


    expect Damien to rush over to take the blow for Cherise, nor did he think she would shout at him like


    this because of Damien. He had hit her with the whip, and she was clearly in much pain, but she hadn¡¯t


    made a sound. But she was shouting at him after Damien had only been hit once. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Damien


    looked up weakly at Cherise. ¡°I just¡­ feel slightly faint.¡± ¡°Send him to the hospital!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir


    instructed sharply as he finally panicked after seeing his own grandson being hit. He red at the


    butler. ¡°You¡¯ll be punished!¡± The butler holding the whip could only resign himself to his bad luck as he


    put the whip down and retreated. Soon, the servants in Lenoir Residence came to take Damien to the


    hospital. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± Cherise shouted at the servants near her to back away. She helped Damien


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    back into his wheelchair alone. ¡°He¡¯s my husband. I¡¯ll take care of him!¡± Afterward, she pushed Damien


    and left the memorial hall inrge strides. Old Mr. Lenoir stood in the middle of the memorial hall and


    watched Cherise¡¯s figure as she pushed Damien away. He looked at the dark red wounds on her back,


    and a gratified expression flickered across his eyes. ¡°Look after things here.¡± Although Damien was the


    least pampered in the Lenoir family, he was part of the Lenoir family after all. Wanda knew this better


    than anyone. She smiled slightly awkwardly. ¡°I never thought Damien was so infatuated with Cherise


    that he would take a blow for her¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop feigning sympathy for Damien.¡± Old Mr.


    Lenoir rolled his eyes at Wanda. ¡°I¡¯ve taught Cherise a lesson. This matter will end here. No one can


    mention it again!¡± After that, he looked at Tristan coldly. ¡°Why did you go to Cherise¡¯s school for no


    reason?¡± Tristan, who had been watching the scene, naturally didn¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m clueless about your devious thoughts. Were you innocent in what happened today?¡±


    Tristan¡¯splexion paled. ¡°Don¡¯t do such petty tricks secretly next time. Otherwise, I¡¯ll leave you out


    of my will!¡± ¡­ At the hospital. Cherise only breathed a deep sigh of relief after seeing the nurse give


    Damien medicine. ¡°He won¡¯t be in pain after this, right?¡± The nurse nodded. ¡°This medicine is good for


    pain relief.¡± Another nurse turned her head to look at Cherise¡¯s back. ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t I also take care


    of you?¡± Cherise¡¯s injury was evidently more severe than her husband¡¯s. Cherise only felt the pain after


    what the nurse said. Her back was in fiery pain. Shey on the bed, and the nurse behind her carefully


    cut her clothes. The nurse carefully disinfected and cared for the open wounds on her skin. Cherise


    was in so much pain that she was in a cold sweat. Ultimately, she fainted. Distress streaked across


    Damien¡¯s heart as he sat beside Cherise¡¯s bed while looking at her. ¡°How long will it take for her


    injuries to heal?¡± ¡°At least one week.¡± ¡°Your wife looks weak, but I never imagined she would be so


    perseverant. Ordinary women would have long fainted with such an injury, but she held on for so long.¡±


    Damien sighed softly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She was strange in that way. Old Mr. Lenoir had a clear stance.


    This matter would have blown over if she admitted her mistake and asked for forgiveness. But she


    would rather endure the physical pain than admit fault and ask for mercy. As someone who had


    pretended to be sick for more than a decade, Damien couldn¡¯t understand Cherise¡¯s determination.


    However, she astonished him. After taking the medicine and confirming nothing else was wrong,


    Damien instructed Mr. Kolson to deal with the hospitalization procedures. With Cherise¡¯s back injury, he


    didn¡¯t want to torment her by taking her home. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± At night, she was still


    unconscious in the hospital room. She was dreaming and stubbornly protesting her innocence like


    before. Seeing her like that distressed him. Damien thought about it. He climbed out of his bed and got


    into hers. He carefully put his arms around her. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Your husband can¡¯t


    reveal his true colors yet. He hugged the tiny woman in his arms and silently shut his eyes. After his


    older sister died in the fire when he was ten, Damien told himself he had to pretend to be particrly


    weak to preserve his strength and take revenge for his parents when he was older. Therefore, he had


    yed the part of an indifferent and weak person well all these years. After lying dormant for so long,


    today was the first time he thought of giving up. As he watched Cherise get whipped, it was the first


    time he didn¡¯t want to persevere. It was the first time he had the urge to stop pretending. ¡°I don¡¯t admit


    fault¡­¡± The woman in his arms trembled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Damien took a deep breath and put his


    head down to smell the fragrance of her hair. ¡°I won¡¯t make you wait too long.¡± ¡°Soon, everyone who


    bullied you today¡­ I will make them kneel down and apologize to you individually.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16 A Person with Integrity


    It was the following morning when Cherise woke up.


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    When she moved her body, her back was still in burning pain. It hurt so much that Cherise awoke insta


    ntly.


    After waking up, she realized she was lying in the hospital bed with Damien.


    It was a single bed, so it was rather crowded for them toy together. It was why he was hugging her s


    o tightly. Both their bodies were closely pressed together. She could even clearly hear the man¡¯s heart


    beating in his chest.


    It beat at the same rhythm and frequency as hers.


    The corners of her lips curved unconsciously.


    It was the first time someone had hugged her to sleep. It was also the first time she could hear the sou


    nd of someone¡¯s heartbeat up close.


    She looked up at Damien¡¯s face.


    He had a handsome and refined side profile, sensual and alluring corbones


    that were defined, tall and polished brows, longshes, and lip¡¯s that were perfectly curved.


    Under the glow of the morning sun, his eyes were exceptionally charming.


    Wait a moment! His eyes!


    Cherise suddenly came to her senses. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Damien was amused by her silly yet endearing appearance. He couldn¡¯t help but kiss her forehead. ¡°D


    oes it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know if it was because of his kiss or question. Either way, her heart started beating franti


    cally, and her face blushed uncontrobly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    The man reached out to stroke her pretty and tiny face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you admit your mistakest night?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°But you could have avoided the physical pain if you admitted fault.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a person with integrity.¡±


    Cherise looked at him with a determined gaze. ¡°I can endure it no matter how much it hurts, but I won¡¯t


    admit to something I didn¡¯t do. Nor will I acknowledge making a mistake when I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tragic if someone loses their principles.¡±


    ¡°My principle is that I won¡¯t confess to something I didn¡¯t do.¡±


    Chapter 16 A Person with Integrity


    She was exceptionally adorable when she was being solemn.


    Damien looked at her and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re precious.¡±


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    Cherise¡¯s wounds would initially have taken a week to recover, but she was in good shape. In three day


    s, her injury was almostpletely healed.


    She had packed up her belongings early on the day she was discharged. When she returned home, sh


    e looked up and fell on her bed. ¡°No wonder Grandma doesn¡¯t like staying in the hospital. It¡¯s too stifling


    .¡±


    She sighed and wanted to continuementing when the cell phone in her bag rang.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    It was a call from Sarah.


    When she thought about it, Sarah hadn¡¯t called her in a few days. Cherise pursed her lips and answere


    d it cautiously. ¡°Aunt Sarah¡­¡±


    She thought Sarah had called to ask about her and Damien¡¯s progress, so she stammered. ¡°For the pa


    st few days, I haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice on the other end was slightly tearful. ¡°Your grandmother just fainted again. She¡¯s in


    the emergency room now!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s jaw instantly dropped.


    ¡°How could that¡­¡±


    Since she had agreed to marry Damien, her grandmother was transferred to the best hospital in Monda


    le, and her condition stabilized. How did her grandmother suddenly¡­


    ¡°Quicklye over. Your grandmother is over seventy years old and might¡­ at any time¡­¡±


    Sarah was crying and couldn¡¯t speak properly.


    Cherise¡¯s heart tightened as it beat viciously.


    She hung up and ran out hurriedly.


    At the washroom entrance, she bumped into Damien, who was exiting.


    She lost her bnce entirely when she bumped into him and quickly fell toward the floor.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17 You Shouldn¡¯t Get Out of The Car


    +5 Free Coins


    At that crucial moment, Damien threw his cane to the side and reached out to pull her back. Due to the


    force of the impact, he inclined backward.


    Thankfully, he used his other hand to prop himself on the wall so the two didn¡¯t fall on the floor together.


    ¡°What happened? Why are you so flustered?¡±


    ¡°My¡­ my grandmother¡­¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s voice was tearful. She looked up at him. ¡°Can you ask the driver to send me to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Grandma is in the emergency room now¡­¡±


    She was so anxious that her face was flushed, and her voice was tense. The man was slightly stirred.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and wanted to say something, but the man had already pressed the bell at the


    door.


    The driver, Mr. Kolson, rushed forward swiftly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Send us to the hospital.¡±


    Damien nced at Mr. Kolson meaningfully.


    Mr. Kolson immediately went into the room to take Damien¡¯s coat and silk ribbon for his eyes before qui


    ckly grabbing Damien¡¯s wheelchair. He pushed Damien to the private elevator in enormous strides to g


    o downstairs.


    In the blink of an eye, Mr. Kolson was already pushing Damien out the doors.


    Frances put a coat on Cherise. ¡°Be careful, Mrs. Lenoir


    Cherise came to her senses. She grabbed her cell phone and rushed out without saying her thanks.


    Cherise hesitated when Damien suggested sending her to the hospital. After all, she felt it would be tro


    ublesome for a disabled person like him to leave the house.


    But¡­ Mr. Kolson¡¯s series of actions took less than two minutes.


    It was lightning speed.


    She sat next to Damien withplicated feelings. ¡°Are you just sending me there? Will you be leaving


    after I¡¯m dropped off? Or¡­¡±


    Damien waved and


    signaled Mr. Kolson to drive. ¡°You¡¯re so distraught. Do you think I¡¯ll let you go alone?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Maybe¡­ you shouldn¡¯t get out of the car.¡±


    With her grandmother¡¯s current state, Sarah would have informed Cherise¡¯s other aunts in addition to h


    er.


    Cherise¡¯s aunts didn¡¯t know that Cherise was married.


    Chapter 17 You Shouldn¡¯t Get Out of The Car


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    If her other aunts and cousins saw Damien at the hospital with her, they would have many questions. T


    hey would even mercilessly mock Damien for being disabled.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The air in the car turned cold abruptly. Cherise clearly felt that the man before her, whose eyes were co


    vered with ck silk, was displeased.


    But she could only put on a bold face to avoid more trouble. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that my other rtive


    s should be there.¡±


    ¡°People from the countryside don¡¯t have good etiquette, so¡­¡±


    Damien scratched his lips indifferently. ¡°Are you afraid they¡¯ll offend me?¡±


    She looked down and yed with her fingers before nodding silently. ¡°Mm.¡±


    The man nced at her. ¡°I can ignore them for your sake.¡±


    Cherise silently rolled her eyes.


    He could ignore them for her sake, but her rtives wouldn¡¯t keep quiet for her sake.


    Her two other aunts had always been sharp and unkind. When her grandmother initially fell sick, the tre


    atment cost hundreds of


    thousands. They only gave her uncle ten thousand each. He had to figure our how toe up with the


    rest.


    Her uncle was a meek farmer who couldn¡¯te up with so much money.


    If not for the emergence of the Lenoir familyter on, Mary might not have been able to survive until tod


    ay.


    Cherise¡¯s two aunts treated their own mother insensitively. Therefore, they naturally disliked Cherise sin


    ce she was adopted.


    They even med Mary¡¯s sickness on Cherise because they called her an outsider.


    The man¡¯s low voice rang in her ears. ¡°I¡¯m already here. It¡¯s too impolite if I don¡¯t get out of the car and


    meet everyone.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18 Because I¡¯m Curious


    Mr. Kolson quickly exited the car and assembled the wheelchair before helping Damien into it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The man in the wheelchair looked at her nonchntly and smiled. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Cherise led Damien into the hospital withplicated feelings.


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    The two walked into the hospital silently and passed the lounge.


    When they were in the elevator, she finally couldn¡¯t hold back. She turned to look at him. ¡°Your grandfat


    her said you don¡¯t like to be in such situations or interact with


    strangers. Why did you insist oning to visit my grandmother this time?¡±


    Before actually meeting him, she had felt that the man was aloof.


    After meeting him, she realized he was aloof and arrogant.


    A man like that didn¡¯t have the temperament to cozy up to rtives.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°Curious about what?¡±


    The man turned, gazing at her petite figure through the ck silk ribbon. ¡°What kind of family raised a s


    illy fool like you.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    ¡°Just¡­ a normal family.¡±


    She ttened her lips. ¡°This isn¡¯t the point. The point is that I¡¯m not a fool.¡±


    The man who was leaning back in his wheelchairughed in disbelief. ¡°I disagree.¡±


    Cherise wasn¡¯t currently in the mood to argue with him. She watched the numbers on the elevator chan


    ge nervously. She hadplicated feelings.


    On the one hand, she was worried about her grandmother¡¯s health.


    On the other hand, she was also worried about her two aunts.


    ¡®Ding. The elevator arrived at the fifteenth floor.


    ¡°The daily expenses in such a nice hospital must be a pretty penny, right? Elvis, how do you have so


    much money?¡±


    A woman¡¯s sharp voice rang when the elevator doors opened.


    ¡°Sis, this isn¡¯t the time to talk about it. Mom is still in the emergency room.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Mom now. How do you have so much money? Going to the emergency room can¡¯t


    be cheap, either. It must be tens of thousands at least, right? We can buy two acres ofnd at home


    with ten thousand


    1/2


    Chapter 18 Because I¡¯m Curious


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    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re so broke. How do you have so much money? You don¡¯t have to take the old woman


    ¡¯s sickness seriously. She¡¯s old and can¡¯t recover fully. Why don¡¯t you conserve the money and split it w


    ith


    us¡­¡±


    Cherise had just exited the elevator when she heard her two aunts discussing money with her uncle.


    The veins on her forehead twitched.


    ¡°Eva, Eri, I really don¡¯t have much money now. Even if I did, it would go to treating Mom¡¯s illness!¡±


    Elvis Shaw was stuck between his two older sisters and had an impatient expression. ¡°They¡¯re trying to


    save Mom now. We don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll survive, but you¡¯re saying such things at a time like this?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s old anyway and has to leave one day. Since we¡¯re alive, we have to live well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. After Mom passes away, she won¡¯t want to see us suffer in the countryside. Don¡¯t spend al


    l your money on her¡­¡±


    Evaline Shaw


    and Eriana Shaw spoke one after another. They were curious about how much money Elvis had.


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly after exiting the elevator. She rushed to stand in front of Elvis. ¡°Aunt E


    valine, Aunt Eriana, Grandma is still in the emergency room. How can you say such things at


    the entrance?!¡±


    Evaline nced at Cherise,


    and a taunting smile flickered across her lips. ¡°The Shaw family is speaking. As an outsider, you have n


    o right to interrupt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Shaw family has done our utmost duty to raise you for the past two decades. You hav


    e no right to interfere in our family business!¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth and looked up viciously to re at the two shrewd and unkind middle¨C


    aged women. ¡°Even if I¡¯m not a Shaw, I know my priorities. As long as there¡¯s hope, we must save Gra


    ndma!¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19 Why Did You Bring Him Here?


    ¡°The two of you are worth less than an outsider like me!¡±


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    Eriana smiled. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is quite nasty, girl. It¡¯s not your ce to criticize what the Shaws are


    discussing. Who do you think you are? Have you given the old woman any money? Isn¡¯t it the Shaw fa


    mily¡¯s money anyway?¡±


    ¡°Talk is cheap.¡±


    ¡°Elvis, if you¡¯re not paying for the old woman¡¯s hospital bill, who is?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Evaline and Eriana crowded Cherise and Elvis. Just as they were about to start arguing, a cold and dee


    p voice interrupted them.


    The Shaws were startled and looked toward the voice simultaneously.


    They saw a strong and muscr middle¨Caged man push a young man in.


    The man in the wheelchair wore an exquisite suit and covered his eyes with a ck silk cloth.


    The man had chiseled features and¡¯a mysterious silhouette. Even if his eyes were covered, they felt a n


    oble and arrogant demeanor from him.


    He was sitting in a wheelchair, but it seemed like he was on a throne instead. Cherise¡¯s rtives couldn


    ¡¯t help but feel astonished at his ominous demeanor.


    While everyone was taken aback, Mr. Kolson pushed Damien to them.


    Damien nced at Cherise¡¯s face indifferently. It was flushed from anger. He raised his hands to give h


    er a wet cloth. ¡°Wipe your face.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cherise took it awkwardly and wiped her face.


    The ice¨Ccold sensation of the wet towel made her calm down.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s silence, Eriana red at Damien with raised brows. ¡°The Shaws are speaking. What


    does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°As the Shaw family¡¯s son¨Cinw, I naturally have the right to question what you say.¡±


    An arrogant smile was on the corners of the man¡¯s lips, ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce me, Cherise?¡±


    Cherise spoke up.


    ¡°Aunt Evaline. Aunt Eriana. This is my husband, Damien Lenoir.¡±


    After that, she nced at Elvis timidly. ¡°Uncle Shaw, you¡¯ve met him before.¡±


    Elvis nodded. ¡°Mm.¡±


    Chapter 19 Why Did You Bring Him Here?


    ¡°We meet again, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


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    His tone was respectful, but he red at Cherise viciously when he turned. He reproached her quietly. ¡°


    Isn¡¯t it messy enough? Why did you bring him here?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, feeling very aggrieved. She didn¡¯t say anything.


    Others didn¡¯t see the interactions between the two, but Damien saw it distinctly.


    A subtle and faint smile was on the corners of the man¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Oh, Cherise¡¯s husband?¡±


    Eriana crossed her arms and sized up the man in the wheelchair coldly. ¡°When did you get married, Ch


    erise? You married a disabled man?¡±


    ¡°Why does he have something covering his eyes? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s blind?¡°.


    She leaned over as she spoke and reached out, wanting to uncover the silk ribbon around Damien¡¯s ey


    es.


    But as her hand was in mid¨Cair, Mr. Kolson did a roundhouse kick and kicked her hand to the side.


    Before Eriana could cry out in pain, Mr. Kolson had caught hold of her.


    ¡°What should I do with her, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    At that moment, Mr. Kolson was different from his usual kind demeanor. He didn¡¯t look like a middle- ag


    ed driver but seemed like a well¨Ctrained special forces soldier.


    ¡°Let her go.¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips moved indifferently, and his voice was cold and apathetic. ¡°I hope you understand what I¡¯


    m about to say, Aunt Evaline and Aunt Eriana.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m paying to treat Grandma¡¯s illness. Uncle Shaw has no right to make decisions because this is Cher


    ise¡¯s way of supporting Grandma.¡±


    ¡°I might be disabled, but you can¡¯t afford to offend me.¡±


    Damien¡¯s gaze was icy. ¡°For the sake of Cherise and Grandma, who¡¯s in the emergency room. I¡¯ll let yo


    u off the hook today. I won¡¯t be so nice if you dare to say such delirious statements next time.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20 A Real Man


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    Mr. Kolson twisted Eriana¡¯s arm viciously, and she grimaced in pain. When she heard what Damien sai


    d, she gritted her teeth, unconvinced. She wanted to retort when Evaline stopped her.


    Evaline was a few years older than Eriana and was slightly more experienced.


    Evaline could tell with one nce that Damien¡¯s clothes and the silk ribbon around his


    eyes were pricey.


    On top of his noble demeanor, she had guessed from the start that the man was of significant stature. A


    t that moment, what Damien said made her feel that her guess was entirely urate.


    She pulled Eriana back and shook her head slightly.


    ¡°I suddenly remembered that I have something to do with my sister. We¡¯re leaving!¡±


    After that, she pulled Eriana away and quickly left before Elvis could answer.


    ¡°We¡¯ve ridiculed ourselves in front of you, Mr. Lenoir.


    After the two left, Elvis smiled shamefully. ¡°This is our family. I had no other way, so I made Cherise¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise and I are doing well.¡°,


    Damien¡¯s cold voice rang. ¡°Cherise, I want to speak to Uncle Shaw alone.¡±


    Cherise raised her head to nce at Elvis. ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Sending Sky and Tay to school.¡±


    The petite woman took a deep breath. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten, have you?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you buy us breakfast?¡±


    Damien said nonchntly.


    Cherise nodded and turned to leave.


    When her figure vanished at the end of the corridor, Elvis sighed indifferently. He looked up at Damien.


    ¡°What do you wish to say to me, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Have your sisters always been like this?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Did Cherise grow up in such surroundings?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien turned and rolled his wheelchair to the window as he felt the cool breeze outside. ¡°It¡¯s been tou


    gh for her. She grew up in such conditions but is still so silly.¡±


    ¡°Cherise isn¡¯t silly. She¡¯s just simple and goes about her life bluntly.¡±


    Elvis sighed. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life with her¡­ I hope you can take the time to un


    derstand her. She¡¯s actually a great girl.


    Chapter 20 A Real Man


    Damienughed lightly. ¡°Did I say I want to spend the rest of my life with her?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Cherise is prepared to spend the rest of her life with you.¡±


    Damien looked downstairs.


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    The girl in jeans and a white T¨C


    shirt quickly walked toward the hospital¡¯s main entrance to buy breakfast at a caf¨¦ outside.


    The morning breeze swept her dark hair. She had a youthful glow to her in the morning light.


    He quietly watched as she walked into a caf¨¦. ¡°Do you feel reassured that she¡¯s married to a blind man


    who killed almost everyone in his family?¡±


    Elvis looked at him for a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t believe the outside rumors. I only believe what I see.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you have intricate thoughts and aplicated family background, but I can tell you¡¯re a real


    man.¡±


    ¡°A real man won¡¯t hurt a woman who treats him sincerely.¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips twitched, and he smiled. ¡°Your information shows you¡¯ve been an honest farmer in the co


    untryside all your life. The only thing unusual is that you were conscripted into the army for three years


    two decades ago in the culinary team.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°But what you¡¯re saying is making me doubt your identity.¡±


    Damien wasn¡¯t prejudiced against people from the countryside. His family¡¯s old servants were from the


    country but were in and simple people who spoke colloquially. Few coulde up with such cryptic


    statements.


    Elvis was startled before he understood what Damien meant. ¡°You¡¯ve watched too much television.¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s the case.¡±


    The man in the wheelchair sneered. He turned and examined Elvis¡® expression through the translucent


    ck ribbon. ¡°But I won¡¯t find it strange even if you don¡¯t have an ordinary identity.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21 Breakfast Isn¡¯t Ruined


    ¡°After all, ordinary people won¡¯t devise a n to make their ¡®niece, which they brought up for two decad


    es, marry a stranger to save their mother.¡±


    Elvis¡® face paled slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any other way.¡±


    ¡°Cherise just has bad luck.¡±


    He looked at Damien and wanted to say something but stopped.


    After a long time, he sighed. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Cherise is a great girl. I hope you can treat her well.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like her¡­ Don¡¯t hurt her too much if you don¡¯t want her in the future.¡±


    Elvis spoke meekly.


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    This was the first thing Cherise heard Elvis say. She was perspiring after climbing the stairs while holdi


    ng breakfast


    She was about to open the door of the stairwell. Her hand froze slightly, and her footsteps instantly stop


    ped as though her feet were pinned to the ground.


    The door was light and made of alloy, but it seemed to weigh a thousand pounds then. Cherise couldn¡¯t


    open the door.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t any of your concern.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice was cold and indifferent as usual. ¡°You should pray that your mother can live long


    er since you tried to save her at the


    expense of Cherise¡¯s youth. You made Cherise pay the price by getting married.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, it isn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    Elvis¡® hands were clenched into fists at his sides.


    Cherise¡¯s hands were tightly clenched at the stairwell as she carried the food.


    ¡°Hey! Why is someone here?!¡±


    A scream abruptly rang behind her.


    Cherise was frightened and turned around. She didn¡¯t know a man and woman were on the tform be


    hind her.


    At that moment, the man pushed the woman against the wall, exposing their fair legs.


    The woman was the one who had screamed.


    When Cherise came to her senses, they looked at her in astonishment.


    The scene before her was too blinding. Cherise turned away and pushed the door, wanting to leave. Bu


    t she was careless from feeling so frantic.


    Therefore¡­


    Chapter 21 Breakfast Isn¡¯t Ruined


    ¡®Crash. The girl fell face down on the marble floor in a weird posture as she held the food.


    Elvis and Damien turned at the same time.


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    Meanwhile, the girl behind them crawled up from the floor. She was covered in dirt, and a few strands o


    f hair were caught in her mouth.


    She held up the food and looked at the contents foolishly. After that, she lifted her head innocently and l


    ooked at the two men far away. ¡°Thankfully, breakfast isn¡¯t ruined!¡±


    Elvis sighed in exasperation and walked over quickly. As he took the breakfast from her, he helped brus


    h the hair in her mouth away and dust off the dirt. ¡°Why are you so careless? And why did you take the


    stairs instead of the elevator?¡±


    Cherise smiled in embarrassment. ¡°I was afraid Grandma woulde out while I was out. I also thoug


    ht you would be hungry. Many people were in the elevator, so I didn¡¯t squeeze in. I took the stairs inste


    ad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only fifteen floors. I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    Elvis reached out to poke her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re already married. Pay more attention to your image in th


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    e future. Look at how much you¡¯re perspiring.¡±


    Cherise smiled awkwardly. She pointed at the breakfast in Elvis¡® hands. ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°Wipe away the sweat on your head.¡±


    Elvis shook his head in exasperation before he turned to give Damien the food.


    The girl in the white T¨C


    shirt looked through her pockets but couldn¡¯t find a napkin. She was about to go to the washroom when


    a navy blue handkerchief appeared before her.


    A pair of slender hands were on the other end of the handkerchief.


    She took it subconsciously. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You should have known I wasn¡¯t hungry when I told you to buy breakfast.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice rang. Cherise froze slightly as she was wiping her sweat.


    \

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22 You Can¡¯t Be So Reckless


    ¡°We were just sending you away so we could talk about things we didn¡¯t want you to know about.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s actions stopped entirely.


    She turned and looked at Damien with aplicated expression.


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    ¡°So you didn¡¯t have to rush back at all. Nor did you need to get yourself into such a wretched state.¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth and wanted to say something, but Elvis immediately started to smooth things


    over. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Cherise was afraid you were hungry


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take offense. Cherise grew up in the countryside since she was young. She views things t


    oo simply sometimes. Please pardon her.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Shaw!¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth. She didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong, so she couldn¡¯t stand her uncl


    e degrading her before Damien.


    ¡°Keep quiet, Cherise!¡±


    -Elvis took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re Mfs. Lenoir from now on. You can¡¯t be so reckless!¡±


    ¡°You must know that you have a reputation as Mrs. Lenoir. It¡¯s more important than this dispensable bre


    akfast!¡±


    ¡°But to me, you think your breakfast is more important!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this?! You¡¯re the Lenoir family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw, the wealthiest family in Mondale!¡±


    The noise of the uncle and niece arguing made Damien turn away silently. He wheeled himself to the w


    indow to feel the morning breeze.


    Since he was around ten years old, no one other than the vi¡¯s servants cared if he ate breakfast.


    No one would ever climb up more than ten flights of stairs like Cherise just so he


    could have an earlier breakfast.


    He had always been lonely and deste.


    Therefore, he felt contented when he heard ordinary people like Elvis and Cherise argue over somethin


    g as simple as breakfast.


    The morning breeze caressed his face. He shut his eyes and had a self¨C


    deprecating smile on the corners of his lips.


    ¡°Here, your breakfast.¡±


    A woman¡¯s crisp voice rang in his ears. ¡°I tried looking in the caf¨¦s downstairs but couldn¡¯t find your fav


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    orite milk and sandwiches, so I bought what was avable. Don¡¯t turn it down.¡±


    He turned and was faced with Cherise¡¯s tiny, charming face.


    She was looking down and inserting a straw into a milkshake. She looked up with a smile as she passe


    d it


    Chapter 22 You Can¡¯t Be So Reckless


    to him. ¡°I bet someone as wealthy as you hasn¡¯t tried this before. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


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    Upon seeing that he wasn¡¯t taking it from her, she grabbed his hand and put the milkshake in it. ¡°I carrie


    d it up fifteen floors. Don¡¯t be rude, okay?¡±


    This was Damien¡¯s first time trying a milkshake outside.


    The milkshake was made of strawberries and bananas. A little sugar was added as well.


    The pure vor of the fruits was intertwined with a slight sweetness.


    It resembled Damien¡¯s current feelings.


    The petite woman before him crouched down in front of his wheelchair. She stuffed a bagel into his han


    ds as she held the milkshake for him. ¡°Do you want more?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Cherise shook the milkshake left in the cup. She finished the remainder of Damien¡¯s


    milkshake and bagel on the principle of not wasting food.


    After that, she went to Elvis¡® side and collected the packaging from his breakfast before disposing of th


    em.


    The doors of the emergency room opened after that.


    A nurse pushed Mary out of the emergency room while a doctor removed his face mask. ¡°She isn¡¯t in cr


    itical condition anymore but must be on bed rest for some time.¡±


    After that, the doctor looked at Elvis meaningfully. ¡°She¡¯s in poor health. As her family, I hope


    you can pay more attention to her. She cannot be agitated further.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Chapter 23 An Envious Woman


    Elvis nodded viciously. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows fiercely when she heard what the doctor said.


    Has Grandma been upset by anythingtely?


    When Mary learned Cherise was marrying a disabled person, she fell seriously ill.


    Not long had passed, so what had agitated her again?


    She cast a doubtful gaze at Elvis.


    Elvis looked away hurriedly. He pushed Mary back to the hospital room with the nurse.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


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    Mary remained unconscious. After Cherise confirmed that Mary was alright, she led Damien to visit Mar


    y before leaving.


    Damien returned home while Cherise went to school.


    At school, she felt uneasy. She felt the students around her were looking at her strangely.


    -In the evening, Lucy went to Cherise after


    sses ended, panting with rage. ¡°Cherry, I¡¯m telling you. An


    envious woman is really terrifying.¡±


    At that moment, Cherise was looking at a post on the campus confession page.


    The username of the person who had posted the confession was Cressida Moon.


    Cressida Moon wrote a mysterious post saying she noticed a


    wealthy person was providing for a country girl who seemed very poor. Cressida Moon also listed proof


    that the girl was being provided for.


    For example, being sent to and picked up from school in a luxury car.


    Another example was that in the past, the girl used to hang out in the library when she didn¡¯t have ss


    es, but she was now nowhere to be seen.


    Yet another example was that the girl had poor rtives asking for money at the school¡¯s entrance.


    And so on and so forth.


    As Cherise read the post andments of other students¡® guesses below the post, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s


    up?¡±


    Upon seeing Cherise look at her cell phone earnestly, Lucy leaned over, and her jaw dropped.


    She instantly turned off Cherise¡¯s cell phone screen. ¡°You¡¯re looking at the post?¡±


    Cherise was confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Cressida Moon is Cressa Lycs!¡±


    When her sses ended yesterday evening, Cherise recalled that Cressa saw her enter Damien¡¯s car.


    Upon seeing Cherise¡¯s nk face, Lucy poked her head in exasperation. ¡°She¡¯s talking about you, but


    you¡¯re reading the post calmly!¡±


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    Chapter 23 An Envious Woman


    Cherise wrinkled her brows slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s me, right?¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m sent to and picked up from school in a luxury car and haven¡¯t been to the librarytely, no


    ne of my rtives havee to trouble me!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, many students are being sent to and picked up from school in luxury cars. Many have sudd


    enly stopped hanging around in the library as well How can others think it¡¯s me?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. She took out her cell phone and showed Cherise photos of the school entrance. ¡°I


    sn¡¯t this your aunt?¡±


    Cherise stared at it. The woman in the picture on Lucy¡¯s cell phone was Eriana, who had failed to make


    trouble at the hospital in the morning!


    ¡°Why is she here?!¡±


    As the best university in Mondale, poor rtives of students would often ask for money at the entrance.


    But Cherise never thought that Eriana, her aunt who wasn¡¯t biologically rted to her, would one day c


    ome to her school to look for her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave through the back door.¡±


    Lucy sighed upon seeing Cherise¡¯s astonished expression. ¡°I guessed you would be defenseless, so I


    deliberately came back to look for you.¡±


    ¡°Cressa has posted the photo in the forums. If you leave from the main entrance and your aunt catches


    you, the whole school will discover you¡¯re the needy girl being provided for!¡±


    A chill crept over Cherise¡¯s heart.


    Gossip was frightening.


    Although she never felt like marrying Damien was embarrassing, she was used to her peace and being


    ordinary. She didn¡¯t want to be the topic of other people¡¯s idle conversation.


    Cherise took a deep breath, and her grip on her cell phone tightened. ¡°Let¡¯s go through the back door.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 Blue Darts


    Eriana was an annoying troublemaker. Cherise didn¡¯t want to be involved with her.


    But Cherise never thought Eriana¡¯s underlings would ambush her at the school¡¯s back door.


    The school¡¯s isted and uninhabited back door was overgrown with weeds.


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    Lucy pulled Cherise to the back door. They had just left when the hooligans guarding the back door sur


    rounded them..


    ¡°I¡¯m right. You really left from the back door.¡±


    The crafty leader smiled maliciously. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, Cherry.¡±


    The man looked like a criminal. Lucy frowned slightly. Who is this?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Aunt Eriana¡¯s son, Nicky Gruber.¡±


    Nicky was three years older than Cherise but kept repeating


    grades because of his poor results. When Cherise sat for her SATS, Nicky had just gotten into a dubiou


    s, third¨Crate school in Adania.


    He had sinister thoughts about Cherise since they were young. He had even tried to force her to¡­


    If her uncle hadn¡¯t reached in time, she would have taken her own life at the scene.


    When Cherise thought of how she had been bullied by Nicky in the past, a wave of nausea emerged un


    controbly in her heart.


    She retreated subconsciously, but Nicky¡¯s friends were behind her.


    ¡°Cherry, you¡¯re studying in Adania. Why have you nevere to look for me?¡±


    ¡°If my mom didn¡¯t ask me where your school was, I wouldn¡¯t have known my beloved cousin was in the


    same city as me!¡±


    As he spoke, he approached Cherise with a sneer. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a few years. You¡¯re glowing,


    Cherry!¡±


    He smiled suggestively, giving Lucy goosebumps.


    She summoned her courage and stood in front of Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to be Cherise¡¯s cousin! Y


    ou¡¯re disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. You say such nasty things, pretty girl.¡±


    A cigarette hung from the corner of Nicky¡¯s mouth. He indicated for his friends to apprehend Lucy.


    After that, he scoffed while approaching Cherise. ¡°Cherise,e here and let me look at you.


    Cherise¡¯s hands by her side were clenched into fists.


    She pursed her lips and red straight at him. ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if Ie to you?¡±


    Chapter 24 Blue Darts


    Nicky smiled maliciously and leaned closer to her.


    A man behind Cherise held her hands to prevent her from escaping.


    As Nicky approached Cherise crudely¡­


    ¡®Swish. A sharp dartnded on Nicky¡¯s right knee.


    He staggered in pain, and his other leg knelt on the ground.


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    At the same time, there was another swish. Another dart flew past and hit him firmly in his left knee.


    ¡®Crash. Nicky knelt on the ground with both knees before Cherise.


    The abrupt and unforeseen situation left Cherise, Lucy, Nicky, and his friends at the scene stupefied.


    As the people around Nicky helped him stand up, he pulled the dart from his knee and looked around fr


    antically. ¡°Who was it?!¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°D¡°mn it! So meddlesome!¡±


    A small blue dart was in his hands.


    Cherise furrowed her brows. While, cleaning the bedside table this morning, she had seen this type of


    dart in Damien¡¯s drawer.


    When she had picked it up, she wanted to ask him


    if the dart was his. But when she thought about it, he was blind. How could he see the dartboard if he c


    ouldn¡¯t see his newly wedded wife?


    She didn¡¯t ask him to avoid bringing up a sad matter.


    But why is this dart here? And why did it happen tond on Nicky¡¯s knee?


    ¡°Scoundrel! Show yourself!¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 Is He Mute Too?


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    No one appeared among the overgrown weeds. Nicky felt that the person who had thrown the dart was


    a coward who only dared to hide in the dark, so he spoke nastily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t freaking hide in the dark. Don¡¯t you dare toe out? Are you a coward?¡±


    The surroundings were momentarily quiet.


    Another swish was heard. A dart flew andnded on Nicky¡¯s chin, and he howled in grief.


    ¡°Your mouth is filthy. You deserve it.¡±


    A quiet young voice rang.


    Cherise raised her head and subconsciously looked toward the sound.


    She saw a young boy who seemed to be twelve or thirteen walk over calmly while pushing a wheelchair


    .


    The man in the wheelchair had his eyes covered with ck silk. He looked arrogant and shrewd.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a blind man and a child, but you have the nerve to be arrogant?¡±


    The man beside Nicky sneered. ¡°Nick, should we attack?¡±


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    Nicky jeered. ¡°Leave the little one to me. Make sure the disabled one bes more paralyzed!¡±


    After Nicky instructed his friends, they headed straight for Damien.


    Two minutester, Cherise


    and Lucy looked at the men on the ground in astonishment. They were covering their heads with their h


    ands and wailing. ¡°What¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t see clearly how the young boy had done it. The child had managed to attack more than ten


    men?


    Nicky gritted his teeth in pain. As he bawled, he took out his cell phone to send Eriana a message. ¡°Wai


    t and see, Cherise Shaw! I¡¯ll tell my mom toe and look for you now! Not only will she ask you for m


    oney, but you¡¯ll also have to pay for my hospital bills!¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips. She walked to Nicky and kicked him. ¡°You bully the weak, but you¡¯re afraid of the


    powerful. Cherry didn¡¯t hit you. If you¡¯re so clever, ask the person who beat you up to pay your medical


    bill!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The young boy pursed his lips. He gestured like he was going to punch Nicky again.


    Nicky, who had just threatened Cherise, immediately crawled up and escaped in embarrassment.


    After they left, Cherise took a deep breath and started thanking the young boy.


    The boy in the white sportswear smiled at her. ¡°No problem. It¡¯s for Dame.¡±


    Dame?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 25 Is He Mute Too?


    Cherise nced at Damien, perplexed.


    The ck Maserati was parked by the road.


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    Mr. Kolson got out of the car. As he helped Damien into the car, he exined. ¡°This is ke. I found hi


    m ten years ago.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s thirteen years old this year. He was seriously ill when he was young and had trouble interacting w


    ith others. He stutters, but he¡¯s a good boy.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir treats him like a younger brother.¡±


    As Mr. Kolson spoke, he called the young boy over. ¡°ke, this is Cherry.¡±


    The young boy named ke walked to Cherise respectfully. He smiled as he greeted her, ¡°Hello, Cherr


    y!¡±


    After exchanging greetings, they entered the vehicle.


    Mr. Kolson drove while Damien, Cherise, and Lucy sat in the backseat.


    The car was silent. They even breathed guardedly.


    Cherise quietly nced at kejthrough the rearview mirror. He was still standing at the school¡¯s back


    door. ¡°Mr. Kolson, is it okay to leave him there alone?¡±


    Mr. Kolson


    drove calmly. ¡°Yes. ke has his own way of getting around. You don¡¯t have to worry, Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She turned and nced at Damien as he leaned back in the genuine leather seat on


    her left. Cherise didn¡¯t know if he was asleep. She nced at Lucy on her right, who was as quiet as a


    mouse.


    After frowning at Cherise, Lucy took pen and paper from her bag.


    She wrote for a while before passing the paper to Cherise.


    Cherise furrowed her brows and took it. Lucy¡¯s careless writing was on it. ¡®Didn¡¯t you say that your husb


    and is blind? Is he mute too?¡®

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 A Burden


    Cherise¡¯s figure trembled slightly. She subconsciously turned to nce at Damien next to her.


    The man was still leaning back in his chair like before. He hadn¡¯t moved.


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    She took a deep breath and picked up the pen to write her reply. ¡®Of course, he isn¡¯t mute. He speaks!¡®


    ¡®So why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡®


    Cherise wrinkled her brows as she looked at what Lucy had written.


    That¡¯s right. Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?


    Since ke had pushed him to the school¡¯s back door, he didn¡¯t seem to have said anything until now.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She bit her lips and racked her brains before she sighed. ¡®Damien must be angry.


    ¡®Why is he angry?¡±


    ¡®Perhaps he feels like he married a burden.¡¯


    Perhaps when Damien married her, he never thought her family would be soplicated.


    Not only did she have aunts who wanted money from her uncle, but she also had a shameless cousin li


    ke Nicky.


    ¡®A burden?¡®


    Lucy was confused at the word Cherise used.


    ¡®Wealthy people don¡¯t like troublesome people. My rtives are very troublesome.


    Cherise sighed deeply. She suddenly felt that the pen in her hands was slightly heavy.


    After a long time, she wrote down her worst thought. ¡®Perhaps he¡¯s already nning to divorce me.¡¯


    Women had boundless imaginations.


    The man, whose eyes were


    covered by ck silk, leaned back in his chair and shook his head subtly. A trace of a smile was in the


    corners of his lips.


    The car quickly arrived at an intersection near Lucy¡¯s house.


    ¡°I can get down here.¡±


    Lucy said to Mr. Kolson before patting Cherise¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Don¡¯t think of the worst.¡±


    After she left, Cherise leaned in her chair and was lost in thought as she watched thendscape


    outside the window sweep past continuously.


    Don¡¯t think of the worst.


    She wasn¡¯t thinking of the worst now, It was the reality.


    ¡°Has your cousin always treated you like this?¡±


    Chapter 26 A Burden


    The man¡¯s deep voice rang softly in her ears when she was lost in thought.


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    Cherise was startled and turned. The man, whose eyes were covered with ck silk, was still in his pre


    vious posture as he leaned back. A thoughtful expression was on his face.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what to eat for dinner.¡±


    A rxed smile was on the corners of the man¡¯s lips. ¡°Have you decided?¡±


    Her mind was restless, and she wanted him to stop asking her. ¡°Not¡­ yet.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat out for a change. I happen to want something different today.¡±


    After that, the man spoke indifferently to Mr. Kolson, who was driving. ¡°To Garden Paradise.¡±


    Mr. Kolson was slightly taken aback. ¡°Are you sure, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Tell ke to get ready.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Their conversation left Cherise baffled.


    They were just going out for a meal. Why did it sound so serious?


    What did ke have to prepare?


    Thirty minutester, Cherise and Damien arrived at the so¨Ccalled Garden Paradise. She finally


    understood why Mr. Kolson had reacted that way.


    The so¨Ccalled Garden Paradise wasn¡¯t a restaurant. It was the rooftop of a hotel.


    The hotel was over thirty floors high. It wasn¡¯t tall or short but showcased Mondale¡¯s evening scenery.


    The rooftop¡¯s security measures wereprehensive. It was also decorated gorgeously, but only one t


    able


    was there.


    Mr. Kolson pushed Damien to the table, and Cherise sat across from him.


    A waiter walked up to them. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, would you like the usual course?¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 My Woman


    ¡°Yes, the usual.¡±


    The waiter nodded and left.


    The table was soon filled with various delicacies that Cherise had never seen.


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    Upon seeing the curious gaze in her eyes as she looked at the food, Damien said nonchntly, ¡°Let¡¯s e


    at.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She picked up her utensils and started eating.


    She hadn¡¯t eaten lunch because of what had happened in the morning with Mary. Her stomach


    was rumbling with hunger after so many hours.


    She suddenly thought of something when they were almost done with their meal. She looked up at Da


    mien. ¡°Where¡¯s ke?¡±


    Didn¡¯t he ask ke to do something?


    Why don¡¯t I see ke at all?


    Mr Kolson, who was at the side looked at the time. ¡°He¡¯ste. He¡¯ll reach in a minute.¡±


    Cherise acknowledged it and didn¡¯t overthink it. She looked down and continued eating.


    She knew ke was arriving soon but never thought he wouldn¡¯t be alone.


    The young boy dressed in white sportswear slowly walked up the stairs.


    He was dragging a long iron chain in his hands.


    The other end of the iron chain was fastened tightly to a man¡¯s hands.


    The man behind ke was covered in blood and couldn¡¯t stand up. He drooped on the ground weakly.


    and his pants were tattered from being dragged. His flesh was exposed, and it was dripping with blood.


    ¡®ng. The cutlery in Cherise¡¯s hands fell to the ground.


    She was rendered speechless from astonishment at the scene before her.


    The man before her gracefully took another set of utensils and gave it to her. ¡°Are you full?¡±


    Cherise held her cutlery stiffly. She couldn¡¯t move her eyes away from the man behind ke.


    ¡°Traffic was bad.¡±


    ke tugged on the iron chain viciously. The man behind him fell in response.


    Cherise finally saw clearly the face of the man that ke was pulling.


    It was as though the air was knocked out of her.


    ¡°Nicky!


    ¡°Cherry


    Chapter 27 My Woman


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    Nicky looked up. The wound on his head was bleeding, and blood flowed to his face. He looked at Cher


    ise, and his voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t harass you in the future.¡±


    ¡°I beg you to let me go¡­¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth viciously.


    For a moment, she didn¡¯t know if she should help Nicky plead for mercy.


    On the one hand, she abhorred Nicky. Everything he had done to her all these years disgusted her gre


    atly.


    On the other hand, Nicky was Grandma¡¯s biological grandson and Uncle


    Shaw¡¯s biological nephew. Was she really going to stand by and watch?


    ¡°She isn¡¯t the one you should beg.¡±


    The man in the wheelchair reached out hisrge and slender hands to hold his utensils. He calmly ate t


    he celery before him. ¡°I sent someone to teach you a lesson and bring you here.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t change my mind or determine whether you live or die.¡±


    Nicky gritted his teeth. The pain had started to distort his expressions. ¡°Mister, I know what I said might


    have offended you, but you don¡¯t hold grudges, right?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Damienughed indifferently. He picked up his red wine and sipped it. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve tormented m


    y woman many times.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Nicky was taken aback. ¡°Your woman?¡±


    ¡°Cherise Shaw.¡±


    It was as though Nicky was struck by lightning. He couldn¡¯t move.


    Cherise was a scrawny and petite country bumpkin. How did she get to know someone of such stature


    ?


    And she was even with him¡­


    Nicky subconsciously sized up the man whose eyes were covered with silk ribbon. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°ording to your seniority in the family, perhaps I should be more polite to you.¡±


    A bleak and cold smile was on the corners of Damien¡¯s lips. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28 Don¡¯t You Hate Him?


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    Nicky was covered in blood, and he immediately shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to. I don¡¯t


    deserve it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you know it.¡±


    The man raised his red wine indifferently and sipped it. ¡°Tell me what you did to Cherise in the past.¡±


    Nicky was startled. He subconsciously turned to look at Cherise standing at one side. ¡°I¡­¡±


    Cherise stood on the spot, and her hands were tightly sped. She was utterly at a loss.


    ¡°I took advantage of Cherise in the past and almost¡­¡±


    ke, wearing white sportswear, furrowed his brows and stomped on Nicky viciously. ¡°Spit it out!¡±


    ¡°When Cherise was a freshman in high school, I took advantage of the fact that she was alone in Uncle


    Shaw¡¯s house, so I¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Cherise interrupted fiercely before Nicky could finish speaking.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned to look at Damien. ¡°What on earth are you doing?¡±


    He acted like he was standing up for her by turning Nicky into such a state, then made Nicky personally


    describe how he had harassed her back then?


    ¡°It seems like you were very hurt by it.¡±


    Damien yawned and waved at ke. ¡°There¡¯s no need to continue.¡±


    ke nodded and pulled the iron chain. He dragged Nicky to the other end of the rooftop.


    Only then did Cherise notice that the rooftop¡¯s edge had no protective measures.


    At that moment, ke had pulled Nicky to the dangerous edge.


    ¡°With ke¡¯s temper, he¡¯ll kick Nicky down in one minute.¡±


    Damien sipped his red wine calmly. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re bullied in the future.¡±


    Cherise felt her blood run cold.


    She nced at Damien and peeked at ke, who was dragging Nicky to the edge. ¡°I never wanted Nic


    ky to die!¡±


    After that, she disregarded everything and ran to ke. She reached out to pull the iron chain in ke¡¯


    s hand in the other direction. ¡°You have no right to decide a person¡¯s life and death!¡±


    They were thirty floors from the ground. No one could survive after falling from such a height!


    The man in the wheelchair still spoke indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate him?¡±


    He had clearly seen the hatred in her eyes for Nicky when they were at the school¡¯s back door.


    Chapter 28 Don¡¯t You Hate Him?


    He had promised he wouldn¡¯t let her feel aggrieved again and wanted to keep that promise.


    ¡°Even if I hate him, I don¡¯t want him to die!¡±


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    Cherise pursed her lips and turned to look at the man behind her. ¡°No matter what, he¡¯s my aunt¡¯s son.


    Even if I hate him, I won¡¯t let him die!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I won¡¯t take advantage of Cherry in the future. Save me¡­¡±


    Upon seeing Cherise help him plead for mercy, Nicky immediately crawled to the railing. ¡°After this, I¡¯ll


    be well¨Cbehaved¡­¡°.


    Damien furrowed his brows slightly and put down the wine ss in his hands. His voice was somewhat


    restless. ¡°ke, let Nicky go.¡±


    After that, he waved at Mr. Kolson, who went forward to push him away.


    As the doors to the rooftop shut, only Cherise, ke, and Nicky were left on the rooftop.


    ke pursed his lips and threw the iron chain restraining Nicky to one side. He mumbled, ¡°How dull,¡± b


    efore he left.


    Nicky frantically crawled to the middle of the rooftop. He red at Cherise, who was staring nkly at o


    ne side. ¡°What are you staring at? Come and undo the chain!¡±


    After Damien left, Nicky¡¯s voice immediately turned into the old Nicky who harassed Cherise.


    Cherise was still startled from almost seeing someone die and had yet to return to her senses. She obe


    diently went to free Nicky when she heard him shout at her.


    But little did she imagine that


    when the iron chain was undone, Nicky turned over and pushed her to the ground. He grabbed her nec


    k. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, you despicable wench. You found someone to mess with


    me?¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29 Why Did You Come Back?


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    Cherise never imagined that the person she had saved at the expense of offending Damien would turn


    around and press her against the ground.


    Her throat was viciously choked. She wanted to struggle but couldn¡¯t find the strength at all.


    ¡°Wench! If I knew you were so vengeful, I would have taken advantage of you back then! Perhaps you


    wouldn¡¯t have looked for a man outside to harm me!¡±


    Nicky grew angrier as he spoke, and he exerted more force.


    Cherise was pinned under him and couldn¡¯t even make a noise to shout for help.


    In the end, her vision started to get fuzzy.


    As everything started to get hazy, she had a thought. If she died, was it Damien¡¯s fault or her fault?


    She wanted to spare Nicky¡¯s life since they were rtives, but she never thought he would be so ungra


    teful.


    Just as Cherise thought she would die, a navy blue dartnded firmly on Nicky¡¯s hand.


    At the next moment, a whip was flicked from the direction of the rooftop¡¯s doors. It hit Nicky, and hey


    on the ground howling.


    After escaping Nicky¡¯s control, Cherise turned over and covered her neck as she coughed incessantly.


    Her throat felt ufortable, as though something had crushed it t.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    After a long time, arge and slender hand reached out to her.


    She was slightly taken aback as she looked up.


    The glow of the sunset shone from his left. Half his face was gilded.


    At that moment, his face, which was covered with ck silk, immediately


    emanated an alluring radiance.


    Cherise looked at him and stopped coughing. ¡°Why did youe back?¡±


    Her voice was awfully hoarse.


    Damien reached out to grab her arm and pulled her into his arms.


    The man had a chilly air around him, making her slightly dizzy.


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have left you here alone.¡±


    Cherise was startled. ¡°So you expected that he would do something to me?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡±


    The man nced indifferently at Nicky at the side, whoin ke had tied up again. ¡°Since you wanted t


    o give him a chance, I gave him one.¡±


    17:08 Fri, Oct 6


    Chapter 29 Why Did You Come Back?


    ¡°If he was grateful to you after we left, I naturally wouldn¡¯t have made things difficult for him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame¡­¡±


    As the man spoke, ke kicked Nicky violently.


    Nickyy on the ground and let out a howl before he ultimately fainted.


    ¡°Weak.¡±


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    ke kicked


    Nicky a few times and saw that Nicky had stopped moving, so ke used his leg to check. ¡°He¡¯s fainte


    d.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. Anyone would faint after getting beaten up like this, right?


    She


    couldn¡¯t help but ask Damien, ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to Nicky now? Are you still going to kill him?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    The man reached out and gently caressed her tender lips. ¡°But since he has the nerve to have such tho


    ughts about you, I¡¯ll destroy this desire for good.¡±


    Cherise was slightly astonished. She didn¡¯t quite understand what Damien meant. ¡°How are you going t


    o destroy it for good?¡±


    Damien was visibly taken aback by her question.


    He reached out to stroke her hair as he exined.


    After that, he hugged her with one hand and started to wheel them away with the other.


    She felt embarrassed at such a posture and struggled for a long time before breaking free.


    She wiped her flushed checks. ¡°I¡¯ll push you.¡±


    The man in the wheelchair smiled indifferently. ¡°You must get used to such a life since your husband


    is disabled. This will happen when we¡¯re intimate.¡±


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    You¡¯ve got your reading rewards; tap the


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 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 Shouldn¡¯t Family Members Help Each Other?


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    Cherise shook her head. She pushed him to the elevator and said earnestly, ¡°We can be intimate at ho


    me. We don¡¯t have to do this¡­¡±


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°Like on the couch, and¡­ in bed, and¡­¡±


    The man scratched his lips indifferently. ¡°You can be on top too.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    Perhaps it was easier to feel sleepy on a full stomach. On the way to Lenoir Manor from Garden Paradi


    se, Cherise leaned back in the genuine leather seat and fell asleep in a daze.


    A sharp ringtone awoke her from her dreams after some time.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She reached out for her cell phone, half¨Cconscious, and answered. ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    ¡°Ch¨¦rise, it¡¯s Aunt Eriana.¡±


    Eriana¡¯s insincere voice rang on the other end. ¡°I¡¯m in Adania Hospital now. Your cousin got into a fight


    and is severely injured. I didn¡¯t bring any money. Can you¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, and her voice instantly hardened. She said coldly, ¡°Aunt Eriana, you shoul


    d know I¡¯m still studying and don¡¯t have much money.¡±


    On the other end, Erianaughed. ¡°I know you don¡¯t have much money, but aren¡¯t you married now?¡±


    ¡°The blind man at home¡­ No, your husband¡­¡±


    ¡°His money belongs to him. It¡¯s not mine.¡±


    Cherise was wide awake from the woman¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone. She crawled out of be


    d and realized she was lying in therge bed in her and Damien¡¯s room.


    Did I fall asleep and sleepwalk back to the bedroom?


    ¡°Cherise?¡±


    Eriana spoke for a long time on the other end of the phone and shouted in displeasure when she was


    greeted with silence. ¡°Cherise, I don¡¯t often call you or ask for help, but you¡¯re acting like this?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t family members help each other? We helped you a lot back when you were in the country


    side. right?


    Cherise¡¯s heart gradually turned cold as she held her cell phone.


    It would have been better for Eriana not to mention what had happened in the past because Chens


    e Couldn¡¯t muster any sympathy for her when she did.


    6. 6.


    17.08 Fri, Oct 6 \


    Chapter 30 Shouldn¡¯t Family Members Help Each Other?


    A.2%¡ê


    +5 Free Coins


    When Cherise was in school, she wanted to help her uncle and aunt save money, so she ran to Eriana¡¯


    s house to borrow Nicky¡¯s old textbooks. In the end, Eriana had shamed her, and she had helped to do


    a week¡¯s worth of farm work before Eriana was willing to lend her Nicky¡¯s old textbooks.


    She remembered how Eriana had shamed her back then. Still, Eriana was now saying that family mem


    bers should help each other?


    Cherise held her breath and hung up,


    But how could Eriana be prepared to let it go?


    Eriana called her multiple times, disturbing Cherise so much that she was no longer feeling sleepy.


    She turned her cell phone off and went downstairs to make herself a ss of warm milk.


    While heating the milk, she thought Damien might still be awake, so she made him a ss.


    Three minutester, she carried two sses of milk upstairs with a tray. She heard ke and Damien¡¯s


    conversation inside when she passed the study room.


    ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot, but you¡¯re not using enough strength. Did you see clearly the darts I threw toda


    y?¡±


    ke¡¯s voice was still stifled as usual. ¡°No. It was too quick.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it has to be quick. Otherwise, others will see you making a move. Then, how can you catch


    them off guard?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll work harder.¡±


    Cherise was confused when she heard it as she carried the milk.


    She didn¡¯t expect ke to be around, so she had only prepared two sses for herself and Damien.


    As she pondered if she should make another ss, Mr. Kolson¡¯s voice rang from behind. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    The sudden voice made Cherise lose her bnce slightly. She almost spilled the milk.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31 Who Am I To You?


    Thankfully, she had experience working in a caf¨¦. Ultimately, disaster was averted.


    When she came to her senses, the study room door was opened. ke looked at Cherise with his guar


    d up. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    When faced with ke¡¯s question, Cherise didn¡¯t know how to answer for a moment.


    After a long time, she told them why she hade over with a strained voice. ¡°I came to offer you milk


    ¡­¡±


    She hadn¡¯t deliberately eavesdropped.


    Even though she didn¡¯t understand what they were saying.


    ¡°Come in.¡±.


    The man¡¯s stoic voice rang in the room.


    It was as though Cherise was let off the hook. She immediately carried the milk into the


    room and put the tray on the table. ¡°I went down to make warm milk. I thought you might still be awake,


    so¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you suddenly wake up?¡±


    The man in the wheelchair with his back facing her didn¡¯t seem interested in why she had appeared.


    Cherise was stumped for words. She coughed lightly. ¡°I just¡­ woke up.


    ¡°Your rtive called you, right?¡±


    Since Nicky was injured, with how shameless her rtives were, it wasn¡¯t strange for them to call her a


    nd ask for money at this time.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    Cherise silently sped her hands together. ¡°How did you


    know¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t even tell Lucy she had received a call from her rtive.


    ¡°Not everyone is as dumb as you are.¡±


    The man sighed apathetically and turned around.


    At this time, Cherise noticed that Damien had changed into a loose, ck silk outfit. It didn¡¯t look like pa


    jamas. It seemed like an outfit she had seen Lucy put on previously for wrestling.


    Her features were slightly distorted because she was surprised.


    He¡¯s blind, and it¡¯ste, but he¡¯ssitting in the wheelchair in his wrestling outfit?


    He naturally felt her astonished gaze but didn¡¯t n on exining. ¡°What did you promise them?¡±


    He wheeled himself over, picked up the milk, and sipped it. ¡°How much did they want?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have money to lend them, so I didn¡¯t ask how much they needed¡­¡±


    A trace of a smile was in the corners of Damien¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m already endlessly grateful you¡¯re paying for my grandmother¡¯s medical fees.¡±


    Cherise looked at him and spoke earnestly. ¡°They treat me poorly. There¡¯s no need for me to owe you a


    nother favor to help them.¡±


    Damien¡¯s hand that was holding the ss froze slightly.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll owe me a favor if I help you?¡±


    The woman in pajamas nodded earnestly. ¡°I already owe you a huge favor.¡±


    Through the ck silk ribbon, Damien looked up at her with his deep eyes.


    ¡°Who am I to you?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re my benefactor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°And my husband.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    The woman¡¯s ck eyes turned. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything else.¡±


    It had been less than a week since she was acquainted with Damien and married


    him. They didn¡¯t know each other very well, and she couldn¡¯t think of any other rtionship they had.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°And the person you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life with.¡±


    Damien looked at her and said solemnly.


    Upon realizing their conversation was bing more serious, Mr. Kolson immediately signaled


    ke to leave.


    The study room¡¯s door shut.


    Cherise looked at Damien with flushed checks. ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice was also slightly solemn. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as owing each other favors bet


    ween husband and wife.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Oh¡­ I won¡¯t say that in the future.¡±


    Damien massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°You can¡¯t say it or think that way.¡±


    ¡°But I owe you an enormous favor. If I don¡¯t think about it this way, how should I think about it?¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 You Can Bear Me A Child


    Damien¡¯s lips curved into


    a smile when he saw her foolish and silly expression. ¡°You can return the favor simrly.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°You can bear me a child.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    Although Cherise had avoided Eriana ambushing her at the school gate yesterday because of Lucy¡¯s w


    arning, the news of Cherise being with a rich man still spread across campus the next day.


    Cressida Moon publicly exposed the major and year of the girl in the post online.


    Cherise was the only student from the countryside in her major and year,


    A student who liked to gossippared Cherise¡¯s situation to the female student being provided for in t


    he post and confirmed that Cherise was the girl mentioned in the post


    Cherise had sses the following afternoon.


    People pointed to Cherise and talked about her as soon as she entered the lecture hall.


    ¡°She looks so demure. I never thought she would be so trashy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said. How can Cherise afford to study in our school with her family conditions? As it turns


    out, she has a bankroller behind her.¡±


    ¡°How humiliating for our year. Students from other schoolsugh at me and say shameless woman in o


    ur year!¡±


    there¡¯s a


    The group of students discussed Cherise openly. Cressa, who had witnessed Cherise enter Damien¡¯s c


    ar that day, was leading the conversation.


    Cressa nced at Cherise


    from the corner of her eye when Cherise entered. ¡°Our ssmate who¡¯s with a rich old man, do you ha


    ve anything to say for yourself?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°How do you know I¡¯m with a rich old man?¡±


    Cressa sneered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you? Would someone who drives a Maserati get into an ordinary


    rtionship with a country bumpkin like you?¡±


    ¡°At most, it¡¯s someone older who wants something different. The rich old man will only provide for you f


    or a while.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the person providing for you is an ugly, fat, bald old fart!¡±


    Cressa was saying nasty things, and Lucy, who was at the side, could no longer stand it. ¡°How can you


    say such things?¡±


    ¡°If Cherise isn¡¯t with a rich old man, and the man who picked her up


    that day isn¡¯t old, ugly, fat, or bald, will you apologize to her?¡±


    Cressa smiled. ¡°If this isn¡¯t the case, I¡¯ll kneel and apologize to her, alright?¡±


    As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at Cherise coldly. ¡°Please quickly show me evidence that you¡¯re havi


    ng an ordinary rtionship and your boyfriend isn¡¯t an old man.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of hiring an actor to deceive me. The Lyes family has some power in Adania. I know almost


    all the wealthy young men in Adania, but¡­¡±


    Sheughed tauntingly. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of anyone dating a country bumpkin.¡°/


    Cherise stood on the spot with tightly clenched fists.


    Lucy gritted her teeth. ¡°Alright! Wait and see! You¡¯ll be kneeling and apologizing to Cherise soon!¡±


    After that, she pulled Cherise¡¯s hand and sat at thest row of seats in the back of the room.


    Cressa was stillughing tauntingly. She maliciously ndered Cherise with a group of ssmates.


    ¡°How disgusting!¡±


    Lucy red straight at Cressa. ¡°Does she think she¡¯s a big deal because she¡¯s wealthy? Does she thin


    k she can criticize others because she¡¯s rich?¡±


    Cherise took her books and notes out of her bag. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal to be rich.¡±


    Since her grandmother fell sick, she desired to be wealthy more than anything else.


    Now that she was the wife of someone wealthy, she still felt that her life wasn¡¯t real.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°You can¡¯t say that.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You must prove her wrong. Ask Damien toe here so Cressa can see for hers


    elf. Then, she¡¯ll kneel and apologize to you!

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 I¡¯m Working


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They want to ridicule me and will always find something to discuss. Even if I prove Damien isn¡¯t old, ug


    ly, fat, or bald, they will still taunt him for being disabled.¡±


    She took a deep breath and put on her earphones. ¡°I can just ignore them.¡±


    Since she had married Damien, she had to take care of him. She couldn¡¯t give him any trouble.


    Lucy pursed her lips in exasperation. ¡°Cressa is insulting you for no good reason.¡±


    Cressa¡¯s taunting would be worse if they couldn¡¯t show her proof.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    When Lucy thought about it, she felt that it was unfair. ¡°Cherise, your marriage is legitimate. Why shoul


    d they nder you like this?¡±


    Cherise smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Ignore them.¡±


    She gave Lucy some water. ¡°Have some water and calm down. The lecturer is about toe.¡±


    Today¡¯s ss was advanced mathematics with their lecturer nicknamed Ice Queen.


    Lucy rolled her eyes and sipped the water. Cherise could ept it, but not her.


    After the advanced mathematics lecture ended, Lucy said she was going to look for her cousin before s


    he disappeared.


    After Lucy left, everyone continued to insult Cherise and said Lucy was calling in reinforcements for Ch


    erise.


    Cherise didn¡¯t care about what they were saying.


    After sses ended, she walked to the entrance with her bag as usual.


    ¡°Cherise!¡±


    Cressa¡¯s annoying voice rang behind


    her. She had with her a group of ssmates with malicious intentions, ¡°We want to see who is providin


    g for you!¡±


    They kept pestering Cherise. Even if she didn¡¯t want to get into a conflict with


    them, she grew agitated at their relentless behavior.


    She took out her cell phone and wanted to tell Mr. Kolson not to pick her up when Cressa¡¯s surprised v


    oice rang behind her. ¡°Dad!¡±


    Cressa¡¯s father was dressed impably


    as he stood before an extended Lincoln. He was quietly looking around at the school entrance.


    Cressa¡¯s jaw dropped, and her mouth was wide open.


    Her father, Randall Lyes, was a reputable figure in Adania. Cressa had always wanted Randall to pick h


    er up at school, but Randall always said he was busy. Unlike other fathers, he had never sent or picked


    her up to and from school.


    But Randall suddenly appeared at the school entrance today.


    Cressa immediately felt excited when she saw the extended Lincoln vehicle beside her father. ¡°My dad


    is here to pick me up!¡±


    And he came in an extended Lincoln. It looked very imposing!


    It was clear that although Randall usually never paid much attention to Cressa, he still cared about his


    daughter.


    With everyone crowding around Cressa, she passed Cherise as she walked to the school entrance in e


    normous strides.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood today, so I¡¯ll spare you today.¡±


    Cressa said to Cherise nastily as she walked


    past.


    Cherise didn¡¯t say a word and continued typing her message to Mr. Kolson. ¡®You don¡¯t have to pick me


    up today. I can take the bus.¡±


    Mr. Kolson replied instantly. ¡®I can¡¯t pick you up today, Mrs. Lenoir, but someone wille in my ce.¡¯


    Cherise furrowed her brows. She wanted to


    reply to Mr. Kolson, saying he didn¡¯t need to bother, but she heard amotion.


    She looked up subconsciously and


    saw Randall, almost fifty years old, walk to her respectfully. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, I¡¯m here to pick you up in c


    e of your driver, Mr. Kolson.¡±


    There was an uproar around her.


    Cressa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Dad!¡±


    Randall Jurned to re at her. ¡°I¡¯m working!¡±


    After that, he turned back and smiled respectfully at Cherise. ¡°This way, Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise felt her blood freeze.


    The person


    who Mr. Kolson had said woulde in ce of him was Cressa¡¯s father?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 Mr Lenoir Is Angry


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The whispers around them grew louder. Cressa¡¯s face paled before it turned red.


    After a long time, she ran to stop Randall. ¡°Dad, is this a joke? Why are you acting like a servant and pi


    cking Cherise home with your status?¡±


    ¡°What kind of connections does the man providing for her have?¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡­¡±


    ¡®Smack!¡®


    Before Cressa could finish speaking, Randall pped her. ¡°Do you think you can talk about someone li


    ke Mrs. Lenoir as you wish?¡±


    Cressa was utterly dazed by her dad¡¯s p.


    The students around them were also taken aback.


    Cherise put on a bold face and coughed lightly. ¡°Um, I can go back myself.¡±


    After that, she turned and wanted to go to the bus stop, but Randall and his subordinates stopped


    her.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, please let me send you home.¡±


    The man in his fifties had a pleading expression. ¡°My daughter is ignorant. You don¡¯t have to stoop to h


    er level.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±


    ¡°But Mr. Lenoir is angry.¡±


    Randall had an awful expression. ¡°Mr. Lenoir gave me a chance to turn over a new leaf by sending you


    home. If you turn me down¡­¡±


    The middle¨C


    aged man almost had a tearful expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t do this, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll go bankrupt tonight¡­¡°.


    Cherise answered, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ kidding, right?¡±


    Although the Lenoir family had great power and influence in Adania, Damien was basically abandoned


    by the Lenoir family. How did he have such a significant influence?


    Randall seemed to see the confusion in Cherise¡¯s eyes. He sighed. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, it seems you don¡¯t un


    derstand Mr. Lenoir well enough.¡±


    Under Randall¡¯s coaxing, Cherise ultimately got into the shy Lincoln obediently.


    After she got into the car, she clearly heard Cressa and Randall arguing outside.


    Cressa seemed to be crying, and Randall¡¯s voice was harsh.


    After a long time, Randall got into the car after fiercely reprimanding Cressa.


    Shortly after the car drove away, Cherise received a message from Cressa. ¡°You just wait and see!¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t say anything and silently deleted the message.


    The car quickly stopped at the entrance of Lenoir Manor.


    Randall respectfully opened the car door and gestured politely for Cherise to exit.


    The vi¡¯s butler was at the door. Upon seeing Cherise exit the car, he coldly instructed Randall to leav


    e before leading Cherise into the vi.


    In the living room, the man in the wheelchair, whose eyes were covered with ck silk, was having tea.


    Upon hearing her enter, the man said indifferently, ¡°Come and try it out. It¡¯s thetest tea.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and walked over cautiously. She took a teacup from him and sipped it gently.


    ¡°How is it?¡± The man¡¯s deep voice rang.


    Cherise took another sip. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about tea¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any different from water.¡±


    The man smiled and took the teacup from her before pouring another cup. He drank


    it carelessly. ¡°Do you have anything to say to me?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°You don¡¯t have to send anyone to pick me up in the future/


    ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the bus routes. I only need to take two buses from


    school toe home. It¡¯s very convenient.¡±


    Damien picked at his lips indifferently. ¡°Do you think your ssmates will stop gossiping about you if yo


    u take the bus home?¡±


    Cherise was greatly startled. ¡°You¡­ you know about it?¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 Why Don¡¯t I Feed You


    But she thought about it. Since Damien could instruct Cressa¡¯s dad to pick her up at school, he should


    also know what had happened to her in school.


    When she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at Damien again.


    She initially thought she had married a disabled person and had to care for him.


    But now, she found him even more mystifying.


    She even felt that as a so¨Ccalled healthy person, he was caring for her more¡­


    Damien scratched his lips apathetically. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m a blind man oblivious to what¡¯s happeni


    ng in the outside world?¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice sounded like he wasughing at himself.


    Cherise immediately waved her hands. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that!¡±


    ¡°I just find it strange¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing strange about it.¡±


    Damien poured another cup of tea and sipped it. ¡°You said you want to care for me. I¡¯m just reciprocati


    ng the favor.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    Is this considered reciprocating the favor?Moreover, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve caredfor him, right?


    Other than that time at Lenoir Residence¡­


    She took off her bag and put it on the couch as she thought about it. ¡°Why don¡¯t I make you something


    delicious for dinner to thank you?¡±


    Back in the countryside, she could cook for the entire family alone. Her aunt and uncle evenplimen


    ted her skills!


    She couldn¡¯t repay him in any other way, but she was skilled at cooking.


    The man in the wheelchair picked at his lips indifferently. ¡°Sure.¡±


    She got to work.


    Ten minutester, the girl in the pink apron entered the kitchen.


    She was familiar with the kitchen tools from thest time she made breakfast, so Cherise was entirely i


    n her element as she made dinner this time.


    Cherise moved swiftly when she prepared food. Frances had initially brought a few servants to help her


    but realized she was self¨Csufficient in the kitchen alone.


    A trace of a smile was on the corners of Damien¡¯s lips when he saw the woman bustling around in the k


    itchen, as busy as a bee.


    The butler stood next to him with wrinkled brows. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯ve used your connections. with two s


    ubordinates in the past few days, the Belcourt family and Randall Lyes¡­ Especially Randall today. If so


    meone deliberately starts investigating, they¡¯ll quickly discover the private rtionship between you and


    Lyes Enterprise¡­¡±


    His voice was


    filled with worry. ¡°It isn¡¯t time to show your hand yet. You¡¯re showing so much of your power for Mrs. Le


    noir now. Are you¡­¡±


    The butler¡¯s intentions were clear.


    ¡±


    No mishap could appear in Damien¡¯s longid ns because of Cherise.


    The man, whose eyes were covered with ck silk, was displeased. ¡°I have my limits.¡±


    As a ¡®handicapped¡® person who had been disabled for so many years, those people wouldn¡¯t pay much


    attention to him now that he had married someone as harmless as Cherise.


    ¡°You should still¡­ be careful.¡±


    The butler couldn¡¯t help but remind him.


    Damien leaned back in the wheelchair and shut his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been


    very chatty recently. Is it too tiring to be with me?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can give you a break and send you to be ke¡¯s sparring partner.¡±


    The butler¡¯s face paled, and he finally kept quiet..


    Cherise bustled about in the kitchen for one and a half hours.


    After cing thest dish on the dining table, she looked at the table full of food, satisfied. She turned a


    nd ran to Damien¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m done. Do you want to eat now orter?¡±


    The woman¡¯s sweet voice rang in his ears. Damien scratched his lips indifferently. ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll push you there.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s voice was slightly excited. ¡°I made my best dishes today. Try them and see if it¡¯s to


    your liking. Tell me which dish you like. I can make it for you every day!¡±


    She had wheeled him to the dining table as she spoke.


    She smiled and handed Damien cutlery but felt something was wrong. ¡°I forgot you can¡¯t see¡­ Why do


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    n¡¯t¡­ I feed you?¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 Now I Know What You¡¯re Most Afraid Of


    Damien nced at her indifferently and didn¡¯t say anything.


    But he handed her his utensils obediently.


    After taking his cutlery, Cherise picked up the te carefully. She cut a small piece of salmon with crea


    my dill sauce and put it to his lips. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t have much of an expression. He calmly ate the fish she fed him. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    Just like that, Cherise gradually fed Damien as he finished his meal.


    On one end, the butler, Mr. Hurrell, and Mr. Kolson looked at each other in surprise.


    They had been by Damien¡¯s side for so many years, and


    this was their first time seeing him obey a woman and be fed an entire meal so calmly.


    Even when he was still a child ten years ago, no one could make him quiet down and be cared for.


    He was cold, lonesome, and arrogant at heart.


    And now, this man was like a child as he silently finished his entire meal under Cherise¡¯s care.


    After caring for Damien and finishing dinner, Cherise sent Damien back to the study room upstairs with


    Mr. Kolson¡¯s help before she went downstairs to have dinner.,


    At that moment, only Frances was left in the dining room.


    Frances had already reheated the food on the table.


    Upon seeing Cherisee downstairs, Francesughed lightly and greeted her. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, I thought


    you were young and didn¡¯t know how to care for others.¡±


    ¡°When I saw you feed Mr. Lenoir tonight, I suddenly felt that it was wise for Old Mr. Lenoir to allow you


    and Mr. Lenoir to get married.¡±


    Cherise was slightly embarrassed at being praised by Frances. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I often cared for my


    grandmother back home.¡±


    When Cherise mentioned her grandmother, she recalled that she hadn¡¯t been able to properly visit Mar


    y because she had been disturbed by other matters for the past few days.


    When she told Mary she was getting married, Mary had specially instructed her to bring her husband to


    visit after getting married!


    Although she did bring Damien with her previously, Mary had just left the emergency room and was still


    unconscious. Moreover, her aunts had mocked and ridiculed Damien, so she put visiting Mary aside.


    After dinner, she cleaned the dining table with Frances before she returned to her room to call Elvis.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want your grandmother to worry. But Cherise, although she has blurred


    vision, I know full well that if she found out you married a blind man, she would feel uneasy.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Elvis sighed. ¡°You saw what happenedst time. Your aunts like to shoo


    t their mouths off. I¡¯m worried they¡¯ll talk nonsense about you marrying a disabled person in front of Mo


    m¡­¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, Eriana¡¯s Nicky got into a fight recently, so they¡¯re busy with him and don¡¯t have time. to co


    me here and gossip. When they forget about it, everything will naturally be alright.¡±


    ¡°If you miss your grandmother,e and visit her alone. Don¡¯t bring Mr. Lenoir with you.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart gradually sank. She lowered her voice. ¡°I understand.¡±


    After the call with Elvis ended, Cherise received a call from Eriana again.


    This was the sixtieth phone call Eriana had made to Cherise in the past few days.


    Cherise¡¯s campus was too big, and Eriana couldn¡¯t find her. Eriana didn¡¯t know where Cherise stayed ei


    ther, so she could only bombard Cherise with calls daily..


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Cherise put her cell phone on the table. She felt anxious when she saw the name ¡®Aunt Eriana¡® on her


    cell phone screen.


    After a long time, her cell phone stopped vibrating, but a message came in.


    It was from Eriana. ¡®You wench. Now I know


    what you¡¯re most afraid of. If you don¡¯t want your grandmother to know you married a blind man, you b


    etter behave and give me money!¡±


    Chapter 37 Only One Hundred Thousand

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 Only One Hundred Thousand


    Cherise wrinkled her brows. She started to feel cold as she looked at the message on her cell phone.


    Her uncle had just instructed her not to let Mary know that she married a blind man, and now Eriana se


    nt her such a message.


    In all likelihood, Eriana must have done something to Elvis because she couldn¡¯t find Cherise.


    Cherise shut her eyes andughed bitterly.


    She never thought she would one day worry about such a thing.


    When the family was poor, her aunts never cared about them. Now that they knew she had married a ri


    ch man, they talked about their familial rtionship and asked her for money.


    And she¡­ only had three thousand with her. It was the money from her high school schrship.


    When she married Damien, she swore she wouldn¡¯t ask Damien for money other than for Grandma¡¯s m


    edical fees.


    They didn¡¯t have an ordinary husband¨Cand¨Cwife rtionship, so he had no obligation to care


    for her financially.


    But¡­ Grandma was severely ill. If Eriana really told Mary that Cherise married a blind man, Cherise wa


    s afraid that Mary couldn¡¯t take it.


    She looked at her cell phone and hesitated for a long time. Ultimately, she secretly went to the garden


    outside the vi with her cell phone and called Eriana. ¡°Aunt Eriana, how much money do you want?¡±


    ¡°Not much. Your cousin Nicky got into a fight with someone a few days ago. He was hurt so badly that


    he¡¯s still in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re now married to a wealthy man. It¡¯s only natural that you pay for your


    cousin¡¯s hospital bill, right?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Eriana immediately grew demanding when she heard Cherise ask how


    much she wanted. ¡°Cherise, I¡¯m really not asking for much. You must know that I¡¯m actually helping you


    . You know about Evaline¡¯s family situation. If she has her eye on you, do you think she¡¯ll be satisfied wi


    th such a small amount of money?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s blood froze slightly. ¡°So, Aunt Eriana, how much¡­ are Nicky¡¯s medical fees?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Erianaughed. ¡°Not much. Not much at all. Only one hundred


    thousand!¡±


    The phone in Cherise¡¯s hands almost fell to the ground.


    One hundred thousand!


    Nicky was just beaten up by ke, but his hospitalization fees cost one hundred thousand?


    ¡°Aunt Eriana, Grandma¡¯s medical fees cost one hundred thousand when she was severely ill. Nicky ha


    s only been hospitalized for three days, right?¡±


    Nicky had only been hospitalized for three days. Why did it cost so much?


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    On the other end, Eriana¡¯s voice was slightly disdainful. ¡°Why won¡¯t it cost one hundred thousand? Our


    Nicky was hurt in his crucial area¡­¡®


    Before she could finish speaking, she seemed to realize it was embarrassing, so she coughed lightly a


    nd changed the topic. ¡°In any case, Nicky was badly hurt.¡±


    Eriana¡¯s voice suddenly froze, and she paused. ¡°How did you know Nicky has been hospitalized for thr


    ee days?¡±


    Her son had gotten into a fight outside. He was severely hurt, and his crucial part was almost severed.


    She didn¡¯t even tell her brother, Elvis, and Cherise had ignored her calls for the past few days. This wa


    s the first time she was telling Cherise about Nicky being hospitalized.


    Why was Cherise immediately certain that Nicky had been hospitalized for three days?


    ¡°Do you know something about Nicky getting beaten up?¡±


    On the phone, Eriana¡¯s voice suddenly


    went up. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you had something to do with him getting beaten up?¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 You Were Never Worthy of Being My Family


    Cherise panicked. ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I didn¡¯t think so.¡±


    Eriana snorted coldly. ¡°My son acted bravely for justice. He was beaten up because he was saving a ch


    ild from school bullying. As a woman who sacrifices her body for money, how could you understand his


    noble behavior?!¡±


    A woman who sacrifices herself for money¡­


    The


    way


    Eriana described her utterly pierced Cherise¡¯s sore spot.


    She¡¯s right. How am I different from women who sacrifice themselves for money?


    If not for the fact that Grandma¡¯s treatment cost tens of millions and she had no way out, she would als


    o have looked down on herself.


    But¡­


    She took a deep breath. Her initial sweet voice turned cold. ¡°Aunt Eriana, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t kno


    w if I should say.¡±


    part of


    ¡°Even if I was afraid that you would expose my husband to Grandma and agree to pay for Nicky¡¯s medi


    cal fees, please know your ce, Aunt Eriana. Since you want my money, you have no right to ridicule


    me for being a woman who sacrifices herself for money.


    The usually soft¨C


    spoken girl suddenly said such things. On the other end of the call, Eriana was in a daze.


    Eriana gritted her teeth. ¡°Why are you


    upset after I tried to advise you? I¡¯m your aunt. What¡¯s wrong with me giving you advice?¡±


    ¡°To me, you were never worthy of being my family.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°I can give you money, but definitely not one hundred thousand. I can only


    give you thirty thousand at most. I¡¯ve cared for Grandma at the hospital, so I know Nicky doesn¡¯t need t


    hat much for his injury.


    ¡°And among thirty thousand, I can only give you three thousand now. Firstly, I just got married. It¡¯s not n


    ice to ask the Lenoir family for too much money.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, if I give you the entire sum now, you might turn around and ask me for other things or tell Au


    nt Evaline to extort me in the same way. Won¡¯t I be at a loss?¡±


    ¡°Lastly, Grandma is so ill. If you tell Grandma I did such a thing for her, and she falls ill and passes awa


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    y, you won¡¯t get a single penny from me.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying, Aunt Eriana?¡±


    She spoke rationally and calmly. She was soposed that no one would have expected the usually d


    umb¨Clooking Cherise to say such things.


    On the other end, Eriana had never heard Cherise speak like this.


    Eriana was silent for a long time before quickly saying, ¡°When will you give me this three thousand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital to give it to you myself tomorrow.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Aunt Eriana, just send me the addresster.¡±


    After hanging up, Cherise leaned against arge tree in the garden as she panted.


    The heavens knew how much effort it had taken her to say such things to Eriana just now!


    One of her shorings was that her mind couldn¡¯t keep up with the situation.


    Like when she was arguing with other people. After the other party unleashed a torrent of abuse on her,


    her mind would onlye to its senses after they left. She would think to herself. I should have retorte


    d like this just now!


    After such a thing had happened multiple times, she finally understood that she wasn¡¯t an argumentativ


    e or crafty person. Therefore, Cherise avoided conflict and trouble where she could.


    What she had said to Eriana on the phone was nned out when she was rejecting Eriana¡¯s calls for th


    e past few days.


    nning it out was one thing, and speaking it aloud was another.


    After saying what was on her mind, she felt it had taken up all her energy.


    Chapter 39 Feed Me

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 Feed Me


    But thankfully, Eriana was intimidated by what Cherise had said.


    Cherise leaned against therge tree. She kept her cool and tried to calm down for a


    long time before she kept her cell phone and left.


    Upon seeing Cherise return to the vi, a woman in the corner of the garden with a sneer in the corners


    of her mouth kept the recording pen in her hands coldly.


    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s because of money.¡±


    Although Cherise managed to intimidate Eriana over the phone, Cherise still felt unsettled.


    On the one hand, she started to worry about her living expenses after she gave Eriana the three thousa


    nd she had on her.


    On the other hand, she worried that Eriana would realize she had put on a farce tonight.


    Then, if Eriana continued to be difficult, it would be hard for Cherise to deal with her.


    She didn¡¯t sleep well the whole night.


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    Early the following morning, she came out of the bedroom with dark circles under her eyes. She happe


    ned to bump into Damien, who was leaving the study room.


    She yawned and greeted the man whose eyes were covered with ck silk. ¡°Morning.¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t answer her.


    Cherise walked forward a little and suddenly thought of something as she turned. ¡°Wait. We¡¯re husband


    and wife.¡±


    The man furrowed his brows. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t we sleep togetherst night?¡±


    Cherise wrinkled her brows and pondered. ¡°You didn¡¯te back to sleep in the room, right?¡±


    The veins on the man¡¯s forehead twitched. He nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleepst night.¡±


    The petite woman scratched


    her head andughed in embarrassment. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night either.¡±


    After that, she yawned and naturally went behind him. She pushed his wheelchair as they went downst


    airs in his personal elevator.


    When they were downstairs, she swiftly pushed him to the dining table before putting his breakfast and


    cutlery before him.


    If not for the fact that she kept yawning while doing everything, Damien would have thought she was d


    oing everything energetically.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get enough restst night?¡±


    With how she yawned incessantly, he would have sensed it even if he were really blind.


    Cherise nodded subconsciously.


    Then, she realized he couldn¡¯t see and said dully, ¡°I¡¯m a little worried.¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about?¡±


    ¡°About¡­¡±


    Cherise yawned. She wanted to tell him about Eriana when she thought of something and immediately


    kept quiet.


    Her logic told her she couldn¡¯t tell him about it.


    If Cherise told him she was troubled over money, wouldn¡¯t she seem like she was covertly asking for m


    oney?


    She smiled andughed. ¡°Worried about my physics exam today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always done poorly in physics.¡±


    When she spoke, hershes fluttered slightly. Her gaze was a little panicked, and she didn¡¯t know wher


    e to look.


    Damien furrowed his brows and didn¡¯t expose her lies. ¡°Since you¡¯re worried, why don¡¯t you study


    hard?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and thought about it. ¡°Can Ie hometer after sses end?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kolson doesn¡¯t have to pick me up. I¡¯ll study in the library before taking the bus back, okay?¡±


    To her, Mr. Kolson sending and picking her up every day was a form of being restricted and monitored.


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The petite woman breathed a sigh of relief. She eagerly stuffed the cutlery into his hands. ¡°Eat


    1. up.


    Damien was holding the utensils, but he didn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m blind.¡±


    Cherise looked at him with a frown. She didn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    ¡°Feed me.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice was intertwined with slight coyness.


    Cherise was dumbstruck.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 A Coincidence


    He didn¡¯t have any problems eating before she suggested feeding him.


    After Cherise was done serving and feeding Damien, she received a call from Eriana before she could


    wash the dishes,


    ¡°Cherise, I¡¯m not trying to rush you. You inust


    be more sincere if you want me to keep your secret. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll dy giving me even the three


    thousand?¡±


    Eriana started urging Cherise for money once the call was answered.


    This time, her tone was harsher thanst night. From the looks of it, Eriana was up to something.


    Cherise pursed her lips and nced at Damien as he sat on the living room couch and listened to the n


    ews. ¡°Aunt Eriana, you¡¯re being too impatient.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not free in the morning. I¡¯lle and look for you in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep my word. I won¡¯t shortchange you. I¡¯ll give you three thousand, but if you don¡¯t hel


    p me keep my secret, I won¡¯t give you anything.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Eriana snorted coldly. ¡°If I don¡¯t get the money today, you can exin it


    to your grandmother yourself by her bed!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell her you married a blind, disabled man for her sake!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s head hurt. She massaged the bridge of her nose. ¡°Wait for me toe and give it to you in th


    e afternoon.¡±


    Cherise was an orphan adopted by Elvis, while Eriana was Mary¡¯s biological daughter.


    But Eriana threatened Cherise with Mary¡¯s health at a time like this.


    Cherise was experiencing the cruelty and indifference of humanity.


    After her morning sses ended, she turned down Lucy¡¯s invitation to eat lunch. She took a bus alone t


    o the hospital Nicky was at.


    The hospital Nicky was in was where Cherise had previously met Ian.


    When Cherise went to the hospital room to give Eriana the money, Eriana was feeding Nicky.


    Eriana¡¯s face turned cold when she saw Cherise. ¡°Why did you take so long? I thought you weren¡¯t


    ing.¡±


    Cherise smiled demurely. ¡°I had sses in the morning, so I was busy.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re very hardworking.¡±


    Eriana rolled her eyes and put the cutlery down. She turned and left with Cherise.


    Lying on the hospital bed, Nicky looked startled since Cherise entered. From the looks of


    it, ke had beaten him up severely.


    Cherise could tell that was the case since he didn¡¯t dare to tell Eriana that he was beaten up because o


    f Cherise.


    When Cherise turned, she deliberately smiled at Nicky.


    He shrank, and the stew in his hands spilled.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡±


    After leaving the hospital room, Eriana didn¡¯t hide her feelings about Cherise. ¡°Quickly give it to


    me.¡±


    Cherise could only give Eriana the envelope with three thousand. ¡°Aunt Eriana, you must keep your wo


    rd.¡±


    Eriana rolled her eyes. ¡°As long as you give me money on time, I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut in front of your


    grandmother!¡±


    After that, she secretly nced at Cherise.


    Cherise married a wealthy man but is reluctant to give me money when I ask her for it.


    After giving Eriana the money,


    Cherise didn¡¯t have anything else to say to Eriana, so she picked up her bag and left.


    When she passed the lounge on the first floor, she bumped into Ian, whom she hadn¡¯t met in a long tim


    e.


    ¡°Cherise!¡±


    Ian started to call out to her from far away.


    Cherise was initially about to hide from him, but she didn¡¯t have the opportunity to hide when he


    called out to her.


    Cherise could only greet him awkwardly. ¡°What a coincidence, Ian.¡±


    She managed to bump into him every time she came to this hospital.


    Ian smiled and walked towards her. ¡°It¡¯s only natural for you to bump into me when hospital. It isn¡¯t a coi


    ncidence.¡±


    you


    visit my


    ¡°I didn¡¯t manage to have a meal with you previously. Can we try again?¡±


    1

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 Why Aren¡¯t You Home Yet?


    Cherise


    initially wanted to turn him down, but she thought of what he had previously said and ultimately nodded


    in agreement.


    It was lunchtime, and the restaurants near the hospital were crowded.


    Ian took Cherise to a restaurant slightly further away.


    The afternoon sun


    was zing above them. Ian was considerate and bought an umbre by the side of the road to shield


    Cherise from the sun.


    ¡°You¡¯re so attentive, Ian.¡±


    She smiled, feeling moved.


    Ianughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to take care of you.¡±


    The man¡¯s words made Cherise blush.


    ¡°But why were you at the hospital?¡±


    Ian¡¯s distinct and bright voice was like a clear spring on a summer¡¯s day. ¡°You said you came with your


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    friendst time. What about this time?¡±


    ¡°I came to visit my rtive.¡±


    Cherise and Ian walked under the umbre side by side. Her heart started to beat furiously. ¡°Ian.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I remember you previously told me that when you were in university, you made a lot of money from wo


    rking part¨Ctime jobs, right?¡±


    She had agreed to eat with Ian because she remembered this.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for a job?¡±


    Janughed lightly and reached out to stroke her head. ¡°You still work so hard.¡±¡±


    Cherise smiled and lied. ¡°I want to earn money to pay for my school fees.¡±


    The man¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You¡¯re paying for your school fees?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your husband take care of you?¡±


    He was startled when he found out that she had gotten married. But when he thought about it, she woul


    d have someone to take care of her after getting married. It wasn¡¯t bad for a girl like Cherise with such


    a family background.


    But now, she wanted to earn money to pay her school fees?


    Cherise was surprised and immediately shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t take care of me¡­¡±


    ¡°I just want to earn money to sign up for cooking sses. I don¡¯t want my husband to know. I want to su


    rprise him.¡±


    Ian¡¯s brows slowly rxed.


    Heughed bitterly. ¡°It looks like you love him a lot.¡±


    Cherise nodded with flushed cheeks. ¡°So, do you have any good part¨Ctime jobs to rmend,n?¡±


    Cherise could only nod as she followed him into the restaurant.


    She was preupied when they were eating.


    Her mind was filled with what had happened when she previously ate with Ian.


    Thest time she ate withn, Damien found out at once.


    Does he know this time?Will he call me and instruct people to capture me likest time?


    Cherise was fearful until she finished lunch, but Damien didn¡¯t contact her.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re majoring in nursing, I can rmend a sanatorium where you can work part¨C


    time as a nursing assistant.¡±


    After lunch, Ian scrolled through his cell phone. ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s working at the sanatorium. Many


    nursing assistants work there part¨Ctime, and the pay is pretty good, but the job is quite demanding.¡±


    ¡°You cared for your grandmother so well. I believe you¡¯re capable.¡±


    As he spoke, he called his friend.


    His friend was d that a university student like Cherise wanted to work part¨C


    time and immediately wanted her to go for an interview.


    With directions fromn, Cherise took a bus to the sanatorium. The interview went on for an hour.


    Cherise could readily answer all the questions about taking care of patients.


    Therefore, both parties quickly finalized the pay and working hours and immediately signed a


    part¨Ctime contract.


    Cherise officially started working in the afternoon.


    She was on her feet until past six in the evening.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, why aren¡¯t you home yet?¡±


    Frances called Cherise when it was almost seven. ¡°Mr. Lenoir is waiting


    for you toe back and eat with him.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 I¡¯ll Wait


    Cherise looked at the time. It was already seven at night. She smiled and said embarrassedly to Franc


    es, ¡°I¡¯m studying in the library and lost track of the time. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯lle back at once!¡±


    Before she finished speaking, someone called


    out to her. ¡°Cherise, the patient at 203 wants to take a walk. Go and keep thempany!¡±


    The person shouted loudly.


    On the other end


    of the phone, Frances fell silent momentarily. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, are you really at the library?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Cherise felt guilty. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll being back in half an hour. Tell Damien not to wait. I¡¯ve


    eaten.¡±


    After that, she ignored what Frances said on the other end of the phone and hung up.


    She kept her cell phone before rushing to 203 and taking the patient for a walk.


    The chilly night breeze blew, and she realized she was in a cold sweat.


    At that moment, in Swan Lake Chateau, where Lenoir Manor was located.


    The man in the wheelchair picked up his coffee gracefully and


    sipped it. ¡°She can¡¯t evene up with a good lie.¡±


    He had instructed Frances to make the call. It was on speakerphone once the call went through. Theref


    ore, he heard everything, including Cherise¡¯s frantic voice and tone when she was lying.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs. Lenoir is being extorted and is working part¨Ctime. Are you really going to let her be?¡±


    The butler stood by his side and asked respectfully.


    The man put the cup of coffee in his hands on a saucer. A sneer was on the corners of his lips. ¡°She¡¯s h


    iding it from me because she doesn¡¯t want me to know. Why should I get into this mess?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was baffled. ¡°But Mr. Lenoir, she¡¯s your wife now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s humiliating for you if she¡¯s working like this.¡±


    Damien smiled, and the corners of his lips curved into a sarcastic smile. ¡°When have I not been humilia


    ted?¡±


    He was someone in


    the Lenoir family who was abandoned many years ago. To other people, he had lost all dignity and prid


    e long ago.


    Other than Old Mr. Lenoir, no one else had attended his wedding.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help her.¡±


    Damien changed into a morefortable position as he leaned back in his wheelchair. ¡°Once she fully


    grasps how a husband¨Cand¨Cwife rtionship should work, I¡¯ll help her.¡±


    Mr. Hampson was puzzled by Damien¡¯s words but didn¡¯t ask further when he saw the man¡¯s expression


    turn cold. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, will you still wait for Mrs. Lenoir to have dinner?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sote. Why don¡¯t you eat first?¡±


    The man shook his head, and his thin lips parted slightly. He only said two words. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    The sanatorium regted that nursing assistants leave work at half past seven at night.


    With that in mind, Cherise nned her time. She could still make thest bus at eight o¡¯clock and rush


    home.


    But she had too many things to do on her first day of work and wasn¡¯t very proficient. Time passed, and


    it was veryte.


    When she left the sanatorium, she almost fell apart when she took out her cell phone and looked at the


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    time.


    It was past eight, and all the buses had stopped running. The sanatorium was in the suburbs, and cabs


    didn¡¯t usually pass by.


    She waited by the road anxiously for a long time but didn¡¯t see a single cab.


    She was frustrated and could only take out her cell phone. She nned to hitch a ride online to go hom


    e.


    At that moment, a white sedan stopped before her.


    Cherise was overjoyed. She got into the backseat with her bag.


    ¡°Why are you here,n?¡±


    Ian started driving. ¡°I came here for work a

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 I Don¡¯t Think He Works


    It suddenly dawned on Cherise. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re friends with the head, L.¡±


    She could work here thanks to Ian and L¡¯s good rtionship.


    Otherwise, how could she have found a well¨Cpaying job that suited her?


    ¡°Ian, it¡¯s sote. Did youe to look for L?¡±


    She asked with a frown.


    L was pretty,petent, and intelligent. She should be the type of woman Ian liked.


    The man¡¯s hands on the steering wheel froze slightly. ¡°Sort of.¡±


    L Gurwell had called and asked him out for dinner in the evening, but he turned her down.


    ¡°I thought you got off work at seven.¡±


    He hade to wait for her to get off work and had been waiting since seven,


    ¡°I just started working, and I¡¯m unfamiliar with everything.¡±


    Cheriseughed embarrassedly. ¡°L didn¡¯t make me work overtime. I¡¯m not skilled enough, so I got off


    workte.¡±


    Ian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with the work here. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can call


    me and ask.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Thank you, Ian.¡±


    So many years had passed, but Ian was still as gentle and friendly as he was back then.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for so many years. I feel like calling me fan¡® is very solemn. If you don¡¯t mind, you


    can call me ¡®E.¡±


    E¡­


    Such a nickname was too intimate.


    Cherise waved her hands. ¡°I think I¡¯ll continue calling you Ian. After all, you¡¯re older than me.¡±


    After that, the car was momentarily silent.


    After a long time,n coughed lightly. ¡°Why are you working part¨C


    time all of a sudden? Are you in troubletely?¡±


    Actually, Ian wanted to ask Cherise this question in the afternoon.


    But she stammered and said she wanted to sign up for cooking sses.


    She really didn¡¯t know how to lie.


    She was such a sensible and capable girl. No one would believe that she didn¡¯t know how to cook.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in trouble.¡±


    She smiled as she denied it.


    The man in the driver¡¯s seat asked, ¡°If you need money, you can tell me. Even though I haven¡¯t worked


    long, my pay is decent!¡±


    After that, Ian couldn¡¯t help but start to show off. ¡°I bought this car with my own money for around two h


    undred thousand. All my ssmates are jealous of me.¡±


    Cherise looked at him enviously. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re amazing, Ian.¡±


    ¡°It would be great if I could be as excellent as you, Ian.¡±


    Ian smiled, pleased with himself. ¡°As long as you work hard, nothing is impossible.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°By the way, Cherise, you haven¡¯t told me where you¡¯re staying!¡±


    Cherise quietly told him Swan Lake Chateau¡¯s address.


    Ian was in awe for a long time. ¡°Swan Lake Chateau? Is that the exclusive vi area for wealthy people


    ?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s another Swan Lake Chateau, right?¡±


    The astonishment in Ian¡¯s gaze lingered for a long time. ¡°What¡­ What does your husband work as?¡±


    The vis in Swan Lake Chateau were so expensive that many didn¡¯t even dare to imagine living


    there.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he works.¡±


    Cherise answered honestly. ¡°He stays at home every day, drinks tea, listens to the news, and chats wit


    h the butler, Mr. Hampson, and the driver, Mr. Kolson¡­¡±


    ¡°Is his family rich?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    Ian¡¯s smilepletely froze on his face. ¡°So you must be¡­ quite happy being married to him.¡±


    ¡°However.¡±


    Ian furrowed his brows. ¡°Since he¡¯s so rich, why are you working part¨C


    time outside to earn money, Cherise?¡±


    If the


    man treats her well, she can act coyly in front of him and ask for money. Since he can stay in Swan Lak


    e Chateau without working, he must spend his money extravagantly.


    Cherise took a deep breath and started to regret tellingn about her personal matters. ¡°He doesn¡¯t kno


    w I¡¯m working part¨Ctime. I don¡¯t want to let him know either.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 A Wealthy Middle¨CAged Man


    ¡°All I wanted was to learn how to cook to surprise him¡­ But Ian, I¡¯ll be mad if you ask anything else ab


    out my private life.¡±


    Cherise released a long breath. She was already ufortable enough when Ian kept asking about D


    amien. Eriana threatened her and her part¨Ctime job. These were all


    her private matters. She did not want anyone else to know about them.


    Ian did not expect the ever¨C


    gentle Cherise to say such words. He could onlyugh awkwardly. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t then. Just as long as


    you¡¯re happy.¡±


    He did not pry any further.


    The two were silent all the way until they arrived at the entrance to Swan Lake Chateau.


    He nned to drop her off at her house.


    Unfortunately, his car seemed shabbypared to the luxurious cars in the area. The security guard fl


    agged him, thinking they were up to no good.


    Besides, the guard did not recognize Cherise as she had not been there for long. He did not let them th


    rough even though Cherise was in the car.


    ¡°You can head back now, Ian.¡±.


    Cherise smiled at him sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯ll call someone to pick me up.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably better than your husband seeing us and getting the wrong idea.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    When the car disappeared from her sight, she pulled out her phone. She called Frances and said that s


    he was stopped at the entrance.


    A couple of minutester, Mr. Hampson, who was dressed formally, appeared. ¡°Mr. Lenoir instructed m


    e to bring you home, Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    She widened her eyes.


    It was already past nine.


    Is Damien still awake?


    The buyer nodded as though he had seen through her thoughts. ¡°Mr. Lenoir is waiting for you to have d


    inner.¡±


    ¡°Has he not taken his dinner yet? Even though it¡¯s quitete?¡±


    The astonishment on her face was apparent..


    He nodded. ¡°I suggest we return as quickly as possible if you¡¯re worried about him.¡±


    Cherise did not want to dy further and quickly followed the butler toward the vis.


    Noticing the weight of her bag, Mr. Hampson stopped and took it from her. The two swiftly left the entra


    nce.


    A few hundred meters away from the entrance under the trees, Ian furrowed his forehead as he watche


    d Cherise leave with a middle¨Caged man in a dark shirt.


    He did not ask her about her husband¡¯s age. He had his suspicion when she said that he would listen t


    o the news while drinking tea. She must have married an older man.


    Ian did not expect the man to be that old.


    He narrowed his eyes.


    She¡¯s not the type to covet riches and fame. For her to marry a wealthy middle¨C


    aged man, something must have happened in her family. The man may provide her with what she need


    s, but he can¡¯t give her love.


    He would take her back someday.


    Cherise followed the butler back timidly. The man with the ck silk cloth around his eyes leaned back


    in his wheelchair as Mr. Kolson read ¡®Anna Karenina¡® aloud.


    When she stepped through the door, Mr. Kolson was reading the section where Anna decided to divorc


    e Karenin.


    She frowned in displeasure.


    They had not been married for


    long, yet Mr. Kolson was reading a book that made one opposed to love. No wife would be pleased wit


    h the situation.


    However, the man in the wheelchair only tapped the armrest when Mr. Kolson finished the section. ¡°I he


    ard the door open. Is someone here?¡±

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Push Me Upstairs


    Mr. Kolson raised his head and spotted Cherise. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir is back, sir.¡±


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly nine now.¡±


    The man in the wheelchair smiled. ¡°It¡¯s probably been a decade since I¡¯vest had dinner thiste.¡±


    Cherise paled. She helped Frances serve the food on the table guiltily.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to wait for me. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s almost exam season. I will be studying untilte at night for a


    while,¡± she murmured.


    Damien did not bother exposing her excuse. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    She nodded silently, but her heart was jumping out of her chest.


    He didn¡¯t realize that I lied, right?


    She would hardly lie since she was young. Every time she did, she would feel ill at ease for quite some


    time.


    She chose a seat far from the man to hide her nervousness.


    Yet just when she sat down, the man frowned. ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°Feed me.¡±


    She was lost for words.


    Was the man hooked on her feeding him?


    Without any choice, she huddled into the chair next to him cautiously. She picked up and began feedin


    g him.


    He ate elegantly but at a snail¡¯s pace. She felt miserable.


    the


    spoon


    She was starving and exhausted


    from all the physicalbor at the sanatorium. Now, she had to feed him spoonful by spoonful.


    But it was only natural that she, as the wife, fed her husband.


    Damien finished his food about twenty minutester.


    Cherise ced the spoon down and wiped his mouth gently.


    The line on his face made him look rugged and unapproachable. But it was soft to the touch.


    His skin seemed to be in a better condition than hers. The sensation made her heartbeat quickened.


    A few secondster, she put the napkin on the table and began her meal.


    After an afternoon of work, she was starving enough to have an entire feast.


    The youthful woman held her cutleries tightly and polished off all the food without holding back under th


    e warm light of the ssmp.


    Dumbfounded, Mr. Kolson and Frances watched as she devoured the food.


    Damien sat in the same spot. He sipped some tea. ¡°It looks like studying is an incredibly strenuous task


    .¡±


    Cherise noticed that he was referring to her bottomless appetite. She blushed and nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m n


    ot a smart person. It¡¯s exhausting to use my brains.¡±


    A smile can be heard in his deep voice. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s true.¡±


    Cherise knew that he was joking.


    But¨Cher being dull¨Cwitted was not false.


    She pursed her lips and decided not to argue with the man. She continued to gobble down the food.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    After she polished off


    thest morsel of food, she patted her expanded stomach and burped. ¡°How nice.¡±


    ¡°Time to work.¡±


    The man said, ¡°Push me upstairs.¡±


    Cherise paused mid¨Cstretch. ¡°Don¡¯t you usually head to your study these days?¡±


    Usually, Mr. Kolson or ke would bring him up without a word. Why was it her responsibility today?

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 Trust Is the Most Important


    ¡°I didn¡¯t finish my story then. Mr. Kolson and ke read it to me at my study those days. Now that I¡¯ve fi


    nished the story, I would return to our room.¡±


    Cherise did not reply.


    She had beenpletely swamped at the sanatorium at her part¨C


    time work. She was utterly exhausted.


    She had only just finished her meal. But now the man was expecting her to bring him back to the


    room?


    She hesitated but eventually went to push his wheelchair.


    Pushing the man up to the next floor was not tiring.


    However, she did not expect the troublesome man to request her to bathe him.


    He shamelessly added, ¡°You did very well on our wedding night. Just do what you did at that time.¡±


    Cherise felt like stuffing his mouth with a towel and holding his head under the water in the bathtub.


    But all she did was wash him earnestly, just as she did during the first time. She even went to look for s


    uitable loungewear for him.


    She was dead on her feet at the end.


    Yet, Damien refused to let her rest and requested she read the day¡¯s news in its entirety.


    Her eyes were half shut the entire time, but she leaned against the headboard and forced herself to sta


    y awake. ¡°A shareholder has been investing in Belcourt Group, increasing the value of its stocks and m


    arket value. ording to insider


    information, this mysterious shareholder seems to be the same person who had aided Lyes Enterprise


    made aeback¡­¡±


    Cherise could not understand the news about the business. It did not take long for her to nod off agains


    t the headboard.


    She kept repeating the news she had just read monotonously as she fell asleep.


    Leaning on a pillow next to her, Damien observed her for a while before covering her with the duvet


    ¡°Trust is the most important thing between a couple. You don¡¯t tell me everything because you don¡¯t tru


    st me.¡±


    He reached out and stroked her hair. ¡°If you can¡¯tpletely trust and depend on me, I won¡¯t


    make you stay by my side.¡±


    As he watched her, memories from years ago appeared before him.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    He was eight, sitting in the back seat of a car. His parents were arguing at the front.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have done these things behind my back if you trusted me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry about it!¡±


    ¡°We


    could have fixed it if you told me in the first ce. But now? You took it upon yourself and made these d


    ecisions! Everything is ruined!¡±


    It was not pleasant to hear his parents argue.


    The young boy sighed and put on his earphones, increasing the volume to the loudest.


    He drifted off to sleep.


    An agonizing pain woke him up.


    He lost both his parents that day.


    They said the car crash was an ident, but he knew it was not.


    That day, his father condemned his mother for handing their stocks to Raymond and his wife. They wer


    e on their way to ask for it back.


    Cherise slept well that night from her tiredness. She did not even dream.


    She was roused from her sleep when Frances shouted, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Mr. Lenoir wants you to make bre


    akfast today.¡±


    She opened her eyes drowsily. ¡°Can you tell him I¡¯ll make it some other day?¡±


    She waspletely exhausted yesterday. It was only six in the morning, and she had not slept. enoug


    h.


    Frances furrowed her eyebrows ufortably. ¡°But Mr. Lenoir said he had been thinking about the bre


    akfast you made the morning after your wedding. He says he must have it today. Or else¡­ I will have t


    o pack up and leave.¡±

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 It¡¯s Fine if I Sleep


    Good¨Chearted Cherise could not let Frances lose her job because of her.


    She stretched and summoned the energy to get out of bed.


    Preparing breakfast was not a problem since she had two years of experience preparing breakfast for


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Grandma.


    However, skills were nothing in the face of drowsiness.


    Although she was making breakfast standing, she almost fell asleep more than a couple of times.


    If Frances had not reminded her by her side, she could have fallen asleep and hurt herself.


    After countless yawns, Cherise finally finished preparing the food.


    ¡°This is pretty good,¡± the man tasted some of it and praised her.


    He did not see that Cherise was half awake and continued happily, ¡°Breakfast is in your hands since yo


    u¡¯re used to waking up early.¡±


    His voice was filled with admiration. ¡°Cherise, you¡¯re a wonderful wife.¡±


    But Cherise was half asleep on her feet.


    If there were a bed before her, she would not hesitate to fall into it and sleep to her heart¡¯s.


    content.


    She forced herself to stay awake. After feeding Damien, she went back to her seat.


    She almost fell asleep even as she ate.


    She arrived at school in a daze. For once, Cherise, who had always paid full attention in ss, felt like


    sleeping when ss started.


    I¡¯m drained. The others never paid attention like I usually do. It¡¯s fine if I sleep this one time, right?


    Yet the reality was never as she hoped it would be.


    The first ss was advanced mathematics.


    The lecturer called on Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who has been listening to me. But now you¡¯re doin


    g the same as they are? Keep standing and reflect on yourself!¡±


    Sheplied helplessly and stood in the middle of the ruckus until ss ended.


    Political studies was the next ss.


    Uncharacteristically, the lecturer called Cherise to the front as an assistant.


    Although Cherise was not much help, the lecturer did not let her back to her seat. ¡°Cherise, with enoug


    h practice, you can be a capable assistant. You¡¯ll continue to be my assistant in the meantime.¡±


    Cherise was miserable the entire morning.


    She felt as though her brain had melted entirely, but there was no chance of taking a shut¨Ceye.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell Damien the truth?¡±


    Lucy observed a dispirited Cherise and carefully said during lunch. ¡°Tell him what you¡¯re going through.


    Tell him he can help with the finance or reduce the things you must do. Look at you! You¡¯re on yourst


    legs!¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re not that close. He has no reason to help me financially.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re not close? You share a bed, for goodness¡® sake!¡±


    Lucy mmed her spoon on the table. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Cherise. You¡¯ve always believed since yo


    u married him for money that makes you beneath him, right?¡±


    Lucy could see through Cherise¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Do you feel like you¡¯re just a maid before him?¡±


    Ever since she married Damien, Cherise had been cautious. Lucy could see that she was not -


    happy at all.


    Cherise nced at Lucy. ¡°Keep your voice down.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 This Is His Obligation Now


    Her volume was too loud, and the people around them gave them looks. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be a bothe


    r.¡±


    Damien may


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    be rich, but he has his worries.


    Lucy took a deep breath. ¡°Have you ever thought that from the moment you married Damien, you two a


    re


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    awful pair of husband and wife? In what world are there couples who hide things from each other? M


    arriage is the closest rtionship there can be between two people. He¡¯s your closest person. Are you


    not tired of being this secretive and cautious around him?¡±


    Cherise chewed on her spoon. ¡°But we¡¯re not a regr couple.¡±


    She could take care of him, protect him, and do anything he wanted.


    But she did not need him to do anything for her.


    Because she was the one owing him. He was her benefactor.


    ¡°How are you not a regr couple?!¡±


    Lucy was about to lose her temper again.


    ¡°If Damien does not treat you as his wife, he shouldn¡¯t have married you in the first ce! He can call it


    a burden or anything he wants, but this is his obligation now!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her forehead and patted Lucy¡¯s hand while handing her the spoon. ¡°Let¡¯s just finish o


    ur food.¡±


    Lucy felt that all she said was for nothing.


    That was how Cherise had always been.


    She was stubborn, inflexible, and thought of herself lowly.


    ¡°You¡¯re heading in the direction of the dinosaurs if you continue this.¡±


    ¡°So be kind to me.¡±


    Cherise gave her a light smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to the sanatoriumter.¡±


    Lucy¡¯stabbed the food in her bowl with the fork. ¡°Take it easy. I have no ns to clean up your body.¡±


    Knowing


    that Lucy meant well, Cherise ced a piece of meat in Lucy¡¯s bowl. ¡°Alright, finish up your food. Aren¡¯t


    you going to the dance ss in the afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    When they finished the meal, Cherise took public transport to the sanatorium.


    She fell asleep on the way. When she woke up, they had arrived at the terminal stop.


    She had to prick herself with a pin to keep herself awake.


    Even so, she waste when she finally arrived at her destination.


    ¡°You¡¯rete.¡±


    L looked at her, full of disdain. She shoved a heap of bed sheets into her hands. ¡°Wash these.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She went to theundry room to find all the washing machines malfunctioning.


    She went back to L.


    ¡°All the machines are broken. The mechanic is not around these days. You can just hand wash the she


    ets.¡±


    L scorned her.


    ¡°Ian says you¡¯re a good worker. You can¡¯t say you can¡¯t even finish washing the bed sheets, which is a


    simple task. The pay here may be generous, but it¡¯s not charity.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    L leaned against the door, watching as Cherise was scurrying about. The image of Ian fetching Cheri


    se home kept appearing before her eyes.


    ¡°Eyeing my man?¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°You have much to learn.¡±


    Although there was arge pile of sheets, Cherise was used to washing clothes by hand as she grew u


    p in the countryside. It was not a difficult task.


    The most challenging part was fighting her drowsiness.


    She had only washed one when she almost fell into the water basin.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only washed one, and you¡¯re already tired?¡±


    L scorned her. ¡°Cherise, I praised you to the boss, saying you¡¯re a great worker. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 A Man of Honor


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise raised her head and smiled at L. ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    She dipped her hand into the cold water and wiped it across her forehead, summoning the energy to co


    ntinue.


    But the cold water only worked for a short time.


    After that, she ced pins into her pocket. Anytime she nodded off, they would jab her awake.


    She spent the entire afternoon in a daze.


    When it was time to leave, she ran into Ian as usual.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t had your dinner yet, right?¡±


    Ian furrowed his forehead while looking at Cherise, exhausted in his passenger seat. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a me


    al.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Please just send me home, Ian. He¡¯s probably waiting for me to have dinner toge


    ther.¡±


    Cherise felt overwhelmed when she remembered that Damien would be waiting for her to feed and bat


    he him.


    He¡¯s waiting to have dinner together.


    Ian¡¯s hand on the steering wheel paused when Cherise said those words.


    He looked at her pale face with an aching heart. ¡°Is it worth it to work yourself this hard?¡±


    From his perspective, Cherise should have an easy life since she married a rich man.


    Don¡¯t people say that older menusually treat their wives better?


    Can it be that he refused to give her money? Is he abusing her?


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing that is not worth it.¡±


    She leaned her


    head against the headrest. She had no energy to speak anymore, much less argue with Ian. ¡°I¡¯m exhau


    sted, Ian. Let me take a nap.¡±


    She shut her eyes and immediately drifted off.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She was drained.


    She did not have enough rest. With thebor she had done in the sanatorium, she was ready to


    drop at any time.


    Ian peeked through the rearview mirror. The tired woman¡¯s face left a sour taste in his mouth.


    When he arrived at the crossroad to Swan Lake Chateau, he made up his mind and drove in the opposi


    te direction.


    The old man is not worth Cherise¡¯s efforts. It¡¯s prettyte, yet the man doesn¡¯t bother to call her. I¡¯m not


    surprised if he has a lover somewhere. He probably doesn¡¯t care about Cherise at all.


    He felt more at ease with these thoughts.


    He turned the wheel and drove straight toward the direction of his apartment.


    If the old man were not willing to treasure her, he would!


    Cherise was a na?ve, simple, and lovely woman. She should be with an outstanding young man like hi


    m!


    He had not driven for long when Cherise¡¯s phone began ringing.


    The weary woman could not even hear the ringing.


    Ian stopped the car on the roadside and took out the phone. A cold smile appeared on his lips when he


    saw the words ¡®Hubby¡® on the screen. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Philips.¡±


    The frosty voice on the other end made Ian shiver. ¡°I was hoping you would be a man of honor, but you¡¯


    ve let me down.¡±


    The indifferent and calm voice felt domineering even through the call.


    Ian froze, and his heart rate quickened. His voice was slightly shaky. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°You know who I am.¡±


    The man¡¯s calmness was frighteningpared to Ian¡¯s uneasiness. ¡°You¡¯re well aware that she has he


    r own family, yet you¡¯re taking the opportunity to bring her back to your home when she¡¯s asleep. Mr. P


    hilips, do you think she would still have any respect for you if she knew that you have done such a thing


    ?¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 Start Over


    His voice was cold and indifferent, as if he didn¡¯t even care that he was Cherise¡¯s husband. He acted m


    ore like a guest than a spouse.


    His words had stirred up Ian¡¯s emotions, but he kept his cool,


    ¡°You know my rtionship with Cherise?¡± he asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°How could I not know the man who asked my new bride out the day after my wedding?¡±


    Damien spoke with his deep and gravelly voice, sending a shiver down the spine of the person at the ot


    her end of the call. ¡°I can let you off once, seeing how you were a senior she respected in school. I will


    not be so forgiving next time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten seconds to decide whether you want to send her back to Swan Lake Chateau¨C


    or would you like to test my patience?¡±


    Ian¡¯s forehead was beaded with sweat.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Cherise¡¯s husband is nothing more than a middle¨Caged social climber!¡±


    How could such a man have such amanding presence?


    ¡°Middle¨Caged social climber.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    He lowered his voice and repeated the words, then chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the most creative insult I¡¯ve ever


    received.¡±


    ¡°You have seven more seconds.¡±


    ¡°Six, five, four, three¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send her back.¡±


    Ian wasn¡¯t afraid of his threat, but he wasn¡¯t willing to risk anything


    for a marrieddy like Cherise. It just wasn¡¯t worth it.


    He sighed deeply and turned the car around to drive


    towards Swan Lake Chateau as soon as the call ended,


    Seeing the white car drive away, a young teenager standing under the traffic light huffed as he kept the


    darts in his hands and skated away.


    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry¡­¡±


    Lenoir Manor.


    Cherise finally awoke from her deep slumber, her senses assaulted by the smell of food.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    She was startled by the icy and unfriendly voice of Damien. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to feed me.¡±


    Cherise


    got up from the table with a start. She was lying on the dining table of Lenoir Manor


    The man with his eyes covered by a ck silk fabric sat across from her, sipping his tea confidently an


    d elegantly.


    Cherise was famished. ¡°Can I eat first?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! You can only start eating when I¡¯m full.¡± Damien¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it alwa


    ys been this way?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed. She could feel her blood boil, but she kept herposure.


    She took a deep breath and sat beside him, feeding him.


    After he finished his meal, she started to devour her food.


    Before she could finish, however, Damien insisted that she help him upstairs so he could shower and g


    o to bed.


    Cherise was utterly reluctant to fulfill his


    request, but she obeyed his demands and helped him to the elevator to head upstairs.


    She almost fell asleep in his bathtub as she assisted him to freshen up inside. Soon, however, she was


    jolted awake by his hostile voice.


    ¡°Is it tiring to revise on your own?¡±


    The man¡¯s dark eyes stared at her intently as he leaned on the bathtub. ¡°You could tell me about the pr


    oblems you faced. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t feel as exhausted after.¡±


    Cherise stared at him for a moment silently before shaking her head lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I can ha


    ndle it on my own.¡°.


    His eyes shed with darkness when she inly rejected his offer to help her.


    He ced the towel she passed to him back into her arms and demanded in a rough voice, ¡°I think you


    didn¡¯t do a good job of bathing me. Start over.¡±


    Cherise never expected Damien to make her start over. The exhaustion she had been feeling over


    the past few days finally made her lose her patience. ¡°I think I did well,¡± she said.


    1


    ¡°I told you to start over,¡± the man ordered, his voice dripping with disdain.


    In the end, Cherise had to


    drain the water away in the tub and fill it in again. Damien stared at her emotionlessly throughout the pr


    ocess.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 Pushing Herself Despite the Exhaustion


    He was waiting for her to cave in and beg him for mercy. Oncepletely drained, she would share


    everything she had been hiding from him.


    But Cherise didn¡¯t crack.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± she said, dipping her hands into the bathtub to test the water temperature. She turned to


    him with a smile. ¡°You can get in now.¡±


    Damien¡¯s frustration was mounting as he stepped into the bathtub.


    Cherise lowered her head and began to scrub his body with a towel. She used a lighter. touch than


    before but still made no effort to plead.


    The man narrowed his eyes as he watched her. The color drained from her face, but she stood her


    ground. ¡°Again.¡±


    Cherise was well aware that he was doing this to her intentionally.


    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    Damien huffed at her. He then pointed at the bathtub and ordered, ¡°Change the water.¡±


    Cherise clenched her jaw. She felt like she had been drained of every ounce of energy but didn¡¯t give


    up. She filled the tub with clean water, tested the temperature, and helped him. into the bathtub.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Finally, after endlessly going through the same process, she copsed unconscious into the tub,


    exhausted.


    Her white pajamas floated on the water, revealing her curvy, toned figure. Her dark, silky hair floated on


    the surface of the water.


    Damien narrowed his eyes and pulled her from the water before carrying her to the bed.


    ¡°Get Dr. Caldwell here,¡± he barked into the phone.


    After the call ended, he sat by the bed, gently wiping the water droplets off her face with a


    towel.


    1/3


    She would rather faint from exhaustion than open up to him about what she had been through recently.


    Her vow to spend the rest of her life with him was an empty promise. She had never once considered


    him her husband.


    He wasn¡¯t even her friend. To her, he was her employer or someone she was grateful to


    He was baffled by the thought. He treated her as his wife, but she never once genuinely thought of him


    as her husband.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Suddenly, he recalled the night they were at Lenoir Residence. He could clearly. remember her big,


    doe-eyes staring at him.


    ¡°You are my spouse from now on. I will always be by your side.¡±


    Her voice from that night still rang in his ears.


    He brushed his fingers against her soft lips and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of you as a


    burden.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever thought of me as a burden?¡±


    In a daze, her lips pouted, and her hands gathered together.


    Damien watched her for a long moment before realizing that she was mimicking the gesture of washing


    clothes.


    As he thought about how she hade to him, the man¡¯s dark and inscrutable expression shed with


    a hint of slyness.


    Half an hourter, Dr. Caldwell entered the bedroom under the escort of the butler.


    Dr. Caldwell chuckled as soon as he saw the man sitting beside Cherise. He sat beside Damien and


    asked, ¡°Is she your wife?¡±


    Damien nodded.


    The doctor smiled as he checked her pulse. ¡°She looks too innocent. That must be why your uncle


    didn¡¯t do anything to her.¡±


    Damien stared out the window at the night sky. A smirk slowly appeared at the corner of his lips. ¡°The


    reason they didn¡¯t dare to touch her had nothing to do with her looks.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that,¡± Jacob said. ¡°I just wanted to express that this youngdy looks adorable. I


    can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve lived this long with your low EQ.¡±


    2/3


    Damien smiled and quipped, ¡°I think my EQ is not bad.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Jacob replied. ¡°That must be why you only had one friend all these years.¡±


    He ced his stethoscope down and looked at Damien with a serious expression. ¡°She¡¯s doing okay.


    She must have been pushing herself despite the exhaustion.¡±


    The corner of his lips curled into a mischievous smile. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days since. your wedding.


    How did you exhaust her energy this quickly?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 A Threat


    Damien¡¯s neck veins bulged. ¡°I never touched her. She was exhausted because she had been


    overworking due to ckmail.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Jacob muttered. He nced at Cherise after Damien shared everything that had


    happened. His gaze was filled with respect and admiration for her. ¡°She has been holding the fort for


    you but didn¡¯t ask a penny from you. And she¡¯s even working behind. your back. She¡¯s a rare find.¡±


    He turned to Damien and rolled his eyes. ¡°Why did you call me here sote? You know she¡¯s been


    over-exhausting herself, so all you had to do was give her sufficient rest.¡±


    ¡°First off, I wanted to remind you that it¡¯s time to let the public know of my physical condition.¡±


    ¡°Secondly,¡± Damien added.


    He reached out his hand and gently moved Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°What could I do to make her stop


    pretending to be tough in front of me?¡±


    His exnation took Jacob aback. ¡°So you called me here because you don¡¯t know how to deal with


    your wife?¡±


    The man¡¯s brows creased tightly. ¡°In a way, yes.


    He softly tapped the edge of the bed and said indifferently, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a ce for me to stay the night? I think you should let her have some rest. after


    everything she¡¯s been through.¡±


    Damien nodded in agreement.


    He nned to exhaust her to the point where she would ask for his help and tell him. everything about


    her difficulties.


    Initially, he believed hismanding attitude towards her would remind her to share her problems


    immediately instead of bottling them up.


    However, he never expected her to be so persistent and stubborn.


    She would rather exhaust herself than share her burden with him.


    She was a somewhat fragile and simple-minded littledy, but her persistence was beyond. anyone¡¯s


    control.


    1/3


    ¡°This must be the first time I¡¯ve stayed at your ce. It¡¯s quite fascinating,¡± Jacob said, chuckling softly.


    He wrapped one arm over Damien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re much kinder after getting married.¡±


    After he finished his sentence, something didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°If you¡¯re kind, why would you let your wife faint from exhaustion?¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t want to argue with him, so he shrugged and left the room. ¡°Think whatever


    you want.¡±


    Jacob frowned as he watched the tall, lean man walk away. He then nced at Cherise, who was still


    fast asleep. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you care deeply about thisdy?¡± he said with at deep sigh.


    Damien froze in his tracks, his shadow lengthening in the hallway light. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with caring for


    my wife?¡±


    Jacob¡¯s forehead creased. ¡°But Damien, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re more than aware of what you¡¯re up


    against in the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how your three previous fianc¨¦s died.¡±


    ¡°Although she managed to escape this time, she could still pose a threat to you in the future.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°We can discuss thister.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t even sure how he felt about Cherise!


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to say.¡±


    The scorching afternoon sun beat down on thedy¡¯s face through the windows.


    The heat woke up Cherise.


    She stretched out her arms as soon as she woke up.


    The sun¡¯s rays were too bright, so she had to squint as soon as she opened her eyes.


    Why is the sun so hot in the morning?


    She furrowed her brows, trying to gather her thoughts. Something wasn¡¯t right. She picked up her


    phone to check the time and saw it was already past ten.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    2/3


    She was dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t believe she had slept past ten o¡¯clock in the morning!


    3/3

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 Health Checkup


    Cherise¡¯s eyes shed with darkness when she checked the date on her phone.


    It was Friday. She had to attend the advanced mathematics ss conducted by a ¡°drill sergeant¡± and a


    physics ss that she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around.


    Her advanced mathematics ss would have ended by now, while her physics ss was just about to


    start.


    She softly growled in dread before getting out of bed to tidy herself up.


    She recalled Damien being in a bad mood the day before, having asked her to clean him. repeatedly.


    She obeyed his orders regardless of his pointless persistence.


    However, she couldn¡¯t recall anything that happened after.


    Cherise saw her haggard face in the mirror and sighed deeply. As expected, she had been too rxed


    since starting college.


    When she lived in the rural areas, she had done farming, which was much more tiring. than everything


    she had to go through the past few days. But she had never seen herself look this haggard before.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what happened after, but she could piece it together.


    Damien must have let her sleep after she fainted from exhaustion and had the maids. carry her to bed.


    Her smile widened at the thought.


    After all, it seemed like her husband was a pretty nice guy despite his cold demeanor.


    Damien was clearly in a bad mood yesterday but still let her stay asleep and had the maids carry her to


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    bed.


    He can be pretty gentle.


    Cherise was a simple-minded youngdy. She didn¡¯t need much to make her happy.


    Her lips curled into a warm smile as she walked down the stairs.


    Damien leaned on the sofa in the living room, savoring his cup of tea.


    A man in a white shirt sat beside him, rambling about the rumors surrounding the Lenoir family.


    1/2


    ¡°Tristan is aughing stock in the elite social ss now,¡± he said.


    ¡°He¡¯s almost thirty and the eldest grandson of the Lenoir family, but he managed to embarrass himself


    within days of taking over a newpany!¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all. He got into a car ident ¨¢ few days ago and hurt himself in the¡­well, you know. I


    don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to touch a woman for at least half a year. Karma, I tell


    you.¡±


    Jacob was so engrossed in his conversation that he didn¡¯t notice Cherise standing at the bottom of the


    stairs.


    With his eyes covered by a ck silk scarf, the man tilted his head slightly and spoke in a cold voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    He was evidently addressing Cherise.


    Cherise smiled politely, but her eyes were wary. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m awake.¡±


    Jacob finally noticed her.


    He scrutinized the girl at the stairs from head to toe. ¡°You look even more beautiful now than when you


    were asleep.¡±


    Unaware of the stranger¡¯s identity in the living room, Cherise cautiously said, ¡°You are¡­¡±


    ¡°Jacob Caldwell, my private doctor.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Dr. Caldwell, Cherise greeted, walking over to the sofa and refilling Damien¡¯s tea.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Is Damien not feeling well?¡±


    Jacob almost choked on his tea. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± he asked.


    She was the one who ended up fainting from exhaustion, and the first thing she asked in the morning


    was whether Damien was unwell.


    Damien rolled his eyes from under the silk cover. ¡°Dr. Caldwell is here for my regr health checkup,¡±


    he interjected, answering her curiosities.


    Cherise nodded in understanding. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± she muttered.


    She then ced the cup of tea in front of Damien before inquiring, ¡°How are the results? Is everything


    okay?¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 Married You for the Money


    Despite her recent marriage to Damien, Cherise¡¯s voice was firm and unwavering.


    ¡°He¡¯s alright,¡± he said.


    Jacob chuckled, ncing at Damien out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Old Mr. Lenoir asked me to do a


    checkup on Damien within days of your marriage. I think he¡¯s eager to have grandchildren.¡±


    He turned to Cherise and winked. ¡°If Damien has any problems in bed, you be sure to let me know right


    away. It¡¯s better to get it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep red.


    She lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting in herp. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to Jacob.


    ¡°ke,¡± Damien said, his voice cold. ¡°It¡¯s time for a beating.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s eyes widened in fear as a little boy in a white shirt jumped down from the banister. of the


    second floor. The boy tackled Jacob on the sofa, and they began to wrestle.


    ¡°Little devil,¡± Jacob cried. ¡°It¡¯s the little devil ke!¡±


    Jacob tried to run away, but ke was too fast. Jacob then pleaded to ke, ¡°I admit I was wrong. Let


    me go, please!¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help butugh as she watched Jacob and ke tussle. It was the first time Damien


    had seen Cherise smile this


    way.


    She had a genuine smile on her face, one where both corners of her mouth lifted up in a full grin, not


    the polite one she usually gave him or the forced one she showed in front of the Shaw family.


    The sun shone on her, making her hair glow. A strand of hair fell beside her ear and moved as she


    The man reached out and gently tucked the hair behind her car, revealing her profile.


    pure


    Cherise was so engrossed in the yful scene that she didn¡¯t notice his touch until he had already


    moved her hair. She quickly regained herposure and blushed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°How did you know?¡± she asked.


    Damien didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he changed the subject. ¡°I helped you answer a call this


    morning while you were still asleep,¡± he said.


    Cherise¡¯s attention was piqued. ¡°Who was it?¡± she probed.


    ¡°Your aunt, Eriana,¡± Damien replied, his eyebrows raised before he continued, ¡°You ended up giving


    her money.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face tensed with anxiety. She didn¡¯t expect him to find out about this so soon.


    ¡°I gave her my schrship funds,¡± she said reluctantly.


    She had no choice but toe clean. ¡°Grandma doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m married, so¡­¡±


    ¡°So you let her ckmail you,¡± Damien finished the rest of her sentence, his voice thick with anger.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    He had been thinking about this ever since Cherise fainted. He couldn¡¯t believe that she had kept this


    from him.


    Cherise was a unique girl.


    She was stubborn and persistent; if she didn¡¯t want to tell you something, there was no way to get it out


    of her.


    Damien knew he had to be straightforward, even though she had a gentle exterior.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cherise hesitated, her anxiety growing at Damien¡¯s suspicions.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d think I married you for the money.¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 Exposed


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s for money¡­¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She looked adorable with her head lowered hesitantly.


    To Damien,pared to her stubborn behavior, she became more adorable when she was helplessly


    panicking.


    Damien arched his eyebrows as he smiled slightly. ¡°If I didn¡¯t ask you directly, were you going to hide


    this from me forever?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s my personal problem. After all¡­ you have no obligation to be responsible for


    that.¡±


    ¡°He is your husband; of course he has an obligation to do so, just like you have the same obligation to


    be responsible as his wife, including taking care of the bottom half of his body.¡±


    She had no idea when Jacob appeared with his arms around ke. Both of them sat on the other end


    of the couch.


    Jacob shed a smile at Cherise. ¡°Damien knew about everything over the past few days. He has been


    waiting for you to tell him yourself, so he did not probe you. over it.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened. She shot a nce at Damien, who remained impassive. The ck silk cloth


    almost covered the expression on his face.


    ¡°You¡­.¡± She blushed involuntarily upon recalling her feeble excuse of studying physics. ¡°You knew I


    was lying¡­¡±


    He nodded. ¡°All the things I asked you for help-to feed and shower me, were all done to make you


    confess.¡±


    Cherise bit her lips. I thought he was starting to rely on me by asking me for help with eating, and I


    thought it was inconvenient for him to take showers. Even yesterday, when he asked me to prepare a


    bath for him again, I simply thought he was in a bad mood. In reality, he¡¯s doing all this on purpose, but


    how would I know that?


    Jacob¡¯s eyebrows slightly creased upon sensing her silence. ¡°Cherise, don¡¯t me him for all the


    trouble. This man has low EQ. If I wasn¡¯t here today, he would probably still be throwing tantrums at


    you. He doesn¡¯t express himself well.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips before replying, ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m the same too.¡±


    I should have thought of the sudden change in his behaviortely. All this while, he has never


    1/2


    intentionally given me a hard time. There must be a reason behind this.


    She was so upied with earning more money that it slipped her mind.


    Jacob had prepared a long speech to give her some advice. However, he decided against that when he


    heard her reply.


    He shook his head after looking at the seemingly indifferent Damien and Cherise, who had been


    stealing nces at him.


    ¡°Have a good talk, both of you. ke and I will


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Damien interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re going back to our room.¡± He turned to Cherise andmanded,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She leaped from the couch instantly. She bade farewell to Jacob and quickly pushed Damien upstairs.


    After reaching the bedroom, she closed the door with a huge sigh.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± She stood by the door awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you¡­


    ¡°I know.¡± He waved at her from the wheelchair. ¡°Come here.¡±


    She pursed her lips and walked to him tentatively. As soon as she got closer, he gave her a


    tug, making her fall into his arms.


    His scent and breath instantly made her blush.


    2/2

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 Truth Unveiled


    ¡°I¡¯m not heavy, am I?¡± Cherise pursed her lips, afraid that she might exacerbate his health. issue with


    his legs by sitting on hisp.


    Touched by her thoughtfulness, he softened his voice. ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Hmmh?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what being husband and wife means?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She looked at him with innocent, wide eyes. ¡°It means we have to take care of each other, sleep


    together and have kids.¡±


    Damien was stumped by her innocent tone. Her exnation had another meaning behind. it, but she


    seemed unaware of it.


    After a while, he cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s not all. More importantly, it¡¯s trust and honesty. We have to


    depend on and trust each other.¡±


    She understood what he was implying.


    She pressed her lips together in embarrassment. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your burden, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been burdenless for decades.¡±


    He looked at her as distance and mncholy seeped into his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been alone for so many


    years. I¡¯ve longed for someone to be my burden. At least that gives me some responsibility to bear.¡±


    She became even more ufortable after being reminded of his tragic past. ¡°Don¡¯t you find me


    annoying?¡±


    He¡¯s been living a carefree and peaceful life for years. Suddenly, I showed up in his life with my


    troublesome rtives. Anyone would find it annoying, surely?


    This was her reason for hiding the incident with Eriana.


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s a problem having no other problems.¡±


    She was speechless upon hearing his answer. I don¡¯t understand what these rich people think.


    She took a deep breath and spilled the beans about the past few days.


    1/2


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her; I just don¡¯t want to further agitate Grandma. She¡¯s not young anymore, and she¡¯s


    rigid and superstitious. If she knows about our marriage, I¡­ I¡¯m afraid she might enter the emergency


    room again. Her health is quite delicate nowadays. She can¡¯t take surprises and ordeals nowadays.¡±


    He smiled at her serious tone as she spected the possibilities. ¡°Bring me to visit her at the hospital


    She jumped from his embrace instantly. ¡°No, no, no! She just regained consciousness a few days ago.


    I can¡¯t possibly-¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you underestimate your grandmother. She might take a liking to me after a conversation; who


    knows?¡± his low voice rang persuasively.


    Cherise lowered her head, still not reassured by that.


    ¡°We can bring Jacob alone. He¡¯s been my family doctor for years, and he¡¯s one of the top doctors in


    Mondale.¡±


    After some time, Cherise finally nodded reluctantly. ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    If Grandma can ept Damien, I don¡¯t have to work so hard and tolerate Aunt Eriana¡¯s harassment.


    It¡¯s been too tiring these few days.


    An hourter, Cherise arrived at the hospital with Damien and Jacob.


    As she led the way, Jacob nudged Damien resentfully. ¡°You sly fox! No wonder you let me stay the


    night yesterday. It¡¯s all because you want me to apany you to meet her family. When you are on


    your feet again, I¡¯m going to ask you to push me around in a wheelchair for rounds and rounds!¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°If your legs are broken, I can push you as many rounds as you want.¡±


    Taken off guard by Damien¡¯s offer of kindness, Jacob stared at him with wide eyes before. he continued


    making his way.


    They finally arrived at Mary¡¯s ward around noon. When they got out of the elevator, they ran into Elvis,


    who was going to buy lunch for her.


    Upon seeing Damien, he instantly pulled Cherise aside. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you not to bring him here? What


    are you doing?¡±


    2/2? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 I Want to Speak to Him in Private


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Uncle, you can hide the truth forever. I¡¯d rather introduce. him to her


    officially than let her find out for herself. I¡¯ll tell her I¡¯ll be very happy with him. Despite the nervousness


    on the way there, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    I¡¯d rather tell Grandma the truth than be constantly threatened by Aunt Eriana. Even though Damien is


    blind and disabled, he treats me really well. I¡¯m sure Grandma will understand.


    Elvis sighed upon meeting her earnest eyes. ¡°Alright, alright. Your grandma misses you too. But a


    warning beforehand-if yound her in the emergency room again, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±


    Cherise giggled and patted his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Elvis then turned around and smiled at Damien. ¡°Damien, you guys go ahead first. I¡¯m out. to buy some


    food for everyone.¡±


    Damien returned the smile and replied distantly, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    After Elvis left, Damien frowned slightly. ¡°I seem to have met him before.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± Cherise stopped and turned to look at him. ¡°No way. He seldom goes into the city. He


    wouldn¡¯t be here if it weren¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s illness.¡±


    ¡°Still, I think I¡¯ve met him somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you remembered the wrong person.¡±


    Damien cut the topic short. ¡°Let¡¯s enter.¡±


    Cherise turned around and knocked on the door. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here to pay you a visit!¡±


    In the ward, Mary was lying in bed. As she was in her seventies, her hair had turned


    The moment she heard Cherise¡¯s voice, her eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Cherry!¡±


    Cherise walked over and sat on her bed. ¡°Feeling bettertely?¡±


    grey.


    ¡°Loads better.¡± She held Cherise¡¯s hand with a relieved smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since visited. Are you


    busy with studiestely?¡±


    you


    Just then, Damien entered the room and the atmosphere instantly became colder.


    Mary instantly noticed the extraordinary aura he exuded despite the ck cloth around


    his eyes.


    1/2


    With a frown, she muttered, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Grandma, this is Damien. I brought him here today to tell you-¡±


    ¡°Cherise, let me speak to Grandma alone. Please leave with Jacob first.¡± He interrupted her before she


    could finish her sentence.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Jacob tugged her sleeves and dragged her out of the ward.


    ¡°Will everything be alright?¡± She lifted her head to look at the door of the tightly shut. ward.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Dr. Caldwell, perhaps you can take a look inside?¡±


    She was immensely worried. Mary had just recovered from her illness, while Damien was a blind and


    disabled man. What could they have been talking about for so long?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jacob repeated while ying games on his phone. ¡°Damien knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    That was the fourth time he had said the same thing.


    Cherise paced back and forth in the corridor with her hands balled into fists..


    After walking up and down six rounds, the door finally opened.


    2/2

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 What¡¯s the Progress?


    ¡°See? Here they are,¡± Jacobmented without even looking away from his


    Cherise quickly walked to Damien. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    game.


    He smiled at her. ¡°Grandma has something to tell you. It¡¯s your turn.¡±


    She nodded and walked into the room, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°Grandma.¡± She said on her bed and took her hand. ¡°Has Damien told you everything? I¡¯ll be fine.


    Looking at how careful Cherise was, Mary sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy. It¡¯s just that revenge clouded his


    eyes.¡± With that, she looked deeply at Cherise. ¡°Cherry, you¡¯re a good girl who listens to what I say,


    right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cherise nodded.


    As long as Grandma stays calm, I¡¯ll listen to everything she


    says.


    ¡°Have a child with Damien.¡± Mary looked at Cherise¡¯s beautiful face. ¡°He¡¯s not young anymore, and his


    health isn¡¯t that great either. It¡¯s good to have kids soon. Perhaps he will be softened with the arrival of


    little children.¡±


    Cherise blushed and bit her lips after hearing that. ¡°Grandma¡­ Got it. I¡¯ll try my


    best.¡±


    Maryughed at her earnest attitude. She lightly poked Cherise¡¯s temples and teased, ¡°You¡¯re not


    taking final exams here. Try your best for what? What I mean is just take it easy and do whatever you


    need to do with him. After that, just let nature take its course.¡±


    Cherise nodded with a reddened face. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Have you guys done it already?¡± Mary asked in a hushed voice after seeing how shy she had be.


    ¡°W-We¡¯ve kissed¡­¡± she replied in a small voice.


    Since she first married Damien, Sarah reminded her to get the deed done on the first night so she


    could quickly bear him a child.


    However, she was troubled with many issues that night, and Damien often slept in the study. Slowly,


    the topic had been brushed aside.


    Now that Mary brought it up again, she suddenly recalled that they hadn¡¯t consummated their marriage.


    1/2


    ¡°Cherise, since you have already decided to spend the rest of your life with him, it¡¯s better to have kids


    soon.¡±


    Those were thest words from Mary before they parted.


    After returning to Adania, Cherise asked Lucy out for a coffee. ¡°If I want to sleep with Damien tonight,


    what should I prepare?¡±


    Lucy spat out the coffee. ¡°Sis, since when have you be so direct?¡±


    ¡°I promised Old Mr. Lenoir that he would get grandkids in two years. I don¡¯t have much. time left since


    the pregnancy would take nine months.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Lucy giggled uncontrobly. ¡°Jesus! I never expect you to take the lead on this.¡±


    Cherise discussed the topic as though they were talking about an academic question. ¡°On our first


    night, he just kissed me. Could it be that I¡¯m not attractive enough?¡±


    Lucy looked her up and down-a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. ¡°You¡¯re quite in. indeed. But wait,


    your husband is blind. No matter how attractive you are, he can¡¯t tell anyway.¡±


    Cherise suddenly realized this problem. ¡°What should I do, then?¡±


    ¡°Try starting in a romantic atmosphere,¡± Lucy proposed after giving it some thought. ¡°They say people


    get aroused more easily under certain circumstances. Would you like to try?¡±


    ¡°For example?¡± Cherise asked with a frown.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 The n


    Lucy took a while searching on her phone for something. Finally, she found a Spanish. song and


    plugged her earphones into Cherise¡¯s ears.


    The strong rhythm vibrated throughout the loud music. Right before Cherise was about. to bob her


    head along, the female singer started moaning loudly.


    With a start, Cherish quickly took the earphones off. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a famous Spanish song in Latin America, Lucy exined with a sly smile. ¡°If you y this music


    tonight and let Damien go wild with you¡­ you are going to have a great time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather drop dead right now.¡±


    Lucy then gave a couple more suggestions, but all of them were rejected by Cherise. Finally, she gave


    up and rolled her eyes. ¡°Nothing will do! Why don¡¯t you drug him, then? If nothing else could be done


    about it, chemical stimtion works best.¡±


    ¡°Will it hurt him?¡±


    ¡°As long as the dosage is within limits, it¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Lucy rolled her eyes again.


    ¡°What if he overdosed?¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s going to hurt you more.¡±


    Her reply rendered Cherise speechless.


    That evening, Cherise reached home quitete, but Damien waited for her at the dinner table as usual.


    She walked over at a slow pace and sat down next to him. Just when she was about to feed. him, he


    interrupted.


    ¡°I can do it myself.¡±


    With that, he took the cutlery and started eating like a normal


    person.


    Cherise let out a sigh. ¡°If there¡¯s no ck cloth over your eyes, I would have thought there¡¯s nothing


    wrong with you.¡±


    She then started eating her portion. ¡°It must be difficult to be so adept at this.¡±


    He has to use the cutlery to determine where the tes and the food are. It must be tough when you


    can¡¯t see anything


    1/2


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied coolly and continued eating.


    After dinner, she was about to bring him upstairs as a part of their usual routine, but before she could


    do so, he said suddenly, ¡°Bring me to the study. I have some work to finish.¡±


    However, this was the first time she denied his request. ¡°No. I have something else to do


    too.¡±


    Mr. Kolson froze upon hearing that. He was prepared to join Damien in the study to discuss how


    Raymond investigated dswell Enterprise. Surprisingly, the usually docile Cherise went against


    Damien¡¯s intentions.


    Damien narrowed his eyes as he waved to Mr. Kolson, indicating that he didn¡¯t have to follow them


    upstairs.


    Hence, Cherise entered the bedroom with Damien sessfully.


    ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± she asked as soon as they reached the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± he replied with a frown, but his deep eyes gazed through the ck cloth at her.


    ¡°Still, let me get you a ss of water.¡±


    She took a deep breath and walked to a table in the room. After pouring some water into the ss, she


    furtively emptied the contents of a white bag as well.


    Finally, she let out her breath and brought the ss to Damien. ¡°After this let¡¯s take a bath and go to


    bed, alright? It¡¯s been a while since¡­ we slept together,¡± she said guiltily.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    They had been sleeping on the same bed for the past few days, but she felt that she had not been


    carrying out a wife¡¯s duty.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Damien asked, his eyebrows creasing together.


    ¡°J-Just in water. Cherise started blushing. ¡°J-Just finish it. Otherwise, you might get thirsty in the


    bathter.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 The Execution of the n


    She exined with a blush.


    Luckily, he cannot see me. Otherwise, he can definitely tell from my reaction that something¡¯s off.


    ¡°Arc you sure?¡± he asked her with an unfathomable look in his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cherise took another deep breath and started to hurry him. ¡°Just finish it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not regret this.¡± That was all his response.


    She froze upon hearing that, but before she could react, he took the ss from her and gulped it down.


    After that, he ced the ss back into Cherise¡¯s hands. ¡°Aren¡¯t we taking a bath together?¡±


    ¡°Let me prepare the bath.¡±


    He grabbed her hands before she could walk further. ¡°Let¡¯s do thatter.¡±


    A smile was ying on his lips as he pulled her into his embrace.


    She felt mes burning on her cheeks as she took in his unique scent.


    Damien caressed her small, oval-shaped face. She looked like a Barbie doll as her wide. eyes blinked


    at him.


    His touch seemed to buzz with electricity as his hands swept across her face.


    Knowing what was about to happen, she bit her lips nervously and tensed her body up.


    Damien shed a cunning smile at her and leaned into her. Breathing into her ears, he whispered, ¡°If


    you are already so nervous now, how are you going to get on top of me.ter?¡±


    At that point, it was more than mes burning on her cheeks. She felt as though a volcano. erupted in


    her body.


    Her heart rate sped up upon hearing that. With a slight tremble, she replied, ¡°I-I can do it.¡±


    The innocent and honest reply made Damien¡¯s smile widen.


    He held her chin and kissed her deeply. The nature of the kiss slowly changed, intertwining them


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    further and deepening their bond.


    1/2


    This was the first time Cherise had such a pleasant kissing experience.


    I actually¡­ like it.


    His tongue and lips invaded and teased her, making every palpitation of her heartbeat for


    him.


    Though Damien¡¯s lips looked thin, it was actually very soft.


    Engrossed in the kiss, she forgot about her n to get on top¡­


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to pull out?¡± He kissed her again.


    His low voice seemed to have a hypnotic power. Every word rang through her body like electricity,


    sending fireworks into her mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    As the light fell onto Cherise, herpletely reddened face looked like a ripe apple, making her look


    alluring.


    ¡°Your nickname is Cherry, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Damien looked at her with wild, passionate emotions stirring within him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve probably fallen in love with this fruit.¡± He looked at her with an iridescence of emotions


    flicking in his eyes. ¡°After all, it tastes good.¡±


    212

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 A Night To Remember


    When Cherise had gotten engaged to Damien, Lucy loaded her with plenty of materials. on this topic,


    instructing her to put it into practice.


    At the time, Cherise hid under the nket and watched said ¡®materials¡¯ with a curious mind. Do people


    really scream when they go at it?


    Is it true that intimacy drives people mad?


    It was not until today that she understood how it felt.


    Bathed in the dim light, she gazed at Damien with misty eyes.


    Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and the way they followed the ridges of his abs. made her


    inexplicably swallow hard.


    ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    She called him softly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You look great.¡±


    Sunlight filtered through a crack in the curtains, and Cherise turned over and shielded her eyes from


    the faint glow with a hand.


    The memories quickly dawned on her as she furrowed her brow and opened her hazy eyes, and she


    froze for a good two seconds. Every muscle on her body was sore.


    Last night¡­


    She blushed to the roots of her hair.


    After hastily fixing her hair, she rushed downstairs and found Damien sitting indifferently on the couch


    with a ck silk blindfold over his eyes. The butler was standing next to him, reciting the news as


    usual.


    Upon hearing her footsteps, his calm and deep voice rang out. ¡°Awake?¡±


    Cherise blushed and softly responded with an ¡°Mmm, before hurrying into the kitchen.


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re up.¡±


    #


    Frances came out of the kitchen with breakfast, ¡°Breakfast is ready, you may help.


    1/3


    yourself.¡± She said with a smile.


    Cherise felt a little apologetic. ¡°I was supposed to make breakfast¡­¡±


    It¡¯s all Lucy¡¯s fault!


    She said a tiny bit of the drug doesn¡¯t do any harm!


    And¡­.


    She spent the night being the subject of Damien¡¯s manly prowess. She almost passed out from


    exhaustion a few times, but he would wake her up with a few hard pumps.


    There was not a bone in her body that was not aching. That was why she slept in!


    Frances smiled ambiguously at her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s a blessing for a woman to be able to sleep


    in.¡±


    ¡°Please take a seat at the dining table. I¡¯ll bring the food over in a second.¡±


    Cherise pouted her lips and obliged.


    The truth of the matter was that she was famished.


    Cherise had just taken her seat when Mr. Kolson put away the newspaper and wheeled Damien over.


    She checked the time and found that it was past nine!


    ¡°You¡­ Haven¡¯t had anything to eat?¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Damien handed her a spoon elegantly. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡±


    His gentle yetmanding voice made her heart flutter.


    She grabbed the spoon in a fluster. ¡°Eat up¡­ You must be hungry.¡± Her face turned a little red.


    While she was starving, she acknowledged that she did nothing but get pinned under him all night. One


    could only imagine how much hungrier he was at this point.


    Through the thin, ck silk, Damien saw the tinge of redness on her face and curved his lips into a


    satisfied smile.


    ¡°Have some more,¡±


    2/3


    As Frances served the other dishes, Cherise thoughtfully helped him to more food.


    She smiled bashfully like a teenage girl.


    Damien, on the other hand, looked at her with a faint, warm smile. ¨C more warmth than what Frances


    could recall in recent memory.¡±


    After breakfast, he brought Cherise into his embrace and gave her a flurry of kisses before her phone


    started ringing it was Lucy. Cherise shyly left his embrace. ¡°I¡­ I have to go to ss.¡±


    He brought his lips to her ears. ¡°Shall I give you a lift?¡± His breath was warm yet chilling at the same


    time.


    ¡°N-nah, I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Cherise pouted on her lips. ¡°There were rumors about me recently¡­¡±


    She swallowed her words and raised her head, her watery eyes filled with bashfulness. ¡°Besides¡­ You


    should get some rest.¡±


    His health calls for cautious monitoring, and he had been so tiredst night¡­


    3/3

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 A Different Breed


    Damien chuckled indifferently. ¡°Good idea.¡±


    ¡°Cool!¡±


    Cheriseughed shyly and went upstairs to pack her bag.


    Not long after, she skipped down the stairs, put on her shoes in the mudroom, waved him. goodbye


    with a bright smile, turned around, and a sudden realization struck. upon her.


    He is blind¡­


    He doesn¡¯t know that I am waving at him.


    So, she clumsily removed her shoes and scurried towards Damien, stopped by his wheelchair, and


    bent forward to ce a kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Darling, I¡¯ve gotta run!¡±


    She bolted away with red hot cheeks, heart thumping rapidly.


    Sitting in the wheelchair, Damien watched her as she left, subconsciously rubbing his cheek where he


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    had just been kissed.


    ¡°Id¡±ot,¡± he smiled.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    At the sound of Mr. Kolson¡¯s turned engine, Mr. Hampson cautiously approached Damien. ¡°Do I


    prepare¡­ The medicine for madam?¡±


    Damien raised a brow apathetically. ¡°What medicine?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a little young of age, and you shouldn¡¯t bear a child these few years¡­


    Sensing a threatening energying from Damien, Mr. Hampson gradually lowered his voice.


    ¡°Besides, if Mrs. Lenoir were to conceive a child, you would¡¯ve had to stick to Mr. Peter¡¯s n¡­¡±


    Damien scoffed. ¡°Do you reckon the id*ot would be more foolish when she gets pregnant?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was left with no words.


    After a brief pause, he responded, ¡°Got it, sir.¡±


    1/3


    Mr. Hampson heaved a sigh of relief after finishing what he had to say.


    It seems like Mrs. Lenoir truly is Mr. Lenoir¡¯s lucky charm.


    ¡°Cherry, how wasst night?¡±


    After ss, Lucy walked up to Cherise with a mischievous look and winked at her. ¡°Did you unleash


    your blind and hot husband¡¯s inner beast with the drug?¡±


    The drug was a special blend by Lucy¡¯s cousin. Not only did it help with arousal, but also¡­


    Hohohoho¡­


    Lucy was loud, at least loud enough to make everyone in ss turn their heads.


    Cherise instantly blushed to the roots of her hair.


    She hurriedly packed her bag and dashed out of the ssroom.


    Lucy chased after her with a yful yet sly look. ¡°Come on, give me some details. I¡¯m eager to hear


    some deets!¡±


    Cherise bit her lips. ¡°Another word, and I¡¯m getting mad at you.¡±


    Her angry front could barely cover her excitement.


    She was delighted not only because she had a chance to bear his child but also¡­.


    He was the kindest person she had ever met!


    Lucy knew Cherise so well that she could read her like a book.


    She could hear the excitement in Cherise¡¯s voice.


    So, she decided to push her limits. She put an arm around Cherise¡¯s shoulder and ushered her to a


    less crowded area. ¡°Now, tell me, how did the blind and an id ot make it workst night?¡±


    ¡°I am dying to find out!¡±


    They were so close that there were hardly any secrets between them.


    Cherise mumbled her words hesitantly with a flushed face.


    2/3


    ¡°After dinner, he was headed towards the study. I stopped him and offered him the


    water¡­¡±


    shes of unthinkable images started ying in Cherise¡¯s head as she started her story.


    ¡°Then¡­ We got on the bed¡­¡± Her cheeks were now red and hot like a fiery red pepper.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look that healthy, but in bed¡­¡±


    She bit her lips firmly. ¡°He is a different breed in bed¡­¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 Grandma¡¯s Approval


    ¡°Great!¡± Lucy patted Cherise on the shoulder.


    ¡°I thought your husband had a lot of health issues and that it might¡¯vepromised his manly


    prowess!¡±


    It seemed like she was overly concerned!


    Cherise was going to respond when a dark shadow came over her.


    She raised her head.


    Standing before her wasn, dressed in white, looking at her with a pale face.


    ¡°Ian? What are you doing here?¡± Her eyes widened with surprise at his unexpected presence.


    Ian noticed the tinge of redness on her cheeks, and the girls¡¯ voice echoed in his head.


    Health issues and it might¡¯vepromised his manly prowess!


    ¡­A different breed in bed¡­


    Ian¡¯s soul quickly left his eyes.


    He responded with a hoarse voice. ¡°L said you didn¡¯t go to work yesterday, and she couldn¡¯t reach


    you on the phone, so I came over to check on you.¡±


    At this point,n thought he had been a little ridiculous.


    He was terrified that something had happened to Cherise when he got L¡¯s call. Worried sick, he put


    down everything and rushed to school while ringing her multiple times.


    But in the end, when he finally got a hold of her, he was greeted by a thrilling story about. what


    happened between her and her husband.


    ¡°Ahh¡­.¡±


    Cherise rubbed her head, seemingly upset at herself. ¡°I forgot about the job at the sanatorium!¡±


    Following that, she removed Lucy¡¯s hand from her shoulder and was prepared to head to


    work.


    Lucy grabbed her arm with a frown. ¡°Why are you still working at that crappy ce?¡±


    1/3


    ¡°I thought all your problems had already been resolved!¡±


    Grandma Mary had met Damien. Not only was she happy with him, but she also suggested Cherise to


    conceive a child quickly.


    Now that Grandma was no longer a concern, Cherise did not have to be worried about Aunt Eriana¡¯s


    threats, not to mention covering Cousin Nick¡¯s medical expenses.


    Freed from financial burdens, Cherise did not have a reason to work at the sanatorium. anymore.


    But she responded with a beaming smile, eyes filled with a resolute glint. ¡°I must finish. what I started.


    It has hardly been a few days into the job; even if I were to quit, it¡¯s only fair if Ist for a week.¡±


    Lucy rolled at eyes. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°If Damien Lenoir ever finds out that you¡¯re serving other men, he¡¯s going to be upset.¡±


    ¡°Nah, he won¡¯t!¡±


    At the mention of Damien, Cherise smiled from ear to ear. ¡°My husband isn¡¯t that petty.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll support my decision!¡±


    Her voice was filled with affirmation and a tinge of coyness, but while Cherise was indulging in loving


    emotions, Ian was clenching his fists silently.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Damien Lenoir, is that his husband¡¯s name?


    What a stupid name, straight out of the 60s, just like himself.


    Lucy knew Cherise well enough to understand that once she had made up her mind, there was no


    going back.


    She furrowed her brow. ¡°Go then¡­¡±


    ¡°Just have a think about quitting the job today.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cherise bade her farewell and turned around to look atn apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ian.¡±


    ¡°I had something to take care of yesterday and forgot about the job.¡±


    Ian stared at her face, flushed with color from the sun¡¯s embrace. ¡°What¡¯s keeping you so


    2/3


    busy?¡± He uttered with a frown.


    ¡°Urm¡­¡±


    Cherise hesitated and chuckled. ¡°I took my husband to meet my grandmother.¡±


    Ian¡¯s posture subtly stiffened, and he managed a forced smile. ¡°Does she like him?¡±


    ¡°She rather fancies him.¡±


    Cherise walked towards the exit with graceful steps. ¡°I used to be worried that Grandma might not take


    to him, fearing that the news of my marriage would distress her, perhaps. even make her ill.¡±


    Her smile, now as bright as the sun that surrounded them, exuded a sense of warmth. ¡°But to my


    surprise, Grandma has grown quite fond of him.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 Sparkle In Her Eyes


    Walking next to her,n could not help but notice the radiant sparkle in her


    This was a Cherise Shaw he had never seen before.


    eyes.


    She had always been a cheerfuldy in the past, but never like this, radiating the glow of happiness so


    vividly.


    Jealousy crawled its way inton¡¯s heart.


    What¡¯s so special about that old and bald man?!


    How does he deserve her love and sacrifice? Even Grandma Mary approves of him!


    As they reached the gate, Cherise turned to say goodbye to Ian. ¡°I¡¯m off to the sanatorium!¡±


    With those words, she slung her little backpack over her shoulder and headed in the direction of the


    bus stop.


    the sanatorium who I need to visit. Let me give you a lift.¡±


    ¡°In that case, thanks Ian!¡±


    Cherise did not hesitate and hopped into Ian¡¯s car.


    On the way to work,n thought about bringing up Damien several times but decided. against it.


    He understood that learning more about the man would lead to nothing but agony and pain.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He recalled the way Cherise used to look at him when they first met, her eyes twinkling like stars.


    His ssmates used to tease him. ¡°That junior seems to be fond of you. Aren¡¯t you going to take the


    first step?¡±


    He would respond with a faint smile. ¡°I have plenty of juniors who like me.¡±


    Now, though she treated him with the same amount of respect, that sparkle in her eyes belonged to


    another man.


    1/3


    They soon arrived at the nursing room.


    Ian walked her to her station before leaving.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, you even have a cute guy to keep youpany now.¡±


    L sneered and dumped a pile of used bed sheets in front of Cherise. ¡°You were missing. yesterday,


    so I saved these for you.¡±


    Cherise looked at the towering heap of sheets, feeling a bit troubled. ¡°Is the washing machine still not


    working?¡±


    She had spent the whole afternoon washing bed sheets the other day, and her wrists were aching by


    the time she finished!


    Besides, the materials which the sheets were made of were stiff and difficult to maneuver.


    ¡°Nah, it hasn¡¯t been repaired.¡±


    L replied with a cold sneer. She crouched to Cherise¡¯s eye level and fixed a cold gaze on her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t you handle a bit of washing?¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps now that you¡¯ve found a man to dote on you, you¡¯re refusing to get your hands dirty?¡±


    Cherise did not miss the sarcasm in L¡¯s remark, but she chose to lower her head. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    It might be challenging, but since she had taken on this job, she was determined to get it done!


    Ian stepped out of the sanatorium director¡¯s office with half an hour to spare before hist afternoon shift.


    With extra time on his hands, he headed to the second floor for Cherise.


    Earlier, he had requested L to assign lighter tasks for Cherise, like making and serving. tea to the


    patients.


    By that logic, she should have been stationed on the second floor, but he searched part of the floor and


    could not find her.


    It was only after someone pointed it out that he learned Cherise was in theundry.


    every


    2/3


    Theundry room was tucked away in a corner of the sanatorium¡¯s backyard.


    He pushed the door open, revealing severalrge washing machines with ¡®Out of Order¡¯ signs taped on


    them.


    At the far end of theundry, he saw a petite girl standing barefoot in a basin, her hands and feet


    covered in foamy suds.


    When she heard the door open, she looked up. ¡°Tan?¡±


    Ian furrowed his brows and approached her withrge strides. ¡°Cherise, why are you doing this?¡±

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 The Formidable Man


    Cherise wiped the sweat from her forehead, and a frothy patch of bubble clung to her hair. ¡°L


    assigned me to this job; the machines are broken, so I must hand wash them.¡±


    Ian knitted his brows furiously. The sheets had always been machine-washed at the sanatorium, and


    hand-washing was unheard of!


    This is absurd!


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a word with L about this.¡±


    He turned around, intending to leave.


    But before he could, Cherise noticed his displeasure and tried to stop him. ¡°Ian!¡±


    s, she forgot that her feet were covered in water and foam.


    As soon as her delicate feet touched the ground, she slipped and lost bnce¡­


    Ian swiftly reached out to grab her.


    Just as Cherise was barely an inch away from falling into his embrace, she instinctively held up her


    hands and stopped herself from colliding with his body.


    Her actions cutn¡¯s heart like a de.


    But he managed a nonchnt front, embracing her body as if it were an ident.


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    A cold, heart-piercingughter echoed from the doorway.


    Ian raised his head to see a wheelchair parked at the entrance of theundry room.


    In it sat a man with a ck silk blindfold.


    The man exuded a dangerous air that filled theundry with his


    presence.


    Despite being disabled, his presencemanded respect, and he emanated a formidable pressure


    without uttering a word


    posture.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Who is this guy?


    all he did was sit in the wheelchair with an elegant.


    1/3


    What¡¯s he doing here?


    Cherise, who had been forced into a hug withn, took advantage of his momentary distraction and


    slipped out of his embrace.


    Sensing something amiss in the air, she frowned and turned her head to look toward theundry


    room¡¯s entrance¡­


    ¡°Dear!¡±


    As soon as her gaze met the man in the wheelchair, what difort Cherise was feeling. immediately


    vanished.


    She quickly wiped off the foam from her feet with an unwashed sheet, then scurried towards Damien


    barefoot. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    The way she blinked her eyes and called him ¡®dear¡¯ brought a smile to Damien¡¯s face. He pulled her


    into his arms and said, ¡°Lucy heard you¡¯re back at work, so I¡¯d like to check on _you.¡±


    As he held her in hisp, Cherise became self-aware and tried to fight him off coyly.


    They were in a public space. Besides, Ian was around, and she did not want to be a subject of gossip.


    But the more she struggled, the tighter Damien¡¯s grip around her slender waist became.


    She was also afraid that if she struggled harder, it may give the impression that she was in an unhappy


    marriage. Besides, she was mindful not to hurt him. So, in the end, she gave in and let him hold her.


    Ian stood unmovingly, face alternating between pale and red.


    The man in the wheelchair¡­. is Cherise¡¯s husband?


    Not the old bald man I sawst time?


    Mr. Hampson emerged from the back of the wheelchair and leaned into Damien. ¡°Sir, they are on their


    way.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°You may go, we only need Mr. Kolson and ke here.¡±


    Damien replied as he grabbed a piece of napkin from ke and handed it to Cherise. ¡°Here, clean


    yourself.¡±


    2/3


    Mr. Hampson bowed courteously and stepped away.


    Meanwhile,n¡¯s mind exploded with questions.


    So¡­


    The man I sawst time is her husband¡¯s butler?!


    ¡°Mr. Philips, we have finally met.¡±


    Damien raised his head, and despite his blindfold,n could feel a piercing gaze through the ck silk.


    The voice sounded oddly familiar¡­


    It was the same cold voice Ian had heardst time!

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 You Have My Sympathy


    He took a step back involuntarily. ¡°You¡¯re Cherise¡¯s husband?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Damien chuckled and ced a kiss on Cherise¡¯s forehead. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce.


    Cherise regained herposure and quickly got back on her feet, then awkwardly introduced them.


    n, this is my husband, Damien Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Dear, this is my senior, Ian Philips.¡±


    Ian¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Cherise¡¯s husband to be this young,¡± he added, a tinge of bitterness in his


    tone.


    Damien could sense the jealousy in his words as he smiled nonchntly, ¡°By the sound of your voice,


    you seem older than me, Mr. Philips.¡±


    He drummed his fingers on the handle of his wheelchair. ¡°Mr. Philips, you must be around thirty-six.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-six, actually, ten years younger than you,¡±


    The pettiness of this man!


    I admit that I was being sarcastic when I said he was younger than I thought, but his words have


    topped the sarcasm charts!


    Meanwhile, Cherise waspletely oblivious to the subtle punches between the men. She shook her


    head. ¡°Dear, you¡¯ve mistaken. Ian just graduatedst year, he should only be a few years older than


    you.¡±


    Ian balled his fists. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-five, a year younger than you, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise was surprised to hear that, and she scratched her head awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, Ian.¡±


    ¡°I always thought you were mature beyond your years, it seems I have misjudged your age.¡±


    Damien, on the other hand, continued calmly, ¡°Or perhaps Mr. Philips has a particrly¡­


    1/3


    Seasoned appearance?¡±


    Cherise was left with no words.


    She had finally managed to steer the conversation away from conflict and avoid further confrontation,


    but Damien¡¯s remarks seemed to have brought anger ton¡¯s eyes.


    He clenched his fists silently.


    Since his college days,n had always been regarded as a young, handsome, and able man. He was


    used to being showered bypliments, and women were crazy for him.


    But Damien¡¯s remarks caught him off guard.


    He bit his lips and squeezed these words through his teeth. ¡°Can¡¯t you see what I look like? I don¡¯t


    understand what you were trying to say.


    Damien scoffed indifferently and fiddled with Cherise¡¯s fingers. ¡°You¡¯re right, I can¡¯t see what you look


    like.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Ian.¡±


    Cherise hurriedly interruptedn and shook her head. n¡­ My husband¡­ is visually impaired.¡±


    Ian was stunned.


    A few momentster, it had dawned on him.


    Ah, he is blind.


    No wonder he is sitting in a wheelchair; no wonder he has a blindfold on. Ian assumed there was


    more to it.


    After all, he is just a blind man.


    And it all started to make sense to Ian. A handsome, elegant, and rich man like Damien. Lenoir would


    have never taken Cherise as his wife unless there was a catch.


    Yes, he is rich, so what?


    Yes, he is handsome, so what?


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    He has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, and he can¡¯t see a thing!


    2/3


    At that thought, Ian could not help but feel a touch of satisfaction. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, were you born blind, or


    did it happenter?¡±


    Damien leaned back in his wheelchair, toying idly with Cherise¡¯s fair and delicate fingers. ¡°I was injured


    in a fire when I was thirteen, and it damaged my retinas.¡±


    Ian¡¯s ego was properly tickled. ¡°Retinal injuries are difficult to treat.¡±


    ¡°You have my sympathy, Mr. Lenoir. It must be tough not being able to see the beautiful. creation of this


    world or your lovely wife.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 Crossing Boundaries


    Cherise was not impressed with the sarcastic remark by Ian. n!¡±


    She was under the impression thatn was a kind and considerate man. He would never discuss a


    patient¡¯s condition in front of them because it might hurt the patient¡¯s feelings.


    But why did he choose to say these words to Damien?


    Jan quickly realized how unprofessional he had been when Cherise called his name.


    He cleared his throat quietly. ¡°My apologies, I¡¯ve gone too far.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curved into an indifferent smile as he pulled Cherise into his embrace.


    ¡°Even though I can¡¯t see Cherise¡¯s face.¡±


    He ran his long, slender fingers down her face and added gently, ¡°I can feel it.¡±


    Ian bit his lips fiercely.


    He understood what Damien was talking about.


    These were taunting remarks-telling Ian that he could never touch Cherise!


    Cherise was stillpletely oblivious to the sizzling tension in the air.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She looked atn gullibly, ¡°Ian, Damien is really good at this. He can figure out how you look like just


    from touching your face.¡±


    Ian was left with no words.


    Who the heck wants to be touched by him?!


    Sitting in the wheelchair, Damien burst intoughter. ¡°It seems like your friend doesn¡¯t want me to know


    what he looks like.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he isn¡¯t the best-looking one?¡±


    His tone was filled with mockery.


    Cherise frowned, ¡°Dear, you¡¯re mistaken, Ian looks pretty cute.¡±


    Damien chuckled in response, then pointed his lips ironically in Ian¡¯s direction. ¡°I haven¡¯t


    1/3


    felt it, how would I know?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    Does this mean¡­ Damien is curious about what Ian¡¯s face looks like?


    Isn¡¯t it a little weird for a man to caress another man¡¯s face?


    But another voice in her head told her that she should let Ian prove himself. After all, he used to be her


    crush.


    Just as Cherise was trying to put together a response,n said with a wry smile, ¡°Cherise, please get


    L.¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to her.¡±


    He threw a sharp gaze at Damien as he spoke. ¡°Besides, I¡¯d like to have a word with your husband


    too.¡±


    Cherise continued her inner debate inside her head, but Damien interrupted her thought.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Mr. Philips wanted to wait until you left us before letting me touch him.¡±


    Ian became blue and pale in the face.


    Something seemed to have dawned on Cherise ¨C as if she had realized that Ian was just embarrassed


    to be touched while she was around.


    At that thought, she hurriedly went for theundry¡¯s exit.


    But she had hardly walked a few steps when Damien¡¯s silvery and tender voice came from behind. ¡°Put


    on your shoes.¡±


    She facepalmed, thinking how absurd it was for her to forget about her shoes!


    Scratching her head, Cherise turned around and scurried over, slipped her feet into her canvas shoes,


    did herces, and scurried away.


    She also made sure to close the door behind her.


    Even after the door had been shut, Damien and Ian could hear her footsteps faint away. into the


    distance of the hallway.


    Damien raised an understated smile, his face shifted to meetn¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mr. Philips, do


    2/3


    you have something to discuss with me?¡±


    Ian squinted his eyes, his gaze icy as he stared down at Damien. ¡°Are you truly blind?¡±


    When Cherise had left earlier, not even he had noticed that she was not wearing shoes. How did this


    blind man know?


    And he had even managed to remind her?


    ¡°If I recall correctly, you are an orthopedic surgeon, Mr. Philips.¡±


    Damien said, his fingers gently tapping the leather armrest of his wheelchair. ¡°How much does an


    orthopedic surgeon know about eyes?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 Why Are You Pretending


    He could even feel Damien¡¯s piercing gaze prating the ck silk blindfold.


    It made him extremely ufortable.


    Damien, however, wore a faint smile. ¡°So, what do you suppose a blind person should be?¡±


    ¡°Submissive, timid, and allows others to push their boundaries without retaliation?¡±


    Ian hesitated for a moment but recalled something, and his eyes turned cold.


    He let out a sarcasticugh and walked slowly towards Damien. ¡°How did you know that I crossed my


    boundaries on Cherise?¡±


    Aren¡¯t you blind?


    Slowly and steadily, Ian moved towards Damien. Yet, the man in the wheelchair remained calm as


    usual, sitting unmovingly with a serene countenance and a hint of a smile. ¡°It seems you have put your


    hand on someone else¡¯s wife, Mr. Philips.¡±


    ¡°As a student of the prestigious Adania University and the youngest orthopedic surgeon Adania


    Hospital, aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself formitting such ignoble deeds?¡±


    Ian arched an eyebrow. ¡°I guesspared to someone like you, who forces an innocentdy into


    marriage in exchange for money, my actions aren¡¯t exactly frowned upon.¡±


    He stood before Damien, and while he thought Damien was distracted by his remark, he reached to


    unveil the ck silk blindfold¡­.


    Damien remained expressionless. He graciously raised a hand and mped onton¡¯s wrist with his


    long and slender fingers before Ian could reach him.


    Intense pain shot throughn¡¯s wrist, causing him to tremble.


    His face grew pale, and the words that escaped his lips came out with a quavering voice, ¡°Let¡­ Let me


    go!¡±


    Damien put on a faint, enigmatic smile. ¡°Mr. Philips, you seem very interested in my eyes.¡±


    Ian gritted his teeth and reached out with his other hand, desperate to free himself from Damien¡¯s


    mighty grip, but to no avail.


    of


    1/2


    Frustrated, he resorted tounching a hefty kick at Damien.


    But Damien¡¯s reflexes were swift as a deer, and in their brief scuffle, not only didn not gain the upper


    hand, but his wrist was subjected to greater pain.


    In the end, whenn was on the brink of exhaustion, Damien released his grip and threw. him aside.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ian copsed to the ground, struggling to catch his breath.


    His wrist was mmed against the metallic casing of one of the machines.


    Squinting through the pain, he rubbed on his wrist with clenched jaws. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not blind!¡±


    ¡°Nah, I am blind.¡±


    Ian was drenched in sweat, but contrary to his hectic demeanor, Damien remained. rxed in his


    wheelchair, as though nothing had happened.


    He even gently tossed a tissue on the ground. ¡°Wipe yourself.¡±


    Ian¡¯s


    gaze grew even colder. ¡°Why are you pretending to be blind?¡±


    ¡°Again, I am blind.¡±


    ¡°If you have any doubts, you may check my records, including all medical reports from the age of


    thirteen to twenty-six.¡±


    His unwavering confidence brought a frown ton¡¯s face. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ How did you know Cherise wasn¡¯t wearing shoes earlier?¡±


    ¡°Ian?¡±


    Suddenly, the door to theundry room was opened, and Cherise stood in shock, finding an


    incapacitated Ian on the ground.


    What¡¯s happening?!


    ¡°Tan!¡±


    Following closely behind Cherise, L shrieked and shoved Cherise aside, rushing into the


    room.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 The Venomous Vine of Jealousy


    Cherise momentarily lost her bnce, but Damien reached out in time to stop her from falling.


    ¡°Ian, are you alright?¡±


    L, with eager concern, helpedn to his feet. How did you end up on the floor?¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes lifted cautiously to glower at Damien. ¡°Was it you?!¡±


    ¡°You, blind man seated in the wheelchair, what have you done ton?!¡±


    Before L could utter another word, Cherise ced herself in front of Damien with a frown. ¡°L,


    please mind your words!¡±


    L huffed coldly. ¡°So, did you bring this blind man here?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±


    She made suren had found his bnce before letting him go, then walked towards Damien with a


    sneer. ¡°Not only will I call him a blind @ss man, but I will also throw him. out right in front of you!¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists. ¡°I dare you!¡±


    L had harbored feelings forn for a while now.


    Jealousy burgeoned within her when she noticedn had been dropping off Cherise to work in the past,


    leading to her making things difficult for Cherise.


    Now, it was evident that the man in the wheelchair assaulted Ian, and L, amidst her anger, saw it as


    an opportunity to shine.


    A triumphant smile adorned her lips as she moved briskly towards Damien.


    But Cherise stood in her way.


    Despite being ten inches shorter, Cherise stood with clenched fists, her cheeks puffed as she barked,


    ¡°L,n must have fallen on the ground for a good reason. My husband is a good man, how could he


    put his hands onn?¡±


    L raised an eyebrow indifferently.


    She recalled that this little girl, who wore a ponytail, had always behaved obsequiously. regardless of


    how difficult she made things for Cherise.


    1/3


    She had not heard her talk back before.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Who would have thought that now, for the sake of a blind man, this same little girl would. stand up to


    her?


    L marched forward and raised her hand to shove Cherise aside.


    She made sure to put in enough force to make sure Cherise felt her hostility, but to her surprise,


    Cherise remained unmoving.


    She gritted her teeth and retorted, ¡°L, there must be a misunderstanding!¡±


    L¡¯s eyes widened. The nerve of this girl!


    ¡°L.¡±


    Ian interrupted with furrowed brows. ¡°Stop picking on Cherise.¡±


    L became so mad; one could see steam shooting from her ears!


    What¡¯s so good about Cherise Shaw?!!


    First, Ian used his connections and got her this part-time job, and as a mere part-timer, she earned


    almost as much as L, a full-time employee!


    He even put in a special request to assign her some simple tasks.


    He would also drop her off at work and walk her to her station, then he would always be waiting for her


    as she got off work so he could give her a lift!


    She found no reason not to make Cherise¡¯s life a living hell!


    Who did she think she was? She was merely a country girl from a rural vige!


    L¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits at the thought, dangerous and cold, as they fixed Cherise. ¡°Move!¡± She


    squeezed the word through clenched teeth.


    upon


    Cherise, with steadfast gaze, stood her ground with fists balled at her sides. ¡°Never!¡±


    ¡°L, be sensible. We still don¡¯t know hown fell. On what grounds do you me my husband?¡±


    ¡°me?¡±


    L let out a scornfulugh. ¡°There were just the two of them in this room, besides him¡­ Ah¡­!¡±


    2/3


    Before her words could escape her lips, Damien swept Cherise into his embrace with one hand and,


    with the other, wheeled his wheelchair and rammed into L¡¯s knees!


    Everything happened so suddenly that L had no time to react.


    With a sharp pain that shot through her knee, she copsed and kneeled on the floor with the other


    knee.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70 The Lenoirs.


    Everything unfolded in a breathless rush. By the time Cherise and Ian regained theirposure,


    Damien had returned to his original position.


    He sat indifferently in his wheelchair, covering the spot on Cherise where L pushed her with hisrge,


    thick hand. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Nah,¡±


    Cherise responded, her lips pressing together in a tight line. She lifted her eyes to look at L, who was


    struggling to regain her stance. ¡°L, you should calm down¡­


    But calm was a distant horizon for L!


    She was here to avenge Ian and to tilt his affections in her favor!


    But in the end¡­


    She had done nothing but embarrass herself in front of him.


    While she was furiously muttering curses under her breath and attempting to stand, two men in ck


    suits appeared at the entrance of the room.


    One of whom was the manager of the facility.


    And the other, L¡¯s superior, the supervisor at the sanatorium.


    L was stunned for a moment, and her subsequent expression was one of overflowing gratitude.


    Did her supervisor bring the manager along to seek justice on her behalf, knowing that she had been


    assaulted?


    She scrambled to her feet, thinking to herself that the bribes she had given to her supervisor had paid


    off!


    Standing at the doorway, her supervisor nced at L with an irritated look, then briskly strode


    towards her.


    A flutter of excitement quivered within her, ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    ¡®Smack!¡±


    Before L could utter another word, the supervisor pped her across the face. The sharp crack of


    the contact echoed through the hallway.


    1/3


    The p left L dumbfounded.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± She stuttered in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, the manager of the sanatorium had approached Damien courteously. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, if anyone


    from the facility has offended you, we humbly ask for your forgiveness, please do not take it to heart¡­¡±


    Standing at a distance,n furrowed his brows deeply.


    The manager of the sanatorium was his former lecturer and held a powerful reputation in the city of


    Adania. He had treated numerous influential figures and was highly regarded by those from both the


    Yet, this man, who was supposed to be a fearless figure, now behaved like a frightened rabbit and was


    attempting to cate Damien Lenoir!


    Ian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Who¡­ Is this man?


    Damien smiled faintly, ¡°David, as you are aware, I am infamously known as the jinx.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken a tour around your facility today, if it doesn¡¯t go into liquidation soon, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be


    living up to my name.¡±


    Manager David was thrown into a panic.


    His eyes darted to L, still recoiling from the p. ¡°Get over here and apologize to Mr.


    Lenoir!¡±


    L, still reeling from shock, heard the manager¡¯s orders and decided to let her intrusive thoughts win.


    ¡°Why should I apologize to him?!¡±


    ¡°He put his hands on Ian first!¡±


    It was then that David noticed Ian¡¯s presence in theundry.


    Frowning, he lowered his voice. n, you too,e and apologize to Mr. Lenoir!¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Damien gently let go of Cherise¡¯s slender waist and put on a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    David, now desperate, stepped forward to stand in Damien¡¯s way, gesturing to the supervisor with his


    eyes.


    The supervisor furrowed his brows and red at L angrily. ¡°Do you realize who you are


    2/3


    messing with?¡± His voice was low and stern.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize right now, the facility might as well close its doors!¡±


    L remained defiant. ¡°What¡¯s this blind man going to do?¡±


    The supervisor threw another p across her face. ¡°Not all blind men are equal!¡¯


    ¡°Not a single soul in Adania can afford to mess with this one!¡±


    Seeing L¡¯s stubborn defiance, the supervisor, frustration edging his voice, continued, ¡°Ever heard of


    the Lenoirs?¡±

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71 Mr Lenoir


    L rolled her eyes; after all, who was not aware of the Lenoir family? They were the wealthiest family


    in Adania, with business spanning over various industries. However, wasn¡¯t the casanova, Tristan, the


    eldest son of the Lenoir family? What had this blind man. got to do with the Lenoir family?


    The supervisor whispered, ¡°This is the other son from the Lenoir family. Were you expecting David to


    bow down to any Tom, Dick, and Harry? You could have poked. anyone, but you chose to poke this


    bear? And you even forced his wife to handwash her bed sheets? Did you know that on the first day


    Cherise got married, a silly worker who failed to tame her tongue was flogged to death?¡±


    L was shocked to the point that she almost copsed. Cherise was held back by David just as she


    started pushing Damien out. ¡°Mr Lenoir, well¡­ Just because of the ipetencies of some of my


    employees, it is rather unfair to burn the bridge between.


    us!¡±


    am the


    Cherise frowned as she gazed upon David. ¡°You are the manager of this sanatorium?¡± David was


    pretty excited that Cherise was willing to engage in negotiations. That¡¯s right! I


    manager!¡± Cherise clenched her jaws, ¡°Well, for starters, the washing machine has been down for a


    long period.¡± She was sincere in her suggestion, ¡°If you are the manager, please get it fixed as soon as


    possible; the bedsheets around here are tough-handwashing them is not only exhausting, it definitely


    does not thoroughly clean them.¡± As she spoke, her vision shifted towards the corner that was


    inundated with bedsheets. ¡°I am pretty sure that the sanitizing effect of a washing machine is superior


    luxury, right?


    Beads of sweat were visibly forming on David¡¯s forehead when he was confronted with their


    ipetency.


    Damien lifted his hand as his fingers drummed on his chair¡¯s leather arm support. ¡°Unable to repair a


    broken washing machine nor carry out proper sanitization¡­¡± His smirk was a terrifying harbinger, ¡°Well,


    I believe it is only right for this sanitorium to be shut down for maintenance for a few months. After all, it


    should not be too much to ask for an operating washing machine and proper sanitization to be in


    business.¡±


    Blood waspletely drained from David¡¯s face at this point. A few months?! His long- time customers


    would definitely all have shifted elsewhere! Even a week of non-operation would be unimaginable! He


    wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead and pleaded, ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for such trouble! I will


    get someone to fix it right away! All I need is an hour!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Damien chuckled, his low rumble sending a chill down everyone¡¯s spine. ¡°If all it took was an


    hour, why was everyone unresponsive all this while? Did you consider my wife to be an easy target, so


    you had her hand wash everything?¡± He lowered his head and.


    1/2


    sighed, ¡°This is such an amazing ce. I would not even let Cherise wash a single handkerchief back


    at my ce, worried that she would be exhausted.¡±


    David shuddered as he contemted whether he should kneel before Damien. Damien¡¯s encrypted


    message was clear as day. Cherise was considered royalty within the Lenoir family; the fact that


    Cherise never had to do any washing with the Lenoirs, but the sanitorium got


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    her to handwash the bed sheets! David was visibly shaken. ¡°This¡­ Mr. Lenoir, I was fully unaware! I


    was not aware that your beloved would be working here, nor¡­ If I knew that she was your wife, I would


    have never let her hand wash it!¡± David¡¯s statement did not sit well with Cherise.


    ¡°Even if it was not me, I do not think handwashing is eptable, we cannot guarantee the cleanliness


    level¡­¡± David stammered, ¡°I, I misspoke, I did not know anyone was handwashing, if I knew¡­¡±


    Cherise was confused by his statement, ¡°But L told me that. the reason why the washing machine


    was still broken was because you had yet to contact anyone for repairs rights?¡± David was rendered


    speechless by Cherise¡¯s honest naivety. L was simply destroying any escape routes he had!

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72 A Liar


    The doggedness of Cherise amused Damien, who could not resist but chuckle. Perhaps for anyone


    else, she was bickering with David in an attempt toplete sweet revenge for all her mistreatment.


    However, Damien knew Cherise was a simpleton and did not harbor such feelings. She was merely


    attempting to question something illogical to her; an analogous scenario would be when a student


    continued grilling the method employed by a teacher solving an arithmetic question. She had always


    carried such earnestness and willfulness, which was precisely why she was so endearing.


    LLL¡± Mr Lenoir L¡± Mr LenoirCherise


    David repeatedly wiped off his cold sweat and stared at L and the supervisor. ¡°Come here!¡± L was


    already shocked by the supervisor¡¯s statement, and her legs had gone weak. The supervisor had to


    expend much effort to drag her forward. ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    With a loud bang, L fell to her knees. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I was unaware that Cherise was your wife, so¡­ But


    I was not against her. The washing machine was spoiled, so I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her statement, a blue streak could be seen dashing into the room. Following


    that, a young man in blue walked before the washing machine, raised his hands, and pressed the


    power button. As everyone held their breath, the washing machine started vibrating anding to life.


    Pouting, ke stood aside and was visibly upset, ¡°She was lying!¡±


    L knelt on the ground and trembled uncontrobly. Cherise widened her eyes in disbelief. The


    washing machine is functioning. Why did she make me handwash the bed sheets the past few days?


    She should know handwashing is not as efficient as the washing machine. That¡¯s very unprofessional


    of her!


    Cherise red furiously at L and rebuked, ¡°Ms. Gurwell, you¡¯re too much!¡± She didn¡¯t. even care


    about the patients¡¯ safety! Now that all her disguise was exposed, L could only admit her mistakes.


    Kneeling on the ground, she muttered, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I was wrong. I picked on her because I¡­ I thought


    the rtionship between Mrs. Lenoir and Ian was extraordinary¡­¡± Suddenly, something came to L¡¯s


    mind!


    Although it was my fault for picking on Cherise, there is indeed something fishy between her and Jan!


    Not only did Ian help her to find a job, but he also asked me to only assign easy tasks for her. He¡¯ll


    send her to work every day and pick her up after work every day. Isn¡¯t this sufficient to prove their


    abnormal rtionship? If I expose these deeds to Damien, he might note after me for Cherise¡¯s


    sake. Every man hates being cuckolded, let alone someone from an excellent family like Damien.


    Moreover, he was blind, which would add to his low self-esteem!


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    At that thought, L took a deep breath and uttered, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, there¡¯s a reason why I treat her in such


    a way! I knew she was married when she first came, butn and her were so close I thought they were


    lovers¡­¡±


    1/2


    She paused and shot a cold re at Cherise before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve always hated those involved in


    affairs. I thought Cherise was cheating on her husband, so I lied and said the washing machine was


    spoiled. I wanted her to hand wash the bedsheets and make her suffer¡­ I was wrong for not knowing


    she¡¯s your wife.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°Ms. Gurwell, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 She¡¯s Not a Fool


    I¡¯m cheating on Damien and am having an ambiguous rtionship with Ian? What nonsense is she


    talking about?


    ¡°Oh, I should thank you for looking out for me then.¡±


    L was delighted. ¡°No worries, Mr. Lenoir. As long as you can see Cherise¡¯s true color.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and wore a faint smile. ¡°ke.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Rip her mouth off.¡±


    L lifted her head in shock, thinking she misheard Damien.


    The young man in blue strode over to L, lifted her face, and pped her emphatically. Instantly, L


    had a dizzy spell. She looked at Damien in confusion. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡­ I was just trying to help you!¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Trying to help me?¡± Damien sneered and gently pulled Cherise into his arms. ¡°You ndered my wife


    before me, and you call that helping me?¡± He uttered coldly.


    Cherise felt a sense of satisfaction watching the arrogant woman being taught a lesson and now


    begging for mercy, but at the same time, a pang of sympathy arose in her. She turned to Damien,


    wanting to plead with him, but she was reminded of the incident where Nicky turned against her after


    she saved him at Garden Paradise.


    She pressed her lips. Although she thought Damien¡¯s punishment was too harsh, she refrained from


    pleading for L. After all, she deserved a lesson.


    L dodged ke¡¯s ps while attempting to defend herself. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯m not ndering her.


    Everything I said was true! She¡¯s involved in an abnormal rtionship withn!¡±


    had be close to her since she started working in the sanatorium. He never expected that she


    would say anything to defend herself at this crucial moment.


    He looked at Cherise, who was in Damien¡¯s arms. Given how brutal Damien is, he¡¯ll treat Cherise the


    same wayter as the way he treated L!


    Out of concern for Cherise, Ian pressed his lips and walked up to exin to Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,


    there¡¯s nothing between Cherise and I


    1/2


    Secingn siding with Cherise, L became even more furious. She gnashed her teeth in resentment


    and couldn¡¯t be bothered with her previous feelings forn. At that moment, the most important thing


    was to survive!


    ¡°How is that possible? I¡¯ve seen you send her home every day. Not only that, you always find excuses


    to get close to her and even hug her!¡±


    Ian frowned. ¡°It¡¯s just my one-sided love for Cherise.¡±


    Cherise was astounded. Did I hear it wrongly? Ian¡­ likes me?


    Having observed Cherise¡¯s expression and response, Damien narrowed his eyes and remained silent.


    The atmosphere became increasingly tense.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, please don¡¯t vent your anger on Cherise.¡± Ian continued presumptuously, thinking he was


    helping Cherise by exining, ¡°It¡¯s just my one-sided infatuation with


    her¡­¡±


    Of course, I know that.¡± Damien tightened his grip on Cherise. His tone was cold and domineering. ¡°No


    matter from which perspective, you¡¯re no match for me. Cherise is not a fool.¡±


    Ian was startled. His cheeks reddened before turning gloomy. With his eyes darkened, heughed


    ruefully. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74 Secret Talks


    With such a handsome and wealthy husband, why would she be interested in the senior she once


    admired?


    Cherise noticed the disappointment inn¡¯s eyes and felt a squeeze in her heart.


    Meanwhile, ke gave L another p in her face. His ps were forceful and caused. L¡¯s cheeks


    to swell after just two ps. She wailed and begged for mercy on her knees. but firmly used


    Cherise and Ian.


    On the fourth p, L finally passed out. David asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, should I wake her up with


    cold water so you may continue?¡±


    Damien smirked. ¡°Mr. David, you don¡¯t show mercy for your staff at all.¡±


    He looked down at Cherise and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s gaze remained on Ian. Although she no longer admired him like before, she couldn¡¯t bear to


    see his self-deprecating and disheartened look. Her attention was focused on Ian, but she snapped


    back to reality upon hearing Damien¡¯s low voice. ¡°Hubby, what did you say?¡±


    Her term of endearment sounded like a silent mockery ton. But on the other hand, Damien wore a


    self-deprecating smile. She¡¯s calling me Hubby, but inwardly, she¡¯s worrying about another man.


    Meanwhile, David smiled servilely and said, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, if you need me to¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget about it.¡± Damien waved his hand. Since Cherise didn¡¯t care about it, why should. he bother?


    David wiped away his cold sweat and was relieved. He had someone drag L. said, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, is


    there anything else I can help you with?¡±


    away and


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I want to go home and rest. Damien spoke aloofly and released Cherise. ¡°Let¡¯s go, ke.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The young man walked briskly to Damien and wheeled him toward the exit.


    Cherise was startled and was about to go after them. After taking two steps, she looked at Ian and


    said, n, please don¡¯t lose confidence in yourself. Although you¡¯re not as good as my husband, you¡¯re


    still an outstanding person!¡±


    With that, she quickly chased after Damien, leavingn standing at the spot as he watched her leave.


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s ck hair, tied into a ponytail, swung in the air as she trotted, emanating a sweet and


    youthful charm.


    Her remark echoed in his ears. ¡°Although you¡¯re not as good as my husband, you¡¯re still an outstanding


    person!¡±


    Silently, Ian clenched and released his fists at his sides.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ke walked so quickly that Cherise only managed to catch up with them when they arrived at the car.


    Panting, she got into the car and sat next to Damien. ¡°Hubby, why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡±


    Looking at her face, which turned red after running. Damien passed a tissue to her.


    Cherise took it and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Then, she looked at Mr. Kolson, who was in the


    driver¡¯s seat, and asked, ¡°Mr. Kolson, don¡¯t you feel the air conditioning i too cold?¡±


    Mr. Kolson was startled. Momentster, he let out a cough. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, the air conditioning is not


    turned on¡­


    Cherise frowned, thinking why it was so cold without air conditioning. While she was puzzled, the man


    beside her spoke up frostily. Are you done having secret talks with your senior?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 My Hubby Is the Best


    Secret talks?


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no secret talk. I was just encouraging him to be more confident!¡±


    After all, Jan was a rare top student from her hometown, so she couldn¡¯t bear to see him dejected.


    Damien reached out his hand to fiddle with Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°In what sense?¡±


    Noticing Damien was fiddling with her hair. Cherise decided to lie down on hisp so it would be more


    convenient for him to caress her hair. She thought he couldn¡¯t see, so it was reasonable to care for him.


    The bold move caused a big part of Damien¡¯s displeasure to disappear instantly. His tone. softened.


    ¡°What did you say to him?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­¡± Cherise blushed, thinking about what she said ton just now. ¡°I said that although he¡¯s not


    as good as you, he¡¯s still outstanding.¡±


    Damien¡¯s vexation soon vanished when he perceived her innocent, earnest gaze. He continued fiddling


    with her hair. ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cherise nodded with her face reddened.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Cherise didn¡¯t think something was inappropriate when she said it ton, but when she thought about it


    again, she realized her remark might have been too subjective. After all, perhaps no one would think a


    handicapped blind couldpare to a handsome, young doctor. However, Cherise just thought her


    husband was perfect.


    To her, her husband was the best, and she was determined to stay by him forever.


    Damien¡¯s voice was tinged with affection. I¡¯m a wheelchair-bound blind man. What¡¯s so good about


    me?¡±


    Cherise contemted briefly. ¡°Everything about you is good!¡±


    Damien smiled and caressed her hair. ¡°Silly girl.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°I¡¯m not silly. I¡¯m a top student in my ss!¡±


    ¡°Still, you¡¯re a silly girl¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    1/2


    ¡°You are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°You are.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine. I am¡­¡±


    The car was speeding on the road. The conversation between the couple was childish, like a quarrel


    between toddlers.


    Mr. Kolson couldn¡¯t help but sigh, thinking only Cherise could reveal this side of Damien.


    ¡°Is that all? He just gave the woman a few ps?¡±


    The next day, Lucy was munching a bun in the school cafeteria while babbling. ¡°Last time, you said


    your cousin was almost thrown downstairs. I thought this old woman who bullied. you would receive a


    simr treatment, too.¡±


    Cherise took a sip of orange juice. The sweet and sour taste lightened her mood. She replied with a


    smile, ¡°ke gave her a good beating. That¡¯s enough as long as she learns.


    her lesson.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°You naive woman. Being kind to those who bully you is being cruel to yourself!¡±


    Cherise remained smiling. ¡°Calm down. Anyway, I won¡¯t work at the sanatorium anymore, so I¡¯ll no


    longer see her.¡±


    Lucy shook her head in resignation. ¡°You¡¯re too silly and kind. You¡¯ll end up suffering! If Damien weren¡¯t


    there to support you, you would have been trampled on mercilessly!¡±


    At the mention of Damien, Cherise¡¯s grin widened. ¡°My hubby is the best.¡±


    Left speechless, Lucy stood up and, together with Cherise, went to throw away the food. remnants.


    She nced at Cherise and said, ¡°You guys are only married for such a short. time, and you¡¯re already


    calling him so endearingly. Have you fallen for him already?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 A Pricey Dress


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed red.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°He¡¯s my husband. What should I call him if not hubby¡­¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice became softer toward the end until it was almost as soft as a


    mosquito¡¯s buzzing. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re a couple. Even if I like him¡­ there¡¯s nothing wrong with it¡­¡±


    H


    Lucy did not hear herst sentence.


    When she looked back at Cherise, her food tray knocked into a girl.


    She apologized immediately, yet the other person stayed silent.


    Lucy raised her head. Of all the people, she ran into Cressa.


    The girl who had humiliated Cherise about being a kept woman. Then, she was pped by her own


    father in the end. That Cressa Lyes.


    Cressa was wearing a pricey dress today.


    And at that moment, the dress was smothered in sauce from Lucy¡¯s food.


    Lucy put her tray down and pulled some tissue out, thinking of cleaning it for her. Cressaughed coldly


    and pped her.


    ¡°Smack!¡± The sound rang through the entire cafeteria.


    Cherise had just poured her leftovers away. She raised her head instinctively and was shocked by the


    scene.


    She quickly rushed toward them. ¡°Lucy!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, isn¡¯t it Cherise Shaw?¡±


    Cressa crossed her arms. She ordered people around her to clean her dress while keeping a cold


    eye on Cherise. ¡°No wonder this


    out she has someone behind her.¡±


    cow has the guts to knock into me. Turns


    The mockery and jealousy in her eyes burned. ¡°I thought some country bumpkin managed to do


    something well and get some status. I didn¡¯t expect she got some blind. man as a sugar daddy.¡±


    When Cressa¡¯s father, Randall, came to fetch Cherise home, he warned Cressa not to


    1/3


    disrespect Cherise.


    At that time, Cressa was stunned. She would avoid Cherise whenever they met for the next few days.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    But she heard news that Cherise was working in a sanatorium.


    She began to think that something was amiss. If Cherise had powerful support, why would. she work


    herself?


    She sent people to investigate, and the truth sounded like a joke!


    That man was her support?


    That blind Lenoir who was cast out from his family over a decade ago? The one who sat in his


    wheelchair all day long doing nothing terrified her father?


    Her father was overreacting over a disabled person!


    Cherise¡¯s hands on her side slowly curled into fists when Cressa mocked her about the blind man.


    But she did not do anything else.


    After all, Lucy was in the wrong today.


    She nced at Cressa.


    ¡°How should we solve this, Ms. Lyes? My friend didn¡¯t mean to do it. We can pay you the cleaning


    fees.¡±


    She thought it was not sincere enough and added, ¡°If you think that isn¡¯t enough, we can get you a new


    dress, Ms. Lyes.¡±


    Cressaughed loudly and unrestrained.


    ¡°Get me a new dress? Cherise, you¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself! Do you know how expensive this


    dress is? Do you think you can even afford it?¡±


    It was as though she had heard a hrious joke as the othersughed along with her. ¡°A country


    bumpkin depending on a schrship says she wants to pay for my dress?¡±


    ¡°What will you pay with?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, you might be able to pay for it. Go home and sleep with that blindy a few times. You might


    be able to get enough money for it.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Cherise, does that blind husband of yours know that you¡¯re hideous?¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes. Her fists were clenched tightly.


    3/3

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 Provocation


    Lucy was peeved. ¡°Cressa Lyes, I¡¯m the one who knocked into you. Why are you targeting Cherise?¡±


    Cressaughed coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll target whoever I want to. Do I need a reason for it?¡±


    A cold glint gleamed in her eyes. ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t settled thatst incident with you yet, Cherise!¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. She was the victim in that incident. Cressa was the one who


    stered her name all over the campus confession page, then came to her and caused trouble.


    Now, she wanted to settle a debt?


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Ms. Lyes, I don¡¯t want to argue with you. How do you want us to make this up to


    you?¡±


    Lucy pulled Cherise, thinking of leaving.


    ¡°She already pped me. What else should we do? We¡¯re even now! You¡¯re the only one who wants to


    pay for her dress. She¡¯s definitely going to make some ridiculous demand¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving just like that?¡±


    Cressa and her friends blocked their path.


    ¡°Cherise, aren¡¯t you going to pay for my dress? Let me tell you, this is an internationally famous brand.


    It costs fifty-eight thousand.¡±


    Sheughed, looking at Cherise with eyes full of mockery.


    ¡°Can you pay fifty-eight thousand? Tell me, how many times do you have to sleep with that blindy to get


    fifty-eight thousand?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her eyebrows.


    She stood in her spot, ring at Cressa.


    Knowing that she provoked Cherise, Cressa was getting full of herself. Her arrogance resembled a


    peacock showing off his feathers as she paced before Cherise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be afraid of you just because you red at me. My father may be overly cautious that he


    doesn¡¯t dare to offend a blind man. I¡¯m not like him.¡±


    1/3


    Whileughing, she stood before Cherise and pulled her chin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll get a carefree life by getting a blind man as your support. I heard the Lenoir family


    cast him out over a decade ago. Even when he was young, he caused his parents and his sister¡¯s


    death. Then, three fianc¨¦es died. He¡¯s cursed. Do you know why you¡¯re still alive even though you¡¯re


    together?¡±


    The smile on her lips was as cold as winter. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re like him, useless.¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth, staring daggers at her.


    Cressa was on cloud nine.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go back now and sleep with that dang blindy for money? Oh, there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t


    understand. He can¡¯t see anything. So how does he find your hole when sleep together? His eyes don¡¯t


    work. Does it work down there?¡±


    you


    Cherise narrowed her eyes. She forced her words out through her gritted teeth. ¡°You. Shut. Your.


    Mouth!¡±


    When Damien called, Jacob was looking throughn¡¯s resume in his clinic.


    ¡°Only two years in the central hospital before you quit?¡±


    Embarrassed, Ian pressed his lips together. ¡°The superiors were worried about getting in trouble


    because I offended someone. So they fired me.¡±


    Jacob nced at the man with a light smile. ¡°You¡¯re pretty honest. Who did you offend?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ian had just started speaking when Jacob¡¯s phone rang.


    Apologizing, he went up to the second floor and answered it.


    ¡°Did you say¡­ Your Cherry hit someone at school?¡±


    Jacob¡¯s expression shifted as the man on the other end spoke.


    ¡°She hurt them badly? She bit their face?¡±


    Damien was in his wheelchair. One hand gripped the phone while the other tapped the desk¡¯s smooth


    surface. That¡¯s right.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice sounded helpless, but a trace of admiration could be heard.


    2/3


    ¡°ke was following her the whole time. She didn¡¯t get hurt much herself. But the other person called


    the police. Someone has to bail her out.¡±


    Jacob rolled his eyes. ¡°Why does it have to be me?¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 Where¡¯s My Husband?


    ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for a disabled person like myself to go.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice was indifferent. ¡°Moreover, the European side will present their annual report to me


    Annual report?


    ¦§


    Jacob¡¯s hand that was holding the cell phone trembled slightly.


    He looked down subconsciously at the calendar. Sure enough, it was that day again.


    He sighed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    It was just picking someone up. After all, other than interviewing the doctor downstairs, he didn¡¯t have


    anything else to do today.


    After hanging up, Jacob went down and spoke briefly ton. After settling on the job and sry, Jacob


    let Ian leave.


    When Jacob drove to the police station, it was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    The police officers instantly seemed moved to tears when they heard that he was there for Cherise.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shaw isn¡¯t admitting her mistakes or apologizing. She keeps making a racket!¡±


    Jacob¡¯s head immediately hurt.


    He still remembered the girl¡¯s stubbornness.


    Cherise was shut in an office at the end of a corridor.


    ¡°Dr. Caldwell?¡±


    Crouching in a corner, Cherise looked up when she heard the sound of the door opening.


    Faint and dark bloodstains were still on the woman¡¯s face, but her gaze was still


    unbelievably clear.


    She rose from the ground. ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s my husband?¡±


    She recalled giving the police Damien¡¯s number when they asked for her family¡¯s contact.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem. Your husband is currently busy!¡±


    1/3


    Jacob smiled awkwardly at her.


    Cherise¡¯s gaze was still fixed on him.


    She clearly didn¡¯t believe him.


    It made sense. Damien always seemed to be unupied before Cherise.


    No one knew that Damien had long been the boss of two rival European financial groups.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ undergoing vision correction surgery.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. She rushed forward and hugged Jacob¡¯s arm. ¡°Vision correction


    surgery?¡±


    ¡°Will my husband¡¯s eyes recover?¡±


    ¡°When will they recover?¡±


    Jacob coughed lightly and pulled her hand off him. ¡°Tell me first. Why did you fight?¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°She cursed my husband!¡±


    Jacob was dumbstruck.


    ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°She said my husband is a stupid blind man!¡±


    Jacob was once again dumbfounded.


    Isn¡¯t it true that Damien¡¯s blind?


    ¡°Of course, she also said other nastier things.¡±


    Cherise was honorable. The topic was so vile she couldn¡¯t even repeat it.


    The veins on Jacob¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°So you hit her?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°She forced me to.¡±


    If Cherise had been given another chance, she would still have rushed to hit Cressa.


    Jacob looked at the bloodstains on her face and handed her two wet wipes. ¡°Wipe your


    face.¡±


    2/3


    The man sighed and sat down on a chair next to a table. As he looked at her, he cautioned her


    patiently. ¡°I saw the woman who fought with you when I arrived. Her name is Cressa Lyes, right?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s tall and strong. Even I might not have been able to beat her. You¡¯re so small and scrawny. You


    must have been at a disadvantage, right?¡±


    ¡°Your face is even bleeding. I¡¯ll take you to get it cleanedter..


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m not hurt.¡±


    Cherise wiped the bloodstains on her face and revealed a clean, fairplexion. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Dr.


    Caldwell.¡±


    Jacob was speechless from astonishment. ¡°You¡¯re not injured¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So the blood on your face¡­

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 We Are Even


    ¡°It¡¯s blood from her nose after 1 hit her.¡±


    Jacob was rendered speechless.


    He quietly gave Cherise a thumbs-up.


    Still, Cherise refused to apologize to Cressa.


    Jacob had to persuade and plead with her before she agreed to meet Cressa with him.


    Moreover, he would be the one to apologize.


    Thus, he tugged Cherise by her sleeve and arrived at the office where Cressa was in.


    ¡°Goodness! Cressa, your face!¡± The voice of a middle-aged woman sounded dramatically from inside.


    ¡°Let me have a look. Did someone bite you? Which b*tch dare to do this to you?¡±


    Cressa cried and flung herself into the woman¡¯s embrace. ¡°Mom¡­ You must avenge me¡­¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Her father, Randall, scolded her thest time she taunted Cherise. Therefore, Cressa did tell Randall


    that she got into trouble again. Instead, she called her mother, Rhonda Candor.


    Jacob stood at the doorway. He could not help but feel apprehensive.


    Even though he dragged Cherise over to apologize, it seemed the matter could not be resolved with an


    apology.


    But the police would not release her unless they pay the bail.


    As Jacob was hesitating, Cherise pulled her arm from his hold. ¡°I¡¯ll continue kneeling


    She did not believe the police could lock her up forever, even if she refused to apologize.


    Jacob quickly grabbed her. ¡°This can be resolved with an apology. Don¡¯t you want to be with Damien


    during his surgery?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and paused.


    Jacob said Damien was having surgery to recover his vision. It was highly likely that Damien would be


    able to see again after the surgery.


    1/3


    Naturally, Cherise wanted to be the first person Damien saw when he woke up.


    Meanwhile, Cressa and Rhonda noticed noises from outside their room.


    They turned toward the door.


    Cressa put on a pitiful expression and pointed toward Cherise. ¡°Mom! That¡¯s the one!¡±


    ¡°So, you did it!¡± Rhonda rolled up her sleeve and pped Jacob¡¯s face. ¡°You called yourself a man.


    How dare you bite my daughter¡¯s face? Have you no shame?¡±


    Rhonda¡¯s p sent the whole room into silence.


    Jacob widened his eyes in shock and was too furious to speak.


    Cressa turned pale. On the other hand, Cherise frowned and stepped forward to Jacob from Rhonda.


    ¡°Madam, you hit the wrong person. It was I who bit Cressa.¡±


    shield


    At Cherise¡¯s words, Cressa pursed her lips and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s that girl who hit me.¡±


    Rhonda¡¯s hand paused in midair. She frowned upon hearing Cherise and regarded the petite woman


    before her.


    Cherise was short. She looked so small and slim that the wind could blow her away. Her eyes shone


    like crystals, and her face looked delicate, like a doll.


    Rhonda¡¯s frown deepened. She looked at her daughter.


    Cressa was tall. She was at least 170cm and weighed around 70kg.


    Rhonda¡¯s expression twisted with confusion.


    My daughter is tall and strong as a horse. How did she get beaten up so badly by this little girl?


    Jacob¡¯s face was livid. He rubbed his hurting cheek and looked at Rhonda, ¡°Mrs. Lyes, I brought


    Cherise here to apologize.¡±


    Then, he sneered and continued, ¡°Since you hit me, we¡¯re even. Cherise does not need to apologize.¡±


    Jacob turned around and grabbed Cherise to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Cressa sneered and rushed to them.


    2/3


    As she approached, Jacob finally saw the wound on Cressa¡¯s face.


    Cressa¡¯s left face bore a deep teeth mark. Cherise must have bitten so hard because bright. red blood


    was on the spot.


    3/3

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 He is the Best Husband!


    Jacob was blown away when he saw the red handprint on the right side of Cressa¡¯s face. He was


    confident that it was Cherise¡¯s handprint based on the size of the petite palm size.


    Cherise may look innocent, but she is a fighter when needed. I wish I had half the courage she had.


    ¡°Are you here to bail Cherise out?¡± Cressa¡¯s voice cut through his reverie like a hot knife. through


    butter.


    ¡°Who are you to Cherise?¡± Cressa grinned to herself as if she uncovered a shameful secret.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Cherise married to that blind guy? Why isn¡¯t he here to bail her out? The only reason I can think


    of is¡­¡± Cressa paused for effect.


    Jacob could almost feel Cressa¡¯s gaze run up and down his body.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re Cherise¡¯s toy?¡±


    Cherise, who heard the preposterous remark, clenched her fists in frustration.


    However, Jacob snickered at Cressa. ¡°You¡¯re being nonsensical, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Cressa whispered menacingly as she slowly approached Jacob and Cherise. ¡°I wondered how


    you could be so happy married to a blind man. I should¡¯ve guessed that you had a backup n. I¡¯ve


    underestimated you. What a rich life you live! The blind onevishing you with riches, and this one


    satisfies you physically.¡±


    Cherise stared daggers at the other woman.


    She was the quiet and studious type in school, and her ssmates thought she was just a country


    bumpkin with a knack for scoring good exam scores.


    She always thought that the world was harmonious and friendly.


    Her eyes were open to the cruel world now that she had encountered Cressa.


    Why does she have to insinuate that Jacob and I are together? Can¡¯t we be friends? Cherise thought


    but was quickly interrupted by a shrick.


    ¡°Ew! That¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    An older woman, who was with Cressa, scrunched her face as if she smelt something. pungent. Even


    though Rhonda did not know Cherisa well, she took her daughter¡¯s word ast


    truth.


    1/2


    ¡°You could never judge a book by its cover. Who would¡¯ve thought such an innocent- lookingdy could


    do such a despicable thing!¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes tiredly. She never thought that random strangers would jump to conclusions


    about her based on a few off-handed remarks, but she was sadly wrong.


    ¡°Correct me if I was wrong, but I believe you¡¯re Randall Lyes¡¯ wife, and the young woman here is his


    daughter?¡± Jacob enquired as he discreetly removed his phone from his pocket, secretly turning on the


    recording app.


    ¡°Hah! I guess you¡¯re not as foolish as I thought you were! Then you should know you don¡¯t want to be


    on my bad side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a dummy like Cherise here. She thought she could do whatever she liked after she married


    that blind guy. I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s a Lenoir. He¡¯s just a figurehead he doesn¡¯t even take care of his own


    family!¡±


    Cherise felt her blood boiling to his face when she heard what Cressa said about her husband, but


    thankfully, Jacob stopped her before she could rush at Cressa.


    ¡°You were calmer when she said some nasty things about you. However, you were enraged when they


    insulted Damien, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°She can say anything about me but not insult Damien ¨C he¡¯s the best husband anyone. could wish


    for!¡± Cherise grumbled as she tried to shake Jacob¡¯s grip off to storm back. toward Cressa so that she


    could give her the beating of her life.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Jacob chuckled at Cherise¡¯s indignance as he ended the recording. He quickly sent the voice recording


    to Damien.


    Damien, who had just returned from an Annual General Meeting Convention, was reclining in his chair


    in the cool darkness of his study room when his phone lit up notification.


    with a


    The phone screen illuminated his face as he tapped into the voice message that Jacob sent to him.


    ¡°He¡¯s the best husband anyone could wish for!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s clear announcement was like a breath of fresh air in his hectic life.


    2/2

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 Lucy and Jacob¡¯s Common Interest


    Damien smiled to himself, savoring his small victory. He called out to his housekeeper, ¡°Send the voice


    message to Randall. Tell him I¡¯m here to collect the debt that he owes me.¡±


    Damien sighed as he rubbed his temples.


    Cherise and Jacob did not apologize to Cressa till the end. However, the police did. nothing to them


    because they knew what had happened ¨C after all, the red welt on Jacob¡¯s face said everything.


    After he had settled all that he needed to do, Jacob and Cherise left the police station.


    As they were exiting the doors, a young woman dashed past them.


    ¡°Are you alright, Cherry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cherise smiled at Lucy before tilting her head towards Jacob, adding, ¡°he¡¯s not too well,


    though.¡±


    Lucy turned around to observe Jacob and the handprint on his face.


    ¡°Hi, I don¡¯t believe we had the opportunity to meet yet. You are¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is my husband¡¯s physician, Dr. Caldwell.¡±


    ¡°This is my close friend, Lucy. Lucy Staber.¡±


    Jacob frowned. ¡°Are you the ¡®friend¡¯ who prescribed the ¡®special medication for men¡¯ to Damien?¡±


    Lucy, initially rather jovial, suddenly felt her guard go up. ¡°Oh! Oh yes. That was me.¡±


    Jacob jingled his car keys as he turned to the car park. ¡°I guess we can say that we have something in


    Cherise turned towards the doctor, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jacob opened the car door dramatically before turning to Lucy with a devilish grin.


    ¡°Lucy and I have amon interest ¨C we¡¯re both extremely concerned with Damien¡¯s nighttime


    activities.¡±


    He then turned his attention towards Cherise while grinning to himself.


    ¡°Please tell us, how are you and Damien doing at night? Havin¡¯ fun?¡±


    1/3


    Realization dawned on Cherise, causing her to blush furiously. ¡°Hey! I¡­ That¡¯s a secret!¡±


    Observing Cherise¡¯s embarrassment, Jacob could not help butugh to himself. Where did her ferocity


    go? She was going to beat up Cressa just now, but now, she¡¯s blushing like a teenage girl thinking


    about her crush.


    Damien won the jackpot this time. Cherise would never fight back even when Cressa insulted her. and


    yet whenever anyone insinuated anything unbing about Damien, she would fight back.


    ¡°Your Excellence, your ride has arrived. We will need to transport youdies home soon.¡±


    Cherise glowered at him. ¡°I would get in, but you had to make it awkward by talking about Damien and


    me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What did I ask you about?¡±


    Cherise sighed loudly as she stared at Jacob¡¯s indignant expression.


    Lucy stepped forward between them and beckoned Cherise to get into the car. ¡°What are you afraid of,


    Cherry? You can alwaysin to your husband if he asks weird. questions like that again, right?¡±


    Jacob turned towards Lucy, surprise blooming on his face like fire in a dry forest. ¡°You¡¯re


    smart!¡±


    After Jacob dropped Lucy home, he sped towards the Lenoir Residences.


    However, Cherise caught sight of a sale disyed on an LED screen in front of a fish market and


    quickly requested Jacob to pull to the side.


    ¡°I need to buy some fish,¡± the young woman exined.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to make something for my husband.


    Cherise always thought she had a good fish recipe but never had the opportunity to cook for Damien.


    Seeing the sale on the way home was a sign for me to cook for Damien!


    However, Jacob did not pull to the side of the road.


    ¡°I would stop if you said you wanted to cook for your dinner. However, if it was for Damien, you picked


    the wrong day to cook. He would not eat dinner tonight.¡±


    2/3


    Damien skip a meal? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Trasy a special As Cheri


    The vom


    mind. She had never seen


    3/3


    ¡°Why?¡± Cherise asked, a thousand questions babbling up in her mind. She had never seen Damien


    skip a meal.


    Today¡¯s a special day, Cherise¡±


    ¡°Did you say special day?


    ¡°¡®¡±Yes, I did¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 I¡¯ll Celebrate His Birthday


    He sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything when you return home. You should finish your meal and rest


    early. He needs time alone.¡±


    Cherise was even more confused. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡±


    Cherise could tell that Jacob did not want to exin the reason.


    However, Cherise would not give up until she got the answer. She once questioned a teacher about a


    math problem until the teacher cried.


    Therefore, she tackled her curiosity with the same determined attitude as with her studies. She sat in


    the front passenger seat and asked Jacob many ¡®why¡¯ questions.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t he have dinner?¡±


    ¡°Why am I not allowed to speak?¡±


    ¡°Why is today special?¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t he eat with me on this special day? It¡¯s not like he has period.¡±


    Jacob was stumped.


    Why does she have so many questions?


    In the end, he could only sigh helplessly. Today is Damien¡¯s birthday.¡±


    Cherise was stunned briefly. ¡°It¡¯s his birthday?¡±


    She thought Jacob was mistaken. She had memorized Damien¡¯s birth date when they registered their


    marriage.


    Then, she checked the almanac at home. She was sure his lunar calendar birthday was over a month


    away.


    ¡°It¡¯s his birthday based on the Gregorian calendar.¡±


    Cherise finally understood.


    When she was in the vige, her aunt and uncle celebrated her birthday based on the lunar calendar.


    Thus, she assumed it was the same for Damien.


    1/3


    It turned out people in the city celebrated their Gregorian calendar birthdate.


    She pursed her lips and felt a little guilty. ¡°It¡¯s my husband¡¯s birthday, but I didn¡¯t a present¡­¡±


    prepare


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get him a present. He stopped celebrating his birthday when he was thirteen years


    old.¡±


    Jacob gripped the steering wheel tighter. ¡°You¡¯re going to ask me why he doesn¡¯t celebrate. his


    birthday, right?¡±


    Cherise nodded. She was nning to ask him.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll answer it.¡±


    Jacobughed softly and gazed into the distance. ¡°When Damien was thirteen years old, his sister,


    Maeve, worked overnights toplete her work overseas. She rushed home to celebrate his birthday.


    He paused before continuing, ¡°Unfortunately, a fire broke out that night.¡±


    Cherise froze.


    She had heard rumors about Damien¡¯s sister before marrying him.


    People said his sister died in a fire when he was thirteen.


    However, Cherise did not expect it to be on Damien¡¯s birthday.


    Jacob sighed. ¡°The fire was severe that night. Maeve died on the scene. Before her death, she pushed


    Damien from the third floor. He broke his legs and lost his sight.¡±


    He recalled Damien covered in ck soot when brought to the hospital. His heart. clenched at the


    thought. He could not stop tears from gathering in his eyes.


    At the time, Jacob was around fifteen to sixteen years old. He was assisting his father at the hospital.


    When he saw Damien, he almost thought Damien had died.


    Many people doubted Damien would survive. Yet, Damien fought on. He regained. consciousness and


    calmly decided on his future while still bedridden.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    His birthday is also his sister¡¯s death anniversary. Damien must be sad.


    Cherise closed her eyes and frowned. She considered something for a long time.


    2/3


    Then, she suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Jacob with determination. ¡°Bring me to a cake


    shop. I¡¯ll help him celebrate his birthday.¡±


    Jacob shook his head. ¡°He won¡¯t celebrate his birthday.¡±


    ¡°But his sister would want him to be happy on his birthday.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s hands froze on the steering wheel.


    He nced into the rearview mirror and saw Cherise¡¯s innocent eyes.


    3/3

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 Cake From Little Swan


    He pressed his lips together and turned the car back. ¡°I know a patisserie.¡±


    The car made a few turns and eventually stopped at an alley in the older parts of the city.


    Jacob pointed at an old sign saying ¡®Little Swan Patisserie. ¡°Go on. His sister used to buy him cakes


    from here.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Cherise nodded, slung her back over her shoulders, and dashed toward the shop.


    Leaning back in his seat, Jacob wound the window down and lit a cigarette.


    Through the smoke, he saw the white-shirt girl push open the old shop door.


    It was as though she was opening Damien¡¯s long-closed heart.


    A smile of relief appeared on his face.


    The butler¡¯s right. Cherise is truly a cure for Damien.


    The girl¡¯s naivety and kindness almost seemed to belong in a fairy tale.


    It had been thirteen years since Maeve passed on.


    Damien had never celebrated his birthday within those thirteen years. Everyone else had the same


    mind that his birthday was a depressing and sorrowful event.


    Cherise was the only one who thought that if Maeve were still alive, she would want. Damien to have a


    joyful birthday.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Jacob was smoking his third cigarette when Cherise came back with the cake.


    She held it carefully in her arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The man nced at the item in her arms through the corner of his eye. ¡°Why did it take so long?¡±


    Wiping away the sweat on her forehead, she smiled and avoided his eyes. ¡°The shop. owner said they


    didn¡¯t have any ready to go and baked one immediately. That took a little. time.¡±


    Jacob was doubtful, but he did not pry further. He drove back to the manor.


    1/3


    ¡°Are you noting to celebrate together?¡±


    Cherise tilted her head and looked at Jacob. He stayed in the driver¡¯s seat, not intending to get down.


    ¡°No, no.¡±


    He waved his hand. ¡°I have something to do at the clinic. I¡¯ll


    He turned the car around and quickly drove off.


    If the birthday celebration failed and that guy began questioning¡­


    He will send people to take my clinic apart!


    Jacob did not want to get involved in such a risk.


    go now!¡±


    Cradling the cake in her arms, Cherise watched Jacob¡¯s car disappear and pursed her lips. ¡°Is it that


    urgent at the clinic¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath and turned around. She trod carefully with the cake in her arms, worried that


    taking bigger steps would ruin it.


    It was deadly silent in the manor.


    Before this, Frances and the butler would greet her warmly whenever she came home. The house


    would be lively when she was back.


    Yet today, Frances only gave a light smile before leaving to do her work.


    When the butler saw her, he furrowed his brows at the thing in her hands. Resigned, he shook his head


    and left.


    The entire house was surrounded by dreary air.


    Cherise felt ufortable in the atmosphere.


    Bringing the cake upstairs, she asked a servant and found out that Damien was in his study.


    She ced her bag down and washed her face. She nned to meet him but noticed her reflection in


    the mirror.


    A white T-shirt and faded jeans. Is this too casual?


    Then again, her husband was blind. There was no point in wearing nicer clothes if he


    2/3


    could not see it.


    But should she celebrate his birthday inly just because he could not see?


    She stared at her reflection for a long time.


    In the end, she put on her slippers and ran down the stairs. ¡°Butler, Frances, I need help!¡±


    your

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 The Birthday Boy


    At eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    The servants had dispersed inside the vi as per Cherise¡¯s request, leaving behind only a few


    bodyguards.


    Dressed in a whitece princess dress, Cherise drew a deep breath before knocking gently on


    Damien¡¯s study door.


    The room was cloaked in darkness, with moonlight seeping through the windows, creating a subtly


    chilly ambiance.


    In the study, Damien was stretched out in his wheelchair. His eyes were covered with ck silk, making


    it impossible for Cherise to determine whether he was awake or asleep. She gently turned on the lights


    and approached, calling out, ¡°Hey, hubby?¡±


    The man furrowed slightly.


    Damien had spent the entire afternoon poring over reports from five European consortia, and his


    weariness had finally caught up with him as he drifted off in his wheelchair.


    Thirteen years ago, on this very day, his sister, whom he dearly loved, had tragically perished in a fiery


    ze.


    This heartbreaking incidentpelled him to push himself to the limits, endure humiliation, and carry


    weighty responsibilities.


    That was why when he founded those consortia andpanies, he established the rule that he must


    conduct an annual year-end review on this particr day.


    It served as a constant reminder to himself. To never ck off, pause, and forget the bitterness he once


    harbored.


    And, this year had brought frequent good news from Europe, drawing him closer to his goal.


    ¡°Hey?¡± Cherise¡¯s delicate voice broke the silence.


    Damien opened his eyes.


    He saw a dainty woman before him, dressed in a white princess dress. Her fair, almost ethereal skin


    glowed under the softmplight. A hint of surprise shed in Damien¡¯s eyes beneath the ck silk


    blindfold.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think Cherise looked beautiful in the whimsical princess dresses,


    1/3


    adding an innocent and elegant touch to her demure. Unless you knew, you¡¯d never guess she was


    initially a girl from the countryside.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± Cherise asked, noticing his movement.


    She smiled and continued, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner. Should I wheel you downstairs?¡±


    Damien nodded faintly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cherise could tell he was not in a good mood from his indifferent tone.


    Unsurprisingly, when she returned in the afternoon, the servants were all moving around. on tiptoe,


    behaving like skittish kittens.


    Cherise took a deep breath and guided him out of the study and down the stairs.


    Downstairs, the dining room remained dark, but the table was adorned with several candles and red


    wine and steak ¨C the quintessential candlelit dinner.


    Cherise¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had asked Frances and Mr. Hurrell for some favors in preparing for


    Damien¡¯s birthday celebration.


    Had they gone through all this trouble for her? This was her first experience of a candlelit dinner like


    that. Before this, she had only seen it on television. She didn¡¯t even know how to cut a steak properly.


    Taking in everything on the table, Damien narrowed his eyes slightly and inquired in a chilly tone,


    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯re having¡­ Steak and a birthday cake,¡± Cherise said almost inaudibly as she wheeled him closer


    to the dining table.


    Damien¡¯s voice grew even colder. ¡°Birthday cake?¡±


    ¡°Did Jacob tell you?¡± Cherise nervously bit her lip.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Did he also tell you I don¡¯t celebrate my birthday?¡±


    The dining room remained dimly lit, with only the flickering light of the candles. Cherise instinctively


    clutched thece hem of her dress, her voice timid yet steadfast.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve never celebrated your birthday before.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    2/3


    She drew a deep breath, directed her gaze at Damien, and conjured up a warm smile. ¡°But now, you


    have me.¡±


    Her eyes glistened in the candlelight as she fixed her eyes on him, her sincerity and enthusiasm


    shining through, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll make it a tradition to celebrate your birthday every year, marking


    another milestone in your life.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 Make a Wish


    Damien¡¯s gloom could not help but fade as he looked at her happy smile.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Furthermore, her words were like aforting nket shrouding his heart.


    Damien¡¯s eyes were fiery beneath the ck ribbon. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to celebrate my birthday.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem. I want to celebrate it for you. It¡¯s my choice.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and carefully brought the box of cake to him, opening it before


    him.


    Damien narrowed his eyes.


    He was shocked. It was not only because she got the cake from the same shop his sister did. It was


    also because of the words written on it.


    It was evident that the writer was not used to writing with icing.


    The handwriting was nted and wobbly. It looked like the handwriting of a child learning to write.


    Moreover, the words were not birthday wishes.


    Instead, what was written was a vow. I¡¯ll protect Damien all my life!


    The signature was Cherise¡¯s.


    Damien imagined Cherise standing before the cake. He could see her earnest expression as she wrote


    one stroke after another.


    His eyes flickered with conflicting emotions.


    Cherise only knew him to be blind.


    Yet, she arranged a candlelit dinner and wore her most beautiful dress. She even wrote her vow on the


    birthday cake.


    He was sure she wrote those words not for him but for herself.


    It was a vow and a promise.


    ¡°Dear, time to blow the candle!¡±


    1/3


    When Damien was in a daze, Cherise had ced a candle with the word ¡¯26¡¯ on the cake.


    She carefully lit the candle and said, ¡°You can make a wish before you blow the candle.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice remained indifferent. ¡°What does the cake look like?¡±


    Cherise nced at the messy handwriting on the cake. She coughed softly and lied, ¡°It¡­ looks like the


    cake you had previously. I asked the owner to make the cake you liked before!¡±


    Damien squinted his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s written on it?!


    ¡°It¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s written on it?¡±


    It


    Cherise¡¯s face had turned red. She turned away. Her breathing quickened. ¡°It says ¡°happy birthday.


    What else can it be?¡±


    Initially, she wanted to write happy birthday.


    But the cake shop owner said if the cake was for someone important to her, she should write what she


    most wanted to tell the person.


    It was because ¡°happy birthday¡¯ was something anyone could


    say.


    Cherise had thought for a long time and felt what Damien needed was not her birthday. wish.


    Instead, he required her promise.


    Thus, she decided to write those words on the cake.


    It doesn¡¯t feel quite right¡­.


    Thankfully, only I can see it. It¡¯s not so awkward!


    With that thought, she smiled and guided Damien to blow the candle. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    Seeing that he was about to blow the candle, she reminded him, ¡°Remember to make wish!¡±


    your


    Previously, she had always patiently reminded her grandmother during her birthdays.


    Damien, who had been pursing his lips all the while, finally began to smile.


    2/3


    He blew the candle.


    Cherise removed the candle from the cake and cut a slice for him. ¡°What did for?¡±


    Damien stared at her without blinking. ¡°I suppose I made a wish.¡±


    you

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 She Put Herself in His Shoes


    As there was a ck sash over his eyes, Cherise had no idea he was looking at her.


    She stood with her back facing him and cut the cake.


    ¡°I wished for you to turn smart, Damien said tly..


    Cherise paused immediately.


    She pursed her lips. Still, she brought a mouthful of cake to him. ¡°You¡¯ve revealed your wish. It won¡¯t


    Damien smiled and ate the cake. ¡°You¡¯ll have to continue being dumb then.


    She¡¯s pretty cute when she¡¯s dumb.


    Cherise nced at him indignantly. I¡¯m not dumb.¡±


    Damien ate the cake calmly. He suddenly recalled his sister standing before him with a smile.


    ¡°Damien, you¡¯re thirteen years old. Why do you want me to feed you? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡±


    He was already a teenager by then, yet he insisted stubbornly, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Feed me the cake. You¡¯re


    my sister. You have to take care of me forever!¡±


    Maeve, who was around twenty, could only shake her head in resignation. ¡°All right, open your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Damien, open your mouth.¡±


    Cherise reminded Damien when she saw him in a daze.


    Damien returned to his senses.


    He could almost see Maeve standing in Cherise¡¯s spot. His heart clenched painfully.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    He closed his eyes. His tone was harsh.


    Cherise pursed her lips, unable to understand his sudden mood change. She also stopped feeding him


    the cake.


    1/3


    She finished the remaining cake on the te and said, ¡°No more cake then. Let¡¯s have dinner!¡±


    Cherise thought of returning to her seat. However, she suddenly looked at him as if she realized


    something. ¡°Erm, should I cut the steak for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien could not conjure any enthusiasm about dinner. Still, he did not want to disappoint Cherise. He


    added, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself¡±


    Cherise was relieved and returned to her seat.


    Damien kept to his word.


    He sat in his wheelchair and deftly cut the steak with his fork and knife. Then, he brought a small slice


    to his mouth and ate it.


    He must have practiced for a long time to do this without sight¡­


    Cherise thought about it ruefully. She was suddenly curious to experience the difficulty of cutting a


    steak in his condition.


    Therefore, she grabbed the cutleries and closed her eyes. She reached for the te.


    ¡®ng!¡¯


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    The fork in her left hand did not touch the steak. At the same time, she moved the knife in her right


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    hand too quickly. The te flipped, and the steak flew off the te. Furthermore, she identally cut


    her left index finger in her panic.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The intense pain forced Cherise to open her eyes.


    She looked at her bleeding finger and wanted to cry. Why am I so unlucky? I cut my hand instead of the


    steak.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    A masculine hand immediately grabbed her left hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She tried to stay strong, but his voice broke down her resolve.


    2/3


    Tears welled


    up


    in her eyes. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Seeing her forlorn expression, Damien immediately carried her and ced her on the


    couch.


    He swiftly turned on the light and brought a first aid kit to her.


    Cherise looked at Damien nkly.


    Isn¡¯t he blind?


    Why would a blind man need to turn on the light?


    Also, why would he know where the switch is?


    How¡­ did he walk so fast and find the first aid kit so quickly?


    Damien had already returned to her side as she was in a daze.


    He


    got down on one knee and held her bleeding hand. Then, he used a cotton bud to wipe. the bloodstain.


    At the same time, he scolded, ¡°How did you cut your hand?¡±


    Didn¡¯t she used to cook frequently?

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Do You Like How I Look


    I¡¯ve never seen her make this kind of mistake.


    Cherise pursed her lips and answered awkwardly, ¡°I closed my eyes just now¡­¡±


    Damien paused in astonishment. ¡°Why did you close your eyes?¡±


    Cherise began to blush. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw how well you cut the steak, and I wanted to understand what it¡¯s like to do it without sight.¡±


    After saying that, she was so embarrassed that she wished the floor would swallow her.


    No wonder Damien called me dumb. What I did¡­ was quite stupid.


    She thought Damien wouldugh at how silly she was.


    However, she did not hear anyughter.


    Instead, Damien gently caressed her hair. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand how I feel. You only have to take care of yourself.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at him earnestly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t matter. I want to take care of you.¡±


    Her voice and gaze were full of determination and stubbornness.


    Damien chuckled and began to bandage her wound. ¡°You must make sure you¡¯re safe and healthy


    before you can take care of me.¡±


    Cherise considered and nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    She seemed so docile that she reminded him of a little girl.


    He smiled and focused on bandaging her wound.


    Cherise sat on the couch and observed him.


    He dressed her wound with practiced hands and could urately find where her injury


    was.


    1/3


    Cherise bit her lip and hesitated before saying, ¡°Dear.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ can see, right?¡±


    Silence fell between them.


    Damien was stumped briefly. Then, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I can see.


    now.¡±


    There was a barely perceptible hint of nervousness in his voice. ¡°Perhaps I was too anxious. I recover


    my sight briefly when I get too nervous.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes. She never knew this could happen.


    Then, she recalled what Jacob had said at the police station.


    He said Damien had surgery and could regain his sight.


    Does this mean the surgery works?


    No matter the reason, he can see now. I¡¯m so d!


    Cherise removed her hand from his hold and urgently held his face. ¡°Dear, can you see


    me?¡±


    Her eyes glimmered like crystals under the light. They were full of anticipation and excitement.


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yes, I can.¡±


    Then, Cherise blushed and stammered. ¡°Do¡­ you like how I look?¡±


    Isn¡¯t this his first time seeing me?


    I¡¯m so d that I dressed up to celebrate his birthday.


    Otherwise, he would be disappointed if he saw how dull I look without makeup.


    Damien chuckled and gently pinched her soft cheek. ¡°I like it.¡±


    In the next second, Cherise excitedly flung herself into Damien¡¯s embrace. ¡°Dear, I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    Since he regains his sight temporarily, it proves he has a chance to recover fully.


    2/3


    Then, he will be able to see Tristan¡¯s true colors. He¡¯ll never fall for his lies again!


    Cherise¡¯s excitement grew as she thought about it. Her heart thumped rapidly.


    Damien let her embrace him.


    Her warmth gradually enveloped his stone-cold heart.


    After a while, he let her go. ¡°Do you still want some steak?¡±


    Damien remembered she did not eat anything besides the small slice of cake he had not finished.


    Cherise blushed. ¡°I¡¯ll eat a little.¡±


    She was hungry.


    Damien stood up and went to the dining table. He brought the steak he finished slicing.


    Before Cherise could take the te, Damien took a fork and brought a bite of steak to her. mouth.


    ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Cherise was too stunned to speak. Is he¡­ feeding me?


    3/3? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 You Must Have Big Dreams.


    ¡°I¡­ I can do it myself.¡±


    But he repeated bossily, ¡°Open your mouth.¡±,


    She opened her mouth obediently.


    He fed her one piece after another.


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed.


    After finishing the steak, she boldly removed the ck silk covering his eyes while he wasn¡¯t paying


    attention.


    Perhaps it was subconscious, but Cherise felt his eyes were exceptionally bright and good- looking


    tonight.


    Damien wasn¡¯t angry that she had taken off his blindfold either. He stroked her earlobe. ¡°Are you full?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    After that, Cherise¡¯s body was lifted.


    He carried her from the side with a warm and gentle embrace. Cherisey in his arms. indolently, and


    the corners of her lips lifted with a happy smile.


    She was already drowsy when he ced her on the bed.


    But she still forcefully perked up to look at him. ¡°Darling, your legs¡­ Are they getting better after some


    exercise?¡±


    The man undid the buttons of her evening gown with a faint smile. ¡°When have I said that something is


    wrong with my legs?¡±


    Cherise was startled. She thought about it carefully. No one had ever said something was wrong with


    his legs.


    She saw that he was in a wheelchair, so¡­.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Her sleepiness instantly vanished.


    The delicate woman crawled up from bed and leaped on Damien. Her hands embraced his neck.


    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s great that your legs are fine!¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Pili!¡±


    Lucy spat a mouthful of coffee out.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Damien can see you when he¡¯s anxious?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    Cherise had an honest expression. ¡°I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°You must be muddled from your rage at Cressa and mixed up your dream with real life.¡±


    Lucy waved her hands. ¡°Damien has been blind for over a decade. If Damien showed symptoms where


    he can see when he¡¯s anxious, he would have long been cured!¡±


    ¡°Also, who would be in a wheelchair for over a decade when their legs are fine?¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    Cherise lowered her head slightly disappointedly.


    When she recalledst night¡¯s matters, they were hazy to her. She didn¡¯t dare to confirm whether they


    were real.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t think about it anymore.¡±


    Lucy waved her hands when she saw Cherise feeling gloomy. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something. happier.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Cressa isn¡¯t at school today.¡±


    Lucy picked up her coffee and sipped it gently. ¡°Last night, Cressa¡¯s dad reportedly transferred Lyes


    Enterprise¡¯s stocks overnight to someone named Shaw and then announced bankruptcy.¡±


    ¡°Everyone suspects he has a mistress outside. His wife, who has been through misfortune with him,


    has to stay with him through more hardships after he transferred his assets to his mistress!¡±


    As Lucy spoke, she blinked at Cherise. ¡°Tell me, you¡¯re also a Shaw. Could Cressa¡¯s dad have


    transferred hispany to you?¡±


    2/3


    Cherise almost spat her coffee out. ¡°How can that be?!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°What if Cressa¡¯s dad gave you thepany as a polite apology?¡±


    Cheriseughed and doubled over on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh, Lucy.¡±


    ¡°Although I would feel great if it¡¯s true, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    No matter what, Cressa¡¯s family often appeared on television and owned argepany. How could


    her family be in disarray because Cherise fought with Cressa?


    Lucy naturally knew it was impossible, but she still pursed her lips. ¡°You must have big dreams: What if


    theye true?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89 Hello, Ms Shaw


    Cherise smiled. She took a thick stack of lecture notes from her bag and started revising. ¡°I don¡¯t have


    such ambitious dreams now. I only want to score well in today¡¯s advanced mathematics midterms.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Lucy put down her coffee


    cup.


    She had forgotten that there was a mathematics midterm today!


    *Cherry, lend me your notes. I want to make a cheat sheet.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes and pushed away Lucy¡¯s restless hands. ¡°No way!¡±


    After that, she took out the advanced mathematics textbook. ¡°Let me show you some questions that


    may be in the test¡­


    The advanced mathematics test was held as scheduled at two in the afternoon.


    Cherise sat at a seat in the front row and calmly picked up her test paper before she started answering


    the questions.


    She had always gotten near full marks in all her subjects. Therefore, her lecturers didn¡¯t need to pay


    her any attention during tests. They only needed to keep an eye on students who wanted to look at her


    answers.


    An hour into the test, a series of rhythmic footsteps rang in the corridor outside.


    Cherise, who was verifying her calctions, furrowed her brows from the noise.


    Ultimately, she just stood up and handed her test paper in.


    She picked up her yellow bag with ducks. Lucy, who was in the corner of the exam hall, looked at her


    worriedly.


    Cherise gestured at Lucy to cheer her on before turning to leave.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw!¡±


    Loud and clear male voices instantly rang in unison as soon as Cherise left the hall.


    Two rows of men were standing on both sides of the corridor. They were of the same


    1/3


    height and build and wore identical ck uniforms.


    ¡°Thud¡¯


    The yellow duck bag in Cherise¡¯s hands fell in her surprise. The stationery in her bags. spilled out onto


    the ground.


    When the men in ck saw it, they swarmed forward like bees and swiftly picked up Cherise¡¯s fallen


    belongings. They even picked up the scrap paper on which she had done. her calctions and


    returned it to her in one piece.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    They put the intact yellow duck bag back in Cherise¡¯s hands.


    The head of the men in ck coughed lightly. ¡°One, two, three!¡±


    The men in ck started pping. ¡°Congrattions on finishing the test, Ms. Shaw!¡±


    ¡°We hope youe out on top, Ms. Shaw!¡±


    The men¡¯s voices caused a stir in the entire corridor and exam hall as they rang in unison.


    Students in the exam hall stretched their necks in session to look outside.


    The invigtor opened the door furiously. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Cherise Shaw?!¡±


    Cherise turned with a grieved expression. ¡°Sir.. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either¡­¡±


    What on earth was going on?


    The head of the men in ck walked up beamingly. ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw. I¡¯m Bernard Cones, the assistant


    to Shaw Group¡¯s president. This means I¡¯m your assistant.¡±


    ¡°These are employees of Shaw Group. They¡¯re your subordinates from now on. Today is the first day of


    your job, so we came to pick you up to inspect the office!¡±


    Cherise was dazed.


    Shaw Group?


    Ms. Shaw?


    Inspect?


    ¡°Are you sure¡­ you have the right person?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±


    2/3


    Bernard smiled and took out Cherise¡¯s personal details from a briefcase. ¡°Take a look. This is your


    picture, right?¡±


    ¡°Your name is Cherise Shaw, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re neen years old, right?¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted.


    It was her personal details.


    But she wasn¡¯t a president!


    Behind her, the invigtor was still ring at her.


    Cherise could only force herself to look at Bernard and the men in ck behind him. ¡°You say that I¡¯m


    the president, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.


    ¡°Will you obey me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Cherise massaged the bridge of her nose, which was hurting. ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡±


    Thus, the men in ck lined up in an orderly manner again as they followed Cherise and Bernard.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 Isn¡¯t It Good to Be a President?


    Cherise attracted the attention of many as she led arge group of people around campus.


    She looked like a leader who was about to conduct an investigation.


    Cherise summoned her courage and led them to the garden behind the


    campus.


    She breathed a sigh of relief when she confirmed no one else was around. She found a stone and sat


    down.


    The row of tall, strong men in ck in front of her blocked the sunlight.


    Cherise turned to nce at Bernard. ¡°Can you tell them to crouch down?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Bernardmanded the retired, well-trained special force soldiers, and they crouched down before


    Cherise obediently as though they were in the army.


    The sunlight shone on her again..


    Cherise took a deep breath before turning to nce at Bernard. ¡°Exin to me clearly. What do you


    mean by Shaw Group? Why are you saying that I¡¯m the president?¡±


    Bernard coughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s like this, Ms. Shaw. Last night, our previous boss changed. the name of


    Lyes Enterprise to Shaw Group. He also transferred all the stocks under hist name and eighty percent


    of his assets to your name¡­¡±


    Cherise stood frozen on the spot as though lightning had struck her. ¡°What¡­ What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Lyes Enterprise?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bernard grinned. ¡°Randall Lyes, the one who drove you homest time. It¡¯s the under his name.¡±


    Cherise was stupefied.


    Lucy had bbered nonsense, but she was right?!


    Randall had really transferred thepany to Cherise?


    Cherise was astonished and couldn¡¯t say anything for a long time.


    1/3


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    She took out her cell phone and searched for the various theories online about Randall transferring his


    assets to his mistress. She showed it to Bernard. ¡°Am I¡­ this mistress?¡±


    Bernard was surprised. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No, no. You¡¯re not!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not his mistress. You¡¯re openly taking what belongs to you. Others have no right to say


    anything!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s head started to hurt. ¡°But the news online says¡­¡±


    Bernard nodded and took out his cell phone. ¡°Hello, public rtions department? Pay Twitter off


    immediately and scrub the site clean of tweets cursing our boss. cklist whoever as necessary and


    arrest those who started the rumors!¡±


    Cherise was floored.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She felt like her head was hurting more.


    ¡°Can you contact Randall? I want to meet him.¡±


    Bernard picked up his cell phone again. ¡°Seal off the airport. Don¡¯t let Randall leave Adania. Bring him


    back. Ms. Shaw has something to say to him!¡±


    Cherise felt exasperated.


    She ran to a corner of the garden while holding her cell phone. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡±


    The girly on arge stone and called Damien helplessly.


    When Damien¡¯s cell phone rang, he was leaning back in his chair in the study room, looking at the


    pictures that ke had sent him.


    In the picture, the small woman was worried as she crouched before well-trained special force soldiers.


    The scene was soical that it made himugh aloud.


    He answered the call. ¡°Cherry.¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice on the phone was slightly teary. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s frightening!¡±


    ¡°I inexplicably became the president of somepany. Save me!¡±


    2/3


    Damien burst outughing. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be a president? Many people dream of it.¡±


    Cherise looked up at the dense mass of bodyguards at a distance and Bernard standing. nearby,


    smiling faintly at her. ¡°No!¡±


    Damien felt yful and held his cell phone as he lifted his hands to look at the document. Randall had


    sent him on theputer. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°You can do and buy what you want.¡±


    Cherise was about to cry. ¡°But none of this belongs to me!¡±


    She was just a girl from the countryside. She couldn¡¯t handle being in an honorable. position like a


    <ppany¡¯s president!

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 My Husband Is Always the Best


    The girl breathed in. ¡°Darling, right now, I feel like I¡¯ve just been hit in the head by five million. I don¡¯t


    dare move or spend any of it. I¡¯m also slightly fearful¡­¡±


    Damienughed lightly. ¡°Lyes Enterprise is worth more than five million.¡±


    ¡°The stocks Randall transferred to you are worth around five hundred million.¡±


    ¡®Bang!¡¯ Cherise dropped her cell phone in astonishment.


    After a long time, she picked up her cell phone. ¡°I told Bernard to look for Randall. Can I give it back to


    him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien smiled lightly. ¡°Asset transfer takes one month toe into effect. In this month, the assets


    can only belong to you.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°What if I transfer it back to him in a month?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°Why?¡±


    The man leaning in the chair shifted into afortable position. ¡°Because he won¡¯t want


    it.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°So what should I do¡­¡±


    Damien smiled faintly as he looked at the financial statement of the newly renamed Shaw Group. His


    lips curved indifferently. ¡°You can only be the president.¡±


    ¡°This corporation has over one hundred thousand employees, and Randall refuses to work. If you don¡¯t


    want to take the position, these people will be left jobless.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Cherise instantly felt a weight on her shoulders,


    But she didn¡¯t have a clue what to do!


    She was a cardiology student!


    1/3


    She didn¡¯t aspire to be a president. She wanted to be a doctor!


    Damien guessed Cherise¡¯s thoughts andughed lightly. He stopped teasing her. ¡°I¡¯ve listened to the


    butler read the newspapers for over a decade. Perhaps I can help you.¡±


    It was like Cherise had found her knight in shining armor. ¡°Alright! You must help me, darling!¡±


    ¡°Help me manage thepany. I¡¯ll advise Randall to recall his decisions. We can do it!¡±


    Damienughed. It was hard to hide the indulgent tone in his voice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that a blind


    man like me will mess this up?¡±


    Cherise shook her head earnestly. ¡°No. My husband is always the best!¡±


    Even if he messed things up¡­ He would be better than me since I¡¯m clueless, right?


    The corner of Damien¡¯s lips lifted as sheplimented him. ¡°Alright. On the surface, you¡¯ll be Shaw


    Group¡¯s president, and I¡¯ll support you.¡±


    ¡°Okay! It¡¯s a deal!¡±


    When he said that, the burden in Cherise¡¯s heart finally lifted.


    But¡­


    She looked back at Bernard far away, who was still smiling at her faintly. ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    ¡°Follow them back to inspect the office.¡±


    escape


    On the other end of the call, Damien¡¯s voice was indifferent. ¡°In any case, you can¡¯t being the


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed as she thought about it. He¡¯s right.


    It was an opportunity others didn¡¯t have, even if they desired it. Why don¡¯t I bring Lucy with me and


    have fun?


    ¡°Cherry!¡±


    Cherise had just ended the call when Lucy rushed out from the lecture building and ran


    over.


    She panted as she stopped before Cherise. She wiped her sweat and nced at the dense.


    2/3


    mass of beaver de body if for the my ck


    mass of bodyguards. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been able to find you if not for this army in ck. Why are you


    here?¡±


    Cherise had a bitter expression. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a scene.¡±


    She breathed in and told Lucy about how Randall had transferred his stocks to her.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Lucy rocked back and forth withughter. ¡°I really guessed it correctly?¡±


    ¡°Cherry, how powerful is your blind husband?¡±


    ¡°After Cressa swore at youst time, her father personally came in a lengthened Lincoln to drive you


    home.¡±


    ¡°Cressa fought with you yesterday, and her dad gave thepany to you in fright?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 Earn Your Own Keep


    Cherise and Lucy walked ahead while Bernard led the rest of the men behind them.


    The gazes of other students on the way made Cherise ufortable.


    She ttened her lips as she held Lucy¡¯s hand. I can¡¯t return the money and thepany to Cressa¡¯s


    dad within a month¡­¡±


    T


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°So I must still be the nominal president of Shaw Group for the next month.¡±


    Lucy doubled over fromughter. ¡°I never imagined that I would one day be the friend of a president


    whose total assets are worth five hundred million!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at Lucy.


    Randall¡¯s lengthened Lincoln, which he had picked Cherise up with thest time, was parked at the


    school entrance.


    Bernard opened the car door, and Cherise didn¡¯t argue with him. She pulled Lucy and entered the


    vehicle.


    Lucy nced out the window. ¡°Where are we going now?¡±


    Cherise massaged the bridge of her nose. Her head hurt slightly. ¡°ording to my husband¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to inspect the office as the president and have fun.¡±


    Lucy was startled. After that, she pulled Cherise¡¯s arm with a smile. ¡°I¡¯lle with you!¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I want you toe with me.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t cope alone.


    Therefore, Cherise spent the afternoon amid greetings from Shaw Group employees.


    At every department, she heard groups of people cry deafeningly, ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw!¡±


    Cherise felt she was about to go deaf at the end of the afternoon.


    But Lucy was in high spirits.


    She kept taking selfies and posting them on Twitter. ¡®How does it feel to have a best friend. who¡¯s a


    president? Like this!¡±


    1/3


    Cherise leaned back weakly in a genuine leather chair as she watched Lucy having fun. ¡°Bernard paid


    Twitter off today. Tweet less about me. Otherwise, you might get


    cklisted.¡±


    After that, Lucy stared at her cell phone in astonishment. ¡°My ount is gone!¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    Should Imend Bernard for working so efficiently?


    She finally returned to Lenoir Manor as the sun set.


    As she exited the lengthened Lincoln, Cherise only had one thought in her heart. I want to sleep!


    The girl took a few giddy steps when her cell phone rang.


    She answered it without ncing at the screen. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    Eriana¡¯s greedy voice rang on the phone. ¡°Your cousin was bored, so he was reading the news in the


    hospital room today. He said he saw you on the news?¡±


    The middle-aged woman¡¯s voice harbored malicious intent. It made Cherise perk up instantly.


    She pursed her lips, and her voice was icy. ¡°He must have been mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Heh. He wasn¡¯t.¡±


    On the other end, Erianaughed coldly. ¡°How different it is when you¡¯re the mistress of a rich man.


    You acquired apany worth five hundred million so easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a president now. Since thepany is Shaw Group, tell me, shouldn¡¯t you give me some


    shares?¡±


    ¡°Remember that you wouldn¡¯t have survived until now without the Shaw family.¡±


    Cherise silently gripped her cell phone.


    It wasn¡¯t true that those from the countryside were simple.


    Although Eriana was just a farmer, she knew to ask Cherise for shares rather than at this time.


    money


    2/3


    Cherise took a deep breath and pursed her lips. ¡°Aunt Eriana, I was never anybody¡¯s mistress. The


    money and shares aren¡¯t mine. I¡¯m just temporarily safekeeping them for


    someone.¡±


    ¡°If you need money, please earn your own keep!¡±


    After that, she hung up.


    But Eriana still called her relentlessly.


    She was annoyed by the noise, so she turned off her cell phone.


    The girl was tired after the long day. Sheposed herself and opened the vi¡¯s doors.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Mr. Hampson!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 A Hidden Identity


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Frances!¡±


    The girl greeted all the servants in the vi energetically, as usual.


    When she looked at Mr. Hampson, he blinked at her and smiled. ¡°Wee home, Ms. Shaw.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    Her face paled, and she pursed her lips in exasperation at Mr. Hampson. ¡°Being president isn¡¯t fun at


    all!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t even remember all the disorganized departments in thepany, let alone manage it.


    Remembering these things was more challenging than attending sses.


    Mr. Hampson continued smiling. ¡°You¡¯re a president at neen years old. Others can¡¯t even dream of


    such a thing, but you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t acquire it with my own efforts.¡±


    She felt like she was dreaming.


    She didn¡¯t know how Cressa¡¯s dad had been provoked to make such a decision.


    Was it possible he feared the consequences of Damien¡¯s power because she had fought. with Cressa?


    But it didn¡¯t make sense. Those who knew anything about Damien knew he didn¡¯t have. much


    presence in the Lenoir family. Even Cressa understood this fact. Why was Cressa¡¯s dad so frightened?


    Could Damien have any hidden advantages she didn¡¯t know about?


    When Cherise thought of it, she quickly went to Mr. Hampson¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Hampson, tell me. Did my


    husband have anything to do with Cressa¡¯s dad giving me thepany?¡±


    Mr. Hampson smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course he did.¡±


    If not for Damien speaking up, how would Randall have been willing to give up thepany he had


    painstakingly built up?


    He had transferred eighty percent of his assets to Cherise, and the remaining twenty


    1/3


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    percent was enough for his family to open a small business and live the rest of their lives!


    After all, Randall was just an undiscovered talent back then who had worked as a marketing manager.


    If not for Damien, Randall wouldn¡¯t have been able to make twenty percent of his wealth in his life.


    Of course, only Damien¡¯s trusted aides knew about the stories behind the scenes.


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at Mr. Hampson cautiously as she said, ¡°Does my husband have


    another identity?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was momentarily startled. ¡°Another identity?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise was serious. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why Cressa¡¯s dad was willing to transfer hispany and


    money to me. My husband¡¯s public identity doesn¡¯t warrant such drastic action.¡±


    ¡°Therefore.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes were bright. ¡°Does my husband have a hidden identity?¡±


    Mr. Hampson froze slightly.


    Mr. Lenoir always said Mrs. Lenoir was foolish, but before him was a Mrs. Lenoir who was reasonable


    and made educated guesses. She wasn¡¯t dumb at all!


    Upon seeing Mr. Hampson hesitate, Cherise¡¯s eyes grew brighter.


    She looked at him expectantly, ¡°Tell me, Mr. Hampson.¡±


    Mr. Hampson¡¯s face flushed under her innocent and adorable gaze. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Mr. Lenoir is waiting


    for you in the study room.¡±


    But Cherise was persistent. ¡°Mr. Hampson, you must know. Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°What do you want him to tell you?¡±


    As Cherise continued to bother Mr. Hampson, a man¡¯s indifferent and low voice rang at the entrance of


    the first-floor elevator.


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked away from Mr. Hampson. She turned and smiled at Damien.


    ¡°Darling!¡±


    A bright smile hung from the girl¡¯s pretty face. She revealed two shallow dimples.


    2/3


    Damien¡¯s gaze started to soften through theyer of ck silk.


    He waved at her. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Cherise ran over obediently. She pushed his wheelchair to the dining room and asked cautiously.


    ¡°Honey, do you understand the photos of the structure of thepany¡¯s departments that I sent you


    this afternoon?¡±

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94 Spend A Night with Me.


    ¡°Also, they want me to go for an early meeting tomorrow morning. Do you know how to run a meeting?¡±


    Her earnest appearance corresponded with her hardworking and studious persona.


    Damien answered each question patiently. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of the meeting tomorrow morning. I can


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Cherise turned his face excitedly and kissed his cheek. ¡°If you¡¯re with me, darling, I¡¯m not afraid of


    anything!¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she was willing to trust him even when she knew full well that Damien had no


    professional managerial talents.


    She trusted him firmly without any doubt.


    At a distance, Mr. Hampson was startled when he saw the action of Cherise holding Damien¡¯s face and


    kissing it.


    If he remembered correctly, Damien hated intimate touch with anyone since the incident. when Damien


    was thirteen years old.


    Damien had cleaned his injuries even when he had burns on his face. He had never let anyone touch


    his face.


    But Cherise¡­


    Mr. Hampson¡¯s gaze fell on Cherise¡¯s hands, which were stained with fountain pen grease.


    He was astonished again.


    Mrs. Lenoir¡­ Not only did she use her hands to hold Mr. Lenoir¡¯s face and kiss him, but her hands


    were also unwashed¡­.


    Mr. Lenoir unexpectedly didn¡¯t get angry or repel her?


    ¡°Put your bag down and wash your hands. Then,e eat.¡±


    Damien picked up a napkin and wiped away the saliva from her kiss slightly exasperatedly.


    Cheriseughed slightly embarrassedly. ¡°I¡¯ll be back at once!¡±


    1/3


    After that, the delicate woman ran up the stairs, thumping with her yellow duck bag.


    After a while, the bright girl returned energetically.


    She sat across from Damien and beamed at him. ¡°Honey, since you¡¯ve figured it out, can. you teach


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    me after dinner?¡±


    The servants started serving dinner at the table.


    Damien spoke with a faint smile. ¡°Randall will be less willing to take thepany back when he sees


    how earnest you are.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    She ttened her lips, picked up her utensils, and quietly poked at the food on her te. ¡°I just feel like


    since I¡¯m already in such a position. I should have the correct attitude and do what I must properly.¡±


    She thought of how there seemed to be many people unsatisfied that she was the


    president when she was inspecting the office in the afternoon. They had even mocked and ridiculed


    her.


    Although Bernard had sent people to deal with them, she still felt ufortable thinking about it.


    She had never cared when others ridiculed her family background and circumstances.


    But she couldn¡¯t stand others saying she was incapable!


    She waspetent!


    She always came in first in all her subjects!


    Damien saw her unhappy face with pursed lips and shook his head in exasperation. ¡°I can teach you,


    but there is a fee.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes instantly lit up..


    She looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s the fee?¡±


    The man picked up his utensils elegantly and took some food. ¡°Spend a night with me.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    She was a studious student.


    2/3


    After finishing dinner, she followed Damien to the study room anxiously.


    However, thepany¡¯s personnel structure and roles were too tricky.


    Shey on the desk and fell asleep shortly.


    Under the light, Damien sat next to her. He looked at her delicate figure and the notebook. before her


    with thick scribblesparable to her lecture notes.


    A faint smile appeared on the corners of the man¡¯s lips.


    He reached out and tucked a strand of hair on her face behind her ears.


    The girl¡¯s fair face seemed more translucent under the glow of the light.


    He looked at her and kissed her almost uncontrobly.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    His thin, cool lips had just touched her fair, porcin-like skin when Mr. Hampson¡¯s voice rang at the


    door. ¡°Randall is here.¡±


    The man stood up indifferently and took the pen out of Cherise¡¯s hands before carrying her. ¡°Let him


    wait for me in the study room.¡±


    After that, Damien carried Cherise out of the study room and walked toward the bedroom.


    3/3

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95 I Had a Nightmare


    The light lengthened the man¡¯s shadow.


    Mr. Hampson sighed again upon watching Damien carry Cherise.


    Cherise honestly had a good effect on Damien.


    Cherise, the good influence, had a very long dream.


    She dreamt of madly spending money after receiving the gift from Cressa¡¯s dad.


    Firstly, Cherise had spent money treating her grandmother and Damien¡¯s sickness. After that, she


    bought Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah a house. She had even sent Sky and Tay to good schools.


    She also bought many things and ate a lot of delicious food as she unted her wealth. with great


    pleasure.


    After that, she was arrested by the police.


    The police said that Randall¡¯s money was illegal. She would have to go to jail since she had spent it.


    Therefore, Cherise awoke in fright.


    After waking up, the first thing she did was call Bernard. ¡°Ourpany doesn¡¯t have any illegal


    businesses, right?¡±


    On the other end, Bernard was in a daze from being awoken and momentarily startled. ¡°Probably not.¡±


    Cherise panicked. ¡°Probably not or definitely not?¡±


    But only Bernard¡¯s steady breathing responded on the other end.


    He had fallen asleep again.


    Cherise called out to him a few times, but he didn¡¯t respond.


    Cherise gave up.


    She put on her clothes, got out of bed, and searched for information regarding Lyes. Enterprise.


    1/3


    It surprised her that Lyes Enterprise was a newpany established only five years prior.


    Thepany¡¯s boss, Randall, was initially a poor and miserable department manager. But one day,


    five years ago, he suddenly had twenty million, which helped Lyes Enterprise rise in Adania.


    As for the date Randall had established Lyes Enterprise¡­


    Cherise was surprised. Five years ago¡­ yesterday?


    Was Lyes Enterpriseunched five years ago on Damien¡¯s birthday?


    She continued reading. What surprised her more was that Lyes Enterprise¡¯s significant events


    happened on Damien¡¯s birthday every year.


    But whether it was Randall or his family members, none of their birthdays were rted to that date.


    Cherise was baffled. Was it possible that Damien¡¯s birthday had special significance to Randall?


    She looked at the information for a while but couldn¡¯t glean anything worthwhile, so she stopped


    analyzing it.


    She looked at the time. It was already eleven o¡¯clock at night. Was Damien still busy?


    She yawned and opened the door before heading to the study room to look for him.


    She had just left the bedroom when she saw a middle-aged man¡¯s figure walk down.


    From his direction, he must havee from the study room.


    Why was there still a visitor at home when it was sote?


    Cherise was momentarily puzzled before she went to look for Damien in the study room.


    Under the amber light in the study room, Damien¡¯s eyes were still covered with ck silk. as he sat


    there. Mr. Hampson was at one side reading Damien something Cherise didn¡¯t understand.


    Mr. Hampson immediately stopped when he saw Cherise there.


    Damien said indifferently, ¡°Why are you awake?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I had a nightmare.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Greg.¡±


    The man called Mr. Hampson by his first name.


    Mr. Hampson immediately answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue tomorrow.¡±


    He rolled his wheelchair to Cherise nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m going to go sleep with my wife.¡±


    Mr. Hampson was briefly startled. Was his boss¡­ expressing a public disy of affection before him?


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed and felt hot..


    She bid Mr. Hampson goodnight slightly embarrassedly before quickly pushing Damien¡¯s wheelchair


    back to the bedroom.


    After helping Damien wash up, shey in his arms. She tossed and turned, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    The dream had left her slightly fearful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96 I Trust You


    The man must read her thoughts. Hisrge hands closed tightly around her slender waist, and there


    wasn¡¯t a gap between them.


    A fiery warmth came from the man, and Cherise¡¯s heart jolted viciously.


    His low, maic voice and breath rang in her ears. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°You have me.¡±


    The few simple words made Cherise¡¯s heart instantly calm down.


    She reached out her arms subconsciously and put them around his neck. ¡°Darling.¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    She buried her head in his arms after she said it with flushed cheeks.


    The delicate woman¡¯s steady breathing came from his arms shortly.


    Damien raised his hands and stroked her soft hair gently. ¡°Dummy.¡±


    He had instructed people to investigate her previously.


    Due to the circumstances of her birth, her family background, and her submissive. personality, Cherise


    was constantly bullied and despised.


    She was always an outsider in her sses.


    After what had happened yesterday, Randall had taken the initiative and suggested transferring


    everything he had to Cherise¡¯s name.


    Damien didn¡¯t turn Randall down..


    Because Damien wanted to let Cherise experience how it felt to be valued, have all eyes on her, and


    be the center of attention.


    He thought she would like it.


    He never thought the silly girl¡¯s brain worked differently from others.


    Others would be joyous at the windfall, but she feared getting hurt.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    1/3


    He bent down and kissed her fragrant hair. You¡¯re precious.


    Early the following day, Bernard came to pick Cherise up in a Mercedes-Benz RV.


    She had said yesterday that she didn¡¯t want the extended Lincoln, so he had deliberately arranged for


    the RV to be brought back early in the morning from out of town.


    The prominent and conspicuous Mercedes-Benz RV came into view as Cherise pushed


    Damien out of the vi.


    She rolled her eyes.


    She had clearly instructed Bernard yesterday not to pick her up in a vehicle that was too conspicuous.


    In the end, he didn¡¯te with the lengthened Lincoln. Instead, he came with this¡­ It was still very


    conspicuous!


    She pushed Damien and walked to the RV.


    Bernard was briefly taken aback, and the features on his face distorted slightly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, are you


    nning¡­ on taking your husband along to the morning meeting?¡±


    The woman who was pushing the wheelchair into the RV raised her brows. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Bernard pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s your first day running an early meeting for ourpany¡¯s employees, so


    it¡¯s bad luck to bring someone disabled with you.¡±


    ¡°And I heard that¡­ your husband has been through hardship and attracts bad¡­¡¯


    ¡°In short, he¡¯s unlucky. Do you want to go alone?¡±


    The word ¡®unlucky made Cherise frown viciously.


    In her eyes, her husband, Damien, was her irreceable lucky star that she couldn¡¯t get enough of!


    But Bernard had the nerve to say Damien was unlucky¡¯ in front of her?


    She looked up and red at Bernard viciously. If you say one more bad word about my husband, I¡¯ll


    fire you!¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Quickly apologize to my husband! Now! Tell him you shouldn¡¯t have called him unlucky!¡±


    The girl¡¯s crisp voice was enraged, and she had a furious expression.


    With her soft yet incensed voice, she was like a child who wanted to scare others.


    Bernard stood stunned in his spot like he was struck by lightning.


    Was¡­ was this the Cherise he knew?


    He had led Cherise around yesterday as they ran all over the office the whole day, and she had no


    Only one night had passed¡­ And she was so fierce?


    Damien smiled indifferently and raised his hand to pull her back. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean?!¡±

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Chapter 97 You Shouldn¡¯t Have Brought Him with You.


    Cherise had never liked to create trouble. At that moment, she was livid but mostly harmless, like an


    angry baby animal. She red at Bernard and gritted her teeth viciously. ¡°Quickly apologize!¡±


    Bernard had no way out. He could only look at Damien silently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lenoir. I shouldn¡¯t have


    said such a thing.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips, and her fierce expression vanished. She turned and looked at Damien


    gently. ¡°Honey, ignore what he said. He was talking nonsense.¡±


    Bernard¡¯s jaw fell to the floor.


    He would have understood if Cherise had previously treated Damien with such an attitude. After all,


    she was a poor girl, and Damien was the son of a rich man.


    But¡­ since yesterday, Cherise had be a wealthy woman with assets worth five hundred million.


    To his surprise, her head didn¡¯t swell at all. She was still so gentle and kind to Damien.


    The Mercedes-Benz RV started moving..


    Cherise didn¡¯t look at Bernard on the way to the office because of what he said.


    The girl guarded Damien obediently.


    ¡°Are you thirsty, honey?¡±


    ¡°Do you want coffee or lemon-infused water?¡±


    ¡°Darling¡­¡±


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, in thergest meeting room in the Shaw Group building.


    Various managers and administrators fromrge departments had long been waiting in the meeting


    room.


    Everyone was eagerly awaiting the new president, Ms. Shaw.


    ¡°I heard that Ms. Shaw is the mistress of our old boss, Randall.¡±


    ¡°Really? I saw Ms. Shaw yesterday. She has quite a petite figure. Would she really fall for


    1/3


    Randall?¡±


    ¡°I also doubted it at first, but you know what? If you post anything online about Ms. Shaw these days,


    your ount will be instantly cklisted. It¡¯s frightening!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god. Then, I also believe that they don¡¯t have an innocuous rtionship. Why won¡¯t she let


    others talk about her if she¡¯s innocent?¡±


    Repeated discussions took ce in the meeting room.


    The voices in the meeting room suddenly ended spontaneously.


    The meeting room¡¯s doors were opened at a distance.


    Ms. Shaw, whom everyone used of being a mistress, was smiling and pushing a man in a


    wheelchair. She walked in slowly.


    The man in the wheelchair had distinct and sharp features. He had a tall nose bridge, thick ck


    brows, and a tall and slender figure.


    The ck satin blindfold around his eyes made him seem distant and mysterious.


    In the meeting room, some were astonished, while some held their breaths.


    The rest silently discussed the man¡¯s identity.


    Cherise pushed Damien to the seat of honor. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Cherise Shaw.¡±


    ¡°This is my husband, Damien Lenoir.¡±


    When she said it, the meeting room instantly erupted into whispers.


    Damien Lenoir!


    Isn¡¯t he the jinx from the Lenoir family that had caused his parents¡¯ death when he was young and


    caused his sister¡¯s death when he was thirteen? He had also caused the death of three fianc¨¦es not


    long


    ago.


    Is this person Cherise¡¯s husband?


    Bernard massaged the bridge of his nose in exasperation when he saw the scene before him.


    He had guessed that such a situation would ur.


    Their previous boss, Randall, was superstitious, so his subordinates had long been led.


    2/3


    astray.


    Damien had a delicate identity, but Cherise had made the wrong decision to bring him. along.


    After some discussion, a middle-aged man stood up while stroking his beard. ¡°Ms. Shaw, I know you


    want to share your joy with your family after bing the president.¡±


    ¡°But there are rules in apany.¡±


    ¡°Your husband has a special identity. You shouldn¡¯t have brought him with you.¡±


    3/3This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98 You¡¯re Fired


    ¡°Thepany will have a new expense after his arrival.¡±


    Cherise was initially slightly annoyed by the discussions that filled the scene. Still, she felt more


    ufortable after hearing what the man said.


    But she maintained her restraint and manners. ¡°A new expense?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man looked up at Damien in the wheelchair with a taunting smile on the corners of his lips. ¡°A new


    expense of inviting someone to conduct an exorcism.¡±


    The meeting room erupted into loudughter after the middle-aged man spoke.


    Cherise¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists by her side.


    ¡°This is Marvin Osmer. He¡¯s a senior employee in ourpany¡¯s nning department. All our


    Bernard went to Cherise¡¯s side and reminded her in a low voice, ¡°He has a lot of henchmen in the


    ¡°If he¡¯s unhappy and takes them with him to seek refuge in anotherpany, we¡¯ll be


    finished!¡±


    Bernard sighed. ¡°Ms. Shaw, you should just bear with it.¡±


    Marvin was used to dominating thepany with his abilities and vast connections. Even Randall


    couldn¡¯t do anything about him previously, so Cherise couldn¡¯t afford to offend him!


    ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡±


    Cherise said coldly after taking a deep breath.


    The meeting room instantly quietened. There was a pin-drop silence.


    Everyone was astonished.


    Although Cherise wants to make bold changes after taking office, she shouldn¡¯t destroy a foundation in


    thepany, right?


    Even our previous boss, Randall, could only turn a blind eye to Marvin. But Cherise wants to fire him on


    the second day after she assumed the position?


    1/2


    Marvin never thought that Cherise would fire him. He stood on the spot, stunned, before. heughed


    lightly. ¡°Little Miss Shaw is truly young and fearless. Do you know what my presence in thepany


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    means?¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°Do I care what it means?¡±


    Her eyes were bright, and she red at Marvin stubbornly. ¡°I make the decisions in thepany now.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be so archaic and superstitious, and you can¡¯t insult my husband!¡±


    The petite woman held her head high assertively. ¡°Also, everyone here should listen. carefully. Damien


    Lenoir is my husband. I won¡¯t allow anyone to speak badly about him!¡±


    ¡°If you think my husband is unlucky, you can go to the human resources department for yourst


    paycheck, like Mr. Osmer!¡±


    After Cherise spoke, Marvin¡¯s face instantly fell.


    He threw the proposal he had prepared today on the table and red at Cherise furiously. ¡°What do


    you mean?¡±


    ¡°Are


    you firing an old employee after taking office?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t go far like this!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at him with an icy gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go far. but I know that


    you must be polite no matter how capable you are.¡±


    Marvin¡¯s face paled.


    But Cherise continued speaking like she didn¡¯t see it. ¡°You used these groundless. usations to mock


    my husband without knowing anything. From what I can see, no matter how capable you are, you¡¯re


    immoral and disrespectful.¡±


    Marvin sneered. ¡°A bearer of bad luck wants respect from others?¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth, and her gaze directed at him turned colder. ¡°My husband has met with


    adversity since birth and was still a child when those incidents happened. How is he a bearer of bad


    luck?¡±


    ¡°He has no close rtives, and his remaining family treats him with disdain. When he was thirteen


    years old, his eyes and legs were injured. It¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using other people¡¯s painful memories to ridicule them. So much for your character. I don¡¯t need


    such an employee. Please pack up and leave!¡±


    212

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99 Goodbye, Ms Shaw


    As Cherise spoke, she frowned indifferently. ¡°Since everyone present here is a leader in various


    departments, the human resources department head should be around too, right?¡±


    After that, a short-haired woman in a suit rose in the corner. ¡°I¡¯m from the human resources


    department¡­¡±


    ¡°Take Mr. Osmer with you to go through the dismissal formalities,¡± Cherise said concisely.


    Since Cherise had said as such, Marvin was utterly humiliated.


    He had always been arrogant. How could he stand being embarrassed by a young girl like Cherise in


    such a situation in front of the entirepany¡¯s middle management?!


    He snorted coldly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave!¡±


    After that, he got up and walked toward the door.


    The human resources department head immediately rose and followed him.


    Cherise thought that was the end of it.


    But she never imagined that with Marvin¡¯s departure, other people in the meeting room also rose in


    session.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Shaw. Like Mr. Osmer, I¡¯m not suited to work here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, I hope that yourpany improves.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Ms. Shaw.¡±


    Only a handful of people were left in the meeting room in less than ten minutes.


    Cherise was utterly dazed.


    When Bernard told her she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Marvin because he had many henchmen, she


    thought it was only a few people.


    She found out that only a handful remained after Marvin¡¯s people left.


    The few remaining employees shivered and looked at Cherise. ¡°Ms. Shaw, Marvin left with.


    1/3


    so many people. Ourpany lost so many middle and senior management staff at one go¡­ How will


    we continue operating?¡±


    Cherise was also slightly stupefied.


    Even if she didn¡¯t know aboutpany operations, she could tell that having so many management-


    level employees leave at once was troubling!


    you


    Bernard pursed his lips and went to Cherise¡¯s side cautiously. ¡°Ms. Shaw¡­ Why don¡¯t. go to Marvin


    and admit your mistake¡­ Tell him you shouldn¡¯t have said all that and promise you won¡¯t bring your


    husband to the office anymore¡­ Perhaps you can fix things.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and turned to nce at Bernard. ¡°Why must I admit my mistake?¡±


    The girl¡¯s gaze was stubborn and firm. ¡°I didn¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    Bernard rolled his eyes.


    Ms. Shaw, this has nothing to do with who¡¯s at fault. It¡¯s thepany¡­


    He took a deep breath and was worrying about persuading Cherise when he turned and saw Damien


    behind Cherise.


    He walked to Damien.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I know you must have been stifled after being shut in one ce for many years. I also


    understand that you have a good rtionship with Ms. Shaw.¡±


    ¡°But this matter started because of you. Ms. Shaw just took over thepany yesterday. She can¡¯t


    lose so many management-level employees so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take on the responsibility and persuade Ms. Shaw?¡±


    Cherise wrinkled her brows and turned around viciously to re at Bernard. ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    Damien smiled indifferently. He rolled the wheelchair to her side. ¡°Tell them to leave first.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips and instructed the remaining employees obediently. She ordered Bernard to


    leave with the rest.


    As the meeting room doors shut, only Cherise and Damien were left in the enormous. meeting room.


    2/3


    ¡°Do you feel very pressured?¡±


    The man pulled Cherise into his arms with one hand and kissed her cheek gently. ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Cherise shook her head honestly and earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t regret arguing with Marvin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    A little surprised.


    He was just a department manager but had such a powerful influence.


    When Cherise thought about it, she hung her head slightly in defeat. ¡°I even told Bernard to look for


    Cressa¡¯s dad.


    ¡°If he found out that I turned thepany into such a state the second day after I took over, would he


    think I¡¯m particrly useless?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    3/3

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100 Give Me A Kiss


    Cherise felt disheartened as she spoke, ¡°I wanted to return thepany and money to him in good


    condition¡­¡±


    ¡°But from the looks of it¡­¡±


    It won¡¯t be in excellent condition.


    Damien smiled lightly. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s difficult to solve?¡±


    Cherise nodded. She didn¡¯t just think it was challenging to solve. It was indeed very tough


    to crack.


    She couldn¡¯t locate so many people out of thin air to work in middle and senior management.


    Damien kissed her earlobe gently. The man¡¯s distinct breath hovered around her neck and entered her


    eardrums. It made her shiver.


    ¡°Give me a kiss. I know how to solve it.¡±


    Cherise froze slightly.


    At the next moment, her cheeks flushed.


    She pursed her lips and nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t try and appease me.¡±


    Damien smiled indifferently. I¡¯m not kidding


    After the man spoke, a series of hurried footsteps rang outside.


    After that, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The man raised the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Cherise. ¡°My people are here.¡±


    Someone opened the door of the room.


    ke, who wore navy blue sportswear, was in the lead.


    Behind him followed arge group of men and women impably dressed in suits.


    1/3


    All of them were shrewd, capable, experienced, and meticulous.


    They quickly found a seat and sat down.


    Damienughed lightly before picking up his teacup and sipping it. ¡°Introduce yourselves. to Ms.


    Shaw.¡±


    After a brief silence, they started introducing themselves.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw. I just returned from America with a business administration master¡¯s degree. I


    received Mr. Lenoir¡¯s invitation and especially came to apply to work in yourpany today¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw. I¡¯m here to apply for¡­¡±


    After the group of people introduced themselves, Cherise was astonished.


    She looked at everything happening before her in awe. ¡°Honey¡­ You¡­ anticipated this. beforehand?¡±


    If he didn¡¯t know she would argue with Marvin, why would he invite so many people in advance toe


    over?


    The man looked at her face and smiled nonchntly. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Cherise looked at Damien. She initially had an awestruck gaze, which turned to disbelief and, finally,


    feverish adoration!


    As expected, she didn¡¯t misjudge him!


    Her husband was the best!


    She ignored the gazes of everyone applying for jobs and held Damien¡¯s face excitedly as she kissed


    him repeatedly.


    The meeting room had an exceptionally silent atmosphere.


    Mr. Hampson had brought all of them here overnight and flown them from overseas. They weren¡¯t there


    to apply for jobs. Damien had transferred crucial employees here. from hispanies abroad.


    These elites always thought Damien was cold, aloof, unreasonable, and standoffish.


    Therefore, they were utterly shocked when they saw Cherise, who had a doll-like face, hold Damien¡¯s


    face and kiss him repeatedly after they arrived.


    2/3


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Damien stroked Cherise¡¯s head indulgently. ¡°These people are enough to fill the positions. of those who


    left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sort out their information and arrange their roles now. Can you buy me a cup of coffee?¡±


    Cherise immediately nodded. ¡°Alright!¡±


    After that, the girl opened the door innocently and quickly vanished at the end of the corridor.


    The manughed lightly when he saw her ponytail swing back and forth as she ran.


    When he turned around, his face had lost the gentleness and calmness he had when he faced Cherise.


    3/3

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101 It¡¯s My Duty


    He looked coldly at the people before him. ¡°I didn¡¯t make you return from Europe to be ipetent.¡±


    He threw a proposal on the table. ¡°Take a look. If there aren¡¯t any problems, implement it


    soon.¡±


    Outside the Shaw Group building.


    Cherise, who was in a white T-shirt and jeans, went to a few caf¨¦s but couldn¡¯t find hand- ground


    coffee.


    Cherise had previously noticed that Mr. Hampson specially instructed people to hand grind and roast


    the coffee that Damien drank at home.


    Therefore, he would dislike brewed coffee.


    She went along the road but couldn¡¯t find a caf¨¦ that had hand-ground coffee, so she wanted to cross


    the road and go to the other side to look for it.


    But Cherise never imagined that someone wanted to kill her in broad daylight.


    She was crossing the road as the car drove toward her.


    The red light was still lit. However, the car didn¡¯t brake. Instead, it stepped on the drove straight toward


    Cherise.


    gas and


    Cherise waste to catch on and only realized when the passersby around her cried out in surprise.


    But it was toote!


    A hand quickly pulled her to the side of the road at that critical moment.


    But even when the person had moved quickly, the vehicle¡¯s scorching exhaust pipe grazed Cherise¡¯s


    leg.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cherise had yet to recover from her shock. She panted roughly as she thanked the who had pulled her


    away.


    person


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    1/3


    A young, clear voice answered her.


    She looked up subconsciously.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    It was ke.


    Cherise was slightly surprised.


    She never had a good impression of ke. After all, he had almost killed Nick the first day. they had


    met.


    Therefore, she always felt the young teen was brutal and vicious.


    But she never thought that the young teen, whom she didn¡¯t have a favorable opinion, would bravely


    step forward and save her at such a crucial juncture.


    ¡°Thank you, ke.¡±


    After Cherise calmed herself, she thanked him sincerely again.


    ¡°No problem, Cherry!¡±


    A shy smile was revealed on the inarticte young teen¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s my duty!¡±


    The car had long driven away.


    ke helped Cherise back to the Shaw Group building to sit on a couch on the first floor.


    Cherise was still concerned about Damien¡¯s coffee, so she called Lucy toe over and buy him a


    cup.


    In the meeting room upstairs.


    Mr. Hampson saw the news of Cherise getting injured on his cell phone. He looked up at Damien,


    whom everyone was listening to.


    At that moment, the man was sitting in the meeting room¡¯s seat of honor coldly and running the


    meeting in amanding manner.


    Mr. Hampson furrowed his brows. He turned and left the room before calling Jacob.


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Jacob, who was lying on his bed, rolled his eyes. He looked up atn, who was still cleaning. the clinic


    earnestly. ¡°A patient was scalded on the Shaw Group building¡¯s first floor. Go and deal with it.¡±


    2/3


    On the phone, Mr. Hampson said Cherise was injured and wanted Jacob to go personally.


    Jacob ttened his lips. Does he think I¡¯ll believe it?


    With how Damien indulged the girl, his first reaction would have been to immediately send a car to pick


    Jacob up if she was injured!


    But now, Damien had only asked Mr. Hampson to pass the message for Jacob to deal with.


    1.


    Jacob had reason to believe that the person injured was only Mr. Hampson or someone


    close to him.


    Since it was only Mr. Hampson or his friend, Jacob naturally had no reason to personally make the trip.


    It was most fitting to sendn over.


    Jacob¡¯s clinic wasn¡¯t far from the Shaw Group building where Cherise was at.


    Cherise had waited less than ten minutes whenn rushed into the first-floor lounge with a first-aid kit.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102 Why Are You Here?


    His


    gaze circled around the lounge and finally fell on Cherise.


    Cherise also happened to be looking at him.


    Their gazes met, andn furrowed his brows before running over hurriedly.


    He raised Cherise¡¯s pant leg and examined the wound on her lower leg.


    ¡°Why were you so careless?¡±


    The man reproached her as he opened the first aid kit before carefully caring for Cherise¡¯s wound.


    ¡°Why are you here,n?¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Cherise frowned in pain. She could only talk to dull her difort..


    ¡°Someone called and asked me toe over to deal with it.¡±


    Ian wrinkled his brows. His actions were particrly gentle and cautious. ¡°However, I thought it was just


    an ordinary patient. I didn¡¯t think it was you.¡±


    He sighed and spoke reproachfully, ¡°Why did you get scalded?¡±


    ¡°1¡­¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything.


    She didn¡¯t know why it had urred either.


    ¡°Cherry!¡±


    At this time, Lucy rushed hurriedly to Cherise¡¯s side with two cups of coffee.


    Lucy saw Ian, who was dealing with Cherise¡¯s injury, as soon as she arrived.


    Her brows furrowed viciously. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Ian didn¡¯t raise his head. ¡°I¡¯m here to care for Cherise¡¯s wound.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t they find anyone else in therge Shaw Group to deal with Cherry¡¯s wound?¡±


    Lucy raised her brows coldly. A sneer was on the corners of her lips. ¡°How thoughtful of you, Mr.


    Philips.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Instead of doing your work at Adania Hospital, you came all the way to deal with a married woman¡¯s


    burn?¡±


    Lucy spoke tactfully, but every word of hers was like a de that piercedn¡¯s heart. directly.


    Ian pursed his lips as he silently bandaged Cherise¡¯s wound. ¡°Actually, I¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Mister, don¡¯t think you can take advantage because Cherise¡¯s husband is blind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Cherise is very devoted to her husband.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore¡­¡±


    Lucy winked at Cherise. ¡°Cherise¡¯s husband managed to see periodically a few days ago!¡±


    Lucy was talking non-stop. ¡°This proves that his eyes are recovering well.¡±


    ¡°Therefore,n, I advise you not to have any ideas about Cherise.¡±


    Ian wrapped thest gauze around Cherise¡¯s leg. ¡°You¡¯re saying he suddenly could see a few days


    ago?¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips. ¡°Of course! Cherry told me. How can it be fake?¡±


    Ian¡¯s brows furrowed viciously.


    After meeting Damien at the sanatorium previously, heplied with what Damien had said and


    obtained Damien¡¯s medical treatment records for the past thirteen years.


    Damien¡¯s medical history showed that he had severe retina damage.


    It couldn¡¯t improve for him to see periodically.


    If Damien could really see at times, there was only one possibility. He wasn¡¯t blind.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Ian looked down at Cherise. ¡°Is what your friend¡¯s saying true?¡±


    Cherise leaned back on the couch. Her forehead had broken into a cold sweat from the


    pain.


    2/3


    Ian seemed momentarily absentminded when dealing with her wound and had exerted too much force.


    Her initially painful injury hum so much that it was difficult for her to breathe


    But she endured the pain and tried to make herself seem fine


    Upon seeing Cherise vilent, Ian ?sked again. ¡°Can your husband really see?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Cherise came to her senses and forced an unpleasant smile. I don¡¯t know. From what I remember, he


    told me that he can see when he feels anxious¡±


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 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103 Because He¡¯s Blind


    ¡°But I was in a daze that day. I can¡¯t tell if it was a dream or reality.¡±


    As Cherise spoke, she subconsciously looked at the band-aid still around her finger.


    Actually, she believed it was true.


    ¡°I found the person.¡±


    A young, chilly voice suddenly rang.


    Cherise subconsciously turned around. She didn¡¯t know when ke had disappeared, but he appeared


    again and stood beside her.


    The young teen handed Cherise a few photos. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡±


    Cherise epted them with a frown.


    The photos were screen captures from surveince cameras by the side of the road.


    In the photos was the stretch of road where her incident had urred.


    She flipped through each photo.


    Although there were only a few photos, the vehicle¡¯s model and car te were clearly. captured, as


    well as the person sitting in the driver¡¯s seat¡­ Cressa Lyes.


    Cressa gripped the steering wheel tightly in the photos, and her eyes were filled with animosity.


    She had stepped on the gas and charged at Cherise in a hostile manner.


    ¡°D¡¯mn it!¡±


    Lucy snatched the photos. ¡°Has Cressa gone mad?!¡±


    ¡°Her dad willingly gave you thepany. Why is she directing her insanity at you?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips before looking up and smiling at ke. ¡°Did you go and look for this just now?¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    The young teen nodded seriously. He had an awfully clear gaze.


    1/3


    But Cherise didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Not anyone can ess surveince camera footage. How did you get


    it?¡±


    ke smiled slightly shyly. ¡°I used aputer and hacked into it.¡±


    Cherise was astonished and couldn¡¯te to her senses for a long time.


    He used aputer and¡­ hacked into it?


    As it turned out, the young fellow could also hack other than beating others up!


    Just as Cherise was surprised, the cell phone in her pocket rang


    It was a call from Damien.


    The man¡¯s deep voice was slightly indulgent. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you returned? Are you picking the coffee


    beans?¡±


    Cherise hit her head. She only recalled at that moment that she had gone downstairs to buy coffee for


    Damien!


    She pursed her lips andughed slightly embarrassedly. ¡°Lucy is here, so I¡¯m chatting with


    her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey. I¡¯ll send the coffee up right now!¡±


    After hanging up, Cherise took the coffee Lucy had bought and wanted to go upstairs.


    Ian stopped her. ¡°Must you send it personally when your leg is in such a state? Can¡¯t he empathize?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Damien is upstairs. Perhaps he doesn¡¯t even know that Cherise was injured.¡±


    After that, she grabbed the coffee in Cherise¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ll send it up for you.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Cherise shook her head thoughtfully. ¡°With how clever my husband is, he¡¯ll know that something


    happened to me if you go on my behalf.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up at ke. ¡°Help me go upstairs.¡±


    ke answered, ¡°Mm.¡± He immediately went over and helped Cherise head upstairs in a slightly


    flustered manner.


    2/3


    Lucy massaged the bridge of her nose slightly exasperatedly. ¡°Must you be so obstinate, Cherry?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that your husband will think that something has happened to you if I go, but do you think


    he won¡¯t notice anything if you hobble upstairs like this?¡±


    Cherise nodded without turning around. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s blind.¡±


    Lucy was dumbstruck.


    For a moment, she had no way to retort¡­


    In the end, Cherise personally delivered the coffee to the meeting room.


    Although Damien couldn¡¯t see, many people were in the meeting room.


    She was afraid they would discuss it, so she resisted the pain in her leg and pretended to be okay as


    she walked slowly to his side while holding two cups of coffee.


    With every step she took, the burn wound on her leg had a fiery sensation.


    3/3

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104 She¡¯s Where I Draw the Line


    Cherise¡¯s face paled from the pain, and her forehead broke into a cold sweat.


    She took each step with difficulty as she went to Damien¡¯s side.


    She was even slightly d that the husband she married couldn¡¯t see anything.


    As Damien sat in his wheelchair, his dark and cold gaze stopped on the cold sweat on her forehead.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    He asked in a low voice.


    Cherise pursed her lips and smiled. Her voice was slightly hoarse, so she deliberately. raised it so it


    wouldn¡¯t sound so miserable. ¡°Nothing¡±


    ¡°I just met Lucy downstairs¡­¡±


    Blood trickled out from her worn-out jeans.


    Damien¡¯s eyes shed wildly behind the ck silk!


    He pulled Cherise into his arms the next moment and held her lower jaw. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±


    Did she want to hide something like an injury from him because she thought he was. blind?


    Many people were in the meeting room.


    Everyone there who had returned from abroad was the cream of the


    crop.


    When they saw Damien hugging Cherise, they bent their heads in session. They either signed their


    names on documents or wrote proposals as necessary.


    The meeting room instantly rang with rustling noises of people working.


    Cherise¡¯s face burned.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m really okay¡­¡±


    When she looked around and nced at the employees working earnestly, she felt slightly


    ufortable, ¡°Put me down¡­¡±


    1/3


    The employees were working hard while on a break from the meeting, but as the boss, she was flirting


    with her husband¡­


    ¡°ke.¡±


    Since she wasn¡¯t saying anything, the man spoke coldly to the young teen on one side. ¡°What


    happened?¡±


    ke was startled. He repeated everything that had happened in full detail. ¡°A bad woman wanted to


    hurt Cherry.¡±


    ¡°I saved Cherry, but she got hurt.¡±


    Damien¡¯s


    gaze


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    darkened. ¡°Where is she hurt?¡±


    ¡°Her lower left leg.¡±


    The man¡¯srge hands grabbed Cherise¡¯s lower left leg precisely.


    Although the wound was bandaged, blood was seeping out, perhaps because she was moving too


    much.


    ¡°Did you notify Mr. Hampson?¡±


    ke nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Find a doctor to bandage it.¡±


    ¡°Greg.¡±


    Damien called out Mr. Hampson¡¯s name coldly.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    Mr. Hampson was terrified.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why did you get a doctor to bandage her wound without my permission


    instead?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was icy and deep. Mr. Hampson¡¯s figure shivered violently. ¡°I saw that you were in a


    crucial part of the meeting, so¡­¡±


    ¡°So you decided on my behalf?¡±


    The man let out a pompousugh. He raised his hands to tap the long table in the meeting room.


    2/3


    ¡°Everyone.¡±


    As his voice rang, everyone put down what they had in their hands and looked up respectfully at him.


    ¡°This is Cherise Shaw,¡±


    The man¡¯s hands hooked around Cherise¡¯s slender waist tightly. ¡°I hope you can remember this name


    and face.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s where I draw the line in the future.¡±


    The meeting room was momentarily silent.


    A few secondster, deafening voices rang in the meeting room. ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll keep it in


    mind!¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    She felt shy and astonished, and her face flushed a crimson red. She struggled and wanted to leave


    Damien¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move about!¡±


    The man warned her in a low voice.


    But Cherise still instinctively wanted to leave his embrace.


    There were so many people in the meeting room!


    How embarrassing¡­


    She struggled for a while when there was a sudden pain in her leg.


    The woman¡¯s paled face froze. She stopped moving.


    Damien looked down and saw the cold sweat her forehead broke into because of the pain.


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 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105 She Has Good Taste


    The man¡¯s gaze darkened. He carried her and rolled the wheelchair out of the room. ¡°The meeting is


    canceled!¡±


    Mr. Hampson followed them hurriedly. He found a medical treatment room, and Damien entered while


    carrying Cherise.


    The man ced Cherise gently on the bed in the medical treatment room. He subconsciously wanted


    to take the first-aid kit.


    As hisrge, bony hands touched the handle of the first-aid kit, he pulled back as though. he suddenly


    recalled something.


    He said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get a doctor to bandage her wound? Tell the doctor toe


    here!¡±


    Mr. Hampson, who was standing at the door, was startled. He immediately picked up his cell phone. ¡°I¡¯ll


    get him toe at once!¡±


    Damien never imagined that the doctor Mr. Hampson got was Ian.


    Then who had always longed for Cherise.


    ¡°How about this? Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Does it still hurt here?¡±


    ¡°Does this ointment make it feel better?¡±


    No one knew if it was conscious or unconscious. Whenn bandaged Cherise¡¯s leg, his words were


    somewhat affectionate.


    Cherise nced at Damien slightly awkwardly and answered each question with a straight


    face.


    Damien wheeled himself out of the room coldly.


    Mr. Hampson followed him in trepidation.


    ¡°This is the doctor you got?¡±


    Mr. Hampson trembled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was him¡­. I called Dr. Caldwell¡­¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Dr. Caldwell said he would personallye¡­.


    Damien sneered. He picked up his cell phone and called Jacob.


    At that moment, Jacob sat on the couch, eating chips while watching television. When he heard his cell


    phone ring, he picked it up and answered it without ncing at the screen. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Are you dead?¡±


    The man¡¯s dark voice on the other end. ¡°What kind of a coffin do you need?¡±


    Jacob fell


    to the floor from the couch. As he held his cell phone, his hand trembled. slightly. ¡°What¡­ What do you


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me what I mean?¡±


    Damien¡¯s low voice was icy and cold. ¡°You told my love rival to deal with Cherry¡¯s injury and made me


    watch helplessly as he touched my woman.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, do you want me to destroy you?¡±


    Jacob was dumbfounded.


    His hand holding the cell phone trembled violently. ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡­ Ian is your love. rival?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the senior Cherry liked in high school?¡±


    The other man on the call kept quiet.


    Jacob pursed his lips. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Cherry have bad taste? Although Ian had pretty good grades. in school,


    he can¡¯tpare to me.


    Jacob shook his head and repeated, ¡°Cherry has such poor taste!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have poor taste.¡±


    ¡°Does she have good taste? I can¡¯t see anything special about Ian¡¯s r¨¦sum¨¦ or character!¡±


    ¡°She likes me now. Therefore, she has good taste.¡±


    Jacob was dumbstruck again.


    He took a deep breath and was prepared to tter Damien. ¡°She has better taste now. You¡¯re much


    better thann!¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    Damien snorted coldly. ¡°Quickly get rid of him!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll call him now!¡±


    ¡°By the


    way,


    should I fire him?¡±


    Jacob furrowed his brows. ¡°When he came here, he told me the hospital had fired him. because he had


    offended someone important. It was your doing, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have so much time.¡±


    Damien rolled his eyes. ¡°The hospital most likely heard rumors and feared offending me.¡±


    He was momentarily silent as he held his cell phone. ¡°Let him work for you?


    you. I won¡¯t stop


    ¡°But in the future, remember that you must do it yourself if anything happens to Cherry. You can¡¯t let


    him get involved!¡±


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 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106 How Would You Like To Deal With Her


    ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll destroy your clinic!¡±


    Jacob almost dropped his cell phone.


    Ian had just finished bandaging Cherise¡¯s injury when he received a call from Jacob asking him to


    quickly return to the clinic because Jacob had something important to tell him.


    He looked up at Cherise. ¡°The hospital is looking for me urgently. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    Cherise nodded and waved at him as she bade him goodbye. ¡°Thank you, Ian. Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Whenn turned to leave, the loneliness in his eyes intensified.


    Cherise didn¡¯t know that he was fired by the initial hospital he worked at because of her. He had


    applied to many hospitals and clinics but couldn¡¯t find a suitable job.


    In the end, he could only work in Jacob¡¯s clinic.


    He was initially one of the best specialized medical students and an outstanding talent at Adania


    University.


    But because of Damien¡­


    Ian closed his eyes, and his hands clenched into tight fists.


    He didn¡¯t regret being in such a state because of Cherise.


    It wasn¡¯t his or Cherise¡¯s fault. Cherise¡¯s husband went too far in bullying him!


    As Ian thought about it, he opened his eyes.


    Damien, who was in white, was beforen in the corridor. Damien was leaning back in his wheelchair,


    looking atn with a smile on the corners of his lips.


    Ian felt like he had nothing to say to Damien, so he walked around Damien, turned, and entered an


    elevator.


    A sneer on Damien¡¯s lips appeared as he watched the figure ofn leaving.


    ¡°Cherry, how big is the grudge between you and Cressa?¡±


    1/3


    ¡°At first, she made exaggerated allegations about you on the campus confession page. said someone


    was providing for you, which led to her dad driving you home.¡±


    ¡°After that, you argued with her because of me, so the both of you went to the police


    station.¡±


    and


    ¡°Her dad went mad and transferred thepany to your name because he feared Damien would


    me him. You¡¯re innocent, but she wants to knock you down with her car!¡±


    Lucy sat on the couch andmented. ¡°How do you think your husband will deal with Cressa?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°How would you like to deal with her?¡±


    A man¡¯s deep and low voice rang in the room after Cherise spoke.


    Damien, who was in white, sat in his wheelchair. He was tall and slender with a mysterious. and distant


    demeanor.


    Cherise looked at him, and a smile appeared in the corners of her lips. ¡°Honey, go and work if you¡¯re


    busy. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Cherise even moved her leg to prove her argument.


    However, her leg hurt more, even though she said it didn¡¯t hurt.


    Damien wheeled himself to her and pulled her into his arms. ¡°When can you take care of yourself?¡±


    The man¡¯s indulgent actions and voice made Cherise blush.


    Her face was forcefully buried in his arms, and her feminine voice was dull. ¡°I can take care of myself¡­


    I take excellent care of people


    ¡°You have the cheek to say that? You only care for others and not


    The man¡¯s low voice was exceptionally fond.


    yourself.¡±


    On one side, Lucy saw the scene before her and heard the conversation between the two¡­.


    Oh my god, get me out of here. I don¡¯t want to witness this!


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    2/3


    ¡°Honey, you can just casually teach Cressa a lesson.¡±


    On the way back from Shaw Group, Cherise spoke in a low voice as she sat in the car and looked out


    the window.


    She feared that Damien would treat Cressa like he had previously treated Nicky.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t blindly kindhearted. She just felt like Cressa¡¯s dad was actually a very reasonable


    person.


    Cressa¡¯s dad had directly given thepany to her because Cressa had fought with her. Randall must


    have feared Damien would get angry and take his anger out on the Lyes. family.


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 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107 You¡¯re Really Heartless


    Now that Randall had given Cherise hispany and money, Cressa had tried to hurt Cherise again.


    If Damien really did anything to Cressa, Cherise was afraid Randall would break down.


    After all, she still had more than half of Randall¡¯s assets with her. She didn¡¯t want anything. to happen


    to him before it took effect and when she couldn¡¯t return it to him.


    Damien raised his hands and pulled Cherise into his arms. A smile was on the corners of his lips. ¡°How


    do you think we should deal with this woman?¡±


    ¡°She tried to run you down with her car this time. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do next time.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and pondered. She couldn¡¯te up with anything.


    Ultimately, she pursed her lips in exasperation. ¡°Why don¡¯t¡­ Why don¡¯t you arrange for her to study


    abroad?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have good grades. She can go abroad and study properly. When she returns, she


    shouldn¡¯t be so emotional anymore.¡±


    It¡¯ll be alright if Cressa is far away from me, right?


    Damien was momentarily silent.


    After that, he smiled lightly. ¡°That could work.¡±


    As he spoke, he gently stroked the top of her soft hair. ¡°Randall should thank you.¡±


    A few dayster, Cherise received a call from an unknown number.


    When she received the call, she leaned on the crutches ke had made her as she admired flowers in


    the garden with him.


    ¡°Is this Ms. Cherise Shaw? We¡¯re from the inpatient department of the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Your aunt, Eriana Shaw, and cousin, Nicky Gruber, previously stayed in the hospital for two weeks. A


    few days ago, they left quietly. We can¡¯t contact them, so we can only contact. you.¡±


    On the other end of the call, the hospital staff spoke coldly. ¡°They still owe medical fees. worth tens of


    thousands.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise furrowed her brows.


    She believed Eriana could do such a thing.


    No wonder Eriana hadn¡¯t called her to ask for money recently. As it turned out, she was just waiting for


    Eriana.


    Cherise¡¯s guess was spot on.


    Eriana had acted domineeringly in the hospital by using Cherise¡¯s name. Not only did she ask for the


    best medicine for Nicky, but she also took health products worth tens of thousands with her.


    Cherise had no other alternative. She could only silently ¡®borrow¡¯ the money Randall had sent her for


    the time being and pay the hospital.


    She couldn¡¯t leave the medical fees unpaid. She could only think of how to repay Randall in the future.


    After paying the medical expenses, Cherise went to the surgery department.


    Since she was already at the hospital, she might as well look forn to help change her bandages.


    She was in too much of a rush thest time. She didn¡¯t even have time to thank him.


    But as ke helped her to the surgery department, the people there told her that Ian had. resigned a


    week ago.


    Cherise was slightly astonished. Ian had always been proud of working at Adania Hospital. How could


    he have resigned so quickly?


    She leaned against the wall and held her cell phone as she called Ian.


    Before the call went through, someone bumped into her viciously. She almost fell to the floor.


    She looked up subconsciously.


    None other than Cressa¡¯s mom, Rhonda, had bumped into her.


    She had met Rhonda at the police station when she fought with Cressa.


    When she looked up, Rhonda spat at her roughly. ¡°Ptui! How unlucky to have met you!¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes. She leaned against her crutches and walked around Rhonda to


    2/3


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    leave.


    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay Rhonda any attention.


    Rhonda gritted her teeth when she saw Cherise ignore her. She caught up to Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel


    guilty when you see me, Cherise Shaw?¡±


    Cherise was baffled. ¡°Why should I feel guilty when I see you?¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t Rhonda be the one to feel guilty?


    After all, Cressa had targeted her repeatedly, but she still defended Cressa in front of Damien.


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re really heartless!¡±

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108 Did He Lie to Me?


    Rhonda gritted her teeth and red at Cherise. With her posture, it seemed like she would. charge at


    Cherise if ke wasn¡¯t behind Cherise!


    Cherise didn¡¯t know why Rhonda would look at her in such a hostile manner. She couldn¡¯t. be bothered


    to investigate either. She turned to leave.


    ¡°Are you Cressa Lyes¡¯ family member?¡±


    A nurse held a document at the end of the corridor and walked toward Rhonda. ¡°Cressa¡¯s visiting hours


    have started now. You only have half an hour. Hurry up if you want to visit.


    her!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s figure entirely froze.


    She turned around in astonishment.


    Hasn¡¯t Cressa¡­ left the country?


    Why is Rhonda visiting her?


    And why does Rhonda only have half an hour?


    Rhonda red at Cherise viciously before turning to leave.


    Cherise immediately asked a nurse, ¡°Just now, you said¡­ Cressa¡¯s visiting hours?¡±


    ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She was diagnosed with a mental illness, so she¡¯s staying in the psychiatry department.¡±


    The nurse answered indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s being treated as a patient with severe mental illness, so she


    can only receive visitors for half an hour daily.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s figure froze.


    She knew that Cressa wasn¡¯t mentally ill!


    Cressa was her ssmate. They had to undergo a psychological test every semester¡­


    She gritted her teeth. The scene of Damien promising to send Cressa to study abroad a few days ago


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    appeared before her eyes.


    Did he¡­ lie to me?


    1/3


    Cherise stumbled and almost fell down.


    Thankfully, a nurse caught her.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw?¡±


    The nurse called her name in surprise.


    Cherise wrinkled her brows. ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Dr. Philips mentioned you often when he worked here previously.¡±


    The nurse sighed. ¡°But Dr. Philips is quite pitiful. I heard he had an ambiguous. rtionship with a rich


    man¡¯s wife. Hence, the rich man instructed for him to be cklisted.¡±


    ¡°Not only did he lose his job at Adania Hospital, but he also lost his job at the clinic because he had


    bandaged the wound of the rich man¡¯s wife a few days ago.¡±


    The nurse said as she kept sighing.


    But Cherise¡¯splexion kept getting paler.


    Her body was trembling. She heard her voice as she spoke, which sounded like it came from far away.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that Ian didn¡¯t quit?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Dr. Philips was doing well here. Why would he quit? It was because the rich man


    cklisted him.¡±


    Ian was cklisted by a rich man.


    Cressa was admitted into the psychiatry department¡­


    Cherise almost lost her bnce.


    ke came forward to help her.


    She gritted her teeth, and her voice trembled. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Go home?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Go home! To look for Damien!¡±


    Cherise and ke rushed back to Lenoir Manor.


    On the way home, Cherise nned what she wanted to say to Damien when she saw him.


    2/3


    For example, she wanted to go home and point at him angrily while asking why he broke his promise of


    sending Cressa to study abroad.


    Or cry and question why he cklistedn whenn did nothing wrong!


    She was filled with rage. She wanted to go home and have an earth-shattering argument. with Damien!


    But when the car stopped at the entrance of Lenoir Manor, her heart suddenly started. beating wildly


    when she exited the vehicle.


    She had never lost her temper with anyone.


    How could she show her anger so he would understand she was genuinely livid?


    Would he think she was joking?


    But she was indeed incensed!


    Cressa, who was fine, was admitted to the psychiatry department.


    Ian was an excellent doctor, but he was fired and cklisted.


    How could Damien do such things?!


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 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109 I¡¯m Going To Argue With You


    Cherise took a deep breath and mulled over it as she stood at the door before she took. enormous


    strides into the vi.


    In the vi¡¯s living room.


    Damien was sitting on the couch, pouring tea from a tumbler into a teacup.


    Mr. Hampson was reading a document behind him.


    Cherise walked in angrily, filled with rage, and was about to lose her temper at Damien when she heard


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    what Mr. Hampson was reading. ¡°ording to the sales department¡¯s statistics, thepany¡¯s sales


    for thest month¡­¡±


    Her angry footsteps stopped. Damien is working¡­


    The delicate woman pursed her lips. Half the anger vanished from her face.


    She pursed her lips and silently sat on the edge of the couch.


    In


    any case, she couldn¡¯t disturb him when he was working. She could only argue. with him after Mr.


    Hampson had finished reporting!


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    The man, whose eyes were covered with ck silk, spoke up indifferently when he saw her,


    return.


    Cherise turned away. She didn¡¯t want to go over!


    She wouldn¡¯t go over!


    She was waiting to argue with him!


    Upon sensing her reluctance, Damien smiled nonchntly. He raised his hands to pour her a cup of


    tea and signaled ke to give it to her.


    ¡°Have some tea, Cherry.¡±


    Cherise only turned at ke¡¯s young, crisp voice.


    Cherise was polite. Even though she was furious, ke was serving her the tea. She thanked him


    earnestly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mr. Hampson continued reporting.


    1/3


    Damien interrupted him before speaking with a smile on the corners of his lips. ¡°I poured the tea for


    you. Why didn¡¯t you thank me?¡±


    She had been in a bad mood since she had entered the vi. Who had offended her?


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him.


    But she rolled her eyes again when she thought of how he couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡°Quickly finish your work. I¡¯m going to argue with you!¡±


    Surprise flickered across Damien¡¯s eyes. It seems like I have something to do with her bad mood?


    How did I infuriate her?


    Mr. Hampson held the document and didn¡¯t know if he should continue.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    The man waved his hands indifferently, ¡°Speed up. Mrs. Lenoir is waiting to argue with


    me.¡±


    Mr. Hampson didn¡¯t dare to dy. He continued reporting at an increased speed.


    Cherise sat on the couch and drank cup after cup of tea.


    But Mr. Hampson¡¯s reporting was incessant.


    After he had finished one document, he started reading another one.


    The documents were endless.


    She even suspected Damien and Mr. Hampson knew she wasing home to argue, so they


    prepared beforehand.


    Why were there dozens of documents¡­


    She felt awfully bored as she sat on the couch but couldn¡¯t leave. After all, she wanted to argue with


    Damien.


    Mr. Hampson¡¯s words kept ringing in her ears. It made her sleepier than the advanced mathematics


    lecturer¡¯s chattering.


    Cherise leaned back on the couch. She drank tea while ying with her cell phone but


    2/3


    couldn¡¯t resist feeling sleepy.


    Cherise forced herself to stay awake. She couldn¡¯t sleep!


    She had returned to argue!


    Not to sleep!


    But ultimately, the woman¡¯s small, fair face tilted toward the couch viciously as she fell asleep.


    Mr. Hampson was still reporting.


    Randall had achieved a lot in the past few years. The elite team Damien had brought over had worked


    overtime and organized the information the whole day before they summarized thepany¡¯s


    business, achievements, and various data.


    Ast


    the true boss behind the scenes of thepany, Damien had to gain an insight into thepany¡¯s


    situation within a day so Shaw Group could rise above the others at Lenoir Group¡¯spetitive bidding


    one weekter.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    The man waved his hands nonchntly after Mr. Hampson had finished reporting a document.


    Mr. Hampson paused.


    Damien¡¯s long and slender figure rose from the couch. He picked up a thin nket at the side and


    covered Cherise with it before picking up a pillow gently and stuffing it under her head.


    3/3

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110 It¡¯s Time for Our Argument


    After doing everything, he returned to his seat. ¡°Mr. Kolson, chat with ke and find out why she¡¯s


    unhappy.¡±


    ke had been with her. He must have known what had happened.


    But the teen wasn¡¯t very articte. Mr. Kolson only understood him a little.


    Mr. Kolson led ke upstairs after receiving orders.


    Mr. Hampson kept reporting until the sunset in the west.


    In the evening, Damien moved his legs and carried the delicate woman upstairs as she slept soundly


    on the couch.


    When he ced her on therge bed, he also helped her change into her nightgown


    ut much extra effort.


    After doing that, he leaned against the headboard and listened to the voice message Mr. Kolson had


    sent him on his cell phone.


    ¡°No¡­ No!¡±


    ¡°Ian¡­¡±


    The woman who was sleeping shouted in a daze.


    Damien¡¯s gaze darkened.


    After that, he smiled indifferently and tucked her into the covers. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been


    through, do you know the consequences if you cried out his name while. sleeping?¡±


    She would be in much more dire circumstances than she was now.


    ¡°Ian!¡±


    Cherise cried out in rm again. She sat up in bed.


    Her head was covered in cold sweat.


    ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice rang beside her.


    1/3


    At the next moment, she was entirely pulled into a warm embrace.


    Damien hugged her head in his arms and patted her back lightly. ¡°What did you dream of?¡±


    ¡°I dreamt that Ian died because of me¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s familiar and warm scent put Cherise at ease, so she couldn¡¯t help but tell him everything


    that had happened in her dream.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t die. It was a dream.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes slightly. His voice was somewhat forceful, but it was still gentle.


    As he pacified her, Cherise¡¯s wildly beating heart finally calmed down.


    Her consciousness started to return.


    She furrowed her brows and recalled there was something she hadn¡¯t done..


    Therefore, she pushed away the hand Damien was hugging her with and backed away to a suitable


    distance before she red at him. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±


    She feigned a fierce and brutal expression, looking slightly amusing andical.


    Damien smiled lightly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for our argument!¡±


    She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and looked at Damien seriously. ¡°I want to argue with you!


    I¡¯m furious!¡±


    It was probably because she had been in his arms mere moments ago. Cherise didn¡¯t seem very


    confident when she said it.


    She even felt like what she said wasn¡¯t forceful enough.


    But since she had promised to argue with him, she had to aplish it even if she did it while crying.


    She red at Damien fiercely. ¡°Why did you treat Cressa and Ian like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a jerk!¡±


    Damien shifted into afortable posture and leaned against the headboard. He looked


    2/3


    at Cherise as she feigned a savage expression, and a slight smile was in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a jerk?¡±


    This is probably the most ruthless thing this fool can think of, right?


    She was straightforward and adorable.


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks puffed. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a jerk!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you listen to my suggestion and send Cressa to study abroad? Why did you send her to the


    psychiatry ward instead?¡±


    ¡°Why did you maken get fired? And why did you cklist him? What did he do wrong?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, she med both the incidents on Damien.


    The man¡¯s head hurt slightly. He massaged the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°Why do you think these two incidents have anything to do with me?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and red at him. ¡°You almost killed Nicky.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Damien let out a bitterugh. ¡°You think I¡¯m cruel and nasty because of what happened to Nickyst


    time?¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111 I Won¡¯t Eat


    He acknowledged that he looked pretty cruel on the surface because he had previously instructed


    ke to hang Nicky from the rooftop.


    But it was what Nicky deserved.


    Compared to what Nicky had initially done to Cherise, Damien didn¡¯t feel like what ke did was


    unreasonable.


    If Nicky wasn¡¯t Cherise¡¯s cousin and if he wasn¡¯t afraid that Eriana wouldn¡¯t let Cherise go if Nicky died,


    he wouldn¡¯t have allowed Nicky to live to see another day.


    He felt that he had been sufficiently kind. But to Cherise, he was ruthless and heartless?


    How innocent and kind was this girl?


    Had she never seen the dark side of the world?


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I know you did it because of me.¡±


    The intense fury in the woman¡¯s eyes decreased by half when she said it.


    She pursed her lips and looked at Damien as she exined earnestly. ¡°Although Cressa is mean to


    me, she¡¯s a treasure to her family.¡±


    ¡°Her dad is a good person.¡±


    ¡°Ian is my senior. He¡¯s also a good person. Nothing is going on between us.¡±


    ¡°I feel you shouldn¡¯t treat them like this, honey¡­¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes, and a self-deprecating smile appeared in the corners of his lips. ¡°What


    proof do you have that I arranged for them to be in such a state?¡±


    Cherise¡¯splexion paled.


    She didn¡¯t have proof. All of it was her conjecture.


    But other than Damien, who else could be so capable of leaving the two people in a bad state at the


    same time?


    She couldn¡¯t think of anyone else.


    1/3


    Therefore, she deduced that he had arranged it.


    The woman¡¯s hands were clenched into fists by her side. She still believed that both matters were


    rted to Damien.


    He wanted her to have evidence because he knew she couldn¡¯te up with proof, so he refused to


    admit anything.


    She pursed her lips and looked up at Damien. She was still sincere. ¡°Darling, I know you did it for my


    sake, but they¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you let them go?¡±


    At that moment, the sun was setting. No lights were on in the bedroom.


    Cherise¡¯s stubborn and obstinate eyes were exceptionally bright in the dark. They were so bright that


    they pierced his heart.


    Damien narrowed his eyes.


    She didn¡¯t even seek actual proof and decided that he must have had something to do with Cressa and


    Ian¡¯s current state.


    She even wanted him to let them go.


    He didn¡¯t know anything. How could he let them go?


    Frances¡¯ knocking rang outside the door as the two were deadlocked. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir, it¡¯s time for


    dinner.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows slightly and rose from the bed. ¡°Go and eat.¡±


    Cherise stayed on the bed and looked at him fixedly without moving.


    Damien turned to look at her again. His deep voice was slightly annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    Damien stayed seated on the bed. She didn¡¯t move. ¡°Honey, if you don¡¯t promise me, I


    won¡¯t eat.¡±


    Damien was amused. ¡°Promise you what? To let them


    go?¡±


    ¡°It had nothing to do with me in the first ce. How can I let them go?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°But it must have had something to do with you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t promise to let them go.¡±


    2/3


    Damienughed in his rage.


    The girl was still stubborn, inflexible, and refused to see reason.


    He sat in his wheelchair gracefully and rolled it downstairs. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not hungry.¡±


    As the man¡¯s voice rang, the bedroom door shut with a bang.


    Cherise still sat by the bed in her initial posture. Her voice hurt fiercely as the door shut.


    Does he n on¡­. ignoring and disregarding me?


    An inexplicable, almost aggrieved feeling surged in her heart.


    3/3ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Chapter 112 No One Is Allowed to Give Her Food


    Cherise silently covered her mouth and nose as she got choked up. Don¡¯t cry! I can¡¯t cry!


    Why did she feel grieved? She knew early on that Damien hadn¡¯t married her just because


    he liked her.


    She was just what he received in return for what he paid for.


    She should have followed her initial n of obediently being his wife, serving him three. meals daily,


    and caring for him for the rest of his life.


    She could also conveniently bear him a child.


    She shouldn¡¯t have made unreasonable requests.


    She shouldn¡¯t have felt aggrieved at his indifference.


    It was her fault!


    She couldn¡¯t be so emotional!


    She should be an emotionless baby-birthing machine to repay her debt!


    But the more she thought about it, the more upset she grew.


    In the end, she cried, feeling wronged.


    He was clearly in the wrong.


    She didn¡¯t lose her temper with him.


    She even asked him nicely to let them go.


    But that didn¡¯t work!


    When Cherise thought about it, she picked up her cell phone, feeling aggrieved. ¡°Lucy¡­¡±


    In the dining room downstairs, the air was exceptionally stifling.


    Even ke, who usually liked eating barbecued ribs, didn¡¯t dare to take any.


    It was because the barbecued ribs were next to a particr man with a dark expression.


    1/3


    Damien took a bite of his food coldly before putting his cutlery down heavily. ¡°ke.¡±


    The thirteen-year-old boy was so startled that his cutlery almost fell to the floor. ¡°Yes,


    Dame?¡±


    ¡°What time did Cherry eat lunch?¡±


    ke furrowed his brows and pondered. ¡°Eleven o¡¯clock.¡±


    The frown on Damien¡¯s brows deepened.


    After a long time, he said with a dark expression, ¡°Frances.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Bring food to Cherise.¡±


    It was past seven o¡¯clock now. How could she not be hungry after not eating for eight hours?!


    This foolish dunce. She wasn¡¯t eating because of other people¡¯s matters?!


    Upon hearing it, Frances immediately went to the kitchen to pick out Cherise¡¯s favorite. dishes and


    carried them to her.


    Five minutester, Frances carried the untouched food down miserably.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I persuaded Mrs. Lenoir for a long time, but she doesn¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    ¡°She said she won¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t promise her.¡±


    The air in the dining room instantly felt more stifling.


    Damien picked up his cutlery and ate a few bites of his food. Every bite tasted strange.


    Ultimately, the man mmed his utensils on the table viciously. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to eat for all I care!


    Who is she threatening?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hampson, take note. No one is allowed to give her food!¡±


    Cherise kept her word.


    She said she wouldn¡¯t eat, so she didn¡¯t.


    The following morning, Frances exited Cherise¡¯s room miserably again with an untouched breakfast.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs. Lenoir still refuses to eat.¡±


    2/3


    Damien¡¯s brows furrowed viciously.


    This girl is still as stubborn as always.


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°She said¡­¡±


    Frances spoke carefully. ¡°She said if you don¡¯t admit your mistake and agree to her. request, she¡¯ll


    starve herself to death¡­¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Snap The utensils in Damien¡¯s hands were broken into two.


    The entire vi fell into a pin-drop silence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat for all I care!¡±


    Damien gritted his teeth. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to eat? I¡¯ll see how long she can persist!¡±


    He should be correcting her habit of being stubborn!


    ¡°You¡¯re feeling angry and indignant.¡±


    After the man spoke, the young boy in a navy blue outfit pursed his lips before picking up his utensils


    and eating ravenously.


    Damien narrowed his eyes. Although furious, he had no choice but to admit that the young boy¡¯s


    observation was correct.


    His painstaking effort of hiring dozens of private tutors for the young boy annually for the past few years


    wasn¡¯t in vain!

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113 Ahem, Ahem


    ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±


    The youthful adolescent put his cutlery down and sighed in satisfaction. He got up and wanted to go


    upstairs.


    Damien¡¯s hand froze slightly as he held his cutlery. ¡°Are you going upstairs to see Cherise?¡±


    ke pondered. ¡°Mm!¡±


    Cherise had promised to watch an animation with him today!


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    The man wrinkled his brows and nced at Mr. Hampson at the side.


    Mr. Hampson understood intuitively and instructed ke. ¡°Mr. ke, remember not to give Mrs. Lenoir


    anything to eat or drink when you go upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡±


    The man coughed lightly with tightly furrowed brows.


    Mr. Hampson grew more fearful. ¡°Mm. Remember not to give Mrs. Lenoir anything to eat. or drink at


    all.¡±


    Damien was dumbstruck.


    ke nodded in confusion. ¡°I understand!¡±


    After that, the young boy went upstairs hastily, leaving them with a navy blue blur of his figure.


    Damien red coldly at Mr. Hampson in the dining room through the ck silk.


    Mr. Hampson felt uneasy.


    He could feel Damien wasn¡¯t in a good mood even through theyer of ck silk.


    He trembled in fear. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right?


    After a long time, Mr. Hampson finally couldn¡¯t restrain himself and asked guiltily, ¡°Do you have any


    other instructions, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    1/3


    Damien didn¡¯t say anything. He still stared at Mr. Hampson with an ice-cold gaze.


    ¡°Is¡­ the food not suited to your taste?¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Or are you feeling full? Should I keep the food?¡±


    Damien kept quiet.


    Mr. Hampson was dumbfounded.


    He was on his guard for any danger.


    He had been by Damien¡¯s side for so long and rarely saw such an icy attitude from him. How had he


    misspoken?


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°My wife hasn¡¯t eaten anything for more than ten hours.¡±


    Mr. Hampson suddenly saw the light. ¡°I understand, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t give Mrs. Lenoir anything to eat or drink ording to your wishes. ording to our ordinary


    digestion system, if she doesn¡¯t eat anything for another ten hours, she¡¯ll be in unbearable hunger¡­¡±


    Under Damien¡¯s gaze that gradually grew icier, Mr. Hampson tried hard to finish speaking. ¡°When that


    timees, Mrs. Lenoir will take the initiative to beg you¡­.¡±


    The man¡¯s icy gaze was directed straight at Mr. Hampson until he finished speaking.


    Damien spoke coldly. ¡°I was looking at you and hinting at you to tell ke to bring some food for her.¡±


    ¡°But you reminded ke not to give her any food?¡±


    The man mmed the ss in his hands on the table fiercely. The bottom of the ss started to crack.


    ¡°You want her not to eat or drink for another ten hours?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your wife not to eat or drink for over twenty hours?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was bbergasted.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake.¡±


    He was the silly and na?ve one.


    2/3


    His family was meticulous and always kept their word. They would never say one thing at one moment


    but mean another at the next.


    Therefore, Mr. Hampson instinctively assumed that when Damien said Cherise wasn¡¯t allowed to eat at


    one moment but nced meaningfully at ke at the next moment, it must have been to remind ke


    not to bring any food for Cherise.


    How would Mr. Hampson know what Damien was thinking about?!


    Sure enough, Damien¡¯s brain circuit differed when he was in love!


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of having you around?¡±


    Damien rolled his eyes at Mr. Hampson. ¡°Think of a way to make her eat something.¡±


    Mr. Hampson was dumbstruck.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Have some milk, Cherry!¡±


    ke knocked on Cherise¡¯s door that same morning while holding arge ss of warm milk.


    Cherise pursed her lips. She dared not take a second look at the milk. She looked down. while holding


    her iPad and looked for the animation series she had previously promised to watch with ke. ¡°Come


    here.¡±


    ke smiled as he put the milk on the table before going over.


    ¡®Growl¡¯


    Cherise¡¯s stomach started rumbling, to her disappointment.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114 I¡¯m Keeping My Word


    ke heard it.


    The young boy picked up the milk again. ¡°Have some milk, Cherry!¡±


    Cherise shook her head and turned him down.


    ¡°But you¡¯re hungry,¡±


    The young teen had a stern expression.


    Cherise took a deep breath. She looked away and leaned against the bay window. ¡°Come here and


    watch the animation.¡±


    After Damien had left yesterday, Cherise had called Lucy.


    She felt that some of Lucy¡¯s standpoints were correct.


    For example, Cherise couldn¡¯t always let Damien call the shots as husband and wife.


    If she retreated, she would never have an ordinary social life again.


    The men Cherise was close to would be targeted, while the women Cherise had terrible. rtionships


    with would be miserable.


    Therefore, she needed to argue strongly for what was right.


    She had no powerful weapons to resist Damien, so she could only use such a way.


    She was betting. Betting that Damien loved her dearly.


    If Damien didn¡¯t love her dearly¡­


    She didn¡¯t know what to do¡­


    ke sat beside her obediently.


    As the opening song of the animation started, Cherise asked indifferently, ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The girl pursed her lips. ¡°Damien¡­ Did Dame eat?¡±


    She was healthy. She would be fine if she skipped a few meals.


    1/3


    The man was in poor health. Would he abstain from eating and drinking because he was upset with


    her?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ke¡¯srge eyes blinked. ¡°He ate a lot.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    Alright, I was overthinking!


    She was sulking and not eating. But not only did Damien not skip a single meal, he also


    ate a lot!


    She knew it!


    ¡°Dame reminded me just now not to bring food for you.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    In


    any case, she was determined to stand off against the overbearing and insufferably arrogant man!


    Since she said she wouldn¡¯t eat or drink, she would keep her word!


    As Cherise thought about it, she took a deep breath and pressed the pause button.


    She got up and stuffed the warm milk on the table into ke¡¯s hands. ¡°Bring this to Dame.¡±


    ke shook his head. ¡°This is yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to drink it. It will go to waste if it¡¯s left here.¡±


    Cherise smiled as she coaxed him. ¡°Quickly go. I¡¯ll wait for you to return!¡±


    ¡°Tell him that I¡¯m keeping my word.¡±


    The young teen pursed his lips as he carried the milk away.


    A minuteter, the young teen in blue ced the milk on Damien¡¯s study room desk.


    ¡°Cherry said she¡¯s keeping her word.¡±


    ¡°This is for you.¡±


    2/3


    Damien was stupefied.


    The man picked up his cell phone with a dark expression and called Mr. Hampson. ¡°Make her eat


    something right now. At this very instant!¡±


    Mr. Hampson nodded immediately and left. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll arrange for it now!¡±


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Frances smiled and opened the door of Cherise¡¯s room. She was holding a highly alluring slice of fruit


    cake. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, this is a fruit cake I just learned how to make. Try it for my sake?¡±


    Cherise smiled and turned Frances down. ¡°I¡¯ve been having cavitiestely. I can¡¯t eat anything sweet.¡±


    Ten minutes past eight.


    The burly Mr. Kolson knocked on Cherise¡¯s room door while carrying a te of sliced. fruits. ¡°Mrs.


    Lenoir, these were sent over by Old Mr. Lenoir. They were air-flown from overseas. Have some for his


    sake?¡±


    Cherise massaged her brows and said, ¡°Put them in the refrigerator. I don¡¯t want to cat


    them.¡±


    At half past eight.


    A bodyguard in the vi with whom Cherise was acquainted carried a piece of roasted chicken and


    opened the door of Cherise¡¯s room. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, my beloved pet chicken, felt depressed today. It took


    its own life and flew into the oven. I can¡¯t bear to eat it, so I¡¯m sending it over¡­¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted..


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You have absurd ways of trying to get me to eat!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115 What¡¯s So Funny


    A few hourster.


    Mr. Hampson returned to the study room dejectedly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you can deduct my sry.¡±


    He had used almost all the servants and bodyguards he could mobilize in the vi the entire morning.


    He had made various dishes and came up with dozens of excuses. He even tried to use the part-time


    worker¡¯s wedding as an excuse.


    But Cherise refused to eat after saying she would abstain from food.


    Mr. Hampson couldn¡¯t do anything.


    Cherise was frighteningly stubborn.


    Damien¡¯s head hurt slightly. He massaged the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°Is there any news from Randall?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mr. Hampson took a deep breath. ¡°His ne has been intercepted, and he¡¯s being transported here


    now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t transport him here.¡±


    Damien let out a long breath. ¡°Transport him to Garden Paradise.¡±


    ¡°Ask Jacob toe along.¡±


    After that, he put down the things in his hands and rolled out of the study room.


    In the bedroom.


    Cherise was still leaning against the bay window and watching animations with ke.


    The two looked very happy and discussed the show animatedly.


    They instantly fell silent when Damien opened the door.


    1/3


    ke.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    The man spoke in a low voice as he frowned slightly.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    The young teen rose from the bay window and stood earnestly. ¡°Dame.¡±


    ¡°Wait in the car.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Upon hearing it, the young teen left hurriedly. He was even considerate enough to shut. the door after


    he left.


    Only Cherise and Damien remained in the room.


    Cherise looked away. She didn¡¯t want to look at him.


    Damien was calm andposed as he rolled his wheelchair to her.


    With her back facing him, Cherise could still feel his strong demeanor that couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    The girl held her breath subconsciously.


    After a long time, the man¡¯s wheelchair rolled in front of her.


    Damien¡¯srge hands pulled her into his arms.


    ¡®Gurgle¡¯


    When Cherise moved, her empty stomach started growling again.


    The manughed lightly.


    Cherise was ashamed and annoyed. She could only tten her lips and struggle to leave his embrace.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s funny.¡±


    Damien raised his hands indifferently and stroked the top of her soft hair. ¡°Who gave you the idea to


    use such a dumb way to bear a grudge against me?¡±


    Cherise bit her lips and said nothing.


    2/3


    The man raised his hands and caressed her stomach. ¡°You were sure I would feel distressed over you,


    right?¡±


    An indulgent tone was intertwined with his originally deep and maic voice. It made Cherise¡¯s heart


    tingle.


    Cherise looked down. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Damien smiled in exasperation and patted her back. ¡°Go and change.¡±


    Cherise was surprised. ¡°Why?¡±


    He deliberately teased her. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat.¡±


    The girl immediately shook her head earnestly. ¡°I said that I¡¯m not eating.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien sighed nonchntly. His voice was slightly disappointed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make things difficult


    for you, but if you really don¡¯t want to go.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Mr. Hampson inform Randall not to wait because you won¡¯t go.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes instantly lit up!


    Randall!


    Is Damien taking me for a meal with Randall?!


    She jumped out of his arms at once. ¡°I¡¯m going to change!¡±


    ¡°Slow down.¡±


    The man reminded her in a soft yet exasperated voice. ¡°You still have an injury on your leg.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t care about the wound on her leg anymore.


    She quickly changed her clothes beforeing out to stand before Damien. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Damien shook his head when he saw her excited expression. He opened his arms toward her. ¡°Sit


    here.¡±

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116 Why Did You Look For Me So Urgently


    Cherise was startled and shook her head at once. ¡°No need. It¡¯s alright. I can walk!¡±


    ¡°Let me push you!¡±


    As she spoke, she dodged and went behind him, wanting to push his wheelchair.


    But the manughed. ¡°Are you sure that the wound on your leg won¡¯t split open after walking and


    pushing me for some distance?¡±


    After he said it, Cherise realized she felt a dull pain in her leg again.


    She must have gone overboard with her range of motion just now.


    She was too excited and hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    As she was lost in thought, the man took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. He carried her with


    one hand and rolled his wheelchair with the other as they exited the


    room.


    Cherise¡¯s face turned a crimson red.


    Damien brought her to Garden Paradise for the meal.


    The bad memories she previously had while eating remained fresh in Cherise¡¯s mind.


    On the way up to the rooftop, Cherise started to feel apprehensive.


    Thest time she was here, Damien had almost killed Nicky.


    This time¡­ He won¡¯t be killing Randall, right?


    He can¡¯t. I haven¡¯t managed to return thepany to Randall¡­


    The elevator arrived at their floor while she was still feeling baffled.


    Next to the round table in Garden Paradise sat Randall and Jacob, who had long been waiting.


    Jacob whistled yfully when he saw Damien carrying Cherise in. ¡°Wow, how sweet!¡±


    Compared to Jacob¡¯s mischievous smile, Randall stood up, trembling with fear. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    1/3


    Damien waved at Randall before putting Cherise down.


    The man took an apple and ced it before Cherise. ¡°You can eat now, right?¡±


    Cherise was famished.


    When she finally saw Randall, she knew that Damien had conceded.


    Therefore, the girl bit into the apple happily.


    Jacob pursed his lips and sat down on a chair. ¡°Why did you look for me so urgently,


    Damien?¡±


    ¡°To criticize you for your wrongdoings, of course.¡±


    Damien picked up a teacup calmly and sipped it gently. ¡°I seemed to tell you initially not. to letne


    and treat Cherry as much as possible in the future.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to fire him, did I?¡±


    ¡°Pift!¡±


    Jacob almost spit his tea out. ¡°You got so many people to drag me out of bed during my afternoon nap


    for such a minor issue?¡±


    It was his clinic. He could fire anyone he wanted to.


    Damien nced indifferently at the girl who was eating the apple. ¡°It¡¯s a small matter to


    you.¡±


    ¡°But not to us.¡±


    Jacob was slightly startled. He nced at Damien subconsciously. ¡°Both of you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien picked up his teacup indifferently and sipped it lightly. ¡°Cherise and I.¡±


    Jacob wasn¡¯t dumb.


    He thought about it and guessed what Damien was implying.


    He coughed lightly before looking up at Cherise. ¡°Cherry.¡±


    Cherise stopped eating her apple and looked up at him.


    2/3


    Jacob was slightly exasperated. ¡°It was my own idea to firen. It had nothing to do with


    Damien.


    He thought about it and frowned. ¡°Maybe it had little to do with Damien. It wasn¡¯t the only reason.¡±


    Cherise looked at him in astonishment. ¡°You fired Ian?¡±


    Previously at the hospital, the nurse had only told her that aftern was fired by the hospital, he found a


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    job at a small clinic.


    The clinic¡¯s boss had seemingly firedn under Damien¡¯s pressure and abuse of authority.


    But if the clinic¡¯s boss was Jacob¡­.


    He didn¡¯t have to go so far as to firen because he feared Damien, right?


    3/3

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Chapter 117 Misunderstanding


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Jacob awkwardly took up the cup and had a sip of tea. ¡°This is what happened. On the day you got


    injured, Mr. Hampson called me and asked me toe over personally to treat it. But, that day¡­¡±


    Jacob let out a cough in embarrassment. ¡°My favorite TV show released thetest episode. I was too


    you and warned me to avoid letting you guys meet.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He scratched his head awkwardly before continuing, ¡°I took his words seriously. But dismissingn has


    nothing to do with Damien.¡±


    is


    If he


    Jacob took another sip of tea and exined, ¡°Actually, the reason I dismissed simple. My clinic is small


    and doesn¡¯t have many patients. He¡¯s an ambitious person stays in my clinic, he can¡¯t go far and fulfill


    his career aspirations. He kept asking me why I didn¡¯t promote my medical skills. I felt that our visions


    are different, so I let him go. allowing him to explore the wider world out there.¡±


    After finishing exining, Jacob yawned in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s as simple as that. What were you guys


    thinking? You even disturbed my nap.


    Cherise was rendered speechless after hearing from Jacob, not expecting such a reason.


    She looked at Jacob before ncing at Damien. Then, she turned to look at Jacob again. ¡°You can¡¯t be


    bluffing me, right?¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡± Jacoby listlessly on the table. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go and ask Ian. I even wished


    him all the best when I dismissed him.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and dug her nails into her palm. So¡­ It seems like I misunderstood Damien.


    She bit her lips and looked at Randall, who was sitting silently in the corner. ¡°Why then. was Cressa


    admitted to the mental hospital?¡±


    Randall didn¡¯t expect Cherise to ask him directly. He was startled for a second before standing up and


    greeting Cherise politely. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, I believe that¡¯s our family affair.¡±


    ¡°Simr to Jacob¡¯s, your matters are no longer as simple as family affairs.¡±


    Damien took a sip of tea and said coldly, ¡°Tell us. Why did you send your daughter to the mental


    hospital?¡±


    1/2


    Randall¡¯s face reddened. He lowered his head and mumbled, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, can I refuse to answer this


    question?¡±


    Damien smirked and answered with an icy-cold voice. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    His tone and attitude were as aloof and domineering as always.


    Looking distressed, Randall took a deep breath. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Mrs. Lenoir. It wasn¡¯t Mr.


    Lenoir¡¯s idea to send Cressa to the mental hospital. Mr. Lenoir intended to send Cressa to a secluded


    school abroad to learn some life lessons, but my wife and I can¡¯t. bear to be apart from her. The girl has


    been spoiled since she was young. I know she was reckless and often offended you¡­. So, I decided to


    forge a mental checkup report and confine her to a special ward in the hospital. This is so that she


    won¡¯t suffer. At the same time, she can no longer provoke you, while my wife and I can still see her¡­.


    Cherise was utterly dumbfounded to hear the story. What kind of absurdity is this? He confined her


    daughter in a mental hospital to keep her in the country and see her daily!

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 Can We Stop Him, Please


    Randall seemed to have read Cherise¡¯s mind. He coughed and said, ¡°Cressa is staying in a hotel-like


    ward, which I specially customized. She just moved in. We didn¡¯t want too many people to learn about


    it, so there¡¯s only half an hour of visiting time each day.¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. Even if it¡¯s a special room, it¡¯s still in the mental hospital! What kind of


    father is this? I¡¯ve never seen such a foolish person before!


    Damien poured Cherise tea and asked Randall, ¡°So, it was your idea to send your daughter to the


    mental hospital, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes¡­¡±


    Randall put on a fawning smile. ¡°I thought doing so would please you and Mrs. Lenoir more than


    sending her abroad. But I didn¡¯t expect to cause a misunderstanding.


    Cherise was at a loss for words. It turned out that both Cherise and Ian¡¯s incidents were unrted to


    Damien. Even if there was any rtion, it was insignificant.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Thinking of how she had lost her appetite for the entire day due to these matters, Cherise thought she


    was a fool.


    She quickly dragged the bow to her front and devoured the food. She had been starving!


    After eating three bowls of rice, Cherise rubbed her stomach and burped in satisfaction.


    ¡°Are you done eating?¡± Damien elegantly passed a napkin to her.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Cherise stretched happily and received the napkin from Damien. Only then did she realize Jacob had


    left, leaving Randall standing nervously at the spot.


    Compared to Jacob, who paid no regard to Damien, Randall was much more cautious. Cherise even


    thought Randall feared Damien so much because he owed him favors.


    Randall smiled obsequiously at Cherise and said, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Mr. Lenoir said it¡¯s up to you how you


    want to deal with Cressa. What do you think?¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips. If it¡¯s up to me¡­


    ¡°Please send her to study abroad.¡±


    It was better than keeping her in a mental hospital, and she could further her studies.


    1/2


    Randall¡¯s face turned pale, but he could only agree to it.


    After he left, Cherise had some desserts.


    Just then, Mr. Hampson hurried in. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,n Philips is now at the train station with his luggage.


    He¡¯s going back to settle down in his hometown. Should we stop him?¡±


    Cherise sprang up and gasped, ¡°We have to!¡±


    Mr. Hampson was caught off guard momentarily before raising his eyes to look at Damien. Only then


    did Cherise realize she was too worked up.


    Coughing, she carefully sat down and stared at Damien pitifully with her pitch-ck eyes. ¡°Hubby, let¡¯s


    go and stopn, shall we? He¡¯s a rare top student in my high school. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to leave his


    impoverished vige. If he returns now, the others will surely mock him. Besides, he has the potential to


    be an excellent doctor. It¡¯s a pity if his talents are stifled in the small vige.¡±


    Damien was amused when he perceived Cherise¡¯s serious look, but his face remained cold. ¡°Are these


    all the reasons you don¡¯t want him to leave?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Cherise grasped Damien¡¯s arm and shook it gently. ¡°Please, believe me, hubby. Event though I


    admired Ian previously, he was none more than my senior at school. I just don¡¯t want to see his talents


    wasted.¡±

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Chapter 119 Hubby, You¡¯re the Best


    Damien almost couldn¡¯t hold his smile. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Cherise¡¯s cheeks blushed. ¡°And, Hubby, I¡¯m your wife. You said trust is the most. important


    thing between husband and wife¡­¡±


    Cherise felt guilty as she said this. She didn¡¯t believe in him yesterday and deemed him a bad guy.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, she still purred coquettishly, ¡°I was dumb and didn¡¯t trust you.pletely. But, Hubby, you


    can trust me. I absolutely don¡¯t have improper feelings. toward him!¡±


    Her attitude was genuine, and she almost wanted to make an oath.


    Damien rubbed his temples in resignation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise was stunned. ¡°Where to?¡±


    Damien wheeled himself toward the lift and said, ¡°If we dy any longer, your dear senior might have


    left for his hometown.¡±


    Cherise sprang up in excitement. She scurried over to Damien to push his wheelchair. ¡°Hubby, let me


    help you! You¡¯re the best!¡±


    Damien shook his head resignedly. He never thought he would one day change his long- standing


    persistence because of this young girl.


    Ever since his sister died in a fire thirteen years ago, he had vowed not to show mercy to anyone. Ian


    had repeatedly shown his interest in Cherise. If it were in the past, Damien. would have gone after him.


    By the time Cherise and Damien rushed to the station, Ian was helplessly being held back by ke,


    who prevented him from entering the boarding gate.


    Ian sat anxiously on the chair. ¡°What exactly do you want?!¡± They won¡¯t let me work in the city or a


    small clinic.


    Since Jacob dismissed him, Ian attempted to apply for many medical-rted jobs. But s, he was told


    that no employers would hire someone like him, who was fired from the central hospital due to


    interpersonal reasons. Some clinic owners even told him that the Lenoirs had given the order not to


    hire him.


    Ian was disheartened after all the setbacks in Adania, so he decided to return to his hometown,


    thinking he could avoid Damien even though he couldn¡¯t afford to offend.


    1/2


    him. However, little did he expect Damien to send ke to stop him from leaving. And he didn¡¯t


    understand what exactly Damien¡¯s intention was.


    ke gaven a chewing gum with a stone face. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for someone.¡±


    Ian received the gum and scratched his head in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m already miserable. enough!¡±


    ¡°Tan!¡± Just then, Cherise ran toward Ian.


    ¡°Cherise? What brings you here?¡± Ian lifted his gaze and was surprised to see Cherise.


    These days, Damien had beening after him. He knew the reason behind it but had never looked


    for Cherise. He didn¡¯t want Damien to give her a hard time because of him.


    Marrying a man like Damien was already challenging enough, son didn¡¯t want to cause more trouble


    for Cherise. Nheless, he was overjoyed to see Cherise at that moment.


    He stood up, eager to embrace Cherise, but thetter stepped back to avoid his gesture. She gazed at


    for you to work in the best research institute in Adania! Ian, you¡¯re talented and capable. You should go


    to better ces. Please don¡¯t return to our hometown. There¡¯s no future for you there.¡±


    Ian was stunned when he heard Cherise¡¯s sweet voice. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°Cherise, did you say Damien promised to let me work in a research institute?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Chapter 120 What Did You Do for Him


    He had considered joining a research institute, but the hiring criteria were too strict ¨C it not only


    required capability but also academic qualifications. Ian came from a poor family. To support his family,


    he stopped pursuing higher education after graduating from the university. As such, he was not


    qualified to enter a research institute.


    ¡°Yeah! My hubby said he could only get you in, but whether you can stay depends on your ability.¡±


    Cherise beamed brightly.


    Ian was on cloud nine, but it was only momentary. He looked at Cherise with a frown. ¡°Why would¡­


    your husband help me?¡±


    He once drove me into the corner. Why would he suddenly be this kind to get me into a research


    institute? Or did Cherise give him something in exchange for my sake? Yes, that must be it!


    At this thought,n looked at Cherise emotionally. ¡°Cherry, actually, I don¡¯t mind going back¡­ You don¡¯t


    have to do this for me.¡±


    Cherise shook her head in confusion. ¡°Ian, what are you talking about?¡±


    Ian gazed at her with a heavy heart. ¡°Cherry, stop lying to me. If you didn¡¯t give Damien any benefits,


    why would he stoping after me and even help me?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Oh, yeah, I did give him some


    benefits. That¡¯s why he agreed.¡±


    I knew it¡­ Ian sighed, thinking Cherise had such deep feelings for him that she was even willing to¡­


    He was agonized. ¡°Cherry, what did you promise him? What did you do for him?¡±


    Cherise gazed at Ian with a wide grin and answered, ¡°Nothing much. I just gave him a kiss.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ all?¡±n was surprised.


    Cherise nodded, thinking Damien was easy to persuade. ¡°Yeah. What else do you expect?¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve overthought, Mr. Philips. A cold voice came forth. Damien sat calmly. in his


    wheelchair while Mr. Hampson pushed him over.


    ¡°Hubby!¡± Cherise quickly stood behind Damien and took over Mr. Hampson¡¯s ce. ¡°Ian, my hubby has


    something for you!¡±


    Damien smiled in resignation, seeing her silly look. ¡°You heartless girl, you ran off immediately when


    you got out of the car.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise smiled in embarrassment. ¡°I was worriedn had boarded.¡±


    Then, she waved atn. ¡°Come over here, Ian!¡±


    him. ¡°Come! Don¡¯t you want to work in a research institute?¡±


    Ian clenched his fists tightly at his sides. He despised people in the upper ss like Damien. In his


    mind, Damien was not as hardworking and self-motivated as him. However, due to his wealth, he could


    easily marry the girl Ian liked and suppress him. He even made an exception forn to enter the


    research institute he has yearned to work in.


    Ian knew he should turn the offer down if he had the guts. However, he had to face the reality. One


    could only talk about dignity once he became powerful.


    He inhaled deeply before walking up to Cherise and Damien.


    Damien had observed every action and expression ofn¡¯s. Cherise was innocent and kind, so she


    couldn¡¯t telln¡¯s struggle, but Damien could.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He admired people who could endure suffering to bear responsibilities, just like him back


    then.


    The man with a ck silk over his eyes smiled faintly. ¡°Mr. Philips, although you have some hard


    feelings toward me, I¡¯m willing to refer you to a research institute for the sake of Cherise.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121 Why Do You Have to Deny It


    Damien took out a name card and handed it ton. ¡°Bring this to the research institute for registration


    tomorrow morning. Someone will be there to assist you.¡±


    Damien waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. If you want to express your gratitude, thank Cherise. She


    thinks you¡¯re capable and doesn¡¯t want your talents wasted in your hometown. So, she rushed over.¡±


    Cherise shook her head and said, ¡°No, no. You don¡¯t have to thank me, Ian. It¡¯s my hubby¡¯s idea to


    send you to the research institute. I wouldn¡¯t have been this smart to think of sending you there.¡± She


    giggled.


    Ian fell silent, thinking Cherise was right. If Damien hadn¡¯t made an offer, a country girl like Cherise


    wouldn¡¯t have thought of using Damien¡¯s privilege to get him into a research institute.


    At this thought, Ian wore a rueful smile. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you asked all medical institutions in Adania to


    cklist me before this. Yet now, you offered to send me to a research institute. Is this a way of


    Cherise knitted her brows, thinking they had rified with Jacob regardingn¡¯s dismissal. ¡°My hubby


    didn¡¯t cklist you.¡±


    Ian¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°He didn¡¯t? If I were merely fired from Jacob¡¯s clinic, I wouldn¡¯t have


    been this desperate to the point I had to return to my hometown. I¡¯m in my current situation, thanks to


    Mr. Lenoir.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Damien frowned. He wouldn¡¯t bother going out of his way to boycott an insignificant doctor like Ian. If


    he really wanted to make things difficult forn, he had countless ways. to pursue him directly.


    ¡°Hubby?¡± Puzzled, Cherise turned to look at Damien.


    ¡°Mr. Philips, there must be some misunderstanding.¡±


    Ian narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! The employers clearly stated that the Lenoirs. notified them


    not to hire me.¡±


    Damien pondered upon it for a moment and said, ¡°It seems like it¡¯s not a misunderstanding but


    framing.¡±


    1/2


    Ian gritted his teeth indignantly, seeing Damien¡¯s calm look.


    I told the truth, yet he imed it was a misunderstanding. I insisted it wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding, but he


    said it was framing. He was the one who gave the order. How could he pretend as if he was


    uninvolved?


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, just admit it if you¡¯re the one who arranged it. Why do you have to deny it? Even if you


    admit it, I can do nothing to you!¡± Ian became worked up.


    Damien smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. Why should I admit it?¡± Then, he turned to look at Cherise. ¡°What do you


    think?¡±


    Cherise had just distrusted Damien wrongfully, so she utterly believed in him at that moment. Pressing


    her lips, she gazed atn sincerely. n, this must be a misunderstanding. Maybe they didn¡¯t want to


    hire you, so they made an excuse.¡±


    Perceiving Cherise¡¯splete trust in Damien,n was at a loss for words. Finally, he spat through


    gritted teeth, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯re indeed shrewd.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    Ian¡¯s face reddened. With that, he took his luggage and walked past Cherise and Damien. without


    saying goodbye.


    He gripped the name card from Damien in his hand. It represented his hope for the future.


    Watching Ian leave, Cherise sighed and said, ¡°Hubby,n must have misunderstood you, just like me


    before.¡±

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122 What a Perfect Husband He Is


    Damien smiled and signaled Cherise to wheel him to their car. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t bother to exin to


    unrted people.¡±


    ¡°But it does concern me. I don¡¯t wish my friend to misunderstand my husband. There must be some


    misunderstanding. Cherise pushed Damien toward the exit while contemting. ¡°I need time to rify


    the matter and tell Ian he misunderstood you.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°Forget about it. It¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    But Cherise refused to let it go. ¡°How is that meaningless? Hubby, I know you¡¯re kind- hearted. Why not


    let the others know? I know it feels terrible to be misunderstood as a bad person!¡±


    Damien fell silent momentarily before mumbling with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re the first person to call me kind.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°That¡¯s because the others don¡¯t know you well


    Damien raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about you? Do you think you know me well?¡±


    ¡°Well, at least better than the others. Even if I don¡¯t know you well enough now, I¡¯ll eventually be


    the person who knows you the best in the future!¡± Cherise¡¯s tone was as determined as her gaze.


    Damien smiled. ¡°Why are you so certain?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m your wife!¡± Cherise¡¯s voice was sweet and gentle, like honey. ¡°I¡¯ve vowed to be by your


    side and care for you for a lifetime. I will keep my promise!¡±


    When they reached the car, Cherise helped Damien stand up while Mr. Kolson kept away the


    wheelchair.


    Cherise assisted Damien into the car and said, ¡°I still have a lifetime to get to know you. So, I¡¯ll


    definitely be the one who knows you the best in the future!¡± A bright beam. spread across her


    small face.


    Damien leaned against the car seat and turned to look at her. Her pitch-ck reflected the sun¡¯s light,


    glistening with sincerity and blind confidence.


    Damien couldn¡¯t resist it and leaned forward to kiss her.


    eyes


    Two dayster, the exam results were released. Usually, Cherise, as the top student and ss


    representative, would bring the exam papers back to the ssroom, but her leg was injured, so Lucy


    offered to help.


    1/2


    ¡°Cherry, you¡¯re so lucky to have met an amazing man like Damien.¡±


    Carrying a big pile of exam sheets, Lucy remarked while chewing gum. ¡°Given his status, not to


    mention boycotting Ian, he can even easily eliminate him entirely. Yet, not only did. he not go after his


    love rival, but he also referred him to a job just to make you feel better. What a perfect husband he is!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at Lucy. ¡°Did my husband bribe you?¡±


    Lucy had been praising Damien non-stop for the past two days.


    Lucy pouted. ¡°What are you talking about, Cherry? Do you think I¡¯m an obsequious. person?¡±


    Cherise did not respond.


    ¡°But¡­ He promised me a part-time job in the Shaw Group during the summer.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    The two girls chatted happily and soon reached the document room. Suddenly, the door flung open.


    Twodies walked out of the room. One was Cressa, who was recently sent to a mental hospital, while


    the other was Ms. Lauren, the staff in charge of student administration.


    2/2

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123 Because You Should


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Lauren.¡± Cherise greeted her teacher warmly, as usual.


    ¡°Hey, Cherise.¡± Ms. Lauren¡¯s smile deepened when she saw the pile of exam sheets Lucy. was


    carrying. ¡°I heard you got a perfect score in additional math again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Lauren. Cherise nodded obediently.


    ¡°You¡¯re really clever! A top student will be popr everywhere.¡± Ms. Lauren expressed her fondness for


    Cherise and darted a profound gaze at Cressa, who looked sulky.


    Cherise smiled modestly. ¡°I¡¯m not that smart. I¡¯m just lucky.¡±


    Ms. Lauren continued praising Cherise for a while before leaving.


    Holding her transfer documents, Cressa shot a cold re at Cherise. ¡°Ha! You even managed to coax


    an old witch like her. You¡¯re indeed very scheming.¡±


    Lucy frowned. ¡°Mind your words, Cressa!¡±


    Cherise was brilliant and hardworking, so it was natural for the teachers to be fond of her. She didn¡¯t


    deliberately curry favor with anyone!


    ¡°I speak what I like.¡± Cressa snorted. She crossed her arms and looked at Cherise coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t think


    you can do whatever you want just because you have Damien Lenoir as your support. I¡¯ll only study


    abroad for four years. When I return four yearster, we shall see if you can still manage to cling to


    him.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Cherise frowned. Despite being provoked, she remained courteous. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll learn. many life


    lessons in the four years.¡± She was good-tempered, but she was not a pushover!


    Cressa was annoyed. ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying that I deserve to learn a lesson?¡±


    ¡°Of course you do.¡± Lucy red at Cressa. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Cherise, you would still be locked up


    in the mental hospital. Cherise suggested your father send you to study abroad. Isn¡¯t that a good thing


    for you? She rescued you from deep waters, yet you¡¯re mocking her here. You ungrateful brat!¡±


    Cressa became hot under the cor. ¡°I¡¯m ungrateful? I was sent to the mental hospital thanks to her!


    And now, I have to leave home and live in a foreign ce for four


    years.


    Why should I be grateful to her?¡±


    Lucy pouted. ¡°Because you should.¡±


    The two girls argued back and forth, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated.


    1/2


    Cherise promptly stopped Lucy. ¡°Forget about it.¡±


    For the sake of Cressa¡¯s father, she didn¡¯t want to have any conflicts with Cressa again.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just let her off! She¡¯s so ungrateful!¡± Lucy became more agitated.


    ¡°I dare you to say it again!¡± Cressa gnashed her teeth and stared daggers at Lucy.


    After the recent incidents, she knew she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Cherise, but Lucy was a different


    case. At this thought, Cressa reached out her hand and forcefully pushed Lucy.


    The exam sheets Lucy was carrying blocked her view, so she couldn¡¯t see Cressa¡¯s actions. clearly.


    She fell to the ground with a thud, and the exam sheets scattered everywhere.


    It was a midsummer afternoon. They were in an open corridor with no windows or shade. around.


    Just then, a gust of wind blew and scattered the papers. Some were blown into the corners, while some


    stuck to the walls. What was worse, some sheets were blown away to other areas of the campus.


    2/2

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Chapter 124 Can My Hubby Be Considered My Guardian


    Cherise was dumbfounded at the scene. Those were the midterm exam scores of the entire ss! The


    scores were supposed to be recorded in the grading system and contribute to their academic credits¡­


    Distressed, she turned around to ask for Lucy¡¯s help, but Lucy and Cressa were already fighting.


    Cherise was so anxious that she nearly cried.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw, how could you let this happen?


    The additional mathematics teacher angrily poked Cherise¡¯s forehead in the staff office. ¡°You¡¯re the


    ss representative. It¡¯s your responsibility to collect the exam sheets. Why did you let Lucy handle it?¡±


    The teacher pointed at the battered Lucy, who was standing in one corner. ¡°Look at her now. How can


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    she protect the exam sheets?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, teacher¡­¡±


    Cherise looked at the few pieces of torn sheets she managed to retrieve, feeling helpless.


    ¡°Do you think saying sorry will help? These are the results of the whole ss! There are more than


    thirty students in the ss. Can you guarantee that everyone will be willing toe back and retake


    the exam?!¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Cherise didn¡¯t dare to meet her teacher¡¯s


    gaze.


    ¡°I¡­..¡±


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s nervous look, the teacher rubbed her temples stressfully. ¡°Talking to you is pointless.


    Call your guardian and get them here. I¡¯ll talk to them!¡±


    Then, the teacher stomped away angrily. ¡°If they don¡¯te today, you should. stay here until they


    Cherise lifted her head. My guardian¡­. I can¡¯t let my uncle, aunt, and grandma know I caused trouble


    at school. Moreover, if they came and saw the injury on my leg, they¡¯d surely be worried.


    Suddenly, someone shed in her mind ¨C a face with eyes covered by ck silk.


    She turned around to look at Lucy. ¡°Lucy, do you think¡­ my husband can be considered a guardian?¡±


    1/2


    In the Shaw Group¡¯s headquarters, the atmosphere in the cold, solemn meeting room was suffocating.


    Every attendee attentively listened to the reports while taking notes.


    Damien, dressed in ck, sat at the head of the table. His eyes were covered with ck. silk, but his


    domineering aura couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    The woman who was doing a presentation nced at him the third time. Her voice was trembling.


    ¡°Sir¡­ what do you think about this proposal?¡±


    Just then, Damien¡¯s phone rang. He took up his phone. A hint of gentleness came upon his


    face when he saw the iing caller ID. ¡°Why are you calling at this hour?¡±


    Cherise sounded a bit guilty on the other end of the line. ¡°Hubby, I¡­ got into trouble at school. My


    teacher asked me to get my guardian. Can youe?¡±


    A smile surfaced on Damien¡¯s cold face. ¡°Do you consider me your guardian?¡±


    Following the man¡¯s deep voice, there was a pin-drop silence in the meeting room. Everyone was


    staggered.


    Since thest time Cherise kissed him in public, this was the second time they had witnessed such an


    astonishing moment! The usually solemn boss answered a call during. the meeting! And his tone was


    extremely gentle! What shocking news!


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips. ¡°A guardian can be anyone in the family older than me.¡±


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 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125 A Five-percent Increment


    ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re seven years older than me, and you¡¯re my family. That makes you my guardian.¡± In fact,


    Lucy proposed this logic to Cherise, and she found it reasonable.


    Holding the phone, Damien remained silent for a moment. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right over.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wait for you, Hubby!¡±


    Damien hummed in response and ended the call with a smile.


    The staff sat nervously in their seats, watching Damien end the call. His slender fingers. elegantly


    ced the phone on the table.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for the meeting to pause.¡±


    The hint of gentleness vanished from his tone. ording to Para 82 of thepany¡¯s employee


    regtion, no one, for any reason, is allowed to interrupt a meeting.¡±


    There was a deadly silence in the room. ¡°I vited the rule just now, but none of you stopped me. For


    this, everyone present should reflect and write a 20000-word statement.¡±


    The staff were dumbstruck. ¡°Also, I¡¯m in a good mood today. Everyone will receive a five percent


    increment in their sry this month. Meeting adjourned.¡±


    With that, he wheeled himself out of the meeting room, leaving the employees cheering.


    When he entered the lift, a faint smile remained on his face. Perhaps he was influenced by Cherise; in


    the past, he never cared about his staff¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir!¡±


    When Mr. Kolson pushed Damien out of the lifi on the first floor, a woman in a red dress. walked up to


    Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯m here to apologize. I¡­¡±


    Damien waved his hand without saying a word.


    Mr. Kolson frowned. ¡°Miss, my boss has an important matter to attend to. Pleasee back tomorrow


    if you have any agenda.¡±


    Then, he pushed Damien away, disregarding the woman¡¯s expression.


    The woman stood in the lobby as a gloomy expression spread across her face.


    1/2


    Meanwhile, in Adania University¡­.


    ¡°Cherise, can you handle this yourself?¡± Lucy stood at the entrance of the staff room and looked at


    Cherise worriedly.


    Cherise smiled at Lucy and her father, who was standing behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not dark yet. My


    husband should be here soon.¡±


    Lucy bit her lips. Momentster, she finally left under her father¡¯s urging.


    Shortly after she left, the additional mathematics teacher returned to the staff room. ¡°Cherise, it¡¯s


    almost evening. Where¡¯s your guardian?¡±


    Cherise looked at her watch and mumbled, ¡°He¡¯s probably stuck in traffic.¡±


    It shouldn¡¯t take this long toe from home. Even if he¡¯sing from the Shaw Group, he should


    have arrived by¡­


    Just as Cherise wasining inwardly, someone knocked on the door.


    Frowning, the teacher wore a solemn expression before uttering coldly, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Mr. Kolson opened the door and pushed Damien into the room.


    The teacher furrowed her brows when she saw them. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Cherise¡¯s guardian.¡± Damien spoke calmly while the teacher carefully scrutinized him.


    He was dressed in a ck suit with ck silk over his eyes. Despite his disability, he exuded a noble


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    and aloof aura.


    The teacher was puzzled. If she remembered correctly, Cherise was from a poor family. So, she didn¡¯t


    expect her guardian to look like this.


    ¡°Teacher, may I know what trouble Cherise caused that you must urgently summon her guardian?¡±


    Damien asked nonchntly while the teacher was confused.


    2/2

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Chapter 126 Seal off the Airport


    The teacher snorted. ¡°She damaged the entire ss¡¯ exam sheets. The scores are lost now. One way


    to fix this is to bring all the students back and ask the examiner to create a new set of questions so the


    entire ss can resit the exam. Otherwise, Cherise can¡¯t bear the responsibility of causing her


    ssmates to lose their results.¡±


    After saying that, the teacher sized Damien up coldly. ¡°Are you really Cherise¡¯s guardian? Isn¡¯t she


    from a poor family?¡±


    Damien wore a faint smile. ¡°Of course I am.¡±


    He beckoned to Cherise. ¡°Come here.¡± Cherise scurried over. ¡°Hub- Damien.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want the teacher to know she was married at this age, so she addressed Damien as her


    elder brother.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Damien quite liked being addressed in such a way by Cherise.


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve understood the situation. Can I bring Cherise home now?¡± Damien asked with a smile.


    Frowning, the teacher stood up and said, ¡°Are you thinking of leaving before resolving the issue?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it resolved already? We just have to reset the exam questions and get the students. back to sit for


    the exam. If you¡¯re avable, please go and monitor the exam tomorrow afternoon. I¡¯ll have Cherise


    inform you of the location.¡±


    The teacher¡¯s eyes widened in anger and disbelief. ¡°Are you kidding me?! Do you know two of


    Cherise¡¯s ssmates have already gone abroad? And another three are leaving the country tonight.


    How will you make them return and sit for the exam tomorrow?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows. ¡°Mr. Kolson, make a call to Mr. Hampson. Arrange for the two who are


    overseas to return immediately. And also, seal off the airport.¡±


    There was a pin-drop silence in the staff room as the teacher stared at Damien in shock. ¡°You must be


    kidding me.¡± How could Cherise¡¯s brother have such abilities?


    ¡°Of course not. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can follow my men as they take action. However, I can tell


    from your voice that you¡¯re not young anymore. My subordinates are young and swift. I¡¯m afraid you


    can¡¯t catch up. Damien¡¯s tone was tinged with a hint of mockery.


    The teacher frowned in confusion. Why did he gauge my age from my


    voice?


    1/2


    ¡°Teacher, my brother is blind.¡± Observing the teacher¡¯s puzzlement, Cherise quickly. exined.


    Only then did the teacher understand the situation, but he still had doubts. ¡°Cherise, aren¡¯t you from a


    poor family?¡± How could this powerful man be her guardian?


    Cherise pursed her lips and didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Damien smiled. ¡°It seems like the news is well blocked. Teacher, not sure if you remember that some


    time ago, a group of men in ck came to look for Cherise in the school.¡±


    The teacher frowned and thought for a moment, ¡°Yeah. I do.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my family. Actually, Cherise is a lost child of my wealthy family. We only managed to find her


    not long ago.¡± Damien fabricated a lie without blinking, leaving the teacher startled. Not only did he buy


    Damien¡¯s words, but his attitude toward Cherise also changed when he sent them off.


    ¡°Goodbye, Teacher.¡± Cherise¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment. Then, she quickly pushed Damien¡¯s


    wheelchair and went downstairs.


    2/2


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Chapter 127 An Enemy¡¯s Enemy


    ¡°Oh, Hubby, why did you lie to the teacher?¡± Cherise couldn¡¯t help butin when they arrived


    downstairs. She knew her teacher was simple-minded, except when he was solving math equations.


    He would take Damien¡¯s words seriously and remain polite to her moving forward. The thought alone


    made Cherise ufortable.


    ¡°Cherry.¡± Damien called out to her with a smile.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Damien¡¯s tone was filled with sarcasm. ¡°Are all bookworms as naive as you and your math. teacher?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not bookworms! We study diligently!¡±


    ¡°Are you only diligent when ites to study?


    ¡°No! We¡¯re diligent in everything we do!¡± Cherise corrected Damien crabbily.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir!¡± As soon as Damien came out of the lift, the woman in red, who had been waiting in the


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    office lobby, approached him. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯m here to apolog-¡± Before she could finish her sentence,


    she noticed Cherise and stopped abruptly.


    Her lips trembled. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, she¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife. But I¡¯ve said that I don¡¯t need your apology.¡± Frowning, Damien patted Cherise¡¯s hand


    and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise hummed in response and wheeled Damien to the exit.


    Stunned, the woman caught up with them. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯ve waited for you all night. Please ept my


    apology.¡± Her voice was cracking.


    Cherise calmly pushed Damien forward and was puzzled. ¡°Hubby, who is she?¡±


    She didn¡¯t recall seeing that woman before.


    ¡°I¡¯m Violet Belcourt from Southville.¡± The woman caught up and walked next to Cherise. while


    introducing herself.


    Cherise found the name familiar. After pondering for a moment, she recalled something. ¡°You were the


    one Tristan¡­¡±


    She remembered meeting this woman when she first went to the Lenoir Residence for dinner. She was


    the Ms. Belcourt who caused a scene at that time.


    1/2


    As a top student, Cherise had outstanding memory.


    Violet let out a cough awkwardly. ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s me.¡±


    Through this simple conversation, Cherise became fond of Violet. An enemy¡¯s enemy is a friend! She


    embarrassed Tristan for what he had done. She¡¯s really bold!


    And so, Cherise started chatting with Violet. ¡°Why did you want to apologize to my husband?¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ some work-rted matters. There¡¯s somet connection


    between Mr. Lenoir and my father.¡± She frowned and stared at Cherise briefly. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, can you


    please give us a moment?¡±


    Cherise agreed readily. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll go y Candy Crush at the side. Let me know when you¡¯re done.¡±


    Then, the girl took out her phone and went to sit on a bench in the corner.


    After ensuring Cherise couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, Violet exhaled deeply and looked at Damien.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, my father sent me to apologize to you. I shouldn¡¯t have taken the liberty to ask the medical


    The woman said with a sincere look.


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 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Chapter 128 I¡¯m Just Concerned About You


    Her voice carried a hint of helplessness and coquetry. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be this angry.¡±


    Damien waved his hand and uttered coldly, ¡°Ms. Belcourt, you don¡¯t have to put an act before me. I


    remember I¡¯ve made it clear back then that my connection with the Lyes and the Belcourts is nothing


    more than business coboration.¡±


    Violet lowered her head. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Damien tapped his slender fingers on the wheelchair¡¯s handle. ¡°Who are you then to meddle with my


    private affairs?¡±


    Violet¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just concerned about you¡­¡±


    ¡°Concerned about me? You just wanted to stir up trouble, didn¡¯t you?¡± Damien yawned listlessly and


    looked at Cherise through his ck silk. ¡°When you informed the others to boycottn in my name, you


    must have known the rtionship betweenn and my wife. Not only did you use my name to boycott


    my love rival, but you also deliberately. informed my wife.¡± Damien¡¯s tone turned cold. ¡°I don¡¯t think


    you¡¯re concerned about me. You just wanted to make my life difficult.¡±


    Violet flushed to the root of her hair. Little did she expect someone to notice her schemes. However,


    Damien saw through it all.


    Her eyes darkened. ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m here to apologize today. Please forgive me, Mr. Lenoir. I¡¯ll not


    repeat the mistake.¡±


    Damien smirked. ¡°Please remember your words then, and don¡¯t repeat the same mistake. Otherwise,


    you¡¯ll end up like Randall¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Damien kept his word. The next afternoon, the students were already present when the math teacher


    entered the ssroom. Those who nned to leave the country didn¡¯t make it, and those already


    abroad were brought back. Even the examination questions were reprinted.


    Standing on the podium, the teacher vetted the questions carefully and was impressed. These


    questions were much more challenging than those that he set! He even had the urge to have the entire


    school retake the exam.


    The exam proceeded as scheduled, and no oneined about Cherise¡¯s mistake.


    A weekter, Cherise¡¯s leg almost recovered.


    ¡°Please be careful, Cherise.¡± The math teacher ced the exam sheets in a box and sealed it with tape


    before passing the box to Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve made a copy of the


    1/2


    results. Even if the exam sheets are damaged, we still have the results.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless while Lucy couldn¡¯t helpughing beside her.


    After assuring the teacher, Cherise carried the box back to the ssroom.


    ¡°Everyone knows you¡¯re the lost daughter of a wealthy family now. Even the teacher paid extra


    attention to you. How is it, Cherry? How do you feel to be treated specially?¡± Lucy giggled.


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°I feel nothing.¡± She never knew her math teacher had a big mouth! Since the


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    previous meeting between Damien and the teacher, all her ssmates. became aware of the news


    within a week.


    Now, even if she identally dropped her pen, someone would pick it up for her. It certainly felt good in


    some way, but Cherise didn¡¯t want to be treated as a useless person¡­.


    ¡°You just have to get used to it. Anyways, you¡¯re already Damien¡¯s wife, which is not too different from


    a daughter of a rich family.¡± Lucy continued teasing Cherise.


    2/2

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Chapter 129 Can You Treat Us to a Meal


    ¡°This is the treatment you deserve!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. She called Damien her elder brother because she didn¡¯t want others to know


    she married a rich man, worrying they would treat her differently. But now¡­ the oue seemed to be


    no different.


    The two girls continued chatting until they reached the ssroom. Cherise opened the box and


    distributed the papers. ¡°Everyone, please do your correction. I¡¯ll collect the papers again tomorrow.¡±


    Then, Cherise returned to her seat and packed, preparing to leave. However, to her surprise, her


    ssmates remained seated. All eyes were on her. Cherise stopped packing her bag and asked, ¡°Is


    there¡­ anything else?¡±


    Sunny Wood, the ss monitor, stood up and cleared his throat. ¡°Cherise, since the mid- term results


    are released, we¡¯re considering going out to unwind. Maybe have a meal together or go to the


    karaoke.¡±


    Startled, Cherise instinctively checked the time. She remembered Damien was going to talk business


    on her behalf today. She pressed her lips. ¡°I can join, but I have to reach home by 10 p.m.¡±


    Sunny shook his head. ¡°Cherise, we¡¯re not asking if you¡¯re joining, but¡­¡±


    you


    He let out an awkward cough before continuing. ¡°We¡¯re all ssmates. When had financial difficulties


    back then, all of us helped you. In thest few months, when your grandmother fell sick, we also raised


    funds as a ss. Now that you¡¯ve returned to your rich family, can you¡­¡±


    Lucy furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you asking Cherise to pay for you guys?¡±


    The ss fell silent while Sunny nodded. ¡°Yes. We had to resit the paper because of Cherise¡¯s mistake.


    It isn¡¯t too much to ask for a meal, right? Moreover, given her status now, she wouldn¡¯t care about such


    a small amount of money.¡±


    Lucy was irritated. The money doesn¡¯t belong to Cherise. Don¡¯t you think this is too much?¡± She knew


    Cherise was stubborn. Ever since she married Damien, she didn¡¯t even buy new clothes for herself.


    How could she use Damien¡¯s money to buy her ssmates a meal?


    Sunny rolled his eyes at Lucy. ¡°Cherise is like a princess now. Her family¡¯s money will be passed down


    to her sooner orter. She hasn¡¯t said no, so why are you causing trouble here?¡±


    1/2


    Sitting at her desk, Cherise dug her nails into her palm Momentster, she lifted her head and smiled at


    Sunny ¡°I can buy you guys a meal. Have you thought of where to go?¡±


    Her ssmates burst into a cheer upon hearing her response.


    Sunny wore an obsequious look and said, ¡°Yeah We chose Viopril Pce!


    by gasped when she heard the ce. Before he could remind Cherise, the naive girl nodded and


    agreed. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll meet there tonight then¡¯


    Two days ago, she had just received her schrship worth ten thousand. Assuming th would cost at


    most a few thousand to treat the whole ss to a meal, Cherise thought she could afford it


    Sunny nodded excitedly. ¡°Sure¡± See you guys at 8 pm. at Viopril Pce! With that, her ss dispersed


    immediately as if they were worried Cherise would change her mind.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    In no time, only Lucy and Cherise were left in the ssroom.


    ¡°You silly girl! Why did you agree with them?¡± Lucy walked up to Cherise and poked her forehead with


    her finger.

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Chapter 130 Why Should I Treat Them to Such an Expensive Meal


    Cherise continued packing her bag and said with a serious look. ¡°I think Sunny has a point. Our


    ssmates helped me raise funds when my grandma was sick.¡±


    Lucy pouted ¡°And it¡¯s just two thousand.¡± She was annoyed at the mention of this topic.. Before this,


    when Cherise¡¯s grandmother was severely ill, she alone lent eight thousand to her. After Sunny learned


    about it, he initiated a crowdfunding in the ss. However, it turned out that the twenty-eight


    ssmates, excluding Lucy and Cherise, only contributed two thousand in total. Lucy¡¯s contribution


    alone was four times their total! So, 1 y was irritated that they had the nerve to im credit and make


    Cherise treat them to a meal.


    ¡°There¡¯s also the matter of the exam. Also, it¡¯s just a dinner. I¡¯ve gotten my schrship. So, I can afford


    it.¡± Cherise remained optimistic.


    ¡°You can afford it? You dumb girl, do you know what you have agreed to? Do you know what kind of


    ce Viopril Pce is?¡± Lucy became exasperated.


    Cherise was confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is. It¡¯s where rich people go for their meals! The ten thousand from your schrship can¡¯t even


    afford a bottle of red wine there!¡± Lucy freaked out.


    There was a sudden change in Cherise expression when she heard it. After remaining silent for a


    moment, she mumbled, ¡°What if¡­ we don¡¯t order wine? We¡¯re just students. It¡¯s fine not to order wine.¡±


    Lucy knocked Cherise¡¯s forehead. ¡°Oh, you hopeless girl! I said you can¡¯t afford a bottle of wine there


    because the expenses there are high! A bottle of wine or an average meal can easily cost tens of


    thousands! Treating the whole ss to a meal there might cost you over a hundred thousand! Your


    schrship is just a drop in the bucket!¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°I see. She thought only the wine was expensive.


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s dumbfounded look, Lucy pressed her lips in resignation. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be worried


    now? It¡¯s 4 p.m. now. By 8 p.m., those people will be heading to Viopril Pce! How will youe up


    with a hundred thousand in four hours?¡±


    She shoved Cherise¡¯s phone into her hand. ¡°Quickly call Damien!¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Ask him to send you some money! He¡¯s the one who imed you¡¯re from a rich family.


    1/2


    Now that the lie is almost exposed, he has to bear the responsibility.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t call him. He¡¯s busy today.¡±


    This was the first business deal Damien handled on her behalf ever since the Lyes. Enterprise was


    renamed to the Shaw Group. Cherise thought Damien must be nervous, so she didn¡¯t want to disturb


    him.


    Lucy inhaled deeply. ¡°What do you n to do then?¡±


    ¡°Stand everyone up.¡± Cherise uttered solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t like this rich girl¡¯s identity anyway. Just let them


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    think I was bragging. They can¡¯t do anything to me if I don¡¯t show up tonight.¡±


    Lucy shot a re at her. ¡°But they will despise you.¡±


    ¡°Let it be then.¡± Cherise pursed her lips and carried her bag. ¡°My grandma only spent a few tens of


    thousands when she was sick. A meal in Viopril Pce costs more than one¡¯s life. I won¡¯t buy them the


    meal.¡±


    After taking a few steps, she recalled something and turned toin to Lucy. ¡°And they only raised


    two thousand for me when my grandma was sick. Why should I treat them to such an expensive


    meal?¡±


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 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Chapter 131 A Magical Voice Message


    Lucy was surprised Cherise actually remembered that matter.


    ¡°Why then did you agree so readily when Sunny asked you to treat them to a meal?¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°I thought it was just a normal meal.¡±


    Damien had a business appointment today and would be homete, so Cherise did not return home


    after school but went to the library with Lucy.


    She didn¡¯t manage to score full marks in a few subjects in the recent mid-term exams, probably


    because she hadn¡¯t spent enough time studying. So, she nned to catch up on her studies.


    However, she couldn¡¯t help worrying about Damien, so she texted Mr. Kolson while lying on the desk in


    the library.


    Is my hubby confident? Is he nervous?¡¯ She typed these two sentences and sent them out.


    On the other hand, in the Shaw Group¡¯s office, the phone in front of Damien vibrated.


    He took up the phone and nced at the message. Smiling, he replied in Mr. Kolson¡¯s. style. ¡®Mr.


    Lenoir is very nervous. He¡¯s hoping to get some encouragement from you.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed when she received the message. She quickly walked out of the library with


    her phone and began recording some voice messages.


    ¡°Go, go, Hubby! You¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°I know you can do this, Hubby!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous, Hubby!¡±


    ¡°Hubby¡­¡±


    She recorded repeatedly but canceled each recording because she found it so embarrassing. Not only


    was it embarrassing, she thought itcked persuasiveness.


    After Cherise kept recording for five minutes, a girl studying near her couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She


    strode over and asked, ¡°Why is it so hard to root for your boyfriend? Listen to me. Saying ¡®Hubby, I love


    you. All the best!¡¯ is much more useful than what your practiced just now!¡±


    1/2


    Chapter 131 A Magical Voice Message


    Cherise looked at the girl hesitantly. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Whenever I say that to my boyfriend, he¡¯ll be super motivated!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes glistened. With the girl¡¯s help and encouragement, she finally finished recording a voice


    message and sent it out. In fact, it was a simple one. I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    Cherise was still blushing when she sent out the message, and she reminded Mr. Kolson not to listen to


    it. Her heart raced after she sent it out, worrying that Damien would send a voice message back to


    tease her.


    Shel nervously switched her phone to silent mode before sneaking back into the library.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, the girl¡¯s sweet, crisp voice echoed in the spacious office.


    I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    The secretary came into the room and was startled. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, should I excuse myself first?¡±


    Damien switched off the looped yback of the audio and smiled faintly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The secretary ced a document on Damien¡¯s desk. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you can read through it


    Cherise looked at the girl hesitantly. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Whenever I say that to my boyfriend, he¡¯ll be super motivated!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes glistened. With the girl¡¯s help and encouragement, she finally finished. recording a voice


    message and sent it out. In fact, it was a simple one. ¡®I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    Cherise was still blushing when she sent out the message, and she reminded Mr. Kolson not to listen to


    it. Her heart raced after she sent it out, worrying that Damien would send at voice message back to


    tease her.


    Shel nervously switched her phone to silent mode before sneaking back into the library.


    Meanwhile, the girl¡¯s sweet, crisp voice echoed in the spacious office.


    ¡°I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡±


    ¡®I love you, Hubby. All the best!¡¯


    The secretary came into the room and was startled. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, should I excuse myself first?¡±


    Damien switched off the looped yback of the audio and smiled faintly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The secretary ced a document on Damien¡¯s desk. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you can read through it.ter. There¡¯s


    no hurry. The negotiation only starts at 8 p.m. You still have time to chat with Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Damien smiled and put his phone on the side. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She rarely says she loves me. I should do my


    best, too.¡±


    Around 9.30 p.m., Cherise received one call after another on her phone, but she wasn¡¯t aware because


    her phone was in silent mode. Finally, the manager of Viopril Pce called Lucy. ¡°Hi, is this Ms.


    Cherise Shaw¡¯s friend?¡±


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    Chapter 132


    Chapter 132 I Told You She¡¯d Definitely Come


    ¡°Your ssmates spent over eight hundred thousand at Viopril Pce, iming it¡¯s a treat. from Ms.


    Shaw. Are you able to reach her?¡±


    Lucy was so shocked that she nearly dropped her phone. ¡°How much did they spend?¡±


    ¡°Eight hundred twenty-three thousand four hundred. The female voice on the other end. of the line was


    courteous yet cold. ¡°We¡¯re just calling to verify the situation. If Ms. Shaw doesn¡¯t intend to pay the bill,


    we¡¯ll deal with these twenty-eight individuals separately.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s hand trembled. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°We have our ways. In any case, we will recover the money. Are you able to reach Ms. Shaw?


    Lucy almost freaked out. ¡°Wait. We¡¯lle right over.¡±


    What a bunch of naive fools! How dare they step into the restaurant in Cherise¡¯s absence?!


    When Cherise said she nned to stand them up in the afternoon, Lucy thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    After all, any sensible person would not enter the restaurant if the host didn¡¯t. show up. But s, her


    ssmates clearlyckedmon sense!


    She hurried into the library and dragged Cherise out. ¡°We have to head to Viopril Pce!¡±


    They couldn¡¯t watch their ssmates get into trouble!


    When Cherise was dragged into a cab by Lucy, she was still holding her pen. She looked at Lucy in


    confusion and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Sir, please head to Viopril Pce!¡±


    After the car started moving, Lucy heaved a sigh of relief and exined the situation to Cherise.


    Cherise was left speechless. She, too, didn¡¯t expect her ssmates to go ahead with their ns when


    she didn¡¯t show up. It seemed like they truly believed she was rich and would. be willing to pay for the


    meal.


    Even though it was her fault to stand them up, she didn¡¯t expect them to¡­


    ¡°Quickly give Damien a call! We can¡¯t solve the situation without money. Ask your handsome, blind


    husband to transfer some money first!¡± Lucy nudged Cherise.


    Cherise nodded, searched her pocket, and then looked helplessly at Lucy. ¡°I came out in a


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    hurry and left my phone in the library.¡±


    Lucy shoved her phone into Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Use mine then!¡±


    Cherise held the phone and contemted briefly. ¡°I can¡¯t remember his number¡­¡±


    Lucy was at a loss for words. Before they could think of another way, they had arrived at their


    destination.


    ¡°What should we do¡­¡± Lucy was a bundle of nerves.


    Cherise led her to the entrance of Viopril Pce. ¡°We don¡¯t have money. There¡¯s nothing. we can do


    even if we go in!¡± Lucy reminded her.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stand out here. Let¡¯s go in and take a look.¡± Cherise inhaled deeply.


    After exining their intention to the receptionist, the twodies were led to the private room where


    their ssmates were. In fact, it was not just a private room but an entire floor. It turned out Sunny had


    reserved the entire floor for the party!


    When they arrived, the room was filled with energetic music. Some were dancing and singing while


    others were drinking.


    When Sunny saw Cherise and Lucy walking in with the receptionist, he wore a smug smile and looked


    disdainfully at the receptionist. ¡°I told you, my ssmate will definitelye! She¡¯s from a wealthy


    family. Hundreds of thousands is nothing to her.¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists at her side. They took for granted that she would foot the bill for them,


    disregarding the fact that she never intended to treat them to such an extravagant meal.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    2/2

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Chapter 133 Go Ahead and Call the Police Then


    Even if she had the intention, they shouldn¡¯t have booked an entire floor and partied in her absence.


    Obviously, they disrespected Cherise and merely deemed her as an ATM.


    Cherise inhaled deeply and turned to look at the receptionist. ¡°How much did they spend?¡±


    ¡°Eight hundred twenty-three thousand four hundred.¡±


    ¡°What will happen if I don¡¯t pay the bill?¡±


    The receptionist smiled faintly. ¡°We¡¯ll call the police to arrest these freeloaders. Once their parents


    settle the bill, we¡¯ll release them.¡±


    Cherise wore a calm smile. ¡°Go ahead and call the police then.¡±


    At once, the room fell silent. The music stopped, and her ssmates ceased singing and dancing.


    Even some who were half-drunk suddenly sobered up and looked toward Cherise.


    The receptionist thought she heard Cherise wrongly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, are you sure you won¡¯t pay the bill for


    your ssmates?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cherise answered firmly, leaving the crowd bbergasted.


    Sunny stared at Cherise in disbelief. ¡°Cherry, why? You promised to¡­.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I promised to buy you guys a meal, but not at this kind of ce.¡±


    Sunny knitted his brows and was displeased. ¡°But I¡¯ve told you this afternoon that we¡¯reing to


    Viopril Pce, and you agreed!¡±


    Cherise smirked. ¡°Sunny, you were clearly taking advantage of me being an outstation student who


    didn¡¯t know what kind of ce Viopril Pce really is.¡± She carefully recalled. the scene that afternoon.


    ¡°When you mentioned this venue, I agreed. Then, all of you left immediately. Actually, you guys were


    not going off for other matters, but you were just worried I would find out what this ce is like, right?¡±


    Once serious, Cherise disyed an extraordinarily calm mind, which helped her score full marks in


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    exams. ¡°Since I¡¯m the one treating, the budget should be determined by me. In other words, even if I


    were to treat everyone to dinner here tonight, the type of food ordered and private room booked should


    be at my discretion.¡±


    She walked slowly to the table where only remnants of food were left. ¡°You guys have finished eating.


    As the host tonight, I haven¡¯t eaten at all. I don¡¯t think I have the obligation


    1/2


    to settle the bill for you.¡±


    With that, she took a deep breath and led Lucy away. The truth was that before she entered the room,


    she was still thinking about how to pay the bill tonight because she couldn¡¯t bear to see her ssmates


    detained. However, she changed her mind aftering in.


    None of the twenty-eight people present cared if she woulde to eat but only wanted. her to settle


    the bill for them. But s, she wasn¡¯t a pushover.


    Her ssmates instantly panicked.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to us, Cherise!¡±


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re the richest person in the ss. We¡¯ve already finished the food. What are we gonna do if


    you don¡¯t pay¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. My family is very poor. Even if we divide the bill, it¡¯ll still be tens of thousands for each person.


    My family can¡¯t afford it..


    ¡°Cherry, you shouldn¡¯t be ungrateful. When you had difficulties, we crowdfunded to help you, but


    now¡­¡±


    Just then, someone brought up the crowdfunding for Cherise¡¯s grandmother. And so, they found a


    reason for her to foot the bill.


    ¡°Cherry, we are ssmates. We should help each other!¡±


    ¡°Cherry, we helped you when you were in hard times. Now that you be rich, can¡¯t forget us¡­¡±


    you

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    Chapter 134 A Threat


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The ssmates continued discussing among themselves.


    Lucy frowned and rebuked. ¡°How dare you mention that two thousand?¡±


    In fact, besides Cherise, no one was considered poor in their ss. Everyone received an average


    allowance of six thousand monthly. They only forked out less than a hundred each for Cherise during


    the crowdfunding. Yet, they thought they had done her a huge favor and wanted her to settle the bill for


    their extravagant spending tonight.


    Cherise inhaled deeply and uttered, ¡°I almost forgot about it if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it.¡±


    She reached out her hand to Lucy. ¡°Lucy, please lend me some money¡±


    Lucy immediately understood her intention. She took out five thousand from her wallet and passed it to


    Cherise.


    Cherise pped the note on the table. ¡°This is my repayment for your kindness back then. I came out


    in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring cash. I¡¯ll divide another five thousand equally and transfer the money to your


    bank ounts tonight. You gave me two thousand: I¡¯m returning ten thousand in less than a month.


    The interest is exceptionally high.¡±


    Lucy was so impressed by Cherise¡¯s calmness that she had the urge to apud her! Although Cherise


    was usually easygoing, she remained clear-headed in a severe situation. like this.


    A stern visage shed across Sunny¡¯s face. ¡°Cherry, this is not how you make the calction. When


    you were in trouble, we reached out to help you. A-Although the sum wasn¡¯t big, it was a timely help,


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    wasn¡¯t it? You can¡¯t repay our kindness like this just because our contribution was little.¡±


    Cherise smiled at Sunny. ¡°I¡¯m a grateful person. But you shouldn¡¯t take advantage of me and ask me to


    pay for this meal that cost over eight hundred thousand. This amount is enough to treat two terminally


    ill children or build a decent primary school in hometown. Not to mention I don¡¯t have so much money;


    even if I do, I¡¯ll use it for more. meaningful things rather than¡­¡±


    my


    She paused to nce at the messy scene. ¡°Rather than spending in on a meal for a group of people


    who never respect me.¡± Cherise¡¯s words were realistic and cold.


    Her ssmates became speechless. Momentster, Sunny regained hisposure and said to


    Cherise, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Cherry. We never looked down on you.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Cherise wore a half-smile and turned to look at the receptionist. I¡¯ve finished what I want to say.


    The five thousand on the table is for paying their bill. As for the remainder,


    1/2


    deal with them however you want.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have the obligation to pay for these wasteful people who never respected her.


    With that, Cherise turned to leave, but Sunny swiftly dragged her back and gripped her neck. ¡°Do you


    want to see us arrested by the police? Cherise Shaw, you heartless woman!¡±


    Lucy and the receptionist were caught off guard. Thetter quickly went to get help while Lucy scowled.


    ¡°Sunny, what are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± Sunny grabbed a table knife, ced it at Cherise¡¯s neck, and red at Lucy. ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you her best friend? Call her family now and ask them to send money over!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and rebuked, ¡°Sunny Wood, you¡¯re going against thew!¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Sunny sneered. ¡°Threatening you to pay the bill is going against thew. If we can¡¯t


    pay


    the bill, we¡¯re also going against thew and will be arrested by the police. The results are the same


    either way!¡±


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 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Chapter 135 On the House


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be arrested myself than let everyone be arrested!¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    His statement received cheers from the crowd.


    ¡°Sunny is such a loyal friend,¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the best ss monitor ever!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s far betterpared to Cherise¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s expression turned sullen. In the past, she only focused on her studies, so besides. Lucy, she


    was not close to her other ssmates. She was shocked and bereft of words to hear suchments


    from them. It turned out that these ssmates, who usually appeared decent, had such twisted values!


    ¡°Here they are!¡± Suddenly, the receptionist rushed in with the manager and several guards.


    Sunny quickly took a few steps back and held the knife against Cherise¡¯s neck. ¡°Lucy Staber, get her


    family to send money over right now!¡±


    ¡°Let go of Cherise immediately, Sunny Wood! You still have a chance now. Otherwise, you¡¯ll really go to


    jail!¡± Lucy reminded him.


    ¡°Sir, please calm down.¡± The manager, too, attempted to pacify Sunny. At that moment, the venue was


    in a state of chaos.


    A woman in a red dress walked past the corridor outside the room and frowned upon noticing the


    The general manager quickly exined, ¡°A bunch of poor students came to eat but can¡¯t pay the bill.


    They¡¯re in an argument now.¡±


    The woman found it unbelievable, not expecting students to be this extravagant these days.


    Through the door gap, she nced into the room and noticed the woman held at knifepoint at one


    nce. She narrowed her almond-shaped eyes. It¡¯s her!


    A mocking smirk rested on her lips. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to offend thisdy. Inform Mr. Lewis not to rm


    the police, and the bill is on the house.¡±


    Violet nced at Cherise again and pondered for a moment. ¡°Provoke the guy holding the knife. Only


    inform them the bill is on the house after thedy is injured. Handle it well. I don¡¯t want her life to be


    threatened but to get her injured. Bring that woman to me when


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    it¡¯s done.¡± After giving her order, Violet smirked and walked away.


    The general manager was left confused. Could this woman be offended or not? What does it mean to


    keep her safe but get her injured?


    Despite being puzzled, the general manager passed Violet¡¯s instruction to Mr. Lewis, the manager in


    the room. Mr. Lewis and the receptionist were confused, too, but they did as they were told.


    Under their provocation, Sunny cut Cherise¡¯s neck with the knife.


    ¡°Cherise!¡± Lucy rushed over in terror. Fortunately, the wound was shallow. Only a thin.yer of skin was


    cut, causing mild bleeding.


    The guards restrained Sunny. The private room was thrown into a state of disarray.


    Only then did the general manager walk in with a frown. ¡°Ms. Belcourt offered to have the bill on the


    house tonight!¡±


    Then, he looked at Cherise, whose neck still had traces of blood. ¡°Ms. Shaw, I¡¯ll help. to treat your


    wound. Ms. Belcourt would like to meet you, too.¡±


    Lucy wiped the blood from Cherise¡¯s neck with a napkin and arched her brows. ¡°Did you say the bill is


    on the house?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The general manager raised his voice. ¡°Ms. Belcourt will wave the bill tonight for Ms. Shaw¡¯s


    sake. But¡­¡±


    He darted a nce at Sunny. ¡°This person who attacked Ms. Shaw will be sent to the police directly!¡±


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 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Chapter 136 Violet Belcourt


    The room fell silent.


    Everyone looked at the scene, unsure whether to thank Cherise or Sunny.


    ¡°Useless bunch of trash!¡±


    Lucy red at them as she supported Cherise out of the room.


    The manager led the way. Cherise and Lucy followed unstably until they arrived at an office on the top


    floor.


    It looked more like a lounge than an office.


    The room had a soft white carpet and was decorated femininely.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Violet smiled at Cherise from the door. ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    Cherise frowned and considered. It took her some time to realize who she was. Didn¡¯t this woman


    chase after Damien, wanting to apologize? I think her name is Violet Belcourt.


    She nodded politely. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    Violet was shocked to see a wound on Cherise¡¯s neck. She brought cotton buds and a bottle of


    antiseptic. Then, she sighed as she cleaned Cherise¡¯s injury. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you in my


    restaurant.¡±


    Cherise was stunned. This is your restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Violet smiled. ¡°The Vio¡¯ in Viopril Pce came from my name, Violet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the owner of Viopril Pce?¡±


    Lucy looked at Violet in astonishment. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the owner to be so young!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    1/3


    Violet gently ced a band-aid on the injury. ¡°But it¡¯s nothing to be surprised about. My father provided


    me with everything. I¡¯m nothingpared to a self-made man like Mr.


    Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise frowned. She was a little slow to realize that the ¡®Mr. Lenoir¡¯ Violet mentioned was her


    husband, Damien.


    Did she say Damien is a self-made man?


    Isn¡¯t my


    husband unemployed and disregarded by his rtives?


    Lucy, too, was confused about this.


    ¡°A self-made man like Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Violet casually tidied Cherise¡¯s shirt cor. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, I was talking about your husband.¡±


    Then, she seemed to remember something and pursed her lips. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re unaware of Mr.


    Lenoir¡¯s true identity.¡±


    Cherise was confused. ¡°What true identity?¡±


    Violet looked shocked. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, do you know what happened to his eyes?¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°He lost his sight when he was thirteen and could not see since then.


    Violet was stunned briefly before smiling.


    She gracefully poured a cup of tea for Cherise. ¡°Who knew you know so little about Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Lucy red at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Violet¡¯s smile was gentle and elegant. It also contained a hint of smugness and contempt. ¡°I just find it


    amusing. The woman who understands Mr. Lenoir the most is me.¡±


    Then, she stood up and stretched. She walked gradually to the floor-to-ceiling window. and looked at


    the traffic below. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say, Mrs. Lenoir. If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes and pulled Cherise up from her seat. ¡°What a weirdo. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    2/3


    When they exited the room, Violet added coldly, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, I suggest you don¡¯t tell Mr. Lenoir about


    what happened tonight.¡±


    ¡°You know his temper. If he finds out, your ssmates will be ruined.¡±


    Cherise grunted, but Lucy dragged her away before she could say anything.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


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 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Chapter 137 I Know Every Inch of You


    ¡°That woman is crazy!¡±


    They were in a taxi back to the campus. Lucy continued furiously, ¡°She said all kinds of nonsense. How


    dare she im to understand Damien the most?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his wife. You should know him the best!¡±


    Cherise leaned against the window and listened to Lucy grumbling non-stop about what Violet said.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re unaware of Mr. Lenoir¡¯s true identity.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, do you know what happened to Mr. Lenoir¡¯s eyes?¡±


    ¡°Who knew you know so little about Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise had never imed to know Damien the best, but she believed she would gradually understand


    him better.


    Tonight, she had been mercilessly mocked by Violet for not knowing enough about Damien.


    It made her feel helpless.


    Was Violet messing with me, or do I know too little about Damien?


    Meanwhile, Lucy was still grumbling incessantly.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Lucy.¡±


    Cherise sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention this matter to anyone.¡±


    Lucy was stunned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No special reason.¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes. ¡°Just think of it as me being kind. I don¡¯t want Damien to do anything to our


    ssmates.¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips. She knew Cherise was troubled about something else.


    Lucy also did not dare to promise anything. She was not sure whether Violet was lying.


    Moreover, Damien was a mysterious man.


    1/3


    Soon, the taxi arrived at the campus.


    Cherise and Lucy sneaked into the library.


    It was past ten at night.


    The corridor was empty. A few lights flickered from time to time.


    Cherise opened the door to the study room.


    A man with a ck sash over his eyes sat at her usual desk. He was holding her phone.


    Mr. Kolson stood dutifully beside him. Meanwhile, ke was asleep at her desk.


    The study room was lively when she left.


    Now, the three of them were the only ones there.


    Damien must have heard the door open. He turned in her direction and asked, ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    Cherise was stunned, but she recovered immediately and smiled. ¡°I went out for dinner with friends.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your phone?¡±


    His deep voice contained a hint of affection. ¡°I thought something had happened to you.¡±


    He had a meeting at eight tonight. ke reported that Cherise disappeared when he returned from the


    washroom at half past eight.


    Damien was anxious and finished the meeting in a hurry. At the same time, he dispatched people to


    search for her.


    Later, Violet informed him that Cherise and her ssmates were having dinner at Viopril. Pce.


    He was relieved and went to the study room to await her return.


    ¡°What can happen to me?¡±


    Cherise smiled and went to him. She quickly put the books in her bag and carried it on her back. ¡°Let¡¯s


    go home.¡±


    Damien smiled and caressed her hair. ¡°Did you have fun tonight?¡±


    2/3


    He looked at the band-aid on her neck. His eyes widened briefly under the ck sash. Then, he


    casually ced his hand there and touched the edges of the band-aid, ¡°What happened here?¡±


    Cherise was stunned. She thought to turn away but suddenly recalled something. ¡°Dear, you usually


    don¡¯t touch my neck.¡±


    Why did he suddenly touch my neck the day I had a wound on it?


    Damien reached for ke and patted him awake. ¡°I know every inch of your body, and I like touching


    all of them.¡±


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 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Chapter 138 You Hurt His Heart


    Cherise was rendered speechless, while Lucy was shocked.


    Even so, Cherise was unconvinced by his excuse.


    She could not forget what Violet said, ¡°Do you know what happened to his eyes?¡±


    Violet would not have asked the question if she only wanted to say that Damien was blind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Seeing her in a daze, Damien pulled her into his embrace. He nned to bring her downstairs in his


    wheelchair as he had done many times before.


    But Cherise refused insistently and removed herself from his embrace.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t do this here.¡±


    Cherise breathed in and continued, ¡°You can¡¯t see.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Damien sensed something wrong with Cherise tonight.


    He frowned and did not speak.


    Mr. Kolson tried to soothe her. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Mr. Lenoir had carried you previously. He also could not


    see then, and you were safe.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips.


    He¡¯s right. Damien also couldn¡¯t see when he carried me previously.


    Yet, he could hold me with one hand while controlling the wheelchair with his other hand. He never


    bumped into anything.


    ¡°Forget it. My wife is unwilling to let me hold her.¡±


    Damien noticed Cherise¡¯s hesitation and turned the wheelchair around to leave.


    Cherise stood still and watched him go with conflicting emotions.


    Mr. Kolson frowned and nced at Cherise. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    this


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡¯s won the negotiation tonight and helped Shaw Group secure its biggest order


    year. He thought you would be happy to hear the news. That¡¯s why he rushed here to wait for you right


    after the negotiation¡­¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Then, Mr. Lenoir discovered you were in Viopril Pce with your friends. He did not want to disturb


    your spending time with friends and knew you wouldn¡¯t want them to see him. That¡¯s why he waited


    here for you.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even want to send anyone to inform you that he was waiting¡±


    ¡°Yet, you returned with such an attitude. First, you forbid Mr. Lenoir from touching your neck. Then, you


    refused to let him embrace you¡­¡±


    ¡°If I were him, I would be despondent. You hurt his feelings¡­¡±


    Mr. Kolson had never spoken so much to Cherise before.


    Cherise was shocked by those words and fell into a daze.


    Is¡­ that true?


    Lucy frowned and pushed Cherise slightly. ¡°What are you thinking? Your husband is angry. What are


    you waiting for? Go coax him now!¡±


    Cherise staggered from Lucy¡¯s push and returned to her senses. She ran in the direction that Damien


    had left.


    Lucy watched Cherise disappear before turning to Mr. Kolson. ¡°Your boss must have paid. you a high


    sry.¡±


    Mr. Kolson said many good things about Damien and stirred up sentiments for him. He even added that


    he would be sad if he were in Damien¡¯s position.


    This man is not a driver. He¡¯s a gifted orator!


    In response to Lucy¡¯s question, Mr. Kolson smiled and answered, ¡°My sry is not much.¡±


    He paused and continued, ¡°But I should get a lot of bonus this month.¡±


    When Cherise rushed downstairs, Damien entered the car with ke¡¯s help.


    She stopped the door from closing and jumped into the car, plopping herself down on the


    seat.


    Damien was expressionless as he faced forward. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you don¡¯t have to force yourself. If


    you¡¯re unwilling to share a car with a blind man like me, I can arrange another. one for you.¡±


    2/3


    Cherise panted and leaned into the leather seat while patting her chest. ¡°Dear, I was wrong.¡±


    Damien frowned slightly. ¡°What have you done wrong, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    His deep and charming voice carried a hint of self-derision. At the same time, he sounded. forlorn. ¡°I


    understand that you don¡¯t want to be with me.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


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 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Chapter 139 You Are Ashamed of Me


    My conscience is clear!


    I¡¯m not ashamed of him!


    I have never been!


    I was only disturbed by Violet¡¯s words and was unsure what to believe!


    ¡°ke.¡±


    Seeing that Cherise was silent, Damien spoke to ke in the front passenger seat. ¡°Tell Mr. Hampson


    to send another car to bring Mrs. Lenoir home.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ke took out his phone and quickly dialed a number. ¡°Mr. Hampson, send a car to the campus to¡­¡±


    H


    However, Cherise snatched the phone from him before he could finish speaking. ¡°Mr. Hampson, ke


    was joking. It¡¯ste. You don¡¯t have to send another car!¡±


    Then, she hung up the call and returned the phone to ke.


    ke frowned and turned to Damien. ¡°Should I call again?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    Cherise refused before Damien could speak. ¡°Damien and I are husband and wife. Why do we need


    separate cars to go home?¡±


    Unknown to Cherise, Damien¡¯s lips curved up slightly.


    Still, he sounded lonely and self-deprecating as he said, ¡°But you¡¯re ashamed of me¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and turned to face him. She held his face and kissed him. Then, she kissed


    him again.


    My husband is so handsome. Why would he trick me?


    He¡¯sgentle and kind. Violet must be lying!


    Furthermore, he has low self-esteem. I should never have doubted him!


    1/3


    D*mn you, Violet! My husband is the most brilliant man in the world!


    ¡°Dear, are you still angry?¡±


    Her eyes glimmered like crystals in the darkness. ¡°I was confused because I was sleepy!¡±


    ¡°But my mind is now awake. I apologize for my behavior just now. I was wrong!¡±


    Damien gazed at Cherise unwaveringly through the gauzy ck sash. ¡°What was your mistake?¡±


    ¡°I should never have suspected that you tricked me!¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. She recalled what Damien had taught her.


    ¡°The most vital thing in marriage is trust!¡±


    ¡°Dear, even if you tricked other people, you would never trick me. I should never have doubted your


    sight.¡±


    Damien squinted slightly. His deep voice grew stern. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have rejected your embrace¡­¡±


    ¡°Others might be unable to hold me and navigate a wheelchair while visually impaired, but you¡¯re


    different. You can do what others can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I should never have suspected you!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s voice was clear as the chimes of a silver bell. Her words struck Damien¡¯s heart, prompting


    his expression to darken.


    Why did she suddenly suspect that I could see?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear!¡±


    Cherise grinned and leaned into his embrace. ¡°Mr. Kolson said you won the negotiation and secured


    Adania¡¯s biggest business deal this season for me. Is it true?¡±


    Damien was stunned briefly before realizing what she meant.


    Cherise thought he secured that project for her sake.


    After all, she was the president of Shaw Group.


    Damien smiled and gently caressed her long hair. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Randall will thank you for managing thepany so well.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Damien¡¯s body had a unique minty masculine scent thatforted Cherise.


    She soon felt sleepy in his embrace and closed her eyes. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    ¡°Once I finish managing thepany and return it to Randall, he probably won¡¯t care about the tens of


    thousands I took from him¡­¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Chapter 140 It¡¯s Too Late


    Damien shook his head.


    Silly girl.


    Why does she worry about taking tens of thousands from the money Randall gave her to pay Erina¡¯s


    medical fee?


    ¡°Sir, Mrs. Lenoir has begun to be suspicious about your sight.¡±


    Cherise was sound asleep when they arrived at Lenoir Manor.


    Mr. Kolson sighed from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to tell her the truth?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


    Damien sighed softly and caressed her hair. ¡°If I tell her now, it will ruin everything she believes


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ will be disappointed in me,¡±


    Damien closed his eyes and recalled what Cherise had said before.


    ¡°The most vital thing in marriage is trust!¡±


    ¡°Dear, even if you tricked other people, you would never trick me. I should never have. doubted your


    sight.¡±


    He opened the window and let the night breeze in. ¡°Help me investigate who she met. tonight.¡±


    Cherise woke up the following morning.


    She checked the news on her phone before getting out of bed.


    As expected, news about Shaw Group securing the most significant clothes order for the next quarter


    was the headline of every business news.


    She jumped on the bed in excitement.


    Damien, who was sound asleep on the bed, moved briefly.


    Cherise froze and realized she had disturbed his sleep.


    She stealthily crawled out of bed.


    1/3


    Still, she could not contain the excitement in her heart.


    Everyone on the Web praised the president of Shaw Group, saying he was a budding talent in the


    business world.


    Hmph, my husband is brilliant. He¡¯s more than a budding talent!


    He¡¯s a genius!


    Cherise was so happy that she hummed while brushing her teeth.


    After a bath, Cherise changed into loungewear and went downstairs.


    Meanwhile, Damien, pretending to be asleep, smiled affectionately when she left.


    My dear wife is easy to please.


    ¡°ording to public knowledge, Shaw Group¡¯s predecessor, Lyes Enterprise, had diversified its


    businesses. However, it still focused on real estate. After thepany changed hands, it unexpectedly


    entered the clothing businesses.¡±


    ¡°With Shaw Group securing this business deal, the most affected would be Raetec Group, a subsidiary


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    of Lenoir Group specializing in the clothing business. Our reporter interviewed the president of Raetec


    Group, Raymond Lenoir¡­¡±


    Cherise had put on an apron and cooked breakfast for Damien. She listened to business. news as she


    worked but could hardly understand anything.


    My husband worked so hard. I must reward him with a delicious breakfast!


    The delicious smell of breakfast wafted throughout Lenoir Manor.


    The scent reached Tristan, who had just stepped out of his car.


    As a food connoisseur, Tristan would usually be happy to smell something so delicious.


    However, he was not in the mood for it this time.


    Due to Damien¡¯s meddling, Tristan got into a massive row with Violet and her family. The matter left


    him thoroughly humiliated. Worse, Old Mr. Lenoir took back thepany he gave Tristan.


    With nothing to do, Tristan had no choice but to ask his father, Randall, for help.


    Randall trusted Tristan and wanted to secure a position for him in thepany. Thus, he assigned


    Tristan to obtain the biggest clothing order of the next quarter.


    2/3


    Unfortunately, he lost the deal to Shaw Group, apany that had changed owners less than half a


    month ago.


    Randall scolded Tristan so badly that Tristan could not sleep the whole night. After investigating, he


    discovered that the president of Shaw Group was Damien¡¯s country bumpkin wife.


    That made him even more furious. Cherise was only a student. He knew it was not she who snatched


    his business deal.


    3/3

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Chapter 141 Hubby, Save Me


    Instead, it was the work of the cursed Damien.


    ¡°Argh! D*mn it!¡±


    Tristan cursed furiously the moment he entered Lenoir Manor.


    If not for Damien¡¯s actions and the pressure from Randall, Tristan would never have wanted to step into


    Damien¡¯s house.


    However¡­


    He noticed a delicious fragrance from the kitchen. The food smelled incredibly wonderful.


    Cherise was putting a freshly baked pie on the table when Tristan entered.


    Early morning sunlight shone on the golden pie crust. A fragrant aroma filled the air. Tristan had not


    eatenst night and could not stop his stomach from growling.


    It was only six in the morning. The servants had not arrived for work in the manor. Thus, Cherise was


    alone in the spacious living room.


    Therefore, she could hear the sound of Tristan¡¯s stomach growling clearly.


    Cherise nced in the direction of the noise. Her happy smile disappeared instantly. ¡°Why are you


    here?¡±


    Tristan pushed aside his hunger and returned to his senses.


    He nced at Cherise with disdain. ¡°What? Am I not wee?¡±


    Cherise was neen, but her face was still innocent and doll-like. On the other hand, her body had an


    alluring curvaceous body. Her curves were visible even though she wore. oversized loungewear and an


    apron.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Tristan had seen many women of every shape and size.


    However, he could not deny that Cherise¡¯s face and figure were among the ten most beautiful in his


    mind.


    Her eyes were incredibly alluring. They looked pure and seemed to glow like crystals.


    An abundance of morning light filtered through the clear ss windows, adding a nice glow to her


    cheeks.


    1/3


    Tristan was so distracted by Cherise¡¯s beauty that he forgot what happened when he attempted to rape


    her previously.


    He gradually approached Cherise. ¡°Look at you dressed like this in the early morning. Are you trying to


    seduce me?¡±


    Cherise was confused.


    What¡¯s wrong with my clothes?


    They are only in loungewear and an apron.


    Unfortunately, in reality, it did not matter what a woman wore. If a man had an undue desire for her, he


    would think the woman was seducing him even when she wore rags.


    At that moment, Tristan was convinced that Cherise was seducing him.


    He strode toward her, not bothering to conceal his desire. ¡°Since you¡¯re up so early. I assume you


    didn¡¯t getidst night.¡±


    ¡°But then, it makes sense. That blind man can¡¯t even take care of himself. How can he bed.


    you?¡±


    ¡°What about I help you¡­¡±


    His daring attitude and words terrified Cherise. She instinctively ran toward the kitchen.


    There¡¯s a knife on the chopping board!


    If I grab it, he won¡¯t be able to hurt me¡­


    Unfortunately, she could not make it to the kitchen.


    Tristan vaguely remembered what had happened to him previously.


    He grabbed Cherise by her hair and dragged her onto the couch, trapping her beneath. him. ¡°Your


    servants start workte.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s fine with me. We will have finished a few rounds by the time anyone arrives!¡±


    Cherise struggled beneath him with all her might. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°Help!¡±


    Unfortunately, Tristan was stronger. No matter how hard Cherise tried, she could not break free or hide.


    2/3


    Tristan pressed his disgusting body on her, but she could not push him off.


    She closed her eyes in panic and screamed, ¡°Help!¡±


    ¡°Hubby, save me!¡±


    Suddenly, she felt a heavy weight lifted off her.


    Cherise opened her eyes in trepidation.


    ke restrained Tristan on the floor before her.


    At the same time, Damien had reached her side with a ck sash over his eye. He wiped


    her tears with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Chapter 142 You Have to Rely on Me


    ¡°Hubby!¡±


    Having experienced helplessness and utter despair, Cherise could not help but relief upon being


    rescued by the man she loved the most.


    She flung herself into his embrace. ¡°Hubby, I knew you would save me!¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    cry


    with


    Tristan spat with disgust while ke pinned him to the floor. ¡°What the heck? He didn¡¯t even save you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s this kid who dragged me off? Your blind husband couldn¡¯t see anything I do to you!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ke pped Tristan, causing his cheek to swell.


    ¡°My husband saved me!¡±


    Cherise sniffled and red at Tristan through her tears. ¡°Although my husband cannot see anything,


    he¡¯s still a hundred times stronger than you!¡±


    Damien embraced Cherise and coaxed her. It took a while for her to calm down from Tristan¡¯s assault.


    ¡°ke, let him go,¡± Damien instructed emotionlessly after cing Cherise on the couch.


    ke frowned. ¡°But he¡­ I want to kill him!¡±


    Tristan trembled at ke¡¯s determined words.


    Damien smiled. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin. We can¡¯t kill him, but you can give him a little beating.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± ke replied and punched Tristan¡¯s face.


    Tristan regretted not bringing a bodyguard with him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to show up and cause trouble so early.¡±


    Damien calmly pushed his wheelchair toward the dining room.


    Cherise got up immediately to help him.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    1/3


    Tristan rolled his eyes when ke released him. He rubbed his swollen cheek and sat on the couch.


    ¡°You caused me trouble in the middle of the night. I was only returning the favor!¡±


    He slept soundly at homest night when Shaw Group secured the orders. Randall had dragged him


    out of bed and scolded him the rest of the night.


    Hatred filled Tristan¡¯s eyes as he recalled what he had to endure.


    He did not expect a blind shut-in to have such a broad reach.


    The wheelchair stopped before the dining table.


    Damien calmly ate breakfast and said, ¡°Tristan, you¡¯ve also started doing business. Don¡¯t you know


    how to separate business from personal matters?¡±


    ¡°I snatched the business deal you wanted. But instead of resolving it professionally, you showed up at


    my house and harassed my wife.


    ¡°If words go out in public, everyone willugh at you for the rest of your life.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s face turned pale.


    Reputation was vital in doing business,


    While rivalries weremon in business, it wasmonly understood not to attack. one¡¯s personal life


    and family.


    Otherwise, no one would want to do business with such a person anymore.


    Moreover, everyone would even mock the person for being a sore loser.


    The Lenoir family remained prominent in the business world for so long due to its good. reputation.


    If Tristan¡¯s reputation were ruined, he could never hope to inherit old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s properties.


    Tristan narrowed his eyes and red at Damien. ¡°If you dare to tell anyone, I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡±


    ¡°You and I are the only heirs of the Lenoir family. You¡¯re blind, so Grandpa will never pass thepany


    to you. The Lenoir family has to depend on me in the future!¡±


    ¡°You should be nicer to me. When I take over Lenoir Group, you must depend on me for your living


    expenses!¡±


    2/3


    Tristan attempted to lure Damien to his side. ¡°When I take over, I¡¯ll be more generous than Grandpa


    and give you more pocket money!¡±


    Damienughed.


    He had a deep and charming voice.


    Hisughter was pleasant to hear.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Chapter 143 Beg Him.


    Cherise was infatuated with Damien¡¯s voice.


    On the other hand, the same voice sounded mocking in Tristan¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Tristan, why would I need you to fund my living expenses?¡±


    Damien calmly sipped a ss of milkshake. ¡°Have you considered the reason you¡¯re here?¡±


    Tristan¡¯s expression froze. His face turned pale.


    The reason I¡¯m here¡­


    Damien continued indifferently, ¡°Have you realized how ridiculous your im sounds? You lost the


    business deal. Yet, you dared to tell me, who has the business deal that I have to rely on you for living


    expenses.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You know why I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°You think?¡±


    Damien sneered, ¡°Since you¡¯re here to beg, you should do it properly.¡±


    ¡°You should tone down your attitude and apologize to Cherise. Then, perhaps I might agree to your


    request.¡±


    Raymond was not stupid. He knew his son was not cut out for business.


    The business deal Damien snatched was almost a done deal for Raetec Group.


    Raymond wanted Tristan to secure his position in thepany. That was why he gave Tristan a big


    business deal that was almost guaranteed to seed.


    Even if Tristan was useless, Raymond had to find ways to make him appearpetent.


    Yet, Damien¡¯s team snatched the deal the day before the contract was to be signed.


    Worse, Damien hired reporters from mediapanies after securing the deal.


    Since midnight, various mediapanies had congratted Shaw Group on their front pages and


    headlines. Then, Damien used creative ways to let Raymond know that he was behind Shaw Group.


    He had only one aim for doing this. It was to make Raymond and Tristan beg him.


    1/3


    This business deal was critical to Raetec Group¡¯s financial statement.


    Therefore, they had to plead to Damien for Raetec Group and Shaw Group to coborate. Then,


    Raetec Group might be able to salvage the situation.


    Damien was confident that they would soon show up


    Tristan looked down and clenched his fists tightly.


    for this purpose.


    ¡°Damien, how could you ruin me so ruthlessly? I¡¯m your cousin!¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you to your ruin.¡±


    He ced food on Cherise¡¯s te and continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t say that I¡¯ll consider your request


    you apologize to Cherise.¡±


    if


    Tristan gritted his teeth and forced out the following words. ¡°You want me to apologize to her? Dream


    on!¡±.


    That wench seduced me first!


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Why should I apologize to her?


    ¡°In that case, we have nothing to discuss.¡±


    Damien yawned and continued, ¡°Cherise, you should eat more.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the president of Shaw Group. Later, we have to go to thepany for amencement


    ceremony. It¡¯s to reward employees who had worked hardst night.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Sure, I understand!¡±


    The sess ofst night¡¯s negotiation was not due to Damien¡¯s effort alone.


    The employees have worked so hard. As their boss, I should reward them!


    Cherise and Damien behaved like Tristan was not in the room.


    Tristan¡¯s face was twisted with fury.


    He clenched his teeth and left, not wanting to humiliate himself further.


    However, when he reached the door, Raymond appeared and dragged him back into the house.


    ¡°Have you gotten the deal? Why are you leaving?¡±


    2/3


    Tristan gritted his teeth. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t waste your time on that blind b*stard!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll never agree! He¡¯ll use every chance to make things difficult for us!¡±


    Raymond had a stern expression. He narrowed his eyes and said with restraint, ¡°You lost such a major


    business deal. Even if he troubles you, you must beg him to get it back!¡±

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Chapter 144 A Sincere Apology


    ¡°Damien is a member of the Lenoir family. He¡¯s your cousin. You should be considerate of him!¡±


    Tristan frowned. ¡°He¡¯s out to get me! He insisted I should apologize to his wife just now.¡±


    ¡°That woman knew I wasing and dressed to seduce me. I only touched her a bit, yet. he made me


    apologize!¡±


    ¡®Smack!¡¯


    Raymond pped Tristan before he could finish speaking. ¡°Have you no shame? She¡¯s your cousin¡¯s


    wife!¡±


    ¡°Are


    you saying I can¡¯t touch her because she¡¯s his wife?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean you can¡¯t. We can¡¯t afford to offend Damien at the moment!¡±


    Cherise was still drinking her milkshake when Raymond appeared, dragging Tristan with.


    him.


    ¡°Damien.¡±


    Raymond looked apologetic. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for failing to discipline Tristan well. I apologize to you¡­ and


    Cherise on his behalf.¡±


    Damien smiled.


    Although he knew the apology was insincere, at least he acted more seriously than Tristan.


    Cherise put down the ss of milkshake and did not dare to speak.


    She recalled Damien¡¯s uncle, Raymond, had always seemed cold and strict. He seemed so intimidating


    that she dared not dare talk to him unless required.


    She had always felt something sinister and scary about Raymond¡¯s demeanor.


    He seemed so different from Old Mr. Lenoir even though they were family. Although Old Mr. Lenoir was


    intimidating, he felt much kinder than Raymond.


    ¡°Uncle Raymond.¡±


    Damian smiled and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you said.¡±


    ¡°Tristan caused a stir in my house. Yet, he said he did nothing wrong and had no need to


    1/3


    apologize.¡±


    Damien spoke evenly, but his every word carried weight.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Raymond¡¯s expression darkened,


    Next, he dragged Tristan and kicked his legs viciously.


    ¡®Bam!¡¯ Tristan immediately lost bnce and kneeled on the floor.


    Tristan¡¯s expression twisted from the immense pain. He turned to Randal. ¡°Dad, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You dare ask me? Apologize to Cherise now! She¡¯s your cousin-inw!¡±


    Tristan frowned. Even an id ot could see that Raymond was suppressing his anger.


    Dad is furious.


    Tristan had no choice but to take a deep breath and reluctantly nced at the woman. beside Damien.


    Cherise had curled into a ball and was trying to hide.


    I¡¯m sorry, Cherise.¡±


    Tristan said in his deep voice.


    He had been arrogant since he was a kid. Apart from his parents, he had never apologized to anyone,


    especially a country bumpkin like Cherise.


    It was an insult to his dignity.


    However, he and his father needed something from Damien. He had no choice but to voice a


    halfhearted apology.


    Damien remained dissatisfied even after he apologized.


    He poured a ss of water for Cherise and said, ¡°Tristan, perhaps you need more time to apologize


    sincerely. We¡¯re not in a rush. You can drink water first.¡±


    Hearing Damien, Raymond had to grit his teeth and kick Tristan. ¡°Apologize properly!¡±


    Tristan frowned and looked at Cherise. He humbled his tone, ¡°Cherise, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and did not dare to speak.


    She knew the matter was not simply about Tristan apologizing to her. There was some


    2/3


    kind of power y between Damien and Raymond.


    Therefore, she did not dare to speak. At the same time, she felt Tristan deserved the beating.


    They should kick him a few more times!


    It seemed as if Raymond had read Cherise¡¯s thoughts. For the next half an hour, Raymond kicked


    Tristan relentlessly. ¡°Apologize properly!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disrespect Cherise again!¡±


    ¡°Do you hear me?¡±

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Chapter 145 You Can Forgive Him


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    By the end, Tristan was barely conscious and had bruises all over his body. He crawled to Cherise¡¯s


    feet and pleaded, ¡°Please forgive me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be beaten to death.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only recently gotten married. You wouldn¡¯t want blood on your hands, right?¡±


    Cherise looked at his sorry state and could not help but pity him.


    She pursed her lip. As she was about to tell him to stand up, Damien suddenly said,


    ¡°ke.¡±


    ke, sitting on the second-floor railing, jumped down and answered, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°Record a video.¡±


    Then, Damien calmly sipped tea. ¡°Verbal promise is useless. We need evidence.¡±


    ¡°If Tristan dares to do anything to Cherise¡­¡±


    He looked at Tristan¡¯s pale face calmly. ¡°If you do this again, I¡¯ll post the recording on the Web.¡±


    Then, he proceeded to provoke Raymond. ¡°Uncle Raymond, what do you think about my suggestion?¡±


    Raymond gritted his teeth, but his voice remained genial. ¡°Sure, sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Tristan is silly and forgetful. This will be a great reminder for him!¡±


    Damienughed and replied, ¡°Uncle Raymond, you know best.¡±


    Immediately after Damien had spoken, ke brought a camera and snapped a photo of Tristan¡¯s face.


    ¡°Look at the camera!¡±


    ¡°D*mn you!¡±


    Tristan cursed through gritted teeth.


    This is utter humiliation!


    If the photo is leaked onto the Web, how can I show my face in public again?


    How will I face my friends?


    But¡­


    1/3


    ¡°Apologize to Cherise right now!¡±


    Raymond kicked him again.


    By now, Tristan had no choice but to grit his teeth and apologize humbly, ¡°Cherise, I was wrong.¡±


    Damien¡¯s cold and arrogant voice sounded. ¡°How were you wrong?¡±


    Tristan clenched his fists tightly and forced himself to answer, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have harbored. improper


    intentions toward Cherise this morning or done anything inappropriate to her. I was wrong. Please


    forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Was it only this morning?¡± Damien asked coldly.


    Tristan was stunned. He pursed his lip. ¡°Also¡­. that time on campus.¡±


    ¡°And when we were at Grandpa¡¯s ce,¡± Damien reminded.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I was wrong¡­¡±


    Cherise froze as she listened.


    I¡¯ve almost forgotten those incidents, but Damien remembers.


    She turned to him.


    Damien calmly sipped tea. He looked disinterested, but his deep voice was filled with protectiveness.


    His gesture warmed Cherise.


    Tristan sighed. ¡°I apologize for all my bad behaviors in the past. I hope you can¡­


    Damien interrupted sternly, ¡°What if you do it again?¡±


    What the heck? Haven¡¯t you had enough?


    Tristan gritted his teeth. ¡°If I do it again, you are allowed to destroy my reputation. I¡¯ll also¡­ poke my


    eyes and make myself blind like Damien!¡±


    Are you happy now?


    I¡¯m not going to look at that ugly country bumpkin anymore!


    What bad luck!


    2/3


    She¡¯s even more cursed than Damien!


    ¡°You can forgive him now,¡± Damien informed Cherise softly.


    Cherise finally came to her senses after staring at Damien reverently. ¡°Oh, sure. I forgive you, Tristan.¡±


    Tristan narrowed his eyes. He looked at Cherise¡¯s dazed expression and clenched his teeth. furiously.


    <p

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Chapter 146 Her Brilliant Husband


    Why do I have to kneel and apologize to this stupid girl? I¡¯ve never been so humiliated!


    This is the worst!


    Since Cherise had voiced her forgiveness, Raymond turned to Damien humbly, ¡°Damien, Cherise has


    forgiven Tristan. Can you let him go?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m hoping to discuss coboration with you.¡±


    Damien yawned. ¡°I never discuss coboration with losers.¡±


    Tristan could no longer contain his anger at those words.


    He dashed forward and shouted, ¡°How dare you mock us?¡±


    However, Raymond calmly grabbed hold of him. ¡°Damien, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone overboard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your uncle.¡±


    ¡°I negotiated this order first, but you snatched it at thest minute. I understand your recklessness due


    to your youth.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you being unreasonable by refusing even to coborate?¡±


    Raymond sighed and continued, ¡°What about this? I¡¯m willing to make concessions about. profit


    distribution. You get sixty percent while I get forty. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You get thirty percent. I get seventy percent.¡± Damien smirked slightly.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Tristan gritted his teeth. Only thirty percent?


    We could have gotten all the profits if we secured the order. Now, we are forced to share it with


    Damien. Worse, we can¡¯t even get half but only thirty percent!


    That means Damien gets tens of millions for free!


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Raymond closed his eyes and continued solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll instruct mypany to prepare the contract.


    We should sign it today.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Then, Damien smiled and added, ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s expression darkened. He nced at Tristan, and they left together.


    Cherise watched everything in awe.


    She had never seen Damien like this and regretted not following him to the business negotiation the


    day before.


    The way he negotiated the deal and pressured them on the profit share¡­ He¡¯s so cool!


    Raymond and Tristan have always been arrogant from when I first met them. I¡¯ve never seen them so


    humiliated. They even had to bow down to Damien.


    My husband rendered them in this state in his first business negotiation!


    Cherise looked at Damien with admiration. ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    Her eyes glimmered like stars as she looked at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this brilliant!¡±


    Damien imed he didn¡¯t know much about business except what he learned from reading a few


    economics books and watching a few movies about business rivalries.


    But now¡­


    She could see that he was not an amateur but a brilliant businessman.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯ve always been brilliant.¡±


    Damien smiled at Cherise. His words seemed to imply something. ¡°I¡¯m good in any area.¡±


    Cherise did not catch what he was implying and looked at him with big and curious. ¡°Hubby, what else


    are you good at?¡±


    She could not recall anything at the moment.


    eyes.


    Damien smirked. His tone turned even more suggestive. ¡°Do you want me to demonstrate to you in


    bed?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed red.


    Her checks felt hot, and her heart thumped rapidly.


    She took a deep breath and turned away. ¡°I¡¯m going to the campus!¡±


    2/3


    She tried to escape upstairs to get her bag, but Damien stopped her.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°You should stop by thepany before heading to the


    campus.¡±


    Cherise smacked her forehead. How could I have forgotten about that?


    As expected, I¡¯m not suited to be the president of apany. I¡¯m better off being a student!


    V

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Chapter 147 You Should Get Used to It


    ¡°Dad, why did you let that b*stard take advantage of us? How could you give him seventy percent


    profit?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much we will be losing?¡±


    Tristanined to Raymond once they entered the car. ¡°Let¡¯s give up this order. Why must we


    degrade ourselves?¡±


    How dare he force me to kneel before that stupid country girl and shoot a video of me?


    ¡°What do you know?¡±


    Raymond leaned into the leather seat and rubbed his brow. ¡°Even if we only get thirty percent, we must


    give the impression that we¡¯re coborating with Shaw Group.


    ¡°Then, people won¡¯t think that we lost the negotiation.¡±


    ¡°Better for the public to think that we are coborating with Shaw Group than for them to know that


    Shaw Group snatched the order from us!¡±


    Tristan knew very little about business strategies. All he knew was that he had been humiliated.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Raymond red at him. ¡°You have better wise up!¡±


    ¡°Outsiders do not care whether we get fifty-fifty or thirty-seventy profit. All they know is we are


    coborating!¡±


    Tristan pursed his lips. ¡°But aren¡¯t we losing too much with only thirty percent profit?¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Raymondughed and narrowed his eyes ruthlessly. ¡°Shaw Group secured this. order and


    signed the contract. If there¡¯s any problem, it will be on Damien.¡±


    ¡°We make the products. Since he took advantage of us, we¡¯ll ensure he doesn¡¯t get quality goods!¡±


    He lit a cigarette as he spoke. ¡°When the timees, the news will talk about Shaw Group producing


    clothes of subpar quality.¡±


    When Cherise and Damien arrived at Shaw Group, Bernard had arranged for all the


    1/3


    security guards to wait at the door.


    As Cherise exited the car, she heard roaring apuse and cheers from the building.


    entrance.


    She was so surprised by the sudden noise that she almost lost her bnce and fell to the ground.


    Thankfully, Damien grabbed her by her shirt.


    Still shocked, Cherise was almost overwhelmed to tears as she looked at Bernard and the cheering


    Shaw Group employees.


    Damien made me skip a ss to meet these frightening people¡­


    ¡°Ms. Shaw!¡±


    Bernard immediately held Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re ourpany¡¯s lucky star!¡±


    ¡°Wee, Ms. Shaw, our lucky star!¡±


    ¡°Wee, Ms. Shaw, our lucky star!¡±


    All the male and female employees lining up at the back cheered at Bernard¡¯s words.


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Why are these people cheering for me?


    ¡°You should get used to it.¡±


    Damien smiled behind her and pushed his wheelchair. ¡°You¡¯ll experience many such. scenes in the


    future.¡±


    Cherise was aghast.


    She would rather drop dead.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Damien looked at her confused and helpless expression and inexplicably found himself in a good


    mood.


    Cherise and Damien entered Shaw Group under the employees¡¯ collective gaze. Then, they went to


    the meeting room on the top floor using a private elevator.


    2/3


    The meeting room was already full of people.


    Looking at their attire and demeanor, Cherise could see that everyone in the meeting. room was more


    qualified and capable than her.


    She knew nothing about the business and felt her chairing seat was undeserved.


    After a simple greeting, Damien exined yesterday¡¯s contract to everyone.


    Cherise did not understand but had to act professionally.


    Damien could not help but smile as he saw her struggling to keep up.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Chapter 148 She Was Unworthy


    Damien passed her a ss. ¡°Can you get me some water?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes lit up as if given a lifeline. She rushed out of the meeting room.


    The pantry on the top floor had no hot water.


    Cherise took the stairs and went down a floor.


    She heard a few women chatting in the pantry from afar.


    That Ms. Shaw makes me want tough. How did a country bumpkin like her be ourpany


    president?¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°I heard she got her position through unsavory means. She probably had an affair with. Randall. That¡¯s


    why he gave her the position!¡±


    ¡°Really? If she was Randall¡¯s mistress, how could she have someone like Mr. Lenoir backing her?¡±


    That country bumpkin has no capabilities. She relied on men every step of the way. Is she not


    ashamed of being the president?¡±


    Those women¡¯s words were like knives stabbing into Cherise¡¯s heart.


    Her hand shook as she held the ss.


    Initially, she was happy, excited, and proud of her business-savvy husband.


    However, she did not expect people to talk about her behind her back.


    She could not help but feel that they were right.


    After all, she had not made any contributions since being president of Shaw Group.


    Furthermore, she was preupied with her mattersst night while Damien negotiated a significant


    business deal.


    After he seeded, she enjoyed people¡¯spliments and bask in his sess, even though she did


    nothing.


    I am truly useless.


    1/3


    Someone bumped into her and eximed, ¡°Ms¡­ Ms. Shaw!¡±


    The pantry immediately fell silent.


    Cherise greeted the person and entered the pantry.


    The group of women who criticized her all stood still, watching her.


    These women looked sophisticated with their attire and demeanor.


    Cherise seemed way out of their league in her simple clothes and appearance.


    Then, Cherise poured a ss of water under their watchful eyes.


    Even though they had referred her as thepany president, she could not help but lose her


    confidence as she faced them.


    The difference between them was too significant.


    Cherise returned to the meeting room dejectedly.


    By now, Damien had finished instructing everyone on essential matters. He was waiting for Cherise to


    return to present rewards to employees who contributed to the negotiation¡¯s sess.


    He handed the name list to her. ¡°Now, Ms. Shaw, our president, shall announce employees who will be


    getting a raise at the end of this month.¡±


    Everyone in the meeting room apuded enthusiastically after Damien finished speaking.


    Cherise felt inexplicably anxious as she held the name list in her hand.


    She nced at the people in the meeting room before returning the list to Damien in defeat.


    She sounded sad and self-deprecating. I¡¯m unqualified to present the reward to anyone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better that Mr. Lenoir read the list.¡±


    With that, she turned around and left the meeting room on the verge of tears.


    Before this day, she thought that as husband and wife, everything she had was his. Likewise, all that he


    had was hers.


    That was why she never considered whether she was worthy.


    2/3


    However, the women¡¯s words made her realize how unworthy she was of Damien..


    The meeting room fell into silence.


    Damien frowned and tossed the list to Bernard. He rushed in the direction Cherise had


    left.


    Cherise had gone to the rooftop.


    The wind was strong. It puffed up her white T-shirt and messed up her long hair.


    3/3

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Chapter 149 No One Compares to You


    Damien maneuvered his wheelchair onto the rooftop. He saw Cherise standing with her back facing


    him and shouting something into the wind.


    Although he could not catch every word, he heard this clearly, ¡°I¡¯m useless.¡±


    She thinks she is useless.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Cherise froze while venting her frustration when she heard Damien¡¯s deep voice.


    She turned around and looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°Why are you on the rooftop?¡±


    He¡¯s blind, and the rooftop¡¯s barricades are not secure enough. What if he identally fell?


    At that thought, she sniffled and rushed to hold his wheelchair still. She pushed him toward the


    elevator. ¡°You can¡¯t be here. Go back!¡±


    He reached out and sped her hand. ¡°You¡¯re here. Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different for you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I can see, but you can¡¯t! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s dangerous, it¡¯s even more so the reason for you to be with me.¡±


    Damien pointed his face toward the sky and felt the wind against his skin. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I


    Cherise stopped pulling him toward the elevator.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Dear, do¡­ you wish to stay here to feel the wind?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°You must stay with me. I can¡¯t see. You have to act as my eyes.¡±


    Cherise froze at his words.


    After a while, she looked down and replied, ¡°I think ke is more qualified to do this.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s skilled with self-defense. He can not only act as your eyes but also protect you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°No onepares to you in my eyes.¡±


    1/3


    Damien smiled and held the hand on his wheelchair. ¡°Cherry, do you know how much. criticism I¡¯ve


    faced since I was little?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and remained silent.


    She knew what he meant.


    Even Bernard dared to tell him that he was bad luck. Others must have said worse things.


    Damien¡¯s whisper floated in the wind. ¡°Some people said I¡¯m cursed.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I know you¡¯re not cursed.¡±


    ¡°See, I¡¯m fine standing next to you!¡±


    Damien smiled and continued, ¡°Some said I¡¯m bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Others said I¡¯m not fit to be a Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°They said I should leave the Lenoir family and be left to fend for myself.¡±


    ¡°Some even said I should have died.¡±


    Heughed with self-derision. The ck sash over his eyes made him appear mysterious and lonely,


    ¡°Who do you think I should listen to?¡±


    Cherise shook her head hard. ¡°They were trying to discourage you. You mustn¡¯t listen or believe any of


    them!¡±


    She held his hand urgently. ¡°Dear, don¡¯t listen to others. What matters the most is happiness!¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°You mean I mustn¡¯t listen to others and focus on my happiness?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    your


    Damien raised his hands and pulled Cherise into his embrace. ¡°Why were you sad just


    now?¡±


    Cherise froze. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You left the room happily to get me a ss of water, but when you returned, you even read the name


    list for sry increment.¡±


    He gently pinched her soft check. ¡°Let me guess what happened to my dear wife.¡±


    wouldn¡¯t


    2/3


    ¡°She must have heard people say something.¡±


    Then, he deliberately imitated those women¡¯s mean tone. ¡°Why does shepany president? She


    knows nothing. It¡¯s all because of her husband.¡±


    get


    to be the


    ¡°She relied on her husband. Is she not ashamed to show up in the meeting? What a shameless


    woman.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He sounded just like those gossiping women.


    Cherise¡¯s face blushed before turning pale. In the end, she could not help butugh at his


    impersonations.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Chapter 150 Team-building


    She awkwardly wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him with crystal-like eyes. ¡°Hubby,


    how did you know?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m your husband.¡±


    He kissed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt yourself over what others say, okay?¡±


    She looked down shyly. ¡°But I feel I¡¯m¡­ useless in this ce.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m useful enough for the both of us.¡±


    He tightened his embrace. ¡°I remember you¡¯re studying cardiac surgery. You¡¯ll be a brilliant surgeon in


    the future.¡±


    ¡°Each person has their talents. Perhaps those who mocked you might end up on your operating table.¡±


    Cherise was cheered by Damien¡¯s words and no longer felt defeated.


    She sniffled and replied, ¡°Dear, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Initially, I only wanted to be a heart surgeon.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s grandmother had a heart condition. Since she was young, Cherise had witnessed her


    grandmother having chest pain and needed to take medication immediately.


    She wanted to be a doctor to help the sick. She hoped other people in her grandmother¡¯s situation


    could be healthy again.


    Meanwhile, bing apany¡¯s president was something she did not expect. Therefore, it was


    normal that she knew nothing about it.


    After all, she would eventually return thepany to Randall.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    With that in mind, Charise breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Damien and said, ¡°Hubby, you


    always have such a profound understanding of things.¡±


    Ever since she married him, she had be easily influenced by others.


    It was likely because of her insecurity about not belonging to his world. She felt what everyone said


    about her was true.


    But she would not stray from her true self if she had Damien by her side.


    1/2


    Thus, she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt grateful to him. She kissed his cheek. before


    kissing him again.


    Once tired of being on the rooftop, Cherise followed Damien back to the meeting room in a much better


    mood.


    Everyone was seated in the meeting room, waiting for Cherise and Damien to return.


    Cherise blushed as she epted the name list from Bernard. She read the names. individually and


    announced that they would get a raise.


    Once she finished reading the name list, she looked at how serious everyone was and added, ¡°To


    celebrate ourpany¡¯s sess, everyone gets to leave work an hour earlier this afternoon. Tonight,


    I¡¯ll ask Bernard to find a suitable venue for everyone to have dinner.


    The crowd looked at Cherise with astonishment. Cherise smiled and continued, ¡°My husband and I


    won¡¯t attend. So please be at ease and have fun.¡±


    The meeting room fell into silence.


    Other than Cherise, everyone suddenly focused on Damien.


    Every employee in this meeting room had helped Damien obtain various sesses overseas.


    However, Damien only ever rewarded them with cash.


    In actuality, many employees wished for a team-building event. They hoped to get to know each other


    better outside work.


    Unfortunately, thepany never organized one, and others also failed at organizing such events.


    Furthermore, it was hard to match everyone¡¯s schedule. Thus, they never had a gathering till now.


    Since their boss never had the habit of having gatherings, everyone wondered whether Cherise¡¯s


    words had any effect.


    Damien leaned into his wheelchair and looked at Cherise¡¯s innocent face. He smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do


    as Ms. Shaw says.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Loud cheers broke out in the meeting room.


    Cherise was cheered by the excitement around her. She turned to Bernard and ordered, ¡°When you¡¯re


    freeter, can you book a venue for dinner and karaoke? Put everything on thepany¡¯s tab.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Chapter 151 A Kind Boss


    Bernard was excited. ¡°Ms. Shaw, can I really choose anywhere?¡±


    Cherise frowned and considered. ¡°Erm¡­ Not somewhere like Viopril Pce.¡±


    It¡¯s too expensive.


    Bernardughed. ¡°I won¡¯t choose somewhere that expensive. Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Shaw,¡±


    With that, Bernard rushed out of the room to make preparations.


    Cherise looked at the smiling faces in the office and felt d.


    She turned to Damien. ¡°Dear, is it okay for me to decide like this?¡±


    You¡¯ve done well.¡±


    Damien patted her head.


    Due to her ¡®wise decision, the employees lined up and gave Cherise and Damien a grand send-off to


    their car.


    Cherise waved at the employees through the car window. Then, she sat down and breathed a sigh of


    relief.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s so friendly!¡±


    That¡¯s because you¡¯re a kind boss.¡±


    Damien smiled at Cherise. ¡°What gave you the idea for everyone to gather and have fun. after work?¡±


    Damien had never skimped on rewarding his employees all these years.


    However, he only gave them a raise or cash.


    Thus, he always thought money represented his affirmation of his employee¡¯s capabilities.


    He did not expect to see them excited over a dinner gathering and karaoke worth less than ten


    thousand. Furthermore, these people had annual sries of a few million.


    Cherise chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m on the studymittee of my ss. I have to read the


    exam results for my ss every time¡­¡±


    ¡°Reading the name list just now reminded me of it.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°After every exam, my ssmates would gather in groups to go for dinner and karaoke. It was to rx


    after studying hard.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then, I thought about these employees working overtime daily for the order. It¡¯s simr to students


    studying for finals.¡±


    ¡°Once the exam is over, everyone wants to rx.¡±


    Cherise grinned happily at Damien as she exined. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted everyone to go out and


    have fun.¡±


    ¡°If thepany pays, they will be even more willing to go and destress.¡±


    ¡°As for us bosses, we shouldn¡¯t join them. Our presence will only make them nervous.¡±


    Cherise was exining eagerly.


    Damien smiled as he looked at her.


    He caressed her hair and said, ¡°I take back what I said about you being unsuitable to be apany


    president.¡±


    ¡°If you work hard, you might turn out more brilliant than I am.¡±


    Damien understood business, while Cherise knew more about human nature.


    Cherise was stunned and shook her head, messing her hair. ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only applied something I experienced at school.¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°If possible, I wish to experience what it¡¯s like to attend university.¡±


    Due to his ¡®blindness¡¯ andck of mobility, Damien stopped going to school when he was thirteen.


    He attended all his lessons and learned everything in Lenoir Manor. The butler had hired teachers for


    him.


    Sometimes, he was curious about what it would be like to have friends his age to study. together.


    Cherise sped her hands tightly.


    Before marrying him, she knew he had been home-schooled since the second year of middle school.


    2/3


    It seemed she had brought up something that made him sad.


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Dear, school is not that fun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s crowded and noisy!¡±


    Seeing Damien remain silent, Cherise took a deep breath and held his hand. ¡°Dear, what about this?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Chapter 152 It¡¯s Time


    ¡°Let¡¯s work hard to cure your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Once you regain your sight, will you go to university with me?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes gleamed with sincerity. ¡°To be honest, I hope to experience campus


    romance.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you must recover soon!¡±


    Damien cleared his throat. ¡°Mr. Kolson, start the car.¡±


    No one knew he closed his eyes behind the ck sash.


    He did not dare to look at Cherise¡¯s innocent and earnest gaze.


    Her eyes were clear and pure as the finest crystals. They were so untainted that Damien could not bear


    to lie and hide the truth from her.


    Damien had always been cold and logical. Yet, he did not dare to meet Cherise¡¯s gaze.


    Until he was sure, he could not reveal everything to Cherise yet.


    It was better for her to know nothing and be kept in the dark.


    Then, she could remain as his wife in name. She would be safest this way.


    Cherise was too innocent to know the evils of human nature. Damien feared she could not keep his


    secret.


    If she identally revealed his secret¡­


    The consequences would be unimaginable.


    Meanwhile, Cherise was unaware of Damien¡¯s internal struggles.


    She smiled cheerfully and said, ¡°Dear, you must keep your word.¡±


    ¡°Once you regain your sight, you must attend the university with me!¡±


    Damien returned to his senses and chuckled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a pinky promise!¡±


    Cherise linked her right pinky with Damien¡¯s pinky. ¡°You will attend sses and study


    1/3


    sessions with me. We will have lunch at the cafeteria!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll


    get us a table while you get the food!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Mr. Kolson listened to them talking from the driver¡¯s seat. Their conversation was so childlike that he


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    could not help but smile.


    Soon, the car stopped.


    Cherise nced at the window. ¡°Huh, why aren¡¯t we returning home? Why did you send me to


    campus?¡±


    You have a ss at ten thirty.¡±


    Damien smiled and pressed his phone¡¯s time button.


    An automatic female voice sounded. ¡°The time is 10:10 a.m.¡±


    Cherise smacked her forehead.


    I have sses this morning.


    I skipped a ss to go to thepany.


    If I don¡¯t hurry up, I will bete for my second ss!


    At that thought, she immediately took the bag in Damien¡¯s hand and thanked him. Then, she exited the


    car and ran into the university campus.


    Damien smiled as he watched her leave.


    She had always been able to cheer him up when he needed it.


    Her presence was like good medicine or warm sunlight. It warmed him. up when he needed it the most.


    Damien switched into afortable position and leaned into the leather seat. ¡°Mr. Kolson, I need you


    to contact Jacob. Give him a chance to meet with a prominent foreign ophthalmologist.¡±


    2/3


    Mr. Kolson was stunned. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jacob has been my doctor for thirteen years and failed to cure my condition. I can¡¯t rely on him if I


    want to recover my sight.¡±


    Then, he sighed. ¡°We can only pay a foreign expert to act a role¡±


    Mr. Koilson was stunned ¡°Mr. Lenoir, do you mean¡­..¡±


    Damien raised his hand and pulled off the ck cash over his eyes. A pair of cold and sharp eyes


    immediately appeared. Tre worn this thing for too long. It¡¯s time to throw it


    DWRY


    Mr. Kolson¡¯s eyes flickered with excitement. ¡°Yes! Ill contact Dr. Caldwell now!


    Damien closed his eyes and leaned into the leather seat.


    3/3

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Chapter 153 Dissatisfaction in the Bedroom


    He did not want people to find out too soon about his sight.


    After all, everyone assumed a blind man was harmless and of nopetition.


    But once he regained his sight, all attention would be focused on him.


    Still¡­


    A sweet and soothing female voice sounded in his ear.


    ¡°You¡¯ll attend sses and study sessions with me. We¡¯ll have lunch at the cafeteria!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get us a table while you get the food!¡±


    ¡°I want us to share a cup of smoothie¡­¡±


    ¡°I also want you to feed me in public.¡±


    Damien rubbed his brow and chuckled.


    What am I to do?


    The temptation is too great. I really want to make her happy.


    Cherise arrived in the ssroom with only two minutes to spare.


    Lucy offered her a wet tissue and looked at her sweaty face with disdain. ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never beente, yet you suddenly skipped ss. The history teacher asked about you a few


    times. I had no choice but to lie that you were ill.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cherise grinned and wiped her sweat. ¡°Thank goodness I made it to this ss!¡±


    ¡°So, where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Was Damien too wildst night that you could not get out of bed this morning?¡±


    Cherise was aghast.


    1/3


    She took out her notebook and textbook from her bag. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too imaginative?¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips. ¡°What if I¡¯m right?¡±


    ¡°Ever since you married Damien, you seem to be in bliss every day¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face was red.


    She pressed her hands on her warm cheeks. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    ¡°How frequently do you two do it?¡±


    The teacher entered at this moment and began teaching from the podium.


    Cherise slumped on the table and whispered, ¡°I think¡­¡±


    There was the time she brought Damien to meet her grandmother. She had drugged him then. They


    never did it after that day.


    ¡°You must be kidding me.¡±


    Lucy widened her eyes in shock. ¡°It can¡¯t have been that few. What kind of newlywed only does it once


    during their first six months of marriage?¡±


    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re terrible in bed, and he doesn¡¯t like it?¡±


    Cherise panicked upon hearing that.


    Is¡­ Is that true?


    Cherise blushed as she recalled carefully what had happened that night.


    I thought I did well¡­


    I didn¡¯t let it show when it hurt.


    What was he dissatisfied with¡­


    Cherise was a serious person. She would keep pondering on a question until she found the


    answer.


    Therefore, she thought about it from ten thirty in the morning until her sses ended in


    the afternoon.


    2/3


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Cherry, let¡¯s go!¡±


    The bell rang, and students left the ssroom in cliques. However, Cherise slumped over the


    ssroom desk and scribbled something on paper.


    Lucy patted Cherise¡¯s head in frustration and asked, ¡°Are you still thinking about that matter?¡±


    Cherise came to her senses. She packed her bag and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Goodness.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°All you need to do is go home and ask him what he¡¯s dissatisfied with?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never figure it out by thinking over it.¡±


    ¡°A man¡¯s heart is a deep ocean of secrets. Stop pondering over it on your own!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t a woman¡¯s heart a deep ocean of secrets?¡±


    Lucy knocked her head. ¡°It depends on the person!¡±


    ¡°Other women¡¯s hearts may be deep oceans of secrets, but yours is as straightforward as apass.


    Moreover, it¡¯s a giantpass!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Chapter 154 Scaring Her into Submission


    Cherise rolled her eyes. She grabbed her bag and headed out of the ssroom.


    ¡°Are you Cherise Shaw?¡±


    A middle-aged couple blocked Cherise¡¯s way.


    Cherise nodded politely. ¡°I¡¯m Cherise. You are¡­¡±


    ¡°We are Sunny¡¯s parents.¡±


    The middle-aged woman red at Cherise furiously. ¡°My son is in police detention. How can you feel


    no remorse and attend ss as if nothing happened?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes.


    Sunny took Cherise hostage. There was solid evidence against him. Thus, he deserves to be locked


    up. Who are these people to me Cherise for attending sses?


    Cherise pursed her lips. She did not want to waste time talking to Sunny¡¯s parents. ¡°Mr. and Mrs.


    Wood, you should have a good talk with Sunny instead of bothering me.¡±


    ¡°If he admits his mistake, I will pardon him.¡±


    Once she pardoned Sunny, he would only have to remain in detention for a few days. He would be


    However, Sunny¡¯s mother sneered, ¡°You want him to admit fault and get your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, aren¡¯t you a bit too full of yourself?¡±


    ¡°Sunny said you broke your promise and tried to escape without paying. He only intimidated you to


    make you pay as you promised!¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother argued adamantly.


    Lucy sneered in her anger. ¡°She went back on her words?¡±


    ¡°Your son should have said that he was a greedy crook. Why didn¡¯t he tell you that he tried. to trick


    her?¡±


    ¡°He found out that my friend is rich and tried to scam money from her. Yet, you still think he has done


    nothing wrong?¡±


    Then, Lucy regarded Sunny¡¯s parents¡¯ clothes. ¡°You two don¡¯t look like people from the


    1/3


    upper ss.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what kind of ce Viopril Pce is? Do you know how much your son¡¯s action cost my


    friendst night?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s eight hundred thousand. That¡¯s enough to buy a house, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sunny¡¯s parents¡¯ faces turned pale.


    Lucy pursed her lips and dragged Cherise away. ¡°You should know that money is hard to earn. Would


    you be willing if someone asked you to fork out tens of thousands on a meal?¡±


    Lucy spoke the truth but it was harsh to hear.


    Sunny¡¯s parents were visibly triggered. ¡°You may be wealthy, but you have no right to look down on us.¡±


    ¡°Wealthy people should spend some money on meals for ordinary people. Isn¡¯t itmon sense?¡±


    Cherise frowned.


    She finally understood why Sunny behaved like making Cherise pay eight hundred. thousand for dinner


    was nothing.


    It turned out that was what his parents taught him.


    Cherise found itughable but pitiful.


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Lucy, let¡¯s go.


    However, why would Sunny¡¯s parents let them go?


    His


    parents were loud and attracted a curious crowd.


    The crowd filled the corridor, making it difficult for Cherise and Lucy to leave.


    Furious that Cherise would not give in to their demand, Sunny¡¯s father grabbed a chair from the door


    and charged at her.


    He never wanted to hurt Cherise. It was to scare her into submission.


    However, Sunny¡¯s father did not expect someone to rush out and stop him from approaching her.


    He slipped and fell with the chair in his hand, causing it to hit the person¡¯s body.


    2/3


    ¡®Bam!¡¯


    ¡°He hurt someone!¡±


    ¡°Call the police!¡±


    A series ofmotion broke out behind her.


    Cherise instinctively nced behind. What she saw caused her to widen her eyes in shock.


    3/3

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Chapter 155 The Benefits She Got from Him


    The chair that Sunny¡¯s father was holding fell and crashed onto¡­


    Jan! A man Cherise had not seen for a long time.


    ¡°Ian!¡±


    Cherise let go of Lucy¡¯s hand and rushed to him.


    Someone from the crowd had helped Sunny¡¯s father up. Cherise pulled the chair away and asked, ¡°Ian,


    are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Ian clenched his teeth. ¡°I got hit, but I¡¯m not hurt.¡±


    Cherise quickly helped him to stand up. ¡°How did you get caught up in this?¡±


    ¡°I saw him raising the chair to hurt you and rushed without thinking to stop him.¡±


    Ian smiled with relief. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re not hurt.


    His gentle voice and warm gaze made Cherise feel a little ufortable.


    She nced toward the infirmary and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the infirmary.¡±


    After saying that, she supported Ian and walked with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Lucy came over and pushed Cherise aside.


    She supportedn as they walked. She even rolled her eyes at Cherise. ¡°You walk at a snail¡¯s pace.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and quietly followed Lucy.


    But with Lucy supportingn, she found their situation much less awkward than before.


    Ever since what happened that time¡­¡­


    Cherise never initiated contact withn.


    She felt it would be awkward for them to interact.


    1/3


    It was not only due to Ian¡¯s misunderstanding about Damien cklisting him. There was also the way


    Ian looked at her and his tone when speaking to her. Those had exceeded the boundary of friendship.


    Ian had likely treated her the same way before this.


    But Cherise was now someone¡¯s wife. She felt ufortable ifn were to continue to treat her that


    way.


    The three entered the infirmary.


    There was no one around.


    Cherise brought a medical kit over. She opened a bottle of antiseptic, but Lucy snatched it from her. ¡°I


    heard someone called the police. You should check if it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Once the police arrive, you should get them to record your statement. Tell them the


    truth.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll send Sunny¡¯s parents into police detention to reunite with him there!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, wanting to say something. Meanwhile, Lucy had already begun disinfecting the


    wound on Ian¡¯s leg.


    Thus, Cherise smiled at Ian, ¡°Ian, I¡¯ll be going out to see if the police are here.¡±


    She closed the door and left after that.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Lucy gritted her teeth and pressed the antiseptic-soaked cotton bud against Ian¡¯s leg injury.


    Ian broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What am I doing? I should ask the same for you.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t Damien rmend you to work in a medical research. institute? Is that


    not good enough? Why did youe to campus to look for Cherry? Don¡¯t you have anything to do in


    the research institute?¡±


    Ian¡¯s expression changed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°When it involves my best friend¡¯s happiness, it has everything to do with me!¡±


    Lucy was a straightforward person. She immediately exposedn¡¯s ruse. ¡°You deliberately


    2/3


    got hurt to get Cherise to take care of you. It¡¯s a pretty good n, but unluckily, you bumped into me!¡±


    Then, she pped his wound. ¡°You like getting hurt, right? Let me hurt you a bit more!¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re Cherise¡¯s best friend, not Damien¡¯s.¡±


    Ian narrowed his eyes, trying not to express his pain. ¡°You keep defending Damien. What benefits do


    you get from him?¡±


    ¡°Lots!¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Lucy rolled her eyes and roughly bandaged his leg. ¡°Damien promised that when he and Cherise have


    a child, I¡¯ll be the baby¡¯s godmother!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Chapter 156 Crimson Heels


    Ian¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    Lucy looked at him with a half-smile. ¡°Why, do you want to be their children¡¯s godmother.


    too?¡±


    He was silent.


    His hands on his sides were clenched tightly.


    He would not allow it.


    He refused to let Cherise have Damien¡¯s child!


    The police arrived in no time.


    Cherise went to the police station with Sunny¡¯s parents as a witness.


    After listening to their exnations, the officer taking their statementsughed. ¡°So, your son


    threatened and caused intentional harm. Then the parents went to school and made at fuss?¡±


    All three members of the family kept silent.


    The injury on Cherise¡¯s neck and the student who came along could prove the incident with Sunny¡¯s


    parents.


    Yet one more person was needed to prove Sunny¡¯s behavior.


    Cherise took out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll call the people on the scene yesterday.¡±


    Besides Cherise and Sunny, an entire ss of students witnessed the incident yesterday.


    ¡°Never mind.¡±


    The officer waved his hand. ¡°We¡¯ve contacted the person in charge at the hotel. They¡¯ll be


    here soon.¡±


    A knock was heard on the door immediately.


    Cherise turned toward the source of the sound instinctively.


    Standing in the doorway was Violet in a red outfit.


    1/3


    The tight-fitting dress on her showed off her figure. The makeup on her face was alluring. She was


    gorgeous.


    The three men in the room were stunned.


    Violet sauntered into the room and ced a USB on the desk. ¡°Officer, I brought the evidence.¡±


    The officer only returned to his senses and plugged in the USB.


    It was the security video of the floor Sunny booked yesterday.


    The camera was pointed directly toward the door. Everything that Sunny did to Cherise was captured


    clearly.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    The officer yed the video thrice to verify the truth.


    The first two times, Cherise did not notice anything out of ce. On the third time, she suddenly


    spotted a red pair of heels outside the door.


    The heels came close and stopped outside the door. It stood near a pair of leather shoes, then turned


    to leave.


    Her forehead was locked in a deep frown.


    She eyed Violet subconsciously.


    Violet gave her a polite smile.


    Cherise¡¯s gazended on Violet¡¯s feet.


    If she was right, the pair of heels on Violet¡¯s feet were the exact ones in the video.


    She could not have been wrong about the bright crimson shade.


    The officer yed it again.


    This time around, Cherise saw it clearly.


    When Violet¡¯s heels appeared at the door, Sunny held the knife against Cherise¡¯s neck.


    She frowned.


    If Violet saw Sunny threatening Cherise herself, why did she pretend to be clueless and ask what had


    happened when they met on the other floor?


    2/3


    Besides, Violet was the one who decided the bill would be free. When Sunny was threatening her,


    Violet was right outside the door. She could have just told them the decision right away.


    Then, Sunny would not have been ridiculed for being poor. He would not have been aggravated, lost


    control, and injured her with the knife.


    All sorts of questions were unanswered in Cherise¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ve verified the incident.¡±


    The officer was done with the statements and raised his head.


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, you can leave now. The ruling for these three people will not be given to you. until the court


    hearing a few dayster.¡±


    1

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Chapter 157 My Husband Is Remarkable


    Cherise nodded and turned toward the door.


    Her mind was still fixed on the incident with Violet.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    She only took a few steps when a woman¡¯s pleasant voice came from behind.


    Cherise looked back. Violet was moving slowly toward her in the eye-catching heels.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect us to meet so soon.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. She did not have a good impression of the woman.


    She smiled lightly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you woulde. I thought the manager yesterday would send the evidence.¡±


    She was not mocking Violet as it was her actual thoughts.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Yet, from Violet¡¯s stance, it sounded as though Cherise believed she did it on purpose.


    Of course, she did it on purpose.


    But she only shot a stic smile toward Cherise.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir is our boss. It¡¯s only right for me to personally assist Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Did you say Damien is your boss?¡±


    Violet narrowed her eyes and smirked.


    ¡°Yes. Do you not know, Mrs. Lenoir? Mr. Lenoir is¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, my husband is remarkable.¡±


    Violet furrowed her forehead. This shouldn¡¯t be her reaction.


    She furrowed her eyebrows. Before she could speak, Cherise pursed her lips.


    ¡°Yesterday, you said my husband¡¯s eyes work fine, and you know him better than I do. Today, you say


    my husband is your boss. Are you going to say my husband is secretly a big boss tomorrow?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise glowered at Violet. ¡°My husband is just a regr man with a disability!¡±


    Violet owned Viopril Pce, a luxurious restaurant. Her husband was Violet¡¯s boss?


    This woman will stop at nothing to drive a wedge between us!


    Violet frowned. She had been speaking the truth.


    Besides, Cherise was convinced and left looking dejected yesterday.


    Yet she was having issues with it today?


    Who gave her the confidence to do so?


    Violet took a deep breath and smiled coolly. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you should believe me. I have no reason to


    lie to you.¡±


    ¡°But you do.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together.


    ¡°You have a grudge against this family because Tristan groped you. But Tristan is the one. you have


    bad blood with. Get him if you want revenge. We¡¯re not close with him!¡±


    Cherise turned and strode away.


    Violet stomped her feet furiously. Just as she was about to follow her, a dark blue figure appeared.


    A young man in blue leaped down from the railings on the second floor, blocking her path.


    He had an envelope between his teeth.


    ¡°This is for you.¡±


    He stuffed the envelope into Violet¡¯s hand. Stretching and yawning, he headed toward where Cherise


    had left with wide strides.


    Violet clenched the envelope in her trembling hand.


    That boy in the blue shirt¡­ is ke Lenoir.


    It was said that ke was adopted by Damien. He was Damien¡¯s right-hand man with exceptional


    athleticism. He was mysterious and only appeared whenever Damien was in


    danger.


    2/3


    However, the boy appeared nonchntly where Cherise was.


    Does this mean¡­ Damien sent hisst line of defense to be Cherise¡¯s personal guard?!


    Jealousy bubbled through Violet¡¯s heart.


    My father and I devoted ourselves all these years to him. What right does that woman have?!


    She opened the envelope with her quivering hands.


    A photo slipped out of the envelope.


    It was Cressa, daughter of Randall Lyes, signing an agreement at a closed campus where. she could


    not leave for the next four years.


    3/3

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    Chapter 158 Where¡¯s Ian?


    Violet clenched her fists in silent frustration.


    Cherise returned to school to find Lucy lounging in the infirmary, engrossed in a phone game. She


    furrowed her brow and reached out to block Lucy¡¯s phone screen. ¡°Where¡¯s


    Ian?¡±


    Lucy shot her a disdainful look, adjusted her phone, and continued ying. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Cherise bit her lip, realizing she hadn¡¯t thanked Ian properly for helping with her injury.


    Lucy leaned back. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better he split than stick around and make a fool of himself. I mean, he¡¯d


    neverpete with me to be your kid¡¯s godparent.¡±


    Cherise was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®making a fool of himself and ¡®being my child¡¯s


    godparent¡±?¡±


    Caught off guard, Lucy cleared her throat and mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. Your must¡¯ve misheard.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s intuition told her something was up between Lucy and Ian.


    She snatched Lucy¡¯s phone, demanding, ¡°Tell me what happened!¡±


    Lucy was annoyed at the interruption. ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? I got rid of thatn guy. He knew you


    were married but kept pestering you with his schemes.¡±


    ¡°Just now, Sunny¡¯s dad lifting that chair was just a scare tactic. He rushed in and got hurt, hoping you¡¯d


    feel sorry for him.¡±


    ¡°A conniving guy like him being gone is a win for you and Damien!¡± Lucy exined.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    She took advantage of Cherise¡¯s stunned state and snatched her phone back. Unfortunately, when


    Cherise took her phone, her in-game character had been defeated, and her opponent had wiped out


    her virtual crystals.


    Seeing the big ¡®Failed¡¯ word on the screen, Lucy was upset and shot Cherise a resentful nce. ¡°You


    owe me a game!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I helped you, and you dyed my game?!¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together.


    ¡°Lucy, you can¡¯t talk badly aboutn like that.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and looked earnestly at Lucy. ¡°Ian isn¡¯t the


    person you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°He used to be someone I admired, our high school pride.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he came to see me just to thank me or wanted to chat.¡±


    ¡°I reckon he didn¡¯t have the full picture earlier. When he saw someone being unkind to me, he stepped


    in to help out of sheer kindness.¡±


    Her


    gaze was sincere, ¡°We¡¯re all from the same background; helping each other is the least. we can do.¡±


    ¡°Even if he had ulterior motives, he did get hurt trying to protect me. I haven¡¯t had a chance to thank


    him, and you drove him away. No matter what, that¡¯s not right of you.¡±


    Cherise might not be the quickest thinker, but she understood the basics of human. rtionships and


    principles. Her aunt had always taught her to repay kindness.


    After all, Ian intended to help her.


    Lucy pursed her lips. ¡°But he¡¯s got motive!¡±


    ¡°Cherry, can you please not think so highly of everyone?¡±


    ¡°I can see right throughn¡¯s intentions.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, smiled at Lucy, and said, ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve misunderstood him.¡±


    ¡°You carry on with your game; I¡¯ll find Ian.¡±


    With that, she picked up her backpack and dashed away.


    Lucy furrowed her brows, annoyed and worried with Cherise¡¯s na?ve and overly trusting. nature. ¡°Why


    do you want to see him?¡±

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Chapter 159 Switching to Holistic Medicine?


    ¡°At the very least, I should treat him to a meal and thank him personally,¡± Cherise mused


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    as she set off.


    Meanwhile, when Cherise spottedn, she uttered apologetically, ¡°Hey,n. I know there. might be


    some misunderstandings between Lucy and you. Please don¡¯t mind her.¡±


    They were seated on a bench outside the medical research institute where Ian worked. She handed


    him a cup of iced lemon tea. ¡°Is your leg okay now?¡±


    ¡°Yea. I¡¯m all healed now.¡±n replied, sipping the milk tea while sighing. ¡°But your friend has some


    pretty off-base ideas about me.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not that close to her to mind that trivial.¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t misunderstand me, it¡¯s all good.¡±


    Cherise quickly shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±


    Ian and Cherise had been ssmates in their hometown¡¯s high school. In their small-town high school,


    Ian had been an exemry student, loved by the teachers. His grades, dedication, and impable


    character set the bar for all the students.


    A man so dedicated and wholesome couldn¡¯t be as conniving as Lucy had said him to be.


    Ian smiled. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t misunderstand me, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    The two of them sat on the bench, both enjoying their milk tea.


    Ian stood up. ¡°Do you have any ns after this?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Let me show you around this ce.¡±


    This ce had once been a distant dream for him.


    ¡°By the way, I should thank your husband. Without him, I might never have had the chance to work in


    such a prestigious ce.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. In fact, my husband shares the same sentiment. He believes you shouldn¡¯t be


    confined to our little town.¡± Cherise smiled atn and strolled with him into the small garden outside the


    research institute.


    1/2


    ¡°But, you know, he had mentioned that even if he could help get you in, it¡¯s all about your determination


    and effort if you¡¯re going to stick around for the long term.¡±


    Ian smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll give my best!¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Cherise nodded with a radiant smile. ¡°I have faith in you!¡±


    The setting sun¡¯s rays painted Cherise¡¯s face with a warm, golden hue, and Ian felt as if his heart were


    dipped in honey. As he gazed at Cherise, a mysterious spark danced in hisden with cryptic meaning.


    Such a wonderful girl, so full of life and potential, yet she¡¯s with that blind, obnoxious rich guy,


    Damien¡­


    eyes,


    Asn thought about this, an idea hit him. ¡°By the way, is there any chance your husband¡¯s eyes could


    be healed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But the doctors did mention the possibility of a cure. It¡¯s a slim chance, but I¡¯m willing to


    try with him.¡±


    A faint blush appeared on her face. ¡°If he could regain sight, we could do many things together.¡±


    Cherise said with pure bliss beaming on her face.


    Ian¡¯s gaze flickered, and with a smile, he said, ¡°You know, there¡¯s a renowned holistic medicine doctor


    back in our hometown. Would you consider taking Damien to consult him? If typical medicine can¡¯t


    help, perhaps holistic medicine might have a shot?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s googly eyes instantly lit up.


    She stared atn with widened eyes. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡±


    ¡°Damien has always been treated by Dr. Caldwell. Perhaps switching to holistic medicine. might be


    worth a shot!¡±


    Seeing her so excited,n smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just throwing it out there. It doesn¡¯t guarantee that holistic


    medicine will work, but it¡¯s worth exploring.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Chapter 160 Damien Being Unusually Amodating


    ¡°Maybe you can persuade him to give it a shot. Who knows, it might work?¡± Cherise. nodded


    enthusiastically. ¡°Definitely!¡±


    ¡°Do you know where the holistic medicine doctor is located? I can take my husband to see. him


    sometime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up


    in the mountains near our hometown, Jan furrowed his brows, thinking for at


    moment.


    ¡°But Cherry, I¡¯d suggest you n a little getaway with your husband, and during the trip, you can visit


    the old holistic medicine doctor.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    Ian began gently persuading her. ¡°Firstly, that old holistic medicine doctor has some, family connections


    with me. Your husband hasn¡¯t been the most weing toward me, so if he figures out you took him


    there and finds the connection, he might jump to conclusions.¡±


    Cherise paused, then nodded. ¡°I see. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Secondly¡­¡± Ian thought for a moment. ¡°Your husband probably wants his eyes to recover even more


    than you do, but holistic medicine is a bit of a long shot. If you don¡¯t tell him beforehand, he won¡¯t get


    his hopes up, and he won¡¯t be let down if it doesn¡¯t work, right?¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips and contemted. ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    She took a deep breath and looked at Ian with gratitude. ¡°Thank you. He should have. some free time


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a visit to our hometown soon under the pretense of visiting my grandma and taking a little


    break, and we can see the doctor then.¡±


    With the n in ce, that evening after dinner, Cherise deliberately stuck close to Damien.


    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s been a while since we visited my grandma.¡±


    She rested her head on Damien¡¯sp, her eyes shining as she gazed at him.


    Damien


    gave a faint smile and ruffled her hair. Didn¡¯t we talk to her on the phone just at few days ago? She


    mentioned she¡¯s back home after being discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°But a phone call isn¡¯t the same as seeing her in person.¡± Cherise pouted.


    1/2


    ¡°Darling, we¡¯ve just closed a major deal, and the whole team is taking a break. You should unwind,


    too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the countryside to visit my grandma, and we can have some rxation time by catching


    fish with our bare hands and feeding them to my cat. How does that sound?¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re that skilled, catching fish barehanded?¡±


    ¡°Obviously!¡± Cherise said with a sense of pride, raising her head high. ¡°Catching fish with bare hands,


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    like fishing, requires a calm and focused mind.¡±


    ¡°Those folks in my hometown couldn¡¯t match my skills!¡±


    ¡°I used to catch so many fish when I was a kid. We¡¯d fry the big ones for my aunt and take the small


    ones home to feed Plumkin.¡±


    ¡°Plumkin is the cat I raised in the countryside! I found her when she was just a kitten!¡±


    ¡°Now, she¡¯s aged and probably turned into a Grumpkin¡­¡±


    As a country girl at heart, Cherise couldn¡¯t resist sharing her stories about rural life.


    She recounted every detail, from fishing with equipment to hands-on fish-catching. And from her cat,


    Plumkin, to Jack, the neighbor, giving birth to chubby twins.


    Even Mr. Hampson, standing nearby, grew tired and disinterested. He didn¡¯t know these country folks


    and didn¡¯t care about their stories. Who would bother listening to these mundane tales?


    But Damien listened attentively and quietly as Cherise let loose her stream of stories. asionally,


    he¡¯d pose a question.


    Like, ¡°So, did Vivian finally get married?¡±


    Or, ¡°Can your uncle¡¯s cats, Sky and Tay, climb trees?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    Chapter 161 A Dream


    He even asked about the age of the elderlydy in Cherise¡¯s story!


    Frances and Mr. Kolson were taken aback. This was unlike Damien!


    Normally, he was so distant that he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to listen to Tristan¡¯s romantic escapades.


    Now, he was quietly listening to Cherise talk about the everyday lives.


    of the rural folks!


    Love, indeed, had a way of making people throw caution to the wind¡­


    Cherisey her head on Damien¡¯sp and kept talking until she drifted asleep.


    Damien gently lowered his head, running his fingers through her dark, silky hair, a subtle smile gracing


    his face. He nced at Mr. Hampson, who was half-dozing behind him, and said, ¡°Condense my


    schedule and free up a week.¡±


    Mr. Hampson snapped back to attention and furrowed his brows as he looked at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,


    are you¡­ nning to apany Mrs. to the countryside?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Damien replied in a low, affectionate tone. ¡°she¡¯s probably homesick.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    It had been a month since they got married, and it was natural for Cherise to feel homesick. He should


    have considered her feelings and taken her back home sooner. It was his failure as a husband for not


    noticing sooner.


    Mr. Hampson furrowed his brows. ¡°But, this is such a critical time. After signing the agreement with


    Raetec Group, we¡¯re worried that they would back out or deliver subpar products. Ourpany needs


    your presence now.¡±


    Damien sighed and closed his eyes. ¡°Try to bring Lennon back.¡±


    Mr. Hampson was surprised. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, there are too manyplications surrounding. Mr. Belcourt.


    Bringing him back now¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be too conspicuous?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Damien stroked Cherise¡¯s hair as he continued, ¡°Although Lennon has severed ties with the Belcourt


    family and found sess overseas, he still cares about his sister, Violet.¡±


    Mr. Hampson chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s the persona his managementpany has designed for him.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­


    1/2


    A sly glint flickered in Damien¡¯s deep, enigmatic eyes. ¡°If Violet were to have a car ident and end up


    in aa in the ICU, and Lennon rushed back from abroad in great distress, would it be convincing for


    his return?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was at a loss for words.


    No worries, Mr. Hampson Damien said.


    He lifted Cherise gently into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡±


    Mr. Hampson hesitated and then said, ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll inform Mr. Belcourt and the family.¡±


    As Damien carried Cherise upstairs, he realized a loophole in their n. He turned to Damien and said,


    ¡°But, Ms. Belcourt is perfectly healthy. If word gets out that she¡¯s in aa, she¡¯ll be isted and


    unable to interact with anyone¡­


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll like that idea?¡± Damien raised an eyebrow, his pace unhurried as he ascended the


    stairs. ¡°She will.¡±


    ¡°Tell her it¡¯s the consequence of her attempts to cause discord.¡±


    Meanwhile, Cherise had a long dream.


    In her dream, she led Damien to an old countryside mansion, where a wise, white- bearded man


    handed Damien a miraculous pill After Damien swallowed it, his vision was miraculously restored.


    In her dream, Damien, now with his restored eyesight, showered her withpliments. and


    affectionate kisses.


    Blushing, she yfully scolded him, saying, ¡°Alright, honey, that¡¯s enough kissing¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, no more kissing¡±


    From a distance, a deep, amusedughter seemed to resonate¡­


    Cherise jolted awake.


    There, in front of her, she found Damien¡¯s eyes, adorned with a mischievous grin.


    She blinked in surprise. It had all been a dream.


    2/2

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Chapter 162 Dream and Illusion


    The dream had lifted Cherise¡¯s spirits and sparked hope, only to crumble into mere


    illusion.


    Using his finger, Damien raised her chin. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, was that inappropriate dream you. had there?¡±


    Blushing at the dream memory, Cherise stammered, ¡°N-no!¡±


    ¡°No?¡± The man chuckled and picked up the voice recorder from the table, pressing the y button.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Honey, stop kissing me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so much saliva, don¡¯t kiss me¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind your saliva, but stop kissing¡­ I can¡¯t catch my breath¡­¡±


    The woman¡¯s giggles echoed in the room.


    Cherise¡¯s face turned red as a beet, and she quickly wrapped herself in the nket. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    How embarrassing! She couldn¡¯t believe she had said those things in her dream.


    Oh no, Damien isn¡¯t going to let me live this down!


    Damien smiled, gently pulling the nket aside and pinning Cherise beneath him. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, let me


    enlighten you. When a normal man hears these sounds from his wife in the early morning¡­¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be able to resist.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brain stalled for a second. ¡°Resist what?¡±


    The next moment, the man¡¯s fiery lips pressed against hers. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    ¡°Umph!¡±


    Eventually, Cherise was worn out by Damien before noon, feeling sore all over and with no desire to


    leave the bed. And she was famished!


    1/3


    She looked at Damien, whoy in bed listening to the news with a rxed demeanor, and asked, ¡°Are


    you hungry?¡±


    Damien raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°A bit.¡±


    A bit?


    Cherise rolled her eyes. She was physically spent, practically stuck to the bed, but he, who had been


    doing all the work, imed to be only ¡®a bit¡¯ hungry?


    Monster!


    She took a deep breath, slipped into her nightgown, and tried to get out of bed. Just as her feet were


    about to hit the floor, Damien suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Frances to bring your food up?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow as he shifted to a morefortable position and leaned against the bed. ¡°You¡¯re


    thedy of the house; you don¡¯t need to handle everything yourself.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, better not¡­¡±


    Cherise hesitated, concerned that asking Frances to bring her food would give away what had


    happened. Besides, it felt awkward and impolite to trouble the elderly maid.


    Even with her resolve to get out of bed and manage her meal independently, her sore and, feeble legs


    almost gave way, nearly sending her tumble forward.


    Fortunately, she managed to grab onto the bed¡¯s edge.


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but jest, ¡°Looks like your legs have given up on you.¡±


    With a resigned smile, he continued, ¡°Instead of putting on a show for Mr. Hampson and. the whole


    household as you scuttle around like a crab, why not have Francese up? That way, only Frances


    will be in the know, and the rest won¡¯t.¡±


    Cherise hesitated. While reluctant to admit it, she realized the wisdom in his words.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She replied with a hint of disappointment and climbed back into bed.


    Damien grabbed his phone, punched in a number swiftly, and tossed the phone her way. ¡°Tell Frances


    what you¡¯re in the mood for.¡±


    Cherise blushed like a tomato.


    2/3


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, what can I get you?¡±


    Frances, a seasoned household staffer, instantly got what had happened and was happening.


    Cherise bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯ll have pasta bolognese¡­


    Looking sheepishly at Damien, she added, ¡°Uh, for two, please¡­¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Downstairs, Frances was confused, and she thought.


    What? For two??


    ¡°But, Mrs. Lenoir, I know Mr. Lenoir¡¯s appetite well. Even if he¡¯s famished, he wouldn¡¯t need two


    portions.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand holding the phone wavered momentarily, and her cheeks flushed. ¡°Well, um¡­ the two


    portions are for me.¡±


    ¡±

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Chapter 163 Trustingn


    Frances was caught off guard.


    Yet, half an hourter, she arrived with a generous serving of pasta Bolognese, enough for three


    people.


    Damien swiftly polished off his te of food and made his way to his study, as business. called his


    attention to thepany.


    Cherise perched by the windowsill with her legs crossed. She listened to music on her headphones


    while finishing her second te of pasta Bolognese.


    It was precisely at that moment when Lucy¡¯s call came in, ¡°I¡¯ve got some major news!¡±


    Cherise continued slurping her pasta, ¡°What¡¯s the scoop?¡±


    All she cared about was to know Damien¡¯s eyesight had improved; other than that, she couldn¡¯t care


    less.


    Lucy¡¯s dramatic voice sounded from the other end of the line, ¡°Do you remember thatdy we spotted


    at the Viopril Pce? The one who runs the show, Violet Belcourt?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s grip on the phone tightened a tad. ¡°I remember.¡±


    Not only did she remember, but she also bore a strong distaste for Violet.


    ¡°She got into a car ident!¡± Lucy let out a dramatic sigh.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe it, but people are saying her arch-enemy pulled a fast one on her, and the car crash


    was no joke. She¡¯s currently knocked out in the ICU, and there¡¯s no telling when she¡¯ll wake up.¡±


    ¡°Her parents are devastated and haveunched a full-scale investigation into whoever¡¯s behind the


    ident.


    ¡°Even her brother from overseas has flown back!¡±


    Lucy¡¯s voice on the phone was filled with amazement. ¡°I just found out that Lennon, the gorgeous and


    talented sensation who started his career abroad, is, in fact, Violet¡¯s brother,¡±


    ¡°Oh, Cherise responded indifferently, continuing to slurp her pasta. ¡°And?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s indifference took Lucy aback. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even a little surprised? We met her just days ago,


    and now she¡¯s in such a critical condition. Don¡¯t you care?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise savored herst spoonful of soup and dabbed her mouth with a tissue. ¡°My main concern is for


    my husband¡¯s sight to be restored, other than that I couldn¡¯t be bothered.¡±


    Lucy was left speechless.


    ¡°Well, I know love-struck women only have eyes for their partners,¡± she sighed. dramatically. ¡°only us,


    the single people, would have time to scour social media and keep up with the news.¡±


    Cherise yfully teased, ¡°Why don¡¯t you find yourself a boyfriend too?¡±


    She furrowed and pondered. ¡°You know, Ian¡¯s a good catch. He¡¯s intelligent, kind, and ambitious.¡±


    Lucy nearly choked on her saliva, ¡°Spare me! Just mentioning him gives me the creeps. Don¡¯t bring


    him up around me!¡±


    Cherise stretched her sore legs and feigned yawning, ¡°Why does Ian make you so ufortable? Are


    you smitten with him or what?¡±


    Lucy was rendered speechless by Cherise¡¯s usation.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Seriously?! Immae and get you!¡±


    Rather than feeling intimidated by Lucy, Cherise burst intoughter.


    After a brief pause, Cheriseposed herself. She began discussing her n with Lucy to take


    Damien back to the countryside.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Why do I have mixed feelings about this?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really set on exploring holistic medicine for Damien¡¯s eyes, wouldn¡¯t it be more practical to


    find a city-based specialist in this field?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve


    got my doubts about these so-called famous rural doctors. You better tread carefully.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s words made Cherise pause for a moment. Then, she smiled and replied, ¡°I trustn


    on this one.¡±


    ¡°After all, he owes Damien a great debt of gratitude. Even if he¡¯s not particrly fond of


    husband, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d deliberately harm him.¡±


    my


    Lucy pursed her lips. ¡°I hope you¡¯re making the right choice¡­..¡±


    The two friends chatted for a bit longer, but Lucy had to suddenly hang up because of an unforeseen


    issue.


    2/3


    Cherise stashed her phone away. After the strenuous bedroom adventure with Damien,


    two hearty tes of pasta had her feeling rejuvenated.

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Chapter 164 Garden Mishap


    Suddenly, Cherise was brimming with newfound energy, unsure how to channel it.


    She left the bedroom and heard the faint voices of Damien and Mr. Hampson drift from the study. It


    seemed like a mountain of work was demanding their attention at the


    Cherise didn¡¯t want to interrupt, and with time on her hands, she decided to head downstairs and seek


    out Frances.


    Since June was no longer around, Frances assumed June¡¯s responsibilities and took on a more


    significant role. Formerly in charge of the kitchen, she now held a position second only to Mr.


    Hampson, assisting in various vi tasks.


    ¡°I¡¯m so bored.¡±


    Cherise practically dragged Frances by the hand as she approached. ¡°Is there anything I can help


    with?¡±


    Having spent over a month at the estate, Cherise understood the household¡¯s dynamics and the


    importance of respecting each servant¡¯s designated tasks. She knew she couldn¡¯t simply do as she


    pleased without the risk of upsetting the household staff.


    Relenting to Cherise¡¯s insistence, Frances motioned toward the small garden outside. ¡°It¡¯s scorching


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    out there, and the flowers and grass in the garden have wilted.¡±


    ¡°Coincidentally, the gardeners are on leave and aren¡¯t around. Would you like to water the garden?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. She loved ying with water!


    She asked Frances for the rain boots, proper gardening attire, and tools the gardeners. usually used.


    Then, she energetically headed out to the yard to water the nts.


    Frances watched as herdy boss, dressed in overalls, rain boots, and a straw hat, stood in the bright


    sunlight with a hose in her hand, tending to the flowers. A smile unconsciously formed on her lips.


    ¡°Youth is such a wonderful thing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The midday sun beat down relentlessly. As the water from the hose intermingled with the sunlight, it


    cast whimsical rainbows. Cherise worked diligently, unaware that just outside. the vi¡¯s gate, a ck


    Porsche Cayenne had parked, and a man had stepped out of the


    car.


    When Lennon arrived at the gate, the first thing that caught his eye was the woman in the garden.


    1/2


    Had Damien suddenly be interested in being surrounded by women, especially young and pretty


    ones? Until then, Lennon had only encountered older folks and children on his buddy¡¯s property. It was


    his first time seeing such a young servant at Damien¡¯s house.


    When had Damien¡¯s preferences shifted?


    Nheless, Lennon couldn¡¯t deny that Cherise had an enchanting look.


    Just as Lennon contemted entering through the garden, Cherise inadvertently moved too far from


    the water source, causing the hose to snap.


    Coincidentally, the rupture was right in front of Lennon.


    ¡®Psstt!¡¯ A powerful jet of water suddenly surged in all directions!


    Before Lennon could react, he found himself drenched.


    Upon hearing themotion behind her, Cherise snapped back to reality. She was taken, aback, her


    eyes widening. Did somebodye into the garden without her noticing? But it wasn¡¯t the time to dwell


    on that!


    ¡°Turn off the water!¡± She hollered back toward the vi and hurried over to Lennon. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Lennon, who had arrived in his usual dashing and stylish attire, was now utterly drenched. He hadn¡¯t


    seen this unexpected twist of eventsing.


    He had been a celebrated figure abroad for many years, with crowds admiring him wherever he went.


    Yet, during his visit to his best friend¡¯s house, he unexpectedly caught up in a water mishap involving a


    household staffer or gardener.


    The man scowled. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip as she assessed his thoroughly drenched state. He didn¡¯t look okay obviously.


    ¡°I have spare clothes in my car,¡± Annoyed. Lennon instructed, as he handed her the car. keys. ¡°go fetch


    them.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Chapter 165 Damien¡¯s Wife


    Fortunately, he had a habit of keeping spare clothes in his car since he frequently went on business


    trips.


    ¡°Oh, right away!¡±


    Cherise took the car keys and went to his car. Sure enough, she found aplete set of men¡¯s clothing


    on the back seat. She quickly grabbed it and ran over to Lennon. ¡°Here.¡±


    Lennon shot her a stern nce. ¡°Can¡¯t you see my current state? And you expect me to hold these


    clothes?¡±


    Is she blind or something?


    Cherise blinked, realizing her oversight. ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them for you, then.¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow. ¡°Take me to the changing room.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    While clutching Lennon¡¯s clothes, Cherise guided him to a nearby gardener¡¯s resting area. ¡°No one


    uses this room. You can change here.¡±


    Cherise ced the clothes on a chair and was about to leave.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Lennon gave a resigned nce at the young woman¡¯s innocent look, baffled by how someone as


    oblivious and slow as her could have managed to keep her job without getting fired.


    Cherise turned around with a puzzled expression. Just in time, she caught a glimpse of Lennon


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his well-defined abs.


    Her face flushed, and she quickly looked away. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Send my clothes for dry cleaning.¡± Lennon nonchntly handed his wet clothes to Cherise. ¡°I thought


    you, like other women, got me wet just to admire my abs.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t expect his teasing response. She hadn¡¯t done it intentionally; she hadn¡¯t even known he


    was there!


    ¡°Silence implies agreement, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise blushed with her eyes closed as Lennon lightly pinched her cheek.


    Where did Damien find this charming and innocent girl?


    If it were up to him, he¡¯d never have the heart to let such an adorable woman work as a maid.


    Cherise moved away from Lennon¡¯s touch, not out of excitement or embarrassment, but rather a


    difort at being touched by a man other than Damien.


    ¡°Are you¡­ done changing?¡± She asked with gritted teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Lennon raised his hand, using his shirt to bundle the wet clothes, and handed them all to Cherise.


    ¡°Walk two blocks down the street and take the second left to find the dry cleaner¡¯s. shop. Don¡¯t mess it


    up.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Cherise turned away, holding the clothes, and hurriedly ran off.


    Lennon stood still, watching her petite figure. A sly grin spread across his face.


    Given his friendship with Damien, asking him for a maid from his household shouldn¡¯t be too hard,


    right?


    ¡°Where¡¯s your wife?¡±


    Sitting in the living room, Lennon sipped his tea and asked casually.


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Probably at school.¡±


    During breakfast, he had been preupied with addressing some European matters alongside Mr.


    Hampson in the study, inadvertently neglecting Cherise.


    But she should be in school at this hour.


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t know she¡¯s still a student.¡±


    Lennon teased Damien with a suggestive look. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the celibate Damien Lenoir is interested


    in a young girl.¡±


    Damien sipped his tea, his expression unwavering. ¡°I remember warning you that disrespecting me,


    a.k.a your boss, would result in a 50% pay cut.¡±


    Lennon chuckled. ¡°Do I look like I care about the sry?¡±


    2/3


    With that, he leisurely stretched. ¡°Anyway, you brought me back with a scheme to let you and your wife


    escape to the countryside for a few days. Don¡¯t you think you should at least


    show your appreciation for my help or something?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Chapter 166 The Gardening Woe


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush with me.¡±


    ¡°I want one of your female helpers in this house.¡±


    As Damien was pouring tea, his hand paused slightly. ¡°A female helper?¡±


    He remembered that most of his household staffers here were in their forties and above. This was


    something Lennon had long known even before he went abroad.


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lennon closed his eyes, envisioning the image of that young girl¡¯s bright eyes widened in shock, ¡°I


    want the youngest maid in your house.¡±


    She looked like she was only seventeen or eighteen, making her likely the youngest here.


    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s no childbor working at your house right now, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Bingo! Then, the youngest one is indeed her!


    Damien took a sip of tea. ¡°When did your preferences be so ¡®explicit?¡±


    Lennon casually raised an eyebrow and grinned. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it.¡±


    He took the chance that Damien hadn¡¯t met this particr maid in his house. Apparently, Lennon had


    reservations that if he provided too many details, it might pique Damien¡¯s curiosity about the girl,


    potentially leading to him discovering more about her and, by some chance, developing feelings for her


    and subsequently refusing to let him have. Cherise.


    By keeping it vague and simply stating his interest in the youngest maid in the house, Lennon hoped


    Damien would manage it through the usual channel- through Mr. Hampson.


    Lennon sipped his tea with anticipation, looking forward to the puzzled expression he imagined on


    Cherise¡¯s face when she visited his vi the next day.


    ¡°All right, then. Have here to my ce tomorrow!¡±


    Damien nodded, a tug on his lips. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret this.¡±


    1/2


    Despite attending university in Adania for more than a year, Cherise¡¯s life before.


    and her dormitory. In other words, her repetitive routine and lifestyle had made her a stranger to the


    city.


    marrying Damien had been confined to the library, ssrocherise¡¯s life before


    After an extensive search for the dry cleaner¡¯s shop that Lennon had mentioned, Cherise. finally


    located the store.


    Upon returning to the Lenoir Residence with the dry cleaning receipt in hand, she noticed the ck


    Cayenne parked at the entrance was no longer there.


    Has he left? She muttered as she kept the receipt, thinking Lennon would return for his clothes again.


    Cherise then went on fixing the broken water hose and resumed tending to the nts.


    By the time she finished the gardening, her clothes were soaked. Cherise went back inside, leaving wet


    trails behind.


    Sitting on the couch and taking a tea break, Damien noticed Cherise standing at the door, soaked to


    the bone. ¡°Come over here,¡±


    Cherise instantly beamed a hearty smile at the sight of Damien, ¡°Honey, are you done with your work?¡±


    Puzzled by her drenched state, Damien probed, ¡°Where were you? Why are you all wet?¡±


    Only then did Cherise notice her condition, including the wet marks on Damien she identally


    transferred from touching him.


    She quickly moved away and, somewhat embarrassed,ughed, ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t have much to do, so I


    decided to water the flowers and nts in the garden. And then, the hose burst, but I fixed it myself.


    That¡¯s why I got all wet. I¡¯ll change my clothes and be fine in no time!¡±


    With that, she dashed upstairs. Ten minutester, she returned with clean and dry clothes.


    But before going to Damien, she returned the gardeners¡¯ clothes to their rest area. Then, in the living


    room, she threw herself into Damien¡¯s arms, saying with a happy smile, ¡°All good now!¡±


    But Damien¡¯s clothes were damp from her earlier embrace. She pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Oh, no.


    Would you like to change into dry clothes too, honey?¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    2/2

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Chapter 167 Cherise¡¯s Hometown


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Damien assured, gently cupping her face and kissing her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve already made the


    arrangements. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go to your hometown.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there for a whole week. The man continued, ¡°That should give us plenty of time. for


    you to take me fishing and feed your cat.¡± Damien teased her while ruffling her hair dotingly.


    Overwhelmed with joy, Cherise was left momentarily speechless. When she finally came back to her


    senses, she excitedly grasped Damien¡¯s hand and blurted, ¡°No way! Is this for real?¡±


    She thought she¡¯d have to wait for a while.


    After all, when she had mentioned going back to her hometown to Damien the previous night, he hadn¡¯t


    immediately agreed. She wasn¡¯t in a hurry, though. Lennon was managing thepany in her


    absence, and she didn¡¯t want to burden him with trivial matters.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    However, it was a delightful shock that Damien agreed to visit her hometown together!


    Cherise enthusiastically showered Damien with kisses all over his face and practically bounced beside


    the sofa. ¡°Yay! We¡¯re going home!¡±


    Her excitement wasn¡¯t just about bringing Damien to see the holistic medicine doctor because she was


    starting to miss home.


    Damien leaned back on the sofa, watching her with a contented smile.


    Little did Cherise know that Jacob would return with a team of medical experts in just a week. When


    she happily returned home after that week, she was in for even more good news double the happiness!


    Damien gazed at her flushed, excited face and cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t get too carried away for


    now.¡±


    Cherise looked back at him with a beaming smile and replied, ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m just so happy!¡±


    He pulled her into his arms, hugged her tightly, and said, ¡°Think about what gifts to bring for your


    grandma, uncle, aunt, and your uncle¡¯s Tay and Sky.¡±


    The familiar and refreshing scent of Damien made Cherise¡¯s heart race unexpectedly. She bit her lip


    and asked, ¡°Oh, do we need to bring gifts?¡±


    1/2


    In the past, when she visited her hometown, her uncle had constantly reminded her not to waste


    money on gifts.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re wealthy enough and have plenty of money to spend now,¡± Damien assured her,


    pinching her cheek. ¡°besides, this is my first time visiting your family. I can¡¯t. show up empty-handed,


    can I?¡±


    Cherise nodded and agreed, ¡°Okay, after dinner, let¡¯s buy some gifts!¡±


    Damien asked, ¡°What does your grandma want the most?¡±


    Cherise blushed slightly, recalling her grandmother¡¯s request. ¡°My grandma said¡­ She wants to hold


    her great-grandchild from me the most¡­¡±


    Damien chuckled, his gaze fixed on her t abdomen beneath her clothes, and remarked, ¡°I also wish


    to grant Grandma her wish. However, it¡¯s only been less than a month since we were intimate. Even if I


    wish for it to happen, it¡¯s going to take time, my dear.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face turned bright red instantly, and she replied, ¡°In that case, we can only give her


    something simple for now,¡±


    Seeing her blushing face, Damien smiled contentedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner, and afterward, we can


    brainstorm ideas for the gifts, okay?¡±


    Cherise nodded and said, ¡°Sure!¡±


    After dinner, Damien kept his word and took Cherise to the mall to shop for gifts.


    As they headed to the supermarket, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried. Damien couldn¡¯t see,


    so navigating the crowded supermarket with only his sensitive hearing might be challenging. However,


    when they arrived at the mall, she was surprised to find it almost. empty.


    The bustling shoppers were nowhere to be seen, and the only sound was the music. ying in the


    stores. Besides the staff, Cherise and Damien were practically the only customers in the mall.


    2/2

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168 Cherise the Fool?


    Why is this mall so deserted?


    As if he could read her mind, Damien spoke softly. ¡°This mall belongs to the Lenoirs.¡±


    Then, it made sense why the mall was open only for them. ¡°But the weekend is the time. when malls


    make the most profit. Closing abruptly like this would cause losses, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Cherise asked.


    Damien smiled gently. ¡°This mall¡¯s in the Lenoir name, but it¡¯s actually owned by Tristan. If it loses


    money, that¡¯s on him.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Then so be it!¡± Her determined tone elicited a chuckle from Damien. ¡°You


    dislike him that much, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Just the mention of the name made Cherise feel disgusted.


    ¡°He¡¯s not inherently a bad person,¡± the man sighed. ¡°since you want him to suffer, we should take more


    of those expensive things.¡±


    He continued, ¡°We don¡¯t need to pay for anything here.¡±


    Cherise responded with an enthusiastic cheer. ¡°Oh yeah!¡± But what did he mean by ¡®expensive things?


    She didn¡¯t have a clue.


    She pushed Damien around the mall for a while, buying a smart foot bath to rx her grandma¡¯s tired


    feet, a massager and a phone for her uncle and aunt, and a bunch of health supplements to improve


    her family¡¯s overall health.


    Finally, in the stationary section, she bought two college prep textbooks for Sky and Tay, her twin


    cousin brothers.


    Seeing the gifts she chose for her cousin brothers, Damien couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°They¡¯re


    going to hate you.¡±


    Cherise carefully wrapped the exercise books, her movements precise and efficient. ¡°Why would they


    hate me? They¡¯re about to enter their senior year and need this!¡±


    Damien¡¯s faint smile softened his angr features, ¡°Not everyone is as fond of studying as


    you are.¡±


    ¡°But for them, studying is their only way out of the mountain vige.¡±


    Cherise became serious, her eyes dark and bright. ¡°The children in the mountain vige have to work


    very, very hard to have a better life than those in the city.¡±


    1/2


    Looking at Cherise¡¯s glistening eyes, Damien¡¯s heart twinged slightly. ¡°And what about. you? How hard


    did you work back then?¡±


    Cherise smiled. ¡°I¡¯m smart, so I only needed to study for twelve hours a day!¡±


    He gestured for her toe over. She obediently approached.


    The man pulled her into his arms. ¡°Studying for twelve hours a day¡­ isn¡¯t that tiring?¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡±


    The young girl shook her head and yfully pecked his face, leaving a mark. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have any


    other skills. If studying harder can give my uncle, aunt, and grandmother a better life, even if I have to


    study for eighteen hours, I¡¯m willing to do it!¡±.


    Damien¡¯s grip on Cherise¡¯s arm tightened imperceptibly. ¡°You only need to live well for yourself.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°That would be too selfish.¡±


    ¡°My uncle, aunt, and grandmother raised me. And I must care for them and ensure they have a good


    life. Although I don¡¯t have much ability now, when I be a doctor, I can support them!¡±


    Damien gazed into Cherise¡¯s delicate features and let out a faint sigh.


    Damien had never met anyone like Cherise before, someone who strived to better herself, loved life,


    and cherished the world.


    If it weren¡¯t for Cherise, he probably would never have realized how hard those born into poverty must


    work to secure a better life.


    The past thirteen years had been a blur of loneliness and hatred.


    He resented the Lenoir family for not valuing him, resented himself for not being able to exact revenge


    on his enemies, and resented the world for taking his loved ones away one by one.


    Before, Damien always thought that people who loved life, like the ones in TV shows and novels, were


    fictional.


    The world was so cold and indifferent that only a fool would genuinely treat others with kindness.


    Until Cherise, the fool he had always despised, came into his life.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    2/2

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Chapter 169 She¡¯s Not a Maid


    ¡°Silly girl,¡± Damien muttered, ruffling her hair gently.


    Cherise was so excited about going back to her hometown the next day that she didn¡¯t sleep well the


    whole night.


    ¡°Hey, sleepyhead. You¡¯re up before me today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going back to my hometown today. I¡¯m so excited!¡±


    Cherise tied on an apron and went to the kitchen to help.


    She furrowed her brow and looked at the maid busy in the kitchen. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t Frances supposed to be


    making breakfast today?¡±


    Why is someone else making breakfast today? Is she sick?


    The maid cooking smiled and replied, ¡°Frances got lucky! Mr. Belcourt, Mr. Lenoir¡¯s good. friend, came


    over yesterday and specifically requested Frances to serve him.¡±


    She continued with a hint of envy, ¡°ording to Mr. Hampson, it seems that Mr. Belcourt has taken a


    liking to Frances!¡±


    ¡°Can you believe it? Frances is in her forties and divorced twice, but shended at and talented guy


    like Mr. Belcourt. I¡¯m so jealous!¡±


    Cherise nodded as if she understood. She then started cooking the porridge.


    young.


    Cherise nodded knowingly and started cooking the porridge. But she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sad


    about not seeing Frances again.


    At the Belcourt Residence, Frances stood nervously in front of Lennon. ¡°Mr. Belcourt, Mr. Lenoir said I


    should be your maid from now on.¡±


    Lennon stared at Frances, who had dressed up for the asion, and his eyes almost. popped out of


    his head. ¡°What? Why??¡±


    Frances looked innocent. ¡°Didn¡¯t you request for the youngest maid in the Lenoir Manor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the youngest.¡±


    Meanwhile, Damien had been awakened by Lennon¡¯s phone call. He answered the phone with his


    eyes closed. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Damien, what the hell is wrong with you?!¡± Lennon was furious. ¡°I asked you to send the youngest


    maid over, and you sent Frances instead!¡±


    Damien yawned. ¡°Isn¡¯t Frances the youngest?¡±


    He didn¡¯t care much about the ages of the household staff.


    ¡°What the heck?!¡± Lennon yelled on the other end of the phone. ¡°I saw a younger maid in your garden


    yesterday, watering the nts. She¡¯s young, beautiful, a bit blurry, and incredibly cute! That¡¯s the one I


    want!¡±


    Damien raised an eyebrow. ¡°How young is she?¡±


    He got up and started getting ready for the day. ¡°I don¡¯t remember having a young maid in my house.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do!¡± Lennon fumed. ¡°I saw her in the yard yesterday. She was watering the nts!¡±


    Young, beautiful, a bit blurry, but cute? Damien recalled the girl who had been soaked and had thrown


    herself into his arms yesterday.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Your description is spot on.¡± He spat his mouthwash and said, ¡°But she¡¯s not a maid.¡±


    Lennon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then who is she?¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s time for you to know, you¡¯ll find out.


    Damien hung up the phone coldly.


    On the other end of the line, Lennon stared at the phone in disbelief.


    After hanging up, Damien sat in a wheelchair and went downstairs.


    His young wife donned a pink apron and was setting breakfast on the table.


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 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Chapter 170 ke Tagging Along


    Seeing hime downstairs, she smiled sweetly. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re up!¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°What smells so good?¡±


    Cherise wiped her hands and rushed over, pushing his wheelchair. ¡°Our hometown is pretty far away,


    so I made your favorite pies just in case you get hungry in the morning.¡±


    She parked his wheelchair and brought over the bowl and cutleries. ¡°Eat up, honey!¡±


    Damien calmly epted what she handed him. ¡°Were you watering the nts outside. yesterday?¡±


    Cherise was a bit puzzled. ¡°Yeah. Why do you ask?¡±


    His deep voice carried a hint of amusement. ¡°Anything interesting happened yesterday?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow as she thought. ¡°Well, I guess¡­ Yesterday, there was a car parked in front


    of our house. Maybe it was a neighbor who got lost?¡±


    ¡°And then, when that person came into the garden, my water hose happened to get pulled. apart, so he


    got soaked.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°He was a little strange and had a bad temper. He asked me to fetch him some clothes


    to change into and acted arrogant, making me take his clothes to the dry. cleaner some more.¡±


    Damien nodded in agreement.


    Based on Cherise¡¯s ount, it made sense.


    It seemed that Lennon had been the one who got soaked by the water yesterday, and he probably


    mistook Cherise for a household servant, which was why he had asked for the youngest maid.


    He clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°That guy has pretty good taste. Too bad this woman is


    already mine.¡±


    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cherise asked cautiously, noticing that he was lost in thought.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Where¡¯s the dry cleaning receipt?¡±


    ¡°Here it is.¡± Cherise retrieved the neatly folded receipt from her pocket. ¡°When I came back yesterday,


    he and his car were gone. I didn¡¯t know how to give it to him.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Mr. Hampson.¡± Damien calmly instructed, ¡°Take it.¡±


    Mr. Hampson, holding back a smile, took the receipt from Cherise¡¯s hand.


    Cherise blinked in confusion, ¡°Honey, do you know that person?¡±


    Damien nodded slightly. ¡°I know him, but remember to stay away from him after this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cherise widened her eyes in surprise.


    ¡°He¡¯s a bad guy.¡±


    The young woman frowned. ¡°I knew it! I knew he wasn¡¯t a good guy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey, if I ever see him again, I¡¯ll steer clear of him!¡±


    Damien chuckled, ¡°Very well.¡±


    After breakfast, Cherise started busily packing for their trip back to her hometown. She had so many


    gifts for her family that they filled an entire car.


    ¡°I¡¯ming too.¡± ke stood in front of his room for a long time and finally spoke, sounding sulky.


    The teenager¡¯s self-invite put a smile on Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind that my hometown


    is a bit out in the boonies, you¡¯re wee toe along!¡±


    Because the more, the merrier!


    And her uncle¡¯s house had plenty of rooms, so there was space.


    for


    everyone.


    So, the happy teenager returned to his room to pack.


    Once everything was prepared, Cherise pushed Damien into the car. As the car started, Cherise even


    hummed a song happily.


    Cherise¡¯s hometown must be super out in the boonies because the songs she hummed were from over


    a decade ago.


    ke sat in the passenger seat and couldn¡¯t help but purse his lips. ¡°So old-fashioned.¡±


    Cherise and ke had be close enough to joke around with each other. She rolled. her eyes.


    ¡°You little brat.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    After saying that, she quickly looked at Damien. ¡°Honey, do you think the songs I hum are old-


    fashioned?¡±


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 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Chapter 171 Running into An Acquaintance


    Damien affectionately rutlled her hair. ¡°They sound good to me.¡±


    Cherise held Damien¡¯s arm triumphantly, raising her head high. ¡°Did husband says I¡¯m a good


    hummer!¡±


    you


    hear that? My


    ke was speechless. After a while, he sullenly pursed his lips and muttered under his breath. ¡°Having


    a husband is such a big deal.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Cherise was extremely pleased. Co get yourself a husband if you can!¡±


    ke was speechless again.


    The car drove for four hours before finally reaching the town where Cherise¡¯s hometown


    was.


    On this journey, at first, Cherise was excitedly chatting with ke. However, maybe because she didn¡¯t


    sleep well the night before and the ride was bumpy, she fell asleep in Damien¡¯s arms.


    By the time they reached town, it was already noon. Mr. Kolson slowed down the car. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs.


    Lenoir will need to give directions from here on out.¡±


    The town¡¯s roads weren¡¯t on the GPS, and this ce was a maze. Only Cherise, a local, could navigate


    them.


    Damien looked down at the young woman peacefully sleeping in his arms. He sighed faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s stop


    for a break.¡±


    ¡°Take ke to get something to eat. He must be tired after driving all morning.¡±


    Mr. Kolson nodded and parked the car in a corner. ke and Mr. Kolson got out.


    Damien stayed where he was, watching Cherise¡¯s peaceful sleeping face.


    Maybe it was because the car suddenly stopped, but Cherise woke up. She opened her eyes groggily


    and asked, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere I don¡¯t recognize,¡± Damien responded.


    The young woman yawned, looked out the car window, and got excited, ¡°Yay, we¡¯re finally here!¡±


    She asked, ¡°Where are Mr. Kolson and ke?¡±


    1/3


    ¡°I thought you wanted to sleep a little longer, so I let them go get something to eat.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Cherise was stunned for a moment and pursed her lips. ¡°Okay, honey. Let¡¯s go eat, too, then.¡±


    She saw a sign for a small eatery in the distance. ¡°I know a ce with delicious pasta! I used to go


    there all the time in high school!¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Cherise excitedly pushed Damien, who was blindfolded, out of the car and headed quickly towards the


    small eatery.


    But before reaching the eatery¡¯s entrance, they bumped into someone Cherise knew.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this our high school¡¯s pride, Cherise, who got into Adania University?¡± A woman¡¯s mocking


    voice rang out. ¡°And why are you walking a cripple?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this cripple¡¯s eyes?¡±


    ¡°Is he blind and crippled as well?¡±


    The woman who spoke was Vivian, whom Cherise knew. She had mentioned her two days. ago when


    talking about her hometown with Damien.


    Since childhood, Vivian and Cherise hadn¡¯t gotten along, and whenever she had a chance, she would


    try to put Cherise down.


    Fortunately, Cherise left the town with excellent exam results and sessfully enrolled in Adania


    University.


    In contrast, Vivian didn¡¯t even pass a vocational school entrance exam and returned home to marry


    after high school. Since then, Cherise¡¯s world has be so much more. peaceful.


    However, Cherise never expected that simply deciding to stop for a meal with Damien. would lead to an


    encounter with Vivian.


    Good grief!


    At this moment, Vivian wore loose maternity overalls and walked toward Cherise with a cold look.


    While walking, she wore a mocking smile. ¡°A few days ago, I heard my family talking about you. After


    getting into college, you married a disabled person.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°I found it hrious. It turns out that after having made it into a renowned college, you¡¯re no different


    from someone like me who didn¡¯t even make it to vocational school, right?¡±


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 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Chapter 172 Making a Scene


    ¡°Your husband cannotpare to mine. My husband is strong, works hard, and can provide for our


    family. Look at what you have.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips in difort, her heart pounding with the desire to leave with


    Damien.


    However, Vivian wasn¡¯t going to let her leave that easily.


    Vivian blocked her path. ¡°Don¡¯t leave so soon. I¡¯m curious about the man who married our school¡¯s


    most brilliant student. He must be incredibly handsome to have made her give up her academics for


    him despite his disability.¡±


    She turned to Damien, her gaze assessing.


    Her eyes bulged from their sockets as she blinked in awe over his appearance.


    The man¡¯s chiseled features and defined jawline easily made any woman¡¯s heart flutter.


    A ck silk cloth covered his eyes, entuating his mysterious and cold aura. The curiosity towards


    the pair of eyes hidden beneath the silk was palpable.


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed in annoyance. ¡°Vivian, I don¡¯t want to argue with you moment I¡¯m back.


    Please move away. I¡¯m tired.


    the


    Vivian often mocked her for being an abandoned orphan, an illegitimate child, and at worthless nobody.


    Despite Vivian¡¯s insults, she managed to keep her calm.


    However, she couldn¡¯t stand that Vivian was also targeting Damien.


    Cherise¡¯s knuckles were white as she gripped her fists to suppress her burning rage.


    Vivian slowly averted her gaze from Damien.


    She snickered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°You don¡¯t want to argue with me?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you¡¯re speaking as if you could win an argument over me. I don¡¯t recall ever losing to you in


    an argument.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some guts now that you¡¯re married to a disabled man! What a snob!¡±


    Vivian was well-known in town, and she soon attracted a crowd of onlookers around her.


    1/3


    ¡°Vivian, who is this woman?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a high school ssmate who had to marry a blind man due to her background.¡±


    ¡°Is there a conflict between the both of you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I can never get along with her!¡±


    poor family


    ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re pregnant, and you shouldn¡¯t be getting so upset. Do you need me to give her a lesson?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary. I don¡¯t want to stoop to her level.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°I must agree. After all, one is disabled, and the other is not thinking clearly.¡±


    The people crowded around them, throwing insults left and right.


    Cherise¡¯s hands were tightly clenched around the handles of Damien¡¯s wheelchair, her knuckles white


    with tension. ¡°Vivian, I came here to have dinner with my husband. I have no interest in arguing with


    you here.¡±


    ¡°Think about your baby instead of making a scene.¡±


    Her contempt was written all over her face, her lips curled into a sneer, and her eyes narrowed into


    slits.


    Despite her warning, Vivian had no intention of leaving them alone, her arms crossed. defiantly and her


    chin raised in challenge. ¡°Are you going to hit me?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. Are you sure you can handle the consequences of hitting a pregnant woman?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and clenched her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked for it.¡±


    ¡®Bam!¡¯ Cherise¡¯s hand struck Vivian¡¯s face. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious if you want to use me of hurting


    your child when I only pped your face.¡±


    ¡°I have my medical degree, remember? You¡¯re not fooling me.¡±


    Vivian struggled to keep herposure after being pped across the face.


    She couldn¡¯t believe the person she had constantly mocked and belittled would dare stand. up to her,


    let alone p her in the face!


    Cherise¡¯s eyes were icy with rage as she stared at Vivian. She raised her hands, ready to strike again.


    2/3


    Suddenly, a brawny man stood in front of Vivian. His eyes were zing with fury as he


    red at Cherise. ¡°How dare you hit my wife?¡± he roared.


    The man raised his hands, his eyes locked on Cherise¡¯s face.


    3/3

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Chapter 173 A Dark Blue Silhouette


    His hands froze in mid-air as they were caught hold of by someone.


    The man sitting in the wheelchair bore an air of calmness.


    His long fingers were wrapped tightly around the other man¡¯s wrist.


    The other man¡¯s forehead scrunched into a deep scowl. His muscles started to tense up as he tried to


    pull away.


    But his hands were caught in ce under Damien¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Honey!¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sight before her.


    Her husband was a trainer at the local gym. Every muscle was perfectly sculpted and toned.


    No one in town was stronger than her husband.


    But the man in the wheelchair, with a firm grip on his arm, stopped him from hitting Cherise.


    A glob of sweat trickled down his temple.


    Damien¡¯s spiritless eyes betrayed no hint of emotion as he suddenly strengthened his grip.


    ¡®Crack!¡¯ The man shrieked at the top of his lungs, ¡°My hand! It¡¯s dislocated!¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes shed red with anger.


    She supported the man and ordered, ¡°What are you all doing? Give these people a lesson!¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curled into a smirk following the man¡¯s scream, ¡°No one is allowed to bully my wife,¡± he


    demanded fiercely. ¡°Who else wants to know what it¡¯s like to have your hands dislocated?¡±


    At Damien¡¯s warning, the faces of the people standing up for Vivian took on a pale sheen.


    Vivian¡¯s husband was the most muscr man in town.


    But Damien even made him shriek in pain.


    1/3


    Who else was capable of defeating this man?


    Vivian¡¯s face clouded over. ¡°Target the woman!¡± shemanded.


    ¡°He¡¯s blind. He wouldn¡¯t be able to help her!¡±


    Her voice boomed through the surroundings, giving courage to those too scared to stand up to Damien


    and help her.


    They might fear Damien, but they could get to the girl behind him! After all, there were so many of


    them. How could he help her if he couldn¡¯t see anything?


    In a matter of seconds, they started to swarm over like bees.


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly, her hands gripping the handle of Damien¡¯s wheelchair. ¡°Damien, what


    should I do?¡± her voice trembling under the pressure.


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed. Though they thought he was blind, he could see every inch of their


    movements through the cloth over his eyes.


    The man reached out his arms and pulled Cherise into his embrace. ¡°A bad environment can indeed


    bring out the worst in people,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t you all have parents and children to protect at home?


    Are you sure karma won¡¯t get to you if you do anything bad. to us?¡±


    Coincidentally, a deafening p of thunder rumbled across the skies as if to emphasize the weight of


    his words.


    The cowards stood rooted to their spots while the brave ones continued to approach. Cherise and


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Damien.


    Although they were surrounded, no one dared to hit Damien.


    They still couldn¡¯t fathom how he had dislocated Vivian¡¯s husband¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Get them!¡± Vivian screamed. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everyone drinks if you teach them a lesson!¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes welled with tears as she cradled her husband¡¯s injured hand. As the bully, she had never


    faced such disrespect in her life.


    Get them!


    Make sure they pay for what they did!


    Show Cherise and her disabled husband what they are up against!


    2/3


    As the attackers raised their fists, a dark blue silhouette stood tall and defiant in front of them.


    ke¡¯s brows furrowed as he turned to look at Damien. ¡°Should I do the honors?¡±


    ke knew that Damien, his mentor, could easily take down the attackers on his own.


    But Damien had a unique identity and had to disguise himself as a disabled man. He couldn¡¯t act


    recklessly under such circumstances.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174 A Tyrant


    Damien stifled a faint yawn. ¡°You go ahead,¡± he remarked, his movements reflecting a hint of


    drowsiness.


    ke nodded in response. The young man then raised his head, his demeanor exuding self-


    assuredness as he assessed the men before him. ¡°I can handle ten of you.¡±


    Laughter rippled through the crowd. ¡°Just you alone?¡± they taunted.


    ¡°A teenager like you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s this skinny and thinks he can take on ten?¡±


    ¡°Tell


    your parents to feed you more, kid. We won¡¯t pick on you!¡±


    ke narrowed his eyes, grinning defiantly. ¡°If you¡¯ve got the guts,e at me.¡±


    The young man¡¯s icy aura, coupled with his provocative words, left everyone exchanging bewildered


    nces.


    Ultimately, the group surged forward, closing in on him.


    Cherise observed ke fighting for the first time, and his movements were so lightning- fast that she


    struggled to keep up with the action. In less than a couple of minutes, the group¡¯s front line had all been


    defeated.


    ¡°Weak,¡± ke muttered. He shifted his gaze to the onlookers outside. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± someone shouted, and the entire group hurriedly dispersed.


    A minuteter, the scene was reduced to Vivian helping her husband to his feet.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw, you¡¯ll pay for this!¡± Vivian¡¯s menacing words stung Cherise.


    ke is quite impressive, Cherise thought, still trying to fully recover from the shock.


    Damien had always ensured that ke apanied her. Sometimes, he¡¯d keep herpany, while


    most of the time, he would disappear quietly. She assumed he was a yful kid and had never paid


    much attention to his absence.


    But who would have imagined that ke possessed such formidablebat skills?


    ¡°Sir,¡± Mr. Kolson hurriedly approached from a distance. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Damien responded with a faint smile, extending his hand to ruffle Cherise¡¯s


    1/3


    hair. ¡°Still want some noodles?¡±


    As if in answer, Cherise¡¯s stomach growled. The choice was evident.


    The man smiled faintly, rocked his wheelchair, cradled Cherise, and, with Mr. Kolson¡¯s assistance, they


    entered the restaurant.


    The owner had been stationed at the entrance, observing themotion. As this group entered his


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    establishment, he greeted them with genuine enthusiasm. ¡°Wow! You are quite. impressive, young


    man!¡±


    The owner continued as he handed the menu to Cherise, ¡°Vivian¡¯s husband is a tyrant; I bet he never


    expected to meet someone who would stand up to him.¡±


    Cherise, a regr at this restaurant during high school, was well-acquainted with the


    owner.


    As Cherise ordered, she raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The owner sighed deeply, ¡°Indeed.¡±


    that


    He continued, ¡°Just recently, Vivian hosted a banquet for her pregnancy, and she insisted.


    every household attend, not because she¡¯s friendly, but because she wanted money and gifts from all


    of us.¡±


    His sigh left Cherise in contemtion. ¡°Did you attend the banquet?¡±


    The owner sighed once more, ¡°I had no choice. If I didn¡¯t go, there would be


    consequences. You should stay away from town, as you¡¯ve been doing. The world beyond. is much


    more weing.¡±


    The owner spoke despairingly, ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I can keep this little restaurant open.¡±


    With that, he returned to the kitchen after taking their order.


    Cherise watched the owner¡¯s retreating figure, a pang of sadness welling up within her. Seeing the


    once-cheerful owner so disheartened tugged at her heartstrings.


    It was evident that Vivian and her husband were causing quite amotion in town.


    Damien furrowed his brow, seemingly aware of Cherise¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Do you want to help him?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Everyone has to follow their own course in life.¡±


    2/3


    Moreover, even if Damien wielded substantial influence in Suncrest, he couldn¡¯t extend


    his reach to this remote little town.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Chapter 175 A Rumored Reality


    Even though they could assist the restaurant owner during their stay, Vivian and her entourage might


    be even more problematic once they leave. Cherise knew she couldn¡¯t stay here to offer help,


    leaving her regretful.


    Damien keenly observed Cherise¡¯s downcast expression and glimpsed ayer of profound emotion in


    her eyes.


    Upon returning to the car after their meal, Cherise¡¯s spirits were still low. However, as the car gradually


    approached the small vige she once called home, the young woman¡¯s excitement couldn¡¯t be


    contained. Eagerly, she began introducing the area¡¯s geography to everyone, anticipating the reunion


    with her family.


    Finally, as the car passed a massive willow tree, they arrived at Cherise¡¯s uncle¡¯s home, Elvis Shaw¡¯s


    residence.


    The moment the car came to a stop, the young girl hastily exited and dashed into the yard.


    It was a little


    past two in the afternoon, and Mary Dawson was basking in the sun by her wall. Beside her, her


    daughter-inw, Sarah, was sorting out the soles of her shoes.


    ¡°Grandma! Aunt Sarah!¡±


    The young girl¡¯s excited voice reverberated crisply through the yard.


    Sarah and Mary raised their heads, witnessing Cherise sprinting towards them. They couldn¡¯t help but


    break into smiles.


    Cherise threw herself into the arms of the kind-hearted olddy. ¡°Grandma! I¡¯ve missed. you so much!¡±


    The olddy patted her back lovingly and asked, ¡°Why are you back suddenly?¡±


    ¡°I missed you, so I came back!¡±


    Sarah also smiled and asked, ¡°Did youe back alone?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Cherise beamed and lifted her head, pointing towards the door. ¡°I brought my husband with me!¡±


    Sarah looked in the direction of the door and noticed Damien, who was seated in a wheelchair, being


    pushed by ke.


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    Herplexion paled instantly. ¡°Cherise, why did you bring the young master of the Lenoirs here?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback, realizing that Sarah¡¯s response was far from weing. ¡°My husband has


    never been to the countryside before. I just brought him along¡­¡±


    Sarah looked at Damien from a distance, her expression somewhat unpleasant, and she lowered her


    voice. ¡°Ben from next door recently had a falling out with your uncle. He¡¯s been spreading rumors in the


    vige, iming that your uncle couldn¡¯t resolve his issues. until he married you off to a disabled


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    person.¡±


    She gazed at Cherise reproachfully. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give us a heads-up? The whole vige has been


    making fun of our familytely. Your uncle has been isting himself at home. due to this situation.


    Bringing Mr. Lenoir here now, aren¡¯t you adding to the chaos?¡±


    Ben was Vivian¡¯s father.


    Sarah¡¯s exnation rified why Vivian had caused trouble when they were in town. Cherise pursed


    her lips. ¡°What should we do then?¡±


    Damien had taken the time to apany her back. Cherise was too excited to anticipate the potential


    problems at home. In the countryside, rumors spread much faster than in the city. Being constantly


    pointed at and talked about by everyone was undeniably ufortable.


    Mary squinted thoughtfully as she leaned against the earthen wall, her gaze filled with warmth as she


    regarded Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t bother yourself with that nonsense. Go enjoy your time with Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°This is, in fact, our reality-people aren¡¯t making it up,¡± Mary further emphasized.


    Meanwhile, Sarah stayed silent, her lips tightly pressed together.


    Inside, Damien had already been guided into the house by ke, where they joined the


    others.


    Behind them, Mr. Kolson held a collection of gift bags, big and small.


    The dogs in the yard began to bark, and Elvis Shaw, who had been inside the house all this. time,


    emerged.


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 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176 Rekindling Life


    ¡°Cherry and Mr. Lenoir have arrived.¡±


    Elvis Shaw forced a smile, exchanging pleasantries as he weed the group into hist home.


    After a round of family greetings, the sun was rapidly making its descent. Sarah began preparing dinner


    while Elvis Shaw went out to fetch some wine.


    Noticing Damien and ke looking disinterested, Cherise suggested taking them to the small river near


    the vige for fishing. Since the rural roads were uneven, Cherise found. an old crutch that had


    belonged to Mary and used it to assist Damien as they made their way to the river.


    ¡°Darling, can you feel it? The country air is so much fresher than in the city!¡± She chatted with him while


    strolling, taking in the serene surroundings.


    Damien gave a slight nod, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Though the vige was small, it possessed a picturesque charm, enveloped in lush greenery, and the


    river¡¯s water glistened crystal clear. Such a breathtaking locale undoubtedly influenced Cherise¡¯s pure


    and simple nature.


    When the trio reached the riverside, Cherise located arge rock for Damien to sit. on, she remained


    by his side, watching ke enthusiastically fish in the water. After observing for a while, she couldn¡¯t


    help but desire to join in. However, she couldn¡¯t leave Damien. alone, for he couldn¡¯t see anything or


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    enter the water.


    and


    Should she depart, leaving him behind and indulging in fishing, he would undeniably experience


    loneliness and exclusion.


    ¡°Go on and join ke,¡± Damien suggested, his tone devoid of annoyance.


    It was apparent she yearned to go fishing from her demeanor. Cherise hesitated momentarily, then


    resolutely shook her head, saying, ¡°No, I¡¯d rather stay here and chat with you.¡±


    Considering Damien¡¯s inability to see and incapacity to enter the water, leaving him alone would


    inevitably make him feel isted and forlorn.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Damien responded with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take this opportunity to make a call to the


    Cherise peered at him for a moment. ¡°Are you sure you want me to go?¡±


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    ¡°Yes,¡± Damien responded warmly.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Cherise joyfully patted his head and nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m off to fish, my love! You


    be a good boy and stay right here!¡±


    Assured that Damien harbored no objections to her going, Cherise gleefully rolled up pants and


    hastened into the river.


    her


    ¡°ke, you won¡¯t catch any fish that way! Watch me!¡± Cherise eximed as she waded further into the


    water.


    Damien settled at the riverbank, gazing at the young girl with her sparkling eyes while she yed with


    ke. A faint smile graced his lips as he savored the contentment he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.


    He couldn¡¯t recollect exactly-it seemed like an eternity since his sister¡¯s tragic death in at fire thirteen


    years ago. Cherise had rekindled in him the idea that life was filled with countless opportunities,


    something he had lost sight of.


    With a smile on his face, he retrieved his phone.


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve already alerted the local authorities.


    ¡°Vivian¡¯s husband was no stranger to criminal activities, and the extent of his wrongdoings far exceeds


    the information we obtained.¡±


    ¡°Now that the police are involved, they will likely apprehend him tonight.¡±


    Greg reported his findings to Damien. After a momentary pause, he inquired, ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t understand


    why you apanied your wife back and then began overseeing these small matters?¡±


    The two messages Damien had sent earlier had left Greg momentarily bewildered, making him doubt if


    he had misread them. The first message involved dispatching someone to collect records on a


    troublesome couple in a small town. The other sought. assistance in renovating and investing in a small


    neighborhood restaurant.


    Their boss typically remainedser-focused on confronting the Lenoirs. It was as if he held nothing else


    in his heart or mind except for hatred and vengeance.


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 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Chapter 177 How Could I Not


    During the trip, he was not only apanying his wife back to her hometown but also taking steps to


    enhance the security in her home vige and initiating financial support


    for small businesses.


    ¡°How could I not?¡± The man raised his eyes, observing the petite woman by the small river with ke,


    who was wholly engrossed in fishing. ¡°I want to ensure that her favorite foods. await her every time she


    returns.¡±


    He gently shut his eyes.


    The neighborhood restaurant boasted a wishing wall adorned with sticky notes bearing the heartfelt


    wishes of the restaurant¡¯s patrons.


    As Cherise enjoyed her meal, Damien took a moment to scan the wishing wall thoughtfully.


    Eventually, he found a pink, heart-shaped sticky note in the corner. In elegant


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    handwriting, it read, ¡°I hope that each time I return, I can savor the amazing food in this restaurant!


    Cherise.¡±


    ¨C


    With a sigh, Damien opened his eyes. He focused through the ck silk covering them, gazing steadily


    at Cherise, who was bathed in the soft, orange light of the setting sun.


    Her wish was so simple; how could he possibly let her down?


    ¡°Darling!¡±


    Cherise bounded over, carrying a stic bucket filled with fish. ¡°I caught a massive fish!¡± She eagerly


    disyed the bucket. ¡°Look, it¡¯s huge!¡±


    Swimming in the water bucket was a fish measuring about twenty centimeters.


    Cherise beamed, ready to share something with him, but her gaze suddenly locked onto the ck silk


    obscuring Damien¡¯s eyes. Her cheerful demeanor gradually waned.


    After a brief moment, her downcast lips quivered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling, I forgot that. can¡¯t see¡­¡±


    you


    Cherise sniffled, her frustration evident as she clenched her hands. Regardless, she vowed to herself


    that she would take her husband to see the old doctor the very next day!


    Noticing her disheartened expression, Damien¡¯s heart sank slightly. He mustered a faint. smile, saying,


    ¡°Even though I can¡¯t see, I can still touch.¡±


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    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind, darling? Fish are slippery and smelly, you¡­ you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    The man shook his head gently.


    Cherise¡¯s sense of disappointment eventually faded.


    She reached out, took Damien¡¯s hand, and plunged it into the water bucket. Yet, the fish proved to be


    quite elusive. Every time she made contact with it using Damien¡¯s hand, the fish darted away.


    In the end, the entire water bucket toppled over amidst an exciting moment.


    Their location wasn¡¯t far from the small river. When the fish leaped from the water bucket, it jumped


    right into the river, vanishing from sight.


    Cherise bit her lip, ¡°It got away¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll catch another one


    The young woman took a deep breath, gearing to


    dash into the river. But Damien reached out, grabbing her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s catch more. tomorrow; I¡¯m a bit


    tired.¡±


    Cherise finally realized that the sun had already set, and the surroundings had be hazy.


    It was time to return home.


    So, she signaled to ke, still in the river, ¡°Time to head back!¡±


    ke acknowledged with an ¡°Oh¡± and made his way ashore. ¡°That was fun!¡±


    Cherise instructed him to carry the caught fish, and then she assisted Damien step by step. as they


    made their way back.


    ¡°Jacob recently went abroad,¡± Damien remarked. Ultimately, he couldn¡¯t resist mentioning it to her.


    Only Cherise had the power to make him feel the urge to cast aside his facade. If he weren¡¯t ¡®blind,¡¯ he


    could have done so many things with her. But his identity was that of a blind man. So he could only sit


    on the sidelines, watching her y, watching her have fun. by herself.


    ¡°What did he go abroad for?¡± Cherise had been preupied with nning how to secretly take Damien


    to get his eyes checked tomorrow. His words failed to register with her.


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 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    Chapter 178 The Countryside


    ¡°Jacob mentioned that he had consulted a renowned eye specialist,¡± Damien murmured, his voice


    subdued.


    To his surprise, Cherise didn¡¯t appear particrly interested.


    She casually responded with a casual ¡°Oh¡± and continued to walk alongside him.


    Aunt Sarah prepared a sumptuous dinner.


    Despite the modest ingredients in the farmhouse, she managed to create avish meal for Damien


    using the best items avable.


    Elvis bought plenty of wine, insisting they drink until they were intoxicated.


    Cherise endearingly leaned against Grandma as she attentively chatted with her while helping her with


    the food.


    Mr. Kolson watched contentedly as Damien enthusiastically devoured the scrumptious. homemade


    drumstick.


    As the sun set over the horizon, the warm glow of the sky cast a serene atmosphere upon the evening.


    The sounds ofughter and cheerful chatter echoed through the surroundings, creating a lively and


    vibrant ambiance that filled the air.


    Elvis persistently encouraged Damien to keep drinking, even well past nine in the evening.


    Cherise stayed by Damien¡¯s side, deeply concerned for him, and offered more than just


    She sat on a small chair, watching Damien and Elvis drink while textingn on her phone.


    ¡°Ian, could you please give me the address of that elderly doctor? I¡¯ve brought my husband back to our


    hometown!¡±


    Cherise nodded determinedly, ¡°Yes, I hope his eyes can improve. As long as there¡¯s a chance, I can¡¯t


    give up!¡±


    with the address of the elderly doctor.


    ¡°The thatched cottage at the entrance of Johnson Vige, Doctor Mark Johnson,¡± he said.


    1/3


    Cherise earnestly noted it down. ¡°Thank you, Ian!¡±


    After hanging up the call, Cherise found Elvis passed out on the brick bed. While Damien. sat there,


    quietly munching on peanuts.


    She couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the scene before her eyes.


    Her uncle was the best drinker in the whole damn vige!


    Damien managed to knock him out cold!


    ¡°Feeling sleepy?¡±


    The man rumbled, his voice low. ¡°You know, you didn¡¯t have to wait for me, really.¡±


    ¡°No, I insist!¡±


    Cherish put her phone away and helped Damien, guiding him back to his room. ¡°There are no proper


    beds in the countryside, just traditional heated brick beds. I want to make sure you¡¯refortable. If


    you have trouble sleeping, I can always add an extra nket for you in the middle of the night.¡±


    Damien chuckled softly and pulled her into the nkets. ¡°With you here, I can sleep anywhere


    Cherise blushed deeply. ¡°R-really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He was somewhat intoxicated when he cradled her face and kissed her passionately.


    Cherise was left breathless. ¡°Hubby, let¡¯s sleep¡­


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to the neighboring vige to explore,¡± she continued.


    He kissed her eyshes and mumbled against her eyshes, his words slightly slurred, ¡°Wha¡¯ are we


    explorin, hm?¡±


    He kissed her eyshes in a drunken stupor. ¡°What¡¯s there to explore?¡±


    ¡°In the neighboring vige, there¡¯s an elderly doctor¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know how to lie convincingly, so she


    blurted out the truth.


    Damien chuckled softly; his fingers gently lifted her chin as his deep, jet-ck eyes met hers. ¡°Why do


    you want to see the elderly doctor?¡±


    ¡°To have him check our pulses to see when we can have a baby?¡±


    2/3


    Cherise was momentarily surprised but nodded vigorously and said, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see the elderly doctor tomorrow, have our pulses checked, and get some medicine prescribed to


    have a baby sooner. How about that?¡±


    He grinned and pulled her into his arms, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go along with your n.¡±


    ¡°Mark Johnson?¡±


    During breakfast the following day, Aunt Sarah frowned while eating. ¡°That old Dr. Johnson isn¡¯t very


    reliable, you know. They say he trusted traditional medicine his whole life. But when his nephew got


    into medical school and studied Western medicine, he lost. his focuspletely. Couldn¡¯t treat patients


    properly anymore.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I just thought of giving it a try with Damien. If it works out, everyone will be


    happy.¡±

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Chapter 179 A Family in the Making


    Aunt Sarah nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    She nced mischievously at Cherise, and the corner of her mouth quirked. up. ¡°Dr. Johnson was an


    expert in gynecology, even more than eyes. How about letting him check your reproductive health,


    prescribe some fertility medicine, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°You and Mr. Damien seem quite close now. It¡¯s about time to think about having a child,¡± she


    remarked.


    Cherise blushed at her words, pushed around her food, and quickly ran outside.


    Damien was on the phone with someone under therge apricot tree in the yard.


    ¡°I told you, she¡¯s not a servant.¡±


    ¡°Forget about it then. I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Take your clothes and leave.¡±


    Cherise approached cautiously. ¡°Hubby, who was that?¡±


    This was the first time she had ever heard Damien speak to someone in that manner.


    Damien mmed the phone down. ¡°Just a nobody,¡± he spat out.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Cherise¡¯s voice was subdued as she replied, sensing the tension in the air.


    The person on the other end was significant; her husband appeared visibly distressed and. used the


    word ¡®leave, which was surprising.


    But since he didn¡¯t want to discuss it, she decided not to probe further.


    Cherise smiled. Her eyes flickered as she gently helped him to his feet. ¡°Ready to go, honey?¡±


    ¡°We nned to see the doctor in the vige today,¡± she continued.


    Damien chuckled, reaching out to tousle Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°What¡¯s the sudden hurry about having kids?¡±


    ¡°Grandma¡¯s getting impatient, you know,¡± she retorted yfully, giving him a wink.


    1/3


    Cherise hesitated and continued sheepishly, ¡°L¡­ I also¡­ would like to have a child sooner.¡±


    When Cherise and Damien arrived at Mark¡¯s house, the older man was still asleep.


    He appeared surprised as he saw Cherise guiding a man, one eye covered in ck silk, into the house.


    He chortled eventually, ¡°Here for a check-up?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°For¡­ gynecological reasons.¡±


    Earlier that morning, she had already briefedn and Mark, saying they were there for a gynecological


    consultation.


    After a casual ¡°Oh,¡± Dr. Johnson turned and led Cherise and Damien to a grimy table.


    He ced a small pillow on it and said, ¡°Give me your hand.


    Cherise obediently extended her hand. As Dr. Johnson felt her pulse, his brows furrowed deeply. ¡°Your


    pulse¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened as she gasped, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    A slight unease shed in Dr. Johnson¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said.


    ¡°You should be able to conceive.¡±


    Dr. Johnson remarked and nced up at Damien. ¡°Your turn.¡±


    Damien frowned, feeling hesitant about consulting these rural doctors.


    Despite his reservations, he held his tongue in Cherise¡¯s presence. He reluctantly extended


    his hand.


    Dr. Mark frowned for a moment during the examination, then smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no problem here.¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine to boost your blood cirction. Take care of yourselves, and in less than


    two months, you¡¯ll have good news!¡± Dr. Mark assured them.


    Cherise blinked and nced at Dr. Mark.


    He shook his head subtly in response.


    She nodded disappointedly, paid the fee, and supported Damien back home.


    2/3


    Dr. Johnson stood at the door as he watched them leave; a smile curled his lips.


    A momentter, he picked up the phone and dialed Ian. ¡°He came.¡±


    Ian excitedly responded, ¡°How did it go? Is he blind or just pretending?¡±


    ¡°Ian.¡±


    Dr. Johnson frowned, his voice weary and tinged with helplessness. ¡°Why are you so concerned about


    whether he¡¯s blind?¡±


    ¡°Their rtionship appears to be strong.¡±


    After a brief silence,n spoke sternly, ¡°Uncle, just tell me if the man is truly blind or pretending. What I


    do next is my business, not yours.¡±


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 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Chapter 180 Tainted Tales


    ¡°What if I refuse to tell you?¡±


    Dr. Johnson sighed heavily. ¡°The girl is already pregnant, and their rtionship seems. fine. Why


    meddle?¡±


    Ian, on the phone, was left utterly stunned. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be!¡±


    How could Cherise be pregnant? She had only been married to Damien for just over a month!


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed pregnant, but it hasn¡¯t been long, Dr. Mark said.


    ¡°You need to trust your uncle¡¯s experience. My pulse diagnosis is much more urate than early


    pregnancy tests,¡± Dr. Johnson reassured earnestly.


    He sighed, n, you should focus on your own life. Let others¡­¡±


    ¡°Damien isn¡¯t blind, right?¡±


    Ian narrowed his eyes on the phone. Dr. Johnson wouldn¡¯t have said so much if Damien weren¡¯t blind.


    ¡°Whether he¡¯s blind or not, Cherise and her child do not concern you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    Ian snorted coldly and hung up the phone.


    He couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t let Cherise bear Damien¡¯s child!


    She was pure, innocent, and devoted to her family.


    If she gives birth to Damien¡¯s child, she will never leave him for the rest of her life.


    Cherise felt dejected and guided Damien back from the Johnson vige to the Shaw Family vige.


    When they arrived at the entrance, they encountered Ben, who was burdened with bags. Behind him, a


    teary-eyed Vivian trailed.


    ¡°Give me a break,¡± Cherise scoffed under her breath.


    Ben sneered upon seeing Cherise and Damien. He red at Cherise coldly and scoffed, ¡°Married a


    disabled person and now shamelessly dragging a disabled man back home. How embarrassing¡±


    ¡°And how did Elvis end up with such a shameless girl?¡± he scowled.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    1/3


    Vivian heard and frowned. She gently pushed Ben. ¡°Dad, leave them alone.¡±


    ¡°That blind guy is quite powerful, you know,¡± Vivian warned.


    Her husband was arrestedst night, and his dislocated wrist hadn¡¯t fully healed yet!


    Ben snorted and gave Vivian a disdainful re. ¡°So, Dexter went in and took your guts with him?¡±


    ¡°A blind guy like him, what is there to be afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go,¡± Cherise said, pulling Damien away.


    Cherise quickly led Damien away from Ben and Vivian, avoiding conflict with the father- daughter pair,


    and headed towards another alley to go home.


    However, Ben wasn¡¯t willing to let her off so quickly.


    The sun shone bright in the sky, casting long shadows across the vige paths. The air was filled with


    the sounds of the busy farmers heading home for a well-deserved lunch after a morning¡¯s hard work in


    the fields.


    Ben raised his voice and dered, ¡°Listen, everyone! I was telling the truth! A few days back, I told you


    all about the little girl Elvis saved and gave away to a blind man in return for treating his mother¡¯s


    illness. Can you imagine that some of you doubted it?¡±


    ¡°Now look, the one she¡¯s supporting, with something covering his eyes, isn¡¯t that the blind. man?¡±


    ¡°Was I lying? Elvis¡¯s family is heartless. This Cherise is just silly!¡±


    The vigers came to a sudden halt, staring at Cherise and Damien while murmurs filled.


    the air.


    Cherise could feel her anger well in her chest as she went cold with fury.


    She guided Damien carefully through the onlookers, heading home.


    Ben¡¯s voice slowly faded as he mocked, ¡°Can you hide forever?¡±


    ¡°You married a disabled man just for money, and now you can¡¯t bear to hear the truth!?¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly. Her anger was mounting, and she was about to explode with rage.


    Damien lightly furrowed his brow and reached for her hand. ¡°Does it bother you?¡±


    2/3


    Cherise was puzzled and looked up


    at him.


    ¡°Bother me? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you mind being ridiculed for marrying a disabled man?¡± Damien questioned.


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never minded, not at all.¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Chapter 181 Defending Love


    She took a deep breath and held Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t let those people¡¯s words. to you.¡±


    ¡°Even though you can¡¯t see, in my heart, you¡¯re much better than those physically able,¡± she reassured


    him.


    She was afraid Damien might take it to heart.


    In this world, there were far too many people like that: insecure people would choose to mock others


    for their imperfections. But deep down, they knew-these disabled individuals were often stronger and


    more resilient than them in ways they could neverprehend.


    Damien smiled gently and wrapped his arm around Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you like being with me is a


    burden?¡±


    get


    ever feel


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Cherise replied firmly. She lifted her head and nted a tender kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Hubby,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t find being with you burdensome,¡± she reassured him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you might feel hurt because of me, ridiculed by these uncouth. people,¡± Cherise


    admitted her concerns openly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not burdened, neither am I,¡± Damien said reassuringly.


    He squeezed his eyes shut as tears welled up.


    Her pure-heartedness deeply touched Damien.


    Despite facing ridicule and usations from the people, Cherise never thought of herself; her concern


    was always for Damien¡¯s feelings.


    He sighed, about to grasp her hand and turn back, when he heard Elvis¡¯s low voice.


    ¡°Cherry, take Mr. Lenoir home!¡±


    Elvis¡¯ voice echoed, and the jeering crowd redirected their mockery from Cherise to him.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, look who¡¯s here! Raised his daughter only to sell her away to a blind man!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? All for dear old Mom. He doesn¡¯t even care about his daughter¡¯s happiness!¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    1/3


    ¡°It¡¯s hrious. The seemingly innocent ones are always the schemers in disguise¡­¡±


    Their words dripped with venom as Cherise clenched her fists tightly and bit back her lips in anger.


    Elvis noticed her barely suppressed rupturing rage and quickly responded.


    ¡°Why hold back? Don¡¯t you agree with them?¡± he sneered.


    ¡°Go home!¡± Elvis roared.


    As soon as Elvis shouted, Cherise¡¯s anger vanished instantly.


    Feelingpletely defeated, she bit her lip and helped Damien get ready to leave.


    However, Damien coldly shrugged off her hand.


    He turned back and faced the vigers with a sarcastic smile. ¡°Cherry always spoke highly of her


    hometown to me, describing the warmth and simplicity of the people here.¡±


    ¡°When we were in the city, she was thrilled the whole night when she heard I was willing to apany


    her back to our hometown.¡±


    ¡°She loves this ce more than she loves the glitz and mour of the city.¡±


    ¡°Even in wealthier surroundings, her heart yearns for the simplicity of this ce-the little stream and the


    fish.¡±


    ¡°But little did she know, the neighbors and fellow vigers from her home would see her and her uncle¡¯s


    family this way.¡±


    Damien spoke with rity, his voice deep and imbued with.


    arrogance.


    A sudden hush fell over the crowd as his words hung in the air.


    Before the incident, Cherise and Elvis had enjoyed a ster reputation in the vige.


    Cherise had been a beacon of pride for the entiremunity when she sessfully secured a spot in


    university.


    Now, they faced the vigers¡¯ disdain. The shift from admiration to mockery was jarring and


    disheartening.


    ¡°Haha, do you think your words mean anything?¡± Ben sneered.


    ¡°I coulde up with nonsense just like the garbage you spouted earlier.¡±


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    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be blind to sweet talk someone!¡±


    ¡°If Cherise was so attached to this ce, why marry you? Why bother with college? Staying


    here would¡¯ve suited her just fine, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Chapter 182 Hometown Tales


    They scrunched up their face in contempt at Ben¡¯s obnoxious behavior.


    He snickered coldly, ¡°So you think she likes this vige just because she says so?¡±


    ¡°You im she shared everything about this vige with you. Why don¡¯t you tell us what exactly did she


    say?¡± Ben continued.


    Damien¡¯s lips twitched as he responded, ¡°Oh, Ben, I think you¡¯ll find this quite intriguing. Vivian went on


    three blind dates before she settled with her current husband.¡±


    ¡°The first suitor found our quaint vige a bit too remote for his liking. This led to a collective uproar


    among the vigers.¡±


    ¡°The second suitor? Vivian had reservations about his suitability. The entire vige conducted a


    thorough analysis and ultimately deemed him unsuitable.¡±


    ¡°Now, as for the third suitor¡­¡± Damien¡¯s smirk deepened.


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Ben seethed; his anger was simmering.


    Vivian¡¯s ego, severely bruised, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. ¡°Cherise? You share even these vige


    matters with your husband?¡±


    Her words hung in the air, plunging the surrounding vigers into an even more resounding silence.


    Damien¡¯s earlierments had, ironically, confirmed that Cherise had indeed confided. in him about


    vige matters.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s not talk about this then.¡±


    Damien continued indifferently, ¡°Mrs. Levine, the oldest in the vige at ny-three, was remarkably


    healthy, although she broke her leg a couple of years ago. She walked with a noticeable limp.¡±


    ¡°The neighbors, Jack and his wife, married for three years, gave birth to two chubby toddlers as


    innocent as their parents. Adorable and clueless kind of way.¡±


    ¡°The vige chief¡¯s daughter, now in high school, excelled academically. She had the potential to be the


    second girl from our vige to attend university.¡±


    ¡°There was also a stray dog in the vige named Yellow. It wandered every day, feasting at whichever


    house it pleased.¡±


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    Despite Damien¡¯s impassive demeanor, he meticulously recounted every detail Cherise had shared


    about the vige that night.


    Ben¡¯s expression darkened with each word and contorted in disbelief.


    The surrounding vigers squirmed ufortably, looking away and avoiding eye


    contact.


    Ah, the spectacle of it all! Cherise, the pinnacle of urban sophistication, astonishingly profound


    understanding of the vige¡¯s intricacies.


    possessed an


    Even after embracing a more opulent lifestyle, she clung fervently to her hometown tales, holding them


    as dear as treasured gems.


    Such a profound connection to her origins was genuinely heart-warming to witness.


    And yet, there they were,


    ¡°Cherry, I shouldn¡¯t have judged you as they did,¡± a towering figure sighed, his toneced. with genuine


    regret. ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°I promise to make it right. I¡¯ll bring my children to your doorstep and sincerely apologize.¡±


    This man was none other than Jack.


    Jack took the lead, and gradually, the vigers, one after another, started to look at Cherise with


    remorse and guilt.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes glistened, and tears began to well up as she couldn¡¯t help but admire. Damien even


    more than she did.


    He had such an impable memory!


    She used to avoid discussing her hometown in the city, fearing that she would bet perceived as


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    unsophisticated. However, she decided to open up when she convinced him. toe back with her on


    that day. She expected him to listen and forget, but to her. surprise, he remembered every detail vividly.


    Ben clenched his teeth. ¡°No matter how attached Cherise is to her hometown, it doesn¡¯t change the


    fact that Elvis pushed her into the fire for money!¡±


    ¡°Cherise¡¯s lifelong happiness was ruined just to save that stubborn old man!¡±


    The crowd fell silent for a moment.


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    T


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.


    He pulled Cherise close, wrapping his arms around her, and said affectionately, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t you feel


    happy being with me?¡±


    He rarely used the endearing term ¡®Honey¡¯ in public.


    Cherise looked into his eyes affectionately and said, ¡°Of course I am. You¡¯ve brought endless joy into


    my life.¡±


    heart, you¡¯re much better than those physically able,¡± she reassured him.


    She was afraid Damien might take it to heart.


    In this world, there were far too many people like that: insecure people would choose to mock others


    for their imperfections. But deep down, they knew-these disabled individuals were often stronger and


    more resilient than them in ways they could neverprehend.


    Damien smiled gently and wrapped his arm around Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you like being with me is a


    burden?¡±


    get


    ever feel


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Cherise replied firmly. She lifted her head and nted a tender kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Hubby,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t find being with you burdensome,¡± she reassured him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you might feel hurt because of me, ridiculed by these uncouth. people,¡± Cherise


    admitted her concerns openly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not burdened, neither am I,¡± Damien said reassuringly.


    He squeezed his eyes shut as tears welled up.


    Her pure-heartedness deeply touched Damien.


    Despite facing ridicule and usations from the people, Cherise never thought of herself; her concern


    was always for Damien¡¯s feelings.


    He sighed, about to grasp her hand and turn back, when he heard Elvis¡¯s low voice.


    ¡°Cherry, take Mr. Lenoir home!¡±


    Elvis¡¯ voice echoed, and the jeering crowd redirected their mockery from Cherise to him.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, look who¡¯s here! Raised his daughter only to sell her away to a blind man!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? All for dear old Mom. He doesn¡¯t even care about his daughter¡¯s happiness!¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s hrious. The seemingly innocent ones are always the schemers in disguise¡­¡±


    Their words dripped with venom as Cherise clenched her fists tightly and bit back her lips in anger.


    Elvis noticed her barely suppressed rupturing rage and quickly responded.


    ¡°Why hold back? Don¡¯t you agree with them?¡± he sneered.


    ¡°Go home!¡± Elvis roared.


    As soon as Elvis shouted, Cherise¡¯s anger vanished instantly.


    Feelingpletely defeated, she bit her lip and helped Damien get ready to leave.


    However, Damien coldly shrugged off her hand.


    He turned back and faced the vigers with a sarcastic smile. ¡°Cherry always spoke highly of her


    hometown to me, describing the warmth and simplicity of the people here.¡±


    ¡°When we were in the city, she was thrilled the whole night when she heard I was willing to apany


    her back to our hometown.¡±


    ¡°She loves this ce more than she loves the glitz and mour of the city.¡±


    ¡°Even in wealthier surroundings, her heart yearns for the simplicity of this ce-the little stream and the


    fish.¡±


    ¡°But little did she know, the neighbors and fellow vigers from her home would see her and her uncle¡¯s


    family this way.¡±


    Damien spoke with rity, his voice deep and imbued with.


    arrogance.


    A sudden hush fell over the crowd as his words hung in the air.


    Before the incident, Cherise and Elvis had enjoyed a ster reputation in the vige.


    Cherise had been a beacon of pride for the entiremunity when she sessfully secured a spot in


    university.


    Now, they faced the vigers¡¯ disdain. The shift from admiration to mockery was jarring and


    disheartening.


    ¡°Haha, do you think your words mean anything?¡± Ben sneered.


    ¡°I coulde up with nonsense just like the garbage you spouted earlier.¡±


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    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be blind to sweet talk someone!¡±


    ¡°If Cherise was so attached to this ce, why marry you? Why bother with college? Staying


    here would¡¯ve suited her just fine, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Chapter 183 Damien¡¯s Bold Defense


    There was pure happiness and endearment in Cherise¡¯s voice.


    Damien¡¯s deep voice filled the air, ¡°Everyone¡¯s heard it. Cherise, being with me has only brought joy


    and fulfillment.¡±


    He tightened his embrace around Cherise, and his eyes softened as he continued, ¡°And ast for Mr.


    Shaw¡¯s words, they hold no truth. Cherise¡¯s happiness has only deepened since. she¡¯s been with me.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± he continued with a smirk, ¡°I am sure that I outshine all the other sons-inw in the vige,


    whether in looks or height.¡±


    ¡°And to add, my family has a prosperous business which has ensured our financial standing surpassing


    all the other sons-inw in this vige.¡±


    ¡°As for education, manners, and all the rest, if any of you have a son-inw who evenes close to


    my caliber, please enlighten us.


    A deafening silence settled in.


    ¡°No takers?¡± he quipped, his toneced with sarcasm.


    The wicked grin on Damien¡¯s face widened as he continued sarcastically, ¡°Oh, Ben, you¡¯re so


    concerned about Cherise¡¯s well-being, questioning if a disabled man like me can make her happy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder, though,¡± he continued as he raised an eyebrow mockingly, ¡°is your daughter¡¯s


    husband, the one currently behind bars, capable of providing happiness. to your daughter?¡±


    Murmurs erupted among the vigers, each nodding in agreement at the undeniable truth in Damien¡¯s


    words.


    Sure, he might be disabled, but at least he¡¯s better than Vivian¡¯s husband, who¡¯s constantly in and out


    of jail, right?


    For Shaw to im Cherise isn¡¯t happy marrying a disabled person, does that mean his daughter is


    happy with someone like her husband?


    Damien¡¯s words stirred murmurs among the vigers as Shaw and Vivian¡¯s faces. darkened.


    Vivian gritted her teeth andshed out, ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about. my husband? He might


    be in jail, but he can still protect me when he¡¯s out! Unlike you,


    1/3


    marrying a disabled man who can¡¯t defend you!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Damien sniggered, a smug appearance adorning his face.


    The man¡¯s words had barely left his mouth when his figure appeared in front of Vivian. A resounding


    p echoed as his palm struck Vivian¡¯s face.


    He then calmly retreated to Cherise¡¯s side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually resort to violence against women,¡± Damien said calmly.


    The p mark on Vivian¡¯s face was visible. Her eyes burned with fury as she red at Damien, her


    cheeks throbbing. ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m merely demonstrating my ability to protect Cherise,¡± Damien¡¯s voice remained eerily calm.


    Ben seethed with rage after witnessing Damien brazenly strike his daughter. He lunged forward,


    determined to retaliate, but Damien effortlessly countered his attack, deftly throwing Ben to the ground.


    Massaging his wrist leisurely, Damien sneered, ¡°Do the two of you still believe I can¡¯t protect my wife?¡±


    Ben clenched his teeth, and his eyes shed with anger. He could feel a colossal rage spewing in his


    chest.


    Just then, the vige chief strolled by, carrying a hoe on his shoulder. Ben swiftly called out, ¡°Vige


    chief!¡±


    ¡°Elvis had his adopted daughter and son-inw bully us. Are you going to take action?¡±


    The vige chief was a distant rtive of Ben¡¯s family but remained impartial in his. judgments.


    After hearing the current situation from the surrounding vigers, the vige chief red. at Ben.


    ¡°Nonsense! Don¡¯t make our Shaw Vige aughingstock to outsiders!¡±


    He waved his hand at the crowd. ¡°Disperse, everyone. Everyone has their own way of living; we¡¯re all


    part of the same vige. No need to make it look bad!¡±


    The onlookers gradually dispersed.


    The vige chief turned to look at Elvis. ¡°Although Ben and his daughter are in the your son-inw, an


    outsider, has indeed bullied our vigers. That doesn¡¯t reflect well, either. Take him back and discipline


    him!¡±


    wrong.


    2/3


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Elvis pursed his lips, then nced at Cherise with some displeasure. ¡°Take Mr. Lenoir and go back!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cherise replied obediently.


    Cherise noticed the displeasure in Elvis¡¯ expression, and a helpless anger brewed in her.


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 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Chapter 184 The Jade Pendant


    Despite them being in the right and her husband standing up for both her and her uncle, nobody


    seemed pleased.


    Yet, she didn¡¯t me her husband-she found it rather satisfying.


    ¡°Cherry!¡±


    As Cherise and Damien started to walk back, Jack, who had been observing, approached with a yful


    grin. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d still remember me after moving to the city?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not head home just yet,¡± he suggested. ¡°Why note to my ce and meet my chubby little


    ones? The older one just turned four and can call you Auntie now!¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and nced at Damien. ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead if you want to go,¡± Damien had a faint smile on his lips and said calmly, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard


    children¡¯sughter in years.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Cherry responded eagerly.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes gleamed, and her face lit up with joy as Damien nodded.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir truly has my respect,¡± Jack said.


    Leading the way, Jack smiled as he spoke, ¡°It is rare to have someone born in the city who holds rural


    life so close to their heart. I take back what I said before, questioning whether Cherise would happily


    marry a disabled man.¡±


    ¡°Only someone who genuinely holds her dear in his heart would bother to remember these little details


    about the countryside,¡± Jack said warmly.


    Having been through life¡¯s ups and downs, he could sense Damien¡¯s sincerity towards Cherise.


    Hence, he was particrly friendly towards Damien.


    Their warm exchange continued as the trio reached Jack¡¯s home. Cherise enthusiastically joined the


    children, and herughter harmonized with their yful giggles as they affectionately referred to her as


    ¡®Auntie.¡±


    Jack poured a cup of tea for Damien, his eyes glinting with curiosity. ¡°Any ns on having kids with


    Cherise?¡±


    1/2


    Bncing the teacup, Damien¡¯s eyes remained fixated on Cherise¡¯s yful interaction. with the


    children as he drifted into thoughts of their future family.


    A subtle smile curved on his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll let nature take its course.¡±


    You reap what you sow.


    Jack chuckled, ¡°Make sure to treat our Cherise well, okay?¡±


    ¡°She was miserable, abandoned, and left in our remote vige,¡± Jack sighed, sipping his tea. ¡°I was ten


    years old when she was found. I remember discovering a tiny jade pendant tucked inside her


    swaddling clothes.¡±


    ¡°I used to enjoy watching TV dramas back then and innocently mentioned to my parents, ¡®Perhaps this


    is a sign of Cherise¡¯s origin.¡±


    ¡°I got scolded by my parents. They said Cherise was now a part of the Shaw family, what other identity


    did she need?¡±


    Damien¡¯s grip on his teacup tightened ever so slightly. ¡°About that jade pendant you mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still in my house!¡± Jack eximed.


    Jack stood up and disappeared into the house briefly. When he returned, he had a small metal box in


    his hands, which he handed to Damien and said, ¡°The Shaw family rejected. this, stating they wanted


    to protect Cherise from the people who abandoned her.¡±


    ¡°Cherise ispletely unaware of its existence.¡±


    ¡°I can sense your genuine care and affection for Cherise, so I¡¯m entrusting this to you.¡±


    ¡°If she ever decides to trace her biological roots, this might be useful.¡±


    Jack sighed and added, ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll ever leave this mountain valley. Keeping this won¡¯t help her in any


    way.¡±


    Damien slipped the iron box into his pocket. ¡°Thank


    you.¡±


    ¡°Why thank me?¡± Jack chuckled. ¡°Cherise was like a sister to us, always helping with farming chores


    when she was young.¡±


    When lunchtime arrived, Jack¡¯s wife insisted that Cherise and Damien stay for the meal.


    Cherise and Jack¡¯s wife entertained the children while chatting about daily life, and Jack smiled warmly


    as he shared stories from Cherise¡¯s childhood with Damien.


    2/2Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185 The Ploy


    It wasn¡¯t until the evening that Cherise reluctantly left and guided Damien back home.


    The Shaw family estate glowed brightly like a beacon in the night.


    Ben and Elvis, who were once bitter enemies in the day, were now sharingughter.


    The courtyard bustled with life, filled with the Shaw family, Ben¡¯s family, the vige chief¡¯s family, and


    several other neighbors, all immersed in the joy of food and drinks, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Upon Cherise and Damien¡¯s return, Aunt Sarah hurriedly approached with a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯ve finally


    decided toe back? I¡¯ve saved some delicious food for you. Come inside. and enjoy your dinner!¡±


    Cherise stared in disbelief at the scene before her. ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°The vige chief and everyone came to apologize to your uncle. We¡¯re all neighbors; harmony is our


    priority,¡± exined Aunt Sarah.


    Suddenly, it dawned on Cherise. This was the best oue!


    Her excitement bubbled over. She gently guided Damien back to their room, settled him. down, and


    stood up. ¡°Honey, can you believe it? Everyone is here. I¡¯m going to help Aunt Sarah. Stay here and


    enjoy your meal. If you need anything, call me!¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes softened with a fond smile. ¡°Go, have fun.¡±


    Cherise beamed and nted a quick kiss on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon! Be good!¡±


    Cherise blushed and swiftly darted out of the room.


    Damien chuckled, shook his head, and poured himself a ss of water.


    Before he could finish the ss, a shadow slipped in stealthily.


    The room was illuminated, and Damien immediately spotted the intruder-Vivian sneaking in like a thief.


    Vivian checked the room and saw only Damien before sighing with relief.


    She tiptoed to Damien¡¯s door and began to undress,


    The ck silk blindfold covered Damien¡¯s eyes, and he remained seated calmly and sipping his drink.


    He was seemingly oblivious to Vivian¡¯s performance.


    1/3


    Vivian slowly removed her coat and started removing her dress, revealing her greasy figure.


    A hint of disgust flickered in Damien¡¯s eyes beneath the ck silk. He knew what she was. attempting


    but chose not to intervene, deliberately staying silent.


    Vivian stood in front of Damien wearing nothing but her underwear as she gazed sensually at Damien


    for a while.


    This man was really handsome, she thought to herself.


    Cherise really lucked out!


    If she had met this man earlier, even if he were blind orpletely paralyzed, she¡¯d still be willing!


    Even though she made fun of Cherise¡¯s marriage with her father, she secretly envied their rtionship.


    She exhaled deeply, then approached Damien cautiously.


    She finally mustered her courage, grabbed Damien¡¯s hand, ced it on her chest, and shouted at the


    top of her lungs, ¡°Help! Someone, help me! R*pe!¡±


    Vivian¡¯s piercing voice reverberated through the entire courtyard.


    The vige chief hurriedly rushed in with a few people.


    Cherise was serving food to a few elderly women.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Aunt Sarah looked around and realized that themotion wasing from the direction where


    Cherise and Damien lived.


    She quickly approached and pulled Cherise aside. ¡°Hurry, go and check. What if something happened


    to Damien?¡±


    Cherise hastily put down what she was carrying and rushed into the house..


    Vivian was unclothed and was sobbing profusely on the floor as she slurred, ¡°He r*ped


    me..


    She gestured towards the red marks on her body and wailed, ¡°See, these are the kisses he forced on


    me just moments ago! I felt a bit cold outside, so I decided toe in and sit for a while. I had no idea


    this was his room¡­ Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d push me onto the brick bed and start¡­¡± She broke into


    sobs, her cries echoing through the room.


    2/3


    Vivian¡¯s voice trembled with a sense of injustice. I originally came here with good intentions to


    apologize to Cherise. What happened today should never have urred.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    Chapter 186 Worth Less Than A de Of Grass


    ¡°Who would have thought that Cherise¡¯s husband would have such untoward intentions.


    towards me¡­ Sob¡­¡±


    Cherise darted forward and shielded Damien behind her. ¡°You¡¯re lying! My husband would never do


    such a thing!¡±


    The vige chief frowned. He sighed quietly before asking, ¡°Vivian, think it over carefully. Could you


    have been mistaken? I don¡¯t think Cherise¡¯s husband would do that either.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you forgot to announce your presence when you entered, and he mistook you for


    Cherise?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes.


    The vige chief had chosen his words carefully.


    It may look like he was trying to help Damien by convincing Vivian that it was just a simple


    misunderstanding.


    But his words were cleverly phrased to insinuate that something inappropriate had happened between


    Damien and Cherise, denying him the chance to exin.


    It turned out that while the vige chief appeared impartial, he had ulterior motives.


    Vivian sniffled. She covered herself with a robe and dabbed her eyes. ¡°I struggled and told him I wasn¡¯t


    Cherise. And he said he knew it was me all along.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    Cherise shielded Damien behind her. ¡°My husband isn¡¯t the kind of person who would do something


    like that!¡±


    Ben rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve only been married to him for a month. How would you know. the kind of


    person he is? What if he¡¯s just pretending to be a gentleman?¡±


    He darted a nce at Elvis. ¡°Your daughter is way too na?ve for her own good. The man is obviously


    lying to her, yet she¡¯s serving herself on a silver tter!¡±


    Elvis paled. He turned his full attention towards Damien, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, tell me what really happened.¡±


    ¡°What more does he have to say?¡±


    Vivian crumpled onto the floor in tears. ¡°He¡¯s not going to admit to it and use me of


    1/3


    lying!¡±


    The vige chief thought deeply before sighing in exasperation. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Who would admit to


    doing something they shouldn¡¯t have?¡±


    The people around them started muttering among themselves.


    Cherise¡¯s hands were balled into fists.


    Why would Damien choose Vivian, of all people?


    Why did he stop on their wedding night if he were the type to sleep around with any woman?


    Cherise clenched her teeth and red at Vivian. ¡°You¡¯re lying! You¡¯re trying to frame my


    husband!¡±


    Vivian sneered at her and gave her a pitiful look as if she felt bad for Cherise. ¡°Me? Frame him?¡±


    ¡°Why would I tarnish my innocence by falsely using a blind man?¡±


    ¡°Besides, why would I frame him? Is a blind man like him worth all this effort?¡±


    Cherise bottom lip trembled in anger. ¡°You¡¯re trying to frame him! You¡¯re deliberately lying about this!¡±


    She had always been terrible with confrontations and usations. Especially times like this when she


    was pushed into a corner. All she could do was re at Vivian.


    Vivian chuckled.


    Cherise hadn¡¯t changed. She was still easily defeated like before.


    Did she think she¡¯d be more powerful after getting married?


    Vivian smiled. ¡°Cherise, you and I are very different people. You treat this blind man like at pearl. But in


    my eyes, he¡¯s worth less than a de of grass.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°Vivian, sooner orter, you¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you!¡±


    ¡°Maybe I will, maybe I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t know. But right now¡­¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Vivian turned to the vige chief. She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes, ¡°What should we do


    about this¡­¡±


    2/3


    ¡°My husband is still in jail. If he finds out, he¡¯ll want Damien¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ If news about this gets out, my reputation will take a hit¡­¡±


    The vige chief frowned and looked at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir will need to be punished for his offenses.¡±

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187 Fifty Thousand and Not A Penny Less.


    ¡°But if we report this to the police, their reputations would be ruined. How about we settle this


    privately?¡±


    Damien chuckled. His deep voice, a pleasant rumble. ¡°How do you propose to do that?¡±


    ¡°By not calling the police, the two of you discuss the best way to resolve this.¡±


    The vige chief sighed exasperatedly, ¡°Thankfully, everyone here is friendly and familiar with each


    other¡­¡±


    ¡°No one is allowed to spread news of anything that has happened here tonight. Do you hear me?!¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°It looks to me like you¡¯ve alreadye up with a solution. Am J right?¡±


    He was addressing Vivian and Ben.


    The father-daughter duo exchanged nces before thrusting his hand palm up towards Damien. ¡°Fifty


    thousand!¡±


    Ben looked down haughtily at Damien. ¡°Aspensation for my daughter¡¯s emotional distress, as well


    as¡­ The damage to her reputation. That makes it fifty thousand!¡±


    During the afternoon, Ben had sent people to look into Damien¡¯s car and found out it cost. several


    million.


    Fifty thousand was nothingpared to that.


    ¡°The both of you!¡±


    Cherise finally understood this entire thing had been set up to extort Damien for hist money!


    ¡°My husband will not give you any money!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s call the police. We¡¯ll let the police handle this!¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Damien held her back. ¡°You imed I raped Vivian and want fifty thousand aspensation.¡± Said


    Damien in a calm, indifferent voice.


    1/3


    ¡°So if I provide proof that I did not rape Vivian¡­ Will you alsopensate me fifty. thousand?¡±


    Damien stretched his arms over his headzily. ¡°After all, being used by all of you. doesn¡¯t exactly


    feel pleasant.¡±


    Ben froze. He turned to Vivian,


    Vivian frowned. Proof?


    What proof could he possibly have?


    He¡¯s blind. How could he provide any evidence if he couldn¡¯t see anything?


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Ben sneered. ¡°But if you don¡¯t have proof. Fifty thousand and not a penny less!¡±


    Damien smiled calmly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cherise frowned. Gripping his hand tightly, she pleaded, ¡°Damien¡­¡±


    This was so methodically nned out, there was no way they would give him a chance to provide


    proof.


    Damien¡¯s words left them in a bind. Even without evidence, he will have to give them fifty. thousand!


    Fifty thousand!


    Just the thought of that amount of money made Cherise wince!


    Her grandmother¡¯s treatment only cost sixty thousand.


    That meant Damien only received sixty thousand as dowry when they got married.


    And now, because of these people¡¯s trap. Damien will have to give them fifty thousand!


    It wasn¡¯t worth it!


    Damien smiled and kissed Cherise¡¯s cheek. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Show me the proof you im to have!¡±


    Ben rolled his eyes and crossed his arms arrogantly.


    2/3


    Damien chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve never been somewhere this isted before, so I¡¯m not too sure if any of you are


    familiar with a mobile phone?¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Ben sneered and retrieved a phone from his pocket. ¡°Everyone has it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯re cut off from the world just because we¡¯re from the countryside.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Damien yawned and leaned morefortably against the wall. ¡°Show yourself, ke!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The masculine voice of a young man was heard, followed by the closet door swinging open. ¨C


    A young man dressed in a blue tracksuit emerged from the closet. ¡°It was so cramped in there!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Someone was hiding in the closet?!


    Vivian was more shocked than any of them.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188 ke, Reveal Yourself!


    How long had he been in that closet?


    Did he see everything?


    ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    Damien lifted a teacup to his lips and nodded slightly towards the man. ¡°That young man is like a


    brother to me. He¡¯s young and mischievous.¡±


    ¡°Recently, he¡¯s taken a liking to recording videos on his phone. Me being his primary subject.¡±


    Vivian and Ben¡¯s expressions changed significantly.


    Someone had been filming them from the closet!


    This was something they never anticipated happening!


    Vivian smacked herself on the forehead. How could she forget that Damien and Cherise always had a


    young man following close by?!


    She hadn¡¯t seen the boy since returning to the vige. So, this was where he had been hiding!


    ¡°ke.¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°What did you capture?¡±


    ¡°Her!¡±


    ke jabbed a finger at Vivian without any hesitation. ¡°She took her clothes off on her


    own!¡±


    He took out his phone and showed everyone the video.


    In the video, Damien sat on the bed, sipping water and eating his meal.


    Then, the door opened. Vivian snuck into the room like a thief.


    She cast longing nces at Damien for a while before proceeding to undress.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Once fully undressed, she stood before Damien, ced a hand on his chest, and screamed


    1/3


    towards the door.


    ¡°Help! Help me! Rape!¡±


    Vivian continued screaming in ke¡¯s video.


    The truth wasid bare for all to see.


    Vivian and Ben fell silent.


    The video was proof of their guilt.


    Who would have imagined that Damien would keep a young man who was ready to record at any time


    by his side?


    The key point was he hid in the closet without saying a thing!


    ¡°Absolutely absurd!¡±


    The vige chief gave his sleeves a flick. ¡°Ben, apologize!¡±


    Ben, who had been frozen during this, suddenly jumped and quickly started apologizing. to Cherise and


    Elvis, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I had no idea my silly daughter would do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone!¡±


    ¡°Let me take her home to discipline her. I¡¯ll make here and apologize after a few days!¡±


    Ben was about to leave with Vivian.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Damien arched an eyebrow and poured himself a cup of tea. ¡°ke, yback what Mr. Ben Shaw just


    said.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The young man adjusted the video¡¯s progress bar.


    The conversation between Damien and Ben yed for all to see.


    ¡°So if I provide proof that I did not rape Vivian¡­ Will you alsopensate me fifty


    thousand?¡±


    ¡°After all, being used by all of you doesn¡¯t exactly feel pleasant.¡±.


    2/3


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t have proof. Fifty thousand and not a penny less!¡±


    Every word of their conversation echoed throughout the room.


    Ben paled visibly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hold me to this! I truly believed¡­ I thought that you assaulted Vivian!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡±


    The vige chief also tried to mediate the situation. ¡°He¡¯s right, Mr. Lenoir. I understand. you want


    thousand even if he were to sell his house!¡±


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll make their entire family apologize, bow, andpensate you thousand on top of


    that. How does that sound?


    five

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Chapter 189 Uncle and Father-In-Law


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°For simple farmers like us, five thousand is considered a lot of money!¡±


    Damien picked up his teacup and took a sip. ¡°Mister vige chief, your talent for stirring up trouble is


    remarkable to say the least.¡±


    ¡°As head of the vige, not only did you not treat everyone fairly, but you kept wanting to start


    problems.¡±


    ¡°I truly do not understand what the vigers like about you. And why would they choose. you to be


    vige chief.¡±


    The vige chief¡¯s lips turned white with anger, but he restrained himself. ¡°What makes you say that,


    Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to find a solution everyone will be happy with. How can you call that ¡®starting


    problems¡±?¡±


    Damien chuckled.


    ¡°Firstly, you believed Vivian¡¯s ims without fully understanding the situation and asking me about my


    version of events. You were already convinced I was guilty. Does that sound like justice to you?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have video evidence, it would have been impossible to clear my name from these


    allegations.¡±


    The chief¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That was my mistake. Vivian is from my vige. I saw her disheveled state


    and thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Secondly, when an incident like this happened in your vige, your first thought was not to report it to


    the police but to settle it privately. It may look like it¡¯s for everyone¡¯s good, but in reality?¡±


    ¡°You said that five thousand is considered a lot of money in your vige. But why didn¡¯t. you advise Ben


    Shaw otherwise when he asked me for fifty thousand?¡±


    ¡°Oh. You probably thought that I had a lot of money, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°This afternoon, the man who lingered around my car and searched up its price on the inte was


    your son, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    The chief¡¯s expression was drained of all color, l¡­¡±


    ¡°You sent your son to confirm the price of my car to find out how wealthy I was. And when


    1/2


    Ben asked me for fifty thousand, you didn¡¯t even blink an eye. All of you probably agreed on this


    amount beforehand, right?¡±


    Everyone was shocked.


    Damien wasn¡¯t from their vige.


    But everything he said was believable.


    The chief¡¯s son did indeede back from town in the afternoon. The chief and Ben¡¯s family did spend


    the afternoon together, and they were indeed rted.


    It was clear who was telling the truth.


    The crowd began to murmur among themselves. The chief, pale now from fear, attempted to defend


    himself. ¡°I was momentarily confused. If I had kept a clear head, I would have stopped Ben.¡±


    Unfortunately for him, his excuses were shaky, and no one believed him.


    Damien yawned. ¡°If you can¡¯t even keep a clear head during a time like this, maybe you shouldn¡¯t be


    chief.¡±


    The chief¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°You¡¯re not from our vige. Who are you say I can¡¯t be chief?¡±


    ¡°I have no say, of course.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. He poured a cup of tea and handed it to Cherise. ¡°For your uncle.¡±


    Cherise carefully presented the tea to Elvis.


    Elvis couldn¡¯t tell what Damien¡¯s intentions were, but how he handled the situation was


    remarkable.


    That was the only reason Elvis epted the cup and drank it.


    Damien waited until Cherise took the empty cup from Elvis before calmly continuing, ¡°Elvis is Cherise¡¯s


    uncle. But as we all know, Cherise grew up without parents. So, it can be said there¡¯s no difference


    between her uncle and father.¡±


    ¡°If we follow this logic, Elvis Shaw can be considered my father-inw.¡±


    ¡°My father-inw has lived in this vige for forty to fifty years. Now that he has a son-in-w who has


    qualifications like me, he¡¯s being ckmailed by the vige chief and his


    rtives.¡±

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Chapter 190 No Greater Humiliation


    He chuckled lightly. ¡°Could you imagine if someone in your family found themselves with money?¡±


    ¡°And they suddenly found themselves used of something they didn¡¯t do. And your vige chief, with


    a head clear as mud, will settle the incident privately, and your money will be taken from you.¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°How terrifying.¡±


    The vige elders all lowered their heads when they heard what Damien said.


    And this unjust vige chief. Today, it was Elvis Shaw, but it could be any of them.


    tomorrow!


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    He


    was only interested in helping his family. He had no intention of being a fair vige. chief for the


    vigers!


    The chief was paler than ever. His jaw was clenched tight. ¡°You want me to step down?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been here for a couple of days, and you want your father-inw to take on the position of


    vige chief? Can he do it?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°Of course, he can¡¯t be chief. He is used to a quiet life and just wants to live


    without a care in the world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving everyone here a choice. After all, he¡¯ll have to continue living in this. vige. I can¡¯t


    exactly let him be bullied by the chief and the vige elders now, can I?¡±


    Murmurs of agreement could be heard from the crowd.


    Finally, an elder with a white beard stepped forward. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mr. Lenoir. As an outsider, who


    do you think is most suitable to be chief?¡±


    Damien poured himself another cup of tea. ¡°I think Jack from next door would be a good candidate.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s young and promising. He seems like an upright person.¡± Damien smiled.


    The crowd started discussing. Jack did seem like a good candidate!


    Ben never thought that this incident would lead to the dismissal of the vige chief. ¡°Why Jack?¡± He


    grumbled under his breath. ¡°He can¡¯t even handle his own affairs!¡±


    ¡°Because I like him.¡±


    1/3


    Damien yawned. ¡°I spoke with Jack during the afternoon, and he told me the vige is in a beautiful


    location with abundant resources. Thend is perfect for farming. However, the vigecks capital for


    the initial investment¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to provide the funds for this if you choose him as your new vige chief.¡±


    The vigers¡¯ eyes lit up!


    It didn¡¯t matter how much they talked or did. Nothing would beat the potential of making more money!


    The white-bearded old man was equally as excited. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, are¡­ Are you really willing to invest in


    our little vige?¡±


    Damien nodded, ¡°Of course. Cherise¡¯s uncle and grandmother are still living here after all.¡±


    Besides, several hundred thousand hardly counted as a significant ¡°investment¡± for Damien.


    ¡°This is a big deal. We will need to hold a vige-wide meeting to decide. You¡¯ll have to wait for our


    decision!¡±


    The group continued their discussions as the old man led them away.


    Once everyone was gone, the room was left with Elvis, his family, the vige chief, and Ben and his


    daughter.


    Damien arched an eyebrow and said calmly, ¡°Apologize.¡±


    Just one word and the vige chief hurried to pull Ben and Vivian to their knees. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, we


    sincerely apologize. We¡­¡±


    Ever since they found out how much Damien¡¯s car cost, the chief knew Damien wasn¡¯t someone they


    could afford to mess around with!


    But the temptation of fifty thousand was too great¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me. Apologize to Uncle Elvis and Cherise.¡±


    Damien raised an eyebrow. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been making fun of Cherise since she was young and


    bullying Uncle Elvis for years.¡±


    Vivian and Ben paled.


    There was no greater humiliation than apologizing to Cherise and Elvis!


    2/3


    But¡­


    Compared topensating fifty thousand, they had no choice but to apologize.


    ¡°Elvis, I¡¯m sorry for bullying your family.¡±


    ¡°Cherise, I¡¯m sorry for making fun of you¡­.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    Chapter 191 Karma


    Elvis exchanged a nce with his wife, Sarah, and they quickly helped Vivian to her feet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re neighbors, after all. Let¡¯s get along with each other!¡±


    Amidst Vivian¡¯s heartfelt apologies, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Knowing that this


    was bound to happen, why did you start this in the first ce?¡±


    I¡¯m not as forgiving as Aunt Sarah or Uncle Elvis. Vivian insulted my husband-I will never forgive her for


    that.


    Tears streamed down Vivian¡¯s cheeks as she pleaded, ¡°My husband is behind bars now. I need money


    to get him out of there¡­¡±


    ¡°He deserves it! If you keep going down this path, you might end up there too!¡± Cherise retorted.


    With that, Cherise helped Damien to his feet. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go feed Plumkin outside.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied with a smile.


    Finally, when both of them were out of sight, Sarah helped Vivian up from the ground. ¡°Cherry has her


    reasons for not being able to forgive you. You¡¯d better get a divorce and start a new life.¡±


    The next day, the vige held a meeting. Eventually, they took Damien¡¯s suggestion and. nominated


    Jack as the next vige chief.


    With a bewildered expression, Jack held Damien¡¯s hand and thanked him profusely before. discussing


    the future ns for the vige together with him.


    Damien smiled. ¡°The only reason I backed you up is in hopes that you will watch over Elvis¡¯ family and


    stop the vigers from bullying them any longer.¡±


    Jack froze for a moment before swiftly nodding his head. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll treat your uncle as my own in


    the future!¡±


    Because of this, the rest of the vigers greeted Elvis and his family with a wide smile over the next few


    days.


    All of a sudden, Elvis, who had never been popr, found himself at the center of attention in the


    vige; he received dozens of visitors every day.


    1/2


    ¡°You¡¯re really something, dear,¡± Cherise sighed in admiration while nestled in Damien¡¯s arms. They


    were on their way back after their vacation had ended. ¡°No one liked the previous chief, but they dared


    not speak up. I¡¯m sure Jack will make an excellent leader. You have such a good eye!¡±


    Damien shed a small smile before pinching her cheeks adoringly. ¡°Of course I do. Just look at who


    my wife is!¡±


    Cherise blushed shyly and started using her phone as a distraction.


    ¡®Are you back, Cherry?¡¯


    ¡®Call me as soon as you¡¯re back. I¡¯ve something to tell you!¡±


    All of a sudden, she received two texts from Ian.


    Cherise¡¯s vige was quite far from Adania. Despite starting their journey back early, it was already


    three in the afternoon when they arrived in the city.


    keined about the tiring journey and went back to his room immediately.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Hampson summarized a list of work items for Damien to review.


    Cherise stretched her bodyzily and returned to her room to rest after letting Elvis and Sarah know


    they arrived safely.


    Around four in the afternoon, Ian¡¯s call interrupted her nap.


    ¡°Cherry, you¡¯re back, aren¡¯t you? Where are you now?¡±


    She yawned. ¡°I¡¯m taking a nap at home.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you to call me as soon as you get back?¡± he reproached.


    With another yawn, she replied in embarrassment, ¡°I was thinking of meeting you instead¡­¡±


    Considering that it was alreadyte afternoon and she was feeling quite drained, Cherise hesitated.


    There was a moment of silence on Ian¡¯s end. Finally, he said, ¡°Come meet me now. I really have


    something important to tell you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and frowned. However, since he was her senior, she conceded. ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    Chapter 192 A Cure for Damien


    After confirming the time and the location, Cherise climbed out of bed. She hastily got ready, yawning


    as she went along.


    She gathered her hair into a loose ponytail and slipped into a casual jumper.


    When she arrived at the living room downstairs, she saw Damien engaged in a conversation with


    Jacob. However, their discussion subsided the moment they saw her.


    Jacob cleared his throat and appraised her from head to toe. ¡°That was a short nap.¡±


    She frowned and looked at him curiously. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Jacob is Damien¡¯s personal doctor. If he¡¯s here as soon as we get back, does this mean Damien has a


    health condition?


    The thought worried her.


    When we were in the vige, I wanted to stay a few more days because I liked it there, but I never


    considered how that might¡¯ve affected his health. Did something happen to him?


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Jacob retorted with a scowl. ¡°I have some good news for you.¡±


    ¡°Good news? From you?¡± she pouted.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Ignoring Damien¡¯s look of warning. Jacob continued loudly, ¡°You don¡¯t know the lengths


    Damien has gone through for you! He never cared about his eyes, but this time around, he asked me to


    find the best ophthalmologist abroad. Can you guess the oue?¡±


    Cherise perked up as soon as she heard that. ¡°How did it go? When will he be able to see again?¡±


    Jacob was taken aback upon hearing her reply.


    Instead of inquiring about the possibility of a cure, Cherise cut to the chase and asked when Damien¡¯s


    recovery could be expected.


    She really does think that Damien can fully recover, doesn¡¯t she?


    He nodded and proceeded to provide her with all the details.


    ¡°If we follow their treatment thoroughly, Damien could regain his eyesight in a week and fully recover in


    a month.¡±


    Jacob had pushed the boundaries of medical science to expedite the recovery process as much as


    possible.


    Overjoyed by the news, Cherise threw herself into Damien¡¯s arms and showered his cheeks with


    kisses. ¡°You¡¯re truly amazing, my love! I always knew you¡¯d regain your eyesight!¡±


    1/2


    Jacob wrinkled his nose, taken aback by Cherise¡¯s disy of affection.


    I¡¯m the doctor, Shouldn¡¯t I be receiving the hug and the praises instead? What the hell did Damien do?


    Nothing¡¯ I¡¯m the one who traveled everywhere to find the specialists and looked into the possibilities,


    while all Damien did was travel around with Cherise. After all the hard work I¡¯ve put in, all Cherise did


    was shower praises at Damien instead? Ugh¡­ Forget it! Her mind works differently from the rest, and


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    even more so when she¡¯s in love!


    Jacob shook his head. Just let her be¡­.


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Damien stroked her hair gently and pried her hands away from his face. ¡°Why are you


    up?¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°Ian asked to see me.¡±


    Oh, he doesn¡¯t liken. I shouldn¡¯t have told him about that at this joyous time.


    Regardless, Damien gave her a swift peck on the cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s not early now. Don¡¯t gette, okay? I still


    have something to discuss with Jacob.¡±


    back too


    Cherise hummed in reply and went out in huge strides.


    On the couch, Jacob watched as she left, unable to stop himself from smiling. ¡°No wonder Lennon


    fancies her. She really is adorable.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193 He¡¯s Lying


    ¡°You¡¯ve also heard about what Lennon did?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Jacob grimaced. ¡°You never mentioned to him that she¡¯s your wife. That guy bugs me


    every day, asking if there¡¯s another woman in your house who¡¯s neither your wife nor your servant. It¡¯s


    annoying!¡±


    Damien took a sip of his tea with a smile. ¡°Did you tell him?¡±


    Jacob shook his head firmly. ¡°Absolutely not. The more he probes, the less inclined I am to tell him


    anything.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Damienmended.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Jacob raised his tea unceremoniously. ¡°I look forward to seeing the expression on his face


    when he realizes the girl he¡¯s interested in is your wife. That would be an incredible


    moment.¡±


    Damien merely replied with another smile.


    After leaving the house, Cherise hailed a cab to meetn.


    The moment she walked into the cafe, she spotted him seated beside the windows.


    He was dressed casually in white, which made him appear handsome and gentlemanly.


    Cherise waved at him before walking over and taking a seat. ¡°What¡¯s the matter,n? It seems urgent.¡±


    Even though she was slightly annoyed that he woke her from her nap, she knew he was a polite. and


    reasonable person. Hence, she didn¡¯t hold any grudges against him.


    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± Ian took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring your husband to Dr.


    Johnson the other day?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Indeed. But he doesn¡¯t seem to be able to cure him¡­Never mind about that!¡±


    She finished with a smile, knowing that Damien had consulted a team of specialists abroad and was on


    track to regain his eyesight within a week.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite the case.¡±n weighed his words carefully as he passed her a cup of coffee. ¡°After the


    session, Dr. Johnson confided in me privately that there doesn¡¯t seem to be any issues with your


    husband¡¯s eyes.¡±


    Cherise froze, her grip on the cup tightening. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    1/2


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°It means that he¡¯s not blind. He¡¯s been lying to you all this while.¡±


    A heavy silence descended upon them.


    With a frown, she asked, ¡°What? You¡¯re saying that¡­ his eyes have been perfectly fine all along and


    that he¡¯s lying to me?¡±


    wrong with him in the first ce. He¡¯s been lying to you. Cherise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Cherise shook her head firmly and smiled back at fan. ¡°You must be quite


    prejudiced toward my husband,n. He¡¯s a bad liar, especially to me. We¡¯re husband and wife. there¡¯s


    no need to lie to each other. Even if he were a liar, I¡¯m sure he would never lie to me.¡±


    Determination zed in her eyes as she defended Damien.


    Damien once said that the most important thing between a couple is trust. Before we can trust each


    other, we have to first be honest. Since he brought it up before, it shows he¡¯s already been doing that.


    Hence, she didn¡¯t believen¡¯s bold statement at all.


    ¡°Stop pulling my leg,n.¡±


    On the other side of the table, Ian¡¯s brows were locked into a tight frown.


    It¡¯s not a bad sign that she doesn¡¯t believe me-it shows how much she trusts Damien. The greater the


    trust, the greater the feelings of betrayal and despair when the truth is revealed.


    He took a deep breath and proposed, ¡°How about this, Cherry? Let¡¯s make a bet.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194 Let¡¯s Make a Bet


    ¡°Let¡¯s bet on Damien¡¯s eyesight if he¡¯s truly blind. If he¡¯s genuinely blind and we¡¯ve been wrong. I¡¯ll


    never utter a negative word about your husband again. However, if his eyesight is perfect, it proves


    he¡¯s been lying to you. Promise me you won¡¯t forgive someone who¡¯s been dishonest with you.¡±


    Taken aback by his audacious proposal, Cherise involuntarily loosened her grip on the coffee cup.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,n.¡±


    There¡¯s no point in taking such a bet.


    However, Ian appeared resolute in his determination to reveal Damien¡¯s true colors.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else from you, Cherry. This is the only and final request I make of you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips worriedly.


    I firmly believe that Damien wouldn¡¯t lie to me, regardless.


    She let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Fine, then. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Even though she didn¡¯t understand why Ian insisted on a losing bet, she agreed out of respect for


    him.


    It was raining by the time she made her way back. Still, she took a detour to the supermarket to buy


    some fish.


    By the time she got home, Jacob had already left while Mr. Hampson was giving instructions to


    the maids.


    ¡°Wee back, Madam,¡± he greeted her with a smile.


    Her brows furrowed together when she saw the maids changing their uniforms and leaving. ¡°Why are


    they leaving so early today?¡±


    He exined with a smile, ¡°Mr. Lenoir wants some private time tonight. There¡¯s something he wants to


    discuss with you. So, I dismissed everyone earlier.¡±


    With that, he noticed the fish in her hands. ¡°Dinner is already ready; Frances and the rest have already


    left. I think it¡¯s better to put the fish in the freezer for tomorrow.¡±


    There was a moment of pause as she took in the situation before shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can


    cook it myself. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    With that, she headed to the kitchen. Mr. Hampson watched as she tied her hair up and started


    cooking, shaking his head in response.


    1/2


    Hope everything goes smoothly tonight. What is Mr. Lenoir thinking? Dr. Caldwell has alreadye up


    with the perfect n to have his eyes cured in a week. Why does he insist on telling Madam the truth


    behind the feigned blindness all these years? There¡¯s no need for that, really.


    Mr. Hampson sighed.


    Damien didn¡¯t want Cherise to hear the truth from another person and misunderstand his


    intentions.


    Seeing how kind and amiable she is, I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t make a scene.


    With that thought in mind, he heaved another sigh as he gave orders to the rest of the maids in


    the house.


    I¡¯ll leave the matter to themselves. There¡¯s only so much we can advise.


    By the time Cherise finished cooking half an hourter, the entire house was so quiet one could. hear a


    pin drop.


    It seemed that everyone else had already gone home.


    When dinner was ready, Cherise took the apron off and made her way upstairs.


    In the study, she found Damien seated in the corner, deep in his thoughts.


    To her astonishment, his eyes weren¡¯t covered by the usual ck cloth, and they looked sharp and


    intelligent.


    Her lips pursed as she knocked on the door. ¡°Dinner is ready, dear.¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    He turned around and looked at her lovingly before standing up.


    Shocked, Cherise quickly walked over to help him up.


    What¡¯s the matter with him today? He¡¯s not using the ck cloth or the wheelchair tonight!


    As she helped him make his way downstairs, she said, ¡°I heard that Mr. Hampson made everyone else


    go back early tonight because you wanted to discuss something with me in private.¡±

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Chapter 195 Well?


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he replied in a low voice that masked his emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Her lips were pressed firmly together in a line as she guided him to the dining table. Then, she started


    serving the food.


    Once everything was ready, Damien handled his cutlery with an elegance that aroused her suspicions.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Sitting across from him, Cherise frowned slightly as she observed him closely.


    She had once wondered how he could get the food urately despite not being able to see. All this


    while, she came to the conclusion that he had honed his senses over the years.


    Assuming that he remembered the position of the dishes, she would always put the dishes in the same


    spots on the table..


    However, because of the bet with Ian that day, she moved everything around deliberately.


    Yet, it didn¡¯t seem to affect Damien in the slightest.


    Her brows were firmly knotted together into a terse frown at that moment.


    ¡°He¡¯s lying to you, Cherry.¡± Ian¡¯s voice reverberated in her mind. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can test


    him out when you get backter.¡±


    She tightened the grip on her fork. Should I really do that? If he¡¯s not lying, he¡¯ll be disappointed in me.


    Ian¡¯s voice rang in her ears once again. ¡°If he¡¯s really blind, he wouldn¡¯t know anything about this.¡±


    She bit her lips nervously, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Damien shot a nce at her and asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡± she replied guiltily and lowered her head to eat.


    After a while, she raised her head tentatively and started taking off her clothes,


    If he really is blind, he wouldn¡¯t react to this.


    At that moment, tension was thick in the air between them.


    Luckily, no one else is in the house. Otherwise, this is going to be so embarrassing!


    She took off her shirt and trousers, leaving only a bralette and a pair of extremely short pants on her


    body.


    1/2


    Damien narrowed his eyes as her beautiful figure was slowly revealed to him. His breathing started


    bing long and deep


    What are you doing?¡± he asked in a low voice as he stared at her grimly.


    Cherise tightened her hold on the handle of the chair nervously. ¡°It¡¯s a bit warm in here¡±


    ¡°Only a bit warm¡± His eyes shed dangerously at her.


    ¡°Yeah she replied with a blush.


    As she couldn¡¯t think of the next step, she went back to eating at the dining table.


    Unable to decide on her next move, she returned to her meal at the dining table. After taking a few


    bites, it suddenly dawned on her how careless she had been.


    Since I¡¯m testing him, why didn¡¯t I check his pulse right after I took my clothes off? I¡¯m studying


    cardiologer I¡¯m quite sensitive to the pulse of the heart. Now that I brought my attention back to the


    food, I didn¡¯t achieve anything except for making myself ufortable.


    Unbeknownst to her, Damien waspletely aroused.


    After all, it had been years since he had been with any woman.


    If she went to him immediately after removing her clothes, he would try his best to restrain himself.


    Instead, she went back to her seat and continued eating her meal instead.


    No men could restrain themselves with the sight of an almost naked woman right before them.


    On top of that, Cherise was the woman he loved.


    As she was lost in her thoughts, she bit her fork inadvertently. After a while, she got up and went to the


    kitchen under the excuse of needing something else, walking right past Damien.


    2/2

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196 Broken Trust


    As Cherise walked past him, she casually stretched her hand out to touch his chest.


    What she felt left her stunned-his heart was pounding like a drum.


    It does affect him¡¯ she thought.


    Initially, she had no intention to test if he was really blind. If she truly believed Jan¡¯s words, she would


    havee up with an intricate n-it was not difficult for someone who had always been passing her


    exams with flying colors.


    Her actions had been more of a half-hearted test because she trusted himpletely.


    However, his pulse rate was far beyond the average range,


    Cherise withdrew her hand sharply as if she had been electrocuted. As she entered the kitchen. she


    felt her blood run cold.


    Something else must have been causing his unusual heart rate! It can¡¯t possibly be because of how I


    look right now. He¡¯s blind!


    She bumped into a ss door before the kitchen, and the te in her hand fell to the ground with a


    loud crash.


    Staring at the shattered porcin fragments, she began to see them as a metaphor for her broken


    trust.


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    Damien rose from his seat and approached her with a look of deep concern.


    Meanwhile, she froze as she looked at his gait. He walked to her steadily and calmly, without any


    hesitation or any fumbling of steps, as if he could see clearly.


    In that instant, she had no clue how to face him.


    It was apparent to him that something was wrong with her. He held her hand and asked, ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong?¡±


    ¡°L¡± She pursed her lips and shook his hands away before crouching to pick up the broken pieces. ¡°I


    identally-


    Lost in her thoughts, she inadvertently brushed against the shards, causing them to scratch her. Blood


    oozed from the wound onto the white porcin pieces.


    Damien frowned and pulled her hand to him. ¡°Did something happen to Lucy?¡±


    She was just fine this afternoon before heading out. I¡¯ve been so busy with work and Jacob just now


    that I


    1/2


    didn¡¯t have time for her. By the time she got back, she was already in this disoriented manner.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Hence, Damien attributed the sudden change in behavior to the meeting with Lucy.


    From his knowledge of her behavior, it was not normal for her to suddenly take off her clothes. during


    dinner.


    Cherise bit her lips without replying to him.


    ¡°Leave it.¡± He held her bleeding hand and carried her to the couch before turning around again to find


    the first aid kit.


    The scene before her reminded her of the time she injured herself during his birthday-he did the same


    thing as well.


    Back then, she doubted his blindness, but he told her his eyesight might return sporadically. It was


    stupid of me to believe that excuse. How was it usible?


    Damien found the first aid kit and started cleansing her wound.


    ¡°I¡¯m always here to hear you out if you face any problems. Perhaps I can even help.¡±


    Staring at his perfectly sharp jawline, Cherise felt a sharp pang of pain stabbing at her heart.


    ¡°Damien Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± he replied with a pause.


    It was rare for her to call his full name. Ever since Sarah told her off on the second day of their


    marriage, she had been calling him endearing terms like ¡®darling¡¯ or ¡®dear.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    Chapter 197 The Truth


    Cherise inhaled deeply. ¡°Lucy¡¯s perfectly fine. Not me, though.¡±


    As Damien applied disinfectant to her wound, he furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    I helped her fix the problems back in her hometown. Did I miss anything?


    ¡°My own husband¡­ has been deceiving me.¡±


    She let out her breath in a huff and gazed up at the ceiling with tears welling in her eyes.


    As soon as she finished her sentence, she could no longer hold back her tears. Still, she kept her head


    lifted to keep them from streaming down her face.


    Damien¡¯s movements froze upon hearing that..


    He nced up, meeting her tear-filled eyes. They felt like shards piercing his heart.


    ¡°You¡­ already knew everything?¡±


    He could think of only one reason that would evoke such a reaction from her.


    Finally, Cherise broke down before him, her teary gaze locked on his face as she cried, ¡°Damien, you


    once told me that the most important thing in a rtionship is trust. I trusted you with all my life and


    showed you my vulnerabilities. What about you?¡± She sniffed and shoved his hand away. ¡°You didn¡¯t


    even tell me the truth about yourself. I understand you may have your reasons for feigning blindness,


    but why didn¡¯t you tell me? I-It¡¯s because I¡¯m not important enough to you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Her voice, filled with despair and heartbreak, trembled and broke at the end.


    At that moment, how Violet gloated in Viopril Pce appeared in her mind.


    ¡°It turns out that I¡¯m the one who understands Damien the most,¡± Violet announced pompously.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Cherise closed her eyes in despair.


    Indeed. She¡¯s the one who knows him best, while I¡¯m nothing to him.


    Damien frowned and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Cherry, I nned to tell you the truth this evening.¡±


    I specifically asked Hampson to arrange for everyone to leave earlier just to tell her the truth. However,


    it seems to be toote.


    ¡°It¡¯s only because I found out about it.¡± Cheriseughed bitterly as she struggled to get away from him.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t discover it myself, you were going to keep me in the dark forever, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°No. Listen, Cherry. That¡¯s not the case!¡± He hugged her tightly and pressed a loving kiss to her ears. ¡°I


    have reasons for doing this, and it¡¯s not to deceive you. I¡¯ve been pretending to be blind for thirteen


    years, even before we got married. I couldn¡¯t just reveal everything as soon as we


    met


    Cherise closed her eyes in disappointment. ¡°All in all, you don¡¯t trust me enough.¡±


    She tried to pry his hands from her. ¡°The other day, Violet told me that she knows you better than I do,


    and she even asked me if I know the truth about your eyesight. I thought she was sowing discord


    between us on purpose. It¡¯s only now that I realize she¡¯s been showing off in front of me! I¡¯m your wife,


    yet she knows you better! Since you are so close with her, why didn¡¯t you marry her instead?¡±


    Deceiving her wasn¡¯t entirely unforgivable. However, it became a different matter when Violet, who


    usually wasn¡¯t around him, knew everything.


    Cherise had always prided herself as the person who most understood and trusted him. Yet, she had


    been under the false impression that he was blind all along.


    Just that afternoon, she was overjoyed at the prospect of a cure for his eyesight.


    The more she dwelled on it, the deeper her resentment. She couldn¡¯t contain the torrent of tears. that


    welled up and streamed from her


    eyes.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    Chapter 198 She Left


    Apart from hugging her, Damien couldn¡¯t do anything. Though they had only been married for a month,


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    he hade to understand her stubborn temperament.


    Once she fixated on one thing, no one could change her mind.


    She was too agitated and emotional at that moment. There was nothing he could say to change her


    mind, and he knew it was best for her to calm down first. Yet, he struggled to find a way to make that


    happen.


    He had been a gifted child since he was young-he could learn anything and achieve the best result,


    except when it came to rtionships.


    No one taught him how to love, and he had never taken the initiative to learn about it.


    It was only after he found himself in a rtionship that he realized how ill-equipped he was.


    All this while, he thought he had been helping her to solve her problems. Ironically, her biggest problem


    was him..


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    ¡°Let me go.¡± She tried to escape from his embrace, but he refused to budge.


    ¡°Let me go now.¡± She red at him. ¡°If you still want to call yourself my husband, let me go right.


    now!¡±


    He stared at her for a while before relenting.


    Cherise got up and put her shirt back on. Before leaving, she felt sorry for him. ¡°I made the fish


    specially for you. Thank you for helping me and my family out these few days. Hope you enjoy


    it.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Damien asked grimly.


    Where am I going? Where can I go? Cherise thought as she wiped the tears from her face.


    She once thought this ce would be her home for the rest of her life and moved all her belongings


    there.


    During the recent trip back to her hometown, she even took all her belongings in her youth back to


    Damien¡¯s ce.


    Now, this ce I call home has no room for me anymore. The man I vowed to go through the thicks


    and thins of life has never regarded me as his family.


    It was raining heavily at that moment. When she reached the door, he grabbed her hand.


    1/2


    ¡°Let go,¡± she said coldly, turning around to look at him impassively.


    With a frown on his face, Damien handed an umbre to her. ¡°Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Cherise grinned at him mockingly. ¡°It¡¯s unusual of you to be so concerned about a stranger.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± He looked at her intently. ¡°Come back to me soon.¡±


    The sarcastic smile yed on her lips as she threw the umbre on the ground and ran into the


    rain.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t stop her; he couldn¡¯t, even if he wanted to.


    With his eyes closed, he picked up his phone and called someone.


    Cherise walked along the streets forlornly as the entire city was shrouded in rain.


    A young boy dressed in blue held an umbre behind her, but she waved him off with a bitter. smile.


    ¡°Go back. Don¡¯t follow me any longer.¡±


    ke shook his head and continued following her. After all, his stubbornness could rival hers.


    She chuckled but stopped talking to him, continuing her aimless walk in the rain.


    What does Damien mean by this? He didn¡¯te after me personally, yet he sent ke to follow me?


    He doesn¡¯t trust me enough, yet he still asks ke to keep an eye on me. What the hell is he thinking?


    After some time, a ck Porsche stopped next to her.


    As the windows rolled down, Lennon¡¯s exasperated face was revealed.


    ¡°You guys gave me a hard time finding you,¡± he remarked, casting a quick look at their surroundings.


    ¡°It¡¯s impressive how far a woman and a kid can walk. I can¡¯t believe you guys managed to reach here.¡±


    With that, he opened the door. ¡°Get in.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    Chapter 199 Damsel in Distress


    Cherise frowned at him. ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    Lennon let out a chuckle. ¡°I know you don¡¯t mind, but have some pity for the little guy behind. you. He¡¯s


    Cherise turned around. Sure enough, ke was soaked to the core.


    She smiled in embarrassment and conceded. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s get into the car.¡±


    I can handle this, but it won¡¯t do ke any good if he catches a cold. He¡¯s still a kid.


    After getting into Lennon¡¯s car, he sent them to a mansion nearby.


    ¡°I used to live here before going abroad. It¡¯s a bit old, but I hope you don¡¯t mind staying here


    temporarily for a few days. A wry smile spread across his face as he shook his head. ¡°I bet Damien. will


    fetch you back in a few days anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ know Damien?¡± Cherise froze.


    ¡°We go way back. Lennon made a face, passing a towel to her. ¡°I spent my best years with that. loser,


    yet the pay he gave me isn¡¯t even enough to get by!¡±


    Shocked by the sudden revtion, Cherise was momentarily stunned before returning to her senses.


    Lennon is not his neighbor or whatnot; he works for Damien!


    She pursed her lips and sat down on the couch angrily. ¡°Did he ask you to bring me here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, mdy.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°He said you wouldn¡¯t want to go home or see him. at


    this moment, so he arranged a ce for you to stay and asked me to send you here. What¡¯s going on?


    Did you guys get into a fight? What do you think about splitting up with him and marrying me instead?¡±


    He grinned at her mischievously.


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him before hurrying ke into the shower.


    Interested in teasing her even more, Lennon leaned behind the couch as he scrutinized her face.


    ¡°Come on, won¡¯t you give that a thought?¡±


    When he assumed that she worked for Damien, he was surprised that Damien hired such a woman as


    one of his housekeepers.


    He only found out about Cherise¡¯s true identity as Damien¡¯s wife a few moments ago when he received


    a call from Damien himself.


    Whenever he recalled how Damien and Jacob avoided his questions about Cherise, he felt


    embarrassed.


    Hence, he continued to tease Cherise. ¡°Give it a thought! I will never lie to you, and I will always


    1/2


    treat you like a queen¡±


    Cherise merely made a face and ignored his advances.


    After the long walk in the rain, she had calmed down. Despite everything that had ensued, the thought


    of having a divorce with Damien had never crossed her mind, even at the peak of her disappointment.


    Divorce was a serious matter. Before getting married, Elvis and Sarah reminded her that such a word


    should not be yed around with simply because one was upset.


    She had also sworn to herself that as long as Damien would help her save her grandmother, she would


    never leave him.


    The revtion made her upset and disappointed, but that was all.


    Damien had done what he promised-her grandmother was indeed cured. Hence, she resolved. not to


    leave him.


    However, it made her even more upset. I¡¯m nothing to him, yet I have to be with him for the rest of my


    life. Just the thought of it makes me miserable¡­.


    Noticing that she was almost on the verge of tears, Lennon quickly shook his head. ¡°Wait, wait. I¡¯m just


    kidding! No matter how much I like you, I can¡¯t possiblypete openly with that sly fox Damien!¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Cherise became even more upset.


    She took some tissues and wiped her tears away. ¡°You¡¯re right. He is sly indeed!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    Chapter 200 Damien¡¯s Past


    Lennon smiled as he looked at the tears streaming down her face. ¡°Is it such a big deal? He only kept a


    secret from you.¡±


    Cherise ignored him with a grimace.


    Facing another rejection, he settled into the couch in exasperation and took a picture of her.


    I demand double pay for this.¡±


    He sent the message to Damien with the picture attached.


    On the other end, the notification reverberated in Damien¡¯s huge, empty mansion.


    Damien was standing by the window, looking in the direction of Lennon¡¯s house as he got lost in his


    thoughts.


    After a lengthy pause, he finally turned around and picked up the phone.


    Upon seeing the picture of Cherise sobbing her heart out, he caressed the screen and replied, ¡°If you


    manage to cheer her up, I¡¯ll increase your pay tenfold.¡±


    What? Tenfold?


    Lennon rubbed his eyes, questioning what he had just seen.


    I¡¯ve never seen him so generous! Is Cherise so important that he would increase my pay tenfold just to


    cheer her up?


    ¡®Ha! I¡¯m definitely getting the money!¡¯ Lennon replied, yet he couldn¡¯t help teasing Damien next.


    Though you appear to be disabled, you¡¯ve been sessfully directing numerouspanies. abroad


    and heading various financial corporations in Europe, yet you¡¯re remarkably useless when ites to


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    your wife. I didn¡¯t use to believe Jacob¡¯s ims that you have low emotional intelligence, but now I¡¯m


    convinced.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ll take it as you don¡¯t want the money.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not what I mean! I want the money, of course!¡±


    With that, Lennon put his phone away and looked at Cherise, who was still sobbing on the couch.


    ¡°There¡¯s a balcony upstairs with a good view. Would you like to have a look? I¡¯ll bring two bottles. of


    wine along.¡±


    Cherise thought about it briefly and nodded.


    When they reached the balcony, the rain had already stopped, and the air was crisp.


    1/2


    Lennon set up a table and some chairs, opened the wine, and proposed a toast with Cherise.


    ¡°Why are you so upset? It¡¯s just about his eyes.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s about trust. He has never trusted me.¡±


    With tears still glistening in her eyes, she gulped down the contents of her ss. ¡°Back when I was


    hiding something from him, he told me that trust is the most important thing in a rtionship. I¡¯ve


    trusted himpletely, but he-


    Lennon interjected with a smile. ¡°Cherry, I have to defend him on this. Yes, he shouldn¡¯t deceive you,


    but the circumstances¡ª¡±


    ¡°What kind of circumstances?¡± Cherise interjected defiantly.


    ¡°Loads of them.¡± Lennon sighed as he gazed at the vast sky. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that you¡¯ve only met him


    now. Do you know how I met him? In the office of my psychiatrist. When Damien was thirteen, a fire


    broke out in his house, killing his beloved sister. That ident left him unconscious for ages. When he


    finally woke up, his family abandoned him, sending him abroad alone he was only fourteen then.


    Unable to ept the change of events, he became suicidal. When he realized something was terribly


    wrong with him, he decided to seek help.


    After hearing that, Cherise looked at Lennon in stunned silence.


    2/2

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Chapter 201 Do I Really Matter to Him?


    She had no inkling¡­ that Damien had such a dark past.


    Lennon cast a quick look at Cherise. ¡°With advice from a therapist, he decided to make everyone. think


    he was blind.¡±


    Cherise looked puzzled. ¡°But why fake being blind if he¡¯s dealing with psychological issues?¡±


    Lennon gazed into the distance, his eyes unfocused. ¡°Do you honestly believe it¡¯s a coincidence that


    his parents had a car ident, his sister¡¯s house went up in mes, and his three previous fianc¨¦es


    met their end?¡±


    Cherise shook her head, her lips still pursed.


    ¡°Those are all the enemy¡¯s handiwork, you see?¡±


    ¡°There are people out there who want him dead; that¡¯s why they are getting rid of his closest family and


    friends in preventing him from thriving.¡±


    ¡°So, by pretending he¡¯s blind and not too nimble, he kind of flies under the radar as the least


    threatening option.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    ¡°Damien wasn¡¯t just deceiving you; he was outsmarting his enemies.¡±


    ¡°But he could have chosen to tell me.¡±


    ¡°You never really gave him a chance.¡±


    Lennon let out a yawn. ¡°He¡¯s been on the lookout for his enemies for so many years; he can¡¯t just trust


    anyone easily.¡±


    ¡°Think about it, how long have you been married? He didn¡¯t know your background when you first tied


    the knot, so he couldn¡¯t risk telling the truth.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, realizing they had been married for only over a month.


    But¡­


    Lennon shed a smile and turned to Cherise. ¡°Because of you, he let go of his start-up and went so


    far as to stage my sister¡¯s car ident just to get me back running thepany and free up time to be


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    with you in the countryside.¡±


    ¡°How could you still doubt his feelings for you?¡±


    Cherise clutched the wine bottle, her eyes brimming with tears.


    1/2


    She bit her lip, memories of the moments spent with Damien flooding her thoughts.


    Damien had been¡­ incredibly good, an excellent husband to her.


    He teased and made fun of her, but at the same time, heforted her and ensured she wouldn¡¯t


    suffer a tiny bit.


    Whether it was Nicky, Cressa, or even the Shaw family back in her hometown who had wronged her,


    he was there to help her through it all.


    Damien had shown nothing but kindness to her.


    But why did it feel like she didn¡¯t hold a special ce in his heart?


    But if she did matter to Damien, then why¡­.


    Had Lennon been right that maybe she hadn¡¯t given him enough time?


    Cherise tended to act impulsively, but now, as she had gained moreposure, she was strangely


    puzzled and at a loss.


    ¡°Sometimes, you¡¯ve got to let time take care of the things you can¡¯t quite grasp.¡±


    Lennon sighed and clinked his wine bottle against Cherise¡¯s, creating a crisp sound.


    He shook his head. ¡°Damien¡¯s life hasn¡¯t been a walk in the park, and he hasn¡¯t had much experience


    with girls. You should be more understanding


    After a few sips of red wine, Cherise felt a bit tipsy. She smiled at Lennon. ¡°Why do you sound just like


    his old man?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s not exactly the most emotionally savvy or tuned-in. What makes you stick around?¡±


    Lennon shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re not really close. It¡¯s more of a boss-employee thing


    Cherise was even more perplexed. ¡°But Lulu was raving about you, said you¡¯re talented and have built


    a sessful career abroad¡­


    Lennon waved his hand. They all belonged to Damien.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s head was spinning a bit, and she chuckled. ¡°No way! My¡­ Damien doesn¡¯t run that big of


    a business.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see in time.¡±


    ¡°So, why did you choose to work for him, especially when you¡¯re already so aplished?¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brow, gazing at the young woman before him with a puzzled look before sighing. I


    made a bet with him, and I lost.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    Chapter 202 Damien Felt Powerless


    Cherise sprawled over the table and pried. ¡°What kind of bet was it?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A.. heartbreaking one.¡±


    Lennon closed his eyes, and the memories from twelve years ago flooded back to him.


    A young boy stood on the third-floor balcony, grinning at him. ¡°Do you think that after I jump from here,


    no one from the Lenoir family wille to check on me?¡±


    Troubled by his adoption by the Lenoir family, Lennon shook his head. ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Us adopted kids get ignored. You¡¯re their biological child; they can¡¯t be indifferent to your safety.¡±


    That year, Lennon was determined that once he found his real family, he would find love and warmth.


    He firmly believed that all family members cared for one another.


    ¡°Let¡¯s bet.¡±


    The fourteen-year-old boy turned to Lennon, the wind lifting his white shirt, making him look lonely and


    frail.


    ¡°What are we betting on?¡±


    ¡°If I jump and get injured, and within half a month, no one from the Lenoir familyes to see me, then


    you can stop searching for your real family and stay back in Europe with me.¡±


    Lennon nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Later, Damien actually took the plunge. Lennon frantically went out of his way to inform the Lenoir


    family.


    The oue? One day had passed, then two, and even a week turned into two, but the Lenoir family


    remained indifferent to Damien¡¯s injury.


    Those distant memories made Lennon sigh softly. ¡°Be good to Damien; he¡¯s been through a lot.¡±


    After his words met silence, Lennon turned to find Cherise asleep on the table.


    Simultaneously, he heard a car stopping downstairs. Looking down from the balcony, he spotted. a


    figure in ck. A man whistled and approached him, saying, ¡°I never thought that in my lifetime, I¡¯d get


    to witness you driving.¡±


    Damien gave him a disdainful look. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Lennon nodded toward the balcony with a slight nod of his head. ¡°She just dozed off.¡±


    ¡°You brought her out to the balcony right after it rained?¡±


    1/2


    The man shot Lennon a disapproving nce and walked onto the balcony.


    There, a young womany on the table, sleeping soundly. Her long eyshes concealed her eyes,


    exuding beautiful grace. Damien sighed, wiped away her tear stains with his hand, and sighed.


    helplessly.


    He picked Cherise up and wanted to carry her back to the car


    Lennonzily leaned against the door. ¡°It¡¯s quitete; are you taking her back now?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best not to. Both of you can stay here tonight. Whatever needs sorting out can wait until


    tomorrow.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow, pondered momentarily, and carried Cherise to the master bedroom.


    Lennon was dumbfounded. He trailed behind Damien. ¡°Hey! Can you show some guest etiquette? The


    master bedroom is mine! I have guest rooms here! You should pick one of the guest rooms instead!¡±


    The man looked at him coldly. ¡°The guest room¡¯s bed is too small.¡±


    Lennon rolled his eyes, ¡°The guest room¡¯s bed is not that small. It¡¯s enough for the two of you!¡±


    ¡°She tosses and turns in her sleep.


    Damien elegantly wiped away the tears on her face with a damp towel. ¡°It¡¯s not spacious enough for


    her to toss and turn.¡±


    Lennon was dumbfounded. So, the Lenoir family¡¯s bed is spacious enough for her to toss and turn in?


    Geez, it¡¯s his wife¡¯s peculiar habit. What¡¯s it gotta do with me?


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously griping about my beds being too small for your liking?¡±


    Lennon didn¡¯t say anything more for the sake of his tenfold sry and made his way to the guest room


    in his own house.


    Damien settled at the head of the master bedroom¡¯s bed, his gaze fixed on her tranquil sleeping


    expression, and let out a soft sigh.

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    Chapter 203 What Have I Done?


    It was a night filled with confusion. Before heading to Lennon¡¯s, Damien thought he was ready toe


    clean with Cherise. He was naive to believe that everything was under control.


    He hadn¡¯t imagined he would get worked up and be disoriented, causing him to deviate from his


    initial n.


    He raised his hand and gently ruffled her head. ¡°Cherry.¡±


    ¡°Damien, you lied to me¡­¡±


    Even in her sleep, Cherise was restless, gritting her teeth and muttering in her dreams.


    Damien sighed, removed her clothes, and slipped under the covers, holding her. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have lied to you.


    ¡°I should have told you earlier.¡±


    ¡°You jerk!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a jerk.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll behave well and wait for your forgiveness¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The voice of the sleeping woman was slightly muddled. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to fall in love with


    you¡­


    Damien, holding Cherise¡¯s arm, paused for a moment.


    After a while, he tightened his 7 on her arm. ¡°Me too.¡±


    And like that, Damien held her, listened to her slumber-induced chatter, and closed his eyes.


    Just as Damien was on the verge of falling asleep while holding Cherise, the phone in her pocket.


    buzzed. He furrowed his brow, retrieved Cherise¡¯s phone, and was about to silence it when he noticed


    a familiar name:n Philips. Almost instinctively, he opened the message.


    Hey, Cherry, don¡¯t forget our bet. Have you tested Damien¡¯s eyes? Can he see? Remember not to


    underestimate him.¡±


    Damien¡¯s grip on the phone tightened.


    He knew. He knew Cherise wouldn¡¯t suddenly start doubting his sight and even resort to thisme


    1/2


    idea to test him. It turned out thatn was the instigator.


    Damien sneered and deleted the message. After erasing it, he contemted for a moment and blocked


    his wife.


    That night, Cherise slept soundly.


    The following morning, with the rising sun, Cherise opened her eyes. She instinctively pushed away the


    man¡¯s arm draped over her, stretchedzily, and wanted to get out of bed to freshen up and make


    breakfast.


    However, when she got out of bed and surveyed the room, she noticed that the decor was¡­ different.


    Her mind froze for a few seconds before fullyprehending everything that had transpired the


    previous night!


    Where am I? Is this Lennon¡¯s house? Then, the person in the bed¡­


    A sense of panic surged within her!


    Had she, in a drunken haze, done anything out of the track with Lennonst night?


    Cherise was in full-blown panic mode!


    As far as she could recollect, she had only been drinking with Lennonst night because she was


    distraught about the truth about Damien¡¯s eyes!


    She involuntarily looked down at her skimpy tank top and panties, her only garments.


    Tears welled up in her eyes! She had been undressed!


    Did she actually¡­ have intercourse with Lennon?


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Cherise felt her nose tingle. She had only had a bit of alcoholst night because she was troubled.


    about Damien¡¯s eyes!


    How could this have happened? How was she going to face Damien? She didn¡¯t even dare to lift the


    covers and find out who this man was¡­.


    Anxious, she ruffled her hair, hastily donned her clothes from the floor, and quickly tied her hair into a


    ponytail.


    She then threw on a coat and left the room. In the dining room downstairs, ke was savoring his


    breakfast.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Chapter 204 Not Lennon?


    Cherise descended the stairs to find ke waiting for her, and he greeted her, ¡°Good morning. Cherry!¡±


    Cherise tightened her lips and replied. ¡°Stop calling me that!¡±


    She gave her forehead a little smack, mumbling to herself that it wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on it


    NOW,


    She dashed downstairs, took ke¡¯s hand, and pulled him towards the exit. ¡°Stop eating, let¡¯s go now!¡±


    ¡°When we get out of here, I¡¯ll treat you to something better!¡±


    ke appeared puzzled. ¡°Why the rush? I¡¯ve only had a few bites; I¡¯m not done eating yet!¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together, unable to exin at the moment. ¡°We need to get out of here


    now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the hurry to leave?¡± Lennon came out of his room and overheard Cherise¡¯s conversation.


    Cherise, still holding ke¡¯s hand, hesitated for a moment. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    If Lennon was here, then who was it in the room upstairs?


    Lennon yawned. ¡°This is my own house. Where else would I be?¡±


    ¡°Both of you have taken over my master bedroom, and now you want to kick me out?¡±


    Cherise was thoroughly puzzled. What did he mean by both of us had taken over his master bedroom?


    Both of us? Me and who??


    As Cherise came downstairs alone, Lennon looked at her and asked, ¡°Why did youe down alone?


    Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    A sense of unease crept over Cherise, and just then, they heard a door opening upstairs. Cherise


    instinctively shifted her gaze toward the stairs.


    A striking man in sleek ck attire descended the staircase. He carried an air of sophistication and


    confidence, moving with a grace that turned heads.


    His face, previously concealed beneath ck silk, was now exposed, revealing his eyes that added a


    Cherise was momentarily stunned, her eyes locked on him. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks- the guy


    she¡¯d been sharing a bed withst night? That wasn¡¯t Lennon; it was Damien¡¯


    1/2


    A sense of relief washed through her. She had just freaked out a minute ago, thinking she had slept


    with Lennonst night.


    She thought about running to Damien and hugging him for a moment. However, the memories of the


    previous night at Lenoir¡¯s Manor flooded her mind, and Cherise chose not to.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Meanwhile, Lennon, cool as a cucumber, leaning against the door frame, raised an eyebrow and said


    to Damien. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry up, they might just bail on you.¡±


    All suave and debonair, Damien strolled down the stairs, making a beeline for the dining table. ¡°Let¡¯s


    grab some grub before we hit the road.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and kept quiet. Instead, she gave Lennon a look and said. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯m


    off to school.¡±


    With that, she dashed to the door to slip on her shoes. By the entrance, she noticed two pairs of


    sneakers. Her white canvas sneakers from the night before were trashed from all that rain. Next to


    them was another pair of canvas sneakers, not brand new, but the ones she¡¯d scribbled on herself.


    Wait! Did Damien notice my sneakers were ruined and brought me a new pair?


    Cherise mused, her eyes glued to him. She locked eyes with Damien, who casually enjoyed breakfast


    at the dining table.


    2/2

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    Chapter 205 Thank You


    Their eyes met, and he gave her a slight smile. Cherise felt a little rush, quickly shifting her gaze


    away.


    Sitting at the dining table, Damien mentioned, ¡°This ce is nothing like Lenoir Manor; it¡¯s pretty


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    remote, with no public transport around and hardly any cabs.¡± He continued, e join. me for


    breakfast. I¡¯ll give you a lift afterward.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and didn¡¯t intend to pay him much attention. ¡°Even if there are few taxis, I¡¯ll wait


    by the roadside, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll eventually catch one!¡±


    Damien chuckled, ¡°But your backpack is in my car.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. She shot him a re. ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t go to school just because I don¡¯t


    have my backpack!¡±


    Trying to make things right with me this way without exining the situation and an apology? Not a


    chance!


    ¡°Fine, you can go to school without a backpack.


    ¡°While I don¡¯t just have your backpack in the car, I also have your textbooks, ss notes for today, and


    the holiday homework you¡¯ve been asked to hand in today.¡±


    This time, Cherise was left with no choice.


    Lennon quietly gave Damien a thumbs-up. This guy is incredibly thorough and thick-skinned!


    Cherise pursed her lips, feeling somewhat resigned. She made her way back to the dining table to


    finish her breakfast. After noticing her slightly messy hair, Damien said. ¡°You might want to brush. your


    teeth, wash your face, and tie up your hair.¡±


    Cherise was puzzled by his sudden instructions. It dawned on her that she had woken up in a bit of a


    panic, thinking she had slept the night with Lennon after a round of drinks, so she hurried out without


    freshening up!


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed as she hurried to the bathroom.


    Lennon couldn¡¯t help but admire Damien. ¡°So, I heard your Cherry has been ying the active role of a


    caregiver to you?¡±


    How did the roles get reversed? Seems like she¡¯s the one getting taken care of now, and the typically


    proud Damien is¡­ like a father taking care of the child.


    Damien raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anyone looking out for you?¡±


    Lennon was taken aback. Why single out the single folks?


    1/2


    Dejected, Lennon briefly embraced ke, his fellow singlerade who was busy eating. I can take


    care of ke!¡±


    The young man widened his eyes and fought to escape. ¡°No thanks!¡±


    Lennon was left momentarily speechless.


    After freshening up, Cherise emerged from the bathroom. The other three were already seated at the


    dining table, leaving an empty spot across from Damien, which she reluctantly upied


    The man across from her slid a te of food in her direction. ¡°Dig in while it¡¯s still hot.¡±


    Cherise shot him a nce, but she wasn¡¯t about to forgive him just because he was being thoughtful.


    Nevertheless, she hadn¡¯t eaten much the previous night and had been hungry.


    As she tasted the food, it turned out to be genuinely delicious.


    After breakfast, Damien gave Cherise a ride to school. He hadn¡¯t lied; he had her backpack, textbooks,


    ssroom notes for the day, and the holiday homework she needed to submit to her teacher.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, a small smile showing her appreciation.


    He chuckled. ¡°No need to thank me.¡±


    With that, Damien started the car. But as they pulled away, Cherise raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe to drive me to school like this?¡±


    Wouldn¡¯t someone notice?


    Even though Damien had been candid about his perfect eyesight with her, it wasn¡¯t a given that


    everyone else would know he wasn¡¯t blind, right?


    Besides, Lennon had told her that Damien had his share of enemies, and he¡¯d been feigning blindness


    as a tactic to fool them. So, wouldn¡¯t it raise eyebrows if others saw him driving so casually?

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    Chapter 206 Afraid You¡¯d Feel Awkward


    ¡°Taking my wife to school is perfectly eptable,¡± the man said in his deep voice. ¡°as for the matter of


    my eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°Last night, I had Jacob issue a statement,¡± he continued, ¡°exining that my eyes were healed during


    the time I spent in the countryside.¡±


    Jacob had devised a moreprehensive, wless n for the announcement. Initially, that was the


    n he had intended to go with. After all, Jacob had already arranged for overseas ophthalmologists to


    participate in the charade.


    But after what Cherise had put him throughst night, he wasn¡¯t willing to wait, not even for a


    week.


    If someone liken could figure out the truth about his eyes, it was only a matter of time before.


    Raymond and the others did, too..


    Instead of waiting for them to catch on, Damien decided to reveal the truth himself because, at this


    juncture, no one in the Lenoir family had the means to threaten him.


    Cherise pursed her lips and responded, ¡°Oh.¡±


    She felt somewhat let down. She hadn¡¯t even given Damien a chance to exin, and he had already


    made this matter public. And she had only learned the secret less than twenty-four hours. ago, and it


    was no longer a secret.


    Soon, they arrived at the school. Cherise exited the car, carrying her backpack as she entered the


    campus.


    ¡°Hey, Cherry, I heard your husband¡¯s eyes were cured by the doctor in your hometown.¡±


    During lunch, Lucy sat across from her, grinning slyly. ¡°So, the handsome blind man isn¡¯t blind.


    anymore. You must be thrilled, right?¡±


    ¡°That doctor from your hometown seems talented. Why don¡¯t we invite him to our school as a lecturer?¡±


    ¡°Your husband was blind for over ten years, and now he can see again!¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but pursed her lips. This topic never failed to put her in a bad mood. She toyed


    with her food, poking at it with her fork as she replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about the doctor. In fact, he didn¡¯t lose


    his sight in the first ce.¡±


    Lucy blinked in surprise. Lowering her voice, she asked, ¡°Huh? Your husband¡­ How could he not have


    been blind?¡±


    ¡°But he really wasn¡¯t blind,¡± Cherise sniffled. ¡°I only found out about thisst night.¡±


    1/2


    Lucy hesitated for a moment. ¡°So¡­ He kept this a secret from everyone, including you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that he kept it from everyone,¡± Cherise said with a bitter smile. ¡°the person we saw at the


    Viopril Pcest time, Violet, knew the truth.¡±


    ¡°I was the only one in the dark about the truth.¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips, gazing at Cherise¡¯s sad eyes and her forlorn expression. ¡°I think¡­ In Damien¡¯s


    heart, you¡¯re definitely more important than Violet.¡±


    ¡°Violet has been in aa for so long, and Damien hasn¡¯t even gone to see her!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that indicate he doesn¡¯t care about Violet?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    The more Cherise spoke, the more distressed she felt. ¡°If Violet isn¡¯t significant, why did she know


    secrets hidden from me?¡±


    ¡°I also know that he started pretending over ten years ago. He couldn¡¯t have told me the truth when we


    first met.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve been married for so long. We¡¯ve shared everything and should know the kind of person I


    am. Why wouldn¡¯t he tell me?¡± Cherise eximed. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t revealed the truthst night, how long did


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    he n to keep lying to me?¡±


    Lucy furrowed her brow. ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s just awkward for him to say?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°What could be so awkward?¡±


    Lucy cleared her throat and continued, ¡°Because¡­ he was afraid you¡¯d feel awkward.¡±


    Cherise gave her a stern look. ¡°Why would I feel awkward?¡±


    Lucy responded, ¡°You would.¡±


    She gazed into Cherise¡¯s innocent gaze and began marking dates on her phone¡¯s calendar.


    2/2

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Chapter 207 Don¡¯t Flunk Your Physical Education ss Again


    ¡°Remember on your wedding night, you watched a woman-on-top video with him right there, Lucy


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    teased.


    Cherise blushed, ¡°Hey, it was all your silly ideal¡±


    Lucy countered. ¡°But didn¡¯t you entice him with all those subtle moves when he was still pretending to


    be blind? How many times did you change clothes right in front of him without a second thought?¡±


    Cherise hesitated and mumbled, ¡°I suppose you have a point.¡±


    She realized she had been oblivious to his presence because she thought he was blind. Now, looking


    back¡­


    Lucy rolled her eyes, ¡°If I were Damien, I wouldn¡¯t dare casually reveal that I can see again. That would


    be too ufortable.¡±


    Cherise sighed, ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    Just as Cherise began to feel self-conscious, amotion erupted in the cafeteria.


    She quickly turned her head, pretending to be distracted by the disturbance, to avoid Lucy¡¯s teasing.


    However, when Cherise turned toward themotion, she saw a man surrounded by onlookers, and


    he was approaching her with confidence.


    Damien looked different today. Unlike his usual attire, he sported jeans and a white T-shirt paired with


    canvas shoes; his casual outfit matched Cherise¡¯s. Overall, he looked handsome, young, and


    charming.


    The man approached Lucy and casually said, ¡°Mind if I join you? I¡¯d like to have lunch with my


    wife.¡±


    Lucy was momentarily stunned but instinctively stood up, offering her seat to Damien.


    He gracefully took the seat, and ke swiftly cleared Lucy¡¯s unfinished meal, recing it with a freshly


    prepared student lunch in front of Damien.


    Cherise pursed her lips, set her chopsticks down, and remarked, ¡°Lulu, I¡¯m full¡±


    She attempted to leave, but ke blocked her way.


    Damien raised an eyebrow. ¡°You haven¡¯t finished your food.¡±


    Cherise responded, ¡°True, I haven¡¯t eaten much, but I¡¯d rather not eat with you.¡±


    1/2


    She didn¡¯t want to sit with Damien as it brought back memories of their recent argument, especially


    after Lucy mentioned the awkward things she had done in front of him, which he could probably have


    witnessed all along.


    The thought of Damien watching that video on their wedding night stirred a mixture of embarrassment


    and anger. She even contemted grabbing the two eggs on the table and smashing them on his head


    to vent her frustration.


    Damien remained calm, saying, ¡°You have a physical education ss this afternoon, and you¡¯ll need


    energy for the 800-meter run, no?¡±


    Cherise lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the golden-brown chicken leg in her bowl, making her


    mouth water.


    She had two full morning sses without a break and was genuinely starving. Plus, the chicken. was


    from the most popr stall in the cafeteria; it was a rare treat for her.


    Sitting next to them, Lucy raised her te and signaled to Cherise with her eyes, silently urging her to


    stay and eat.


    ¡°Remember, you nearly flunked PEst semester. Have you forgotten?¡± Lucy reminded her,


    emphasizing the importance of eating to have the energy for the afternoon¡¯s physical education


    test.

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Chapter 208 Reversed Role


    Cherise hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to stay seated.


    She realized that Damien¡¯s striking appearance had drawn the attention of onlookers, and leaving now


    might fuel gossip about the state of her marriage.


    With an awkward smile, Cherise picked up her fork and ate.


    Initially, she was worried that Damien might create another scene.


    However, the irresistible scent of the chicken leg proved too tempting to ignore. After a few bites,


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but pick it up and start gnawing on it.


    Cherise recalled what her uncle had once told her about eating chicken legs, emphasizing the joy of


    gnawing through them. His advice resonated with her, and Cherise fully embraced it in her actions.


    On the other hand, Damien observed her with a faint smile, taking in the sight of a girl who radiated


    purity and simplicity.


    Despite her initial anger, it was evident that Cherise was thoroughly enjoying the chicken leg.


    If it had been any other girl with a penchant for drama, she might not have considered sitting down to


    eat with him in such a situation.


    Cherise¡¯s simplicity and Damien¡¯s low emotional intelligence, this odd and quirky pair, made them an


    unexpectedly perfect match.


    ¡°Open your mouth,¡± Damien¡¯s deep voice interrupted her thoughts.


    Cherise was in the middle of a hearty bite, so she instinctively stopped chewing, lifted her head, and


    opened her mouth.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Damien held a piece of spinach, which he ced directly into her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t just eat the meat; it¡¯s


    too greasy,¡±


    Cherise hummed in agreement as she chewed on the spinach. However, she soon felt something was


    off and shot him a disapproving look. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to manage my food choices.¡±


    Damien smiled and retorted, ¡°Oh, really? I distinctly remember you, Mrs. Lenoir, suggesting I feed you


    in the school cafeteria.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly turned red, and she stammered, ¡°I¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    Lucy was alreadyughing so hard that her head was on the table.


    Cherise had always been a bit of an airhead, and Lucy wasn¡¯t surprised that she would say that!


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s face reddened even more as Lucy continued tough. She bit her lip and attempted to


    exin. ¡°Lulu, look, I¡­¡±


    When she first made that suggestion, it was all in good fun, her way of teasing Damien, hoping to spark


    his motivation to get his eyes treated. She never thought it would turn into ammunition for him to tease


    her.


    Feeling flustered, she lowered her head and nibbled on her chicken leg


    Cherise finished the chicken leg and reached for a tissue to clean her hands. Before she could do so,


    Damien extended his hand, holding a tissue. ¡°Look up,¡± he said.


    Her reflexes made her raise her head, and Damien¡¯s well-defined knuckles held a tissue, meticulously


    wiping away the grease stains on her face.


    ¡°Give me your hand,¡± he said, extending his hand. Cherise obediently ced her hand in his.


    In silence, he cleaned her hand.


    Damien¡¯s severe and focused expression only added to his handsomeness, momentarily captivating


    Cherise. However, she suddenly realized she shouldn¡¯t get too enchanted by his tenderness or looks.


    She quickly pulled her hand away and said, ¡°I can do it myself.¡±


    Damien stubbornly held her hand, gently pulling it back, and continued carefully cleaning. ¡°I thought


    you¡¯d be upset after finding out I¡¯m not disabled. You took care of me for so long, and it¡¯s my turn to


    take care of you now. So, don¡¯t you want the same care and effort you put into me?¡±


    His faint smile stirred Cherise¡¯s emotions. She realized Damien might have a point as she


    contemted what he said.


    She had cared for him under the impression that he was genuinely disabled for quite a while. Now that


    he looked after her, why did it feel so awkward?


    2/2

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Chapter 209 Take Good Care of Cherry


    Cherise remembered when Damien pretended to be blind and allowed her to feed him. It was a


    memory free of awkwardness, and itforted her as Damien cleaned her hands. She held her head


    high, feeling at ease with the situation.


    Lucy sat on the side, observing the scene with a hint of astonishment. Damien¡­ he was


    surprisingly persuasive. With just a few words, he managed to convince Cherise, someone prone to


    overthinking.


    After they finished their meal, Cherise and Lucy strolled around the school together. Damien and ke


    followed closely behind.


    Lucy, a bit taken aback, turned to Damien, who had been holding an umbre for Cherise throughout.


    ¡°Um, Mr. Lenoir, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    A wealthy man who had always been on the receiving end of care now willingly held an umbre for


    Cherise?!


    Damien responded with a faint smile, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he nced at Lucy, ¡°didn¡¯t you drink much water in the cafeteria just now?¡±


    Lucy paused for a moment. ¡°Oh, right, I did drink a lot of water!¡±


    She finally facepalmed. ¡°Cherry, I need to use the restroom!¡±


    With that, she hurried off in the direction of the restroom. ¡°It might take me a while! Don¡¯t wait


    for me!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cherise watched Lucy¡¯s retreating figure and couldn¡¯t help but mutter that she wasn¡¯t very


    considerate. With Lucy gone, she and Damien were the only ones left.


    Suddenly, her gazended on the boy in navy blue standing nearby. Fortunately, ke was still here. If


    he had gone too, that would have been indeed¡­


    ¡°ke.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to go y, right? Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t stop him as ke quickly left, just like Lucy. She sighed, realizing it was now just her


    and Damien.


    Feeling somewhat annoyed, she walked ahead with Damien following behind, holding an umbre.


    1/2


    ¡°Cherry!¡±


    From a distance, her seniors from the same department greeted Cherise. ¡°Is that your boyfriend? How


    lovely to stroll together, huh?¡±


    In this awkward situation, Cherise just wanted to avoid unwee prying. Her face turned crimson as


    she stuttered, ¡°N-no¡­¡±


    The senior student didn¡¯t get her drift, and her gaze kept drifting over to Damien. ¡°Well, your boyfriend¡¯s


    quite cute. Where did you two meet?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face got even redder. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Exining her situation was a real puzzle. Before Damien showed up, most people thought she was


    single, with just a few in the know about her marital status. With Damien around, she couldn¡¯t dodge all


    the suggestive nces.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore,¡± the senior student said, recognizing Cherise¡¯s personality. But


    when she got to Damien, she couldn¡¯t help herself, ¡°hey, handsome, tell me, what do you like about our


    Cherry?¡±


    ¡°Everything,¡± Damien uttered in a voice rich with affection.


    The seasoned senior understood the depth of Damien¡¯s feelings for Cherise but kept her smile intact.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    She advised. ¡°Take good care of our Cherry; she¡¯s too innocent.¡±


    Damien nodded with a smile. ¡°I will.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t utter a word the entire time.


    When the girl finally left, Cherise swiftly snatched the sticky note from his hand and shoved it. into her


    pocket, all the while shooting a stern look at Damien. ¡°Do not contact her!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    Chapter 210 He Won¡¯t


    Word was, this senior had a knack for stealing other girls¡¯ boyfriends. When Cherise was flying solo,


    she didn¡¯t give it a second thought. But now, just seeing her around made Cherise all jittery. and


    uneasy.


    Damien chuckled softly. I¡¯m not interested in her,¡± he said. Then he reached out, gently lifting. Cherise¡¯s


    chin like he was about to nt a kiss. ¡°I¡¯m all about you.¡±


    Cherise instinctively blocked her own lips with her hand. ¡°Shh!¡±


    Instead of backing off. Damien nted a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Cherise rolled her eyes and


    lowered her hand, blushing. ¡°How rude!¡±


    ¡°Guilty as charged. But hey, kissing my own wife can¡¯t be that bad.¡±


    Cherise raised an eyebrow. True, though I¡¯m your wife, you should save those kisses for someone


    you trust.¡±


    With an eye-roll, Cherise turned and kept walking. Damien followed, still holding the umbre.


    But this man was too eye-catching. Cherise had only wanted a leisurely post-lunch walk. With Damien


    tailing and sheltering her with an umbre, it was as if she were a royal figure in a parade. All eyes


    were on them!


    In the end, Cherise decided to head towards the gym. Damien was correct; there was a PE ss in the


    afternoon, and the teacher had warned them about an 800-meter run.


    Despite her countryside upbringing. Cherise didn¡¯t have the athletic genes. She barely scraped.


    through each PE test.


    While going from the za to the gym, Cherise and Damien ran into three more senior girls who


    seemed to be smitten by Damien.


    Meanwhile, a swarm of students approached Cherise, and in greeting her, they extended their warm


    regards to Damien.


    Cherise was dumbfounded by the sheer number of girls who seemed interested in Damien.


    As they reached the gym, she turned to the man who had unintentionally attracted so much. attention.


    ¡°The physical education ss is starting in half an hour.¡±


    She added, ¡°I¡¯ve got to attend the ss, and you should be off to work or back home. Please don¡¯t


    follow me.¡±


    Cherise walked toward the gym, took a few steps, and nced back hesitantly. The man stood.


    elegantly at the door, not intending to follow.


    She breathed a sigh of relief and went into the


    gym.


    1/2


    Lucy was already seated on thewn when Cherise arrived. Spotting her, Lucy waved her over. ¡°Here!¡±


    Cherise, utterly exhausted, hurried over and plopped down next to Lucy, savoring the fresh scent of the


    grass. ¡°I never knew the girls at our school were so forward when ites to guys.¡±


    Despite being the rightful wife, they openly approached Damien and gave him little notes.


    Lucy burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re just realizing this now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Attractive guys like him these days tend to have women swooning over


    him!¡±


    She teased Cherise with a yful smirk. ¡°If you keep up this standoff with Damien, he might just


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    respond to one of those girls!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure he won¡¯t?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, contemting. ¡°He¡¯s not interested in those kinds of girls.¡±


    Lucy couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Alright, spill it. What kind of girls does he fancy? Someone


    like you?¡±


    Cherise nodded, ¡°Yeah, probably someone like me.¡±


    Lucy chuckled, ¡°Well, well. Look at you, all confident in your allure now!¡±


    Cherise pondered momentarily, ¡°It¡¯s just that the way he nces at other girls is not the same as how


    he looks at me.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211


    Chapter 211 Romantic Feelings for Cherise


    She was sure of it! Even if Damien had no romantic feelings for her, he certainly wouldn¡¯t be interested


    in those girls who passed him notes.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the question,¡± Lucy interjected while rubbing her aching stomach. ¡°if you¡¯re so dead set that


    Damien¡¯s into you, why do you keep bickering with him? Trust issues aside, you¡¯re his top pick, right?¡±


    Cherise hesitated and turned her face away. ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    Having a crush on someone was one thing, but cherishing her as a serious priority was a different


    story. Her frustration didn¡¯t stem from Damien¡¯sck of romantic feelings but from his inability. to see


    her as his own or as part of his real family.


    ¡°Assemble!¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    While Cherise was lost in thought, the PE teacher arrived. Lucy pulled her to attention, and she quickly


    joined the others in forming lines.


    ¡°As agreed in the previous ss, we will be conducting physical fitness tests this time,¡± the PE teacher


    announced with his expression stern. ¡°However, I have somest-minute business to attend to today,


    so I¡¯ve arranged for a substitute teacher to oversee the fitness tests.¡±


    The teacher¡¯s gaze shifted meaningfully over Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Now, let¡¯s wee our substitute


    teacher for this ss, Mr. Lenoir!¡±


    Mr. Lenoir?


    Cherise frowned, and an ominous feeling welled up within her. She raised her head.


    Sure enough, the man walking toward their group, dressed in gray sportswear, was none other than


    Damien.


    However¡­


    Cherise pursed her lips; this was probably the first time she had seen Damien in sportswear, except for


    when he practiced martial arts. Apparently, attractive people possessed the knack for looking good in


    whatever they wore.


    His sportswear, matching that of the balding PE teacher, assumed an entirely fresh allure on him,


    almost like he were a supermodel effortlessly strutting down a runway rather than just in everyday


    attire.


    ¡°Wow, the new sub-teacher is a real heartthrob!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and he¡¯s got a fit body too!¡±


    ¡°Did you check out his eyes? So intense! Oh, he¡¯s looking over here, he¡¯s looking over here! Ahhh!¡±


    1/2


    The girls¡¯ chatter was relentless. Cherise bit her lip; having a handsome husband could be quite


    the hassle.


    ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m your sub for today,¡± the man¡¯s deep voice echoed, sending more girls into fits of


    excitement.


    A daring girl at the front said, ¡°Mr. Sub, do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Holding the attendance list, the man hesitated briefly, then nced up, his eyes skimming past


    Cherise. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m already married.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    The girls collectively mourned. ¡°He¡¯s so young to be married¡­¡±


    Lucy yfully nudged Cherise with her shoulder. ¡°Did you hear that? It¡¯s the sound of broken hearts all


    around.¡±


    ¡°All those hearts? You¡¯re the heartbreaker here.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, a mysterious sense of joy bubbling up inside her.


    With a subtle smile, she stole a nce at Damien, who had his eyes on her. Their gazes locked, and


    he grinned at her before returning to the attendance list.


    ¡°Lucy Staber.¡±


    ¡°Present!¡±


    ¡°Cherise Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°Leticia Wright.¡±


    ¡°Present.¡±


    Cherise stood still, observing as Damien continued calling out names. It was a side of him she hadn¡¯t


    witnessed before.


    He had cast away his previous facades, unveiling his genuine self. In every move and gesture, he


    exuded confidence, aloofness, and that undeniable handsomeness.


    2/2

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212


    Chapter 212 I Don¡¯t Need Special Treatment


    Damien was very different from how he used to be.


    Cherise looked at him, entranced. In the past, she had never noticed this energetic side of the man


    who was always in a wheelchair. Could it be that she was the reason for his change?


    Cherise shook her head, abruptly interrupting her train of thought. What had she been thinking? Even


    the truth about Damien¡¯s eyes was uncovered by her, with Damien merely acknowledging. her


    discovery. How could she be so naive as to assume she was the cause of his transformation?


    With these musings, a sensation of loss swelled within her heart, like ink saturating paper. It weighed


    on her until Lucy tugged at her arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Only then did Cherise return to reality; it was time for the physical fitness test.


    Due to her short stature, her starting position was toward the rear, and she happened to be in thest


    group of students participating in the 800-meter assessment.


    Observing the students who went before her, visibly fatigued and sweating, Cherise felt an inexplicable


    pressure mounting within her.


    Positioned at the starting line, Lucy clenched her fist and cheered her on. ¡°You¡¯ve got this!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted to Damien. He had stripped off his outeryer, revealing at white T-


    shirt identical to hers. With a sun hat, stopwatch hanging around his neck, and the attendance roster in


    hand, he emitted a youthful vibe, more like a fellow student helping out than a teacher conducting an


    assessment.


    Cherise¡¯s heart quickened.


    Sensing her gaze, Damien smiled gently at her. ¡°Get ready.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Cherise refocused her attention and fixed her gaze ahead. With the whistle¡¯s shrill sound, she and the


    other girls bolted off.


    Yet, strangely, just halfway around the track, the girls¡¯ pace in front of Cherise began to dwindle.


    Although Cherise maintained her initial speed, her thoughts wandered to Damien, her mind. drifting.


    Two of the girls collided in a moment of distraction, and due to inertia, Cherise found herself sprawled


    on the ground. Strong, masculine hands steadied her shoulders just before her face could meet the


    unforgiving earth.


    While her face was spared a painful collision, her knee took the brunt of the fall, mming onto the


    rubber track with an agonizing thud that furrowed her brows.


    Damien lent a hand and inquired, ¡°Can you keep going?¡±


    1/2


    Cherise clenched her teeth and responded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Giving up halfway wasn¡¯t in her nature, especially not for a minor scrape.


    ¡°Perfect, Damien said with a touch of admiration.


    ¡°Let¡¯s patch you up now and have youplete the test separately. I¡¯ll also inform the PE teacher


    about your situation. If you make it to the finish line, you¡¯ll pass.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No thanks,¡± Pass or fail, she didn¡¯t need any special treatment.


    Damien gestured to Lucy. ¡°Let¡¯s patch her up. We shouldn¡¯t dy the other students.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to run againter?¡± Lucy questioned, frowning as she applied a band-aid to Cherise¡¯s


    leg. ¡°They might pass you since Damien¡¯s your husband, even if you don¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°With an injury like this, they really should consider passing you.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, and I don¡¯t want any special treatment.¡±


    ¡°Plus¡­¡± She observed Damien as he meticulously recorded the results for the other students,


    asionally ncing her way. ¡°It¡¯s just 800 meters; I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213


    Chapter 213 Cherise Running Solo


    Lucy sighed. ¡°But you¡¯ll be running soloter; everyone¡¯s done. Are you sure you still want to go


    for it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± She gave Lucy¡¯s shoulder a reassuring pat and smiled. ¡°I can handle a solo run.¡±


    After recording the results for the other female students, Damien strolled over to Cherise and Lucy.


    Cherise didn¡¯t want to dy any longer. She swiftly got up and asked, ¡°Is it my turn now?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Damien nodded, taking a few strides and ncing nonchntly at the scrape on Cherise¡¯s knee.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely sure you want to run, right?¡±


    With precise determination, the girl nodded. ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    The three of them headed to the starting line on the track. Damien handed Lucy the stopwatch hanging


    around his neck and the result record book. ¡°You keep time.¡±


    Lucy widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°And what about you?¡±


    The man chuckled softly, positioned himself at the starting line next to Cherise, and elegantly stretched


    his muscles. ¡°I¡¯m running with her.¡±


    Lucy and the other girls were taken aback. Cherise¡¯s treatment seemed unusual. After her clumsy


    tumble during the solo run, it almost seemed like she was getting special attention! And now, a


    handsome teacher was about to run with her? Not fair at all!


    Some female students teased, ¡°If we had known, we would¡¯ve pretended to trip too.¡±


    ¡°I know, right! If I could get the sub teacher to run with me, I¡¯d purposely trip¡­¡±


    Lucy furrowed her brow, turned around, and red at the students behind her. She added, ¡°Even if you


    did break your leg, the teacher wouldn¡¯t flinch, believe me.¡°


    Several students bit their lips and fell silent.


    Cherise gave Damien a concerned look. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    Damien had been in a wheelchair for years, and Cherise was skeptical about his legs handling an 800-


    meter run after all that time.


    Damien reassured her with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re up for it, so am I.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t expect a leg massage tonight if you¡¯re in pain. I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    She then remembered their ongoing silent treatment and turned away without saying more.


    1/2


    Damien smiled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll massage myself.¡±


    Cherise hmphed and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Ready¡­ Beep!¡±


    Lucy signaled the start of the run with a sharp whistle, simultaneously setting Cherise and Damien into


    motion from the starting line.


    Damien¡¯s long legs glided gracefully and swiftly over the rubber track,manding the attention of


    every female student present.


    As more gazes zeroed in on him, Cherise¡¯s difort deepened. It felt like the entire ss of female


    students had their eyes on her during the 800-meter dash.


    She clenched her jaw and decided to pick up her pace, choosing not to keep pace with Damien.


    Damien effortlessly caught up. ¡°Running so fast can affect your breathing.¡±


    She ignored him and continued her stride. As they ran, a persistent ache began to churn in her


    abdomen. Cherise furrowed her brow; could her overdue period decide to arrive now?


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    No, not during the run! She gradually slowed her pace, but the pain didn¡¯t ease.


    With the finishing line approaching, Cherise gritted her teeth and pushed through the difort. ¡°Are


    you okay?¡±


    Damien noticed her condition. ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I can¡¯t quit halfway.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to run the 800 meters again.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214


    Chapter 214 Was Cherise Pregnant?


    Besides, it was just her period, nothing major. But why did it hurt so much this time? She felt a cold


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    sweat break out, and the pain gradually drained her strength.


    Damien held her hand. ¡°Listen to me. Don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not much farther,¡± she said, determination in her voice despite her eyes moistened with


    sweat.


    Finally, at the veryst second, Cherise copsed at the finishing line before reaching the physical


    assessment standard time.


    There were small, scattered red spots on her bottoms. Damien¡¯s eyes darkened, and he quickly lifted


    her. ¡°Where¡¯s the school clinic?¡±


    Lucy rushed over, assessed the situation, and tremblingly dialed 120 on her phone. ¡°The school clinic


    won¡¯t cut it! What if it¡¯s not her period but a miscarriage?¡±


    The word ¡®miscarriage¡¯ hit like a thunderp, momentarily freezing Damien.


    Lucy exined, ¡°Cherry mentioned earlier that her period waste. I suggested she buy a pregnancy


    test, but she didn¡¯t take it seriously, saying it might not be urate. Given the situation. now, if it¡¯s


    indeed a miscarriage¡­¡±


    Before Cherise could finish her sentence, Damien had already swept her into his arms and bolted out


    of the gym.


    Curious female students soon congregated. ¡°Cherise had a miscarriage? Does she even have a


    boyfriend? And she had a miscarriage?¡±


    ¡°A top student with an impable reputation, getting pregnant before marriage and suffering a


    miscarriage? This is major news!¡±


    Lucy had no time for idle chatter with these girls. She set down her belongings and swiftly trailed after


    Damien.


    Damien¡¯s embrace was warm and reassuring.


    Despite her weakness, with her eyes closed, Cherise could feel the frequency of his heartbeat in his


    chest while he ran. There was the sound of the wind and his slightly heavier breathing in her


    cars.


    Even with her eyes closed, she sensed his swift pace. She creased her brow and softly said, ¡°Slow


    down.¡±


    ¡°Your legs may not handle this.¡±


    Damien probably didn¡¯t expect her to be awake. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve known better, and I


    1/2


    never considered you might be pregnant¡­¡±


    Had he thought of it or suspected it, he would have never allowed her to partake in physical. education


    ss. He would¡¯ve canceled the ss, ensured she didn¡¯t go out alone the previous day, and evented


    her from going through emotional turmoil.


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°Rx; it¡¯s probably just a dyed period. It¡¯s not that easy to get


    pregnant¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t talk right now!¡±


    He took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re almost there; hold on a little longer.¡±


    Soon, Cherise felt a shift in her surroundings.


    ¡°Doctor!¡±


    His voice took an unanticipated urgency, unlike his usual distant and icy demeanor. Ordinarily, he


    spoke with a remote, aloof tone. Still, at this moment, his appeals to the doctor wereden with the


    desperation of a family member trying to save a loved one.


    ¡°Damien.¡±


    Before the doctor arrived, she tightly grasped his arm. ¡°If I mean so much to you¡­ why couldn¡¯t


    you trust me?¡±


    Damien, soaked in sweat and gasping for breath, was taken aback by her words. Before he could


    respond, the doctor rolled a gurney over to them.


    He gently ced her on the bed. ¡°She suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain while running.¡±


    The doctor wheeled Cherise into the emergency room.

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215


    Chapter 215 A Miscarriage


    As the emergency room door closed, Damien exhaled deeply, leaned against the wall with one hand,


    and closed his eyes. If Cherise had a miscarriage because of the physical evaluation, he would never


    forgive himself. It was his negligence that led to the current situation.


    When Cherise was pushed out of the emergency room, Lucy hurried over with Cherise¡¯s belongings in


    her hand, apanied by ke.


    Cherisey on the bed, looking as pale as a sheet.


    ¡°Doctor, how is she? Why did she bleed?¡± Lucy approached the doctor and asked while pushing


    Cherise back to the ward.


    The doctor shook his head. ¡°She was only pregnant for two weeks, but she miscarried.¡±


    Damien¡¯s legs felt shaky, and he almost slumped onto the floor. Cherise couldn¡¯t bear to see his


    agonized look. She held his hand and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°You should reflect on yourself!¡± Lucy shot a fierce re at Damien, pushed him aside, and pushed


    Cherise back to the ward with the doctor.


    Cherise¡¯s gaze had not left Damien¡¯s face. She had never seen him this desperate and distressed.


    He stood tall at the ward door, looking lonely and deste.


    The door was like an invisible barrier that separated them into two worlds.


    Cherise¡¯s heart ached when she saw his disheartened look. Both of them didn¡¯t expect her to be


    pregnant. She failed to take care of herself.


    Damien had lived alone for a long time and wouldn¡¯t understand these things. She didn¡¯t even tell him


    about the dy in her period because she felt embarrassed. Thinking back, if she had told. him earlier,


    the miscarriage might not have happened. After all, he was prudent, unlike her.


    Cherise knew the miscarriage was not entirely Damien¡¯s fault. However, Damien was so remorseful


    that he didn¡¯t even dare to look at Cherise.


    Finally, Cherise couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. ¡°Lucy, please ask him toe in. I¡¯d like to talk to him.¡±


    Lucy frowned. ¡°Cherry, it¡¯s his fault that you had a miscarriage. Why do you want him toe


    in?¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°He¡¯s not the only one responsible¡­ I didn¡¯t think of it either¡­¡±


    Seeing that Lucy refused to go, Cherise nced at ke. ¡°Go and get him.¡±


    Pressing his lips, ke walked out of the ward and tugged at Damien¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Dame,e in.¡±


    1/2


    Damien lifted his eyes to look at Cherise before entering the ward


    ¡°Please don¡¯t me yourself. She held his hand. ¡°I have the biggest responsibility.


    Please stop ming yourselves, both of you.¡± The doctor spoke up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that the patient


    took abortion pills yesterday, which caused the miscarriage?¡±


    Abortion pills?


    Cherise, Damien, and Lucy were dumbfounded.


    ¡°Doctor, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Two of them were unaware


    of the pregnancy. While we were rushing to the hospital, they thought it was a menstrual cramp. How


    could Cherry take abortion pills?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t take any pills yesterday.¡±


    The doctor furrowed his brows. ¡°My diagnosis can¡¯t be wrong. Your symptoms are exactly the same as


    the others who had abortion pills. It¡¯s just that your pill took effect a dayter. Please think carefully. Did


    you take any medicine yesterday?¡±

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216


    Chapter 216 A Coffee From Ian


    Lucy still found it unbelievable. ¡°Doctor, isn¡¯t it caused by intensive exercise?¡±


    The doctor heaved a sigh. ¡°I guess you¡¯re students from the nearby medical school. If you¡¯re at medical


    student, you should know that one pill is enough to cause a miscarriage when the woman is only two


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    weeks pregnant. If it¡¯s caused by intensive exercise, most would only show signs of miscarriage but not


    such severe bleeding. Moreover, her blood test result just came out, showing residual drug


    The doctor sighed. ¡°You should take care of yourself, knowing there¡¯s a possibility of conceiving. Look


    how sad your boyfriend is now,¡±


    With that, the doctor shook his head and walked away, leaving Cherise stupefied.


    Little did she expect the miscarriage was caused by drugs¡­


    They departed from the Shaw¡¯s vige yesterday morning and only arrived in Adania in the afternoon.


    Then, she took a nap at home and was asked out by Ian¡­


    Suddenly, she knitted her brows. Yesterday, all she ate was breakfast at Sarah¡¯s ce, the dinner


    Frances prepared, and¡­ a cup of coffeen ordered.


    That coffee was ced on the table before she arrived and had turned cold when she drank it.


    A chill ran down her spine. Cerise shivered. No¡­ It¡¯s impossible¡­ How could Ian¡­


    However, besides Ian, she couldn¡¯t think of other possibilities. Sarah wouldn¡¯t harm her; neither would


    Frances.


    After eliminating all other people, the remaining person had to be the answer, even if it was improbable.


    Damien nced at Lucy and asked, ¡°Where did you bring her to yesterday?¡±


    Lucy was startled. ¡°I didn¡¯t go out with Cherry yesterday.¡±


    Following that, the two turned to look at Cherise, who was ashen-faced.


    She bit her lips forcefully. ¡°I¡­ went to meetn yesterday.¡±


    It wasn who told her Damien wasn¡¯t blind, and he made a bet with her to test Damien.


    It wasn who gave her that cup of coffee.


    Jan¡­ How could this happen¡­.


    ¡°Ian Philips?¡± Damien narrowed his eyes and smirked coldly. He believedn wouldmit such


    an act.


    1/2


    ¡°D¡¯mn it, as hole! I¡¯ve told you, he¡¯s up to no good!¡± Lucy smashed what was in her hand onto the


    ground.


    ¡°How could you secretly meet up with him?!¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips. ¡°He said¡­ he wanted to talk to me about Damien¡¯s eyes¡­¡±


    Lucy gasped, ¡°So, was he the one who told you Damien wasn¡¯t blind, and that¡¯s why you argued with


    Damien?¡±


    Cherise lowered her head. Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, she nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you he¡¯s unreliable, but you insisted on trusting him! You even brought Damien to see Dr.


    Johnson, iming he could heal Damien¡¯s eyes. See what happened now!¡±


    Cherise bit her lips and remained silent. She was at a loss for words to defend herself. It was her fault


    she thought Ian was diligent and had an excellent character, so he would never harbor evil


    intentions.


    She had ced too much trust in his character.


    Damien furrowed his brows when he heard Lucy and Cherise¡¯s conversation. He walked out of the


    ward and called Sarah.


    ¡°Sarah, I¡¯d like to ask about Dr. Johnson from the neighboring vige.¡±


    Sarah was startled. ¡°Dr. Johnson?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Damien closed his eyes and asked, ¡°I heard he¡¯s a well-known gynecologist. Is that true?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217


    Chapter 217 A Hypocritical Weakling


    Sarah smiled. ¡°Yeah. Dr. Johnson is an expert in gynecology. Many women from the nearby viges


    woulde to him. He even ims his pulse diagnosis technique is so advanced that pregnancy test


    kits can¡¯t match his uracy!¡±


    After hanging up the call, Damien leaned against the wall as a dangerous, frosty smirk rested on his


    lips.


    The truth wasn took advantage of Cherise¡¯s trust in him and plotted this scheme.


    Ha! Ian Philips!


    Around five in the afternoon, Ian was about to get off work. He stood in the corridor and called Cherise


    multiple times but failed to reach her.


    Even if something happened and she blocked his original number, she hadn¡¯t seen his other number,


    so she wouldn¡¯t deliberately reject his call.


    However, he couldn¡¯t reach her through both sets of numbers.


    n!¡± Just asn was perplexed, the director¡¯s voice came forth.


    He lifted his head to see the director standing next to a tall man in white, staring at him and saying


    something. The man was tall and thin, but one could tell his body was well-built.


    He wore a pair of sses. However, the aura he emanated was not refined but overwhelming.


    Ian didn¡¯t remember seeing a young, handsome staff in the research institute.


    All the while, he thought he was the most handsome guy in the institute.


    Frowning,n kept away his phone and walked to the director. ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Belcourt, this is Ian Philips.¡± The director introduced them to each other with a smile. n, this is


    Mr. Lennon Belcourt. He just returned from overseas and wants to ask you some questions.¡±


    Then, the old director patted Lennon¡¯s shoulder and left. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you guys to solve your problem.¡±


    After the director left,n stared at Lennon with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Belcourt?¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Ian wasn¡¯t short, but when faced with Lennon, he was overwhelmed by thetter¡¯s height and


    vehemence, which made him feel ufortable.


    Lennon looked atn with a half-smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a good ce to talk here. Shall we head outside?¡±


    Ian nodded.


    1/2


    He thought Lennon intended to have a talk in a quiet ce, like a cafe. Little did he expect Lennon to


    bring him to an empty space behind the institute.


    Ian arched his brows. ¡°Mr. Belcourt, are you sure you want to talk here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lennon elegantly took off his jacket and threw it aside. Then, he rubbed his fists with a cold


    smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have to choose a special venue to beat you up, right? The director is my distant rtive,


    so I promised him not to stain his institute, but it doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t stain its backyard!¡±


    As soon as he said that, he punchedn in the face. When Lennon was abroad, he enjoyed going. to


    the fighting arena and practicing boxing during his free time. He was an experienced fighter.


    Clenching his fists, he roughed Ian up mercilessly. Ian instinctively wanted to run away, but Lennon


    wouldn¡¯t allow him to.


    ¡°Why are you punching me?!¡±


    Ian shielded his head and waspletely defenseless.


    Lennon booted him emphatically. ¡°Normally, I disdain roughing up someone like you, a hypocritical,


    bookish weakling.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218


    Chapter 218 Go Ahead and Hit Me


    ¡°But since you dared to harm an innocent woman and child, I can¡¯t let you off!¡± Lennon punched. Ian


    while scowling, ¡°You¡¯re a medical student. You should understand how precious lives are. Cherry is


    only two weeks pregnant, and you spiked her drink, causing her to lose the child. Aren¡¯t you ashamed


    of doing such an act?!¡±


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Only then didn understand this man was Damien¡¯s friend. He came to punch him because Cherise


    had a miscarriage!


    Enduring the severe pain,n guffawed. ¡°So, that drug worked!¡±


    Damien took advantage of Cherise and made her marry him because she was from a poor family. He¡¯s


    a jerk! Cherise shouldn¡¯t bear children for a jerk! It¡¯s worth being beaten up if she indeed had a


    miscarriage!


    Jan¡¯sughter further irritated Lennon. He punched Ian in the face mercilessly. ¡°How much hatred do


    you have against Cherry that you have to treat her like this?! She drank the coffee from you because


    she trusted you, but you used her trust to harm her!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let her bear children for a jerk! It¡¯ll ruin her life!¡±


    Gnashing his teeth, Jan red fiercely at Lennon and became pathological. ¡°Go ahead and beat me up


    to vent your anger. No matter how you beat me, it won¡¯t change the fact that Cherise had a


    miscarriage. I can¡¯t be happier!¡±


    Lennon clenched his teeth andunched another fierce punch.


    Ian lost his bnce and slumped onto the ground, but he was stillughing. ¡°Go ahead and hit me. I


    don¡¯t care!¡±


    It had been a while since Lennon was this infuriated. He went forward and kickedn ruthlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t


    assume the matter will be over after today. I¡¯m warning you; this is just the beginning!¡±


    Lennon shook his hand fiercely, picked up his jacket from the side, and left.


    Iany on the ground and couldn¡¯t bring himself to his feet. The smile remained on his lips. Despite


    being beaten up, he was thrilled that Cherise had lost her child.


    ¡°Ian!¡±


    After Lennon walked away, a youngdy stood up from a nearby bush with her phone in her hand.


    She scurried over to helpn get up. ¡°Who¡¯s that man? He¡¯s so violent!¡±


    ¡°Mia?¡±


    Jan frowned. In the rays of the setting sun, he saw clearly that this was an intern from the research


    institute. They joined the institute at the same time. The girl had always been attentive to him,


    1/2


    but he didn¡¯t bother about her.


    He sighed and stood up with Mia¡¯s help. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can handle it.


    Mia was indignant. ¡°Let¡¯s call the police. I recorded it when he beat you up. We have evidence, so the


    police will surely arrest him.¡±


    Ian was surprised. ¡°You took a video?¡±


    Mia nodded and showed him the video.


    The recording started when Lennon beat him.


    After the video finished ying, Mia frowned. ¡°He¡¯s too much! All you did was abort the woman¡¯s child.


    I¡¯m sure she must have done it willingly, right? Ian, you¡¯re a kind man. You can¡¯t possibly abort her child


    without her knowing. I bet the woman didn¡¯t tell him the truth!¡±


    Ian narrowed his eyes and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Is he the father? He seemed so angry.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219


    Chapter 219 Please Say Something


    Mia became more enraged. ¡°We should make a report to the police! He came and beat you up without


    understanding the situation!¡±


    Ian shook his head. ¡°Forget about it. He¡¯s powerful. Even if we submit this video recording to the police,


    they might not file a case¡­¡±


    Mia pressed her lips. ¡°Right. His outfit doesn¡¯t look like one of themoners. What about this ¨C I¡¯m


    considered an influencer on Twitter. I can post the video online and pressure him to apologize to you.


    ¡®Rich man roughed up a doctor. How does this title sound?¡±


    Ian shook his head and wore an evil smirk. ¡°Put it this way ¡®Rich man slept with his buddy¡¯s wife and


    roughed up the doctor after the woman miscarried.¡±


    Mia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°That¡¯s shocking news! The woman who was pregnant is his buddy¡¯s


    wife?¡±


    In the hospital.


    Cherise leaned against the bed with her cheeks flushed, looking at Damien, who was massaging her


    legs. ¡°I¡¯m okay. You don¡¯t have to do this¡­¡±


    After Lucy left, Damien had been massaging Cherise¡¯s legs for almost an hour without saying a word.


    Even if he was not tired, Cherise became restless.


    He was right her legs were indeed painful previously. But after the massage, her legs only felt


    warm.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Damien.¡± She called out to him softly, but thetter did not respond.


    ¡°Hubby.¡±


    Only then did Damien lift his eyes to look at Cherise.


    ¡°Say something, will you?¡±


    Cherise stared at him and nervously bit her lips. ¡°I feel anxious when you¡¯re silent¡­¡±


    ¡°I know it was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have concealed the intention of returning to my hometown this time.


    I shouldn¡¯t have lied to you that I was visiting Dr. Johnson for a gyne checkup. I shouldn¡¯t have metn


    behind your back and drunk his coffee¡­ It was all my fault. I admit my mistakes. Please don¡¯t remain


    quiet.¡±


    Around five in the evening, Damien went outside to make a call. After that, he stayed by her side


    without saying a word.


    1/2


    He diligently attended to all her requests but remained silent throughout.


    At first, Cherise was reluctant to talk to him because of the matter of his eyesight. She didn¡¯t want. to


    forgive him easily.


    However, she gradually became flustered when Damien continued remaining silent. She thought he


    was angry because he had all the reasons to be.


    He didn¡¯t deem her a family member and hid the truth about his sight from her. Meanwhile, she


    mistrusted another man and caused them to lose their first child, who was just a two-week-old


    embryo¡­.


    Cherise became nervous and kept talking to Damien, but he didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Hubby!¡± The youngdy pouted and suddenly straightened her back, wanting to hold Damien¡¯s


    hand.


    However, the sudden movement gave her a dizzy spell. She instinctively pressed her temples and


    closed her eyes to relieve the dizziness.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Stay still.¡± Damien frowned and pressed Cherise onto the bed. Cherise took the chance to hold. his


    hand and gently kissed him on his lips, sending an electric pulse through his body.


    Stunned, Damien looked at her.


    With reddened cheeks, Cherise gazed at him shyly. ¡°Hubby, please stop being angry¡­ I was wrong. I


    promise not to repeat the same mistake¡­¡±


    The woman was petite and looked innocent.


    Looking into her dark and sparkling eyes, Damien frowned. ¡°You silly girl.¡±

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220


    Chapter 220 A Resolved Misunderstanding


    She was the one who was injured. She was the one who was hurt and hospitalized.


    Yet she was concerned about his feelings. She pulled at his arm, hoping he would be soothed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like silly fools?¡±


    She pursed her lips and clung to his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±


    Damien sighed helplessly. He raised a hand and caressed her soft, white face. ¡°And you? Are you still


    mad at me?¡±


    Cherise paused and realized that he was referring to his eyes.


    She shook her head at once. ¡°I¡¯m not! Not anymore!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you either.¡±


    His voice deepened as he pulled her closer. ¡°I¡¯m mad at myself.¡±


    He ced his chin on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m mad at myself for letting things get to this point. At first¡­¡±


    He shut his eyes. His voice was filled with pain.


    ¡°At first, I asked Frances to prepare the food you like and instructed the butler to send away all the


    servants. I was nning to exin about the eyes. Before we went to the countryside, I got Jacob to


    form the best team of opticians overseas. I wanted them to create a n and prepare a reasonable


    reason for my eyes to be ¡®healed. But I didn¡¯t want to lie to you. Before everyone else knows that my


    eyes are all right, I wanted to tell you there was nothing wrong with my eyes the whole time. But Ian


    beat me to it.¡±


    Cherise hugged him. When she noticed the sorrow in his voice, her heart ached as though it was


    pierced by an arrow.


    When they argued the night before, she was unaware of the truth. She thought it was just an excuse


    when he said he was nning to reveal it to her then.


    But now that she thought back¡­


    Before everything happened, Damien instructed Frances and had her prepare a table full of food. The


    servants were dismissed, too.


    It was not just an excuse. He was telling the truth.


    Last night, he nned to ept her wholeheartedly andy all his secrets before her.


    Yet¡­


    1/3


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I was wrong, honey¡­¡±


    She did not give him a chance.


    She trustedn too much.


    In the end, she did not give him the opportunity to exin himself, nor did she give him the chance to


    care for their unnned child.


    She hugged him tightly. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m wrong. I wasn¡¯t a good wife. I¡¯m not a good cherry. I¡¯m at bad


    cherry¡­¡±


    Damien chuckled at her babbling.


    He sighed softly. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±


    ¡°You must tell me when you meet any other man.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t lie to me when you meet other women.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±


    ¡°You must tell me when your time of the month iste.¡±


    Her face immediately flushed as red as a ripened apple.


    ¡°Can¡­ can I tell Frances?¡±


    He released his hand and pinched her round face.


    ¡°Frances will report to me anyway. Do you think you should tell me yourself, or should I hear it from


    another person?¡±


    Her face reddened even further. ¡°I¡¯ll just¡­ tell you myself then.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He hugged her and gave her a peck on her forehead. ¡°Are you sleepy?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    She yawned.


    She had been drowsy since some time ago.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    But Damien was silent the entire time, so she could not sleep.


    2/3


    Now that their misunderstanding was resolved, she began to rx and felt herself getting sleepy.


    But she took the opportunity and wrapped her arm around his neck. ¡°Sleep with me!¡±

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221


    Chapter 221 Lennon¡¯s Baby


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    A light smile spread across the man¡¯s cheeks. He caressed her silky hair until her breathing


    became even.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise had just drifted off to sleep when Greg knocked on the door. ¡°There¡¯s a video circting online.


    I saw it, and it¡¯s not pleasant news about Mrs. Lenoir. Should we do something about it?¡±


    Damien frowned and gentlyy Cherise on the bed. He put on some clothes and went out to the


    corridor. ¡°What video?¡±


    The butler handed his phone over to Damien.


    The first thing that popped out at Damien was the title: ¡®Wealthy Man Sleeps With Close Friend¡¯s Wife,


    Assaults Doctor After Miscarriage.


    ¡°Lennon went and beat upn?¡±


    He returned the phone to the butler without watching the video.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The butler furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°The video is circting on a lot of tforms. I suspect some


    unknown forces are pushing it behind the scenes.


    The man walked slowly to the end of the corridor. His eyes were fixed on the sky as he chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s


    make a show of blocking it first. Let them think I¡¯m intimidated by this.¡±


    The video of Lennon¡¯s assault was trending in one night.


    Wealthy man sleeps with close friend¡¯s wife, assaults doctor after miscarriage.


    Every part of the title was enough gossip for the month!


    Early the following day, Damien was feeding Cherise oatmeal in bed when Peter called.


    Cherise nced at the phone¡¯s screen and gave Damien a puzzled look. ¡°Did you tell Grandpa about


    my miscarriage?¡± she asked in a low voice.


    He shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, relieved. She answered the call.


    But when the call went through, Damien snatched the phone from her.


    1/3


    ¡°Eat a bit more. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Before Cherise could react, he was already walking out the door with the phone.


    She leaned back against the headboard, eating her food while listening to their conversation.


    ¡°She¡¯s at the hospital now. She¡¯s a patient. Come here yourself if you want to see her. I won¡¯t bring her


    to you?


    I suggest you watch your words as an elder. She did not lose your great-grandchild. No one knows that


    better than I do.¡±


    Fine, you cane over. I¡¯ll be waiting.


    Do not say anything thoughtless.¡±


    Cherise frowned, perplexed.


    He didn¡¯t even exin why I¡¯m in the hospital. Why does it look like Grandpa knows the reason?


    And why did he mention that the baby lost in the miscarriage is not Grandpa¡¯s biological great-


    grandson?


    Does Grandpa suspect me?


    Momentster, Damien ended the call and came back.


    She raised her head, looking at him with bewilderment. ¡°What did Grandpa say?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯lle visitter.¡±


    He passed the phone to her and sat down smoothly in the chair. He picked up the bowl. ¡°Have a bit


    more.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m full. I can¡¯t eat anymore. Is Grandpa actuallying?¡±


    She pursed her lips sheepishly. ¡°I haven¡¯t visited him in a while. Yet now he wants toe see


    me¡­¡±


    Damien scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel sorry for him. He¡¯s here to reprimand you.¡±


    She jolted and looked up at him with astonishment. ¡°Why?¡±


    Why does Grandpa want to reprimand me?


    ¡°Because of this.¡±


    The man sighed and pulled out his phone. He yed the video circting all over the web.


    2/3


    >tu wratched the


    Sleeps with a close friend wife


    ver they saying that the baby I lost is Lennon

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222


    Chapter 222 Completely Different Person


    What a joke! She got pregnant six months ago. She didn¡¯t even know who Lennon was six months ago!


    ¡°Who started this ridiculous rumor?¡±


    ¡°Jan¡±


    ¡°First, from what I know about Lennon¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t ask his people to take videos. He


    would rather make them team up to fight againstn,¡± Damien exined, his face devoid of any


    emotion.


    Cherise was rendered speechless by Damien¡¯s analysis.


    Lennon was indeed someone who would do something like this..


    ¡°Secondly, the video was taken from afar. The person who took this video must have taken the video


    from within the woods. This doesn¡¯t suit Lennon¡¯s personality.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°So this video could only be Ian¡¯s doing¡­ No, it has to be someone on Ian¡¯s side. who


    took the video.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes softened with relief as he looked at Cherise. ¡°As for this title¡­¡±


    ¡°No one in Adania knows of my rtionship with Lennon other than the Belcourt family and my close


    acquaintances.¡±


    ¡°Even the Lenoir family doesn¡¯t know, so how did this blogger know Lennon and I are good. friends?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Ian, how would this blogger, Ms. Shaw, know about my rtionship with Lennon?¡±


    Cherise felt a chill run down her spine.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Ian has transformed into apletely different person.


    She had never met anyone like him before.


    In high school, he was the model student everyone looked up to.


    After starting work, he has changed drastically, even going to such an extent tomit nefarious.


    deeds.


    She always thoughtn misunderstood Damien but never imagined such a misunderstanding could


    lead to him setting up this scheme against her.


    Lennon wanted to help her get revenge onn, but he decided to use such a despicable method


    1/2


    to retaliate


    I told you this because this matter now involves more than just the three of us.¡±


    Damien slowly put away their utensils and gently rubbed Cherise¡¯s temple. ¡°The rumors couldn¡¯t have


    spread this far with a mere blogger behind them.¡±


    ¡°There must be someone else behind this.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, her mind racing with thoughts about the situation. She knew Damien¡¯s analysis


    had to be correct.


    He must be right.


    ¡°Who is the one making a mess out of this?¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curled up at her response. ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t use the inte.¡±


    ¡°Even you didn¡¯t know about the rumor. How could Grandpa, who doesn¡¯t even go online, know


    about it?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes lit up as she realized something. ¡°So it must be Uncle Raymond and Tristan?¡±


    ¡°As expected of the top student. Brilliant deduction.¡±


    He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. ¡°Grandpa might say unpleasant things when he¡¯s here.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Grandpa doesn¡¯t know the whole truth, so I won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    With her gentle and trusting demeanor, she looked like a soft and cuddly bunny.


    ¡°Are you busy? If so, go ahead. I¡¯ll exin to Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy enough taking care of you. How could I find time for anything else?¡±


    Damien chuckled softly as he continued to rub her temples. ¡°Just focus on taking care of yourself


    during this time. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on your side no matter what happens.¡±


    He gripped her hands tightly and reassured her, ¡°You¡¯re my


    <pst hope.¡±

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223


    Chapter 223 Show Me Proof


    ¡°They can target me all they want, but I will do anything to keep you safe.¡±


    It¡¯s time to set things straight.


    Cherise nodded, her eyes shing with determination. ¡°I know.¡±


    She knew about the feud between Damien and Raymond, as Lennon had mentioned it to her over


    drinks.


    She mustn¡¯t add fuel to the fire, as their opponent is Raymond Lenoir.


    Old Mr. Lenoir arrived in Cherise¡¯s room with Wanda, coincidentally while Damien was away on a call.


    Cherise was watching a Korean drama when she heard the door open. She looked up and greeted.


    them, ¡°Grandpa, Aunt Wanda.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir red at her. ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Wanda immediately snickered. ¡°Who are you calling Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Do you think an easy wench like you could be Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and looked up at Wanda. ¡°Aunt Wanda, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What do I mean?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows about your rtionship with the Belcourts¡¯ adopted son. Do you think you can fool


    us?¡±


    ¡°What do you hope to achieve by ying innocent in front of us? You¡¯re dragging the Lenoir family¡¯s


    reputation through the mud, even though you call Grandpa so affectionately. If you really cared about


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Grandpa, would you have done what you did with that bastard?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s knuckles turned white from gripping the nket.


    Despite the usations, she remainedposed and smiled at Old Mr. Lenoir. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t you


    trust me?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s eyes grew cold with anger. He grunted and sat down on the couch. ¡°If you want me to


    believe you, show me proof that the baby you aborted was a Lenoir!¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and exined, ¡°Grandpa, would you believe me if I said I only met Lennonst.


    week?¡±


    1/2


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s forehead scrunched up, and he stared directly at Cherise. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°What a bluff!¡±


    Wanda coldly snickered. ¡°The video of that bastard beating up the doctor for you is spreading like


    wildfire. And now the Lenoir family is aughingstock in front of all of Adania.¡±


    ¡°Do you think your ims of ¡®I only met himst week¡¯ will make us believe you?¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together tightly. ¡°Can you tell me what kind of response you expect from


    me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re adamant in your belief that I¡¯m in the wrong, and you won¡¯t ept any of my answers. What do


    you want me to do? Do I need to bring my child back to life and have a DNA test with Lennon?¡±


    Wanda rolled her eyes. ¡°That would be great.¡±


    ¡°Wanda!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir furrowed his brows to stop Wanda from going overboard.


    Wanda pursed her lips, realizing she had crossed the line with her attitude. ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t let this


    go easily. The Lenoir family is noble. How can we salvage our reputation after you drop this bomb on


    us?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir sighed heavily and looked at Cherise. ¡°Now that things have gone this far, you must at


    least give us a proper exnation.


    ¡°We were never well-acquainted with the Belcourt family before. In fact, we were at odds with them


    recently.¡±


    ¡°Even if you im the baby was Damien¡¯s, it doesn¡¯t make sense for Lennon to stand up for him.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Wanda crossed her arms. ¡°The Belcourt family is still reeling from the Violet incident.¡±


    Wanda trailed off, thinking about the infamous incident.


    ¡°Anyway, the Belcourt family and our family don¡¯t have the best rtionship. It doesn¡¯t make sense why


    Lennon would go so far as to beat up the doctor who aborted. your child.¡±


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 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224


    Chapter 224 The Man From the Video!


    ¡°The bad blood between the Belcourt and Lenoir families has nothing to do with my rtionship. with


    Lennon.¡±


    Damien¡¯s low voice rang through the room just as Wanda curtly used Cherise.


    Cherise¡¯s gaze snapped to the source of the gravelly voice.


    Damien and Lennon stood by the door, exuding an assertive and unwavering aura.


    Wanda¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when she saw that Damien was not in a wheelchair.


    She scoffed and turned to look at Old Mr. Lenoir behind her. ¡°Dad, did you notice something different


    about Damien?¡±


    ¡°His eyes were cured recently.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir squinted at Damien, hisposed voiceyered with surprise. ¡°His eyes are


    cured?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Wanda curled her lips. ¡°I only found out yesterday afternoon. I thought Damien woulde home to


    share the good news with everyone, but¡­¡±


    ¡°If we hadn¡¯te to find him, he might have forgotten all about his grandpa and uncle!¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s face fell slightly. ¡°It is my fault.¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curled into a cold sneer. He slowly made his way towards Cherise and sat down beside


    her. ¡°I should have made a phone call after I announced to the public about my eyes.¡±


    The man picked up the apple on the side table and began to peel it for Cherise. ¡°But Cherise was


    distraught yesterday after the abortion. I had to care for her, so Ipletely forgot about it.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s face turned ashen at Damien¡¯sment.


    Wanda rolled her eyes, disbelieving. ¡°Are you suggesting your wife is more important than the Lenoir


    family?¡±


    Damien lowered his head and continued to gracefully peel the apple in his hands. ¡°I have nothing else


    to exin if that¡¯s what Aunt Wanda thinks.¡±


    Wanda¡¯s face twisted with exasperation in an instant.


    She was upset with Damien for not informing his family about his recovery, but he dared to respond


    that Cherise was more important to him than his family!


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    1/2


    He was clearly defying her!


    He¡¯s so obnoxious now that he can finally see after ten years!


    She¡¯s always been critical of him, but he never dared to speak up against her.


    She scoffed at him. ¡°Unfortunately, she still got pregnant with someone else¡¯s child despite having your


    affections.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you must be ountable for your words.¡±


    Lennon icily emphasized through gritted teeth; his forehead creased with annoyance.


    Only then did Wanda notice the stranger standing by the door: Lennon Belcourt, the man from the


    video!


    Wanda chuckled menacingly. ¡°How dare youe here?¡±


    ¡°My buddy¡¯s girl is at the hospital. Why would I be ashamed ofing here?¡±


    Lennon walked into the room and marched over to a chair, where he sat down and stared coldly. at


    Wanda. ¡°Damien knows about my rtionship with Cherise. There¡¯s no need for you to drive at wedge


    between us.¡±


    Wanda spat derisively, ¡°You!¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir raised his head and fixed his eyes on Damien, who was engrossed in peeling an apple


    for Cherise. ¡°What are your ns now that things have gotten so big?¡±


    Damien remained silent, continuing to peel the apple.


    Old Mr. Lenoir tapped his walking stick on the ground. ¡°This is no small matter! It will damage. the


    Lenoir family¡¯s reputation!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a noble family who¡¯ve kept our reputation clean for over a hundred years! I won¡¯t tolerate such


    disgraceful rumors!¡±


    ¡°I give you three days toe up with an answer that satisfies me, or I won¡¯t let you off easily!¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir scoffed as he stood up.


    Behind him, Damien gently passed the peeled apple to Cherise. ¡°If Mr. Lenoir thinks I don¡¯t deserve to


    be part of the Lenoir family, you can erase my name from our family tree.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225


    Chapter 225 Do You Have Any Evidence?


    ¡°After all, I have never gained anything from the noble reputation of this family.¡±


    As soon as his words left his mouth, Lennon furrowed his brows. ¡°Damien!¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s face twisted in contempt and condescension.


    He turned around and red at Damien. ¡°Are you admitting that Cherise had an affair with someone


    else, and that¡¯s why you want your name erased from our family tree.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Damien chuckled softly. ¡°I have investigated the source of the video uploadedst night. It was a


    publicity stunt created by a mediapany called Baymedia, which is affiliated with Uncle Raymond¡¯s


    ¡°The Lenoir family would go to such lengths to spread false rumors about my wife and intend to punish


    me for bringing shame to our family¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to keep my name under our family tree.¡±


    ¡°I could even help Uncle Raymond save some money from sparing him the financial burdens of


    prolonging a publicity stunt.¡±


    Wanda¡¯s face immediately fell when she heard Raymond¡¯s name being mentioned.


    ¡°Damien, how could you taint your uncle¡¯s name? Is your uncle someone who would do something like


    this?¡±


    Damien curled his lips into a smirk as he stared at her without saying a word.


    Old Mr. Lenoir furrowed his brow and nced at Wanda. ¡°Which of you two is telling the truth?¡±


    Wanda gritted her teeth, her heart pounding in her chest.


    How did Damien find out about Baymedia?


    She was the one who asked Baymedia to keep it under wraps so no one would figure out their ns.


    However, Damien discovered that Baymedia was behind the incident and even revealed their


    rtionship with the Raetec Group.


    Was he aware of this all along? Or did he really have such great connections?


    Despite getting caught, she maintained her calm andposed demeanor as she stared at Old Mr.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Lenoir. ¡°Dad, Damien must be mistaken.¡±


    1/2


    There¡¯s no way Raymond would do something like this,¡±


    ¡°Damien is a member of the Lenoir family. If Damien¡¯s reputation is tarnished, it will impact all of us


    greatly.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s brows were furrowed as he pondered how much truth there was in her words.


    He turned his head towards Damien. ¡°How can you use your uncle of scheming against you? Do


    you have any evidence?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lennon, who was watching the scene unfold from the side, smiled amusedly. He passed the


    documents in his hands to Old Mr. Lenoir. ¡°You can see for yourself.¡±


    These documents detailed the shareholdings of each shareholder and the steps involved in the


    preceding day¡¯s publicity stunt.


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s face grew grimmer as he flipped through the pages. In the end, his brows knitted. into


    a tight knot as he stared coldly at Wanda. ¡°You¡¯re the biggest shareholder of Baymedia?¡±


    The edges of Wanda¡¯s face tensed up at the sudden announcement.


    Wanda hurriedly leaned closer to read through the contents of the documents.


    Her face flushed red.


    How did Lennon get his hands on these documents?


    Lennon gave her a smug smile in return as if he had seen through the confusion on her face. ¡°Mrs.


    Lenoir should know that I handle high-stakes projects overseas.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t even investigate such a small matter, how do you think I¡¯ll survive in that industry?¡±


    Wanda fell silent.


    There was nothing she could say to defend herself now that the evidence was crystal clear.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir threw the documents to the ground and spat. ¡°No wonder you were eager to


    share this news with me this morning. This was all part of your n!¡±


    Wanda gritted her teeth, her eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t me me for this.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who chose Cherise for Damien. If I didn¡¯t involve the public, you would¡¯ve forgiven


    her immediately.¡±

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226


    Chapter 226 Fractured Bonds


    ¡°I did this for the sake of myte brother and sister-inw. I didn¡¯t want them looking down from above,


    seemg Damien, a lonely man stuck with a wife who cuckolded him. And all of you were so kind¡­


    Wanda said, her voice filled with regret.


    ¡°It was unfair to Damien,¡± someone murmured sympathetically.


    Damien¡¯s face hardened, then a bitter smile curved, and heughed disdainfully. ¡°Well, I must really


    thank Aunt Wanda for her concern.¡±


    Wanda raised her chin defiantly. ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡±


    She did pick up on the sarcasm in Damien¡¯s voice, but at this point, she had no choice but to swallow


    her pride and agree.


    ¡°Spreading baseless rumors with a baffling video without investigating the truth¡­ Aunt Wanda¡¯s


    affection for me truly knows no bounds,¡± Damien sneered, casually wiping the apple juice from


    Cherise¡¯s lips with his hand. ¡°Oh, speaking of which, were you too busy to contact me?¡±


    ¡°Is it really that difficult to confirm the situation with a simple phone call?¡±


    As the anger boiled up inside Wanda, her face grew even darker.


    Old Mr. Lenoir raised his hand. ¡°Enough, everyone, stop arguing!¡±


    He nced at Wanda, ¡°Make sure your people behave. Have that Baymediapany shut down!¡±


    Then, he turned his gaze to Damien and said sternly, ¡°And if this is just a rumor, why didn¡¯t you exin


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but resolve this matter for me within three days!¡± hemanded.


    Old Mr. Lenoir then gestured dismissively. ¡°Everyone, leave. I need to talk to Cherry alone.¡±


    Wanda rolled her eyes and scoffed. ¡°Imagine having a conversation with someone so devoid of


    decency. What could one possibly discuss with such a person?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir shot her a sharp ring look, and Wanda left begrudgingly.


    ¡°No harsh words.¡±


    Damien shot a cautionary nce at Old Mr. Lenoir before leaving the room with Lennon.


    The hospital room door closed behind them, leaving only Cherise and Old Mr. Lenoir inside.


    ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Cherise leaned against the bed and said softly, ¡°Is there something you want to talk to me about?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°I¡¯ve troubled you, he shut his eyes and sighed, his voice filled with remorse.


    Old Mr. Lenoir sat in his chair, leaning on his cane, and shook his head helplessly. Tve already figured


    out what¡¯s happening¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve grown old and can¡¯t handle it anymore.


    He sighed, leaned back in his chair, and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t handle it, and I don¡¯t have the right.


    Seventeen years ago, I didn¡¯t handle it, and now¡­ I have even less of a right to handle it.¡±


    Cherise listened, feeling a bit perplexed. ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t understand what you mean


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± he said meekly.


    Old Mr. Lenoir sighed. ¡°Cherise, I chose you because of your simplicity and optimistic approach


    to life.


    In the days toe¡­ I¡¯m leaving Damien in your hands,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°He¡¯s been alone for years, without anyone. I kept my distance to avoid causing him any problems.¡±


    ¡°But deep down, I know you still care for him as your grandson, Grandpa,¡± Cherise said earnestly.


    Cherise pursed her lips and spoke with utmost rity, ¡°If you truly didn¡¯t care for him, you wouldn¡¯t have


    intervened in his love life.¡±


    Her innocent eyes filled with determination, and she continued, ¡°You arranged his first three


    engagements, Grandpa. I am the fourth.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I have witnessed many elders in the countryside who seem disinterested in their descendants¡± lives,


    including their marital status.¡±


    ¡°And certainly not¡­ like you, who insist I bear him a child within two years.¡±


    The Old Mr. Lenoir was briefly taken aback, but a smile crept onto his face. ¡°Well, well, I didn¡¯t


    anticipate your astuteness, my dear.¡±


    Speaking of kids¡­

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    Chapter 227 Despair and Deject


    Cherise lowered her head, ¡°But Grandpa, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I was already pregnant, but I¡­ I was young and naive; I didn¡¯t even realize I was pregnant initially.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how I was taken advantaged of-by someone drugging me¡­..


    Tears welled as she looked up at Old Mr. Lenoir and said determinedly. ¡°But Grandpa, I swear. I will try


    harder in the future to have a child with Damien as soon as possible!¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir nodded slowly.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the doctor drugged you without your knowledge?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied.


    Cherise bit her lip, recounting the entire incident to Old Mr. Lenoir. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Grandpa. I trusted him


    too much because I thought he was a person of good character and excellence¡­¡±


    ¡°Being willing to trust others isn¡¯t a w,¡± Old Mr. Lenoir sighed and shook his head. Tll take care of this


    person.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡±


    Hadn¡¯t he just said he was too old to meddle with children¡¯s matters?


    Yet, now, he seemed determined to confront Ian.


    ¡°I really cannot manage this,¡± he rified.


    As if sensing her confusion, Old Mr. Lenoir smiled knowingly. ¡°However, I can arrange for others.


    to handle him.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be more than willing,¡± he added.


    He sighed heavily and continued, ¡°The great battle is looming, and it¡¯s time for her to return.¡±


    Before Cherise could unravel the mystery of the ¡®she¡¯ he referred to, Old Mr. Lenoir rose with the


    support of his cane. ¡°Take care of yourself. A woman¡¯s body is most delicate at this time.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I will,¡± Cherise stammered, still perplexed.


    ¡°Grandpa won¡¯t keep you any longer,¡± he said, leaving Cherise in a whirlwind of unanswered questions


    and enigmatic anticipation.


    After Old Mr. Lenoir left, Damien and Lennon returned to the hospital room.


    1/3


    Lennon cagerly picked up a banana from the fruit basket Bernard had sent to Cherise and started


    eating. ¡°So, what pearls of wisdom did the old man impart? Spent quite a bit of time, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Cherise was about to answer, but Lennon cut her off. ¡°Let me guess!¡±


    He imitated Old Mr. Lenoir, mockingly stroking an imaginary beard, and said in a low, gruff voice, ¡°He


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    probably said, ¡®You¡¯ve done a great job! Keep staying by Damien¡¯s side!¡±


    ¡°Damien¡¯s been through a lot, you know. You better take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°And, of course, he must have told you to rest well and hurry up to give Damien another child¡±¡± he


    added.


    He earnestly mimicked Old Mr. Lenoir, making Cherise burst intoughter.


    ¡°See, you look so much better when you smile,¡± he continued, watching how the light returned to


    her face.


    Lennon looked at Cherise and shook his head. ¡°Stop wearing that grim look; no one mes


    ¡°That¡¯s right, no one mes you.¡±


    you.


    Damien gently sat beside Cherise and held her hand. ¡°Besides these words, what else did he say?¡± he


    teased with a yful glint in his eyes.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and recalled, ¡°He also mentioned bringing ¡®her¡¯ back. I have no idea who


    this ¡®her¡¯ Grandpa was talking about.¡±


    Damien frowned slightly, clearly had no idea of this mysterious ¡®her¡¯ as well.


    ¡°Who cares? That old man enjoys his mysterious games. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time,¡± Lennon


    shrugged nonchntly, munching on the banana.


    Cherise rolled her eyes but was immediately distracted as her phone chimed.


    It was a call from Lucy Staber.


    ¡°Cherry, you¡¯ve got to get online! Ian¡¯s doing a livestream! It¡¯s driving me crazy!¡± Lucy¡¯s voice came


    through the phone urgently.


    Cherise blinked in surprise and hastily hung up, clicking on the live-stream link Lucy had sent.


    When she clicked on it, she sawn sitting on rocks by the seashore, looking utterly despaired and


    dejected.


    ¡°I really have no way out,¡± he pleaded desperately.


    Watching from the phone screen,n still had visible bruises from the altercation with Lennon.st


    night. His face was swollen and discolored, making it hard to recognize him.


    2/3


    If it weren¡¯t for the frameless sses he wore on his nose, Cherise might have doubted that it was


    <pn.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    Chapter 228 Malicious Comments


    Lennon was ruthless when beating upn


    ¡°I got beaten up like this, and no one cared. Tan said in a intive voice.


    ¡°I was just trying to do a good deed to help a junior who got pregnant, but look what happened,¡± he


    continued.


    ¡°Their influence is just too great. They came to hit me yesterday, and today, the researchb I work for


    fired me.¡± His voice was filled with distress, almost to the point of tears.


    Cherise frowned and turned up the volume on the online live broadcast.


    ¡°I got him fired from the research institute,¡± Damien said while leaning back in his chair, not bothering to


    look up, as he sliced an apple for Cherise. ¡°I was the one who got him into that job in the first ce. But


    he did something against my trust, so I requested that the institute terminate his employment. I don¡¯t


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    see anything wrong with that.¡±


    Cherise pondered momentarily and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s fair enough.¡±


    It was Cherise who had initially requested Damien¡¯s help to secure a job forn at the research


    institute. He had gotten the position solely because of the connections rted to his association with


    Damien. Losing a job essentially handed to him through those connections when those ties were cut


    wasn¡¯t an unexpected oue. But onlineizens had a different perspective.


    ¡°Poor guy, don¡¯t lose hope, bro!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stress, buddy, we¡¯ve got your back for some sweet revenge!¡±


    ¡°@AdianaOfficial, you just gonna let them get away with this?¡±


    ¡°Lennon, that¡¯s cold-hearted!¡±


    ¡°Cherise, that¡¯s not cool!¡±


    ¡°Lennon, this is uneptable!¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you should know better!¡±


    A flood ofments filled the live stream.


    Asizens rallied behind him,n sought to fan the mes of support. He exaggeratedly sighed and


    remarked, ¡°Hold on, everyone. Cherise probably has her reasons.¡±


    ¡°She has her own matters to deal with, after all¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m truly at the end of my rope. As someone without power and influence, oppressed by the


    privileged, what recourse do I have other than contemting the unthinkable?¡± His words hung


    1/2


    heavily in the air, and he stood, peering out at the distant sea as if contemting a plunge


    The live stream feed became a sea ofments ¨C some encouraging him to reconsider others hurling


    ineults at Cherise and Lennon, and somementing the state of society


    n!¡± A young man in white rushed to his side, grabbingn¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t give up, no matter what Let¡¯s


    figure this out together.¡±


    ¡°Look at all the people supporting you online. We¡¯ll speak to the head of the institute, and hell surely


    listen,¡± A girl chimed in, her words resonating with the live chat audience.


    ¡°Let¡¯s gather at the institute¡¯s entrance and make our voices heard together!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s persuade the director: it¡¯ll make a difference!¡±


    Cherise clutched her phone, her eyes scanning the array ofments fromizens. She was taken


    aback by the malice people could muster. Oblivious to the truth, they refused to investigate, letting a


    mere brawl video paint her as a promiscuous woman who had an affair with Lennon and was now


    pregnant. Their words, harsh and defamatory, poured in without remorse


    ¡°Stop reading theirments.¡± Damien interjected, shielding her phone with his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes, but the hurtful words echoed in her mind. ¡°I want. I want to deal with it


    myself,¡± she stated, her head held high as she looked at Damien with a determined gaze. ¡°I want to


    reim my reputation and honor on my own.¡±


    Damien assured her. ¡°I can protect you.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    Chapter 229 I Need to Grow


    Damien knew that there was no deterring her once Cherise had set her mind on something. Yet, as a


    man, he couldn¡¯t bear to witness his beloved facing the deluge of those rumors. He wasn¡¯t afraid of


    trials or the judgment of others. His only fear was seeing her hurt.


    ¡°I believe you can and will protect me.¡± Cherise affirmed. She gently pressed her lips together, reached


    out to encircle his neck, and kissed his lips tenderly. ¡°But, my love, this all began because of me. I can¡¯t


    just sit here and wait for you to resolve everything on my behalf.¡±


    Her eyes shimmered as she gazed at him. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me already, but I can¡¯t keep


    sheltering myself behind you. I need to grow.¡±


    ¡°I need to be ready for anyone who might wish me harm.¡±


    Damien, convinced by her words, could only release a deep sigh. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Amid his concern, Damien found sce in witnessing his once young and naive wife transforming into


    an independent and resilient woman.


    ¡°Hey, hey, love is in the air!¡± Lennon teased, cupping his cheek. ¡°My teeth are about to fall out from all


    this sweetness.¡±


    He snatched his phone and called Jacob. ¡°Jacob, save me! They¡¯re drowning me in their love, and I¡¯m


    here solo!¡±


    Jacob, on the other end, let out a chuckle. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having the time of your life as the third


    wheel.¡±


    Before long, the hospital room door swung open. Jacob, sporting khaki pants and a light blue shirt


    leaned casually against the door frame. ¡°Another third wheel joining the party! Am I invited?¡± Jacob


    teased.


    ¡°Of course, wee!¡± Cherise chimed in, her cheeks blushing, lying on the hospital bed.


    After some yful banter between Lennon and Jacob, the conversation shifted ton¡¯s predicament.


    ¡°I had a feeling he was like that,¡± Jacob remarked, stifling a yawn. ¡°He¡¯d do anything for sess. That¡¯s


    why I had to let him go.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°You told me you wanted him to go after his dreams.¡±


    Jacob rolled his eyes at her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been so amodating if he wasn¡¯t your senior. I was


    nice because of you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Jacob¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I heard someizens are nning to visit the research.


    institute this afternoon to pressure the director into reinstatingn¡¯s job.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°They even want the institute to awardn a Good Samaritan Award. The prize could support a less


    fortunate family for months.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Lennon couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°So Ian, who harmed a child and spread false rumors, is now


    making money off it?¡±


    ¡°Essentially,¡± Jacob said, lifting his eyes to nce at Damien, ¡°Have you decided what to do?¡±


    Damien reclined in his chair, maintaining hisposed demeanor as he peeled grapes for Cherise.


    ¡°Let them make a fuss. I doubt they¡¯ll manage to get his job back.¡±


    ¡°And,¡± he added coldly, ¡°that Good Samaritan Award? I¡¯m the sponsor. They¡¯ll need my approval to


    present the award.¡±


    ¡°Any awardn desires,¡± Damien continued, ¡°he¡¯ll have to face me personally and rify his good


    deeds.¡±


    Lennon frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re not taking any action?¡±


    ¡°Most likely not,¡± Damien replied nonchntly, feeding another grape to Cherise. ¡°What¡¯s your take?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to confront him,¡± Cherise dered. She swallowed the grape and met Damien¡¯s gaze. ¡°If Ian


    has the audacity to seek not only his job but also the award, I want to confront him directly about why


    he thinks he deserves it.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    Chapter 230 Life¡¯s Regret and Unexpected Pursuits


    ¡°Alright,¡± Damien gently reached out and tousled her hair, his affectionate smile warming the moment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal first, and then we¡¯ll head over to the research institute. Does that sound good to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cherise nodded in enthusiastic agreement. With fan¡¯s potential quest to regain his position and


    im the prize money, the afternoon when theizens gathered was an optimal window of


    opportunity. They would be there, ready and waiting for him at the research institute.


    Following a delightful lunch, Damien personally chauffeured Cherise to the research institute. A few


    dedicatedizens had already gathered outside, their presence a testament to the brewing digital


    storm.


    Cherise and Damien, keen to avoid themotion, discreetly entered through the institute¡¯s


    back door.


    Wee, Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir!¡± Upon their arrival through the back entrance, a chorus of warm


    greetings resonated through the research institute. All the researchers had lined up, apuding and


    cheering enthusiastically to wee them.


    A headache began to creep in. The reception felt all too reminiscent of the grand event Bernard had


    orchestrated during Cherise¡¯s visit to the Shaw Group for an inspection.


    As an unsettling feeling gnawed at her, she heard a familiar voice, ¡°Ms. Shaw! Surprise!


    Bernard¡¯srge face appeared at the end of the line. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Cherise asked, taken aback


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    by his sudden appearance.


    ¡°Because our group sponsors this medical research institute!¡± Bernard¡¯s innocent blink and wide eyes


    radiated his pride. ¡°The director called me a while ago and said you wereing for an inspection.


    Since they didn¡¯t know what kind of wee ceremony you¡¯d like, I came to give them some


    guidance.¡±


    Bernard was clearly basking in his achievement. ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised? You didn¡¯t expect to see me


    here, did you?¡±


    Cherise stumbled over her words, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m genuinely surprised.¡±


    Soon enough, Cherise learned that the entire medical research institute indeed fell under the


    sponsorship of the Shaw Group. It suddenly made sense why Damien treated this ce like his


    backyard.


    Nevertheless, a question lingered: Why did Damien sponsor a medical research institute years ago?


    ¡°Because of my sister,¡± Damien shared, his arm still affectionately wrapped around Cherise¡¯s waist as


    they made their way to the director¡¯s office. ¡°When I was thirteen, our family vi caught fire.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°In an attempt to save me, my sister sustained severe burns, disfiguring herself and causing extensive


    internal organ damage.¡±


    Damien let out a soft sigh. ¡°During that time, medical science simply couldn¡¯t save her, so my


    grandfather arranged for a team of burn specialists from abroad to urgently transfer her to at different


    medical facility.¡±


    ¡°She passed away on the ne before reaching the destination.¡±


    As Damien recounted this painful chapter of his life, his eyes reflected a deep sorrow. ¡°So, when


    Lennon mentioned that a doctor he knew was nning to establish a medical research institute


    dedicated to rare diseases, I didn¡¯t hesitate to provide my sponsorship.¡±


    He sighed again, leaving the topic there.


    Cherise pursed her lips and held his hand with a firm grip. ¡°I can understand how that feels.¡±


    Having witnessed her grandmother¡¯s struggles with heart disease, she had been motivated to be


    a skilled cardiovascr surgeon. Often, life¡¯s regrets drive people toward unexpected. pursuits.


    With that, they finally arrived at the director¡¯s office. Acknowledging Cherise¡¯s recent miscarriage. and


    her less-than-optimal condition, the director had thoughtfully arranged the most.fortable hospital


    bed for her to rest on within the office.


    ¡°Thank you, Director,¡± Cherise expressed, feeling somewhat self-conscious yet genuinely appreciative.


    2/2

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231


    Chapter 231 Are You Worth It


    ¡°You can leave¡±


    Darmen smiled at the director. ¡°My wife feels embarrassed to rest on the bed with you here.¡±


    The director left with a smile


    Cherise ttened her lips and red at Damien, fuming


    Damien smiled indifferently as he sat on the bed. ¡°Why? Did I say something wrong?


    She pressed her lips together and switched to afortable position as shey on hisp. ¡°Even if


    you¡¯re right, you can¡¯t be so blunt.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    He lowered his head and stroked her soft hair. ¡°I¡¯ll be more tactful next time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it¡­¡±


    She must have been weak after her miscarriage. She slept shortly after lying down.


    Around two in the afternoon, a mor was outside the research institute.


    The girl was awoken. ¡°What¡¯s that noise¡­¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°I think the troublemakers are here.¡±


    Cherise got up, still feeling dazed and sleepy. Looking out the window, she saw Ian standing in the


    crowd far away.


    He¡¯s really here.


    As Cherise stood by the bed, she felt her blood boiling.


    Her impression ofn had been ruined after discovering thatn had drugged her and aborted her child.


    His actions at that moment caused her opinion of him to copse further.


    She shut her eyes, and her body was trembling slightly.


    He was always someone she had admired and trusted firmly. As it turned out, he was deceitful,


    malicious, and ignorant.


    Cherise felt that she and everyone in her school were fools.


    Everyone who idolizedn like her was a fool.


    1/3


    Damien held her hand. ¡°Some people aren¡¯t worth it.


    She felt disappointed as she heard the sound of her heartbeat.


    The girl turned to look at him. ¡°What about you, honey? Are you worth it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    He ced his chin on her shoulder. ¡°But I know that you¡¯re worth it.¡±


    She was worthy of his protection.


    ¡°You¡¯re worth it, too.¡±


    Cherise turned to the side and kissed his cheek. ¡°Darling, I won¡¯t admire anyone else in the future. I¡¯ll


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    only admire you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t disappoint me!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The manughed nonchntly as he agreed.


    The volunteers outside shoved the security guards in front of the research institute. The situation was


    intensifying.


    Ultimately, the research institute director appeared and instructed all the security guards to retreat so


    he could talk ton and Mia alone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to us, old man!¡±


    The head volunteer pointed at the director and berated him. ¡°If you dare disobey us, I¡¯ll make sure your


    research institute can¡¯t operate properly!¡±


    The director smiled. ¡°This will be thest time you make trouble here. If this happens again, I¡¯ll call the


    police.¡±


    The volunteers wanted to retort, butn stopped them.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m thrilled that the director is willing to talk to me.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Actually, the director is in a difficult position. He doesn¡¯t call many of the shots.¡±


    After that, everyone else started blindly chiding Lennon and Cherise again.


    Upstairs, Damien narrowed his eyes slightly. He picked up the phone and called Bernard. ¡°Send more


    people here. I want two people for every one person cursing at Cherise downstairs. When they


    disperse, beat them up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, but give out bonuses ording to the severity of their injuries.¡±


    2/3


    The man marrowed hoc eyes. A cold gleam fickereit


    ¡°Thery hapne


    313


    ¡°What about those cursing at Mr. Lennon Belcourt?¡±


    ¡°Ignore them.¡±


    Bernard was dumbstruck.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After the call ended, Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°Do you have to be so vicious?¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes. A cold gleam flickered across his deep eyes. ¡°They have to pay for saying


    nasty things too.¡±

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232


    Chapter 232 How Shameless


    Cherise pursed her lips and wanted to say something else, but the director¡¯s office door opened.


    Damien gestured at Cherise to be quiet.


    The director¡¯s office was made up of two rooms. Cherise and Damien were in the room where the


    research institute director slept when he worked overtime. Meanwhile, the director ledn and Mia to


    the space outside, where he received visitors.


    The two rooms were separated by a hidden door.


    Only a few people knew that the two paintings on the wall were a door.


    The director had deliberately installed a pinhole camera in the other room so that Cherise and Damien


    could see what was happening.


    At that moment, Cherise sat on the bed watchingn on theputer screen.


    Not an ounce of remorse or guilt was on his face.


    The director sat on a chair. ¡°Ian, I think I¡¯ve made it clear to you. You were hired because of your


    connection to Mr. Lenoir. Now that you¡¯ve done something to sabotage Mr. Lenoir, you naturally can¡¯t


    stay here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve paid you double your sry. I don¡¯t know what else you¡¯re dissatisfied with. You led so many


    people to make trouble at the research institute¡¯s entrance.¡±


    here,¡±


    ¡°Although my academic qualifications aren¡¯t on par with the research institute¡¯s strict


    requirements, I have adequate skills. I¡¯m not someone who did nothing after getting hired by the


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    research institute through connections.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I think that your decision is unreasonable. Since I have the skills and am qualified for the


    job, you can¡¯t fire me just because I offended the person who rmended me. This is


    unfair.¡±


    Cherise heardn¡¯s shameless words through the door. Her brows furrowed fiercely.


    Does he want the director to ignore that he was hired through a connection and let him stay because


    he¡¯s capable?


    After listening ton¡¯s words, she finally understood whyn wasn¡¯t appreciative that Damien had found


    a job for him and even held a prejudice against Damien.


    It was becausen felt that he was capable. Damien had just given him an opportunity by


    rmending him!


    1/2


    Ian thought he had relied on his hard work and not his connections!


    Is he really convinced by this logic?


    Cherise¡¯s hands clenched into fists.


    How shameless!


    The director also wanted tough atn¡¯s words. He shook his head. ¡°What about the Good Samaritan


    Award prize money?¡±


    Ian stood on his spot seriously. ¡°I helped Mr. Lenoir abort the baby of his wife and another man. Don¡¯t I


    deserve the award?¡±


    When he said it, the ridicule in his voice was evident.


    Cherise finally couldn¡¯t hold back. She opened the door and went out. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    She red at him furiously. ¡°Ian Philips, you were the closest person to me in this town after my


    husband. I treated you as a hero, so I utterly andpletely trusted you.¡±


    ¡°But what did you do? You fed me that kind of medicine and caused me to miscarry. After Lennon beat


    you up, you sabotaged me coldly and ruthlessly for the sake of your reputation!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of being my senior, nor are you worthy of being idolized by the entire Shawbury High


    student body!¡±


    Ian clearly didn¡¯t think Cherise would be here.


    He was first startled before heughed lightly. ¡°Cherry, you should be happy I aborted the child for you.


    ¡°Damien forced you to marry him with money. Why would you give birth to the child of a scum?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re innocent and na?ve, so you would never personally abort the child.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233


    Chapter 233 Do I Even Need Proof


    He had an unusually fanatical gaze. ¡°I was helping you!¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but take a step back.


    Then before her was no different from a madman.


    He looked at her with a strange, crazy, and ruthless gaze. It was how the vige fool in their hometown


    would look at others.


    The man behind her pulled her into his arms perfectly.


    Intense and bitter resentment flickered across Ian¡¯s eyes when he saw Damiene out.


    He sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t you have great eyesight? Why did you keep insisting on pretending to be at blind


    man?¡±


    Damien let out an indifferentugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite underhanded, too, Mr. Philips? Why do you keep


    pretending to be virtuous and honorable?¡±


    Ian choked and couldn¡¯t say anything for a long time.


    In the end, he red at Damien ferociously. ¡°No matter how underhanded I am, I¡¯m not as bad as you!¡±


    ¡°You used your wealth to force Cherise to marry you, and you even want her to birth a child for you!¡±


    Can he do as he likes because he¡¯s rich and take the girl I like?


    The world was a level ying field, but it fell into turmoil because of these rich people who were born


    privileged!


    Damien hugged Cherise and looked at Ian icily. ¡°Do you have proof that I used my wealth to force her


    to marry me?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Do I even need proof?¡±


    Ian narrowed his eyes coldly. ¡°When Cherise¡¯s grandmother was severely ill in the hospital, the Lenoir


    family paid for her grandmother¡¯s medical fees. After that, she married you. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re rich and powerful. You used your money to force Cherise, who was born


    impoverished, to marry you!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, and her hands were tightly clenched into fists at her side.


    1/3


    Everythingn said was true.


    Initially, she had married Damien for her grandmother¡¯s medical fees.


    But she did it willingly!


    After she got married, she discovered Damien was much better than she imagined!


    ¡°Rich people like you will neverpete fairly with others, regardless if it¡¯s applying for jobs or pursuing


    women; you¡¯re tyrannical with your wealth!¡±


    started to distort. ¡°Cherise can never give birth to a child with a father like you!¡±


    ¡°Rich people like us don¡¯tpete fairly?¡±


    Damien raised his brows atn indifferently. ¡°Let me ask you. You keep saying that you wanted to


    pursue Cherise. So where were you during Cherise¡¯s toughest times?¡±


    ¡°When her grandmother needed money to treat her illness, where were you when Cherise felt alone


    and helpless?¡±


    Ian¡¯splexion instantly turned ashen.


    Damien¡¯s words clearly touched his sore spot.


    He didn¡¯t have the nerve to help Cherise when her family faced hardships.


    Ian heard his ssmates say that Cherise¡¯s grandmother was severely ill, and her family was raising


    money to save her grandmother¡¯s life. Still, he told his ssmates regretfully that there was no value in


    providing critical care to old people at that age.


    He never dared to take the initiative and contact Cherise because he knew that Cherise¡¯s family was


    having such a hard time but still insisted on treating the old woman.


    He was afraid.


    He feared he would have to disregard his pride and help Cherise raise money after getting close to her.


    Mary¡¯s illness was like a bottomless pit.


    Therefore, he had never contacted Cherise.


    He initially thought of waiting for Mary to pass away and for the Shaw family¡¯s finances to stabilize. If he


    still didn¡¯t have a girlfriend, then he would consider Cherise.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    But he never thought he would bump into Cherise at the hospital, nor did he imagine that Cherise had


    married Damien to treat Mary.n believed that Damien had no virtues other than his wealth.

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234


    Chapter 234 You Weren¡¯t Willing


    Damien elegantly put his hand on Cherise¡¯s shoulder. The smile on the corners of his lips was cold and


    taunting. ¡°You avoided her during her toughest time when she needed the help most. You weren¡¯t even


    willing to encourage her sincerely.¡±


    ¡°But when I helped her through the hard times, you jumped out to say that I used money to force her to


    marry me. You¡¯re saying that I didn¡¯tpete fairly with you. How shameless can you get?¡±


    ¡°I remember that you bought a car. How much did it cost? Sixty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Cherise¡¯s grandmother¡¯s medical fees also cost sixty thousand.¡±


    Ian¡¯splexion ultimately turned pale.


    Cherise pursed her lips tightly.


    She was impressed with that car.


    When she was working at the sanatorium, Ian had driven her home. He unted that he had bought the


    car with his hard-earned money.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you couldn¡¯t afford sixty thousand. You weren¡¯t willing to. You didn¡¯t think pursuing Cherise


    was worth sacrificing your lifetime savings, nor did you think her grandmother¡¯s life was worth the


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    money.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice was deep and apathetic, but each word was piercing. It pratedn¡¯s heart viciously


    and brutally.


    Back then¡­


    He did use his savings to buy a car when Cherise needed help most.


    He also thought Mary¡¯s life wasn¡¯t worth sacrificing his money.


    The man¡¯s pale face spoke volumes.


    Damien continued rubbing salt inton¡¯s wound. ¡°I know you weren¡¯t willing to sacrifice anything for


    Cherise because you think she¡¯s an easy mark.¡±


    ¡°She admired you so much. As long as you cared for her and were considerate, she would be obedient


    and dutiful to you.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, you were stingy and unwilling to sacrifice anything.¡±


    ¡°But when she married me, you felt resistant. You felt that she belonged to you in the first ce.¡±


    He looked coldly at Ian¡¯s swollen face. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t like Cherise. You value yourself and your


    pride more.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s heart kept constricting as Damien held her in his arms.


    She thought of that helpless night when her pillow was soaked with tears as she held a letter notifying


    her of her grandmother¡¯s critical health.


    The Lenoir family¡¯s appearance had changed everything.


    She thought of Damien¡¯s respect for her grandmother.


    She recalled everything Damien had done in the Shaw¡¯s vige for Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah.


    He really¡­ had never considered her or her family members a burden.


    As a businessman, he was willing to invest in the Shaw¡¯s vige so that her uncle would feel less


    aggrieved.


    Compared ton, who didn¡¯t even talk to her when she was feeling helpless¡­


    Damien was much better.


    He treated her so well that she thought it was unreal. It made her want to follow him. unswervingly for


    the rest of her life.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is that true?¡±


    The girl named Mia took one step back. She looked at Ian, who was silent, in disbelief.


    He had always been eloquent and outspoken. He could refute someone¡¯s words in countless ways.


    But when faced with Damien¡¯s criticism now, he couldn¡¯t retort a single word.


    Doesn¡¯t it prove that¡­ the man¡¯s words are valid?


    She looked up at Cherise in fright..


    Cherise was a pretty, adorable, and charming girl.


    Mia nced at her ordinary reflection in the mirror.


    If¡­ If even Cherise is Ian¡¯s backup n, what am I?


    The notebook in the girl¡¯s hands fell to the floor with a thud.


    Mia immediately picked up the notebook before bowing to Cherise and Damien. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry!


    I really didn¡¯t know this was the truth!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    Chapter 235 This Is Only the Beginning


    ¡°I¡­ I also admiredn, so I believed everything he said!¡±


    ¡°I never thought¡­¡±


    She shut her eyes and stomped her foot in her fury. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I was blinded!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll post a rifying statement on Twitter now and prove everything is false!¡±


    As she spoke, she looked at Cherise as the rims of her eyes reddened slightly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, don¡¯t me


    me. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I really¡­¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows silently when she saw the girl¡¯s anxious, upset, and disappointed


    appearance.


    She was reminded of herself.


    She had also felt the same when she discoveredn¡¯s true colors.


    She suddenly felt very magnanimous.


    Everyone had to go through struggles in life before they could mature.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise smiled at Mia. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t know, you¡¯re not at fault. I don¡¯t me you.


    Ian stood on the spot. His hands were clenched tightly into fists.


    He watched as Mia abandoned him. He couldn¡¯t do anything as she stood across from him.


    Damien¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head. He didn¡¯t have any way to exin himself.


    He gritted his teeth before looking up and ring at Damien. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m out of options just


    because you did this!¡±-


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to survive!¡±


    Damien smiled nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you. Murder is illegal. I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°But no hospital or medical organization will ept you in the near future.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can choose not to work in this industry, but keep this in mind. Even if you want. to


    sweep the streets in the future, no one will give you a chance.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I forced you to the end of your rope on the livestream?¡±


    A sneer formed on the corners of his lips. ¡°You¡¯ll find out what it truly means to be at the end of


    1/3


    your rope soon.¡±


    ¡°Watch and see!¡±


    Lan steered before turning to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ve posted the statement!¡±


    Mia held her cell phone and walked over to show it to Cherise like she was presenting a treasure. ¡°Mrs.


    Lenoir, look. I really exined on your behalf¡­¡±


    ¡°This matter started because of a tweet of mine. I hope it can end after I post this tweet.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t end.¡±


    Damien yawned. ¡°This is only the beginning.¡±


    After that, he thanked the director while holding Cherise in his arms before leaving from the back


    door.


    Bernard had long been waiting at the back door. ¡°Mr. Lenoir! Ms. Shaw!¡±


    ¡°Should I send you both home?¡±


    Damien turned to look at Cherise. ¡°Should we go to the hospital or go home?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°There¡¯s only one room in the hospital. It¡¯s too noisy¡­¡±


    When Lennon and Jacob started arguing, it was an awful din.


    If Cherise and Damien went home, Lennon and Jacob would only make a racket downstairs if they


    came. They wouldn¡¯t argue in front of her.


    Damien smiled lightly. ¡°They¡¯ve always been like this.¡±


    The man opened the car door gracefully and helped her into the car. ¡°Please excuse them. Your


    husband only has these two friends.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    The girl pursed her lips. ¡°What about Violet Belcourt?¡±


    ¡°A casual employee or subordinate.¡±


    2/3


    The man raised his hands to stroke her hair. ¡°It¡¯s been so long. Are you still feeling jealous?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Who¡­ Who are you calling jealous? I¡¯m not jealous!¡±


    ¡°But¡±


    Damien raised his brows indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s time for her to ¡®wake up.¡±


    Cherise was baffled. ¡°She¡¯s been unconscious after getting into the ident. Didn¡¯t the doctors say


    there wasn¡¯t any other way?¡±


    ¡°That was fake.¡±


    Damien shut his eyes. ¡°She didn¡¯t get into an ident, nor is she unconscious.¡±


    236

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    Chapter 236 Isn¡¯t He Done


    ¡°It was my orders.¡±


    Cherise was astonished.


    ¡°Only when she got into an ident did Lennon have a legitimate opportunity to return to the country


    and help me put thepany in order.¡±


    ¡°I only had the time to go to the Shaw¡¯s vige with you when he helped me with thepany.¡±


    Cherise was surprised. She only understood the connections involved after a long time.


    Therefore, she asked the same question Mr. Hampson had initially asked. ¡°If Violet is in the pink of


    health, how did she agree to stay in the ICU and pretend to be sick for so long?¡±


    ¡°She had to.¡±


    The man smiled lightly and squeezed Cherise¡¯s cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s because she made my darling wife


    jealous.¡±


    Susan made a table full of nourishing and healthy delicacies at night to aid Cherise¡¯s recuperation.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, try this. It¡¯s nutritious.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, try this. It¡¯s good for you.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir¡­¡±


    Susan introduced each dish on the table enthusiastically throughout dinner.


    ke held his te and sat in the corner unhappily. ¡°There¡¯s nothing delicious.¡±


    Damien nced at him. ¡°If you want something delicious, ask Jacob or Lennon to take you out for a


    meal.¡±


    ¡°The meals at home will only be like this for the next month.¡±


    ke was a growing boy. He liked greasy and vorful food, which happened to be what Cherise


    couldn¡¯t eat.


    The young teen¡¯s face instantly fell. ¡°I¡¯m in an inferno!¡±


    Cherise was amused by hisical expression. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Susan to make special dishes for you.


    tomorrow.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ke¡¯s face immediately lit up. ¡°I want to eat a lot of yummy food.¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    Cherise smiled. She looked up at Susan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you.¡±


    Susan shook her head at once. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. How could I find it troublesome to cook for


    Mr. ke?¡±


    Upon hearing what Cherise and Susan said, the young teen held his te excitedly and ate his meal


    with gusto.


    After dinner, Cherise sat on the couch and yed with her cell phone, bored.


    She opened Twitter and saw that she was trending again.


    She clicked on the trend with wrinkled brows. Everyone was still cursing her online, and some people¡¯s


    words grew even harsher!


    She wrinkled her brows and clicked on the rted news articles. She found out that after Mia had


    released a statement in the afternoon, Ian had also released one.


    The statement was quite long, so Cherise skimmed through it.


    This time, the content of his post mainly said that Mia had posted the statement because Damien had


    bribed her.


    He even yed a voice recording of their conversation in the research institute this afternoon.


    In the recording, Damien¡¯s deep voice was as maic as usual.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I forced you to the end of your rope in the livestream?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out what it truly means to be at the end of your rope soon.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed viciously. Isn¡¯t he done?


    Is he being so shameless because he¡¯s shown his true colors?


    Cherise¡¯s hand holding her cell phone started trembling slightly.


    How shameless can he get?


    Ian had edited Damien¡¯s threats toward him and posted them online.


    Those online who had initially cursed at Cherise and Lennon also started cursing Damien.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Some of the volunteers who were beaten up even posted online that they were assaulted on the


    2/3


    way back from the research institute this afternoon.


    They said it must have been done by Lennon or Damien!


    When Damien finished a work call and sat on the couch, Cherise handed him her cell phone. ¡°What


    should we do, dear?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    Chapter 237 I Don¡¯t Want to Be President


    Damien nced at the cell phone. ¡°It isn¡¯t time yet.¡±


    Cherise looked up at him, perplexed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The man pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. ¡°This matter has yet to evolve into its final stage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never liked to fight unnecessary wars.¡±


    Cherise lifted her hands and put them around his neck. Her dark,rge eyes looked at him as she


    blinked. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    The man reached out to tap her nose. ¡°But there¡¯s been trouble brewing at thepanytely.¡±


    Damien raised his hands to squeeze her soft cheeks. ¡°Uncle Raymond tampered with that batch of


    goods. I¡¯m going on a business trip to the neighboring town tomorrow to find a suitable factory for


    subcontract work.¡±


    Although Cherise couldn¡¯t grasp business dealings much, she evidently understood what he


    meant.


    There was a problem with the project that Raymond and Tristan had discussed with Damien at home.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Is the problem severe?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The man smiled and stroked her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Shaw. I¡¯ll ensure you can manage thepany


    well.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. She looked at him slightly shyly. ¡°Actually, I know everything¡­¡±


    Damien had initially invested in Randall¡¯spany. Randall was sensible and immediately transferred


    hispany to Cherise¡¯s name when he saw that his daughter had offended Cherise.


    On the one hand, Damien wouldn¡¯t raise difficult questions. On the other hand, he had used such a


    unique way to tter Cherise.


    It was also because he was too resourceful as a father that Cressa had yet to be punished severely


    even after she had done so many bad things.


    On the surface, Randall had given thepany to Cherise. But actually¡­ he was just returning it to


    the rightful owner.


    1/3


    Dannen smiled and squeezed her face. ¡°Even if he returned thepany to the rightful owner. you¡¯re


    the president of Shaw Group, Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to be president.¡±


    ¡°You want to be a doctor.¡±


    Damien spoke aloud the thoughts in her heart.


    The man raised his hands to hug her. ¡°But I originally nned on giving Shaw Group to you as a


    marriage present.¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯m being so sincere, can you please be president for a while even if you¡¯re feeling reluctant,


    Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Cherise needed to recuperate, so Damien didn¡¯t let her stay up toote. He carried her upstairs at nine


    o¡¯clock at night.


    After her shower, the man gently ced her on the bed.


    Cherise looked up at him pitifully. ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy.¡±


    The man took off the slippers on her feet gracefully. ¡°You must sleep even if you¡¯re not sleepy.¡±


    The girl¡¯s tiny face wrinkled. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    The man gently tied her dried hair loosely with a hair tie. ¡°You must sleep even if you can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Stay with me.¡±


    She reached out her delicate hand, and it crept around his waist. ¡°You¡¯re going on a business trip.


    tomorrow. You must sleep early, too.¡±


    She didn¡¯t believe Damien, who always sleptte, could fall asleep now!


    How can he ask me to sleep if he can¡¯t fall asleep?


    The woman¡¯s tender and soft arm circled his waist. Damien¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    He resisted his body¡¯s impulses and shifted her soft arm away. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    After that, hey by her side and held her in his arms.


    She smelled his crisp scent in her nose and heard his shallow breathing in her ears.


    It made it harder for Cherise to fall asleep.


    She squirmed in his arms.


    2/3

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    Chapter 238 You Must Restrain Yourself


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    She ttened her lips, feeling very wronged.


    ¡°You can sleep if you shut your eyes.¡±


    She shut her eyes and said brazenly. ¡°I¡¯ve shut them, but I still can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    He smiled lightly and kissed her lips. ¡°Be a good girl. You¡¯ll fall asleep soon.¡±


    The bedroom was tranquil.


    The bright moonlight shone in through the window. It lengthened the shadows of everything in the


    bedroom.


    With her eyes shut, Cherise still couldn¡¯t sleep, so she opened them.


    Under the moonlight, the man¡¯s cold, outlined features were more distinct.


    She was lost in thought as she looked at his face.


    She returned to her senses after a long time and patted her face.


    Cherise was too smitten.


    They had been married for more than a month. Why am I still so flustered¡­


    Cherise turned around. Her back faced Damien so she wouldn¡¯t continue to be rattled by his good.


    looks.


    Cherise was very bored. She thought of the trouble Ian had caused on Twitter and subconsciously took


    out her cell phone, wanting to check if there was any new content.


    But she never imagined that Damien, who she thought had fallen asleep, snatched the cell phone from


    her hands precisely when she picked it up.


    The cell phone screen lit up, but the man¡¯srge, merciless hands had snatched it away before she


    could unlock it.


    ¡°Sleep!¡±


    He instructed coldly.


    Cherise knew she was in the wrong, so she didn¡¯t dare to say anything else. She only mumbled softly.


    ¡°But I really can¡¯t sleep¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s breathing rang in her ears. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling fine, I have countless ways to make you


    1/3


    fall asleep.¡±


    At present¡­


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed.


    She roughly knew what he meant by¡­ countless ways.


    The girl raised her hands and pulled the covers to her neck. She wrapped herself in them tightly.


    ¡°Honey, you must restrain yourself.¡±


    The manughed nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m not so ignorant yet.¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°You¡¯re clearly always so ignorant¡­¡±


    After that, she felt that the topic was too provocative. She quickly coughed lightly and turned her face


    away. ¡°Go to sleep!¡±


    She was feeling slightly sleepy after tossing and turning after a while.


    When she awoke again, it was ten o¡¯clock the next day.


    Susan was keeping watch by the bed. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, Mr. Lenoir has taken a business trip to the


    neighboring town. He instructed me to take care of you. Don¡¯t go anywhere for the next two days.¡±


    Cherise yawned as she nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±,


    Her body must have been weak after having a miscarriage.


    After Damien went on his business trip, all Cherise did was sleep and eat in the vi. Her waistline:


    almost expanded half an inch.


    She was still sleepy even if she slept more than ten hours daily.


    Today, Cherise forced herself to lie in the living room and watch television to avoid sleeping more after


    lunch.


    But as she watched television, she fell asleep again.


    While she was half-asleep, she heard Ian¡¯s voice from the television. ¡°Thank you for everybody¡¯s


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    approval. I¡¯ll try my best and do this job to the utmost of my abilities.¡±


    Cherise opened her eyes. Hasn¡¯t he lost his job? How can he do his job to the best of his abilities?


    Cherise yawned and changed the channel. She observedn¡¯s news segment carefully.


    As it turned out, apany named Fuoco Corporation felt that Ian was a very righteous person filled


    with ideals, so they wanted to give him money to establish a private clinic.


    2/3


    crise was muser


    At this time, Lucy called Cherise. ¡°Cherry, are you watching the news?¡±


    ¡°Heh. You ignoredn after he made such a huge mess. He¡¯s establishing a private clinic now!

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    Chapter 239 Ask Damien What He ns to 16


    Cherise wrinkled her brows ¡°I just saw it


    ¡°Tey rushing to your house Let¡¯s talk more when Larrive How infuriating


    ¡°Alright.


    After the call with Lancy ended, Cherise stretched and asked Susan to apply body lotion for hee


    She had been sleeping a little too much recently.


    Now thatn was starting to act shamelessly again, she couldn¡¯t continue sleeping


    PR ¡°I¡¯ve researched. Fuoco Corporation¡¯s boss went to a mediapany for PK consultation two days


    ago.¡±


    ¡°They started announcing extravagantly that they¡¯re givingn money to establish a private clinic.


    They¡¯re absolutely trying to promote it!¡±


    Lucy sat on the couch. As she drank tea, she took out herptop and opened it. ¡°Look at the online


    opinion about Fuoco Corporation!


    ¡°Fuoco Corporation¡¯s stocks were in extreme deficit half a year ago. They only survived and didn¡¯t go


    bankrupt after receiving an investment from the Lenoir family.¡±


    ¡°In return for the investment, the Fuoco Corporation gave their oldest daughter, Miriam Fuoco, to be


    married to Damien. Ultimately, you know what happened. Miriam got into a car ident and passed


    away.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fuoco Corporation med Damien for this, saying that he was the bearer of bad luck. They made the


    Lenoir family pay for damages, which they did. But the amount didn¡¯t satisfy Fuoco Corporation. They


    demanded an exorbitant price.¡±


    ¡°Henceforth, Fuoco Corporation and the Lenoir family were irreconcble. Fuoco Corporation found an


    opportunity this time.¡°


    ¡°On the one hand, they want to retaliate for their resentment back then.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, financingn, a man subjected to bullying and humiliation, to open a small clinic is


    enough to promote Fuoco Corporation¡¯s upright andpassionate image.¡±


    As Cherise listened to Lucy¡¯s string of reasoning, she couldn¡¯t help but give Lucy a thumbs up. ¡°As


    expected of an investment analyst¡¯s daughter¡­¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°This is obviously information that can be easily found.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just unfamiliar with Adania, so you don¡¯t understand these things much.


    1/2


    Lucy took a deep breath and shut herptop. ¡°Fuoco Corporation andn will be holding abined


    press conference this afternoon to create the best corporate image for Fuoco.


    Corporation. They¡¯ll sign a contract officially at the press conference, and Fuoco Corporation will invest


    inn¡¯srge private clinic.¡±


    Cherise was speechless. ¡°Are they holding a press conference for a¡­ clinic?¡±


    Lucy ced the teacup on the table and lifted her hands to massage her temples. ¡°They certainly. don¡¯t


    have to hold a press conference to establish a clinic.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re promoting themselves!¡±


    ¡°Fuoco Corporations wants to use this to establish their corporate image. Of course, they¡¯ll look better


    with a bigger crowd!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I see.¡±


    Lucy sighed. ¡°Although Ian was shameless in the past, he was working alone.¡±


    ¡°But if he really colludes with Fuoco Corporation, it¡¯ll be hard to deal with him in the future.¡±


    ¡°Ask Damien what he ns to do.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip outside. He¡¯s already pressured by his uncle.


    troubling him.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t create more trouble for him.


    She took a deep breath and looked up at Lucy. ¡°Is it possible for us to solve this by ourselves?¡±


    After that, she felt they might be unable to develop aprehensive solution if they solved the matter


    themselves, so she called Lennon and asked him toe over.


    After all, Lennon was also involved inn¡¯s matter.


    Moreover, Lennon was older than them and ran a business overseas all year round. He must have


    been able to look at the problem clearly.


    ¡°You can only go and attend the press conference.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    Chapter 240 This Is a Small Matter


    Lennon narrowed his eyes. ¡°I was just wondering if there was a way to rify our rtionship.


    officially.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a press conference, this is a great opportunity.¡±


    Lucy was still a little worried. ¡°Do we really not need to inform Damien?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and thought of what Damien had previously told her.


    They shared the closest rtionship in this world.


    No matter what happened, they couldn¡¯t hide anything from each other.


    Ultimately, she picked up her cell phone and called Damien.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable¡­¡±


    A cold, automated woman¡¯s voice rang on the other end.


    Cherise ended the call in frustration.


    ¡°He went to the countryside. It¡¯s normal if he has bad reception.¡±


    Lennon yawned. ¡°This is a small matter. We can solve it. Why must you insist on telling him?¡±


    At the scene of a particr press conference in downtown Adania at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    The words ¡®Press conference of Fuoco Corporation financing Mr. Ian Philips in establishing at private


    clinic¡¯ were printed in yellow on a red background. It was hung in the most conspicuous position of the


    press conference.


    Lucy, who had arrived covertly at the news conference early, looked at the banner and spat viciously.


    ¡°How shameless!¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice.¡±


    Cherise tugged at the corner of Lucy¡¯s shirt.


    They had entered while mingling in the crowd of reporters and were striking enough as they acted like


    reporters with their peaked caps and face masks.


    Lennon narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the scene before him. ¡°The Fuoco family is so willing


    to spend money.¡±


    The news conference began shortly.


    1/2


    May we invite to stage Fuoco Corporation¡¯s representative, the second daughter of the Fuoco family,


    Mnie Fuoco!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    A slim, petite young girl came to the stage elegantly and stood still.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wee our angelic doctor with an immense sense of justice, Ian Philips!¡±


    Thunderous apuse rang offstage.


    Ian went on stage with dark eye circles and a badly battered face.


    Lennon frowned. ¡°When I hit him back then, I didn¡¯t punch his face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through professional training and will never hit my opponent¡¯s face unless necessary.¡±


    After that, he nudged Cherise beside him. ¡°You¡¯re studying medicine. It¡¯s been almost a week. since I


    hit him. Can you assess why the injuries on his face are still so obvious?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Lucy ttened her mouth. ¡°He used makeup to create his bruises. All the makeup artists in a movie


    production team know how to do it.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. She took out a bottle of makeup remover from her bag thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯ll


    make an impact if this is sshed over him on stage, right?¡±


    Lucy burst outughing when she saw what Cherise was holding. ¡°Cherry, why do you have


    everything?¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°Susan was afraid I would get hurt, so she gave me this. She said if any


    woman dares to harass me, I can ssh this over her.¡±


    Lucy was amused by Cherise. ¡°Are all your servants at home so delightful?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes. They are.¡±


    After marrying Damien, other than a little spat with Susan on the second day after getting married, she


    got along well with the servants at home!


    ¡°Thank you to everyone for attending the press conference between the Fuoco Corporation and me


    amid your busy schedule.¡±


    At this time, Ian was already holding a microphone and speaking on stage. ¡°When Ms. Mnie Fuoco


    came to look for me, she said the Fuoco Corporation would be honored to sponsor me in opening a


    clinic.¡±


    ¡°I think that the honor belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°I, Ian Philips, am only a doctor who left the small town to study hard. I don¡¯t have a powerful backer or


    much power. Even if I did a good deed, the people involved would only berate me


    2/2

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    Chapter 241 I Have Nothing to Fear


    ¡°I¡¯m too lucky to have met a group of people willing to uphold justice for me. I also met Ms. Fuoco,


    who¡¯s willing to help me achieve a sessful career.¡±


    Asn stood on stage, every word he said was dignified. It sounded exactly like when he gave a


    speech at Shawbury High.


    But at the time. Cherise¡¯s heart was filled with adoration as she looked at the ethereal and desirable yet


    unattainable senior


    And now, she looked atn coldly with an icy smile.


    Everything he said made Cherise feel he was a nauseating hypocrite.


    After a simple introduction, the reporters started asking questions.


    ¡°Mr. Philips, someone said you¡¯re a true saint who stands on the side of justice. What do you think of


    thesements?¡±


    Ian smiled indifferently. ¡°Everyone is ttering me. Actually, I¡¯m just doing what a real doctor should do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯mpassionate. It¡¯s just that those with power and status are too despicable and


    hypocritical.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still trying to use you as a stepping stone now!¡±


    Lucy gritted her teeth ferociously.


    Cherise held her hand. ¡°Calm down.¡±


    Although Cherise wasn¡¯t feeling very calm either.


    But she wanted to hear what elsen would say.


    ¡°Since you mentioned the rich, I¡¯d like to ask you, Mr. Philips.¡±


    Another reporter stood up. ¡°Among the people you offended, one is the son of the Lenoir family, and


    the other is Mr. Belcourt, who achieved great sess overseas. They have such great power behind


    them. Do you really not fear them?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ian revealed a slight smile. ¡°I believe justice exists in the world.¡±


    ¡°Morcover


    He turned and looked at Mnie gently. ¡°With the Fuoco family supporting me, I have nothing


    to fear.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise sped her hands tightly.


    The reporters took turns asking questions. The microphone inexplicablynded in Cherise¡¯s


    hands.


    She held the microphone and stood, looking coldly atn on stage. ¡°Mr. Philips, may I ask what kind of


    a person you think your junior, Cherise Shaw, is?¡±


    Ian furrowed his brows. He felt the female reporter¡¯s voice sounded slightly familiar but couldn¡¯t recall


    who it was.


    He looked up at her but only saw a yellow peaked cap.


    Therefore, he coughed lightly into the microphone. ¡°Actually, Cherise was still nice when we were in


    school. She was hardworking and diligent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that she turned into a materialistic, vain, and covetous gold-digger after she got into


    college. She didn¡¯t hesitate to marry someone like Damien Lenoir.¡±¡°


    Cherise held the microphone tightly in her hand. ¡°Therefore, did she marry Damien because she


    sought a life of pleasure andfort?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    ¡°I never imagined that after marrying Damien, she had an affair with Lennon Belcourt and got pregnant


    because she felt that Damien couldn¡¯t satisfy her¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and removed her peaked cap and face mask. She looked up at Damien


    with her clear eyes. ¡°As it turns out, that¡¯s what you think of me, Ian.¡±


    Everyone was astonished.


    They were too surprised to say anything.


    On stage,n turned pale as he held the microphone.


    He never thought that Cherise would ask that question.


    Althoughn had given her up when the video of Lennon beating him up was uploaded online.


    But he still felt embarrassed about being dishonest to her face.


    After all, they had known each other for so many years.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cherise Shaw in the flesh!¡±

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    Chapter 242 Do You Have Proof


    All the reporters aimed their cameras at Cherise.


    Since it hade to this, there was no need for Lucy and Lennon to hide either.


    They took off their hats and face masks together.


    A louder cry of surprise broke out at the scene. ¡°Lennon Belcourt is also here!¡±


    ¡°Lennon Belcourt is here with Cherise Shaw at Ian Philips¡¯ press conference! This is big news!¡±


    Cherise was holding the microphone and looked coldly toward the stage. ¡°Ian Philips.¡±


    ¡°I used to think of you as my respected senior, but now I know you¡¯re unworthy.¡±


    ¡°I treated you like a hero and considered you a goal and-role model to strive for. But in the end, you


    said such things about me.¡±


    ¡°You know better than I do that the child I miscarried didn¡¯t belong to Lennon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ian furrowed his brows. ¡°Cherise, the facts speak louder than words.¡±


    ¡°You say that the child wasn¡¯t Lennon¡¯s. Do you have proof?¡±


    He looked at her with a provoking gaze.


    He was standing onpletely opposite ends from Cherise.


    Cherise let out a bitterugh. She took out the doctor¡¯s diagnosis from her bag. ¡°The diagnosis. states


    that the child I miscarried is two weeks old.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks ago, Lennon was overseas.¡±


    ¡°May I ask how I got pregnant with his child if he was across the Antic Ocean?¡±


    The scene was in an uproar.


    ¡°How do you know Lennon was overseas two weeks ago?¡±


    At this time, Mnie spoke up. She had been silent at the side.


    She stood on the stage coldly and projected proof of Lennon¡¯s entry and exit at the airport on the big


    screen. ¡°Our people specially investigated Lennon¡¯s iing and outgoing records in the country.¡±


    ¡°You can clearly see here that Lennon secretly came to Adania on a private jet sixteen days ago


    1/3


    before leaving the next day.¡±


    As Mnie spoke, she looked up at Cherise with a smile on the corners of her lips. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, don¡¯t


    treat others as a fool.¡±


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t have clear-cut evidence proving that Ian is right, how would Fuoco Corporation dare to


    invest in him?¡±


    Cherise was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°This is impossible!¡±


    ¡°Why is it impossible?¡±


    Mnie sneered. She nced at Lennon, who was beside Cherise. ¡°Mr. Belcourt, do you dare say this


    airport entry and exit record is fake?¡±


    ¡°What on earth is going on?¡±


    Lucy was also slightly dazed. She gritted her teeth and pushed Lennon. ¡°Did you really secretly return


    two weeks ago?¡±


    Lennon pursed his thin lips tightly. ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Look. Lennon is personally admitting it.¡±


    Mnie smiled. ¡°What else do you have to say, Cherise?¡±


    ¡°He returned two weeks ago, and you got pregnant two weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°Your child was aborted. Lennon went to assault Ian before Damien did anything¡±


    ¡°Do you dare say that the child doesn¡¯t belong to Lennon?¡±


    Cherise subconsciously took one step back.


    How can there be¡­ such a coincidence?


    She thought the matter was straightforward as long as she could prove that Lennon wasn¡¯t in the


    country when she got pregnant. Then, the lie could be quickly unraveled.


    But¡­ Lennon had secretly returned to the country two weeks ago?


    He returned to the country and left the next day. It happened to be around the time she got


    pregnant.


    The matter that initially could be exined clearly becameplicated again.


    She turned and looked at Lennon nkly. ¡°Why did you return to the country at that time? Can


    anyone prove¡­¡±


    2/3

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    Chapter 243 Irrefutable Evidence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have¡­ a concrete witness testimony.¡±


    Cherise kept clenching and opening her hands by her side.


    She took a deep breath and looked up at Mnie andn on stage. They seemed very pleased with


    themselves. ¡°Even if you have proof that Lennon returned to the country two weeks ago, you can¡¯t


    prove that my child was his!¡±


    ¡°Since you used us, you must offer evidence. You say that Lennon and I had an affair, but you can¡¯t


    use such misleading evidence to condemn us. You must have real evidence!¡±


    Cherise was livid.


    She could prove her innocence and draw some embryo DNA for testing if her baby was still alive!


    But her child was gone before she knew it!


    Ian still wanted to taint the child¡¯s history and nder her innocence even after killing her child!


    She didn¡¯t have evidence, but neither did he!


    Was he treating his spections as truths to nder her?


    She was living her life and going about her days contentedly. Why did she have to suffer humiliation by


    others?


    Ianughed on stage.


    He looked at Cherise¡¯s angry expression nonchntly. ¡°Ms. Fuoco has presented the evidence just


    now.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Two weeks ago, when you got pregnant, Mr. Belcourt happened to return from overseas.¡±


    Lennon wrinkled his brows and said sharply, ¡°I came back to deal with a personal matter!¡±


    ¡°Who knows if your personal matter was to secretly meet your friend¡¯s wife?¡±


    Ian was awfully pleased with himself.


    He was pleasantly surprised that Lennon had returned to the country two weeks ago. He never


    expected Lennon to be around, even if he had created the rumor.


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ian kept smiling. ¡°Unless you can find a witness and material evidence to prove that you didn¡¯t


    1/3


    meet Cherise that day, you can¡¯t exin it, right?¡±


    Lennon narrowed his eyes and wanted to say something but kept quiet.


    The reporters at the press conference took photos and discussed it amongst themselves in


    session.


    At this critical juncture, there¡¯s irrefutable evidence of Cherise and Lennon¡¯s rtionship!


    We haven¡¯te in vain!


    ¡°Everyone, calm down.¡±


    On stage, Mnie smiled calmly.


    She held the microphone and spoke gracefully as she instructed for the contract to be taken out.


    ¡°Thank you to the couple, Mrs. Lenoir and Mr. Belcourt, foring here and letting us know. that Mr.


    Ian Philips did the right thing.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to go through too manyplicated procedures. Let¡¯s sign the contract. The Fuoco


    Corporation is willing to sponsor a kind, gentle man like Mr. Ian Philips.¡±


    She deliberately emphasized the words ¡®the couple, Mrs. Lenoir and Mr. Belcourt.¡±


    Her words also amazed everyone.


    Cherise¡¯splexion was utterly pale.


    On stage, Ian nced at Cherise, looking very pleased with himself. He lifted his hand, picked up. a


    pen, and was about to sign the contract with Mnie,


    Cherise felt utterly destroyed.


    Am I so useless¡­


    I can¡¯t even do anything.


    I wanted to clear my name, but I made it worse¡­¡­.


    ¡°What the heck are you doing?!¡±


    Lucy finally couldn¡¯t restrain herself. She picked up a teacup on a table at the side and threw it at Ian.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met such a shameless man!¡±


    Ian clearly never expected Lucy to use force.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to duck. The teacup hit his chest.


    The tea sshed all over him.


    2/3


    Wen an attendant came to help dry him, he was still holding a microphone and frigting chivalry ¡°Mr.


    Lenoir¡¯s best friend you¡¯re emotionally disturbed¡±


    ¡°But if you have the time to throw a teacup at me, why don¡¯t you ask Mr. Lennon Belcourt whether he


    has proof that he didn¡¯t meet Cherise instead.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    Chapter 244 Why Is He Here


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have evidence nothing you say will be useful¡±


    Lury was utterly enraged


    She turned and red savagely at Lernon. ¡°Tell us. What on earth was the personal matter you


    returned for


    She didn¡¯t believe that there was no witness?


    There were so many people in Adania. Did no one see Lennon on that day?


    If he admitted where he went, they could find a witnes


    But Lennon pursed his lips. ¡°There were no witnesses.¡±


    ¡°No witnesses!¡±


    Lennon sneered on stage while holding the microphone as he emphasized his words. ¡°Are you unable


    to find any witnesses. Mr. Belcourt? Or even if you do, will it only prove that the two of you were


    together that day?¡±


    The voices at the press conference rose and fell in session


    Some discussed it, some jeered at Lennon and Cherise, and some insulted the two.


    ¡°Who says there were no witnesses?¡±


    An aged yet dignified voice suddenly came from the direction of the door.


    Everyone at the scene looked up in session.


    An old man with white hair sitting in a wheelchair had spoken.


    But Cherise¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t stop on the old man for half a second.


    She stared closely at the man pushing the wheelchair behind the old man.


    Isn¡¯t he on a business trip in the neighboring town¡­


    How can he be¡­.


    Damien pushed the old man on stage.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Old Mr. Belcourt?¡±


    ¡°It is him! He hasn¡¯t appeared in public in so many years!¡±


    1/3


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard he refused to attend any event since his legs were paralyzed, and he usually


    doesn¡¯t leave his house often!¡±


    ¡°Why is he here¡­¡±


    As the reporters were discussing. Old Mr. Belcourt waved his hands.


    It was as though a switch was turned on among the reporters. They instantly quietened.


    ¡°I¡¯m here today to be a witness for my grandson, Lennon.¡±


    Old Mr. Belcourt stroked his beard and looked at Lennon lovingly. ¡°Sixteen days ago was my birthday.¡±


    The scene was in an uproar again.


    When Lennon was eighteen years old, he suffered a severe illness. His parents refused to pay for his


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    treatment. They informed him that he was adopted and chased him out of the Belcourt family.


    Since then, Lennon announced that he was breaking off rtions with the Belcourt family and would


    never speak to them again.


    No one imagined¡­ that Lennon returned to the country sixteen days ago to celebrate Old Mr.


    Belcourt¡¯s birthday.


    On the stage, Old Mr. Belcourt sighed indifferently. ¡°After getting off the ne that day, Lennon came to


    me and stayed with me. He only left the next morning¡±


    ¡°My servants and bodyguards at home can testify.¡±


    After that, the old man turned to look at Ian. ¡°Mister, are you satisfied with testimony?¡±


    my


    witness


    Even if he was from the countryside, he could tell from the reporters¡¯ faces at that moment that Old Mr.


    Belcourt¡­ was of significant status.


    Ian bit his lips and looked at Old Mr. Belcourt. ¡°Of course I am.¡±


    ¡°With such a virtuous and prestigious old man like yourself to bear witness for Mr. Belcourt, you can


    say whatever you like. How would I dare to be dissatisfied?¡±


    The press conference was in an uproar again.


    Ian¡¯s intentions were evident.


    He was implying that Old Mr. Belcourt was taking Lennon¡¯s side.


    2/3


    grated her teeth. This perum is terrib


    nediately startend


    Cyberw

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    Chapter 245 False Testimony


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    On stage, Damien suddenly called out her name.


    She immediately looked up at him.


    The man¡¯s deep eyes stared at her. ¡°Where¡¯s the thing Susan asked you to bring along?¡±


    Cherise was startled and remembered she had a bottle of makeup remover in her bag!


    Did¡­ Did he arrange this?


    Did he know beforehand that Ian would use special effects makeup?


    She immediately grabbed the makeup remover and sprinted to the stage.


    At that moment, Ian was still arguing back and forth with Lennon.


    Damien gave Cherise a meaningful nce.


    The girl nodded and walked over. Whilen wasn¡¯t paying attention, she poured the entire bottle. of


    makeup remover over his face.


    The makeup remover was special. Not only could it remove regr makeup products, but it could also


    remove oil paint used in special effects makeup!


    In an instant, Ian¡¯s face started running with makeup.


    The purple and red pigments on his face began to smudge.


    The attendant immediately came over to wipe it off for him.


    As the shades were removed by the makeup remover, his fair and clean face was revealed.


    Everyone offstage cried out in surprise.


    The injuries on Damien¡¯s face were created with makeup!


    His face was clean and spotless. He didn¡¯t look like he was beaten up to a pulp!


    A reporter stood up angrily. ¡°Ian Philips, did you deliberately put on special effects makeup to deceive


    us?¡±


    Lucy put her arms around her chest and said coldly, ¡°How would he gain pity if he didn¡¯t use makeup?¡±


    The reporters who had felt bad forn had nasty expressions as though they had eaten something


    1/3


    awful.


    Ian clearly realized that Cherise hadn¡¯t sshed him with normal water!


    He was unyielding and stubborn. ¡°Even if my face doesn¡¯t have bruises, everyone has seen the video


    where I was beaten up. That wasn¡¯t fake!¡±


    ¡°Lennon had really assaulted me previously!¡±


    After that, he turned and looked coldly at Lennon. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re cleared of suspicion just because


    Old Mr. Belcourt gave a false testimony!¡±


    ¡°False testimony?¡±


    At the side, Damien finallyughed.


    He took out a USB sh drive and projected it.


    As the man stood on stage, his actions were extraordinarily graceful. When he raised his hands, he


    looked like an employee exining uing work assignments. He opened the files in the sh drive


    one by one.


    ¡°Old Mr. Belcourt was engrossed with raising cats for a while, so he installed surveince monitors


    where the cats frequently roamed. He wanted to find out about the cats¡¯ daily habits.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, my people found records from sixteen days ago in the surveince monitors.¡±


    He yed the videos. Footage of Lennon entering and leaving Old Mr. Belcourt¡¯s house was seen.


    ¡°Of course, we also found the street traffic footage that day.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked at Ian coldly with a palpable murderous demeanor. ¡°Would you like to take a


    look, Mr. Philips?¡±


    Damien yed the footage.


    The street traffic footage also showed Lennon had left the airport and went to Old Mr. Belcourt¡¯s house


    that day. The next day, he went straight to the airport from Old Mr. Belcourt¡¯s house.


    Lenoir Manor, where Damien and Cherise lived, was in the other direction. Lennon didn¡¯t head. there at


    all.


    The truth was revealed.


    Ian took one step back subconsciously.


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Just¡­. Just because Cherise¡¯s child isn¡¯t Lennon¡¯s, it doesn¡¯t change the fact


    that you harassed and beat me down!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a group of people who take advantage of your position to bully others!¡±


    2/3

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Chapter 246 I¡¯m Not Sick


    Damien smiled.


    He looked at Ian coldly, and a cruel smile formed in the corners of his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re the only


    one with a recording.¡±


    He opened another file.


    ¡°You were hired because of your connection to Mr. Lenoir. Now that you¡¯ve done something to


    sabotage Mr. Lenoir, you naturally can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    ¡°This is the recording whenn went to ask for his job back from the research institute director.¡±


    Damien¡¯s low voice was indifferent. ¡°Has everyone understood?¡±


    The reporters lowered their heads in session.


    In the recording, Ian admitted that the research institute had hired him because Cherise had asked


    Damien to connect him.


    Ian also admitted that he was prejudiced against Damien and didn¡¯t want Cherise to give birth to


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Damien¡¯s child.


    Therefore, he knew the child in Cherise¡¯s womb was Damien¡¯s from the start!


    Moreover, he had fed Cherise an abortion pill when she was unaware!


    ¡°This person is too malicious!¡±


    After discovering the truth, the reporters on the scenes changed sides in session.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t over.¡±


    Damien opened thest file. ¡°It seems like secretly recording runs in the family.¡±


    Thest file was a recording of a call between Mark and Ian.


    On the call, Mark had advisedn repeatedly not to provoke Damien or harm their child. He advisedn


    to be a doctor with good medical ethics.


    On the call, Ian agreed to the other party¡¯s requests.


    But in reality, he didn¡¯t fulfill his promise.


    The public persona he had painstakingly taken the time to build up for himself instantly copsed.


    1/3


    Jan gritted his teeth and red at Damien. His eyes were filled with bizarre hatred. ¡°You rich people


    are amazing. You found so much surveince footage and even got a recording from my


    uncle!¡±


    ¡°Wait and see. One day, I¡¯ll¡­..¡±


    Beforen could finish speaking, the doctors Damien brought restrainedn.


    ¡°Mr.n Philips, you¡¯re mentally unstable. Mr. Lenoir has paid your hospitalization expenses for the rest


    of your life. Please follow us.¡±


    Mental illness¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick!¡±


    Damien sneered at him. ¡°Every mental illness patient says they¡¯re not sick.¡±


    Ian was escorted to the mental hospital¡¯s vehicle by the doctors.


    Shortly after the vehicle left, it was stopped by a group of people.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The man in the lead smiled at the people in the car. ¡°Our boss wants this person.¡±


    Before the doctors coulde to their senses, those people snatched Ian from the car.


    Ian was brought to a sinister vi..


    A woman in a wheelchair drank tea with her back facing him. ¡°You killed a Lenoir child.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was hoarse and raspy, givingn an icy chill. ¡°Do you know what will happen. to


    those who murder a Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A bloodcurdling shriek resounded in the entire vi.


    The press conference ended.


    The reporters had previouslye for Ian. Many had even written articles beforehand criticizing.


    Damien, Lennon, and Cherise. They just needed to insert pictures of the press conference into their


    column.


    In the end, they came across an astonishing reversal!


    After Damien announced the end of the press conference, the reporters dispersed at once because


    they feared that Damien would remember their faces.


    2/3


    3/3

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    Chapter 247 You¡¯re Too Innocent


    Lennon also came over and butt in. ¡°Ms. Fuoco, go home and tell your grandfather that even if he


    wants to promote hispany¡¯s reputation, he can¡¯t do it like this.¡±


    Mnie sneered. She looked up into Damien¡¯s deep and boundless eyes. ¡°As it turns out, you¡¯re so


    capable, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were blind for the rest of your life!¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    After that, she turned to look at Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re quite brave.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what will happen to women with Damien?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. As she reached out and kept her belongings, she nced at Mnie. ¡°I don¡¯t


    care.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been married to my husband for over a month. I¡¯m safe and sound and perfectly well.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up and smiled sweetly at Mnie. ¡°It proves that I¡¯m tenacious. I¡¯m not afraid


    of anything.¡±


    ¡°Your courage ismendable.¡±


    Mnie smiled and took out a cigarette from her pocket to light it.


    Through the cigarette smoke, she looked at Cherise. Damien was putting his arms around Cherise as


    they nned to leave. ¡°No matter how tenacious you are, you can¡¯t beat someone with a grudge.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Damien¡¯s threete ex-fianc¨¦es just died?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too innocent.¡±


    ¡°They each died a violent death. A car ident, jumping off a building, getting poisoned.¡±


    ¡°None of them died of natural causes.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s figure froze slightly.


    She could vaguely guess what Mnie wanted to say.


    It was just as she had expected.


    Mnie looked at Cherise from behind as Cherise walked away. ¡°The three women¡¯s cause of death.


    Someone with a normal intellect would be able to figure out that they were targeted.¡±


    ¡°And your husband, Damien. He was the fianc¨¦ to those three women, but he¡¯s indifferent and


    apathetic.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise bit her lips and held Damien¡¯s arm tightly.


    The woman¡¯s voice behind them grew softer as they walked away. When they were at the entrance,


    sheughed. ¡°Cherise, I¡¯ll wait to see if he¡¯ll save you when you¡¯re harmed.¡±


    ¡°If he watches on and does nothing, it proves he¡¯s a scum.¡±


    ¡°But if he dares to help you, don¡¯t me me for taking action.¡±


    ¡°Your life is precious. But my sister¡¯s life is precious too!¡±


    ¡°Mmph! Cough, cough¡­¡±


    Mnie had just finished speaking when Lennon turned around and picked up a walnut before


    ¡°You¡¯re too long-winded!¡±


    The man rolled his eyes at her and turned to nce at Damien. ¡°You¡¯re so good-natured. How can you


    tolerate her ranting?¡±


    Damien continued walking out with his hands around Cherise. ¡°She¡¯s quite pitiful. She lost her rtives,


    and she can¡¯t take revenge. She can only vent a little like this.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re willing to be her trashcan?


    Lennon pursed his lips.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice was indifferent. ¡°With every word she said against me, her family¡¯s stock prices will fall


    slightly.¡±


    ¡°From what she said, they will go down ten points.¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brows. He vaguely felt a bad premonition in his heart. ¡°Ten points it is. Why are


    you telling me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving it in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Why are you leaving it to me?! Why should I do such offensive tasks¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you ten times your sry.¡±


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    Lennon¡¯s hands were clenched into fists. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll settle it!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    2/3


    Damien opened the car door for Cherise gracefully. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten the whole day. Should we go


    home or cat out?¡±


    When Damien said it, Cherise recalled that she, Lucy, and Lennon also hadn¡¯t eaten lunch.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and eat together with everyone.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    Chapter 248 Put the Partition Up


    It was around four in the afternoon now. Susan must not have started preparing dinner yet. They would


    only trouble her if they went home now.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Damien smiled nonchntly. He turned and nced at Lennon. ¡°Get in. My treat.¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lennon excitedly headed to the backseat.


    ¡°You drive.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Damien pushed Lennon aside gracefully. He sat beside Cherise in the backseat. ¡°Because I miss my


    wife.¡±


    Lennon, Cherise, and Lucy were all dumbstruck..


    Damien, can you consider the feelings of everyone around you when you¡¯re affectionate?


    Lennon epted his fate and sat in the driver¡¯s seat to drive.


    Lucy was also sensible and sat in the passenger¡¯s seat.


    Cherise¡¯s face was a crimson red from blushing.


    But it was as though Damien felt that it wasn¡¯t enough. He continued, ¡°Put the partition up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Damien! Put the partition up? What do you want to do in the car?!¡± Lennon eximed.


    Damien smiled insincerely at Lennon through the rearview mirror. ¡°I want to tell my wife about. the pain


    of yearning for her after not seeing her for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Do you not want to put the partition up because¡­ you want to listen in?¡±


    He switched to afortable posture and put one hand on Cherise¡¯s shoulder. The other hand was


    behind his head as he nced at Lennon idly. ¡°If you really want to listen, I¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the partition was going up.


    The divider separated the car into two spaces.


    ¡°How annoying.¡±


    1/3


    Lennon sighed. He smiled at Lucy in slight embarrassment.


    After the partition went up, there was much space in the backseat, but Lennon and Lucy didn¡¯t have


    much space in the front.


    The space was so small that Lucy could hear the rhythm and frequency of Lennon¡¯s breathing clearly.


    Although easygoing, she rarely interacted with a man alone in such a narrow space like this.


    An indescribable nervous feeling surfaced in her heart. Lucy even felt that her face had started to flush.


    She coughed lightly. ¡°They¡­ they are quite annoying.¡±


    After that, she turned her face slightly frantically and looked out the car window.


    You must calm down, Lucy Staber!


    But in the backseat of the car, Cherise couldn¡¯t calm down.


    She hugged the man¡¯s neck and was breathless from his kisses.


    ¡°Honey¡­¡±


    ¦§


    She pushed him and coyly feigned anger. ¡°Lennon and Lucy are up front. Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t act recklessly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything else.¡±


    He loved seeing her bewildered and flushed appearance.


    The man let her go and gently squeezed her soft, fair cheeks. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°Did you miss me while I was gone for the past few days?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Only a little?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ A lot.¡±


    When the car stopped outside a restaurant, Cherise was the first to open the car door and exit the


    vehicle.


    The refreshing wind outside finally cooled her flushed face.


    Lucy was the second to get out of the car.


    2/3

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    Chapter 249 Why Are You Lost in Thought


    ¡°Is Lennon really doing whatever he wants because Damien is paying?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and looked up at the signboard. They were really at New World


    Restaurant.


    Cherise had previously made a mistake when treating the student council president and others to a


    meal, so she had researched all the upscale restaurants in Adania like the good student she was.


    New World Restaurant¡¯s prices were second only to Viopril Pce among Adania¡¯s upscale


    restaurants.


    Lennon had driven here while everyone wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    When Cherise thought about it, she subconsciously wanted to enter the car again. ¡°No, no. This ce


    is too expensive!¡±


    She was still disturbed about what had happened in Viopril Pce!


    Damien happened to be exiting the vehicle when she walked toward the car.


    The girl walked right into the man¡¯s tall figure.


    He reached out to pull her into an embrace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Lennon did it on purpose!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips andined. ¡°He brought us to the second most expensive restaurant in


    Adania!¡±


    It was just the four of them eating together. They didn¡¯t have to go to such a restaurant.


    It was extravagant and a waste of money!


    Damienughed. He knew about her living environment since she was young, and it must have


    cultivated a frugal mindset within her. She must have been feeling troubled that they were at such a


    ce.


    But he smiled at her indifferently. ¡°We don¡¯t have to spend money here.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. Before she could say anything, Lennon locked the car in exasperation. ¡°I


    own New World Restaurant.¡±


    He sighed, feeling aggrieved. ¡°I initially wanted to treat everyone to a meal at my restaurant, but¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face paled.


    1/3


    Her mouth widened. She realized that she had misunderstood Lennon and immediately. apologized to


    him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±


    Lennon yawned. As he walked to the restaurant, he spoke indolently. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the one who should


    be apologizing.¡±


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t so impulsive and hadn¡¯t assaulted Ian, none of this would have happened.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t returned two weeks ago¡­ you wouldn¡¯t have been so embarrassed at the press


    conference.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s figure froze slightly.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything.¡±


    Damien caressed her head. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for so many years. You don¡¯t have to be so polite and


    courteous.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She slowly walked into the restaurant as Damien hugged her.


    Lucy stood on her spot and watched Lennon¡¯s figure as he walked in..


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt that¡­ Lennon wasn¡¯t as optimistic and cheerful as he seemed on the


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    surface.


    His figure was so lonely and sorrowful. She could feel that he wasn¡¯t happy.


    Was it¡­ because Old Mr. Belcourt had appeared and brought up his painful memories?


    ¡°Lucy?¡±


    Upon seeing Lucy still lost in thought at her initial spot, Cherise broke free from Damien¡¯s arms. and


    dashed to Lucy¡¯s side. Cherise pulled Lucy into the restaurant. ¡°Why are you lost in thought?¡±


    At this time, Lucy returned to her senses and entered the restaurant with Cherise.


    The restaurant¡¯s lobby was splendid.


    An urgent matter popped up at thepany, so Damien went away to answer the phone as soon as he


    entered.


    As for Lennon, he hadn¡¯t been to the restaurant in a long time. The boss dragged him upstairs to talk


    about the restaurant¡¯s performance as soon as he walked in.


    Before leaving, Lennon instructed the manager to lead Cherise and Lucy to a private room to


    wait.


    2/3

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    Chapter 250 Tell Him to Come Out


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Lennon. Ask him toe out.¡±


    Shortly after, a sharp woman¡¯s voice rang at the reception. ¡°Someone at New World Restaurant sent


    me a message saying he¡¯s here.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was icy and sharp. ¡°Tell him toe out and talk to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his younger sister!¡±


    Lucy wrinkled her brows slightly. ¡°Lennon¡¯s sister?¡±


    Cherise pursed his lips. Isn¡¯t Violet Lennon¡¯s younger sister?


    Cherise subconsciously looked up toward the sound.


    It was just as she expected.


    Violet crossed her hands before her chest at New World Restaurant¡¯s reception. She towered over the


    receptionist as she looked at her. ¡°I want to see Lennon. Please tell him toe out and meet me,¡±


    ¡°Just say his sister is looking for him.¡±


    It had been a long time since Cherise had seen Violet. Violet was still wearing a red outfit, but it was in


    a different style.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Belcourt.¡±


    The receptionist smiled at Violet politely. ¡°Our boss said he doesn¡¯t have a younger sister.¡±


    ¡°So please leave. He won¡¯t meet you.¡±


    Violet¡¯s face flushed before it paled.


    She gritted her teeth ferociously before ring at the receptionist fiercely. ¡°Tell him toe out


    and meet me!¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a younger sister?¡±


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t have a younger sister, why did he return to the country?¡±


    ¡°When he initially returned to the country, didn¡¯t he return under false pretenses to visit me?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°But he¡¯s now fallen out and be hostile with me? Is he saying he doesn¡¯t have a younger sister


    anymore?¡±


    Her bellowing rang throughout the whole hall.


    1/3


    Cherise looked at the scene before her in astonishment.


    Although she didn¡¯t have a good impression of Violet, she always thought Violet had a gentle and


    old demeanor, even if the woman was crafty,


    Cherise even suspected that the person currently shouting hysterically wasn¡¯t actually Violet


    A deathly silence crept over the hall.


    Almost everyone in the hall focused their gazes on Violet.


    The woman in red took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Did Lennon say he doesn¡¯t have a sister like


    me


    ¡°Actually, he isn¡¯t my biological brother either.¡±


    Sheughed coldly and lifted her hands to knock on the reception counter. ¡°Tell Lennon that his fianc¨¦e


    is here to see him. Ask him toe out.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened. What is she doing?


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Lucy, who was at one side, couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I never imagined this. Not only do you have


    improper thoughts toward Damien, but your brother isn¡¯t immune either, Ms. Violet Belcourt.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s voice was taunting.


    Violet instantly raised her brows in anger.


    A


    Never mind that she had said it just to infuriate Lennon. She didn¡¯t actually have improper thoughts


    about him. But even if she had feelings for Lennon, no one in Adania could ridicule her!


    She looked over subconsciously toward the voice.


    At first nce, she didn¡¯t see Lucy, who had taunted her. She saw Cherise instead, who was beside


    Lucy.


    Violet narrowed her eyes and squinted. The corners of her lips curled into a sneer. ¡°Are you here to


    brag just a few days after your miscarriage?¡±


    Her eyes were filled with ridicule. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t you stand your loneliness? Did youe out to


    fool around with men before your body recovers?¡±


    After that, she seemed to suddenlye to a realization. ¡°Didn¡¯t many people online SIY that Mrs.


    Lenoir and Lennon had a special rtionship a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here in Lennon¡¯s restaurant before your body recovered, Mrs. Lenoir. From how I see it,


    2/3


    you do have an extraordmary rtionship¡±


    Violet¡¯s words were piercing


    Cherise¡¯s hands by her side were clenched into tight fists


    ¡°How is it any of your business where Cherise wants to go


    Lucy stood up and red at Violet coldly ¡°If you cane here, why can¡¯t Cherise?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    Chapter 251 I¡¯m Sorry, I Didn¡¯t Know


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    As Lucy spoke, she looked at Violet despicably. ¡°Moreover, if I remember correctly, Lennon invited its


    here.¡±


    And you, Ms. Belcourt. You came even when you weren¡¯t invited. You want to meet Lennon, but you¡¯re


    being turned away


    ¡°Cherise and Lennon do have an extraordinary rtionship. After all, Cherise is the wife of Damien,


    Lennon¡¯s good friend.¡±


    ¡°As for you, Ms. Belcourt¡­.


    Lucy crossed her legs and reached out to fiddle with the teacups on the coffee table. A taunting smile


    formed on the corners of her lips. ¡°You¡¯re Lennon¡¯s so-called younger sister, but he doesn¡¯t want to see


    you. You even tried to say you¡¯re his fianc¨¦e to provoke him to meet you.¡±


    ¡°How embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of a sister you are that he hates you so much.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Violet¡¯s face immediately turned scarlet red!


    No one had ever dared to speak to her like this!


    Who is this woman?!


    Why is she speaking to me in this way?!


    Cherise¡¯s best friend?


    Even Cherise dares not talk to me like this. Who does this woman think she is?


    Violet gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of speaking to me.¡±


    After that, she turned and red straight at Cherise. ¡°Are you mute? Do you need someone to fight


    your battles for you in an argument?¡±


    Cherise was surprised.


    She was getting a kick out of watching the scene before her. She never expected to be the target of


    Violet¡¯s wrath.


    Cherise blinked. ¡°So you wanted to argue with me?¡±


    The girl¡¯s crisp voice was cold yet captivating. It resonated in the hall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Belcourt. I didn¡¯t


    know.¡±


    1/3


    Her melodious voice and bright gaze instantly left Violet stunned


    The patrons in the restaurant were either watching the scene, in a business meeting, drinking tea. or


    being curious, but everyone¡¯s actions suddenly froze.


    There was a pin-drop silence in the hall.


    After a long while. Lucy startedughing first


    Consequently, the hall erupted in waves ofughter


    Violet had a stormy expression.


    Cherise must have done it deliberately!


    My intentions were so obvious. Cherise can¡¯t be so foolish that she doesn¡¯t know I was directing it at


    her.


    She only said that to make me look bad!


    ¡°You crack me up, Cherry.¡±


    Lucy was amazed by Cherise. ¡°Ms. Belcourt kept going on and on because she wanted to infuriate you


    so you would start arguing with her.¡±


    *But you were just watching curiously?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips andughed slightly embarrassedly. ¡°You¡¯re so capable. I thought I could. just


    watch.¡±


    Cherise had never been very good with her words. Every time she got into a conflict with. someone at


    school, she would only end up feeling aggrieved.


    But she became friends with Lucy after that.


    Lucy¡¯s mind worked faster than hers, and she had a sharper tongue. If anything happened, Lucy would


    always retaliate on her behalf. As time passed, she could just watch with Lucy by her side.


    This time was no exception.


    When Lucy and Violet started arguing back and forth, she silently poured tea for Lucy at the side. She


    also ced a few grapes on the te before Lucy as she supported Lucy from behind the


    scenes.


    Cherise never thought that she was the target of Violet¡¯s wrath. Therefore, Cherise ended up retorting


    nkly.


    Cherise didn¡¯t know that others viewed her unconscious action and instinctive response as the best


    ambush against Violet!


    Violet had been mulling over it for a long time as she ridiculed and spoke sarcastically to Cherise.


    2/3


    In the end, Cherise wasn¡¯t even paying attention to Violet and didn¡¯t n on retorting!


    Violet had been treated like a princess since she was young. She had never faced such humiliation!


    She raised a teacup at Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re so good at seducing men. I never imagined that you were so


    good at pretending, too!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252


    Chapter 252 You Deserve It


    ¡°Why the heck are you pretending to be innocent? You secretly enticed my brother. How pure can you


    be?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t seduce me.¡±


    Lennon¡¯s cold and deep voice suddenly rang in her ears.


    Violet gritted her teeth. She knew that Lennon would support Cherise after arriving, so she threw the


    teacup in her hands at Cherise.


    She wouldn¡¯t have another chance to do so if she didn¡¯t do it now!


    With Damien protecting the dumb country bumpkin, Lennon wouldn¡¯t allow Violet to harm. Cherise!


    The teacup was filled with scalding tea.


    It fell to the floor with a crash.


    Violet looked up in delight. She wanted to see Cherise¡¯s miserable state after Cherise was sshed


    with a hot liquid.


    But Violet looked up into Damien¡¯s icy and menacing eyes instead.


    At that moment, he gently pulled Cherise into his arms and looked at Violet coldly.


    The left side of his suit was soaked with tea. A few tea leaves were even stuck to his coat.


    Damien had clearly stopped the tea from sshing Cherise.


    Violet gritted her teeth viciously.


    She knew all along that Damien doted on Cherise immensely.


    She finally personally witnessed it today.


    Jealousy crept through her heart like vines.


    Why does Cherise deserve it?!


    She¡¯s just a dim-witted, foolish girl from the countryside. She doesn¡¯t know anything, and she can¡¯t do


    anything. Why does Damien value her so much?


    ¡®Smack!¡±


    Violet was pped fiercely before she could return to her senses from feeling envious.


    1/3


    She was slightly dizzy from the p and turned around subconsciously A young teen¡¯s faer was before


    hers. He was around thirteen or fourteen years old.


    She instinctively took a few steps back.


    She had previously seen this young teen in a navy blue outfit thest time she was at the police


    station.


    ke Lenoir.


    The most outstanding young bodyguard by Damien¡¯s side.


    He was also currently Cherise¡¯s bodyguard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like hitting women.¡±


    The young teen raised his hand.


    ¡®Smack!


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But you deserve it.¡±


    After ke had pped Violet for the fifth time, Damien waved his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s stop for Lennon¡¯s


    sake.¡±


    ¡°You can just express concern for ke if you don¡¯t want him to feel tired. Don¡¯t use me as an


    excuse.¡±


    Lennon leaned against the railing of the spiral staircase. He spoke indolently and indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t


    acknowledge having any rtionship with Ms. Belcourt. You don¡¯t have to stop on my


    behalf.¡±


    Violet felt her face burning. It wasn¡¯t just because ke had pped her five times. It was also


    because of Lennon¡¯s words.


    He said he didn¡¯t acknowledge having any rtionship with her.


    But he¡¯s my brother!


    She looked up at Lennon as she clenched and loosened her fists by her side. ¡°Bro, are you joking? I¡¯m


    your younger sister!¡±


    ¡°Younger sister?¡±


    Lennon was still leaning against the railing of the European-style spiral staircase. A scornful smile. was


    on the corners of his lips. ¡°The younger sister who called me the bearer of bad luck and told me to get


    lost over a decade ago?¡±


    ¡°Or the younger sister who cried and made a fuss asking our parents to get rid of me because she was


    afraid that my sickness would spread to her?¡±


    2/3


    Back then she thenght that I


    ten, why are you bolting a griler apxVAT


    hark the watchering gibberish Why do kr¨¢l ¨¦ es


    But I was also a cholel

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    Chapter 253 How Do You Know I¡¯m Lying


    ¡°Bro!¡±


    Vielet¡¯splexion paled.


    They were in New World Restaurant, the second most expensive upscale restaurant in Adania.


    Other than the restaurant staff, the patrons watching them in the hall were celebrities and distinguished


    families in high society. How could she have a footing in high society after he publicly humiliated her?


    ¡°Grandpa told me toe!¡±


    She thought of how Old Mr. Belcourt had personally bore witness in the press conference this


    afternoon that Lennon had specially returned from overseas two weeks ago for his birthday.


    Even if Lennon wanted to ignore her, he couldn¡¯t overlook Old Mr. Belcourt, right?


    Lennon raised his brows coldly. ¡°Grandpa told you toe?¡±


    Although he still had a resistant expression, Violet could feel that his demeanor wasn¡¯t as harsh as


    before!


    Just as she expected, mentioning her grandfather worked!


    ¡°Grandpa really asked me toe!¡±


    Violet pushed all the responsibility onto Old Mr. Belcourt. It was as though she had found herst


    resort. ¡°Grandpa wants us to reconcile. After all, both of us are his favorite grandchildren.¡±


    She tried her best to speak sincerely as she looked straight at Lennon. She hoped he would show her


    mercy for their grandfather¡¯s sake.


    However¡­.


    ¡°Old Mr. Belcourt never said such a thing.¡±


    On the couch at the side, Damien removed his coat gracefully. No emotion was heard in his deep


    voice. ¡°You need to ensure your deception makes sense before you lie.¡±


    Violet¡¯s hands were grabbing the lower half of her blouse tightly.


    ¡°How do you know Grandpa didn¡¯t say it?¡±


    ¡°How do you know I¡¯m lying?¡±


    Damien smiled indifferently, and his eyes were filled with provocation. ¡°Should I call Old Mr. Belcourt to


    verify?¡±


    1/3


    Violet gritted her teeth and dared not say anything,


    ¡°By the way.¡±


    Damien massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have the right to speak to me like


    this.¡±


    The veins on Violet¡¯s fist twitched.


    The Belcourt family had epted Damien¡¯s investment a decade ago because of Lennon when they


    faced cmity.


    After that, Damien became the new boss of Belcourt Group.


    This meant that other than Old Mr. Belcourt, the entire Belcourt family worked for Darnien.


    As the daughter of the Belcourt family, no matter how much Violet bragged conceitedly in front of


    others. Damien just saw her as his subordinate¡¯s family member.


    She didn¡¯t have the right to speak to him so loudly¡­


    ¡°Before you speak to me next time, ask your father how you should behave in front of me so I won¡¯t get


    angry.¡±


    ¡°This can never happen again.¡±


    He leaned back on the couch, ying with Cherise¡¯s hair idly and carelessly.


    Cherise¡¯s head was lowered. His coat was in her hands, and she was wiping away the tea leaves and


    stains on his coat.


    Violet gritted her teeth as she looked at Cherise and Damien¡¯s posture and actions. Her heart filled with


    jealousy again.


    She was wiping his coat, and he was ying with her hair!


    This was a tant public disy of affection!


    Violet was talented and had outstanding skills, but she didn¡¯t even have the right to speak to Damien


    loudly!


    As for Cherise, she was clueless, incapable, and foolish, but she was disying her affection with


    Damien so publicly!


    Who does she think she is?


    I refuse to ept it!


    ¡°Get rid of her.¡±


    2/3


    Lennon shut his eyes and sighed before waving at the bodyguards.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards rushed forward and restrained Violet on both sides before they threw her out.


    ¡°Lension Belcourt! Even if you don¡¯t admit it, you¡¯re part of the Belcourt family. Don¡¯t think you can cut


    ties with the Belcourt family. You¡¯re still a Belcourt!¡±


    Her threatening voice grew further away.

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    Chapter 254 Perhaps I¡¯m Mistaken


    When the voice vanished entirely, the crowd watching the scene from the hall also dispersed.


    Lennon hung over the railing and looked keenly at the well-matched couple and their third wheel on the


    couch downstairs. ¡°Food is being served. Are you three hungry yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Cherise ced Damien¡¯s coat down. She immediately stood up and pulled Lucy with her. ¡°Let¡¯s cat!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Lucy rose, and the two girls headed upstairs while holding hands.


    Lennon was still leaning against the railing.


    When the two girls walked past Lennon, Lucy thought of something and stopped.


    She let go of Cherise¡¯s hand and turned to look at Lennon. ¡°You said you were severely ill over a


    decade ago?¡±


    Lennon never expected Lucy to ask him such a question suddenly.


    He nced at her with a frown. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lucy looked at him, and her voice unexpectedly started to tremble. ¡°Can I ask which year you


    were sick?¡±


    Lennon was slightly impatient when his past was brought up. He didn¡¯t want to talk about it. ¡°Twelve


    years ago.¡±


    He was sixteen that year, but the doctor had announced his death sentence.


    All his rtives had abandoned him overnight..


    He used to be the glorious son of the Belcourt family. However, he transformed into an adopted son


    abandoned by the Belcourt family.


    Lennon would have long stopped breathing if Damien hadn¡¯t appeared and given him a new kidney.


    Twelve years ago¡­


    Lucy was slightly agitated. ¡°You had an operation twelve years ago, right?¡±


    The man before her and the young teen in her memories who never smiled matched. up. Lucy¡¯s heart


    started beating furiously. ¡°Where was your operation? Do you remember?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    1/3


    ¡°What operation was it?¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brows, and malice appeared in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell you all


    these.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s figure stiffened.


    The corners of her lips froze, and she couldn¡¯t say anything.


    Upon seeing her like that, Cherise immediately came and dragged her away. ¡°What are you doing,


    Lucy?¡±


    Cherise looked back at Lennon and lowered her voice. ¡°He must not want to think about his bad


    memories. Why do you keep questioning him?¡±


    Lucy was taken aback and pursed her lips tightly. ¡°I.. may have known him in the past.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened, and she asked softly, ¡°You know him?¡±


    Hasn¡¯t Lennon been overseas for over a decade? Didn¡¯t he just return?


    How can Lucy know him?


    She nudged Lucy¡¯s shoulder curiously. ¡°When did you meet him?¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips and looked over Cherise¡¯s shoulder at the man heading upstairs with Damien.


    The unfamiliar arrogance on his features made Lucy¡¯s heart tighten slightly.


    After a long time, she sighed. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m mistaken.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and wanted to say something, but Lennon and Damien entered the private


    room.


    The girl ttened her lips and stopped asking. She moved obediently to Damien¡¯s side and sat


    down.


    Lennon naturally sat across them.


    Lucy hesitated momentarily but could only sit by Lennon¡¯s side.


    The food on the table was sumptuous. Every dish was prepared meticulously by New World


    Restaurant¡¯s chefs. They looked and smelled delicious.


    This was Cherise¡¯s first time seeing such delectable food.


    Every dish looked exquisite!


    The girl¡¯s restrained handsy under the table.


    2/3

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    Chapter 255 Two Reasons


    ¡°Can you respect your host?¡±


    Cherise knew he wasn¡¯t actually angry, so she beamed and cast a meaningful nce at Lucy, hinting at


    Lucy to pass Lennon the cutlery.


    Lucy pursed her lips. She picked up the utensils gently and handed them to Lennon.


    Her fingertips brushed past the veins on the back of his hand as she did it.


    It was as though her fingers burned.


    She quickly pulled away and looked down to start eating.


    Cherise was focused on the delicious food on the table, so she didn¡¯t notice Lucy¡¯s strange behavior.


    She smiled when she saw Lennon holding the cutlery in his hands. ¡°Since you¡¯ve started eating, 1


    won¡¯t hold back!¡±


    The famished girl finally started eating heartily.


    Upon seeing her devour her food ravenously, Damien knew she was hungry.


    As the man took Cherise¡¯s favorite food and put it on her te gracefully, he spoke nonchntly, ¡°Lucy,


    are you feeling unwell?**


    Lucy froze and immediately shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too hot, so I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    She took a deep breath, removed her coat, and rose. ¡°I¡¯m going out for some air.¡±


    After that, the girl turned to leave.


    Lucy shut the door of the private room. Lennon didn¡¯t look up at all and continued eating.


    Damien shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out to check on her?¡±


    Lennon frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Your restaurant¡¯s private room made her feel like she can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    His voice was deep and indifferent, as usual. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go and check on her?¡±


    Lennon continued eating. ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to go out.¡±


    1/3


    Damien looked at hum. Coldness and impatience had crept into Damien¡¯s eyes.


    It was as though Damien felt like Lennon¡¯s presence was a bother.


    Lennon was ufortable under Damien¡¯s stare.


    He furrowed his brows and red at Damien. ¡°Cherry is eating so ravenously. She doesn¡¯t have the


    time to hug or kiss you.¡±


    ¡°Whether she has the time to do so is none of your business.¡±


    His light and nonchnt voice was also harsh and stern as it resonated powerfully. ¡°I¡¯m telling you to


    go and check on Lucy.¡±


    At this time, Lennon rolled his eyes. He put his cutlery down and turned to leave.


    When the private room door shut again, Cherise burped. She looked up at Damien. ¡°Honey, why did


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    you insist on chasing him out?¡±


    Damien looked down and indulgently wiped away the grease on the corners of her lips. ¡°Two


    reasons.


    ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t want others to see your udylike appearance while you¡¯re eating a chicken leg.¡±


    Cherise was surprised. She looked at the chicken leg at the side of her te, and her face instantly


    flushed.


    The chefs here were outstanding. She was attracted by the golden chicken leg as soon as she entered


    the room.


    But after it was on her te, she felt that eating the chicken leg before Lennon was too awkward since


    she still didn¡¯t know him very well.


    Therefore, her chicken leg was left untouched on her te even halfway through the meal. She hadn¡¯t


    taken a single bite of it.


    ¡°Eat up.¡±


    Damien lifted his hands and stroked her head. ¡°If you like the food here, I can take a chef home.¡±


    Cherise had never turned down the food at home. She ate everything Susan made and always


    finished her food.


    This made him think that she genuinely liked Susan¡¯s cooking.


    But seeing her restrain her excitement here, he understood she didn¡¯t actually like Susan¡¯s cooking.


    She only ate out of politeness. Or perhaps she didn¡¯t want others to think she was conceited.


    2/3

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    Chapter 256 Aren¡¯t You Coming In


    The girl pursed her lips in embarrassment. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s nice, is it?¡±


    A restaurant¡¯s heart and soul consisted of its chefs. Wouldn¡¯t Damien make things difficult for the


    restaurant if he took a chef home with them?


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I can take home anything you like.¡±


    Cherise blushed.


    ¡°It¡¯s. It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Cherise smiled awkwardly. ¡°Susan¡¯s cooking is quite delicious.¡±


    After that, she coughed lightly and changed the subject. ¡°Honey, you said there were two reasons.


    What¡¯s the other reason?¡±


    ¡°Your friend seems to be interested in Lennon.¡±


    Damien unshelled a shrimp for her delicately. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡±


    Cherise was astonished. Sheughed slightly embarrassedly. ¡°My attention was focused on the food¡­¡±


    Damien shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Greedy girl.¡±


    As he spoke, he stuffed the unshelled shrimp into her mouth..


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks puffed with food..


    When she finished chewing and swallowed everything, she took a deep breath. Her voice was soft and


    sweet. ¡°Darling, Lucy told me just now that she might know Lennon from before.¡±


    ¡°After that, she said she was mistaken.¡±


    As Damien unshelled a shrimp, his hands froze.


    ¡°Lennon hasn¡¯t returned in so many years. How would she know him?¡±


    ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    The man furrowed his brows. The scene of the little girl standing outside the operating theater entrance


    appeared before his eyes.


    The little girl had secretly stood by the entrance since Lennon¡¯s kidney recement surgery


    started.


    1/3


    Back then, Damien had asserted to everyone else that he was blind, so he could only send Mr.


    Hampson to ask the girl.


    ¡°My My mom passed away. That boy¡¯s kidney is my mom¡¯s¡±


    The little girl blinked, and her eyes were pleading ¡°I want to see what he looks like. Can I?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes slightly and looked up at Cherise ¡°Lucy¡¯s parents.


    Cherise pursed her lips and wiped her mouth. ¡°She only has a dad. She doesn¡¯t have a mom.¡±


    The two people outside had yet to return even after Cherise finished eating two chicken legs.


    Cherise stroked her full tummy. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they returned? Aren¡¯t they hungry?¡±


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, they didn¡¯t eat lunch either, right?


    Damien smiled. ¡°They won¡¯te in unless you go out and look for them.¡±


    Cherise was confused. ¡°Why?¡±


    The man chuckled and kissed her soft cheek. ¡°They¡¯ll think we¡¯re being indecent here.¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned before she came to her senses.


    The girl¡¯s face flushed abruptly.


    She immediately rose and walked out of the private room in enormous strides.


    Lennon was standing in the corner of the corridor outside the private room and smoking.


    Meanwhile, Lucy sat on a chair on the other side and yed games on her cell phone.


    The two were very far apart. There were no sparks between them, contrary to what Damien had said.


    Cherise ttened her lips and dragged Lucy back into the private room.


    At the entrance, Lucy turned to look at Lennon. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in?¡±


    Lennon never expected Lucy to speak to him first.


    The man paused. ¡°I¡¯lle inter.¡±


    The girl pursed her lips. Her gaze finally fell on the cigarette in Lennon¡¯s hands.


    She almost instinctively walked over, snatched the cigarette from him, threw it on the floor, and


    stomped on it to extinguish it.


    Under Lucy and Lennon¡¯s astonished gazes, Lucy entered the private room without turning


    2/3


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    around. ¡°Smoking is bad for your health.¡±


    ¡°Good health is a privilege. Don¡¯t take it for granted.¡±


    Lennon was taken aback. He had a dark, gloomy, ambiguous gaze as he sneered. ¡°It¡¯s none of your


    business.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    Chapter 257 She¡¯s Quite Pretty


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Lucy¡¯s figure froze.


    But she didn¡¯t stay. She entered the room.


    Cherise was stupefied.


    ¡°Eat with her. I¡¯m going to answer a call.¡±


    Damien patted her shoulder and turned to leave.


    The private room door shut once more.


    Outside the room, Lennon nced at Damien. ¡°Did you know that I snuck back two weeks ago?¡±


    Damien nodded.


    Damien only needed a day for his business trip to the neighboring town.


    He was away for longer because he went to persuade Old Mr. Belcourt.


    After all, Lennon and the Belcourt family weren¡¯t on good terms. Suppose Old Mr. Belcourt came


    forward and revealed that Lennon privately interacted with him every year. It was no different from him


    announcing that he was breaking off rtions with the Belcourt family.


    Therefore, Damien thought he would need a long time to persuade Old Mr. Belcourt.


    But surprisingly, the old man was willing to stand on Lennon¡¯s side unswervingly.


    ¡°It makes sense.¡±


    Lennon let out a chuckle. ¡°I can¡¯t hide anything from you.¡±


    ¡°Also.¡±


    Damien turned to look toward the private room.


    He saw Cherise close to Lucy and speaking into her ear through the transparent door.


    The two girls were joking around softly as they ate.


    ¡°Do you remember that girl from anywhere?¡±


    Lennon raised his brows. ¡°Lucy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He took out a cigarette from his pocket and was just about to light it when her words rang in his


    1/3


    mind.


    Therefore, he kept the cigarette back in its box. ¡°She¡¯s quite pretty.¡±


    Lucy said she was in a bad mood and wanted Cherise to drink with her.


    But Cherise could only drink lemon tea because she was in poor health..


    Lucy downed two bottles of alcohol and passed out from being drunk before Lennon and Damien


    returned.


    Cherise also felt slightly sleepy as she saw Lucy lying on the table with closed eyes.


    She often felt sleepy due to her poor health.


    Damien pulled the delicate, yawning woman into his arms and nced at Lennon. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the other


    one with you.¡±


    Cherise leaned on Damien¡¯s shoulder as she yawned. ¡°Send Lucy home safely. You¡¯re forbidden from


    taking advantage of her because she¡¯s drunk!¡±


    Lennon lifted his hand to push the petite drunk woman who was unconscious. ¡°Wake up.¡±


    Lucy awoke.


    She smiled suggestively and started stroking Lennon¡¯s muscles. ¡°Handsome man¡­.¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brows and pushed her hand away.


    Her other hand started crawling over him. ¡°Let me touch you¡­¡±


    Damien smiled when he saw the scene before him. ¡°You should worry about Lucy taking advantage of


    Lennon while she¡¯s drunk instead.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    Damien ignored Lennon and Lucy.¡±


    He carried Cherise downstairs in enormous strides before getting into the car.


    On the way home, Cherise leaned against him and slept.


    When the vehicle arrived at Lenoir Manor, the man carried her in gently and ced her on therge


    bed in the bedroom.


    Under the lights, he could see theyer of almost invisible facial hair on her face.


    Her fair cheeks were flushed. With her fine facial hair, she looked even more lustrous and


    2/3


    Mr. Fangmen kennicked angienanly at the door ¡°Something happeren!


    girl into the convers. he exited de no


    Khas the king the gel in the


    samething happened inn


    After leaving due pre condence he wander the meal hopital He


    3/3

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    Chapter 258 Maeve Lenoir


    ¡°The hospital doctors called the police. The police had just filed a case whenn was sent to the mental


    hospital. However¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows. As he walked, he took the photos from Mr. Hampson.


    ¡°However, someone dug out one eye, chopped off two fingers, and broke both legs.¡±


    After listening to Mr. Hampson, Damien wrinkled his brows. His gaze fell on the photos ofn.


    Ian¡¯s body was bloody. He was tied with rope, and his legs were in strange positions. They had, indeed,


    been broken.


    His left eye and left hand were terribly red.


    ¡°This is a little too cruel¡­¡±


    Mr. Hampson followed behind Damien. ¡°From what Ian said, a woman in a wheelchair instructed


    people to do it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s suffered a great shock. He doesn¡¯t know where it happened and can¡¯t describe its location.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Mr. Hampson moved closer and pulled out a letter behind thest photo. ¡°But the nurses found this on


    him.¡±


    It was an envelope.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Damien took out its contents. It was a printed letter on an A4-sized sheet of paper.


    The letter was addressed to Damien.


    ¡°When have the Lenoirs be so kind and tender-hearted?¡±


    ¡®He killed your flesh and blood, but you¡¯re only locking him up? Howpassionate.


    Damien gripped the paper, and his gaze gradually darkened.


    He turned the paper over.


    Two letters were written behind the paper. ¡®M¡¯


    Damien gripped the paper ferociously. He was so agitated that he almost ripped the paper to


    shreds.


    1/3


    It was the woman¡¯s initials. The woman who had died in a fire thirteen years ago.


    His elder sister, Maeve Lenoir.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Mr. Hampson asked with slight fear and trepidation when he sensed that the atmosphere around. the


    man before him had abruptly turned cold.


    Damien stood on the spot like a statue, but his demeanor was so stifling that Mr. Hampson almost


    couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Mr. Hampson could only speak more cautiously. ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    ¡°Investigate.¡±


    The man shut his eyes. His deep voice was sinister and frightening. ¡°Find this afternoon¡¯s traffic


    camera footage and find out who kidnappedn.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Mr. Hampson excused himself and rushed down the stairs.


    Damien sat in his chair in the study room, and his burning gaze stared at the letters ¡®ML¡¯ written. on the


    paper.


    These two letters were different from the other words. They were handwritten.


    Their parents had passed away when he was young. Every time he brought his test papers home, the


    woman had personally written the two letters ¡®ML. before stroking his head. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s your


    guardian¡¯s signature!¡±


    At the time, he was young and always mumbled, ¡°The teacher said to sign your name, not write your


    initials.¡±


    She personally went to school and talked to his homeroom teacher about it. ¡°I¡¯m his elder sister, so I¡¯m


    his guardian. My written initials prove that he¡¯s shown it to me earnestly. I hope you can


    understand.¡±


    After she left, Damien¡¯s homeroom teacher discussed it with him and praised his sister. ¡°Your sister is


    extraordinary.¡±


    Damien shut his eyes.


    It had been thirteen years.


    She had passed away thirteen years ago. Few people in Adania knew her name, and fewer knew she


    liked to sign her name in this way.


    The man gripped the white paper in his hands.


    2/3


    3/3

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    Chapter 259 They Look Identical


    ¡°The vehicle that kidnappedn belongs to a prestigious family in Southville, the Wool family. Mandy


    Wool, the oldest daughter of the Wool family, was among those who kidnapped Ian, along with her


    personal bodyguard.¡±


    Damien raised his brows coldly. ¡°The Wool family?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mr. Hampson wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised at this oue because the


    Wool family didn¡¯t have much of a presence for the past few years.¡±


    ¡°To get to the bottom of it, I¡¯ve investigated three generations of Wools. The only intersection we have


    with the Wool family was a few decades ago when Old Mr. Lenoir had an improper rtionship with a


    Wool woman after getting drunk¡­¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Damien was dumbstruck.


    The old man had such an affair?


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Mr. Hampson coughed lightly. ¡°Ms. Mandy Wool¡¯s appearance¡­¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows and took a stack of photos from him..


    When the man¡¯s deep eyes saw the woman in the pictures, he was utterly bbergasted!


    He almost couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    After a moment, his hand started trembling. He quickly flipped through the photos in his hands.


    The woman looked identical in every angle and picture!


    His heart almost beat out of his chest.


    They looked identical. Identical!


    Even if thirteen years had passed, he could still remember that woman¡¯s appearance and every detail


    on her face clearly.


    It was his biological elder sister who was blood-rted to him!


    He heard his slightly agitated and trembling voice. ¡°How old is Mandy?¡±


    Mr. Hampson lowered his head and answered in a low voice, ¡°Information shows that she¡¯s only


    neen years old.¡±


    1/3


    The man¡¯s face was outlined by a grave and stern expression. It stiffened abruptly.


    He looked up in disbelief. ¡°Neen years old?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    Mr. Hampson pursed his lips. ¡°From the current information, Ms. Mandy Wool is only neen. years


    old.¡±


    Mr. Hampson seemed to have expected Damien¡¯s reaction. He looked down. ¡°I also asked relevant


    professionals, and they said that if women take good care of themselves, it¡¯s normal for them to look


    ten years younger than they actually are.¡±


    If Maeve was still alive, she would be twenty-nine years old now.


    Damien shut his eyes and let out a bitterugh. ¡°Instead of hoping she¡¯s that woman, why don¡¯t you


    investigate carefully if she was born like this or if she¡¯s undergone stic surgery?¡±


    Mr. Hampson was startled and suddenly understood. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate now.¡±


    ¡°Make an appointment with this Ms. Mandy Wool.¡±


    Damien looked down at the pictures on the table. A sneer formed in the corners of his lips. ¡°She used


    the Wool family¡¯s vehicle to kidnap fan with great fanfare and publicly revealed her personal


    bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°I think Ms. Wool wants to meet me.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Mr. Hampson left, Damien was alone in the study room again. He flipped through the pictures


    repeatedly.


    He vaguely realized he could see signs of past surgeries on Mandy¡¯s face.


    He sneered. He was initially excited when he thought his sister was still alive, but his heart gradually


    sank.


    He wanted to find out who was ying such a senseless game with him.


    But no matter what, the person who made Mandy go for stic surgery had a much higher status. than


    Raymond.


    At the very least, he found a way to attack Raymond¡¯s weak spot.


    It was probably because Cherise had slept more for the past few days. She awoke at around five


    o¡¯clock this morning for the first time.


    2/3

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    Chapter 260 Last Night¡¯s Incident


    When Cherise arrived, Damien was still looking at the photos, but he put them down and got up from


    the chair upon seeing her.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡± She grimaced.


    ¡°Would you like to get back in bed?¡± He looked at his watch.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m already up.¡±


    ¡°What about going to bed together?¡±


    ¡°Alright, then.¡± She relented with a pout.


    He wrapped his arms around her as they walked out of the room.


    However, she caught a glimpse of the photos of beautiful women as they turned around.


    She snuggled closer to him and teased, ¡°Are you looking at other women behind my back?¡±


    Damien smiled and pinched her face yfully. ¡°Indeed. I stayed up the entire night to look at other


    women. Are you jealous now?¡±


    Cherise hugged his broad waist. ¡°Not at all. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be jealous. I like something sweet


    and cozy.¡±


    Damien couldn¡¯t help himself but peck her cheeks several times after hearing the simplicity of her tone


    and gaze.


    ¡°I see. What do you think is my preference then?¡±


    Cherise pouted as she gave it a thought. ¡°You enjoy feeling jealous?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    He gently ced her on the bed and let her sleep in his arms.


    ¡°What is it, then?¡±


    ¡°My preference is you!¡±


    With that, he hugged her and fell asleep.


    It was already ten in the morning when she woke up the second time. She yawned and turned around,


    but he wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    1/2


    Doing the math, she realized that he had slept less than five hours.


    Can he handle this?


    She tossed around in bed and decided to make him sleep earlier that night.


    When she felt ready, she remembered Lucy¡¯s drunken stories the night before and called her.


    She recorded the entirety of Lucy hugging and kissing Leonard.


    I must make fun of her!


    ¡°You must be exaggerating!¡±


    Lucy retorted in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll do that. I¡¯m usually quite reserved.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Cherise giggled. ¡°Lucy, you seem quite good at covering up your faux pas.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Lucy made a face. ¡°Show me the recordings, then!¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Cherise replied happily. ¡°How about lunch? I haven¡¯t eaten anything yet.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°New World Restaurant?¡± Lucy suggested.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s too expensive.¡± Cherise frowned.


    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Justst night, we were drinking with Leonard, the restaurant


    owner. Everyone saw us.¡±


    ¡°If we go there again, would they be embarrassed to ask us to pay?¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s going to be free anyway, why not?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± Cherise finally agreed after some hesitation. On top of that, she was craving for


    the roast chicken they made.


    It¡¯d be best if we get to eat for free, but if not, I have Damien¡¯s card with an unlimited credit limit. It¡¯s not


    like I don¡¯t have enough money anyway. And it¡­ should be fine to splurge once in a while. I¡¯m still ill!


    After mulling it over, she arranged to meet Lucy at New World Restaurant.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Looking at the video on Cherise¡¯s phone, Lucy turned red with embarrassment. ¡°This is definitely


    not me!¡±


    ¡°Come let me touch you, handsome boy!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    Chapter 261 Who¡¯s That Woman?


    Lucy repeated the statement multiple times in the video.


    Firsaily, she put her cup on the table and red at Cherise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually took a


    video!¡±


    ¡°Of course I did!¡± Cherise gloated, feeling proud of herself. ¡°I don¡¯t usually lie, you know.¡±


    Lucy cleared her throat and ordered, ¡°Delete it.¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Cherise held her phone protectively.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­¡± Lucy red at her, but Cherise met her gaze fearlessly.


    ¡°I shan¡¯t!¡±


    Thus began a ring contest between the two women until Lucy conceded defeat.


    ¡°Cherry, my love, please delete this for the sake of my future.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it!¡±


    Cherise waved her phone. ¡°Just deleted!¡±


    However, she smiled slyly before Lucy could feel any relief. ¡°But I have backups.


    After a moment of silence, Lucy reported, ¡°You learned nothing but deceit from Damien.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°My husband is not a deceptive person at all! He¡¯s the best in the world!¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. The rose-tinted sses are quite thick on her.


    Just when she was about to change the topic, she saw a beautiful woman walking into the restaurant


    with a man behind her who looked familiar.


    ¡°Look at that woman!¡± She tapped Cherise¡¯s shoulders.


    Cherise turned around and eximed, ¡°Gosh, she¡¯s stunning!¡±


    That woman was wearing a fluffy ck shirt and a pair of blue trousers that made her legs seem long.


    Apart from that, her facial features were so exquisite that it was difficult for one to turn their gaze away


    from her.


    Even Cherise could understand her appeal.


    Lucy frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not just asking you to look at her; is the man behind her Mr. Hampson?¡±


    Cherise froze and turned to look at them once again.


    1/2


    Some passers-by blocked Mr. Hampson a moment ago, but Cherise had a clear look that moment. It


    really is him!


    From afar. Mr. Hampson smiled and chatted with the woman as they made their way to the


    clevator.


    When the elevator door opened, he gestured for her to enter first.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened at the exchange.


    Like Frances, Hampson also works for Damien. Now, who¡¯s having a private connection with that


    woman- Hampson or Damien?


    Lucy nudged her. ¡°Is it Hampson?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cherise admitted reluctantly.


    There was a chime as the doors started closing. However, right before they werepletely shut, the


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    woman shed a smile at Cherise.


    Her prominent face left an indelible impression on Cherise.


    Suddenly, she recalled one of the pictures she saw in Damien¡¯s study. She looks exactly like that


    woman!


    Cherise was stunned beyond belief. Even though her spirits dropped, she took a deep breath and


    smiled. ¡°Perhaps Damien has some business dealings with her.¡±


    He¡¯s an important businessman. It¡¯s normal to have interactions with other beautiful women. As his


    wife. I shouldn¡¯t overthink this and create more trouble for him.

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Chapter 262 Mysterious Woman


    Lucy frowned dubiously ¡°Are you sure? She looks our age and might even be younger than Violet¡¯


    What kind of business could she possibly be involved in?¡±


    Cherise continued eating. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s a prodigy. Who knows?¡±


    Lucy pped her forehead upon seeing Cherise¡¯s denial.


    ¡°Cherry, let me get the situation straight. Your husband is now meeting another beautiful woman behind


    your back. Instead of feeling suspicious, you are now defending him?¡±


    Cherise took a sip of the lemon juice. ¡°You think too much. They are not alone anyway. Isn¡¯t Mr.


    Hampson with them?¡±


    Mr. Hampson¡¯s presence is enough to show that they are only nning to talk business.


    As soon as she finished her sentence, Lucy nudged her again, redirecting her attention to a certai


    someone.


    It was Mr. Hampson making his way out of the restaurant. Lucy fell speechless, watching his figure


    disappear from view,


    ¡°Damn!¡± Lucy ced her cup on the table loudly. ¡°If I remember correctly, the second floor only consists


    of private rooms. Now that Mr. Hampson has left, what on earth are they going to do?¡±


    With that, she pulled Cherise up. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°W-Where to?¡± Cherise protested.


    Even though she wasn¡¯tfortable with the thought, she still trusted Damien.


    ¡°Sure, you might trust him, but I don¡¯t!¡±


    Lucy dragged Cherise all the way to the elevator. ¡°F-Forget it, Lucy


    As they exited the elevator, she mumbled, ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s not meeting Damien, or perhaps they have


    something rted to business to talk about.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She hadplete faith in Damien, and she didn¡¯t want to meddle in his work¡­


    If I mess up his meeting and leave a bad impression on others. I¡¯ll feel so bad about it!


    Lucy glowered at her. ¡°Come on, Cherry. You can¡¯t possibly be so naive! Your good-looking husband is


    not blind anymore, nor is he crippled! On top of that, his business is flourishing Don¡¯t you worry that


    other women might seduce him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cherise¡¯s lips were pressed into a line as she looked at Lucy earnestly, rendering thetter


    speechless.


    1/2


    de card floor. Lacy had her gaze bant on a m

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    Chapter 263 Confrontation


    Cherise felt as though she was being unreasonable and insecure by doubting her own husband.


    ¡°This is thest one. If we don¡¯t find them here, I¡¯ll trust your husband as much as you do.¡±


    With that, she knocked on the door.


    There was no immediate response.


    However, when Lucy knocked again, Damien¡¯s low voice rang. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Cherise stiffened as soon as she heard the familiar male baritone.


    It really¡­ is him.


    Lucy sneered and dragged Cherise into the room, which was illuminated in warm light.


    Even the room temperature was perfect.


    Dressed in a formal suit, Damien nced at her from the chair while the beautiful woman they


    encountered just now sat right across him elegantly.


    She eyed Cherise and Lucy briefly before turning around to look at Damien questioningly. ¡°Do you


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    know them, Dame?¡±


    Cherise felt her blood run cold. She¡¯s already using his nickname. Lucy doesn¡¯t even do that. This


    signifies how close they are.


    Her sixth sense tingled ufortably,


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Lucy walked over and sat next to the woman.


    Cherise was about to join them when Lucy gave her a shove. ¡°Why are you joining us? Go sit next to


    your husband! You aren¡¯t worried about letting people know your identity, are you?¡± she


    hinted.


    Mandy shed a small smile as she took a sip from the teacup. ¡°It seems that this is Mrs. King. Is my


    understanding correct?¡±


    Cherise almost lost her bnce if it weren¡¯t for Damien, who quickly steadied her.


    After cing her down next to him, he chastised adoringly, ¡°Clumsy girl¡±


    Cherise blushed without saying another word.


    As he poured a ss of lemon-infused water for her, he smiled at the woman and exined.


    1/2


    ¡°Apologies for the distraction, Ms. Wool. This is my wife, Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Mandy Wool.¡± The woman smiled at Cherise. ¡°Though I just met Dame, we hit it


    off pretty well.¡±


    Lucy frowned at her words. Who¡¯s overthinking now? As women, we can understand another woman¡¯s


    true intentions. This Mandy reeks of a pretentious slt from head to toe. Even if Damien couldn¡¯t discern


    that, Cherise should be able to tell. How naive can she be? Or does she trust Damien that much?


    ¡°The pleasure is mine, Ms. Wool.¡± Cherise returned the smile.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Damien smoothed out her hair. ¡°Just half an hour ago, I heard from Frances. that


    you were still sleeping.¡±


    Cherise blushed. ¡°I asked Lucy out for lunch.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± He let out a low chuckle. ¡°And you guys chose this ce? Since it¡¯s Leonard¡¯s restaurant, you


    probably don¡¯t have to pay, since he¡¯s my close friend. On top of that, you get to enjoy your favorite


    roast chicken here.¡± He took another sip of his tea as he guessed her reasons impably.


    Cherise lowered her head shyly. ¡°Scoring a free meal is not the reason.¡± She pouted. ¡°I nned to pay


    with the tinum card you gave me.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    Chapter 264 Quick-Witted


    ¡°I¡¯m not a freeloader.¡±


    Darien smiled and caressed her hair. ¡°Well, I think Leonard doesn¡¯t have the guts to take your


    money.


    ¡°That¡¯s between you and him. I will pay for my meal-I¡¯m an honest person.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Someone who¡¯s honest wouldn¡¯t quietly go to a fancy ce without letting her


    husband know.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    The entire room was silent apart from their lover¡¯s squabble.


    Mandy tightened her grip on the ss as she processed the information.


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Damien had a limitless tinum card that was one of the few in the entire


    world. The cardholder could enjoy VIP privileges of all high-end ces in Adania.


    It had an unlimited credit that allowed the holder to spend any amount of money they liked. On top of


    that, the owner was given ess to exclusive privileges. Someone once said enviously that


    possessing the card would make one feel like a king.


    Damien came to possess that card because his father had once saved an extremely important person,


    who gave the card as a gift after that.


    I can¡¯t believe that Damien gave this card to the country bumpkin next to him.


    Meanwhile, Lucy was quietly gloating as she noticed the change of expression on Mandy¡¯s face.


    It seems like Damien knows what we want today. He¡¯s deliberately showing his love for Cherise in front


    of Mandy.


    Cherise turned to Mandy, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Wool. We just got married, so we are in our


    lovey-dovey phase now. We didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I heard of your background. It must be difficult for people like you to encounter a


    man of Mr. King¡¯s caliber. Of course, it makes sense for you to cling to him.¡± she said, taking a sip from


    her teacup gracefully.


    Her seemingly understanding statement was actually implying that based on Cherise¡¯s countryside


    family background, she was not a good match for Damien. Hence, her insecurity made her keep a


    close watch on him at all times.


    This unspokenyer behind her words was apparent to both Cherise and Lucy.


    Halfway through the squabble with Damien, Cherise froze and stopped smiling.


    1/2


    Mandy widened her eyes in shock and covered her mouth in feigned horror ¡°Please don¡¯t get me


    wrong, Mrs. King. I identally blurted everything out because everyone¡¯s been talking about it


    This was another jab at Cherise, telling her that others also had simr thoughts.


    Cherise¡¯s face darkened as she took a sip of her lemon water.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met you today, I wouldn¡¯t know that socialites from a prominent family like yourself like


    gossip as much as the olddies in my vige. It seems like family background is not the deciding


    factor for how cultured you are. What do you think?¡±


    I might not be as educated as them, but I¡¯m not an idiot. It doesn¡¯t mean they can belittle me!


    Cherise¡¯s retort perhaps came as a surprise to Mandy. ¡°That¡¯s true. Fortunately. I¡¯m different from


    them.¡±


    Very well, now pointing the fingers at others, pushing the me away from herself. Just a moment ago,


    she was putting me down with her words.


    ¡°Good for you,¡± Cherise shot back sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s better to stay away from those who gossip.


    Otherwise, you might behave the same way as well. That¡¯s a terrifying thought.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face drained of blood as she remained silent.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Chapter 265 Cherise¡¯s Vindictiveness


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Meanwhile, Damien was quietly smiling as he drank his tea. I didn¡¯t know Cherise was so quick- witted.


    Lucy smiled and took a sip of her tea before asking, ¡°We came here for the food, but what about you,


    Ms. Wool? Are you here¡­ for business?¡±


    younger than


    Mandy smiled upon hearing that. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m only neen-two months Mrs. King. Of course,


    I¡¯m not here on business with Mr. King. We have some private matters to


    discuss.¡±


    ¡°How do you know my age and birthday?¡±


    The condescending smile continued to linger on Mandy¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some information about


    you.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Cherise nodded. Suddenly, she thought of something and jerked her head up. ¡°Since you¡¯ve


    looked up my information, surely you know what I look like? Why did you act as though. you didn¡¯t


    know who I am and even asked if I¡¯m Damien¡¯s wife?¡±


    Mandy was at a loss for words. Who said she¡¯s dim? Her responses are so quick and sharp.


    Lucy tried to suppress a smile as she replied, ¡°I suppose Ms. Wool meets many different people. every


    day. You probably slipped her mind.


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed together as she thought about it. ¡°You might be right. Perhaps she¡¯s not


    utilizing her memory well. She can¡¯t remember my face, yet she can remember that she¡¯s two months


    younger than me. That¡¯s not the main point.¡± With that, she smiled at Mandy. ¡°Perhaps I can teach you


    one of my secrets to memorizing things quickly. I¡¯m at the top of my ss in school. I always get full


    marks in exams. I remember things easily because I have my own. techniques.¡±


    Mandy remained silent at her offer. Who wants to learn that from her? She¡¯s doing this on purpose as if


    I¡¯m a fool who can¡¯t remember things!


    ¡°You should really consider that, Ms. Wool.¡± Damien smiled and rubbed Cherise¡¯s hair lovingly. ¡°In our


    discussion just now, you didn¡¯t remember lots of things.¡±


    Then, he turned to Cherise and grinned at her. ¡°Teach her how you do it when the opportunity. arises.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing!¡± The approval from Damien gave her confidence. She nodded and said earnestly, ¡°Ms.


    Wool, don¡¯t be disappointed. If you keep forgetting stuff, it must be due to using the wrong techniques.


    I¡¯ll teach you from the ground up. Since you¡¯re Damien¡¯s friend, I won¡¯t ask for anything in return.¡±


    Ugh! Mandy eximed inwardly, but she remained silent.


    1/2


    pride and vinda


    scher Marely le


    When the


    Ken Mandy had left chew vig!

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    Chapter 266 Exnation


    Jealousy seeped into Cherise¡¯s voice.


    Upon seeing that, Lucy quickly gulped down her drink and fled ¡°Cherry. I¡¯m leaving as well. Bye!¡±


    She would stand up for Cherise anytime, but she had no intention to be involved in their quarrels.


    Only Damien and Cherise remained in the room.


    He took another slow sip of the tea before looking at her with his profound eyes. ¡°Are you jealous, dear


    Mrs. King?¡±


    His prating gaze was filled with danger, as though he could see through her.


    Cherise lost herposure upon meeting his eyes. Startled, she looked away. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Damien pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. As his breath lingered around her, he asked, ¡°Why


    are you pulling a long face, then?¡±


    ¡°1-¡±


    Cherise wanted to get away from him, but he tightened his embrace. ¡°Weren¡¯t you quite quick- witted


    just now? Where have all the smart retorts gone?¡±


    She pursed her lips. ¡°M-My husband is secretly meeting an attractive woman. Even if I were not


    jealous, I should know the reason, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± she asked, sensing the tension in the air.


    ¡°She¡¯s not as beautiful as you.¡± Damien pinched her cheeks.


    ¡°Her figure is definitely better, and her chest as well.¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t like big ones. Yours is just nice.¡±


    With that, he cupped her chest, making her blush. Trying to push him away, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    Damien enjoyed seeing her getting flustered, so he took it another step further.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to notice that when you were observing her.¡±¡°


    Cherise felt her cheeks burning.


    Meanwhile, as he continued to move his hands along her body, she could feel his desires getting


    awakened.


    ¡°S-Stop it.¡± She shoved his hands away.


    1/2


    Someone else might enter the room!


    Damien¡¯s voice rang as he whispered into her ears, ¡°Even if they do, they can¡¯t do anything about it.


    We¡¯re husband and wife-there¡¯s nothing wrong about it, and¡­¡± His voice trailed away


    dangerously. ¡°Now I really want to do something.¡±


    The warning bells sounded in Cherise¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m old school!¡± She pushed him away and kept a distance away from her, maintaining at defensive


    stance. ¡°A-And I¡¯m not fully recovered yet! I know you are young and energetic. I understand your


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    feelings since it¡¯s been days since we did anything. But we¡¯re outside here, so calm down! On top of


    that, I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±


    Nevertheless, the scorching passion in his eyes terrified her. Gritting her teeth quietly, she said, ¡°How


    about this? W-When I¡¯m fully recovered, you can do anything you like to me. But it must be at home.¡±


    She blushed and lowered her head shyly.


    She¡¯s old school? Damien burst outughing.


    Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her again and again. ¡°I only wanted to kiss you, dear. What are you


    thinking?¡±


    He pinched her rosy cheeks and teased, ¡°Do you really think I would do it here, even when you¡¯re not


    fully recovered?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Chapter 267 Do You Trust Me?


    As he continued teasing her, the smile on his lips widened.


    Cherise was taken aback when she heard that. Only¡­ kissing?


    Feeling deceived, she red at him. ¡°You did this on purpose!¡±


    Of course, I have something else in mind, considering how he said it! By the time I misinterpreted his


    words, he told me I was dirty!


    ¡°You sly b*stard!¡± She huffed angrily.


    Damien was delighted at her reaction and kissed her over and over again. ¡°But you reminded me that


    I¡¯ve been neglecting youtely. When you¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll give it to you in doubles and triples.¡± He


    kissed her lips.


    Cherise thought to herself, Can I reject him?


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of rejecting me,¡± he warned before continuing the kisses.


    Cherise pursed her lips, but she suddenly remembered something and turned around. ¡°Fine, then.¡±


    There¡¯s no point in resisting him. ¡°But don¡¯t you need to exin what¡¯s happening between you and


    Mandy?¡±


    She saw a picture of Mandy in the morning, and Damien had already asked her out for lunch. with Mr.


    Hampson and Mr. Kolson.


    She would be kept in the dark if it were not for Lucy.


    ¡°I think an exnation is not too much to ask for.¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± Cherise shook her head.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    She wrapped her arms around him and looked at him earnestly. ¡°You¡¯re my husband. Of course, I trust


    you. But the exnation that you owe me has nothing to do with my trust.¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t keep me in the dark simply because I trusted him. He was the one who said we should be


    honest with each other and even asked me to give him a heads-up if I were to meet another guy. The


    same rule should apply to him as well!


    Damien sighed gently with her in his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t meet her because of her looks. The reason is


    this.¡±


    1/2


    ders foreach and handeel her a picture. ¡°Herr


    When Cherpe saw the figures in the photograph, her eyes widened in show i


    korerune who looked exactly like Mandy was in the shot, along with a yosung her. Home


    youngdy in the picture exuded a far better airpared to Manily


    Though they looked the same, the woman in the picture seemed erudite, collected, and graceful the the


    other hand. Mandy seemed cold and petry.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    The young boy in the picture was of the same age as ke, but his temperament and fai sal features


    already showed indifference that was akin to Damsen.


    Cherise lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°This is.¡±


    Thirteen years ago, when I was thirteen.¡± Damien replied quietly, leaving Cherise shocked


    The girl next to him should be at least seventeen if Damien were thirteen. Herice, the woman should be


    close to her thirties at that time. However, Mandy was two months younger than


    Cherise


    It was clear that the woman in the picture was not Mandy


    212

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    Chapter 268 Danielle¡¯s Doppelganger


    The woman in the picture was someone who looked like Mandy.


    ¡°This is my sister.¡± Damien took a deep breath and closed his eyes. ¡°Thirteen years ago, she died in a


    fire on my birthday.¡±


    Cherise froze when she heard that.


    ¡°This is your sister?¡±


    Damien hadn¡¯t talked about his deceased family until then. When she was introduced to his family


    members, his grandfather also did not mention the deceased.


    Hence, she never knew what Damien¡¯s sister looked like.


    What is Mandy¡¯s rtionship with Damien? Why does she look like her sister?


    ¡°Yes. I share simr doubts as you.¡± Damien put his phone away and poured a cup of tea for


    himself.


    Understanding finally dawned on Cherise.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Do you have any leads?¡± She immediately scooted closer, all thoughts of interrogating him forgotten.


    All she had in her mind was about Mandy and Danielle.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a mess.¡± Damien closed his eyes. ¡°Initially, I thought she underwent stic surgery to


    seduce me, but after talking to her, everything became even more dubious.¡± A darker tone seeped into


    his voice as he continued. ¡°Because she knew everything about us. It has been a long time since she


    passed. Apart from me, no one else knows about those secrets. No one else but her. So, it¡¯s not as


    simple as just a doppelganger. The face might not be the only thing she ¡®inherited¡¯ from Danielle.¡±


    Cherise was slightly dazed when she heard his words. She pursed her lips as she looked at her,


    ¡°You¡¯re implying that somehow Mandy also has her thoughts?¡±


    Damien remained silent, but that seemed to be his reply.


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s rather impossible¡­¡±


    As a medical student, she knew that it was impossible for modern medicine topletely rece.


    one¡¯s memories; not even hypnosis could achieve that.


    She recalled one of her teacher¡¯s words back in high school. When everything else had been


    eliminated, the only remaining answer might be the answer, no matter how absurd it might be.


    She pressed her lips together. ¡°Dear, do you think it¡¯s possible¡­ that your sister is still alive?¡±


    1/2


    for when the


    With that he had in her I might be mering Many gam

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    Chapter 269 The Mysterious Woman


    Still, Mandy¡¯s actions showed that she was clearly interested in Damien. Even though Cherise trusted


    him, she wanted to know everything to feel reassured.


    Daniel smiled and gave her a peck on her cheeks. ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡±


    She forced a smile. ¡°I also want to know what exactly is going on.¡±


    After all, she could clearly see the impact of Danielle¡¯s death on Damien.


    His sister must be a lot more important than me, his wife of only two months. Even if I don¡¯t allow him to


    continue the investigation, he¡¯ll still continue anyway. In that case, why shouldn¡¯t I support him?


    Nevertheless, she still felt disappointed and upset.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    On the way back, she looked grim and surly. As soon as they reached home, she went to bed. straight


    away. After tossing and turning around, she was unable to fall asleep, with Mandy¡¯s face a constant


    appearance in her mind.


    Her sixth sense told her that Mandy knew Damien¡¯s intentions of meeting her, and she was deliberately


    telling him the secrets between him and Danielle to lure him to investigate her.


    After several rounds of turning around in bed, someone knocked on the door ¨C it was ke, who was


    still in his school uniform.


    He smiled sweetly at Cherise. ¡°Cherry, Dame said you¡¯re not in a good mood. Shall we water the


    nts?¡±


    Cherise gave it a thought and decided to let the matter slide.


    Forget it. There¡¯s no use brooding on it. I need to keep my spirits up since I¡¯m still recovering.


    With that thought in mind, she got out of bed and sprang up in front of ke. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The afternoon sun was scorching outside, but Cherise and ke had a lot of fun watering the garden


    and ying with each other.


    Standing near the window of his study, he watched them as his thoughts shed back to thirteen


    years ago.


    Back then, Danielle also yed with him throughout the entire house, be it inside or outside, by the


    stairs or in the garden.


    Since their parents passed, she had been taking good care of him. Though he was already a teenager


    back then, he was still naive and innocent, full of love for life.


    Yet, the good times did notst.


    1/2


    If it weren¡¯t for Cherise, he could no longer feel any warmth.


    He heaved a sigh and caressed the woman in the picture. ¡°Are you¡­ still alive?¡±


    ¡°I transferred you to another university.¡±


    A woman threw the transfer letter on the table in a cold manner. ¡°You will be starting a few days.


    Mandy picked it up. ¡°The cardiology department in Adania University?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I have no interest in medicine.¡±


    ¡°This is where Cherise is studying¡±


    In a wheelchair with her back against Mandy, the woman croaked hoarsely, ¡°You¡¯ve met him. Be it the


    looks or the family background, he¡¯s the elite in Adania. If you make them divorce, he¡¯s yours.¡±


    Mandy curled her fingers around the letter, pressing her lips into a thin line. ¡°I heard that¡­¡± She


    nched, weighing her words. ¡°That three of his ex-fianc¨¦es had all passed in idents. Cherise


    might have escaped the fatal fate because her background doesn¡¯t match him at all. But I don¡¯t want


    my life to be at stake, though he¡¯s my type.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± The woman in the wheelchair scoffed. ¡°Having me around you, what are you afraid of?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    Chapter 270 The Mastermind


    Tapping her fingers on the wheelchair, she continued, ¡°Since he dares to show his face in public. now, it


    means he¡¯s not intimidated by those guys anymore. You shouldn¡¯t be worried about being. threatened-


    you might be unable to fend off the country bumpkin.¡±


    Mandy smiled icily. ¡°Her? She¡¯s not even on my list of worries.¡±


    Though she put on an indifferent front, the glimmer of anxiety in her eyes betrayed her.


    She had her pride, after all. She was disdainful about snatching other people¡¯s belongings.


    There are so many men in the world. I don¡¯t have to take away a man with a lover. However, this is an


    order from S.


    Having followed S for many years, she understood the consequences of disobeying her orders.


    She took a deep breath to sort out her thoughts. ¡°S,¡± she addressed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied in a low, husky voice with her back facing Mandy.


    ¡°What if my current looks are not enough to entice Damien? What will you do? Will you¡­. kill her like


    how you did with the previous three women?¡±


    At that instant, Cherise¡¯s full cheeks appeared in Mandy¡¯s mind. She was reluctant to see that happen.


    ¡°Not for now,¡± S chuckled hoarsely. ¡°She still has some use for me. Just try your best. Even if it fails, I


    have a n to separate them.¡±


    On the other hand, Cherise had been cooped up in Lenoir Manor for two weeks.


    Finally, she had gotten approval from Jacob and put an end to her break from university.


    She woke up early that morning and went downstairs energetically with her bag.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early today, Mrs. Lenoir,¡± Francesmented while preparing breakfast. ¡°Are you getting


    back to university today?¡±


    Cherise plopped down on the chair, not even removing her bag. ¡°Yup! Mold is almost growing on me


    after so long!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Damien appeared on the stairway, fastening his button as he walked downstairs. ¡°Let me


    have a whiff if you have a moldy smell.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him and continued her meal.


    He sat opposite her with a smile on his face. Looking at the bag behind her, he asked. ¡°Are you that


    eager to get back?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Cherise pouted and ced the food on his te, a habit she had built up over time. ¡°By the way,


    yesterday I found out that there¡¯s road maintenance near our ce. The route of the public bus. has


    moved to somewhere far from here. Can you ask Mr. Kolson to send me thereter?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kolson¡±


    Damien shook his head with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why?¡± She paused midway taking the food.


    ¡°He is busy with other stuff.¡± He ced some bread on her te. ¡°From today onwards, I¡¯ll be your


    personal driver.¡±


    Cherise was stunned to hear that. What?


    ¡°Won¡¯t it be a lot of trouble?¡± She thought about it before continuing. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take the public. bus?


    It¡¯s only four kilometers from here. I can definitely walk there. It¡¯s too much to ask you to fetch me here


    and there. You¡¯re such a busy man.¡±


    Damien froze momentarily before smiling wryly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem at all,¡± he replied after a pause, with a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility to


    drive my wife wherever she wants. Apart from that, it doesn¡¯t take long to take you to the university. I¡¯m


    not that busy.¡±


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 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    Chapter 271 Back to School


    His tone left no room for any objections. Cherise epted his decision with pursed lips.


    Knowing full well that she could not change his mind, she decided to stop arguing.


    After breakfast, they enter the silver Maybach together.


    As soon as she got into the car, she asked, ¡°What happened to the previous car?¡±


    She was referring to the ck Maserati that he was usually driven around.


    Mr. Kolsen has disappeared, and the car is nowhere to be seen. What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°He drove it elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Damien drove slower than Mr. Kolsen as he liked to chat with Cherise along the way.


    She didn¡¯t feel the time passing by until they arrived at the university entrance. She suddenly returned


    to her senses when she saw a throng of people there.


    Damn! There are only five minutes until the lecture starts!


    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to put the me on Damien. After hastily bidding farewell to


    him, she ran into the campus.


    Despite running at full speed, she was still a minutete.


    The advanced mathematics lecturer gave her a disapproving look. ¡°You¡¯ve been away for so long. yet


    you still arrivete. Go find a seat quickly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    After apologizing, she sprinted to her seat.


    ¡°See, since Mandy arrived, everyone in ss adores her. You¡¯re not as popr as before anymore.¡±


    Lucy pouted as she passed some tissues for Cherise to wipe her sweat. ¡°What a vixen! I can¡¯t believe


    that she¡¯s the favorite of this lecturer!¡±


    Cherise frowned, not understanding what Lucy meant.


    Stretching her neck, she turned her head around to the other side. Right when she was going to ask for


    more boration, another girl in the front row turned around to look at her.


    As their gaze met, Mandy gave her a brief smile before turning back to focus on the lecture.


    ¡°W-Why is she here?¡± Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°She arrived a few days ago as a transfer student,¡± Lucy exined in frustration, rolling her eyes


    1/2


    as she went. She will only be here for six months, but do you know what she told everyone? She said


    she enjoyed the hospitality very much and that she won¡¯t be able to bring herself to leave when the


    timees. Everyone was so touched by her words, treating her as if she¡¯s a goddess.¡±


    Surprised to hear that, Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Perhaps she really feels that way, and everyone likes


    her back.¡±


    ¡°What bullsh*t,¡± Lucy scoffed. ¡°I think she has a hidden motive for doing this. She¡¯s not even studying


    medicine; why is she here? While you weren¡¯t around, she was trying her best to build connections with


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    everyone, buying everyone dinner at fancy restaurants with different cuisines. every day!¡±


    Cherise patted Lucy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Alright, alright. If that¡¯s what she likes, it¡¯s none of our business.¡±


    Finally, Lucy heaved a sigh and went back, focusing on the lecture.


    They had an impromptu test that day. Since Lucy had been away for almost two weeks, she lost. track


    of the topics and got two questions wrong.


    When it was over, everyone was asking around for the results.


    ¡°Cherry, did you get full marks this time?¡± a girl came over and asked.


    ¡°No. I got two questions wrong.¡± Cherise shook her head honestly.


    2/2

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    Chapter 272 The Prodigy¡¯s Downfall


    ¡°What? You got two questions wrong?¡± she eximed loudly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! You¡¯ve been getting fuil


    marks every time! Even I only got one question wrong!¡±


    She caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Jessie Reese, are you kidding us? She¡¯s in love and taking a break now. Do you think she¡¯s the same


    Cherise as before? You must be crazy to check your answers with her,¡± another girl retorted.


    sarcastically.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Jessie giggled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I almost forgot that Cherise is not the top student anymore. I¡¯ll check with


    Mandy instead-I bet she got everything right.¡±


    With that, she flitted over to Mandy. ¡°Wow, Mandy, you really got full marks! I¡¯m so envious of you-


    you¡¯re pretty and intelligent, scoring full marks in every subject. You deserve to be a student


    ambassador, indeed!¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly upon hearing Jessie¡¯s in adoration.


    ¡°Cherry, on the second day Mandy arrived, the entire cohort decided to hand over your student


    ambassador role to her. I tried to stop them, but I failed¡­¡± Lucy said in a small voice.


    It was only at that moment Cherise noticed some scratch marks on Lucy¡¯s face. With a frown, she


    touched those scars lightly. ¡°What-¡±


    ¡°I got into a fight with them, that¡¯s all.¡± Lucy avoided her touch. ¡°It¡¯s been a week since Mandy arrived. I


    kept it from you because I wanted you to have a good rest at home.¡±


    As people gathered around Mandy, Lucy said through gritted teeth, ¡°F*ck!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks since you attended any lectures. It¡¯s already quite impressive to only get two


    questions wrong while they¡¯ve been here the entire time. What¡¯s there to brag about?¡±


    Cherise rubbed Lucy¡¯s hair soothingly, mimicking how Damien used to calm her down. ¡°Come on,


    there¡¯s no need to hold grudges.¡±


    ¡°But you were the student ambassador, and you used to be in the spotlight. Those fools!¡±


    To Cherise, Lucy seemed to have cared too much. ¡°I actually don¡¯t like being in the center of attention,


    and it feels pretty good without any other responsibilities,¡± Cherise exined as she shot a nce at


    Mandy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk around the campus.¡± With that, she pulled Lucy off her seat.


    Ever since she became the student ambassador, she was approached with various questions and had


    to help everyone. It had been a long time since shest walked around the campus leisurely.


    Lucy looked at her incredulously, ¡°You don¡¯t mind this at all?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°On the contrary, this is exactly what I¡¯m hoping for.¡±


    ¡°Coffee on me?¡± Cherise took her purse out.


    ¡°Double shot, please!¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°No problem.¡± Cherise replied with a smile.


    Both of them left with a wide smile on their faces.


    On the other hand, buried within the throngs of people asking her for help, Mandy clenched her pen


    tightly as she saw Cherise strutting away happily.


    Her n was to take away everything Cherise owned on campus and deal a devastating blow that


    would break her apart.


    However, it was out of her expectations that they mattered so little to Cherise.


    In the afternoon, another lecturer asked Mandy to solve a physics problem in front of everyone.


    She gave a cold smile and said, ¡°I think there are two ways to solve this problem.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    Chapter 273 Reced


    ¡°I¡¯ll show one of the solutions, but would you like to ask another person to demonstrate the second


    one?¡±


    The physics lecturer was momentarily stunned before asking Cherise with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    show us, Cherise?¡±


    Cherise nced at the question as she stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I haven¡¯t been around for two weeks,


    so I¡¯m not sure about the other solution,¡± she announced with a smile, honestly admitting her


    ignorance. There was no trace of shame even though she was once the student ambassador, and she


    was now showing her weakness to the newly appointed student ambassador.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Mandy gritted her teeth upon seeing her demeanor.


    ¡°Is that an excuse for not studying?¡± the physics lecturer demanded. ¡°Mandy has only been here for a


    week, yet she has been able to pick up the materials over the past six months. What about you?¡±


    Everyone started whispering among themselves.


    ¡°Cherise has changed to be so shameless.¡±


    ¡°True. She acts as if she¡¯s not supposed to know this simply because of a two-week absence. But look


    at Mandy!¡±


    ¡°Mandy is better than her.¡±


    The physics lecturer nced at Cherise in disappointment before smiling at Mandy. ¡°I guess it¡¯s up to


    you to show us both solutions, then.¡±


    Mandy nodded in reply and wrote the answers on the board diligently.


    Meanwhile, Lucy¡¯s fists were balled up in anger. ¡°That b*tch!¡± She did this on purpose to humiliate


    Cherise, knowing that she was the lecturer¡¯s favorite!


    ¡°Go back to your seat.¡±


    The lecturer looked at Mandy¡¯s answer in approval and fixed a sharp nce at Cherise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe


    it! Can you please learn from Mandy?¡±


    Cherise nodded solemnly with a smile. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take Mandy as my example,¡± she replied


    earnestly, with no trace of anger or jealousy in her eyes.


    Touched by her, the physics lecturer softened his tone. ¡°I know that health is important, but you mustn¡¯t


    neglect your studies. Let¡¯s work hard together.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She gave another nod and sat down while Mandy clenched her fingers around the chalk she


    was holding.


    1/2


    What is going on? If I recall correctly. Cherise has beenpetitive since she was young. She has


    always been getting full marks and taking the top spot in the ss. These des should be


    important to her, but


    When the lecture ended, Lucy asked with a frown. ¡°You really don¡¯t mind all of that, for real?¡±


    As the day went on, everyone seemed to be subtly reminding Cherise that Mandy had reced her


    position, she had lost her previous mor and glory


    Instead of feeling upset and jealous, she seemed as if a weight had been taken off her shoulders,


    leaving Lucy bewildered.


    Cherise grinned light-heartedly as she packed her bags. ¡°I loved being on the top and winning prizes,


    not because I wanted to win or to be better than others, but because I want to give my best in


    everything I do. That¡¯s how I take responsibility for myself. She looked at the throngs of people


    surrounding Mandy. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really care what others think of me.¡±


    With that, she got up. ¡°Now that I¡¯m free from all the people seeking help from me, we can hanit out


    right after the lecture ends! Summer vacation starts in a month-have you already made ns for a part-


    time job?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    Chapter 274 Mandy¡¯s Boyfriend, Damien


    Cherise held Lucy¡¯s hand. ¡°Shall we go visit Jacob¡¯s clinic?¡±


    Lucy became interested. ¡°Sure!¡±


    She found Cherise more charming, being her own happy self without vanity.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw.¡± Just as Cherise and Lucy walked toward the door, Jessie stopped Cherise. ¡°Mandy is


    buying the ss a meal at Viopril Pce tonight. Hope you can join us.¡±


    ¡°Viopril Pce? Haven¡¯t you had enough at that cest time?¡± Cherise curled her lips.


    Last time, when Sunny organized for the whole ss to eat at Viopril Pce and extorted money from


    Cherise, Jessie was also one of the organizers.


    Jessie¡¯s face darkened. She blocked Cherise with her hand. ¡°You¡¯re not the host today, so don¡¯t


    overthink. Mandy is treating us tonight. Her boyfriend, Damien, will be paying the bill. You¡¯re invited for


    a free meal. So, are youing or not?¡±


    Cherise arched her brow. ¡°Mandy¡¯s boyfriend, Damien?¡±


    Jessie nodded. ¡°I bet you don¡¯t know yet. While you were resting at home, your husband became close


    with Mandy.¡±


    The incident with Ian caused a sensation in the city, so Cherise¡¯s ssmates were aware of it, too.


    They were jealous of Cherise¡¯s fortune and, at the same time, disdained her for marrying Damien for


    the sake of money.


    Humans tend to choose to believe what they thought was true. So, even after witnessingn behaving


    hysterically at the news press and Old Mr. Belcourt standing up to testify, Cherise¡¯s ssmates, whom


    Jessie led, still believed there was some kind of entanglement between Cherise and Lennon.


    As such, when Mandy hinted at her intimate rtionship with Damien, they chose to believe it.


    ¡°Cherise, please don¡¯t me Mandy. Any ordinary woman wouldn¡¯t turn down the pursuit of an


    outstanding man. Moreover, you and Damien have long parted ways, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re seeing


    Lennon, so why can¡¯t Damien see Mandy?¡±


    ¡°Is that how Mandy brainwashed you guys?¡±


    Lucy grabbed Jessie¡¯s cor indignantly. ¡°Mind your tongue! The news stated clearly that there¡¯s


    nothing between Cherise and Lennon. What do you mean Cherise and Damien have parted ways? I


    think your parents are the ones who have parted ways!¡±


    Before Cherise could stop Lucy, Mandy walked over, apanied by her other ssmates. ¡°Jessie!


    What are you talking about?¡±


    1/2


    She turned to look at Cherise and said, ¡°Cherise, please don¡¯t misunderstand. Jessie was


    overthinking.¡±


    Her tone was gentle, her attitude generous, and her smile was wless, as if she had undergone


    professional training.


    Then, she feigned an angry look and nced at Jessie. ¡°Please stop talking nonsense in front of


    Cherise. There¡¯s nothing between Dame and 1.¡±


    Jessie broke free from Lucy¡¯s grip on her cor. ¡°Mandy, you¡¯re too kind. You always im there¡¯s


    nothing between you and Damien, but you¡¯re already calling him Dame. He even allows you to use his


    driver and car. Isn¡¯t that obvious enough?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Then, Jessie darted an arrogant nce at Cherise. ¡°You were almostte this morning. I guess you


    must havee by public bus, right? The car that used to pick you up and the driver, Mr. Kolson, have


    been serving Mandy sincest week.¡±


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 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Chapter 275 There¡¯s Really Nothing Between Us


    Jessie remarked smugly. ¡°He even lent Mandy his car and driver for as long as a week. That¡¯s enough


    to indicate their rtionship, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Only then did Cherise realize why Damien had personally sent her to school this morning. It turned out


    the car and Mr. Kolson were now at Mandy¡¯s disposal.


    She frowned. Despite feeling slightly ufortable about it, she could understand that it was


    necessary to establish a good rtionship with Mandy to investigate her more deeply. Moreover, this


    arrangement was just temporary.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise never cared much about these things. In fact, she wouldn¡¯t mind taking the public bus as long


    as she could arrive at school on time. So, she wasn¡¯t bothered.


    ¡°Judging by your confused look, I bet you didn¡¯t know about the matter.¡± Jessie continued to challenge


    Cherise.


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yeah. I wasn¡¯t aware.¡±


    Jessie gloated. ¡°See, Damien didn¡¯t even tell Cherise that he lent the car and the driver to Mandy. They


    don¡¯t seem like a normal couple at all. Why are you denying that you guys have parted ways, Cherise?¡±


    Cherise found Jessie¡¯s assumption ridiculous. ¡°Why does that imply we¡¯re not a normal couple?¡± She


    nced at Jessie with a serious look. ¡°If your dad wants to lend his car to someone else, will he ask for


    your mom¡¯s permission first?¡±


    Instantly, Jessie¡¯s triumphant expression froze. Everyone in the ss knew her family was poor and


    couldn¡¯t afford a car. Her father would ride a motorcycle to the school¡¯s parents¡¯ day.


    Thement was an utter humiliation to Jessie!


    The blood drained from Jessie¡¯s face.


    After a moment of silence, Lucy burst outughing. ¡°Cherry, your question has really stumped Jessie.


    Her family doesn¡¯t own a car!¡±


    Cherise was startled. ¡°I see.¡±


    She smiled at Jessie. ¡°Since such a situation never happened to your parents. Why would you think it


    would affect my rtionship with Damien?¡±


    Jessie was bereft of speech. ¡°I¡±


    ¡°Jessie, you¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± Mandy patted Jessie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not up to us, outsiders, to


    Mandy¡¯s tone was extremely gentle. ¡°It¡¯s just that when Dame knew my driver was unavable.


    1/2


    and my brother took my car, he felt sorry for me formuting by public transport every day. So, he


    lent the car and the driver to me. We¡¯re just normal friends. Please don¡¯t overthink.¡±


    Then, she turned to look at Cherise with a smile, ¡°Cherise, I hope you won¡¯t overthink too. There¡¯s


    nothing between us.¡±


    Lucy was disgusted by Mandy¡¯s words. What a hypocritical b*tch! She pretended to rify her


    rtionship with Damien, but in fact, she was trying to emphasize how Damien felt sorry for her and


    couldn¡¯t bear to see her take public transport. She thought Cherise had toe to school by public bus


    because the driver was serving her. She just wanted to imply that, to Damien, she¡¯s more important


    than Cherise!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± Cherise smiled at Mandy. ¡°Mr. Kolson drives quite fast. Hope you¡¯re getting used


    to his speed, Ms. Wool. I was too used to his speed, so¡­¡¯


    So, I found Damien¡¯s driving too slow!


    Cherise thought it was unnecessary to say the second half of the sentence to her ssmates.


    However, when the others heard her iplete remark, they thought she was going toin about


    how slow the public bus was.


    2/2

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Chapter 276 Why Should I Bluff Them


    ¡°Cherry¡±


    Even Lucy felt sorry for her best friend.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise looked at Mandy and said, ¡°I won¡¯t be going to Viopril Pce tonight. I don¡¯t have a fond


    memory of that ce. If you¡¯re buying a meal at New World Restaurant next time, I might


    consider it.¡±


    After all, Cherise loved the chicken drumstick there.


    Mandy narrowed her eyes. ¡°Sure. Why don¡¯t we change the location to New World Restaurant tonight,


    then?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Cherise yawned and checked the message from Damien. ¡°But I need to go home and change first.¡±


    Then, she led Lucy away and asked her, ¡°Do you need to go home and change? I can give you a ride.¡±


    After they left. Jessie sneered, ¡°How is she gonna give Lucy a ride when she¡¯s taking public transport?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡±


    Mandy frowned and texted Mr. Kolson, urging him to get to the school gate. She pressed her lips


    nonchntly. ¡°After all, Cherise is Damien¡¯s wife. She won¡¯t let herself suffer. Why don¡¯t we check it


    out?¡±


    Crossing her arms, Jessie smirked at the other ssmates. ¡°Come, Let¡¯s go and check out how our


    ss representative is going home!¡±


    Damien¡¯s message mentioned he would arrive in ten minutes. When Cherise reached the gate, there


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    were six more minutes, ording to Damien¡¯s estimated arrival time.


    Lucy furrowed her brows when she noticed Mandy and their ssmates approaching them. ¡°How


    annoying! Why are they following us?¡±


    Cherise was calm. ¡°It¡¯s normal for everyone toe to the school gate to wait for their transport.¡±


    Lucy pouted. She was rendered speechless by this slow-witted woman.


    She clenched her teeth and held Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°You said you can give me a ride home. You¡¯re not


    bluffing them, are you?¡±


    1/2


    Previously. Mr. Koison would drive Cherise to and from school with the ck Maserati. But now. both


    the driver and the car were lent to Mandy! So, Lucy thought Cherise must be taking the public bus now


    and purposely made that statement to save face.


    Cherise nced at her in perplexity. ¡°Why should I bluff them? I can give you a ride home.¡±


    Since Damien had time to pick Cherise up from school, she reckoned he would agree to give Lucy a


    ride, too.


    Frowning, Lucy drew close to Cherise and asked in a low voice, ¡°Did Damien arrange for another car to


    pick you up?¡±


    Cherise hesitated briefly and nodded. ¡°I guess you can say so.¡±


    ¡°Oh well, he hasn¡¯t lost his conscience.¡± Lucy crossed her arms and inwardly forgave Damien.


    ¡°Woah! Is that the car Damien lent Mandy?¡±


    ¡°The Maserati looks so cool!¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh! It¡¯s my first time seeing such an expensive car, and it¡¯s a limited edition!¡±


    Suddenly, a few girls started eximing behind them. Lucy and Cherise instinctively looked back and


    saw the ck Maserati, which used to pick up Cherise, stopped steadily in front of Mandy.


    Mandy¡¯s cheeks flushed as the others gazed at her in envy. ¡°You guys are exaggerating. Dame always


    has good taste.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true!¡±


    Jessiementedcently, ¡°Mr. Lenoir might be blinded sometimes, but his taste is still good


    when he regains his senses.¡±

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    Chapter 277 How Kind Is She


    Jessie¡¯s statement drewughter from people around.


    A girl gasped, ¡°This car must be worth at least a few million. Damien treats Mandy really well. He¡¯s


    even willing to lend her such an expensive car.¡±


    ¡°How lucky Mandy is! When will I get the attention of a rich guy.


    ¡°Tsk. At least, your social status must bepatible. Otherwise¡­¡± The girl talking signaled toward


    Cherise¡¯s direction. ¡°You can only be sulky on your own.¡±


    Lucy clenched her fists tightly.


    Mr. Kolson got out of the car and saw Cherise, who was waiting by the roadside. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Lenoir.¡± He


    smiled awkwardly at her. ¡°You came back to school so soon. Why don¡¯t you rest for a few more days?¡±


    Cherise wore a sweet smile, which could light up the space. ¡°I¡¯ve recovered now. It was boring to stay


    home, so I returned to school earlier.¡±


    Mr. Kolson smiled. ¡°You¡¯re energetic as always.¡±


    Compared to Mandy, who always attempted to glean information about Damien¡¯s privacy from him, he


    preferred driving Cherise, but Damien said¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to have a chance to drive her. Are you trying to steal my thunder?¡±


    As such, Mr. Kolson could only serve someone he disliked. After all, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend his


    boss, who was madly in love.


    Cherise praised, ¡°You¡¯re handsome as always.¡±


    She had been staying home to rest and hadn¡¯t gone out for some time. So, she didn¡¯t know Mr. Kolson


    was assigned other tasks. In fact, it had been a while since they had met.


    Mr. Kolson let out a cough. As he was about to say something, Jessie arched her brows and


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to Mrs. Lenoir. Who are you to interrupt?¡±


    Jessie red at Mr. Kolson furiously. ¡°Y-You¡¯re just Mandy¡¯s driver. I¡¯m her friend!¡±


    ¡°Jessie.¡± Once again, Mandy stopped Jessie gently. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t bother to make friends. with


    people like Jessie, but¡­.


    Jessie¡¯s recklessness happened to serve her purposes at certain times, so Mandy reluctantly


    befriended her.


    1/2


    ¡°Please respect Dame¡¯s employee.¡±


    Jessie shot a cold nce at Mr. Kolson. ¡°Stop chatting, ande serve the person who deserves.


    your attention!¡±


    Mr. Kolson narrowed his eyes and wanted to say something, but Cherise smiled at him and said, ¡°Go


    ahead. Dame instructed you to serve Ms. Wool; I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t want you to argue with her


    friends.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s kindness moved Mr. Kolson. A few secondster, he turned and reluctantly opened the door


    for Mandy.


    Mandy stood at the car door and looked at Cherise. ¡°Cherise, waiting for a bus at this hour is hard.


    Since I¡¯m quite close with Dame, do you need us to give you a ride?¡±


    Her expression and tone were gentle and warm. At once, Mandy¡¯s followers were stirred up.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Mandy is such a kind soul! She even offers to send Cherise home!¡±


    ¡°After being involved in a scandal with Lennon, taking the bus is just what Cherise deserves!¡±


    ¡°Mandy knows that doing this might cause Damien to misunderstand her, but she still¡­ Oh, she¡¯s just


    too kind!¡±


    The remarks made Lucy¡¯s blood boil.


    2/2

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    Chapter 278 Egg on the Face


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± Cherise nced at her watch and said, ¡°The person picking me up should be arriving


    soon


    ¡°Ha! Who¡¯s going to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Mandy is kind enough to offer you a ride, so stop pretending.


    ¡°Who woulde and pick you up? You won¡¯t pretend that someone¡¯sing to pick you up. then


    quietly take the bus after all of us have left, will you?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s ssmates burst intoughter. ¡°That¡¯s very possible!¡±


    ¡°She came from a vige where there aren¡¯t even buses. Who knows, she might be happy taking


    the bus


    ¡°Cherise!¡± Lucy gritted her teeth angrily. ¡°How can you swallow this insult?!¡±


    Cherise rechecked the time. ¡°By right, he should be here by now.¡±


    Why would Damien bete!


    ¡°Are you running out of excuses, so you¡¯re going to say your ride iste?¡±


    Jessie grabbed the chance and continued mocking Cherise. ¡°Mark my words. If someone does.e


    to pick you up. I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, a gust of wind whooshed by. Following that, a gray-silver limited-


    edition Maybach stopped before Cherise and Lucy.


    Jessie was utterly dumbfounded. This car seems twice as expensive as the car used to pick Mandy up.


    hose car is this?


    Mandy narrowed her eyes when she saw the limited-edition Maybach, while Jessie was engulfed by


    jealousy.


    Whose car could be more expensive than Damien¡¯s? Is it Lennon¡¯s?


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Just then, the car door opened. A pair of handcrafted leather shoes stepped onto the ground.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was gathered on the man.


    Damien had just finished a business meeting and wore a formal, dark blue suit. His long legs


    entuated his tall figure, and he emanated an aura of arrogance and elegance. His chiseled face was


    so handsome that one could not take their eyes off him.


    The man¡¯s deep-set eyes were locked onto Cherise¡¯s small face. ¡°Sorry for beingte.¡±


    1/2


    He closed the car door and smiled affectionately at Cherise, extending his arms.


    ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re right on time.¡± Cherise habitually ran up to him and hugged his sturdy waist.


    She lifted her ck, clear eyes and gazed at Damien. ¡°But you¡¯re seldomte. Is it because you¡¯re too


    busy? You don¡¯t have toe and pick me up if you are. I can take the public bus.¡±


    Damien smiled when he heard the girl¡¯s peasant voice. He rubbed her cheeks and said, ¡°It was hard to


    get rid of Mr. Kolson, so I could be your driver. How could I easily give it up?¡±


    He lowered his head and gently kissed her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Honey. I won¡¯t bete in the future.¡±


    A pin-drop silence filled the air. Only Damien and Cherise¡¯s voices could be vaguely heard as the


    atmosphere grew awkward.


    Lucy could imagine how embarrassed Jessie was. She smugly turned to look at the ashen-faced


    Jessic.


    Who said that Cherise didn¡¯t have a ride? Who said that Cherise and Damien have parted ways? Who


    said Damien lent his car to Mandy because he liked her? It turns out that he lent the car to Mandy, so


    he has a chance to give his wife a ride with a better car!


    The scene left Jessie with an egg on her face. On the other hand, Mandy, too, felt defeated.


    ¡°Just now¡­¡± Before Jessie could slip away, Lucy crossed her arms and nced at her disdainfully.


    ¡°Ms. Reese, you were so confident that no one would pick Cherise up.¡±


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 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Chapter 279 Back at You


    ¡°You were saying if someone picked her up, you would¡­?¡±


    Jessie¡¯s countenance turned gloomy. She was relieved she hadn¡¯t made a vow just now.


    She let out a cough and said, ¡°I was going to say, if someone picks Cherise up, I-I¡¯ll apologize to her.¡±


    Then, she quickly yielded. ¡°Sorry, Cherise! I shouldn¡¯t have mocked you just now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Damien lifted his head to realize Mr. Kolson and Mandy were present. He nced at Mandy


    coldly. ¡°What a coincidence. Ms. Wool is here too.¡±


    Once again, the scene fell silent.


    Because of Jessie¡¯s ttery, everyone thought Damien and Mandy were in a passionate rtionship.


    However, it turned out that Damien personally drove to pick Cherise up. If Jessie had kept quiet, he


    wouldn¡¯t have noticed Mandy¡¯s presence.


    He didn¡¯t appear to care for Mandy at all, let alone thoughtfully lending her the car and the


    driver.


    In contrast to the others who were astonished, Mandy was calmer, as she had expected this. oue.


    She smiled at Damien courteously. ¡°Yeah. Cherise and I were in the same ss. So, we¡¯re waiting for


    our rides here after ss.¡±


    ¡°I see. You should go home soon.¡±


    Then, Damien nced at Jessic. ¡°Miss, did you say you mocked my wife just now?¡± His deep,


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    maic voice was filled with threat.


    Pressing her lips, Jessie was a bundle of nerves. ¡°I-I¡¯m just joking with Cherise.¡±


    Damien lowered his head to look at the harmless, innocent girl, knowing he couldn¡¯t get an answer


    from her. She was kind and forgiving.


    So, he looked at Lucy and asked, ¡°What happened just now?¡±


    Lucy narrowed her eyes revengefully and told Damien what had happened.


    ¡°I see,¡± Damien muttered in a low voice while Jessie nervously hid behind Mandy.


    ¡°Ms. Reese disrespected my wife and attempted to spread rumors about Ms. Wool and L.¡± He nced


    at Mr. Kolson nonchntly. ¡°How should I deal with her?¡±


    Mr. Kolson nodded and approached Jessie.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    1/2


    Jessie¡¯s wail emerged in the air.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, her arms are dislocated, and her cheeks are swollen. She won¡¯t be able to speak


    coherently for the time being¡± Mr. Kolson reported.


    Jessie¡¯s face was swollen after being beaten up, so she could hardly speak.


    Damien nodded and nced at Mandy aloofly. ¡°Ms. Wool. I¡¯ve shown her mercy since she¡¯s ve friend.¡±


    Frowning. Mandy looked at Jessie, who was moaning in pain and smirked frigidly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯re


    indeed ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Back at you. Compared to what you¡¯ve done half a month ago, this is nothing. Damien smiled at


    Mandy.


    Mandy¡¯s eyes darkened; she knew he was referring ton¡¯s incident.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my doing. You wouldn¡¯t think I¡¯m interested in impersonating someone from your family,


    would you?¡± Immediately, she realized she had misspoken.


    ¡°Nheless, even if I did, it wasn¡¯t my intention. I never wanted to look like this.¡±


    Then, she turned and got into the car. ¡°Get in. Jessie.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kolson, can you send my friend to the hospital?¡±

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    Chapter 280 Because She¡¯s Unworthy


    It was only after getting Damien¡¯s approval that Mr. Kolson agreed. Then, he got into the car and


    drove away.


    After Mandy left, the onlookers dispersed. Cherise quickly pulled Lucy into the car while Damien.


    started the engine.


    Sitting in the backseat, Lucy furrowed her brows. ¡°Damien, I don¡¯t understand why you lent your car


    and driver to Mandy. None of this would have happened if it weren¡¯t for what you did. You have no idea


    how the others ridiculed Cherise just now!¡±


    ¡°I lent her my car and driver so she would owe me a favor. Moreover, I just wanted a reason to drive


    Cherise personally.¡± Damien continued driving elegantly. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you young girls to get


    jealous over this kind of thing¡±


    On the other hand, Mandy returned home crabbily, She hurled her school bag onto the couch. and


    yelled, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this!¡±


    Sitting on the couch, Clinton took a sip of tea and looked at her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°That Damien Lenoir is like a stone!¡± Mandy drank some tea and gritted her teeth hatefully. ¡°Cherise


    went back to school today. I spent a week trying to win people over, carefullyying out my n to


    make her misunderstand, thinking she would believe I was better than her and that Damien liked me


    more. But it turned out Damien came and picked her up personally this. evening! All my efforts were in


    vain!¡±


    She mmed the teacup on the table. A crisp sound emerged when the ss cup hit the ss surface.


    ¡°Keep it down!¡° Clinton reprimanded Mandy with a frown. ¡°S is sleeping upstairs. You¡¯ll suffer if you


    wake her up!¡±


    Mandy was exasperated. ¡°Dad! I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so afraid of that ugly woman. She has


    been controlling us for almost thirteen years. Our business, our family¡­ Everything about us!¡±


    ¡°And!¡± She pointed at her own face. ¡°Is this even me? It¡¯s not! This is not how I look like!¡±


    She had had enough of being manipted day in and day out for over a decade.


    Clinton sighed and mumbled meekly, ¡°Stopining. If she hears you, you¡¯ll be locked up in the


    quiet room again tonight.¡±


    Seeing her father¡¯s cowardly look, Mandy was pulling her hair out. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what the heck


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    she¡¯s trying to do. I went through a dozen stic surgeries to get this appearance. After changing my


    face, I thought I would be invincible like Maeve Lenoir. But that ugly woman actually wanted me to


    seduce Damien with his sister¡¯s appearance?!¡±


    Mandy became more annoyed as sheined. ¡°Damien is not a fool; he certainly won¡¯t have


    1/2


    feelings for me. She wants me to seduce him with his sister¡¯s appearance so he¡¯ll marry a woman who


    looks like his sister. Is she crazy?!¡±


    ¡°Just take it as I am.¡± A cold, hoarse woman¡¯s voice came forth from behind.


    Mandy shivered and instinctively lifted her head to see a masked woman sitting in a wheelchair at the


    second floor¡¯s stairway.


    The woman uttered in an eerie, gruff voice, ¡°Go stay in the quiet room tonight and reflect on your


    mistakes.¡±


    ¡°W-Why exactly do you insist me to sabotage Damien and Cherise¡¯s rtionship?¡± Mandy asked.


    through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Because Cherise Shaw is unworthy.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was tinged with anger and hatred. ¡°She¡¯s


    unworthy to stay by my brother¡¯s side, let alone bearing children of the Lenoir family.¡±


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 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    Chapter 281 Are You Interested in Him.


    It was eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Cherise and Lucy had had several sses of water in New World Restaurant¡¯s lobby. They had been


    waiting for more than half an hour. Previously, their ssmates had agreed to meet at the restaurant at


    seven o¡¯clock, but only two of them showed up.


    Aren¡¯t we supposed to have dinner together at New World Restaurant because Mandy is treating us?


    Why haven¡¯t the others arrived?


    Finally, Lucy couldn¡¯t bear it and sent her ssmate a message. ¡®Is the dinner location changed?¡±


    Although Lucy was initially reluctant to join the dinner, Cherise managed to persuade her. Although


    New World Restaurant wasn¡¯t as expensive as Viopril Pce, the dishes were amazing. Of course,


    they wouldn¡¯t want to miss a free meal.


    Lucy¡¯s ssmate soon replied. ¡®Are you guys waiting at New World Restaurant?¡±


    ¡®Didn¡¯t Jessie inform you that the dinner is canceled? She¡¯s hospitalized, and Mandy is taking care


    of her.


    ¡°I see.


    Cherise was somewhat disappointed. ¡°I thought the dinner would go on.¡±


    Lucy, too, was discouraged. ¡°I thought we could annoy them while having a free meal.¡±


    But in the end, Mandy and Jessie gave up first.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Lennon to buy us a meal.¡± Cherise took out her phone.


    She came out in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring the credit card Damien gave her. The cash she had on hand


    was insufficient, and she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble if the restaurant staff failed to recognize her. So,


    she thought getting Lennon over to treat them would be better. Furthermore, Damien said that Lennon


    had been quite freetely.


    ¡°Forget about it.¡± The moment Cherise dialed Lennon¡¯s number, Lucy stopped her. ¡°I brought money. I


    can buy the dinner.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°Lucy, the items here are pricey. I would rather not use your father¡¯s hard-earned.


    money. Moreover, we¡¯re so close with Lennon. He wouldn¡¯t mind for us to have a free meal in his


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    restaurant.¡±


    She lowered her voice and continued, ¡°Also, my hubby said that Lennon has been freetely. All he


    has been doing is attending blind dates arranged by Old Mr. Belcourt. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like to take a break


    with us.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s hand, which was holding a fork, stopped midair.


    1/2


    ¡°Lennon is going on blind dates? Are you sure?¡±


    She smiled awkwardly. ¡°He¡¯s such a decent man. There must be many girls who like him. Why would


    he need to go on blind dates?¡±


    Cherise shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. Perhaps there are some other reasons.¡±


    Then, she gazed at Lucy and asked, ¡°Lucy, why do I feel your expression changes every time he¡¯s


    mentioned? Are you interested in him? My hubby and I can set you guys up.¡±


    The ss that Lucy was holding suddenly fell to the ground. She apologized to the server who came to


    clean it up and said, ¡°Please stop joking, Cherise. How could I possibly deserve him¡­¡±


    She just thought that Lennon could be that person.


    Cherise pressed her lips. ¡°Why not?¡± She actually thought Lennon and Lucy were a good match.


    Moreover, Lennon was Damien¡¯s close friend, and Lucy was hers. If they ended up together, the four of


    them could have a lifetime of fun!


    ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t deserve him.¡±


    Lucy exhaled deeply and stared at Cherise. ¡°Cherise, please stop making jokes like this in the future.¡±


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 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    Chapter 282 I Have a Boyfriend Already


    ¡°I have a boyfriend already!¡±


    ¡°Oh Congrats, Ms. Staber¡±


    As soon as Lucy finished speaking, a deep male voice echoed in


    This voice is so familiar¡­.


    Lucy immediately lifted her head and met Lennon¡¯s deep-set eyes.


    Their gazes locked for a second before Lucy turned away. ¡°Cherise, you don¡¯t have to make the call


    anymore. He¡¯s here.¡±


    Cherise turned around to see Lennon leaning against an ornate stone pir while gazing at Lucy


    She smiled and waved at Lennon. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re just about to look for you. Come over here!¡±


    Lennon chuckled and walked over to sit beside Cherise. ¡°Here for a free meal again?¡°


    Cherise blushed. ¡°Don¡¯t put it that way. I-I¡¯m just here with Lucy for a casual dinner.¡±


    Then, she looked at Lucy, hoping to get her support. After all, Lucy had a ready tongue that could


    outwit anyone.


    But to her surprise, Lucy¡¯s cheeks were even redder than hers!


    ¡°Ms. Staber, are you unwell?¡± Frowning, Lennon habitually felt Lucy¡¯s forehand with his palm. ¡°Looks


    like you¡¯re having a fever.¡±


    He snapped his fingers elegantly, and a server hurried over. ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    ¡°Bring us some medicine for fever.¡±


    He arched his brows when he noticed the bottle of red wine in front of Cherise. ¡°And some hangover


    medicine.¡±


    In no time, the server returned with the items. Lennon received the medicine with his slender fingers


    and ced them in front of Lucy gracefully. ¡°Ms. Staber, can you take the medicine yourself?¡±


    Lucy stared at him in a daze and pressed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡±


    Lennon lifted his brows. ¡°Why is your face so hot if you¡¯re not having a fever? Could it be that you¡¯re


    shy seeing me?¡±


    Lucy closed her eyes and did not respond.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    1/2


    Lennon put on a half-smile. I believe I¡¯ve made it very clear the other day. Since you already have a


    boyfriend now, and I¡¯m getting along well with my blind date today, you should your interest in me and


    cherish your boyfriend.¡±


    suppress


    After saying that, he poured himself a ss of wine and downed it. Then, he stood up and said. ¡°This


    meal is on me, Cherise. You can order whatever you like. I have to go now.¡±


    With that, Lennon left.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t a fool and had noticed something was off between Lucy and Lennon.


    She looked at Lucy and mumbled, ¡°Lucy, you guys..


    She knew their rtionship must be moreplicated than it looked on the surface.


    Lucy imed she had a boyfriend, while Lennon mentioned he was getting along well with his date.


    However, neither of them appeared to be happy.


    Lucy was drinking non-stop after Lennon left.


    Cherise furrowed her brows and snatched the wine ss from her. ¡°Stop drinking already!¡±


    Lucy had lost her mother when she was young, and her father had been strict in raising her. So, she


    rarely drank. Even if she did, she knew how to control herself, unlike now.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have a boyfriend already? But look at you now. Why do you look like you¡¯ve had a


    heartbreak?¡± Cherise asked.


    2/2

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    Chapter 283 Don¡¯t Touch Her


    Lucy nced at Cherise and smiled bitterly. ¡°Cherise, I¡­¡±


    She looked down and could not stop tears from falling. ¡°I confessed my feelings, but he rejected


    me.¡±


    Cherise stared at Lucy in shock, unable to say anything.


    ¡°You¡­ You confessed to Lennon?¡±


    Lucy nodded. ¡°I confessed my feelings to a guy for the first time¡­ only to get rejected.¡±


    She still could not forget Lennon¡¯s cold expression.


    He said, ¡°I don¡¯t like having a wide age gap, and I hate women being so forward.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Staber, what do you know about me? Do you know my background? What about my personality?¡±


    ¡°Besides, how can you know anything? We¡¯ve only met twice. You only profess your love due to my


    looks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no different from those shallow women.¡±


    At the time, Lucy grabbed his sleeve and desperately tried to exin, ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡­¡±


    She had confirmed that Lennon had her mother¡¯s kidney in his body.


    But¡­


    Lennon pushed her hand away and left without another word.


    Lucy opened a new bottle of beer as she recalled the humiliating incident.


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Lucy, don¡¯t be sad. Lennon is actually not that nice. Furthermore¡­¡±


    She paused before continuing, ¡°You¡¯ve only met him twice. Are you sure¡­ you¡¯re in love with him?¡±


    Did she love him so much that she set aside her dignity and reveal her feelings to him?


    Lucy might not be the most beautiful girl on campus, but she was close enough.


    She would have tons of suitors if not for her forceful personality.


    Furthermore, she had always been serious and prudent. She would never ept someone into her


    heart so easily.


    1/3


    A guy in the neighboring ss had to pursue her for over a year before she reluctantly added him on


    WhatsApp.


    Lucy was proud, yet she willingly set down her pride to confess her feelings to Lennon..


    How could he be so stupid as to reject her?


    Cherise did not know how she couldfort Lucy..


    She knew she was ignorant in matters of romance.


    If she didn¡¯t have to marry Damien due to her family situation, she would probably never have


    considered getting into a romantic rtionship.


    New World Restaurant


    ¡°Drink with me.¡±


    Lucy knew what her best friend was thinking.


    She knew Cherise was sad about not knowing how tofort her.


    However, Lucy did not want to beforted.


    Instead, she wanted to vent her frustration.


    Cherise pursed her lips. She knew it was pointless to say anything. Thus, she could only sigh and


    continue drinking with Lucy.


    The twodies ended up thoroughly wasted in New World Restaurant.


    The manager had no choice but to call Lennon.


    By the time Lennon arrived, Cherise and Lucy were slumped on each end of their table.


    Lennon frowned. He went to Lucy and carried her. ¡°I¡¯m sending her home.¡±


    The manager asked nervously, ¡°What about¡­ her¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡±


    Lennon looked at the staff gathered. ¡°Anyone who dares to touch her will die. Prepare a hangover soup


    and bring her afortable pillow and nket.¡±


    ¡°Damien Lenoir¡±


    Lennon paused and continued, ¡°Call Damien Lenoir.¡±


    The manager nodded and quietly apanied him to the door.


    2/3


    Mayta


    leadday.


    pratat


    jetordy bying gents in the day. Her head rev


    The manage chately


    e Damien. ¡°¡±¡°Mr LenHOIT


    33Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    Chapter 284 You Mustn¡¯t Go to Her House


    ¡°If you do not want to wake up Mrs. Lenoir, we can¡­ provide you two with the most luxurious lounge.¡±


    Damien smiled. He leaned down and gently carried Cherise. ¡°Never mind, my wife is not that delicate.¡±


    Then, he suddenly recalled something. ¡°Where¡¯s the person she drank with?¡±


    ¡°My boss took her away.¡±


    The manager smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen my boss holding ady until today. He carried her like it was the


    most natural thing.¡±


    Damienughed. ¡°He¡¯s probably still unaware of how much that person means to him.¡±


    ¡°Rodney Savel¡±


    That was why he was so frustrated by the news of Lucy having a boyfriend that he sought ke for a


    brawl.


    It was nearly noon the following morning when Cherise woke


    Her phone was ringing.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She blearily grabbed the phone and said, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, I¡¯m Rodney Savel.¡±


    1.


    The man on the phone sounded anxious. ¡°Do you know where Lucy is?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s thoughts were hazy from a hangover. ¡°Rodney Savel?¡±


    Who?


    ¡°I¡¯m from the neighboring ss.¡±


    The man exined patiently, ¡°I invited Lucy out on a date, but she stood me up a few times.¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes and considered for some time. She vaguely recalled someone of that


    description. Still¡­


    ¡°How did you get my number? Why are you looking for Lucy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about this.¡±


    Rodney took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Around three to four days ago, when you were on leave,


    Lucy approached me and asked me to be her boyfriend.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°So, we are now dating.¡±


    ¡°We agreed to meet in the library today for a study date. I¡¯ve been waiting for her for half an hour.¡±


    Rodney sounded worried. ¡°I called her a while ago, but a man answered. I thought he was her father,


    so I called him ¡®Mr. Staber¡¯ and introduced myself¡­¡±


    ¡°But the man became angry and hung up.¡±


    ¡°I tried to call her again, but her phone has been turned off.¡±


    Rodney sighed and continued, ¡°I was too rash. I only realized afterward that the man sounded.


    young.


    ¡°He could be Lucy¡¯s brother or cousin¡­ but I didn¡¯t realize it then.¡±


    Then, he added dejectedly, ¡°Cherise, I got your number from someone in your ss.¡±


    ¡°Do you


    know Lucy¡¯s address? I wish to go there and apologize to her brother or cousin. I also want to pick up


    Lucy for our date.¡±


    The series of shocking information jolted Cherise wide awake.


    Cherise thought back to the dinner with Lucyst night. Lucy had indeed told her that she had a


    boyfriend.


    However, Cherise did not expect Rodney to be that boyfriend.


    Cherise remembered who Rodney was. His appearance was far from pleasant.


    Did Lucy really¡­ ask him to be her boyfriend?


    Also, Lucy doesn¡¯t have a brother!


    She has a cousin, but he would never be with her. Since her mother passed away, her father has been


    estranged from all their rtives!


    Cherise breathed in deeply. She may be confused by the situation, but she was not stupid.


    Thus, she pursed her lip and said, ¡°Please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll call Mr. Staber to confirm with him.¡±


    Rodney seemed impatient. ¡°We can just go to her house. Why go through so much trouble?¡±


    ¡°We must call first.¡±


    Cherise felt annoyed. ¡°As Lucy¡¯s boyfriend, you should know that you mustn¡¯t simply go to her


    house.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    Chapter 285 The Dilemma


    ¡°Lucy and her father are close. If Mr. Staber dislikes you, your rtionship with Lucy is over!¡±


    Rodney was taken by surprise. He did not expect the usually absent-minded Cherise to understand the


    situation so well.


    He pursed his lips. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for your news,¡±


    After hanging up, Cherise got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She pondered on the matter as she


    washed her face.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, I drank with Lucyst night.


    Lucy drank a lot. I did the same, too.


    I don¡¯t remember how I got back.


    Cherise looked down at her nicely buttoned pajamas.


    Could Damien have carried me homest night?


    Who else is patient enough to help me change into my pajamas?


    She was warmed by the thought and headed to the study.


    The morning light shone in from the window behind Damien, surrounding him with a golden


    halo.


    He sat downfortably, reading a document.


    When Cherise opened the door, he looked up with deep-set and unfathomable eyes. However, those


    eyes immediately crinkled with delight the instant he recognized Cherise.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    His voice was deep and charming.


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m awake.¡±


    ¡°Did you bring me homest night?¡±


    Damien nodded and waved his hand. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Cherise approached him tentatively and sat on hisp.


    Damien embraced her and kissed her cheek. ¡°Of course, it was me. Who else would bring you


    home?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise pursed her lips again. ¡°Where is Lucy? Last night¡­¡±


    Rodney said the man who answered Lucy¡¯s phone sounded young. He can¡¯t be Mr. Staber.


    Furthermore, he was annoyed when Rodey called him Mr. Staber and hung up immediately.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    I don¡¯t dare to call Mr. Staber yet.


    What if¡­


    That was why Cherise came to the study. She wanted to ask Damien about what happenedst night.


    ¡°You were already lying on the couch when I arrived.¡± Damien gently smoothed the messy strands near


    her temple. He kissed her cheek softly. ¡°But the manager at New World Restaurant said Lennon had


    carried Lucy off.¡±


    I knew it.


    Cherise frowned. ¡°I knew it was him.¡±


    Lucy got herself drunk because he rejected her love confession. How dare he then show up and carry


    her off?


    He even refused to answer my call. He has no right to get angry about Rodney mistaking him for Mr.


    Staber.


    He deserves it!


    But¡­


    ¡°He didn¡¯t bring her home. Where are they now?¡°


    Damien calmly kissed her cheek. ¡°That¡¯s between them. We better not get involved.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to get involved, but Lucy¡¯s boyfriend called me. He¡¯s


    looking for her.¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°I thought Lucy had always been single?¡±


    ¡°They just got together a few days ago.¡±


    Cherise sighed. She told Damien about Lennon¡¯s rejection of Lucy¡¯s love confession and how Lucy got


    together with Rodney.


    ¡°Rodney is waiting for me to update him about Lucy.¡±


    H


    Cherie frowned and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t tell him that Lucy is now with another man.¡±


    ¡°Since he¡¯s Lucy¡¯s boyfriend, it¡¯s understandable that he wants to know where she is!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    2/3


    The wary


    eet her hen tex

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Chapter 286 You Are Fit to ept Me


    Damien squinted and sent the library location to Lennon. ¡°Lucy¡¯s boyfriend is waiting for her there. You


    should bring her there immediately for them to proceed with their date.¡±


    ¡°Tring¡­ The phone on the table sounded.


    Lennon had trapped Lucy against the wall of a luxurious hotel room at this moment. He put her down


    and grabbed the phone.


    ¡®Bam!¡¯


    The phone mmed against the floor loudly.


    You want me to send her on a date with that man?


    No way!


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Will it be okay?¡±


    Cherise looked at the message Damien had sent. ¡°Hubby, are you sure¡­ Lennon will send her there?¡±


    ¡°He has no right to refuse.¡±


    Damien pulled Cherise into his arms. He kissed her forehead softly. ¡°Let them solve their problem.¡±


    His kiss became persistent and daring. ¡°The hospital sent the health checkup report.¡±¡±


    ¡°Your body¡­¡±


    He moved closer and gently held her earlobe between his lips. ¡°Your body is fit to ept me.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice and his unique masculine scent assailed her. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­¡±


    His suggestive tone and touches chased all thoughts from Cherise¡¯s mind.


    She looked at his handsome face in a daze and instinctively tried to hide. ¡°Hubby, I¡­..¡±


    ¡°Dear, don¡¯t move.¡±


    Damien kissed her. ¡°Do you remember your promise to me?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted me to do it at home.¡±


    His deep voice turned hoarse with desire. ¡°You said if I don¡¯t like the bedroom, we can try the study and


    the living room.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed red.


    Can I say I regret saying that?


    However, Cherise had indeed said those words!


    At the time, she told them to stop him from making love to her in the car or ces where others.


    could see her.


    Although those words saved her from trouble, it ended up being her trap.


    Having said those words herself, she had nothing to retort.


    Damien showered her with kisses.


    Initially, Cherise was able to cling to a thread of rationality.


    Soon, even that was lost under his relentless passion.


    Her mind went nk.


    She forgot about Lucy, Lennon, and Rodney.


    The outside world ceased to have anything to do with her.


    Her eyes, heart, and mind focused on Damien and his actions.


    ¡°Hubby¡­¡±


    Damien kissed her lips, swallowing what she wanted to say. ¡°Don¡¯t refuse me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been starving for this for half a month.¡±


    His tone was imbued with seductive charm. ¡°You¡¯re so adorable. I need to sample you more to make


    up for my restraint for the past half month.¡±


    However¡­


    Tears flowed from Cherise¡¯s eyes.


    Things were getting too intense for her.


    Damien ordered all the servants in the house to leave that day.


    Before leaving, the servants considerately shut all the curtains and turned on all the lights in the


    room.


    Furthermore, guards kept watch outside the vi to prevent anyone from approaching it.


    Cherise and Damien turned off all theirmunication devices.


    2/3


    Nevertheless, it left her has


    Day earsed in the story before moving to the corridor. After that there dat on the e beneath the ss


    chandelier in the Irving room. They also tried de kochen and even the


    Cherie (mand went nk, and energypletely drained from her body


    33

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    Chapter 287 It¡¯s as Sweet as You


    Cherise was famished. While Damien was bathing, she sneaked away to search the fridge for food.


    Frances left some cream puff¡¯s and cakes in the refrigerator for her.


    She ate one, and the rich whipped cream instantly restored her energy.


    ¡°What are you eating?¡±


    Damien wore a pajamas with his chest exposed. The sensual visual and his seductive voice were a


    lethalbination. One could not help but be intoxicated with his deep voice and eight- pack abs.


    Cherise trembled when she heard his voice.


    They had made love so many times that she could barely stand.


    Yet, his voice seemed to indicate that¡­


    Cherise had only put on his white shirt before rushing downstairs.


    Since Damien was bigger and taller than her, his shirt was long enough to nearly reach her knees.


    At the same time, she had tied her hair loosely, leaving loose strands resting on her corbone. She


    widened her eyes. The shock was apparent on her doll-like face.


    There were also clumps of white whipped cream on the corners of her lips.


    Damien suppressed his anger about her escape. He wiped the whipped cream off her lips with his


    fingers. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Cherise looked at his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s whipped cream.¡±


    She added a momentter, ¡°It¡¯s sweet.¡±


    Damien tasted the whipped cream on his finger without hesitation.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sweet.¡±


    Then, he trapped her against the fridge and stared into her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s as sweet as you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sweet.¡±


    She paused and added, ¡°I¡¯m not as sweet as whipped cream.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Damien roughly pulled open her shirt and upturned the cake box on her body.


    1/3


    Clumps of whipped creamnded on her smooth skin.


    The whipped cream felt cool on her skin as the cakes had just been removed from the fridge.


    Cherise could not help but shudder. ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re being wasteful.¡±


    Even at this point, she was still worried about being wasteful and had no clue what would happen


    to her next.


    Her innocent response prompted Damien¡¯s eyes to darken.


    He smiled vaguely. ¡°You think it¡¯s wasteful?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She reached for a tissue and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s wasteful. These are tasty.¡±


    ¡°Let me try.¡±


    Damien grabbed her hand and leaned down to kiss her body.


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Her hands balled into fists under his restraint.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She rxed her hands briefly before clenching them again.


    When it was too much to bear, she pleaded with tears in her eyes, ¡°Please, no more!¡±


    ¡°Call me Hubby.¡±


    ¡°Hubby.¡±


    ¡°Say it again.¡±


    ¡°Hubby.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°Hubby, Hubby, Hubby, Hubby¡­¡±


    4


    Cherise had no idea how she got through that day.


    The following morning, she woke weakly and tried to recall what had happened. Unfortunately. her


    memories were in tatters. She could not remember anything other than Damien¡¯s chiseled face.


    In short¡­ It was a wild day.


    Cherise¡¯s legs were shaking as she got up from bed.


    2/3


    After washing up, she returned to the bed andy down, grumbling inwardly.


    I¡¯m doomed.


    I have another additional mathematics ss today.


    I haven¡¯t had the chance to study. Worse¡­. I have to miss the ss again.


    It¡¯s all Damien¡¯s fault!


    She hit her legs angrily, grumbling about Damien.


    ¡®Knock, knock¡­¡±


    Someone knocked on the door. It was Frances.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, are you awake? Mr. Lenoir asked me to prepare a nourishing soup for you. Do you want it


    now, or should I heat itter?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and rubbed her rumbling stomach. ¡°Frances.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    Chapter 288 She Thinks I¡¯m Pretty


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Please send it in for me¡­¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I can¡¯t get out of bed¡­¡±


    Frances fell into an awkward silence outside the room.


    After a whole day of recuperating, Cherise returned to school on the third day.


    She came to the ssroom and was astonished to find another person apanying Lucy.


    It was the hideous-looking Rodney.


    He sat beside Lucy and waved. ¡°Cherry!¡±


    Cherise felt nauseous looking at his face.


    She usually did not care about a person¡¯s appearance.


    However, it was only urate to a certain extent. She couldn¡¯t stand it when they were absolutely


    hideous.


    Rodney¡¯s unfortunate appearance overshadowed any good qualities he had.


    Cherise smiled awkwardly and walked the long way to get to the seat on Lucy¡¯s other side.


    Rodney happily ced a bottle of cold drink before Cherise. ¡°The weather is hot today. It¡¯s for you to


    cool down.¡±


    Surprised, Cherise muttered, ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    Then, she turned to Lucy. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to let my boyfriend attend sses with me.¡±


    Lucy smiled gleefully. She seemed to have expected Cherise¡¯s reaction.


    She continued calmly, ¡°Rodney is a good person. His grades are decent. Moreover, he has always


    been gentle and loving with me.¡±


    Her smile grew wider, and her eyes were clear as day. ¡°I¡¯m fullymitted to my rtionship. with


    Rodney. As such, I¡¯ll bring him everywhere, whether it¡¯s sses or other activities.¡±


    ¡°I want him to be involved in every aspect of my life.¡±


    ¡°Lucy, you¡­¡±


    1/3


    Cherise pursed her lips. She could not bring herself to say anything else.


    Lucy smiled contentedly. ¡°I think Rodney is a nice guy.¡±


    Cherise looked down.


    Since Lucy thought Rodney was nice, Cherise had nothing more to say.


    Besides, Lucy already knew what she wanted to say anyway.


    With that in mind, Cherise turned to Rodney and smiled. ¡°You must cherish Lucy!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you if you hurt her in any way!¡±


    Rodneyughed in good nature. ¡°Cherry, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be good to Lucy!¡±


    Then, they chatted for a while before the ss began.


    Cherise focused on the lecture and did not notice Jessie staring at her venomously throughout


    the lesson.


    It was Rodney who saw it first.


    He prodded Cherise¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°Are you enemies with that fatty there?¡±


    Cherie was focused on taking notes and frowned upon hearing Rodney¡¯s question. ¡°Who?¡±


    Fatty? Enemy?


    Cherise nced in the direction Rodney pointed and saw Jessie with her cheeks badly swollen..


    Jessie was not chubby.


    She only seemed chubby because of her cheeks. They were severely swollen from being pped. by


    Mr. Kolson some time ago.


    One would mistakenly assume Jessie was obese from looking at her face alone.


    Jessie kept staring at Cherise.


    Cherise coincidentally met her gaze when she turned to look at her.


    When their eyes met, Jessie narrowed her eyes before turning away.


    Cherise was briefly stunned but eventually looked away.


    She was not surprised that Jessie hated her. After all, Mr. Kolson, Damien¡¯s driver, dislocated her arm


    and pped her until her face was swollen.


    Even though Jessie was injured, Cherise knew Jessie had only herself to me.


    2/3


    She had indeed gone too far that day.


    Cherise took a deep breath and calmly nced at Rodney. ¡°Perhaps she thinks I¡¯m pretty¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    Chapter 289 She Has a Strange Taste


    ¡°Since she likes looking at me, let her look all she wants.¡±


    With that, Cherise looked in front and held her pen. She continued to focus on the lecture and


    make notes.


    Once the sses ended in the evening, Jessie rushed over and blocked Cherise¡¯s way. ¡°Lucy and


    waited at New World Restaurant that night.¡±


    you


    Cherise frowned and nodded. ¡°Yes, we did.¡±


    Jessie sneered, ¡°You two are truly shameless.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling shameless?¡± Lucy tried to p Jessie¡¯s cheek.


    However, Jessie dodged it easily.


    Mandy came over and grabbed hold of Jessie. ¡°Jessie.¡±


    Then, she turned her cold gaze on Cherise and Lucy. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on these people.¡±


    Jessie red at Cherise viciously before turning around and leaving.


    Rodney frowned as he watched them go. ¡°They are¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you.¡±


    Lucy furrowed her brow and looked at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce me to your bros? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then, she turned to Cherise apologetically. ¡°Rodney and I have another matter. We¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to a bar.¡±


    Rodney exined, ¡°I had pursued Lucy for more than a year. Now, she finally agreed to be my


    girlfriend. When my friends learned about this, they asked to meet her and congratte us.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°But¡­¡±


    Since his friends want to congratte them, why meet at the bar¡­


    Isn¡¯t it noisy?


    Furthermore, he had pursued Lucy for a year. Doesn¡¯t he know how strict her father is? She would


    never go to


    a bar


    1/3


    ¡°Ill be fine.¡±


    Lucy knew what Cherise was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m now Rodney¡¯s girlfriend. I should amodate to their


    preferences.¡±


    Then, she winked at Cherise to assure her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one can do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Besides, Rodney will be with me.¡±


    Rodney nodded immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cherry. I¡¯ll protect Lucy.¡±


    Then, he put the bar¡¯s name card in Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ll be going here. If you¡¯re still worried. you can


    join us.¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    Lucy waved her hands. ¡°Her husband would blow up the bar if she were to go there with strangers.¡±


    ¡°For the safety of that bar, it¡¯s better that she doesn¡¯t go.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Is my husband that scary?


    At the same time, a silver Maybach appeared and traveled toward her.


    She waved at Lucy and Rodney. ¡°Never mind, I won¡¯t be going to the bar.


    ¡°You two, be careful.¡±


    Then, she turned to Rodney firmly. ¡°Make sure nothing happens to her. Do you hear me?¡±


    Rodney chuckled and nodded in agreement.


    The car stopped before Cherise.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She opened the door and sat in the front passenger seat.


    Damien raised an eyebrow quizzically. ¡°Who¡¯s that hideous man?¡±


    Cherise was surprised by the question. Then, she realized he was talking about Rodney.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°Hubby, be nice.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Rodney, Lucy¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Damien ced a hand on the steering wheel. He smiled vaguely as he nced in Lucy¡¯s direction.


    2/3


    ¡°She has a strange taste.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Still, she could not deny that Rodney¡¯s appearance did him no favors.


    ¡°But he¡¯s good to Lucy.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She gained a more favorable opinion of Rodney after being with him all day.


    ¡°He pursued Lucy for over a year. That¡¯s an admirable persistence.¡±


    ¡°He also cared for me today because I¡¯m Lucy¡¯s best friend.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s bringing Lucy to a bar tonight to introduce her to his friends. He must be serious about their


    rtionship.¡±

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    Chapter 290 Her Rebound Guy


    Damien nodded and called Lennon¡¯s number. ¡°Want to meet up for a drink tonight?¡±


    Lennon replied immediately, ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°A bar.¡±


    ¡°Why did you ask to meet in such a rundown ce?¡±


    Lennon sat in a booth seat on the second floor. He frowned unhappily. ¡°It¡¯s smoky and depressing.¡±


    They were at a small bar. Everything, from its facilities to the decorations, looked worn and


    outdated.


    Moreover, the stench of cigarettes hung in the air.


    Lennon directed his annoyance at Damien and Cherise in the opposite seat. ¡°Why did you two ask to


    meet in such a lousy ce?¡±


    ¡°Damien, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have money. Didn¡¯t you tens of millions from your uncle recently?¡±


    ¡°Why make mee to this kind of ce to drink?¡±


    Lennon had a privileged upbringing. Even though he waster kicked out of the Belcourt family, he had


    never stepped foot into such a rundown ce.


    He felt defiled with every breath he took.


    Damien smiled calmly. ¡°Cherise wanted toe here.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him.


    How dare he dump the me on me?


    He¡¯s the one who dragged me here when he found out that Lucy and Rodney would meet Rodney¡¯s


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    friends


    here.


    How could he now say that I wanted toe here?


    I¡¯m not interested in watching Lucy and Rodney.


    Besides, Lennon doesn¡¯t deserve Lucy.


    Although Rodney is ugly, he¡¯s at least considerate and gentle with Lucy.


    Narrowing his eyes, Lennon pursed his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. A prim and proper girl like her


    1/3


    would never suggest to go to a bar.¡±


    He finished a ss of beer and continued, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s with this bar?¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to buy it, or are you nning to repurpose it for other things?¡±


    A wave of rowdy male voices sounded at this moment.


    ¡°She¡¯s incredible! Drink up!¡±


    ¡°Rodney, your girlfriend is amazing! She¡¯s going to outdrink the rest of us!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still standing even after so many sses! I¡¯m impressed!¡±


    The men kept cheering rowdily.


    Lennon put down his ss in annoyance. ¡°This ce is too noisy.¡±


    He nced at the lower floor without thinking.


    A young woman in a white cropped top and ripped jeans immediately caught his eye. She stood. on a


    coffee table in the middle of a U-shaped couch, tilting her head back while holding a bottle to her lips.


    She gulped the beer until the bottle was empty.


    Lennon would have sneered and regarded her with disdain if it was any other woman.


    However, his heart clenched as his gazended on Lucy¡¯s doll-like face.


    She¡­


    Why is she¡­


    ¡°Lucy is here with her boyfriend.¡±


    Damien calmly poured a ss of lemon-infused water. ¡°Cherise was worried about Lucying to


    such a ce. That¡¯s why she insisted oning here. She did not want someone to take advantage of


    Lucy.¡±


    Then, he gave the ss of lemon water to Cherise. ¡°However, I¡¯m beginning to feel tired. I don¡¯t want to


    keep watching her.¡±


    His voice carried a yful tone, ¡°So¡­¡±


    He looked at Lennon. ¡°Can I leave this task to you?¡±


    Lennon frowned and stared at Lucy. He did not look away even for a second.


    She stood amid a group of men, drinking one ss of beer after another.


    Lucy walked away from the table and entered the bathroom.


    2/3


    The group of men began tough.


    ¡°Rodney, your girlfriend is gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t let down your guard yet. She might be using you as a rebound.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    Chapter 291 She Is Safe with Him


    A few guys drunkenly patted Rodney¡¯s shoulder andughed ¡°Your girlfriend is so beautiful. Make sure


    to watch her properly! Don¡¯t let another man snatch her from you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Another guy poured more beer for Rodney. ¡°Have you slept with her?¡±


    Rodney frowned and shook his head.


    The group of menughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve been dating her for half a month? Why haven¡¯t you


    slept with her?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to.


    Rodney drank his beer solemnly. Ilis expression was marred with worry. ¡°She said it¡¯s too early. She will


    only do it once we¡¯re married.¡±


    The group of menughed. ¡°If she refuses to marry you, won¡¯t you suffer a huge loss?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You will have taken care of her for nothing


    Those men kept edging Rodney on. A few even suggested ways to drug Lucy so that he could sleep


    with her.


    However, Rodney rejected all their suggestions. ¡°I. I will get her to ept me eventually. Then, she will


    sleep with me willingly.¡±


    Cherise witnessed everything from upstairs. Although Rodney made the correct decision. Cherise was


    disturbed by what those men said.


    ¡°Why is he friends with these people?¡±


    Damien swirled the wine in his ss and sneered, ¡°He¡¯s willing to befriend such people. Furthermore,


    when they said he should have made Lucy sleep with him, he did not be outraged or try to refute


    them.¡±


    He sipped his red wine and continued, ¡°This proves that even though he didn¡¯t do as they suggested,


    he also didn¡¯t think they were wrong.¡±


    Damien elegantly ced the ss on the table. ¡°Men like him are unworthy of Lucy¡±


    Cherise agreed with Damien¡¯s exnation. ¡°But I¡¯ve tried to persuade her many times. She refused to


    listen¡­¡±


    ¡°She said she won¡¯t suspect Rodney now that she has decided to be his girlfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°It made sense¡±


    1/3


    Damien shook his head calmly. ¡°She¡¯s acting rashly because someone broke her heart. That¡¯s why


    she¡¯s like this.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s observe her for now. Let me know if this man attempts anything


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    Then, she wrapped her arms around Damien¡¯s neck and kissed him. ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡±


    Lucy was Cherise¡¯s friend, not his.


    Yet, he was willing to care about Lucy¡¯s well-being with her. The gesture touched Cherise.


    After all, no one would care about someone unrted to them.


    Still. Damien willingly cared about people close to Cherise for her sake.


    Damien chuckled and embraced her. ¡°Since you think I¡¯m the best¡­¡±


    He moved closer to her ear and whispered in a deep and suggestive tone, ¡°We should enjoy some


    whipped cream cakes at hometer.¡±


    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡®whipped cream.


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly turned red.


    She recalled the way he ate whipped cream from her body that day¡­


    She bit her lip. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get a say in this.¡±


    Damien chuckled and kissed her cheek. He got up and started walking with her in his arms.


    Cherise struggled to get down. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we say goodbye to Lennon?¡±


    Lennon was paying full attention to the crowd downstairs.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He won¡¯t hear us even if we say goodbye.¡±


    Damien shrugged. He noticed Lennon clenching his fists tightly. ¡°We might as well go home to enjoy


    cakes.¡±


    ¡°Lucy is very safe with him here.¡±


    Cherise frowned and nced downstairs as they were leaving.


    Rodney sat with his group of friends, drinking sullenly.


    Cherise pursed her lips as she looked down disapprovingly at his friends, feeling ufortable


    2/3

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    Chapter 292 The Cakes Are Not for Her


    Perhaps Damien is right.


    Allough he doesn¡¯t do what his friends say, he doesn¡¯t object to their words,


    Otherwise, why didn¡¯t he argue with them? Instead, he sits there gloomily, drinking beer.


    Cherise¡¯s heart turned cold with disappointment


    She was only a beginner in matters concerning romantic rtionships and did not know much


    about them.


    However, she was sure that Rodney¡¯s attitude was wrong.


    ¡°A rtionship is about being willing to care for each other. One shouldn¡¯t focus too much on loss and


    gain.¡±


    Damien understood why Cherise suddenly appeared dispirited. His eyebrows scrunched together as he


    drove and said softly, ¡°When you decided to bear a child for me and take care of me for the rest of your


    life, did you consider what benefit you¡¯d want from me in return?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    She wanted to bear his child because she wished to do something for him.


    However, she never considered what she wanted from him in return.


    ¡°That¡¯s the difference.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and focused on the road ahead. ¡°Rodney and his friend care. tremendously


    about the benefit they can get from a rtionship.¡±


    ¡°If Lucy doesn¡¯t offer her body to Rodney as they wished, they will think Rodney has gotten a losing


    deal.¡±


    ¡°If he keepsparing gains and losses, his rtionship with Lucy¡­¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile gradually turned cold. ¡°It means he doesn¡¯t truly love her.¡±


    ¡°He asked her out because she is beautiful, and he wanted to experience the glory of having at


    beautiful girl by his side.¡±


    A storm crossed over Cherise¡¯s features as she considered what Damien said. She realized something


    then,


    ¡°Is it like when we were at school?¡±


    ¡°If one only studies to get good test scores, it¡¯s not a noble aim, right?¡±


    1/3


    Damien was rendered speechless.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°I thought the purpose of studying is to get good exam results.¡±


    ¡°No. it¡¯s not.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes were bright and innocent. ¡°One should study to improve oneself.¡±


    ¡°Exam is only a temporary proof of one¡¯s advancement.¡±


    ¡°That is to say, learning provides one with the foundation to be an even better person in the


    future!¡±


    Damien fell silent.


    Cherise¡¯s persistent argument gave him no room to retort.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll make a good teacher.¡±


    After all, only a teacher would enjoy exining the things she said.


    Cherise smiled and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a teacher. My dream is to be at brilliant


    heart surgeon!¡±


    They continued to chat andugh as the car traveled. Soon, the car arrived at Lenoir Manor.


    Frances and Greg were ying a card game in the living room.


    Seeing Cherise, Frances greeted immediately, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs. Lenoir, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Damien furrowed his eyebrows slightly and nced at Frances¡¯ losing hand. ¡°Stop ying cards.


    Please prepare a slice of whipped cream cake and send it to the bedroom.¡±


    Frances was stunned. She instinctively nced at the time.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, it¡¯s unhealthy for Mrs. Lenoir to eat a whipped cream cake sote.¡±


    In other words, eating a cake at this hour would be fattening.


    Crossing his arms across his chest, Damien said, ¡°Did I say the cake is for her?¡±


    Frances was even more amazed. ¡°Is that so¡­ Does this mean you¡¯ve finished all the whipped. cream


    cakes I sent to your room previously?¡±


    Damienughed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°She dislikes whipped cream cakes.¡±


    Cherise stood at the railing upstairs and red at Damien angrily.


    How could he say she dislikes whipped cream?


    She loved whipped cream, but she had to let him have it.


    He spread whipped cream from the cakes on her body. Then, he would lick up the whipped cream from


    each spot of her body.

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293


    Chapter 293 Don¡¯t Drink It


    Cherise was eager to have a taste, but she could not eat the whipped cream from her body.


    Me cover, she would not stoop as low as him.


    She wanted to cry out in frustration


    Meanwhile, Frances nodded in agreement with Damien¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s good for ady to cut back


    on some desserts¡±


    Frances put down her poker cards and added, ¡°You can go to your room first. I¡¯ll bring it upter.¡±


    Damien gave a silent acknowledgment. When he got onto the staircase, he suddenly remembered


    something and turned around. ¡°Please add more whipped cream.¡±


    Frances was stunned by the request.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Why did Mr. Lenoir, a twenty-six-year-old man, suddenly like whipped cream on cakes?


    I guess people really do change when they¡¯re in love¡­


    When Damien got upstairs, Cherise was sprawled on the bed, texting Lucy on her phone.


    She carefully reorganized what she and Damien had discussed before typing it out for Lucy.


    However, Damien and Frances entered the room with the cake before Cherise could finish drafting the


    message.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Damien elegantly ced the whipped cream cake on the bedside drawer. Then, he hurriedly undid the


    top two buttons of his shirt. ¡°Time to lie down and serve as my tableware.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes in shock.


    She turned around and looked at him warily. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a say in this.¡±


    Damien took off his white shirt and tossed it on her body. Then, he undid the diamond sp on his


    leather belt. ¡°Remember what you promised me, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    She pursed her lips worriedly. Her expression fell. ¡°Can you please be gentle?¡±


    1/3


    hausted self (eg leng


    Ect our of best-


    Then grils kissed her hips Tl be very gentle


    there gasped for breath. ¡°Why do I feel you¡¯re lying¡¯


    Whether I¡¯m lying or not, you¡¯ll find out when you try.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Cherise was rendered speechless


    Cherise¡¯s phone fell to the floor in their flurry of amorous activities,


    She had only managed to message a few words to Lucy. The rest of her advice remained unserit


    on the screen


    Meanwhile, Lary sat on a couch in the bar and looked at Cherise¡¯s message. Lucy, I have something to


    tell you¡±


    Lucy typed a reply: Where¡¯s the rest?


    But there was no response


    She nced at the time and saw it was nine at night


    Did Damien drug ker to bed?


    Haven¡¯) they done it a few dyr ago.


    Are newlyweds usually the swild?


    ¡°Wine ceremony Wine ceremony


    ¡°Rodney, quick! You and your girlfriend should have a wine ceremony?


    A series ofughter and teasing sounded in Lucy¡¯s ears, prompting her to narrow her eyes in


    annoyance


    Rodney pursued her for over a year. She had always thought him to be an honest man. Thus, she was


    astonished to discover that many of his friends were rough and uncouth


    still. Rodney had treated her well. Even though she detested his friends, she had just begun dating


    Rodney. Thus, she felt she shouldn¡¯t judge his friends.


    Lucy put down the phone and smiled at Rodney ¡°You want to have a wine ceremony with me


    213


    Rodney looked down. He had a


    would like to


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lucy smiled and epted the wine he offered. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    They would only be drinking wine. Lucy did not mind that.


    She and Rodney linked their arms and were about to drink the wine under the cheers of his friends.


    ¡®Smash!¡± A crashing noise sounded. Someone pulled her hand away, causing the ss she held to


    shatter on the floor.


    A man with a handsome and cold expression held her hand firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t drink it!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    Chapter 294 Don¡¯t Have a Mother


    Lucy looked up and gazed into Lennon¡¯s stern eyes


    She sneered. ¡°Am I drunk?¡±


    I must be drunk. Otherwise, why do I see him?


    Didn¡¯t he say he had hit off with his blind date? Didn¡¯t he tell me to forget about him and cherish


    Rodney?


    I¡¯ve worked hard to focus on my rtionship with Rodney and cherish him. How can Lennon show up


    now when I¡¯m about to have a wine ceremony with Rodney¡±


    He even smashed the wine I was about to drink.


    Pushing Lennon away, she yelled, ¡°Stay away from me!¡±


    She would not have dared to do this if she were sober. The alcohol seemed to have made her daring.


    Lennon stood still.


    He stared at Lucy¡¯s face sternly and said, ¡°Lucy, how long will you keep fooling around?¡±


    It¡¯s fine if she wants a boyfriend, but why must she be with this scumbag?


    This scumbag¡¯s friends even encouraged him to take advantage of her!


    How could she agree to have a wine ceremony with him?


    ¡°I¡¯m fooling around?¡±


    Lucy red at him. ¡°What do you mean fooling around? What¡¯s wrong with drinking with my


    boyfriend?¡±


    Is it only a wine ceremony?


    We will only be sharing a ss of wine. What¡¯s his problem?


    Lennon gritted his teeth in anger.


    ¡°Lucy!¡±


    Lennon was so fierce and intimidating that neither Rodney nor his friends dared to intervene.


    He gripped her wrist, forcing her to meet his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what a wine ceremony signifies?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve barely started dating him. How could you agree to have a wine ceremony with him?¡¯


    1/3


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother tell you not to have a wine cert


    nony with any random m.in


    Lucy was stunned.


    She looked up with confusion and fear. At the same time, she smiled bitterly ¡°No I don¡¯t have a mother.¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°My mother never taught me this.


    Finally, Rodney stepped forward and stood between Lucy and Lennon. ¡°Sir, who are you? How dare


    you get between me and Lucy?¡±


    ¡°Initially, I thought you were her rtive. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t stop you.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t even know that Lucy¡¯s mother passed away twelve years ago!¡±


    He red at Lennon furiously. ¡°Since you know nothing, stop barging into our business?¡±


    ¡°How dare you make Lucy sad? Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡±


    Lennon looked past Rodney¡¯s skinny shoulders and saw Lucy behind him. Her shoulders twitched like


    she was crying.


    The sight caused his heart to clench painfully.


    I never knew¡­


    Lucy grew up without her mother¡­


    Seeing that Lennon remained silent, Rodney¡¯s friends began to taunt him. ¡°Who the heck are you?


    How dare you barge into our business?¡±


    ¡°How dare you interrupt my friend¡¯s wine ceremony with his woman? Who are you to criticize us?¡±


    ¡°Scram! Don¡¯t make us beat you up!¡±


    Voices of mockery sounded all around Lennon.


    His fists clenched tightly at each side.


    Then, he said coldly, ¡°Lucy, I understand your mother can¡¯t be here to teach you this, so I¡¯ll tell you this


    right now. You can¡¯t simply have a wine ceremony with any man.¡±


    Rodney¡¯s friend charged at Lennon.


    However, Lennon only sneered at them.


    Meanwhile, a youth in a blue tracksuit sat beside the railing on the second floor. His voice was clear


    and crisp. ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    2/3


    Lennonughed calmly. ¡°You didn¡¯t go back with them!


    ke pursed his lips. ¡°They¡¯re going to be all over each other anyway. I don¡¯t want to watch that.¡±

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295


    Chapter 295 You Don¡¯t Deserve Her


    Lennon smiled. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go to a boxing gym for a one-on-one after I¡¯ve dealt with these people.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good!¡±


    ke grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lennon undid his cuff buttons elegantly. Then, he linked his finger and cracked his joints. ¡°I¡¯ve needed


    something to vent my frustration.¡±


    The bar was instantly filled with all kinds of nging and banging noises.


    Rodney¡¯s friends groaned in pain all around Lennon. On the other hand, Lennon nced at the


    hideous man standing before Lucy. ¡°Will you fight or give her to me?¡±


    By now, Lucy was drunk and was slumped over the coffee table.


    Rodney¡¯s face turned deathly pale. He nced at Lucy before looking at Lennon again..


    ¡°Rodney, forget it.¡±


    The voice belonged to one of his friends sprawled on the floor. ¡°You can¡¯t beat him. Don¡¯t try to face


    him head-on.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You will still lose even if you got yourself beaten ck and blue. So you might as well give the girl to


    him.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, your girlfriend doesn¡¯t seem to like him. You don¡¯t have to worry about her falling


    for him.¡±


    Rodney pursed his lips and thought his friend¡¯s words made sense.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to do anything to her. She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±


    Rodney warned even as he stepped aside.


    ¡°Ha,¡± Lennonughed. He walked past Rodney and bent down to pick Lucy up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I said.¡±


    Rodney added timidly from the side, ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend, you¡¯ve better watch out¡­¡±


    However, Lennon raised his hand and punched Rodney in the face before he could finish speaking.


    1/3


    The punch carried a tremendous force. Rodney¡¯s nose immediately started bleeding.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Rodney covered his nose and red at him.


    ¡°You think she¡¯s yours?¡±


    Lennon directed a piercing cold gaze at Rodney. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her.¡±


    When faced with a strong opponent, Rodney did not even bother to defend Lucy but handed her over.


    Lennon was furious that Rodney dared to make demands of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get away with bullying us just because you¡¯re strong!¡± Rodney said through gritted


    teeth.


    ¡°I think the video is still on the Web.¡±


    Lennon frowned indifferently. His cold eyes contained no hint of emotions. It seemed Rodney was as


    insignificant as a bug in his eyes.


    ¡°You can search for it online,¡±


    ¡°That man is called Ian Philips. He¡¯s a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Once you find him, you will realize how merciful I¡¯ve been with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me do something worse.¡±


    After saying that, he nced at the blue track-suited youth on the second floor. ¡°ke, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ke jumped from the second floor andnded on a marble b. Then, he stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s


    go!¡±


    Lennon gently carried the soundly sleeping Lucy and left the bar.


    The bar fell into silence.


    Rodney stood stunned at his spot. He clenched his fists as he watched Lennon and ke leave.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that arrogant man? Is he your romantic rival?¡±


    Rodney gritted his teeth and did not respond.


    ¡°That man is incredible. He¡¯s handsome and seems wealthy, too.¡±


    Rodney¡¯s friend lightly patted his shoulder. ¡°Since he¡¯s your rival, you¡¯d better get the deed done soon.


    Then, she won¡¯t be able to leave you.¡±


    2/3


    Meanwhile, Damien secured Cherise to the bed, having his way with her all night. Thus, Cherise had


    no idea what happened between Lucy and Lennon.


    She only found out the following day that Rodney had bruises on his face.


    She heard it was because Lennon punched him.


    3/3

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    Lennon had beaten up Rodney and his friends.


    However, the details were unclear. Lucy could not say anything, while Rodney refused to provide the


    specifics.


    ording to him, he tried to protect Lucy and did his best to stop Lennon, only to receive a punch in


    his face.


    Thus, to repay Rodney for getting hurt on her ount, Lucy agreed to attend a photography club trip


    with him at the end of the month. They would be going to a vige for cultural appreciation.


    Ever since Cherise started university, she had always apanied Lucy to all club events,


    Moreover, Damien told her to watch and report Rodney¡¯s actions to himst night. Therefore, Cherise


    told Damien about the trip and pestered him to let her go. ¡°I want to join too.¡±


    Cherise was tired of staying home, where she would be at the mercy of his voracious sexual appetite.


    She would have no chance to do anything else.


    ¡°The photography club¡¯s cultural appreciation trip?¡±


    Damien frowned and pulled her onto hisp. ¡°Is it a day trip?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, Lucy said it¡¯s a rather rural vige with a nice view. We can see the


    mountains and the rivers¡­¡±


    ¡°We will set off on the first day in the morning and arrive at the vige in the afternoon.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She hugged him restlessly and kissed his neck. ¡°The second da appreciation activities. We¡¯ll travel


    back on the third day in the city in the afternoon.¡±


    will be a full day of cultural morning and probably reach the


    Cherise counted with her fingers. ¡°So it¡¯s around three days and two nights.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and instantly understood why Rodney wanted to bring Lucy on this trip.


    ¡°Where will you be staying at night? Is it a homestay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I heard the photography club booked two buildings. There¡¯s enough room for


    everyone.


    Then, she looked at him hopefully. ¡°Can I go?¡±


    Damien chuckled softly and caressed her hair. ¡°Of course, you can go.¡±


    1/2


    Damien gently pinched her cheek. ¡°Others are joining the trip for photography and cultural appreciation


    What about you? Will you be fishing?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes and pulled his hand from her cheek, a pout forming on her lips. ¡°I can


    appreciate local cultures too. Moreover, my phone has a camera!¡±


    Damien chuckled in good humor.


    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t have a hobby.¡±


    He held her face and gently kissed her pink lips. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Lennon to send a camera set over this


    afternoon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to learn photography.¡±


    ¡°Then, you can photograph all the beautiful natural sceneries in your hometown. They will be our


    precious records.¡±


    Cherise was surprised by his suggestion. She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I think my wife¡¯s hometown is lovely.¡±


    ¡°We can go there someday to take photos!¡±


    She looked at Damien solemnly. ¡°Thest time you went home with me, you pretended to be blind.¡±


    ¡°The next time we return, we can catch fish in the river!¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can catch a fish even if I can see it.¡±


    Cherise blinked in confusion. ¡°Why?¡±


    af


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to snatch your title as an expert fisher.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Damien did as he promised.


    When Lennon showed up, Cherise had just finished lunch and was watching a TV drama with Frances.


    He brought an intricate SLR camera and a small box of lenses.


    There was also a thick photography manual.


    He lined them up on the coffee table and smiled vaguely. ¡°I bought these many years ago but never


    used them. They are brand new.¡±

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    Chapter 297 Do You Like Her?


    Cherise was shocked to see so many lenses in the box. ¡°How¡­ do I use these¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written in the manual.¡±


    Lennon switched to a morefortable sitting position and epted a cup of tea from Frances.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    ¡°He went upstairs for a video conference after lunch.¡±


    Cherise flipped through the manual curiously. ¡°Erm, aperture¡­


    Lennon looked at her confused expression and chuckled. ¡°Why do you suddenly wish to learn.


    photography?¡±


    ¡°I was shocked when Damien called me. I didn¡¯t expect a country bumpkin to pick up a sophisticated


    hobby suddenly.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not without a good reason.¡±


    Cherise flipped through the manual and continued, ¡°Rodney and Lucy will join the photography club¡¯s


    vige cultural appreciation trip in a few days. I¡¯m worried about Lucy, so I¡¯ll follow them.¡±


    The atmosphere in the living room immediately turned tense.


    However, Cherise did not seem to notice. She yawned and continued calmly, ¡°Since I¡¯m going on a


    photography club activity, I can¡¯t just stand there and do nothing.¡±


    She picked up the camera and started ying with it. ¡°I need to learn photography even if it¡¯s for show.¡±


    ¡°After all, I¡¯ll be there for three days, two nights. It will be weird if I¡¯m the only one just standing. there


    idly.¡±


    Lennon narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°Is Damien okay with you going?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise nodded and smiled at Lennon. ¡°ke is going with me. I¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    No one would dare bother her with ke around.


    ¡°What about Lucy?¡± Lennon asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch over her.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    1/3


    Lennon sneered. ¡°Give me the photography club¡¯s phone number¡±


    Cherise was stunned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I was to join this trip.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°The participants are all students, but you¡¯re a working adult. People will


    object even if you try to register for it.¡±


    ¡°Good point.¡±


    Lennonughed dangerously. ¡°Give me the address of the vige you¡¯ll be going.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°Lucy had to coax Rodney for a long time because you beat him up.¡±


    ¡°If not for what happened at the bar, Lucy would never agree to go on this trip with Rodney.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Lennon, what is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°You refused Lucy¡¯s love confession, saying that you dislike her. You even went on a blind date.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you keep making things difficult for Lucy.¡±


    Lennon narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you saying you trust Rodney?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust him.¡±


    Cherise continued frankly, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a good person. However, Lucy thinks he¡¯s decent. and said


    I¡¯m prejudiced against him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I can only protect her in secret.¡±


    ¡°As her friend, this is something I should do.¡±


    Then, she looked at Lennon. ¡°But what about you?¡±


    ¡°Do you like her or not?¡±


    Lennon did not answer her question.


    He tossed the things to Cherise. ¡°She can debase herself if she wants. It¡¯s nothing to do with me.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    He got up and headed upstairs sullenly.


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him.


    2/3


    Still annoyed, she red at him.


    Something¡¯s wrong with him!


    Lucy got together with a guy who pursued her for over a year. How is that debasing herself?


    Even though Cherise felt Rodney was unworthy of Lucy, she was only a third party. Thus, she might not


    understand him as well as Lucy did.


    Simrly, Ian used to think that Damien was unworthy of herself and thought he was a bad


    person.


    However, Cherise knew how much Damien loved and cared about her.


    3/3

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    Chapter 298 You Don¡¯t Look Like a Student


    It was the same with Lucy¡¯s situation. Cherise had the right to dislike Rodney. However, she could not


    restrict Lucy from being with him due to her perception.


    Furthermore, Lennon should be thankful that Lucy pulled herself back together after his harsh rejection.


    Yet, he behaved like Lucy made a reckless mistake in being with Rodney.


    Cherise found his attitude unbearable.


    She discussed the matter with Damien that night. Hearing her, he patted her head and replied. ¡°You did


    the right thing.¡±


    After experiencing what he did, he knew not to force his opinion on others.


    Furthermore, only Lennon and Lucy could solve the issues between them.


    There was not much he and Cherise could do as friends.


    Damien kissed her lips. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s only a few days left before your end-of-the-month trip. You should focus on learning


    photography. I don¡¯t want my photos to turn out ugly.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes. ¡°Hubby, are you going too?¡±


    She recalled how she forbade Lennon from joining the trip in the afternoon.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°The photography club is an official student club in the university¡­ You and Lennon don¡¯t look like


    students at your age. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±


    I¡¯m worried other students will object.


    Damien smiled at her: ¡°Silly girl.¡±


    ¡°I want to go on a trip with you, but it doesn¡¯t mean I have to join the photography club.¡°


    ¡°I can go to the vige for a holiday and meet you there by chance.¡±


    ¡°What if I discover something worth investing in that vige?¡±


    Cherise smacked her forehead. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?


    The photography club doesn¡¯t book the whole vige. Damien can go there and encounter me ¡®by


    chance.¡±


    With that in mind, Cherise grinned and climbed onto hisp. She kissed his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard on my


    photography skills these few days to take good pictures of you!¡±


    1/2


    Damien smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Knowing that Damien would go to the vige with her, Cherise became even more excited about. the


    photography club trip.


    Whenever she had free time outside sses, she would bring the SLR camera and the photography


    manual and have fun taking photos on campus.


    She snapped photos of students studying at the square in the morning, students gaming quietly in the


    study room, the blue sky and clouds from the ssroom window, and many other scenes¡­


    Other than those, she had a photo of the dean¡¯s shiny bald head during assembly.


    She had snapshots of a cafeteriady¡¯s trembling hands while serving food.


    A photo of the drink Lucy threw away.


    In short, she had numerous snapshots of daily life on campus.


    ¡°Hmph, what a show-off. Does she really think an expensive camera will make her a professional


    photographer? Look at her walking around daily, snapping photos of this and that.¡±


    It was break time between sses. Jessie leaned against the window and stared at Cherise, taking


    photos of the flower bed. ¡°She¡¯s even more unbearable than before.¡±


    Mandy leaned against the not have the means to learn photography before this. Now that she has, she


    is learning as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Indow, reading. She frowned upon hearing Jessie. ¡°Perhaps she did


    Then, she nced at Cherise, absorbed in photography. A conflicting thought shed across her eyes.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s quite nice¡­ being able to do something one likes.¡±


    That privilege had been taken from her since thirteen years ago.


    Jessie pursed her lips. ¡°Mandy, I heard Cherise will join the photography club¡¯s vige cultural


    appreciation trip at the end of the month. I know someone in that club. Since there are two spots. left,


    should we go?¡±


    She nced at Cherise and continued, ¡°If an ident were to happen to her in the vige¡­


    Mandy closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not interested unless Damien is going.¡±

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Chapter 299 Common Aim


    Her aim had always been Damien.


    A person called ¡®S¡¯ instructed her not to hurt Cherise but to separate her from Damien.


    Mandyughed bitterly. It was a difficult task.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that he doesn¡¯t go?¡±


    Jessie pursed her lips. ¡°If he joins the trip, I won¡¯t have a chance to do anything.


    Then, she patted Mandy¡¯s shoulder andforted her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gloomytely? You should take it as


    a trip to rx.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, you don¡¯t know much about Cherise. Since you want to snatch Damien from her,


    should know your enemy thoroughly to make the best ns.


    you


    Mandy frowned and pondered on Jessie¡¯s words. They seemed to make sense.


    After all, the trip would take three days and two nights.


    That meant she could avoid seeing that hideous person for three days.


    She reopened her eyes and answered, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll register us for the trip now.¡±


    Jessie chuckled and ran out of the ssroom.


    However, Jessie did not meet with her friend from the photography club.


    Instead, she went to a deserted corner along the corridor and took out her phone. ¡°Ms. Fuoco, can you


    make the arrangements? My friend and I decided to join the cultural appreciation trip.¡±


    The woman on the phone chuckled, ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Jessie, if youplete this task sessfully, I¡¯ll reward you well.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Fuoco.¡±


    Jessie frowned. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. I agreed to help you not because of money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to avenge myself after Cherise and her husband humiliated me!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The womanughed. ¡°Let¡¯s work hard to fulfill ourmon aim.¡±


    Jessie was excited and full of confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fuoco. I¡¯ll make sure she never


    returns!¡±


    1/3


    Jessie sneered after hanging up.


    She wanted Mandy to go on the trip so that Mandy could witness how Jessie got rid of her most


    significant threat.


    Then, Jessie would not only have avenged her grudge. She would also earn a reward from Ms. Fuoco


    and make Mandy feel indebted to her.


    Jessie clenched her fists. Cherise, it¡¯s not my fault. You can only me it on your bad luck!


    ¡®Click. A noise sounded nearby.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Jessie jumped in surprise.


    She looked up and saw Cherise standing outside the window. She was taking a photo of the corridor


    with her camera.


    Moreover, Jessie¡¯s position was right within the camera¡¯s line of sight.


    Cherise smiled and leaned her head through the open window. ¡°Jessie, can you move a few steps.


    backward? You¡¯re blocking my camera!¡±


    Jessie was fuming.


    It was soon the end of the month.


    Cherise woke up at six on the day of the photography club trip.


    This was her first time traveling for a holiday after she got married.


    Although she also had to travel a long way to return to her vige, that didn¡¯t count as it was her


    hometown.


    Thus, this trip to Sequoia would be her first actual long-distance travel.


    Frances had prepared everything for her.


    She packed undergarments, sun protection clothing, a raincoat, and other things. Frances had always


    been meticulous and packed two full suitcases for her.


    Cherise was shocked. She opened the luggage and removed some things. At the same time, she


    exined apologetically, ¡°I¡¯ll only be away for three days and two nights. I don¡¯t need so many things.¡±


    Frances shook her head. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, the weather in the mountains is unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s too sunny?¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s too cold?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°What about rain?¡±


    ¡°It can get very windy too.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Although she felt Frances worried too much, she was touched by her concern.


    When she still lived in the vige and had to go to the town to attend school, her aunt had also packed


    many things for her, worrying that she would need them.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    Chapter 300 It¡¯s Called a Surprise


    She might be cold. She might feel warm. She might fall sick. She might have a hard time. They were


    worried for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Cherise beamed as she took out a few items. ¡°It¡¯s only three days. Nothing will happen.¡±


    She gave it more thought and grinned at Frances.


    ¡°You¡¯re really thoughtful, Frances. If I have any other trips after this, I¡¯ll definitely bring you along! I


    won¡¯t need to worry if you¡¯re with me!¡±


    Frances¡¯ face turned crimson. ¡°I¡¯m d as long as you don¡¯t find me annoying, Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°How can I do that.¡±


    Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Cherise continued to pack while chatting with Frances.


    Damien leaned against the second-floor railing, looking at Cherise with full adoration.


    This girl.


    She had only been married to him for over two months.


    Yet she managed to get close to all the servants in the manor within that short time.


    It was something he could not do in the past ten years.


    Her warmth and kindliness made it seem like they were from different worlds..


    He shook his head, smiling softly.


    ¡°All done!¡±


    Cherise finished packing and pulled the luggage as she stood up. ¡°Frances, you have to take good


    care of my husband when I¡¯m not around!¡±


    She smiled and continued.


    ¡°He¡¯s been staying upte these days. Make him some herbal tea and get him to sleep earlier. He said


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    he¡¯lle to the countryside for me tomorrow. He needs to be in good spirits!¡±


    Frances grinned back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Lenoir. Mr. Lenoir cares for you a lot. He will be in his best


    condition for you!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed red.


    1/3


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now! Bye, Frances! Bye, Mr. Hampson!¡±


    The radiant little sun left, dragging her luggage across the floor.


    Damien watched from the second floor in high spirits.


    Frances looked up from the floor below. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you have time to go with Mrs. Lenoir tonight. Why


    would you lie and tell her that you¡¯re going tomorrow?¡±


    Greg rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you even know this? It¡¯s called a surprise!¡±


    Frances pressed her lips together. ¡°It¡¯s not like Mrs. Lenoir doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯ll be there. He¡¯s only


    going one night earlier. What kind of surprise is that?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really a surprise.¡±


    Damien smiled softly. ¡°I just want to tease her.¡±


    When Cherise arrived at the school¡¯s gate, the bus for the photography club was already there.


    There were more than ten of them visiting Sequoia. Besides Rodney and Lucy, Cherise only knew


    Mandy and Jessie, who were sitting at the end of the vehicle.


    Jessie wore a baseball cap along with her casual outfit.


    Mandy had a long, flowery white dress on. A sun hat covered her head. Her red lips entuated her


    pale skin and corbone when she turned to look out the window.


    Rodney stared at Mandy, half-dazed.


    He had always thought that Lucy was gorgeous and Cherise was cute.


    But he never knew that there was such a beauty in his ss!


    The air around her was worlds apart from Lucy¡¯s.


    Flirtatious, elegant and poised.


    ¡°Are they members of the photography club?¡±


    Cherise spotted them and frowned as she asked.


    If she remembered correctly, Mandy had only transferred there a few days ago. How could she be a


    member of the club?


    Rodney returned to his senses.


    He coughed lightly. ¡°They joined a few days ago. I only learn of that just now.¡±


    2/3


    They must have done it on purpose, knowing we¡¯re going


    Lucy shrugged while she rolled her eyes at the two. ¡°Stalkers¡±


    Rodney felt ufortable. ¡°Are you on bad terms with the two beautiful girls?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    Chapter 301 A Complete Hoax


    Lucy nodded and went silent


    Rodney lowered his head and sighed.


    Cherise furrowed her eyebrow. She could not hear him clearly, but she was certain he mumbled. ¡°What


    a shame,¡± when he sighed.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She pursed her lips as she felt even more revulsion for him.


    The vehicle began to move.


    Cherise leaned against the window, shutting her eyes drowsily.


    It had been her habit since she was young. She would drift off on every car trip.


    She got better after marrying Damien, as they frequently used the car.


    But she could not help herself from dozing off on long-distance journeys.


    When she woke up, they were in Sequoia.


    Yawning, she pulled her luggage out with her and examined the vige.


    To her surprise, it was not as charming as the Shaw¡¯s vige.


    Disappointment crept up in the girl¡¯s heart.


    What¡­


    When she saw photos of the ce online, she thought that the ce was breathtaking-


    But now that she was there, it was aplete hoax!


    I should have just gone home.


    ¡°This is gorgeous!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just as beautiful as I expected!¡±


    ¡°Oh my! This is my first time in such a paradise!¡±


    Cherise did not expect all the others to rave about how beautiful the ce was.


    They even called it a paradise.


    Cherise was taken aback. She could not understand.


    1/3


    Is it¡­ is it that our vige is just too beautiful?


    This doesn¡¯t look special to me at all¡­


    ¡°Country bumpkin, you¡¯ve never been to such a beautiful ce before, have you?¡±


    Jessie red at Cherise when she stepped off the bus


    ¡°What are you staring at Are you thinking that your old home isn¡¯t as stunning? But that¡¯s not surprising


    at all. It¡¯s impossible for a country bumpkin to visit such a paradise. I¡¯m not surprised you¡¯re stunned¡±¡±


    She pulled Mandy. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±¡±


    Mandy stepped off the bus elegantly. She looked at Cherise and smiled unexpectedly. ¡°It¡¯s my first time


    at such a ce too.¡±


    She could not avert her eyes from the scenery.


    She had not been to such a picturesque ce.


    Besides, she did not need to be at war with Cherise since Damien was not around.


    ¡°What are you saying to her?¡±


    Jessie pressed her lips together and pulled Mandy.


    She must have used too much strength as Mandy began to lose her bnce. She was about to fall


    onto the ground.


    A man¡¯s hand pulled her in time.


    It was Rodney.


    Whether it was intentional or not, when he pulled her, she almost fell right into his embrace.


    But it did not happen as she held herself up with his arm.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Her face was pale.


    A hint of red flushed across his cheeks. ¡°No, no worries.¡±


    ¡°How dare you take advantage of Mandy, you creep!¡±


    Jessie glowered at him while pulling Mandy away.


    Mandy looked back unconsciously as they left.


    2/3


    She noticed the excitement and joy in his eyes.


    A cold look flitted through her eyes.


    That¡¯s Lucy¡¯s boyfriend?


    He¡¯s just a random guy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lucy frowned while heading toward Cherise with her luggage.


    Cherise furrowed her forehead as she joined Lucy with her luggage. ¡°You saw that, right?¡±


    She looked back at Rodney, who was collecting the things on the bus with the other club members. ¡°He


    could have just supported Mandy¡¯s arm if he wanted to help her. Why does he have to do that?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    Chapter 302 Staying in a Run-down House


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but notice how Rodney rushed to Mandy¡¯s side and found it inappropriate.


    She believed there were more suitable ways to assist Mandy without getting so physically close,


    especially since Rodney was already in a rtionship with Lucy. Rodney¡¯s action just didn¡¯t sit right


    with her.


    Lucy shrugged and said, ¡°Maybe the situation required quick action, and he didn¡¯t have time to think it


    through.¡±


    Cherise¡¯sment didn¡¯t faze Lucy, and they all continued walking, with Lucy dragging her luggage.


    ¡°Is your hometown prettier than this ce?¡±


    The mere mention of her hometown got Cherise all excited. She eagerly shook her head, ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t hold a candle to my hometown!¡±


    Just before they arrived in Sequoia, Rodney and Lucy were told that the photography crew had


    managed to secure the vige¡¯s only vis.


    However, when they arrived, they were in for a surprise a rich man had snatched up one of the vis,


    who had paid three times what the photography crew had.


    With only one vi left, there wasn¡¯t enough room for everyone, so some had to be directed to a


    nearby, rundown single-story house.


    Jessie was frustrated.


    She dropped her luggage and eximed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them? Why must Mandy and I stay. in


    this rundown ce because we registeredte? Can¡¯t they assign us based on the order we signed


    up?¡±


    ¡°This is unfair!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡±


    One of the girls in charge couldn¡¯t stand Jessie¡¯s arrogance. ¡°We¡¯re all city folks, and that nearby house


    is so sorry that nobody wants to stay there. It¡¯s simple firste, first served. You were thest one


    here, so it¡¯s only fair that you get what¡¯s left.¡±


    The group of people all seemed to agree with her. Jessie clenched her teeth and looked at Mandy.


    ¡°Mandy¡­ say something!¡±


    Mandy didn¡¯t mind at all. After all, she had been through her fair share of tough nights with the Wool


    family.


    Staying in a rundown countryside house was nothing to her. But Jessie was doing this for her sake,


    1/2


    so she cleared her throat and suggested, ¡°Everyone, I think drawing lots would be a fairer way.¡±


    Mandy carried on saying. ¡°We found out about this field tripter than you all did. I don¡¯t think the


    informationg should be a valid excuse to divide the rooms unfairly,¡±


    She didn¡¯t have high hopes for her words to carry much weight. But, to everyone¡¯s astonishment, after


    Mandy spoke, Rodney, one of the photography association¡¯s top dogs, pursed his lips and gave a nod.


    ¡°I believe she¡¯s got a point.¡±


    A hushed silence settled over the group, and the same girl who confronted Jessie sighed and gave in.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to draw lots, then.¡±


    Among the dozen people, six would have to make do with amodations in the other rundown


    house. With nightfall approaching, the drawing of lots was a quick affair.


    The oue? The girl in charge, Lucy, Cherise, Rodney, and a couple of other students would be


    staying the night in the rundown house.


    As they walked away, Jessie couldn¡¯t resist a slyment directed at Cherise, ¡°Seems like that


    rundown house is tailor-made for you! Aren¡¯t you from the countryside? You must¡¯ve been used to


    living in a shady quarter like that!¡±


    Cherise gave a frosty side-eye before she joined Lucy and the others, carrying their luggage along.


    Once they were out of earshot, the girl in charge couldn¡¯t help but vent her frustration. ¡°Come on,


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Rodney! You could¡¯ve scored the best hideout for you, your girlfriend, and her friend. What were you


    thinking?!¡±


    ¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303


    Chapter 303 That¡¯s Unfair!


    ¡°Why did you go along with her proposal of drawing lots?¡± The girl ranted.


    Rodney looked visibly irritated, pursing his lips. ¡°I thought it was the best and fairest way


    to do so.¡±


    ¡°Fairest?¡± The girl shot an angry re at the shabby house before her. She sneered, ¡°So it¡¯s fair to


    have such a lovely youngdy like your girlfriend sleep out here in this rundown ce huh?¡±


    Rodney knitted his brows, dropped his luggage in the dusty courtyard of the house, and reached for


    Lucy¡¯s things. Simultaneously, hemented, ¡°Honestly, I think Mandy is lovely and beautiful too.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t supported the drawing lots idea, she might also be stuck here.¡±


    He added with a hint of admiration, ¡°She¡¯s refined, clearly from an affluent background. Having her stay


    in this shady ce would be even more inappropriate and unkind.¡±


    The girl widened her eyes and was left speechless. Ultimately, she shot Lucy a cold nce and asked.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡±


    Lucy smiled and shrugged nonchntly, ¡°Yup. He thinks what he thinks.¡±


    The girl rolled her eyes and didn¡¯t say anything further.


    The interior of the house was covered in dust, a clear sign that it hadn¡¯t been cleaned in quite a while.


    Cherise and Lucy spent the entire afternoon sweeping and cleaning it up.


    Once the packing was done, Anissa, the same girl known for her exceptional photography skills, came


    over for onest check.


    She looked at the sleeping arrangements of Cherise, Lucy, and Rodney and shot Cherise a sly wink.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for tonight? Is it you and your buddy in the inner room while her guy crashes


    outside? Or are the two lovebirds iming the inner room, leaving you to handle the great outdoors?¡±


    Cherise folded her bedding. ¡°Of course, Lucy and I will sleep in the inner room, and Rodney will take


    the outdoor shift.¡±


    ¡®ng!¡±


    As Cherise spoke, the dish Rodney was washing crashed to the ground. He quickly crouched down to


    pick up the shattered porcin pieces. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that unfair?¡±


    1/2


    Cherise furrowed her brow, feeling a bit irked. What did he mean by ¡®unfair?


    He and Lucy had only been dating for less than a month, and during this time, he hadn¡¯t shown the


    same level of affection towards Lucy as he did while pursuing her.


    What entitled him to ask Lucy to sleep in the same room? Even if their rtionship had advanced, who


    was he to assume she¡¯d sleep outside while he and Lucy took the inner


    room?


    Anissa settled down beside Cherise, asking. ¡°Are you serious? Why¡¯s this seen as unfair?¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that there¡¯s another girl in my room, I¡¯d havee over to switch. with you and


    stay with the two of them.¡±


    As he cleaned up the shards, Rodney said, ¡°Lucy and I are a couple. I want to sleep with her. What¡¯s


    the problem?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for wanting to make things official with Lucy, he wouldn¡¯t be going through all this trouble to


    join this photography association field trip!


    ¡°Sure, no problem, but can¡¯t you save the romantic stuff for after these two nights?¡± Anissa rolled her


    eyes at him. ¡°And, honestly, I don¡¯t see you and Lucy being all that romantic either.¡±


    ¡°Plus, because of you and that Mandy, Lucy has to spend the night in this rundown. shack¡­¡±


    ¡°If I were your girlfriend, I¡¯d give you the silent treatment all day!¡±


    Cherise backed Anissa¡¯s point of view and shot Rodney an icy look. Then, she got up and went to the


    courtyard with Anissa to find Lucy.


    Meanwhile, their dinner was aid-back barbecue by the stream at the vige entrance.


    A group of college students who rarely explored the countryside sat by the river, enjoying barbecue,


    sipping beer, and chatting, creating a unique and enjoyable atmosphere.


    2/2

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304


    Chapter 304 Clumsy Mandy


    Cherise was new to such an asion, and the setting was unexpectedly different. While the


    experience was fresh and fascinating, she also felt drained from it all.


    ¡°Hey, I got you this non-alcoholic drink,¡± Rodney offered, handing a beverage to Cherise. ¡°I wasn¡¯t very


    kind to you this afternoon. I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    Cherise frowned, recalling when Rodney called her out for being unfair. She pursed her lips and


    reluctantly epted his apology, ¡°Then, make sure you appreciate Lulu more, and I won¡¯t hold it


    against you.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but notice that Rodney¡¯s attention had been almost exclusively on Mandy since


    they started eating.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s my girlfriend, and I want to treat her like a queen,¡± Rodney replied. ¡°I¡¯ve decided that you


    and Lulu will sleep inside tonight, and I¡¯ll take care of things outside.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and finished her drink. ¡°Sounds fair to me.¡±


    But after downing her drink, she felt a heaviness in her head. She hadn¡¯t eaten much and wasn¡¯t


    feeling well, so she asked Lucy to rest inside.


    ¡°Cherry, can you find someone else to keep youpany?¡± Rodney furrowed his brow and held onto


    Lucy. ¡°I need to discuss something important with Lulu.¡±


    ¡°Can Anissa take you back?¡± Cherise pursed her lips and nced at Anissa, who was still waiting for


    her friend. ¡°She has to wait for her friend.¡±


    With that, she beckoned and said, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll return on my own. I grew up here, and it¡¯s fairly safe


    in the countryside. I can find my way back.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to head back as well.¡± Overhearing the conversation from a nearby group, Mandy gracefully


    rose and walked over to Cherise. ¡°Shall we return together?¡±


    ¡°Jessie is missing, and I don¡¯t know where she has gone. It¡¯ll be good to have someone. apany


    me back.¡±


    Their vi was next to the one where Cherise and her friends stayed.


    Cherise frowned. Despite her reluctance, she couldn¡¯t decline Mandy in front of so many people.


    Furthermore, she was more familiar with navigating the countryside at night than Mandy, so she wasn¡¯t


    concerned about any tricks Mandy might attempt.


    ¡°Fine then.¡± She hesitated for a moment and nced at Lucy. ¡°Make sure you head back right after


    dinner, okay?¡±


    1/2


    Lucy furrowed her brow, nodding slightly.


    way


    Mandy grabbed her small backpack, and together with Cherise, they made their towards their


    amodation. The rural night enveloped them in silence, broken only by the sounds of flowing water,


    rustling leaves, their footsteps, and distant barking dogs.


    Drawing a deep breath of the clean air, Mandy felt her spirits lifted as she asked casually, ¡°I heard you


    also grew up in the countryside, right?¡±


    Cherise, leading the way with a shlight, furrowed her brows. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it feels so much better to live in a ce like this,¡± Mandy remarked with a smile. ¡°I prefer this


    freedom over the constraints of the city.¡±


    She wanted to say more but abruptly held back her words.


    Just outside the vi they were staying in, a small ditch obstructed their path. Despite Cherise holding


    Mandy¡¯s hand and guiding their way with a shlight, Mandy twisted her ankle when attempting to


    cross.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Mandy¡¯s cry was soft but filled with difort.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Cherise muttered in frustration. ¡°How clumsy! Urgh!¡±


    She looked at the dimmed vi; none of the others had returned yet.


    With a sigh, she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s head to my ce first.¡±


    If her memory served her right, Frances had packed some first aid supplies in her luggage in the


    morning.

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305


    Chapter 305 Safety Check-in Call


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Mandy said with a smile. She sat down on the neatly made bed Cherise had prepared, her


    pink lips pursing slightly as Cherise gently applied ointment to her ankle.


    This field trip was Mandy¡¯s way of taking a breather. Before this, Mandy¡¯s take on Cherise was heavily


    influenced by what others had told her. They described Cherise as a rustic, rigid who had a penchant


    for wealth and prioritized it over everything else.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    While observing Cherise right now, Mandy struggled to match her with the image painted by others.


    Cherise was kind, loving, gentle, and radiant,pletely at odds with the harsh, ruthless portrayal by


    others.


    Mandy closed her eyes and sighed. She was starting to like Cherise. Who could me Damien for


    falling for her?


    ¡°Tired, huh?¡± Cherise asked, taking in Mandy¡¯s drained appearance and the constant sighs. She


    nced in the direction of the distant vi.


    ¡°Looks like they won¡¯t be back anytime soon,¡± Cherise said with a touch of reluctance, realizing that


    Mandy shouldn¡¯t be left alone in that unfamiliar, sprawling house. With a deep breath, she pulled back


    the covers. ¡°if you¡¯re exhausted, you can rest here for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head outside to make a quick call. When they return, I¡¯ll wake you up and take you


    back.¡±


    Mandy considered it for a moment. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Cherise nodded, settling Mandy in before exiting the room.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Mandy called just as Cherise turned away. Cherise furrowed her brow and turned back to her. ¡°What is


    it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mandy bit her lips, took a deep breath, and summoned the courage to smile at Cherise. ¡°I actually


    don¡¯t have any hard feelings toward you.¡±


    Cherise was puzzled by Mandy¡¯s sudden remark. She offered a reassuring smile. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll catch with


    youter.¡±


    up


    With that, Cherise slipped her phone into her pocket and walked away.


    It was already eight o¡¯clock. She¡¯d promised Damien a safety check-in call at seven o¡¯clock and was


    now a full hourte. She worried about how he would react.


    1/2


    Cherise leaned against the wall in the yard and discreetly retrieved her phone to dial Damien¡¯s number.


    On her left, the vi rented by the Photography Association stood in shadow. To her right, the vi


    reportedly rented by a local tycoon gleamed with light.


    On thetter¡¯s balcony, Damien sat in a chair. He nced at Cherise standing in the moonlight and


    then at his phone with a faint smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally decided to get in touch, huh?¡±


    ¡°Honey, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Cherise immediately made peace with the man. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to forget to


    check in with you¡­¡±


    In fact, Cherise had nned to head back from the barbecue before it hit seven o¡¯clock. But with


    Rodney holding Lucy back and the whole situation with Mandy, she wound up being an hourte.


    Damien¡¯s reply carried a faint smile, ¡°No worries, love. How¡¯s Sequoia treating you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Cherise replied with a casual shrug. ¡°nothing like my hometown, though.¡±


    ¡°Did you drink?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want to risk Rodney trying anything with Lulu. I needed to stay sober just in case.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s innocent tone brightened Damien¡¯s mood. ¡°So, are you keeping herpany right now?¡±

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306


    Chapter 306 Fire!


    ¡°No,¡± she said with a somewhat weary look, lowering her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but today I feel


    unusually tired, so I decided toe back early to get some rest.¡±


    Damien inquired, ¡°What about your ce of stay?¡±


    He settled into a morefortable position on the balcony, watching her petite form near the wall. ¡°Is


    staying in the grand vi morefortable than at home?¡±


    Cherise responded, telling a little white lie to spare him any worry, ¡°It¡¯s about the same. It¡¯s quite


    spacious here, and everyone has been kind to me.¡±


    Changing the subject, she asked, ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I just saw Lenn off.¡±


    ¡°Lenn?¡± Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°He came to our ce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he had left because he got distracted by a woman.¡±


    The man chuckled softly, remembering the anger that washed over Lennon¡¯s face when he saw


    Rodney attempting to tamper with Lucy¡¯s drink while Lennon was keeping a close watch with


    binocrs. It had been twelve years since Damien had seen Lennon that. incensed.


    ¡°Hmph! A real yboy!¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Thank goodness Lulu didn¡¯t end up with him!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s anger red each time she thought about it. ¡°I used to think he was a good guy!¡±


    ¡°Look at him now! If it weren¡¯t for his rejection, Lulu wouldn¡¯t have to date that hideous Rodney!¡±


    Thinking about Rodney¡¯s unfairment in the afternoon, her anger surged even more.


    Damien sighed but was about to say something when he detected a suspicious figure lurking in the


    dark.


    He was on the third floor, while Cherise stayed in a single-story house. From his elevated. position, he


    could clearly observe a woman in sportswear and a cap holding something resembling a water bucket,


    discreetly sprinkling it around the rundown house.


    Damien furrowed, and his voice turned inexplicably profound. ¡°Are you the only one there right now?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise bit her lip. ¡°There¡¯s also Mandy; she twisted her ankle¡­¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, Damien saw the woman behind Cherise¡¯s house retrieve a small object


    from her pocket.


    ¨C


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed. He could see it clearly it was a lighter!


    The woman nonchntly tossed the lighter onto the gasoline-drenched ground, and in an instant,


    mes shot up!


    The fire began behind the house, and Cherise, who had been facing away from it, was blissfully


    unaware.


    Damien clutched his phone, urgentlymanding, ¡°Run!¡±


    Cherise hesitated for a moment, bewildered by the sudden urgency.


    Instinctively, she spun around to see the ze roaring skyward. The entire house. appeared to be


    swallowed by an invisible behemoth!


    With no time to lose, Damien dropped his phone, leaped from the balcony, and yelled, ¡°Cherise, run!¡±


    But the woman standing by the house appeared unfazed, seemingly oblivious to Damien¡¯s words. She


    swiftly removed her coat, dipped it into a nearby water tub, and wrapped it around her nose and mouth.


    With determination, she darted into the zing structure.


    Mandy was still in there, sound asleep!


    Cough, cough, cough¡­


    Surrounded by the intense heat and thick smoke, Mandy awoke, startled by the pungent fumes. Her


    twisted ankle was momentarily forgotten as she tumbled from the bed, struggling to regain her


    bnce..


    Cherise, in her desperate haste, stormed into the room. The encroaching mes brought Mandy face to


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    face with the impending danger.


    Without a moment to spare, Cherise urged, ¡°Get up! I¡¯ll carry you out!¡±


    Mandy, bewildered by the sight through the dense smoke, asked, ¡°You¡­ you came back for


    me?¡±


    ¡°Quit the chatter!¡± Cherise¡¯s urgency grew. She snatched the camera bag and backpack from the bed.


    ¡°Get up now!¡±


    2/3


    Mandy hesitated, her lip quivering. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to carry me, I¡­¡±

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307


    Chapter 307 Why Are You Here?


    ¡°I could even carry my grandma, for heaven¡¯s sake!¡± Cherise urged frantically. ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Biting her lip, Mandy climbed onto Cherise¡¯s back.


    Cherise proved her words true. With their belongings in tow, she sprinted toward the exit.


    ¡®Bang!¡¯


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    As they dashed through the rooms, a burning wooden beam crashed to the floor behind. them.


    Cherise promptly backtracked, ensuring neither of them was struck.


    Nevertheless, the mes were relentless, swallowing everything in their path.


    In front and behind, the raging inferno blocked their way.


    Mandy perched on Cherise¡¯s back and whispered, ¡°Put me down¡­¡±


    Cherise was agile enough to flee alone without endangering herself for others.


    ¡°I won¡¯t turn my back on anyone who needs help!¡± Cherise proimed, her eyes filled with


    determination and her voice unwavering as she readied herself to dash out of the burning structure.


    I¡¯m a medical student! And a doctor in the making! She thought to herself.


    ¡°Cherry!¡± A man called out frantically.


    Cherise was caught off guard by the voice¡­


    Before she could respond, Damien had braved the peril of the mes, risking his life to enter the


    burning building for her.


    She expected Damien to carry Mandy as she had or perhaps cradle her as he usually did with Cherise


    but to her surprise¡­


    Damien grabbed Mandy¡¯s cor, lifted her like an item, and walked right out.


    Cherise was dumbfounded. She watched her husband carry Mandy out as if she was a sack of


    potatoes.


    This¡­ Physical contact during a life-saving situation is normal and eptable to me, okay? Is he


    worried that I¡¯ll be jealous, or what?


    1/2


    When they emerged from the fire, the vigers were already and the


    n the scene, photography association members hade back. The vigers were busy battling the


    mes.


    Lucy rushed forward with red eyes. ¡°Cherry!¡±


    Damien carefullyid the unconscious Mandy on the ground and urgently instructed, ¡°Get a doctor.¡±


    Anissa nodded quickly. ¡°On the way now!¡±


    The fire continued to spread, growing more ferocious.


    The group retreated to a narrow path outside the yard. Cherise cradled her most valuable photography


    equipment.


    ¡°How did a fire break out all of a sudden?¡±


    Anissa moved about restlessly, her anxiety in to see. ¡°This mountain area is usually quite damp and


    humid; fires don¡¯t typically erupt out of nowhere!¡±


    Damien wiped soot from his face with the towel Lucy handed him and remarked, ¡°It makes sense


    because this is arson.


    ¡°Mandy!¡±


    Damien had just finished speaking when Jessie hurried into the scene from the crowd. She quickly


    seized Mandy¡¯s hand, her clothes scorched from the fire. ¡°Oh no, Mandy! What happened?¡±


    She was only aware that Cherise had returned early to the vi for some rest; she had no clue that


    Mandy was there.


    As Damien discarded his scorched suit jacket and surveyed Jessie, dressed in a ck-and- white


    tracksuit and a baseball cap, he lifted his gaze slightly and turned to Anissa. ¡°Are you the one in charge


    here?¡±


    Anissa nodded in a hurry. ¡°I am.¡±


    He pointed at Jessie. ¡°Get her to the police station. Maybe we can find out how this fire started.¡±


    Jessie¡¯s eyes widened, and she immediately let go of Mandy, dashing away.


    Anissa swiftly ordered Rodney and the others to chase after her, but Jessie had already vanished into


    the distance.


    .


    2/2

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308


    Chapter 308 The Imnted Surveince on Mandy


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A shrill female scream echoed from where Jessie had fled. Under the moonlight, Lennon. snatched


    Jessie¡¯s cor and yanked her back. ¡°Is she the arson culprit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I swear it wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    Jessie fought desperately. ¡°There¡¯s no proof!¡±


    Damien smirked. ¡°You sure about that? Just because you deny it, don¡¯t believe for a second. that this


    isted mountain and peaceful location won¡¯t have an issue with you.¡±


    The man carefully pulled Cherise closer, gently wiping the ck soot from her face. ¡°Unfortunately, the


    ce where Cherry and the others stayed had security cameras.¡±


    ¡°All your actions, from carrying gasoline to lighting that fire, have been recorded.¡±


    The man¡¯s in statement drained the color from Jessie¡¯s face.


    The bystanders were equally stunned.


    Cherise and the rest resided in a dpidated one-story house. Why on earth were there surveince


    cameras?


    ¡°I installed the surveince.¡±


    Witnessing the skepticism in the crowd, Lennon flung Jessie to the ground and shot Lucy a cold look. ¡°I


    installed it yesterday to monitor someone¡¯s safety.¡±


    When Lennon and Damien rented one of the two vis, they asked thendlord about the


    amodations. They requested added surveince to all the amodations for the Photography


    Association.


    Lennon was troubled for Lucy. He knew Lucy had seen through Rodney¡¯s malicious intentions, yet she


    had chosen to go with that repugnant man to the mountains. Lucy had intended to offer herself to


    Rodney, but Lennon was steadfast not to let Lucy waste away


    like that!


    Lucy¡¯s face darkened upon hearing Lennon¡¯s exnation, and she turned her head away to avoid his


    gaze.


    ¡°Is everyone okay?¡±


    1/3


    Damien cradled Cherise in his arms, gently patting her head.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine!¡±


    The girl reassured him with a smile. ¡°But, sweetheart, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯de. tomorrow? How did


    you end up here tonight?¡±


    ¡°Because someone else around here needed some reassurance.¡±


    With that, Damien lifted his hand and affectionately tousled her hair. ¡°And I needed. reassurance about


    your safety, too.¡±


    The fire was swiftly extinguished.


    The losses weren¡¯t extensive because Cherise had plunged into the fire to rescue the photography


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    equipment. However, Cherise, Lucy, and Rodney lost their personal belongings.


    Their overnight amodation had also been reduced to ashes.


    Cherise suggested that they all head to Damien and Lennon¡¯s rented vi. They also brought the


    unconscious Mandy back to the vi.


    ¡°The youngdy has a rather peculiar situation.¡±


    The vige doctor treated Mandy in the room alone. Then he emerged, holding a small white object in


    his hand, which he ced on the coffee table. ¡°I removed this from the subcutaneous tissue on the


    back of her neck.¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brow and took the object. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A surveince device.¡±


    Damien frowned and spoke softly, ¡°A surveince device?¡±


    Lennon was somewhat taken aback. ¡°What could it have been surveilling?¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s functioning normally, this bug isn¡¯t this color; it¡¯s almost transparent and barely visible.¡±


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°The signal might not have functioned well in the mountains, and the device


    might not have been active.¡±


    This kind of bug was a unique, custom-made listening device. Thirteen years ago, his sister had


    nted one on him to ensure he stayed focused on his studies.


    2/3


    However, why did Mandy have one on her?


    ¡°She has several of them imnted in her armpits, back, and lower back.¡±


    The doctor said with a heavy tone, ¡°This girl has likely been under constant maniption her entire


    life.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309


    Chapter 309 This Is Not a Novel or Drama Plot, Right


    ¡°You guys


    don¡¯t seem like typical country folks. I¡¯d suggest finding a more specialized. doctor to help with her


    treatment.¡±


    ¡°It seems like there are some issues with her brain. I¡¯ve tried everything possible, but she just won¡¯t


    regain consciousness.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and urgently called Jacob to the vi. By the time Jacob. arrived, it was


    already midnight.


    Jacob could only do so much alone, but fortunately, Cherise and Lucy, both medical students, were


    there to assist him.


    ¡°This is the twenty-third.¡±


    Cherise epted the objects Jacob extracted from Mandy¡¯s body, her brow knitting in


    concern. ¡°She¡­¡±


    ¡°These are all just essories.¡±


    Jacob delicately removed thest crystal from beneath Mandy¡¯s skin. ¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong, but a chip


    might be inside her brain.¡±


    ¡°These are justponents. They¡¯re basically the essories that receive signals from that chip.¡±


    Cherise was left in shock, unable to find her words. Damien had been correct.


    Jacob injected a dose into Mandy¡¯s bloodstream. ¡°Her face certainly didn¡¯t look like this before.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s undergone at least ten stic surgeries.¡±


    The medication quickly flowed through her veins.


    When Mandy regained consciousness, her gaze fell upon the small cluster of crystals on


    the table.


    She was momentarily taken aback and then smiled. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Damien sat on the nearby sofa, his brows furrowed as he watched her. ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Mandy summoned the strength to rise from the bed and kneel before Cherise


    and Damien.


    1/3


    She looked up, a glint of despair on her face, mirroring the expression of Danielle Lenoir, who had


    disappeared thirteen years ago. ¡°Please, save me¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a puppet anymore.¡±


    She had had enough.


    Her memory transported her back to the age of seven when her family had asked her if she wanted to


    be someone prettier and more powerful.


    With enthusiasm, she had agreed.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    During those days, the Wool family was a struggling household with no support from anyone. Her


    father had questioned whether she would improve their family¡¯s circumstances, even if it meant


    enduring hardships.


    Once again, Mandy had consented to their coaxing.


    From that point onward, she had been chosen to serve as S¡¯s stand-in because of her remarkable


    resemnce to Danielle Lenoir.


    As a child, she had been confined to a room by a woman whose face had been disfigured. She had


    endured whippings and harsh scoldings from her. A chip had been imnted in her body, making her


    obedient and entirely under that woman¡¯s control.


    Her facial features had been surgically altered to make her look nearly identical to the woman before


    her disfigurement


    They told her she was meant to be the next Danielle Lenoir.


    But she had no desire to be anyone¡¯s second. All she yearned for was to be Mandy Wool.


    Previously, she hadn¡¯t mustered the courage or the opportunity to share these secrets with outsiders.


    Because ¡®she¡¯ could hear every conversation.


    Yet, at this moment, in this mountain vige, those chips and crystals had inexplicably stopped


    receiving signals from that woman.


    A blend of happiness and fear washed over her


    She was thrilled to finally have a chance to reveal her ordeal and live her desired life.


    But she was afraid that if Damien and Cherise didn¡¯t believe her¡­


    When she returned to Adania, she would face even graver consequences. They would imnt even


    more painful devices in her body.


    2/3


    The vi was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    ¡°You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± Standing beside them, Lucy was shocked, and even her


    delicate features were distorted.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t some TV drama or novel plot, right?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310


    Chapter 310 High Maintenance Bunch


    ¡°She might actually be telling the truth.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s face creased with concern as he continued scrolling through his phone. ¡°This technology for


    imnting chips in the brain has been around for quite some time,¡± he pondered. ¡°however, due to the


    was very young.¡±


    ¡°They did it to me when I was seven,¡± he revealed.


    Mandy turned to Damien with a sincere gaze. I know you¡¯ve always been curious about the origins of


    my face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, it¡¯s because of ¡®S,¡± Mandy continued pleading, ¡°I hope you can help me. You¡¯re my


    only hope.¡±


    Damien¡¯s teacup-clutching hand tensed.


    He closed his eyes. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to see her!


    If¡­ If she had be the person Mandy described, there was no reason to see her again.


    Damien couldn¡¯t believe the woman he had once respected had changed drastically. His heart felt like


    a vice grip, squeezing tighter with each passing moment.


    With a deep breath, he set down his teacup and met Mandy¡¯s gaze. ¡°Once we return to Adania, I¡¯ll


    have Jacob and his medical team figure out how to remove the chip from your brain. As for the Wool


    family, you don¡¯t have to go back, as it¡¯s not safe to stay in Adania. either.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Mandy replied, her lips pursed. After a brief pause, she spoke up again. ¡°I have one more


    condition.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Mandy gestured to her nearly wless face. ¡°I want to be myself again.¡±


    ¡°That might be quite challenging.¡±


    Jacob stepped closer, gently lifting her chin for a closer look. ¡°You¡¯ve already undergone numerous


    surgeries. Another procedure, and you might end up looking like a stiff stic doll.¡±


    Mandy lowered her head without speaking.


    1/2


    ¡°I could experiment with different makeup looks on you,¡± Jacob grinned. ¡°just so you know, I¡¯m not half


    bad at doing makeup for others. Your foundation looks good now, so you can rock any style, and I can


    help you pull it off.¡±


    Jacob had many interests and hobbies; recently, cosmetics piqued his interest. The only thing missing


    was a willing model, and Mandy seemed to be the perfect fit.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. Everyone should get some rest.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow, got to his feet, and headed upstairs. ¡°Cherry, I¡¯m heading to


    bed.¡±


    Before Cherise could respond, Damien had already gone upstairs.


    She nced at his retreating figure, full of contemtion. Still, Jacob held her back, saying, ¡°Let him


    have some time toe to terms with the fact that his beloved sister has. be the antagonist in


    Mandy¡¯s story.¡±


    Cherise sighed and stayed in the living room.


    Since it was well past midnight, Rodney, who had been outside chatting with the folks. from the


    Photography Association, returned as well.


    ¡°Oh boy! I¡¯m dead tired, like super exhausted! I need some sleep now!¡±


    With that, he strolled over to the sofa, hoisted Lucy up, and casually shot Cherise a nce. ¡°Cherry,


    where¡¯s the room for Lulu and me?¡±


    Cherise quickly raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your room is on the first floor, and Lulu¡¯s is on the second floor.¡±


    Rodney seemed slightly irritated, furrowing his brow and giving Cherise a swift once- over. ¡°I took a


    look at the vi¡¯s rooms. There¡¯s one for Mandy, one for you and. your husband, one for your husband¡¯s


    two buddies, which leaves just one more. Lulu and I can


    make do with it.¡±


    ¡°Your husband and friends and Mandy seem a bit high-maintenance, so I guess it¡¯s better not to squish


    into a room with the rest of us.¡±


    2/2Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311


    Chapter 311 Cozy Up with Me Instead


    Rodney¡¯s message couldn¡¯t have been more straightforward.


    Lucy frowned, gently pushed his arm off her, and was about to speak up, but when she locked eyes


    with Lennon at the other end of the couch, her refusal remained unsaid.


    She took a deep breath and said. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay; Rodney and I can make do for one. night.¡±


    Anyway, Lucy figured either Rodney or her could take the bed, the other the floor. She was confident


    Rodney wouldn¡¯t dare try anything; even if he did, she could handle it.


    Cherise hesitated and then suggested, ¡°You know, you could let Jacob and Lennon share a room, and


    you can bunk with Mandy. There¡¯s no need¡­¡±


    Lucy replied firmly, ¡°Because he¡¯s my boyfriend,¡± avoiding Lennon¡¯s gaze and shing a sweet smile at


    Rodney.


    Rodney chimed in smugly, ¡°Exactly!¡±


    He yfully pulled Lucy along and gestured toward a room. ¡°Is this our room?¡±


    His hand was on the doorknob, but a figure darted past before he could open it.


    Lennon grabbed Lucy¡¯s arm, asking, ¡°Are you in such a hurry to sleep with him?¡±


    Lucy sneered, locking eyes with Lennon. ¡°What has it got to do with you?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Rodney wasn¡¯t happy either. He shoved Lennon aside, ¡°Dude, do you have a problem?¡±


    ¡°Let me get this straight. You came by the river, knocked over my girlfriend¡¯s drink, and now you¡¯re


    saying we can¡¯t be in the same room together.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that if she can¡¯t stay with me, she should shack up with you!?¡±


    Rodney gave a stronger shove, but Lennon held his ground.


    A sinister grin crept onto Lennon¡¯s face as he locked eyes with Lucy. ¡°In that case, youe and sleep


    with me instead!¡±


    Lennon pulled Lucy along, his tone firm as he said, ¡°Come on!¡±


    Lucy struggled to break free from his grip, but her efforts were in vain. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Not happening!¡± Lennon was resolute. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to cozy up with a guy, then


    1/3


    up with me instead!¡±


    The entire vi fell into a profound silence.


    Cherise, Mandy, and Jacob stood in shock, mouths hanging open. Rodney was thoroughly bewildered.


    Lucy furrowed her brow and forcefully pushed his hand away. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only in a normal rtionship, and somehow that makes me a lowlife, huh? You turned down my


    feelings for you, and now I¡¯m..¡±


    Her words trailed off as she looked at Lennon, grinding his teeth, his eyes zing with intensity.


    Lucy stared at him, her eyes moist with despair and sadness. ¡°I¡¯m so over this! I really don¡¯t know what


    you want anymore!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of guys try to win me over. I never paid them any mind.¡±


    ¡°But I like you. I confessed my feelings, wanting to be with you¡­¡±


    She sniffled but ultimately didn¡¯t bring up the kidney issue.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she ground her teeth. ¡°You trampled my feelings for you, and it opened


    my eyes to appreciate what¡¯s right here.¡±


    She threw a nce at Rodney in the distance. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve moved on from you and cherished the


    one who genuinely cares for me. I¡¯ve taken this rtionship seriously, thinking maybe Rodney, like me,


    is a bit of a love fool¡­ Just because you couldn¡¯t reciprocate my feelings doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t give him


    what he wants, right?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Why can¡¯t you just leave me alone? On what grounds¡­¡±


    ¡°But why¡­ Howe you always ruin my ns?¡±


    During her initial date with Rodney, Lennon went as far as hanging up Rodney¡¯s call, cornered her


    against the wall, and made sure she wouldn¡¯t meet Rodney. He even warned. her not to act rashly and


    On her second date with Rodney, they visited a bar to meet Rodney¡¯s friends. Lennon threw punches


    at Rodney and his friends and forcibly took her away.


    On their third date, Rodney whisked her away to the remote countryside far from Lennon to prevent


    potential disruptions.


    2/3


    Lucy had high hopes that this time, everything would go ording to n.

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    Chapter 312 ky Rodney


    Yet, look what happened now?


    As Rodney was pouring her a drink, Lennon deliberately knocked the ss over and engaged in a


    heated argument with Rodney, using him of spiking her drink!


    So, what was his endgame? He wouldn¡¯t ept her but wouldn¡¯t let her date someone else. He


    consistently disrupted her interactions with her boyfriend.


    ¡°Lennon, are you nuts or what!?¡±


    Rodney pursed his lips behind her, then approached and held Lucy¡¯s hand. ¡°Lulu, don¡¯t let it bother


    you. Let¡¯s go and get some rest.¡±


    Lucy wiped away her tears and shot Lennon a stern look. ¡°Didn¡¯t you im you werepatible with


    your blind date partner?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. If I came to ruin your n every time you went out with her, wouldn¡¯t you be irritated


    and ufortable?¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brow, his voice dripping with lust as he gazed at Lucy. ¡°I¡¯d be over the moon.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s grip on the cup almost slipped.


    Mandy acted fast, steadying the cup and gesturing for her to stayposed. This was a sh within


    the intricate love triangle involving Lennon, Lucy, and Rodney. As bystanders, they were expected to


    maintain their silence andposure.


    Lucy locked eyes with Lennon and let out a raspyugh. ¡°Cut the crap.¡±


    After that, she spun on her heels and strolled away.


    Lennon pulled Lucy close, their lips crashing together in a fiery, passionate kiss that silenced the entire


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    world.


    The onlookers gawked, caughtpletely off guard by Lennon¡¯s sudden move.


    Rodney gritted his teeth and lunged forward, trying to pry Lucy away.


    Mandy quickly stood in his way. ¡°Why spoil the mood?¡±


    At this point, Mandy still wore a somewhat tattered and burnt maxi dress. The knees of the dress and


    the area in front of her chest had several holes. Cherise thoughtfully applied a cartoon face patch on


    her chest during the cleanup.


    1/3


    Faced with this captivating Mandy, Rodney¡¯s bravado waned, though he remainedposed. ¡°Come


    on, she¡¯s my girl, man!¡±


    How could he bear witnessing another man kiss his girlfriend when he hadn¡¯t even had the chance to


    kiss her himself?


    ¡°Yeah, I get it, I get it¡­¡± Mandy yfully grinned. ¡°But even if you go there, you can¡¯t top him.¡±


    She arched an eyebrow with a teasing smile. ¡°How about this? Tomorrow, I¡¯ll let you nt. one on me


    in front of everyone to save face. What do you think?¡±


    Hmm¡­ not a bad idea.


    Rodney still had the haunting memory of thest time Lennon nearly beat him to a pulp.


    He snorted disdainfully and kept his distance from the romantic disy between the man and his


    girlfriend.


    ¡°All bark and no bite. A wimp but still wants to y the field.¡± Jacob sneered, casting at sidelong nce


    at Rodney while lounging on the couch with his legs crossed.


    He then raised an eyebrow and looked at Cherise. ¡°Is this the kind of poor taste your friend has in


    men?¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    She suspected that Lucy might be dating Rodney to get back at Lennon, but she had no idea Rodney


    was so ky.


    It was astonishing how easily Mandy had managed to handle and send Rodney away with mere words.


    ¡°Okay, no need to be upset,¡± Mandy said sweetly to Rodney. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go rest for a while? I


    promise I won¡¯t let him get too cozy with Lulu, How about she keeps mepany tonight?¡±


    Over the years, S had trained her in the art of seduction, providing her with an arsenal of techniques to


    please men like Rodney.


    Mandy¡¯s sensuous tone and alluring gaze had Rodney under her spell.


    As attractive as she was, Lucy didn¡¯t hold a candle to Mandy in his eyes.


    Rodney dutifully retreated to his room.


    .??


    2/3


    Mandy shrugged, lowered her voice, and leaned in closer to Cherise. ¡°Aren¡¯t I quite impressive?¡±

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313


    Chapter 313 Letting Damien Calm Down


    Cherise gave Mandy a big thumbs-up.


    ¡®Smack!¡¯ The sharp sound of a p rang out.


    Lucy forcefully pulled herself free from Lennon¡¯s grip and delivered a resounding p.


    Lennon remained impassive, his eyes locked onto Lucy.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Lucy¡¯s heart raced, her face flushed. She red at him, her anger palpable. ¡°You¡¯re so sick!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I am,¡± Lennon replied, his gaze intense, as if it could pierce through her. ¡°I can¡¯t stand if when


    you¡¯re so close to other guys.¡±


    His voice, typically characterized by rity and grace, now held an added weight and seriousness.


    ¡°Lulu, I don¡¯t like people who give up so easily.¡±


    ¡°You told me you liked me and wanted to be with me, yet here you are, getting involved. with someone


    else.¡±


    He squinted. ¡°What do you take me for?¡±


    Lennon assumed that even if he rejected Lucy, she would persist like other women usually did. But he


    never expected her to be so stoic. She didn¡¯t even look back at him after hist rejection!


    Was she this unfeeling? What right did she have to im she liked him in the first ce?


    Lucy clenched her teeth, her hands forming tight fists before she released them at her sides.


    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind!¡±


    With that, she shoved him aside and bolted out the door.


    Lennon remained frozen in ce, closing his eyes with a bitter smile.


    Well, Lucy had probably casually confessed her feelings for him. He had been naive to take it seriously.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it risky for a young woman to be out sote?¡± Jacob, pretending to be concerned, looked in the


    direction Lucy had gone.


    Lennon stood there, unmoved.


    1/2


    Mandy raised an eyebrow and asked Cherise, ¡°Cherry, you know the countryside better than any of us.


    Do you think there are jackals, wolves, or leopards in the mountains. around this vige?¡±


    Cherise was startled as she observed Mandy squinting and pulling faces. It struck a chord in her, ¡°Of


    course! Deep in the mountains, you can find all sorts of creatures!¡±


    After her remark, she instinctively looked outside. ¡°Lulu wouldn¡¯t actually be going into the mountains,


    would she?¡±


    The man standing in the living room dashed outside like a gust of wind as soon as she finished


    speaking.


    ¡°I


    suppose that¡¯s that, for now,¡± Mandymented with azy stretch. ¡°Geez, these guys can be so


    awkward.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°But¡­¡±


    She mumbled to herself while turning to nce at Rodney¡¯s room. ¡°I doubt that guy would let Lulu off


    that easily.¡±


    Mandy raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°Leave him to me. I¡¯ve got him wrapped around. my finger.¡±


    While Cherise observed Jacob tending to Mandy¡¯s injury in the living room, she couldn¡¯t stifle a yawn.


    It was well past one in the morning, and after sleeping a lot on the bus during the day, she felt a bit


    tired.


    She wondered if Damien was already asleep at this hour.


    Cherise pushed the door open with a hint of guilt. Unsure about how tofort Damien. or help him


    feel better in her current state, she decided to follow Jacob¡¯s advice and let him calm down on his own.


    As she closed the door behind her, her thoughts wandered. If one day she discovered that her uncle


    wasn¡¯t the person she believed him to be, she might feel even worse than


    Damien did now.


    2/2

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314


    Chapter 314 Mandy, My Younger Sister?


    Damien had always held his sister in the highest regard and had a deep respect for her; she was the


    closest family member he had.


    But how Mandy had described Danielle made her seem like apletely different. person- a devil.


    ¡°Honey,¡± she murmured softly, wrapping her arms around his waist and exhaling deeply. ¡°I feel like a


    fool.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to console you or make things better,¡± she confessed, her voice barely above a


    whisper.


    ¡°Will you me me?¡± Her words were as delicate as a whisper.


    Momentster, her hand was gently enveloped by hisrger one, and his deep voice broke the silence.


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    The warmth of his hand in hersforted Cherise, warming her heart. She bit her lip and replied, ¡°I¡¯m


    here.¡±


    ¡°You know, I have my fears as well,¡± he confessed in the darkness.


    His voice, tinged with loneliness and sorrow, confessed in the darkness, ¡°I¡¯m scared that Mandy might


    be right.¡±


    Cherise squeezed his hand, offering silent understanding.


    Damien sighed deeply, ¡°I know what she said is true.¡±


    ¡°Danielle¡­ she can be ruthless.¡±


    Memories from thirteen years ago still haunted him.


    However, Damien had always chosen to remember the positive aspects of Danielle, conveniently


    overlooking her maniptive side.


    With his eyes gently shut, he could still recall Danielle¡¯s words as she held his hand, saying, ¡°You know,


    the responsibility for our parents¡¯ deaths lies not just within our family but also with the associates who


    coborated with the Lenoir Group.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a world where only the strong survive; if you¡¯re not tough, you¡¯ll find yourself at the mercy of


    others.¡±


    ¡°Our parents were too kind, which led to their tragic end. So, we have to be ruthless to


    1/2


    survive.¡±


    Damien beamed a bitter smile.


    Before Damien met Cherise, he approached dealings just like what Danielle had taught him cold,


    ruthless, and without a care.


    Over the years, he cooked up a bunch of schemes that gradually tangled the Lenoir family


    in a mess.


    He didn¡¯t see himself as cruel, but Cherise changed that. Her warmth and light coaxed. open the heart


    that the world had locked away.


    Damien held Cherise¡¯s hand tight, ¡°Letting go of old grudges isn¡¯t easy. But I hope she would stop


    implicating the innocent.¡±


    He turned to Cherise, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. ¡°We owe Mandy big time.


    So¡­


    He took a deep breath and gently held Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°What if I say that, in the future, I¡¯ll provide more


    support and care for Mandy? Would that upset you?¡±


    Cherise hesitated. ¡°When you talk about ¡®protection,¡¯ are you implying¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to treat her like a younger sister,¡± Damien¡¯s deep, earnest gaze was unwavering on Cherise. ¡°I


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    believe it¡¯s the best way to make amends.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking, could she be a part of our family, and we could look after her and keep


    her safe until she finds someone to marry.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, unable to speak for a while. Sheprehended Damien¡¯s perspective. It¡¯s


    just¡­.


    She couldn¡¯t forget how persistent Mandy had been about getting close to him before.


    Mandy imed she approached Damien intentionally to disrupt their marriage under Danielle¡¯s


    instructions. But Cherise had her reservations.


    After a moment of hesitation, she closed her eyes and asked, ¡°What kind of role as a ¡®younger sister¡¯


    do you mean?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315


    Chapter 315 Children


    Damien chuckled, hugging her petite frame tightly. ¡°In any case, she¡¯s not a biological


    sister.¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is just a whim for now, but if it feels right¡­¡±


    ¡°Given her history, we should take it slowly. If every word she says is true and she has no ulterior


    motives, we can have her legally be a part of our family, you and me.¡±


    Cherise hesitated, a bit perplexed. ¡°Can we really do that? I thought only our children


    would be¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s hand gently shifted towards her lower abdomen as he spoke. ¡°I remember generously


    donating my ¡®little swimmers¡¯ to the cause.¡±


    ¡°If


    pregnancy doesn¡¯t ur, how about we schedule another extensive round of lovemaking and nting


    seeds in a few days?¡±


    The warmth from his palm nearly scorched her skin.


    She hesitated for a moment, a sudden shback to her bedridden days from a few days.


    ago.


    Cherise¡¯splexion altered in an instant. ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not happening¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, your say doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Damien yfully chuckled and pulled her closer.


    In the shadows of the night, the man¡¯s smile gradually turned bittersweet.


    Damien had always wanted Mandy to open up and share information about her background, hoping it


    would provide a lead to find Danielle. However, she had always been elusive, skillfully avoiding his


    questions.


    He initially thought Mandy was deliberately concealing information. But now he understood she might


    have been too frightened to speak up.


    Tonight, to his surprise, Mandy revealed more than he had anticipated.


    If it weren¡¯t for Cherise by his side, he wouldn¡¯t know how to handle this onught of information by


    himself.


    In the early hours, Anissa started to call each person one by one, organizing them for a mountain


    photoshoot excursion.


    When Cherise groggily descended the stairs, the entire group had gathered in the living


    1/3


    room.


    Lucy, her face concealed under a duckbill cap, sat somberly in one corner beside Lennon, both bearing


    visible injuries.


    Jacob and Damien, on the other hand, were casually having their breakfast and engaged in


    conversation on the couch.


    Across from them, Mandy was loungingfortably, casting a tender gaze at Rodney. ¡°I owe you big


    time for this; I would have been starving by now.¡±


    Rodney bnced a bowl of cereal soaked in creamy milk in one hand and a spoon in the other,


    yfully feeding Cherise. ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re all ssmates; helping out is just what


    we do.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s expression darkened even more while Lennon let out a chuckle.


    Ch¨¦rise came down the stairs, and Mandy greeted her with a mischievous smile. ¡°Oops, that milk was


    boiling hot!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rodney teased, blowing on the spoon before offering it. ¡°How about now?¡±


    Jacob, sipping his tea, interjected casually, ¡°Hey, Lulu, your boyfriend¡¯s quite the charmer. Aren¡¯t you


    going to do something about it?¡±


    Lucy shot Rodney a frustrated look without saying a word.


    Lennon couldn¡¯t help but stifle augh as he nced briefly at Mandy. ¡°Mandy, can¡¯t you eat by


    yourself?¡±


    Mandy, still looking frail, leaned against the couch. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling great. Remember the fire incident


    Then, she cast a warm look at Rodney. ¡°God knows how grateful I am for you, Rodney.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°These people like to make fun of me, but you¡¯re the only one who genuinely cares for


    me.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    Rodney blushed but shook his head. ¡°No need for the praise; I¡¯m just doing what¡¯s right.¡±


    With a frosty expression, Lucy abruptly got up, mmed the door, and left.


    Mandy grinned with satisfaction and winked at Cherise.


    2/3


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but shiver as she followed Lucy outside.


    ¡°How annoying! Urgh!¡± Lucy sat on arge rock outside the vi, angrily picking up stones.


    from the ground and tossing them into the river.


    3/3

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316


    Chapter 316 A Tough One


    Cherise pursed her lips, quietlyforting her. ¡°Lucy, you¡¯ve only been with Rodney for a month. It¡¯s


    great you realized he¡¯s a jerk this early into your rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your emotional energy for a man like him.¡±


    Lucy let out a long sigh, her frustrations building. ¡°I¡¯m not emotional because of him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m angry at myself for being with a man like him!¡± Lucy mmed her fist onto her thighs.


    ¡°I made a bet with Lennon yesterday that Rodney was definitely into me!¡±


    ¡°I told Lennon that if Rodney didn¡¯t like me or wanted to break up with me, I¡¯d be with him!¡±


    Her face darkened as she thought about it. ¡°He even burst outughing just now!¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless by her friend¡¯s reaction.


    Instead offorting Lucy further, she felt the urge to congratte her.


    ¡°Lucy! Cherry!¡±


    Arissa was waving at them from afar. ¡°Call your friends out. We¡¯re leaving soon!¡±


    Cherise nodded and hurried to the vi to let the others know.


    Damien, Lennon, and Jacob were chatting happily.


    Over their shoulders¡­.


    Cherise saw Mandy and Rodney¡­


    Her eyes bulged at the sight.


    Mandy was a tough one.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t believe any girl would like Rodney, even for his looks.


    Mandy and Rodney had only known each other for two days.


    She would only be willing to believe that Mandy was acting this way because she told her that Rodney


    wasn¡¯t ready to initiate the breakup with Lucy.


    1/3


    T


    But¡­ isn¡¯t this going a little overboard?


    Wouldn¡¯t she feel ufortable looking at Rodney?


    ¡°I have seen people who were much uglier when I was practicing my flirting skills.¡±


    Mandy yawned and leaned against the big tree, staring at Rodney in the distance, who was getting


    water for her. ¡°I have had several experiences with this type of man before.¡±


    Mandy grinned and patted Cherise on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of this jerk.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. ¡°Thank you she whispered.


    If it weren¡¯t for Mandy, Rodney wouldn¡¯t have given up on Lucy. After all, he had chased after her for


    over a year before she agreed to be with him-he wouldn¡¯t have let her go easily.


    ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± Mandy asked rhetorically.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Mandy¡¯s lips curled into a warm smile as she gave Cherise another pat on the shoulder. ¡°You rescued


    me from the fire even though I intended to steal your husband.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just d I could help you and your friend.


    Her eyes crinkled in amusement as she looked at Cherise. ¡°I never had any friends. because I was


    under someone else¡¯s control for the past thirteen years.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m friends with Jessie because S told me she holds grudges and bullies those less powerful than her.¡±


    ¡°I know she would be someone I can count on, so I kept her close.¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    She stared at Cherise with a sincere gaze. ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve wanted to truly be friends with.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I guess that¡¯s an honor.¡±


    She didn¡¯t care who she was saving from the fire.


    She simply didn¡¯t want to give up on life.


    After all, she was an aspiring doctor.


    2/3


    If she could so easily give up a life, how can she save those in need in the future?


    She never thought that Mandy would want to be her friend.


    She pressed her lips together as she recalled Damien¡¯s words about having Mandy as her younger


    sister.

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317


    Chapter 317 Confession


    ¡°Would you like to be my younger sister?¡± Cherise blurted out unexpectedly.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Mandy¡¯s eyes shifted uncertainly.


    Cherise realized that her words might have been inappropriate.


    Damien had told her that they would need more time to observe the situation before. deciding whether


    to help Mandy.


    It would be a little out of the blue for Cherise to propose this so carly on.


    She realized she may have spoken too soon, but her words were already out there. She giggled


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    nervously, ¡°I¡­ I was just joking.¡±


    Mandy pursed her lips and looked up at Cherise. ¡°You can¡¯t back out on your words. Without pausing,


    she excitedly waved to Damien. ¡°Brother-inw!¡±


    Cherise was stunned.


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re only two months older than me, I¡¯ll ept you as my older sister!¡±


    Her eyes sparkled with childlike joy.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s the older sister?¡±


    Rodney frowned as he carried the bottle of water.


    Mandy made him pour the water for her to wash her hands as she exined with a yful. glint in her


    eyes, ¡°Cherise asked me to be her sister, so I agreed!¡±


    She nced at Cherise before uttering, ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll be counting on you from now on!¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    All of a sudden?


    She hadn¡¯t prepared for this.


    After Mandy washed her hands, Rodney only had half a bottle of water left.


    Mandy¡¯s lips widened into a wide grin as she demanded, ¡°Ask if my sister wants to wash her hands.¡±


    Rodney froze for a moment before making his way to Cherise. ¡°Cherry, do you need


    1/3


    some water to wash your hands?¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless by his sudden familiarity.


    Who was he to act so friendly with her?


    Mandy shot her a nce. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold a grudge against the water. You held onto the rocks


    the whole journey here. You should clean your hands with the water he brought.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face twisted with contempt as Rodney helped her wash her hands.


    After a short rest, the team continued their journey deeper into the forest.


    The view stretched out before them like a hand-drawn painting, the trees sculpting their surroundings


    into a picturesque view of greens and yellows. Cherise and Lucy¡¯s camera. shutters clicked


    continuously, capturing the scenes before them as Lennon, Damien, and Jacob towered behind them,


    separating the two of them from the other crowds.


    The morning passed.


    They took a break halfway through their hike.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Rodney announced, his face flushed red. ¡°I would like to confess to someone dear to me in


    this beautiful ce.¡±


    All eyes turned to Lucy.


    Rodney walked up to Lucy, then past her. He knelt in front of Mandy. ¡°Mandy,¡± he said, ¡°I like you. Will


    you be my girlfriend?¡±


    A wave of silence hung heavy in the air, leaving everyone on the mountain frozen as they witnessed


    the scene unfold.


    Lucy¡¯s jaw dropped as she struggled toprehend the image of Rodney kneeling before. Mandy.


    ¡°Rodney, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Lucy, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Rodney met her gaze, his brow furrowing with concern. ¡°In the past, I thought I liked you. I imagined


    that I would always like and care for you.¡±


    ¡°But that was before I met Mandy.¡±


    His eyes softened with affection as he gazed at Mandy. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I met Mandy that I realized there


    was someone in the world who was so captivating.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, adorable, and kind.¡±


    ¡°Lucy, don¡¯t me me for cheating on you. You really don¡¯t behave like ady at all.¡±


    ¡°It could be because you didn¡¯t


    grow up


    with your


    your mother.¡±


    ¡°What a jerk!¡±


    Lucy lunged at him and grabbed his cor. ¡°What the hell did you say?¡±

 Chapter 318

    Chapter 318


    Chapter 318 No Different From Your Dad


    Lucy had always been hurt by her mother¡¯s absence since she was young.


    Rodney knew this well.


    He was deliberately rubbing salt in her wound.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to reveal her deepest vulnerability in front of everyone to save face.


    ¡°You were a cruel *ss after all,¡± Lucy said, her voice tight.


    Rodney narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Lucy, I might reveal your family background to everyone if you push


    me.¡±


    Lucy clenched her jaw, her eyes shing with anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡±


    Rodney¡¯s lips curled into a menacing smile as he peeled Lucy¡¯s hand from his cor. He stood up,


    towering over her as he spoke.


    ¡°You must think I¡¯m unloyal and shouldn¡¯t be confessing to Mandy before breaking up with you,¡± he


    said. ¡°But Lucy, I¡¯m no different from your dad.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your dad cheating on your mom, she wouldn¡¯t have jumped off the building the day after


    she gave birth to you. She¡¯s been in aa ever since.¡±


    ¡°Then your dad regretted his actions and wanted tomemorate your mother, so he named you after


    her middle name.¡±


    Lucy clenched her fists so hard that crescent marks were left on her palms.


    Everyone¡¯s faces were clouded with difort by the tension in the air.


    Mandy scrunched her brows into a tight knot and pulled on the hem of Rodney¡¯s shirt. ¡°Rodney, that¡¯s


    enough! Our rtionship has nothing to do with Lucy.¡±


    But Rodney refused to back down.


    Through gritted teeth, he revealed the things Lucy had said when she was drunk.


    Isn¡¯t she the cold and indifferent one?


    The confident one?


    1/3


    He wanted to expose all her secrets so she could never act so arrogant in front of everyone. again.


    Her father was a yboy, so who was she to criticize him?


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Taking a deep breath, he continued, ¡°Your mom was in a vegetative state the day after you were born


    because your dad cheated on her.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not all.¡±


    ¡°Twelve years ago,¡± Rodney said, his lips curling into a cruel smirk, ¡°after getting your mother¡¯s family¡¯s


    approval, your dad donated her organs after agreeing to euthanasia. But can you call it a donation if he


    sold them for¡­


    ¡°Bam!¡±


    Lucy pped Rodney across the face with all her might.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± she seethed, lunging at him again.


    Lucy had never told anyone about her family, not even Cherise.


    Now, standing on the slope, her anger burned like wildfire, consuming her. She didn¡¯t care. where she


    was anymore.


    With unrepentant rage, Lucy grabbed Rodney¡¯s cor and clenched her fists. She then gave him a


    powerful blow to the head.


    Rodney staggered, and Lucy lost her footing, sending them both tumbling to the ground. She continued


    to throw punches at him as they rolled around, her anger fueling her strength.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Cherise cried, reaching out to grab Lucy¡¯s elbow as they teetered on the edge. of the cliff.


    Cherise pulled Lucy towards her while Lucy kept her grip tight on Rodney¡¯s cor. They hung perilously


    at the edge, a steep fall awaiting them if they let go.


    Cherise didn¡¯t have the strength to hold both of them.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± a voice called out.


    Lennon took over Lucy¡¯s hands and pulled her back up. Jacob and Mandy also helped. Rodney to his


    feet.


    They were both injured, but one was worse off than the other.


    2/3


    The photography club had to end their expedon early due to the events that had transpired


    It¡¯s been a rocky journey Anissa said under her breath, leaning against the window as they rode back


    to Adania


    The fire on the first day had already destroyed the homes of the locals.


    O

 Chapter 319

    Chapter 319


    Chapter 319 Escape the Pain


    ¡°We should pray before


    any group


    activities next time,¡± Lucy remarked ruefully.


    Cherise had fallen asleep behind Lucy, her head resting on Damien¡¯s chest. Lennon was treating


    Lucy¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Be gentle!¡± Lucy cried.


    Lennon deliberately applied more pressure to her wound with the cotton swab. ¡°I¡¯m going


    to make sure it hurts.¡±


    ¡°Or you¡¯ll never learn from this!¡±


    ¡°Pain won¡¯t change me.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes and turned to look out the window. Despite their yful banter, her eyes shed


    with steely determination.


    Even though his words were harsh, he was gentler when handling her wounds.


    In the back row of the bus, Rodney pouted and said to Mandy, ¡°I¡¯m in pain¡­¡±


    Mandy tried topose herself before ncing at his wounds. ¡°Do you want me to help. you put some


    ointment on it?¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±


    Rodney¡¯s eyes widened with excitement as he extended his hands towards her. ¡°Remember to be


    gentle.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s lips widened into a wide grin. She patted Jacob on the shoulder, who was engrossed in a


    Korean drama.


    Jacob took off his earphones. ¡°Doctor, please hand me some treatment for his wounds.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he replied.


    Mandy gently spread the powdery substance onto Rodney¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    A loud scream echoed through the bus. ¡°Jacob! What did you give Mandy?¡±


    ¡°Salt.¡±


    1/3


    Jacob chuckled. ¡°I brought some seasoning with me before the hike in case we had a barbecue on the


    mountain.¡±


    He raised his eyebrows at Mandy. ¡°I also have cumin. Do you want some?¡±


    Mandy nced at Rodney¡¯s wound innocently and said, ¡°Honey, do you want me to spread some


    cumin on your wounds?¡±


    Rodney stared back at her in disbelief.


    The car drove from Sequoia to Adania.


    Mandy¡¯s smile faded as her head began to throb with pain.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Her face suddenly turned ashen. She clutched Jacob¡¯s arms but couldn¡¯t manage to say a


    word.


    Inside the vi, a man in ck opened the door. ¡°I received a signal from her but can not longer detect


    any voice signals.¡±


    ¡°She must have removed the chip.¡±


    The woman in the wheelchair chuckled menacingly. ¡°She¡¯s be more arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Bring her here, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°It hurts!¡±


    Mandy clutched her head tightly and growled in pain inside the secret chamber hidden beneath Jacob¡¯s


    clinic.


    Despite the chamber¡¯s metal door, Cherise could imagine how much desperation and pain Mandy was


    feeling from her screams.


    Her face drained of color as she turned to Jacob. ¡°Do you have another way?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jacob said solemnly, closing his eyes and scrunching his face with despair. ¡°This ce is already


    equipped to block off any signals.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not as helpful as being in the mountains.¡±


    2/3


    He read through the information in the file. ¡°The chip has been in her brain for too long. It could be


    attached to her arteries.¡±


    ¡°Removing it will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°The only way to help her escape this pain and stop being controlled by someone else is


    to¡­¡±


    The man closed the file. ¡°Cut off the terminal.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed into a tight knot. Cut off the terminal¡­


    It sounded like a difficult task.

 Chapter 320

    Chapter 320


    Chapter 320 A Puppet


    For over a decade, these people had maintained a firm grip on Mandy, biding their time until she


    reached adulthood so they could mold her into their puppet. There were not chances they would simply


    release her with ease.


    Cherise, peering through the iron door, bore witness to the agonizing sight of Mandy. She was clutching


    her head, relentlessly mming it against the wall, and a profound sense of unease welled up within


    Cherise.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the past, back when she first encountered Mandy at


    Sequoia. She remembered how persistently Mandy had referred to her as ¡®Sister. Cherise herself was


    only a neen-year-old girl, engrossed in thoughts of studying and exams.


    Mandy had confided that she had never known family or friends, living an isted and lonesome life for


    all those years. This revtion left Cherise struggling to keep her emotions in check.


    She bit her lip, her thoughts unexpectedly drifting towards Damien.


    He, too, had been living a solitary life for many years. Damien was fortunate, though. He retained


    control over his life and had the support of friends like Jacob and Lennon. In contrast, Mandy had


    Cherise as her only ally, a Sister,¡¯ recognized less than twenty-four hours ago.


    Before long, the room fell into a hushed silence. Jacobmented, ¡°Seems like they have stopped


    sending signalmands for now.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we should go in and check on her?¡± Cherise sought Jacob¡¯s opinion.


    With a heavy heart, Jacob retrieved a key and unlocked the thick iron door.


    The basement was an oppressive, damp, and dim space despite Jacob¡¯s efforts to illuminate it with


    intense, daylight-like lighting. Cherise could still feel the suffocating atmosphere.


    Carefully, she proceeded to Mandy, and with a crouched posture, she observed her.


    Mandy was in a pitiable state-her hair in disarray, and her entire body was on the ground, limp and still


    trembling from the ordeal. She was hardly recognizable, concealed under blood and grime.


    Cherise¡¯s heart ached deeply. Reaching out, she took Mandy¡¯s hand, which was covered in chipped


    nails and stains of blood. The warmth of Cherise¡¯s touch caused Mandy to raise


    her head from the ground.


    1/2


    Beneath the tangled locks of hair, Mandy gazed at Cherise through eyes filled with tears. Finally, her


    tears began to flow.


    ¡°Sister¡­,¡± Mandy¡¯s fragmented voice was like a knife to Cherise¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live¡­ It¡¯s too painful¡­¡± Mandy cried out, her voice hoarse and fractured. ¡°Ever since I


    was seven, every time I defied them, it was like this¡­¡±


    Jacob remained at the door, his brows furrowed as he observed the scene. ¡°You could have returned to


    them, and we would have rescued you once we were more certain.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± the young girl dered between her tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to return, not even for


    one more day. S only wants me to be her puppet, and my father obeys. everything S says. My


    brother¡­ He wants S to train me so I can earn money for him. No one cares about my life. No one


    cares if I¡¯m happy or not. They believe it¡¯s my destiny because I resemble Maeve, that I¡¯m destined to


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    be her recement¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± With her head raised, she gazed at Cherise with those reddened. eyes. ¡°I¡¯m


    so happy you¡¯re willing to treat me like family. Even if we are not sisters, it makes me very happy.¡±


    ¡°I have a sister now.¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrobly. ¡°Promise me. If you can¡¯t find a


    way to save me, end my life.¡±


    Cherise held Mandy tightly, profoundly shaken by the heart-wrenching scene that had unfolded before


    her. She clenched her teeth, realizing that such a tragic life was not merely a trope from TV dramas or


    novels! It was a harrowing reality. Cherise couldn¡¯t help but recall her first encounter with Mandy. The


    time when she had been haughty, exquisitely beautiful, and dazzlingly gorgeous.

 Chapter 321

    Chapter 321


    Chapter 321 Unrelenting Agony


    Back then, there was a stark contrast between Mandy and Cherise. Little did she know, the elegant


    Mandy, oozing confidence and aloofness, had been meticulously molded to perfection. Little did


    anyone know, deep down, that a vulnerable little girl was residing within her. After all, she was merely


    neen years old.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    As for Cherise, who was also neen, had her thoughts upied with books and exams. day in and


    day out. However, the neen-year-old Mandy had already gone through the most excruciating pain.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Cherise sighed deeply gently patting Mandy¡¯s back. ¡°My husband¡­ your


    brother-inw, he¡¯s remarkable; he¡¯s capable of anything. You need to trust us, alright?¡±


    Mandy smiled softly, her voice barely above a whisper.


    She remained silent for a while before eventually locking eyes with Cherise. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in him-I


    believe in you.¡±


    With those words, the young girl¡¯s features underwent a sudden distortion. A sharp surge of pain


    washed over her, causing her to unconsciously convulse and grasp Cherise¡¯s hand, unintentionally


    leaving it crimson.


    ¡°Cherry!¡± Jacob rapidly approached, but Mandy mped down on Cherise¡¯s hand, turning it bright red.


    Herplexion paling from the pain, Cherise showed no inclination to withdraw her


    hand.


    If it hurt me this much, then Mandy must be experiencing something far worse.


    Cherise had witnessed her grandmother suffer heart attacks, but it was never like this, never this


    agonizing.


    She closed her eyes and, after a moment, fixed her gaze on Jacob. ¡°Is our only option to plead with S


    to destroy that control terminal?¡±


    Jacob furrowed his brow. ¡°Not exactly. My team found that the chip controlling her was manufactured


    by the Tanner Family in Europe. Given their knowledge of chip production, they likely possess the


    means to deactivate it.¡±


    ¡°Dame has already established contact with the Tanner Family,¡± Jacob continued, ¡°but¡­.it seems they


    are unwilling to share the method of deactivating the chips.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. ¡°What if Damien and I approach S?¡±


    1/2


    Considering she was Damien¡¯s real sister, perhaps he could persuade her¡­


    ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Amid her agony, Mandy lifted her head and shook it in response to Cherise¡¯s proposal. ¡°Absolutely


    not¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cherise said, then pursed her lips, her heart aching watching Mandy¡¯s distressed expression.


    ¡°If possible, do everything you can to never cross paths with her in your lifetime¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Mandy closed her eyes and left the sentence unfinished.


    Fleeting recollections of S¡¯ words floated hazily in her mind: ¡°The fire that happened. thirteen years ago


    was actually rted to the Shaws. That woman is utterly unworthy of marrying my younger brother.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s difort lingered as she traveled back to her vi from Jacob¡¯s clinic. The haunting image


    of Mandy¡¯s anguish was etched deep in her thoughts. She could vividly. picture Mandy, her hands


    tangled in her hair, ruthlessly banging her head against the ground and walls. The sheer intensity of her


    suffering was unmistakable. Even Cherise, who prided herself on her physical strength, knew that


    managing Mandy¡¯s torment would have been impossible without Jacob¡¯s assistance. Mandy was


    clearly enduring pain that would have driven anyone else to desire death.


    Cherise clenched her hands tightly, the skin on her palms paling under the pressure. Before


    encountering Mandy¡¯s suffering, each time Damien spoke of his sister, his words. had been imbued


    with admiration, describing her as beautiful and gentle. Cherise had never fathomed that Damien¡¯s


    sister, who had rushed back from abroad to celebrate Damien¡¯s birthday and discuss business, could


    harbor such cruelty.


    It was bing increasingly clear that those who had genuinely endured profound pain and harbored


    hatred were at risk of psychological turmoil.


    Mandy¡¯s words continued to echo in Cherise¡¯s mind, still vivid in her memory.


    2/2


    Chapter 322 The Tanner Family


    ¡°Promise me, you won¡¯t ever meet Damien¡¯s sister,¡± Mandy implored, her eyes brimming with


    desperation. ¡°We have no conflicts, but just because I was of some use to her, she cast me into hell.¡±


    ¡°And you¡­¡± Mandy¡¯s voice trailed off, but Cherise could discern the unspoken words. It was highly


    likely that Maeve, Damien¡¯s sister, strongly disapproved of her and Damien¡¯s rtionship.


    Jacob had jokingly suggested that approaching Maeve and offering divorce from Damien. as a


    bargaining chip might lead to her agreeing to destroy the control terminal. Cherise had no doubts about


    the possibility, but she couldn¡¯t take that path. She had made solemn vows during her marriage to


    Damien in front of Old Mr. Lenoir, promising that she would never pursue a divorce. Even in Old Mr.


    Lenoir¡¯s absence, she was determined not. to part ways with Damien easily. Regardless of his sister¡¯s


    opinion of her, her decision would remain resolute.


    Thus, only one course of action remained: seeking out the members of the Tanner Family.


    Upon her return to the vi, Cherise found Damien sitting on the couch, engrossed in hisptop screen.


    She approached him. ¡°Honey, what are you looking at?¡±


    He lifted her gently and settled her onto hisp. ¡°Jacob should have told you. The chip responsible for


    controlling brainwaves is manufactured by the Tanner Family in Europe.¡±


    Cherise nodded inprehension. ¡°Have they responded?¡±


    Damien nodded and directed her attention to the invitation on theptop screen. ¡°They¡¯ve invited me for


    the birthday celebration of Beckham Tanner, the head of the Tanner Family.¡±


    Cherise appeared surprised. ¡°Are you closely acquainted with them?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°Not particrly. But my Europeanpany has engaged in some business


    dealings with the Tanners. They¡¯re likely aware that I¡¯m the driving force behind these enterprises.¡±


    He cradled her face and bestowed a tender kiss upon her lips. ¡°Should I bring you with


    me?¡±


    Cherise appeared taken aback and hastily shook her head. ¡°I better not¡­ I¡¯ve never attended formal


    events and am unfamiliar with upper-ss etiquette. What if¡­ I


    1/2


    embarrass you?¡±


    Moreover, foreign locales were utterly foreign to her.


    ¡°As my wife, you must learn how to navigate such asions.¡± He held her, soothing her gently.


    ¡°What if someone slips something in my drink, and I¡¯m spirited away by another woman?


    And you


    weren¡¯t there to protect me?¡± His voice, resonant and maic, held a hint of a smile. Cherise pursed


    her lips and yfully mimicked his cheek-pinching gesture by applying it to his face. ¡°I can¡¯t read


    minds. How could I possibly tell which drink is poisoned and which isn¡¯t?¡±


    Damien chuckled and nted a tender kiss on her cheek. ¡°But you did promise to protect


    me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time visiting that country, and it¡¯s for your sister, Mandy. Don¡¯t you think you should


    apany me?¡± Damien suggested.


    Cherise pouted but ultimately agreed. She understood that Damien simply wanted to take her out for a


    change of scenery and rxation. Nheless, she genuinely needed a break to clear her mind.


    ¡°How is she doing now?¡± Upon receiving her assent, Damien tenderly kissed her on the cheek and


    inquired.


    ¡°She¡¯s not in good shape.¡± Cherise pursed her lips and proceeded to describe Mandy¡¯s condition to


    him. ¡°Seeing her like that¡­ it truly pains me.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 322

    Chapter 322


    Chapter 322 The Tanner Family


    ¡°Promise me, you won¡¯t ever meet Damien¡¯s sister,¡± Mandy implored, her eyes brimming with


    desperation. ¡°We have no conflicts, but just because I was of some use to her, she cast me into hell.¡±


    ¡°And you¡­¡± Mandy¡¯s voice trailed off, but Cherise could discern the unspoken words. It was highly


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    likely that Maeve, Damien¡¯s sister, strongly disapproved of her and Damien¡¯s rtionship. Jacob had


    jokingly suggested that approaching Maeve and offering divorce from Damien as a bargaining chip


    might lead to her agreeing to destroy the control terminal. Cherise had no doubts about the possibility,


    but she couldn¡¯t take that path. She had made solemn vows during her marriage to Damien in front of


    Old Mr. Lenoir, promising that she would never pursue a divorce. Even in Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s absence,


    she was determined not to part ways with Damien easily. Regardless of his sister¡¯s opinion of her, her


    decision would remain resolute.


    Thus, only one course of action remained: seeking out the members of the Tanner Family.


    Upon her return to the vi, Cherise found Damien sitting on the couch, engrossed in hisptop


    screen.


    She approached him. ¡°Honey, what are you looking at?¡±


    He lifted her gently and settled her onto hisp. ¡°Jacob should have told you. The chip responsible for


    controlling brainwaves is manufactured by the Tanner Family in Europe.¡±


    Cherise nodded inprehension. ¡°Have they responded?¡±


    Damien nodded and directed her attention to the invitation on theptop screen. ¡°They¡¯ve invited me for


    the birthday celebration of Beckham Tanner, the head of the Tanner Family.¡±


    Cherise appeared surprised. ¡°Are you closely acquainted with them?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°Not particrly. But my Europeanpany has engaged in some business


    dealings with the Tanners. They¡¯re likely aware that I¡¯m the driving force behind these enterprises.¡±


    He cradled her face and bestowed a tender kiss upon her lips. ¡°Should I bring you with me?¡±


    Cherise appeared taken aback and hastily shook her head. ¡°I better not¡­ I¡¯ve never attended formal


    events and am unfamiliar with upper-ss etiquette. What if¡­ I embarrass you?¡±


    Moreover, foreign locales were utterly foreign to her.


    ¡°As my wife, you must learn how to navigate such asions.¡± He held her, soothing her gently.


    ¡°What if someone slips something in my drink, and I¡¯m spirited away by another woman? And you


    weren¡¯t there to protect me?¡± His voice, resonant and maic, held a hint of a smile. Cherise pursed


    her lips and yfully mimicked his cheek-pinching gesture by applying it to his


    face. ¡°1 can¡¯t read minds. How could I possibly tell which drink is poisoned and which isn¡¯t?¡±


    Damien chuckled and nted a tender kiss on her cheek. ¡°But you did promise to protect me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time visiting that country, and it¡¯s for your sister, Mandy. Don¡¯t you think you should


    apany me?¡± Damien suggested.


    Cherise pouted but ultimately agreed. She understood that Damien simply wanted to take her out for a


    change of scenery and rxation. Nheless, she genuinely needed a break to clear her mind.


    ¡°How is she doing now?¡± Upon receiving her assent, Damien tenderly kissed her on the cheek and


    inquired.


    ¡°She¡¯s not in good shape.¡± Cherise pursed her lips and proceeded to describe Mandy¡¯s condition to


    him. ¡°Seeing her like that¡­ it truly pains me.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 323

    Chapter 323


    Chapter 323 Give it Our All


    Cherise bowed her head, releasing a deep sigh before meeting Damien¡¯s gaze. the Tanner Family¡¯s


    birthday banquet?¡±


    ¡°When is


    ¡°In a week,¡± Damien replied, exhaling with a sense of gravity. ¡°We should depart tomorrow. The


    Tanners are very particr with customs and etiquette. We should move in well in advance to avoid


    beingte.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded, her mind gravitating toward Mandy¡¯s predicament. ¡°What are we


    going to do about Mandy? We can¡¯t just let her suffer any longer.¡±


    Ever the reassuring presence, Damien consoled her while affectionately stroking her head. ¡°Don¡¯t fret.


    I¡¯ve already arranged for the chips extracted from her to be securely stored. When she was at Sequoia,


    her body couldn¡¯t receive signals, which indicates that remote. areas can obstruct these signals. The


    Wools knew that she had previously visited Sequoia. It would raise suspicion if we sent her back to that


    same ce. My team has been scouting for other locations.¡±


    He sighed, his voice heavy with concern. ¡°Jacob will look after her until our return.¡±


    Cherise nodded, feeling relieved that Mandy would be left in capable hands. ¡°How long will we be


    away?¡±


    ¡°A week,¡± Damien answered, sealing his response with a tender kiss upon her lips. ¡°We will return after


    the birthday banquet. So, we must persuade the Tanners to provide us with the method to deactivate


    the chip in Mandy¡¯s brain within the week.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and nodded resolutely. ¡°Let¡¯s give it our all?¡±


    ¡°Wholeheartedly,¡± Damien confirmed. He yfully pinched her cheek and asked, ¡°Do you find me


    intimidating now?¡±


    The question took Cherise by surprise. ¡°What made you think I would?¡±


    ¡°With my sister being that cruel¡­¡± Damien sighed. ¡°Do you find me intimidating too?¡±


    Cherise shook her head fervently. ¡°No, you¡¯re wonderful. You are the finest person I¡¯ve


    ever met.¡±


    Damien smiled, affectionately ruffling her hair. ¡°Then I will strive to be the best.¡±


    Cherise nodded, embracing his neck and nting a steadfast kiss on his cheek. ¡°My


    husband is the best!¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to ask you.¡± Damien broached the topic with a


    1/2


    hint of amusement. ¡°Yesterday, I mentioned my intention to adopt Mandy as my sister. But why is it that


    I¡¯ve be her brother-inw just a dayter instead?¡±


    Cherise blushed and hesitated. ¡°Well¡­ fundamentally, isn¡¯t it the same thing?¡±


    little


    Damien persisted while pursing his lip yfully, ¡°It¡¯s not the same. In the future, when we quarrel, she¡¯ll


    take your side.¡±


    Cherise blinked. ¡°Um¡­ What if we, well, just don¡¯t get into arguments?¡±


    Before departing for Europe, Cherise paid a visit to her school. She had a particr


    in mind: to offer a sincere apology to her tutor.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    purpose


    Just half a month ago, she had taken a two-week leave from her studies due to health. issues.


    Unfortunately, she found herself in need of another week and three days of leave soon after.


    Her tutor, ustomed to her frequent absences, addressed her sternly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, consider this your


    final reminder! When you return after this ten-day vacation, you¡¯ll be


    on the brink of your final exams! Last semester, you had straight A¡¯s in all your subjects. If your grades


    slip this semester, there¡¯ll be no mercy from me!¡±


    Cherise offered her tutor an apologetic smile and replied, ¡°Ipletely understand.¡±


    Her tutor maintained a firm stance, emphasizing the importance of action. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to merely


    understand. What truly counts is taking action!¡±


    With a stern look, the tutor continued, ¡°Make sure to bring your textbooks, and don¡¯t neglect your


    studies!¡±


    Cherise nodded earnestly,mitting these instructions to memory. As she packed her luggage at


    home, she dutifully ced her textbooks in her suitcase.


    2/2

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324


    Chapter 324 First Flight


    ¡°Madam, wasn¡¯t your trip to Europe meant to be a getaway? Why then¡­¡±


    Why bring textbooks?


    Homework, perhaps?


    Cherise chuckled sheepishly, ¡°The finals are approaching¡­ I need to prepare for it¡­¡±


    Moved, Frances quietly unpacked the books. ¡°Madam, you are truly a hard worker¡­¡±


    Head bowed, engrossed in her phone, Cherise silently nodded.


    On the screen, a list was sent from Lucy.


    ¡°I want postcards from Europe!¡±


    ¡°Designer clothes from France!¡±


    ¡°Britishestics!¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Perfumes!¡±


    Overwhelmed, Cherise retorted, ¡°Sis, you never wear perfumes.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Silence befell Lucy, but not for long.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, I want it! Consider it my alluring post-singlehood!¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget everything else I listed!¡±


    Resigned, Cherise acquiesced helplessly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll buy them all.¡±


    Post-chat, she took a screenshot of the list and forwarded it to Lennon. ¡°Your move.¡±


    Lennon was left with o


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get them.¡±


    words.


    Lying in bed, phone in her hands, Cherise could not contain her grin.


    Damien entered the room and caught the sight of his wife giggling like a silly kid over her phone.


    1/3


    He approached her leisurely, sat on the bed, glimpsed at the phone, and affectionately ruffled her hair.


    ¡°Little smarty.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Embarrassed, Cherise stuck out her tongue. ¡°Anyway, I have no clue about the stuff she¡¯d asked for.¡±


    ¡°Lennon¡¯s lived here for years; surely he knows better.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    With that, he picked up the phone and showed her the chat.


    Secondster, Lennon sent him Lucy¡¯s wish list.


    ¡°Do me a favor at your convenience.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    Annoyed, she snatched Damien¡¯s phone and replied in a voice message. ¡°Lennon Belcourt, can you


    put in a little effort?¡±


    A long silence was followed by Lennon¡¯s innocent voice. ¡°I¡¯ve never courted a girl, and I don¡¯t know


    what to buy¡­¡±


    Fuming. Cherise shot back. ¡°Neither has my husband! He¡¯s clueless too!¡±


    ¡°He knows¡­¡±


    A pitiful Lennon retorted. ¡°He recently did a huge shopping for a woman¡­¡±


    His words were cut off as Damien seized the phone.


    Startled, Cherise gazed up at Damien. ¡°What did he say you bought a lot of¡­?¡±


    Damien, fist to his lips, coughed lightly. ¡°Time to go.¡±


    Cherise eyed him doubtfully, then turned her attention to Frances, who was still packing.


    Unaware, Frances shook her head.


    Damien became ufortable as he threw an awkward gaze at Frances, then muttered, ¡°Let me get


    Mr. Hampson to help with the luggage.¡±


    With that, his towering shadow whisked away into thin air.


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    2/3


    Is he hiding something!?


    Before departing, Cherise meticulously calcted the distance between Adania and Italy on the map.


    By her estimation, they would¡­ Transit in Serenity Falls.


    Yet, Damien led her through the VIP channel and straight onto a private jet.


    Her first flight, a private one.


    Aboard, excited and undisguised, she buckled up tightly and nced around eagerly-she was the very


    picture of a child on her first flight.

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325


    Chapter 325 None of Them Last


    Damien rubbed her head and said affectionately, ¡°If you enjoy traveling, I can take you more often in


    the future.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Really?¡±


    Mmm¡­


    The feeling of being on a ne was pretty good, she thought.


    But that notion quickly dissipated when the ne began its ascent.


    So¡­ So scary!


    It felt like her heart and lungs had switched ces!


    She kept reminding herself. Cherise, you¡¯re top of your ss. You understand the physics of a ne.


    You know the odds of an ident are absurdly low. You shouldn¡¯t be afraid.


    But she could not help it!


    Finally, heart pounding, Cherise threw herself into Damien¡¯s arms. Whimpering, she cried to him, ¡°I am


    terrified!¡±


    Damien could not help but chuckle at her pitiful look. ¡°In that case, do we still go on these trips in the


    future?¡±


    With reddened eyes, she responded, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Herical response brought both Damien and Mr. Hampson into a fit ofughter.


    Soon, the ne stabilized.


    Cherise, tears in her eyes, snuggled into Damien¡¯s embrace and silently drifted off to sleep.


    There were tear stains on her face even after she had fallen asleep.


    Damien smiled helplessly and reached out to pat her head.


    Silly girl.


    Cherise was only awakened by Damien when they hadnded.


    Stepping off the ne, they were greeted by an exotic ambiance.


    1/3


    She drew long breaths of the foreign air; there was something different about the air here to what


    Adania had to offer. She suddenly felt that a trip overseas¡­ wasn¡¯t so bad after all.


    Gwenn Tanner¡¯s vehicle was already waiting outside the airport.


    As soon as Cherise stepped out of the airport, hand in hand with Damien, a woman with long, jet-ck


    hair, wearing a strappy dress that boldly disyed her cleavage, approached them.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    The woman extended her hands enthusiastically, intending to hug Damien, but he blocked her with a


    raised hand.


    His voice was cold yet polite as he introduced Cherise. ¡°This is my wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The woman nced at Cherise and remarked with a hint of mockery. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you like them skinny,


    don¡¯t you?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face fell, but she remained silent.


    Damien responded with a faint smile. ¡°At least don¡¯t like them plus-sized.¡±


    The woman¡¯s face turned ashen pale, but she still managed a polite smile. ¡°Let me introduce myself,


    Mr. Lenoir. I am Gwenn Tanner, the one who sent you the invitation.¡±


    She extended her hand. ¡°Wee to my home.¡±


    Damien shook her hand lightly. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Our car is waiting there.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The woman gracefully pointed to the vehicle behind her and turned to lead the way.


    With the luggage, ke and Mr. Hampson were slow to follow, so Damien turned back to help.


    Gwenn walked ahead with Cherise.


    She made no effort to hide her disdain for Cherise. ¡°Mr. Lenoir has built an empire in Europe. I thought


    someone as sessful as him would follow his heart more.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be like everyone else, marrying someone like you for his own


    benefit.¡±


    2/3


    With that, she scornfully sized up Cherise. ¡°In your city, you must be considered a socialite, am I right?


    Why are you dressed so casually?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows in confusion. ¡°Socialite?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gwenn sneered. ¡°Someone as unappealing as you must be relying on family connections to be able to


    marry a man like Mr. Lenoir. Your parents y a part in his business, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Could there be another reason?¡±


    She scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of marriages like this. None of themst.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326


    Chapter 326 The Tanners


    Cherise became blue in the face.


    She coughed lightly. ¡°Miss Tanner, there must be a misunderstanding here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ My family isn¡¯t prestigious by any means.¡±


    Gwenn stopped, turned around, and looked at her with a confused expression, as if waiting for an


    exnation.


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I do note from a wealthy background. It¡¯s quite modest, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°I grew up in the countryside.¡±


    Gwenn frowned in thought. ¡°Oh, are you what they call a ¡®fallen noble¡¯ in your country?¡±


    ¡°No wonder you seem so unsophisticated.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, feeling that she needed to set Gwenn straight.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I am not some fallen noble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary country girl.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, this is my first time abroad. I didn¡¯t have a lot growing up, and I¡¯ve never seen such


    grandeur before.¡±


    ¡°My husband married me, not because of my family, but because he loves me for who I


    am.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwenn looked at her incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡±


    ¡°If your family isn¡¯t wealthy, I don¡¯t understand why someone like Mr. Lenoir would be with you.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s kind and adorable, and she understands courtesy.¡±


    Damien came over, luggage in one hand, the other elegantly resting on Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And even


    when she meets someone for the first time, like you, Miss Tanner, she won¡¯t make fun of them even if


    she doesn¡¯t like them. That¡¯s what¡¯s most precious about her.¡±


    His voice was deep and indifferent, each word light, but when put together, they felt like an intense shot


    to Gwenn¡¯s heart.


    1/3


    Gwenn frowned and decided not to take this further. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s get in the car.¡±


    With Damien¡¯s thoughtful assistance, Cherise got into the car.


    Damien¡¯s earlier words had rendered Gwen silent for the rest of the journey.


    When the car hade to a halt, she frowned and ordered the servants to amodate Damien and


    Cherise, then left without even a word of greeting.


    Cherise was dumbfounded. ¡°This woman, Miss Tanner¡­¡±


    Does sheckmon courtesy?


    After all, they were invited by her, but she left them with the servants without a word.


    ¡°The Tanners normally behave this way; don¡¯t mind her.¡±


    Damien rubbed her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get out, get settled, and then pay our respects to the elders of the


    Tanner family.¡±


    Cherise nodded and got out of the car.


    Outside the car was a whole new world.


    She had not expected to see such magnificent traditional architecture in this foreignnd.


    The grand structure reminded her of the ancient pces she saw in the movies. Calling it a castle


    would not be an overstatement.


    Man-made hills, streams, patios, carved corridors, and a garden full of greenery.


    For a moment, Cherise wondered if she hade to the wrong ce.


    Is this¡­ Not a movie set?


    If not for the people in suits moving in the area, she would have thought she had traveled


    back in time!


    Understanding the awe disyed on her face, a servant of the Tanner family began to lead


    way while quietly exining, ¡°Our old master loves the ancient style, and the master indulges him, so


    he had the house fit out to old master¡¯s liking.¡±


    the


    Cherise looked around in astonishment and could not help butment, ¡°Such a filial


    son¡­ Your master.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    2/3

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327


    Chapter 327 Pampered


    Cherise could not help but marvel. ¡°That¡¯s so impressive¡­¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Damien affectionately ruffled her hair. ¡°I can do that too.¡±


    Cherise gave him a sidelong nce. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°True that.¡±


    The pair bantered until they arrived at the room arranged for them by the Tanner family.


    It was a suite akin to a presidential suite, with Cherise and Damien upying one room. and Mr.


    Hampson and ke in the adjacent one.


    After the servant showed them into the room and briefly introduced the ce, he turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Damien unexpectedly stopped him.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Please give me the address of this ce.¡±


    He smiled faintly. ¡°I have some personal items that will be delivered shortly.¡±


    The servant paused, then handed a business card to Mr. Hampson with a nod. ¡°However, the Tanner


    residence is strictly guarded; your butler will need to meet the deliverer in person for the items to be


    allowed in.¡±


    Damien nodded.


    After the servant left, Cherisey on the bed, propping her chin with her hands and. curiously watching


    Damien. ¡°What¡¯s being delivered?¡±


    He just smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll find out.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Cherise pouted, still lying on the bed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we were going to pay respects to the elders of the


    Tanner family after a short rest?¡±


    ¡°When are we going?¡±


    1/3


    She was so tired and wanted to rest early.


    Damien nced at his watch; a hint of a smile formed on his lips. ¡°Rx, it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    It was not long before Mr. Hampson¡¯s phone went off, and he hurriedly stepped out.


    Minutester, he turned with arge suitcase.


    ¡°Madam, these are all prepared by the master, especially for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cherise yawned, got off the bed, and opened the suitcase.


    Inside, it was filled to the brim with gifts for her.


    Clothes, dresses, perfumes, cosmetics¡­


    ¡°I n to dress you up so you don¡¯t get made fun of again; you will blind them with your mor.¡±


    Damien leaned against the doorframe and said with a lightugh.


    Cherise was startled, and then understanding dawned on her.


    Even though she preferred jeans to go with white T-shirts on regr days, she understood that she


    was in no ordinary ce right now.


    She was here to apany Damien to a noble banquet, so it made sense not to dress too casually.


    Otherwise, she would be subject to more mockery like that from Gwenn earlier.


    She pursed her lips and emptied the suitcase by turning it over.


    The clothes looked extravagant, clearly meticulously tailored from reputable designer


    brands.


    The dresses were beautiful too.


    The shoes sparkled like crystals, and the heels were not too high, which told her that Damien noticed


    she seldom wore heels.


    But¡­


    She looked at the pile of perfumes and cosmetics and felt challenged.


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 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328


    Chapter 328 A Makeup Attempt


    Damien cleared his throat lightly. ¡°Let me handle it.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He knows how to apply makeup?


    Why did she know nothing about this?!


    Thus, with anticipation filling her heart, she eagerly perched herself on a chair. ¡°Dear, go ahead!¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyebrows contracted slightly as he unlocked his phone.


    Jacob, haven¡¯t you been working on your makeup skills?¡¯ He texted.


    On the other end of the line, Jacob was silent for a good while before responding. ¡°What¡¯s up with


    this?¡±


    ¡°I bought Cherise a lot of makeup, but she doesn¡¯t know how to use them.¡±


    Another long pause before, ¡°Are¡­ You asking me to guide you remotely?¡±


    ¡°Kind of.¡±


    After sending the message, he impassively took a photo of the assortment of makeup products.


    To Cherise, it seemed like her husband was contemting the sort of look he would craft


    for her.


    She was somewhat thrilled yet nervous.


    If only there was a mirror in the room, she mused, then she could watch in real-time the artistry her


    husband employed.


    ¡°The transparent bottle is the toner. Start by applying that evenly on her face, came the instructions.


    Damien did as he was told, spreading the toner gently across Cherise¡¯s face.


    Hisrge and thick palm was warm, and the toner cooled within it.


    The blend of warmth and coolness, along with the rhythmic thumping of her heart, made Cherise¡¯s


    cheeks flush with an unfamiliar shyness.


    Despite their intimate experiences, they were treading unfamiliar ground. The tenderness


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    of his actions caused her heart to swell.


    She had nowhere to run as he was still applying the makeup.


    The pace of her heartbeat continued to pick up, and her face grew even more flushed.


    The room was dauntingly silent.


    Cherise felt an urge to break the ice, to alleviate the awkwardness.


    She cleared her throat lightly. ¡°Dear, make sure you make me look pretty, okay?¡±


    Damien¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


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    Just as she spoke up, his hand had faltered, leading a stroke of the eyebrow pencil astray.


    With gracefulposure, he took out a tissue to correct the mistake.


    However, having never used an eyebrow pencil, he did not realize that the more he wiped¡­ Therger


    the dark patch would grow.


    Finally, he wrinkled his brows. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    His voice was low and husky, exceptionally sexy and enchanting to her ears.


    Cherise, already in a state of coy vulnerability, found her cheeks burning hotter upon hearing him call


    her name in such an alluring tone.


    Lowering hershes shyly, her voice was a soft murmur, ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Damien handed her a towel. ¡°You might want to go to the bathroom and get this fixed.¡±


    Puzzled and noting the odd expression on his face, rms red in Cherise¡¯s mind.


    She eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Dear, you didn¡¯t¡­ screw up, did you?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    To him, she was an angel descended from the heavens, and he could never find her anything but


    beautiful.


    Reassured, Cherise took the towel and stepped into the bathroom.


    ¡°Ah¨C!!!¡±


    ¡°Damien Lenoir!!¡±


    Listening to the distraught scream from the bathroom, Damien coughed lightly and stepped out of the


    room. ¡°I need to talk to the Tanners and ask if they have anyone who knows their makeup.¡±


    ¡°You turned me into THAT and still said I wasn¡¯t ugly!¡±


    Walking along the intricately carved corridor of the Tanner residence, Cherise could not. help but make


    a face at Damien.


    Now, she was wearing crystal chunky heels and dressed in adylike pink long dress. Her hair was


    loosely pinned up, and her face was devoid of makeup, yet she boasted an adorable look.


    Damien had found a maid who did her makeup, but feeling embarrassed, Cherise decided to go natural


    in the end.

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329


    Chapter 329 Doppelganger


    Whatever! She didn¡¯t think she looked too bad even without makeup on!


    Damien smiled softly, ¡°You always look beautiful to me.¡±


    ¡°Excuses!¡±


    Cherise pinched his waist, ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because you made me look ugly in this painting.¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile did not fade, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always beautiful.¡±


    The Tanners had a staggering number of guest houses for their visitors to stay. in when they visited.


    It took Cherise and Damien more than ten minutes to walk from their guest house to the main


    residence.


    ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead.¡±


    A servant gestured for them to enter.


    Cherise took Damien¡¯s arm, and the both of them slowly walked into the main residence.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The mansion was extremely grand and opulent


    The garden grounds were entirely in an Oriental style, while the mansion¡¯s architectural design was


    European. It was a beautiful fusion of East and West.


    Grandpa Tanner was sitting on the couch, chatting with Beckham.


    Their conversation stopped abruptly when Cherise and Damien entered.


    Cherise carefully eyed the two men.


    Grandpa Tanner had a head of silver hair, but he was still at the top of his game.


    The middle-aged man was tall and imposing. He radiated authoritative and dignified air.


    The image of the two of them together was so striking that they couldn¡¯t help but attract


    attention.


    However, surprisingly, Cherise did not feel intimidated by them. Instead, she felt a sense


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    of familiarity.


    Damien led her towards them. ¡°I am Damien Lenoir. From the Adania¡¯s Lenoirs.¡±


    ¡°This is my wife, Cherise Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Please have a seat, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Beckham smiled warmly at Damien and ordered the maids to bring some fruits.


    But he froze when he turned back and saw Cherise behind Damien.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir,¡± Beckham asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Thedy next to you¡­. Is she your wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien beamed at him, ¡°We¡¯ve been married for just two months.¡±


    Beckham stared at Cherise for a good minute without moving from his seat. His eyes. filled with an


    inexplicable emotion.


    He squinted at her and asked, ¡°May I ask, who is Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s mother?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. Her mother?


    She stared back at Beckham in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re asking about¡­ My mother?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Tanner.¡±


    Damien took a sip from the cup a maid had handed to him. He smiled, ¡°My wife is an orphan. Her aunt


    and uncle raised her. She doesn¡¯t have any parents.¡±


    Beckham froze at Damien¡¯s response. Shame colored his features. ¡°That¡­ My apologies.¡±


    Grandpa Tanner touched his beard and carefully examined Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, she does bear a


    resemnce.¡±


    Cherise began to feel uneasy under their watchful gaze. She looked down at her feet and stayed silent.


    Damien nodded and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re trying to say.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Grandpa Tanner chuckled, ¡°Your wife resembles someone from our family. That¡¯s why


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    Beckham so boldly asked about your wife¡¯s mother.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly and replied, ¡°Everyone has a doppelganger or two. Maybe my wife¡¯s


    resemnce to someone in your family is just a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°My wife grew up in a small, remote mountain vige near Adania. She and her family never ventured


    too far from home. Whereas the Tanner family spent most of their time int Europe. It¡¯s more likely


    nothing more than a lookalike.¡±


    Damien¡¯s exnationpletely dissipated any lingering suspicion Beckham might


    have.


    Beckham shook his head, ¡°You have a point.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330


    Chapter 330 Are You up to the Challenge?


    Beckham muttered under his breath, ¡°She was raised in luxury. So how did she end up in a mountain


    vige?¡±


    Such a coincidence was unlikely.


    He took a deep breath and smiled at Cherise. ¡°That may have been too presumptuous of


    me.¡±


    Cherise shook her head vigorously, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my honor to share a resemnce with someone Mr. Tanner used to know.¡±


    They chatted leisurely until Damien steered the conversation back to the main topic.


    ¡°Mr. Tanner, our reason foring, aside from celebrating your birthday, is to make a request.¡±


    Beckham chuckled, ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯re here to find the method to destroy the control chips.¡±


    ¡°I remember you bringing it up once in your letter.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you.¡±


    Beckham looked Damien straight in the eyes and said, ¡°You should know it cost them at pretty penny to


    order that many chips from us. All with the expectation that they would be able to make use of the


    controlled people after they reach adulthood.¡±


    ¡°Now, after many years of investment and waiting, they¡¯re about to see the fruits of theirbor. And you


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    want me to tell you how to destroy them?¡±


    ¡°What do you think will happen to the Tanner family¡¯s reputation if I were to tell you?¡±


    Beckham whipped out a cigar and lit it with a flick. ¡°I strongly suggest you give up on the idea, Mr.


    Lenoir. No one from the family will tell you how to do that.¡±


    Cherise clenched her hands tightly.


    ¡°But Mr. Tanner, your chip vites basic human rights!¡±


    ¡°Mandy was just seven years old when they put the chip in her! She had no choice!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re essentially an aplice in destroying her life!¡±


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    Beckham couldn¡¯t help butugh when he saw the fire in Cherise¡¯s


    determined expression.


    eyes


    and her


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, where did you find such an innocent wife? She has no idea how the world. works!¡±


    Damien smirked and held Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Cherise¡¯s kindness is a virtue of hers.¡±


    Beckhamughed. ¡°Can you still call it a virtue when she can¡¯t differentiate right from. wrong, nor her


    inability to see the world for its cruelty?¡±


    Cherise tightened her fist, leaving crescent marks all over her palms.


    Damien chuckled, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a virtue.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps thedy you mentioned earlier, Mr. Tanner-the one who resembles Cherise, could also be


    kind and innocent too.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about her, Mr. Tanner?¡±


    Beckham red at Damien.


    Grandpa Tanner, on the other hand, chuckled warmly, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset.¡±


    He smiled at Damien, ¡°I was the one who invited you to Beckham¡¯s birthday banquet. I made Gwenn


    send you an invitation.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still some room forpromise on this matter.¡±


    ¡°In a few days, during Beckham¡¯s birthday, we will announce a long-kept family secret.¡±


    ¡°The Tanner family will be indebted to whoever solves the secret for us.¡±


    ¡°We will grant them the power to request something from us.¡±


    The elderly gentleman stroked his bread and grinned at Cherise and Damien. ¡°We have our own rules


    we need to abide by. Money or connections do little to change our minds.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a different story if we owe you a favor.¡±


    Grandpa Tanner grinned yfully at Cherise, Little miss, are you up to the challenge?¡±


    Cherise silently considered what he had said. Finding it reasonable, she nodded, ¡°Yes!¡±


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 Chapter 332

    Chapter 332


    Chapter 332 You Must Find Me


    Cherise was taken aback by his gaze and couldn¡¯t help but slip out of his arms. She retreated and fell


    onto the bed.


    The man¡¯s strong body pinned her down.


    ¡°Am I frightening?¡±


    He kissed her lips and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes¡­ You are!¡±


    Cherise was close to tears from her shock. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re particrly intimidating in


    bed¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Oh my god, it¡¯s not nighttime yet!


    She didn¡¯t want to engage in those activities in this ce during the daytime¡­


    The girl¡¯s ck eyes were teary.


    Damien¡¯s lips curled into a nonchnt smile. He kissed her and released her.


    He enjoyed seeing her at a loss beneath him, so he liked to tease her.


    She was so adorable when she was close to tears that he wanted to hold her tightly.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Outside, Mr. Hampson knocked on the door at the right time. ¡°The Tanner family¡¯s servants invite you


    and Mrs. Lenoir for dinner


    After Mr. Hampson said that, Cherise looked up at the time.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was only five o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Do the Tanner family eat dinner so early?


    ¡°It must be because of Mr. Tanner¡¯s bedtime.¡±


    Damien lifted Cherise from the bed and gently smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but sigh sorrowfully. ¡°Although Mr. Beckham is indifferent towards


    1/3


    outsiders, he treats his family well.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but think of what the servants had said when they were being led in.


    Mr. Beckham was someone who valued his family greatly.


    His wife had been missing for two decades, but he was still searching for her. He hadn¡¯t remarried


    either.


    When Cherise thought about it, she looked up at Damien. ¡°If I go missing for twenty years, will you


    continue searching for me and not remarry, just like Mr. Beckham?¡±


    Damien looked up at her. ¡°When we were outside, I said I could do it too.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    The man kissed her cheek. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go missing.¡±


    ¡°No matter what happens, I won¡¯t let you leave my side.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart softened.


    She reached out to hug him. ¡°You must keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°No matter what¡­¡±


    ¡°You must find me¡­¡±


    Damien smiled. He thought she was silly yet lovely.


    He kissed her cheek again and earnestly promised her before leading her out of the room.


    As Damien held Cherise¡¯s hand, she looked at his tall and imposing figure. She suddenly felt that


    everything was surreal.


    When she first married Damien, she thought she would have to take care of him for the rest of his life.


    She thought he was truly a blind man in a wheelchair.


    Butter on¡­.


    He surprised her and touched her heart countless times. There were too many encounters¡­ It was


    difficult to part with him.


    The girl silently held hisrge hand tightly.


    2/3


    She would happily stay with him forever. She didn¡¯t want to ever be separated from him.


    As Damien held Cherise¡¯s hand and arrived at the Tanner Residence¡¯s dining room, many people were


    already seated at the table.


    The Tanner family had evidently invited numerous influential political and business figures from around


    the world for Mr. Beckham¡¯s birthday this year. Everyone present was an outstanding talent in their


    respective cities.


    Attendants led Damien and Cherise to seats with their names on them.


    Damien had an extensive business in the West, so the person on his left started chatting with him as


    soon as he sat down.


    Cherise quietly sat in her seat and surveyed her surroundings. She tried not to interrupt Damien¡¯s


    business discussions.


    On her left was Damien, and on her right was a man in a ck suit adorned with gold.


    The man nced up at Cherise and smiled. ¡°Hey there. Hello, Bunny.¡±


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 Chapter 333

    Chapter 333


    Chapter 333 She¡¯s Just Like My Pet Bunny


    Cherise furrowed her brows and smiled politely at him. ¡°And you are¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zachary Miles, the eldest son of the Miles family in Ziphon. Where are you from, Bunny?¡±


    Cherise felt slightly bewildered.


    When she saw the man greet her enthusiastically, she assumed he knew her or Damien.


    She never expected him to be a¡­ stranger?


    A stranger who greeted her so warmly and called her ¡®Bunny¡¯?


    But Cherise politely answered him. ¡°My name is Cherise Shaw. I¡¯m¡­ Damien Lenoir¡¯s wife from the


    Lenoir family in Adania.¡±


    She spoke clearly and artictely, afraid she might embarrass Damien if she misspoke.


    But Zacharyughed.


    He chuckled as he patted the shoulder of the woman next to him. ¡°Kareen, didn¡¯t I tell you? I was sure


    we would see her.¡±


    ¡°This Bunny next to me is Cherise Shaw.¡±


    The girl next to him turned around. Her exquisitely made-up face coldly assessed Cherise from head to


    toe. ¡°She¡¯s exactly how Gwenn described her. She¡¯s a country bumpkin.¡±


    The girl and Gwenn didn¡¯t hide their hatred and disdain for Cherise.


    Cherise¡¯s hands secretly clenched into fists. She pretended not to hear anything and looked down to


    y with her cell phone.


    Zachary smiled nonchntly. With one hand behind his head, he looked at Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I


    find her quite interesting.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just like my pet bunny.¡±


    Cherise started to ignore them. I can¡¯t hear them. I can¡¯t hear anything!


    She couldn¡¯t cause trouble for Damien!


    Lucy was venting to Cherise through text on the phone. ¡®Mandy is so strange.


    1/3


    ¡°Today, Lennon and I took her to the mountains, but she was so happy and wanted to cook. us a nice


    meal!¡¯


    She says that since Cherise is her older sister and a wise and kind wife, she can be one


    too!¡¯


    ¡®In the end, she almost burned down the housel¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s weird? She used to treat you poorly, but now her attitude has. changed. It¡¯s like


    she¡¯s a different person. Does she have a split personality?¡±


    Cherise was delighted. ¡®Maybe her true personality has been set free. It must have been difficult for


    her.


    ¡®Besides, isn¡¯t this better than before?¡±


    ¡®Nonsense.


    Lucypletely disagreed. ¡®Although she used to be bossy and take advantage of others,


    she was quite reserved.


    ¡®Now she¡¯s just a silly girl!¡±


    Cherise almost burst outughing.


    But she remembered where she was.


    The girl quickly covered her mouth with her hand to stifle herughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny? What are you looking at?¡±


    Zachary leaned over and moved his head closer to Cherise¡¯s. ¡°Let me see, Bunny.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s heart started pounding as the unfamiliar man pressed his head against hers. Her face also


    began to pale.


    She was flustered, and her hand holding her cell phone started shaking!


    The girl immediately wanted to move her head away but was too anxious. In her panic, she moved in


    the wrong direction.


    Her head collided with Zachary¡¯s forcefully.


    Thetter groaned in pain while rubbing his head. ¡°Come on, Bunny. I just wanted to see


    2/3


    what you and your friend were chatting about. Did you have to retaliate like this?¡±


    His voice was loud enough to attract the attention of almost everyone at the table.


    Noisy discussions erupted around them.


    ¡°That¡¯s Zachary Miles, the son of the Miles family from Ziphon. Rumor has it that he¡¯s a yer!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that next to him? His new girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°But she looks so unsophisticated. She has a round face and eyes, and she looks like a bookworm¡­


    Does the Miles family¡¯s son have such taste?¡±

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334


    Chapter 334 Are They Roadrunners?


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Asughter filled the air, Kareen Miles, seated next to Zachary, gave Cherise a cold, disdainful look.


    ¡°You appear to be honest and well-behaved. I never expected you to be so shameless.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t assume my brother likes you just because he took the initiative to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°All of his ex-girlfriends would leave you in the dust!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, feeling slightly annoyed. She retorted tly, ¡°His ex-girlfriends. would leave me


    in the dust?¡±


    ¡°Were they all as fast as roadrunners?¡±


    The girl, with her round face and round sses, looked nerdy. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but burst into


    Peals ofughter echoed around them.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. They must have been as fast as roadrunners to leave her in the dust!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the Miles family has a preference for wild animals that can run fast?¡±


    Kareen¡¯s expression instantly paled.


    D*mn it¡­


    How dare this country bumpkin talk back to me?!


    She gritted her teeth and was about to retort when Zachary stopped her. ¡°I took the initiative to talk to


    her. What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    After that, he turned and beamed at Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, Bunny¡±


    ¡°My younger sister had an identst year.¡±


    He pointed to his head. ¡°She¡¯s not quite right up here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take her seriously!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Kareen gritted her teeth and was about to retort when Zachary covered her mouth.


    1/3


    ¡°Her name isn¡¯t Bunny.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice rang indifferently. He pulled her into his arms and looked up


    nonchntly. His icy gaze served as a warning to Zachary and Kareen. ¡°My wife¡¯s name is Cherise


    Shaw.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t remember her name, call her Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand, Mr. Miles?¡±


    Zachary furrowed his brows before smiling mischievously at Damien. ¡°Yes, I do!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Lenoir!¡±


    The man shamelessly greeted Cherise.


    Cherise pursed her lips and acknowledged him indifferently before leaning toward Damien. Her back


    faced Zachary as she looked down and continued ying with her cell phone.


    ¡°This stupid country bumpkin!¡±.


    Kareen gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Zachary¡¯s careless expression vanished. He wrinkled his brows and red at her gravely. ¡°Don¡¯t forget


    that we¡¯re here for a purpose. We¡¯re here to find Aunt Ariel¡¯s daughter, not to cause trouble!¡±


    Kareen pursed her lips and red viciously at Cherise again. ¡°I¡¯ll get my revenge on her


    sooner orter!¡±


    ¡°No one has ever dared to talk back to me during an argument!¡±


    Zachary stroked her head. ¡°Aunt Ariel really spoiled you.¡±


    After waiting in the dining room for about ten minutes, Mr. Tanner took his seat with Beckham¡¯s


    assistance.


    ¡°I apologize for making everyone wait.¡±


    ¡°I know young people usually don¡¯t eat at this time.¡±


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    ¡°But I¡¯m an old man, and my health is failing. I must cat early so I can rest early. I apologize for the


    inconvenience!¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡±


    Zachary smiled. ¡°We have much to learn from your healthy lifestyle.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re here at Tanner Residence, we should naturally follow your practices and adopt the Tanner


    family¡¯s good habits!¡±


    Mr. Tanner was delighted by his words.


    Mr. Tanner waved his hand. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say anything more. Let¡¯s dig in!¡±


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 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335


    Chapter 335 You Can Call Me Grandpa


    Afterwards, he smiled at Cherise, who was seated far from him. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, Mrs. Lenoir. Eat more.


    You¡¯re a bit thin.¡±


    All eyes instantly turned to Cherise.


    Cherise felt a little overwhelmed. She smiled and nodded, speaking sweetly and clearly. ¡°Thank you for


    your concern, Mr. Tanner. The food prepared by the chefs here looks very appetizing. I¡¯ll enjoy it!¡±


    Her voice was clear and pleasant, like the sounds of nature.


    Mr. Tanner smiled brightly. ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°Later, tell the servant behind you what you like to eat. I¡¯ll have the chefs make more for you!¡±


    Cherise was surprised but nodded. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Tanner.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mr. Tanner. You can call me ¡®Grandpa¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Grandpa.¡±


    The conversation between the old man and the girl caused quite a stir at the table.


    Gwenn, who sat next to Beckham, looked pale.


    Kareen almost mmed her cutlery on the table. ¡°Bro, you praised Mr. Tanner so much, but he didn¡¯t


    say a word to you.¡±


    ¡°He spoke so much to the country girl instead, told her he¡¯d give her more of her favorite food, and


    asked her to call him ¡®Grandpa¡¯?!¡±


    ¡°Do this girl and Mr. Tanner have some hidden rtionship?!¡±


    ¡°Kareen!¡±


    Zachary reached out to hit her head. ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡±


    ¡°That Bunny is so charming. Even I want to look at her more. Of course, the old man likes. lovely girls.¡±


    Afterwards, he coldly examined Kareen¡¯s revealing outfit. ¡°With your outfit, do Mr. Tanner will like you?¡±


    you


    think


    1/3


    ¡°Pi. Does it matter if he likes me?!¡±


    Kareen spoke disdainfully. ¡°I¡¯m not like Cherise Shaw. She intentionally dressed as a well- behaved girl


    to win favor with the old man.¡±


    ¡°How disgusting! What a deceitful woman!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bing more impolite.¡±


    Zachary furrowed his brows and scolded her in a low voice. He looked up and stared directly at


    Cherise, seated next to Damien.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think¡­ Cherise resembles a young Aunt Charisa?¡±


    Kareen-rolled her eyes. ¡°No! You¡¯re blind!¡±


    Zachary shook his head in frustration. When no one was paying attention, he raised his cell phone and


    took a picture of Cherise¡¯s profile as she ate.


    The chefs at the Tanner Residence were exceptional.


    Every dish was delicious. Their cooking surpassed that of the chefs at Lennon¡¯s New World


    Restaurant!


    After dinner, a servant approached Cherise and asked about her favorite dishes.


    Cherisey on the dining table and looked at the empty tes. She felt at a loss as she recalled each


    dish.


    Finally, she looked up at the servant with a pitiful expression. ¡°Um¡­ Can I choose different. favorites


    for today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow?¡±


    The servant pursed her lips awkwardly. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    Damien sat calmly in his chair, a smile ying at the corners of his lips as he observed the girl¡¯s


    confusion.


    Finally, he nonchntly suggested a solution. Tell Mr. Tanner that she enjoyed all the dishes tonight.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    The servant pondered with a frown. ¡°Alright!¡±


    After the servant left, Cherise stood up and burped. ¡°Honey, are we going back now? Or should we


    take a walk in the garden?¡±


    2/3


    Cherise was very full from dinner and was hesitant to go back.


    If she did, she was afraid she would fall asleep as soon as shey on the bed.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    If that happens¡­ Sigh. I¡¯ll gain weight!

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336


    Chapter 336 I Came For The View


    Damien seemed to understand what the girl was thinking. He shook his head casually and smiled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk.¡±


    ¡°The Tanner Residence has a beautiful garden. We haven¡¯t had a chance to appreciate it properly.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good!¡±


    Cherise nodded happily, beaming at Damien. She took his hand, and the two of them. slowly left the


    dining room. They strolled through the garden as night fell.


    ¡°Mr. Tanner.¡±


    The servant responsible for recording Cherise¡¯s favorite dishes entered the study room with an empty


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    notebook. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir said she enjoyed all the dishes tonight.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Beckham, who was sitting nearby, sneered. ¡°Dad, I told you it was a waste of time.¡±


    He even specifically asked her what she likes to eat?


    In the end, she was just like the others who suspected the Tanner family had ulterior motives, so she


    said she liked everything.


    The young man Mr. Tanner had previously favored also imed to enjoy everything.


    Although the young man publicly stated that he liked everything, he secretly told others. that he was


    afraid the Tanner family would slowly poison him!


    Mr. Tanner fell seriously ill after hearing about it.


    Although the Tanner family was cunning in the business world, they would never engage in such shady


    practices during a banquet in their own home, at the very least!


    ¡°Mr. Tanner¡­¡±


    The servant pursed her lips and approached Mr. Tanner, speaking in a low voice. ¡°This time, Mrs.


    Lenoir is¡­ different from the manst time¡­¡±


    ¡°She was puzzled for a long time in the dining room and asked me if she could have different favorites


    every day¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw her confused expression¡­ I don¡¯t think she has an issue with the Tanner family¡¯s


    1/3


    hospitality¡­ She just¡­ genuinely enjoys every dish here.¡±


    Beckham was speechless.


    Mr. Tanner stroked his beard and burst intoughter. ¡°Really?¡±


    The servant nodded. ¡°I would never lie to you!


    ¡°Also, there are surveince cameras in the dining room. You¡¯ll understand when you see Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s


    bewildered expression¡­¡±


    Mr. Tannerughed heartily. ¡°Let her have what she wants. Divide today¡¯s dishes into three portions


    and prepare them for her over the next three days!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The servant left after receiving the instructions.


    Once the study room door closed, Mr. Tanner stroked his beard andughed, feeling. relieved. ¡°Her


    love for food reminds me of Ari


    But Beckham shook his head. ¡°Our daughter won¡¯t be so naive.¡±


    ¡°How do you know she¡¯s naive?¡±


    Mr. Tanner smiled nonchntly. ¡°From what I can see, she isn¡¯t naive. She¡¯s innocent because she


    hasn¡¯t experienced the hardships of life.¡±


    As he spoke, he sighed. ¡°It seems like the girl has been well-protected since she was young.¡±


    ¡°Her foster parents took good care of her. And Damien¡­ He spoils herpletely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be happy if your daughter is as fortunate!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Achoo!¡±


    In the garden, Cherise sneezed violently.


    Damien furrowed his brow and took off his coat, cing it around her shoulders. ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been walking for over an hour.¡±


    2/3


    With one hand in his pocket, he leisurely walked along the pebbled path. The moonlight and streetlights


    cast long shadows.


    He turned slightly to look at Cherise with a tender gaze. ¡°It¡¯s been an hour. Your food must have


    digested by now. Do you want to go back or keep walking?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly turned red.


    The girl stammered, ¡°Did¡­ Did I say I wanted my food to digest¡­¡±


    I came here to enjoy the view. The view!¡±

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337


    Chapter 337 Am I A Fool?


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise gazed at the dark scenery before her. ¡°The garden of the Tanner


    Residence is so beautiful. I¡¯m truly admiring it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply admiring it! I regret not bringing the camera Lennon gave me!¡±


    Damien, with one hand still in his pocket, calmly observed her lie.


    As she came up with excuses, Cherise¡¯s face fell silently under the man¡¯s gaze. ¡°Alright, I was afraid of


    gaining weight¡­¡±


    ¡°If I gain weight, my clothes won¡¯t fit.¡±


    ¡°And they¡¯ll keep teasing me.¡±


    The girl strained her voice and mimicked the voices of Kareen and Gwenn when they had previously


    taunted her. ¡°Look at that country bumpkin. Not only is she unsophisticated, but she¡¯s also gained


    weight. She¡¯s crude and plump, like a hillbilly!¡±


    Damien found her earnest imitation amusing.


    The man smiled indifferently as he reached out to caress her head. ¡°You¡¯re not a hillbilly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ just silly.¡±


    Cherise red at him. ¡°Can¡¯t I be normal?¡±


    Damienughed aloud.


    His deepughter sounded delightful in the garden at night.


    Cherise looked up at him in surprise. ¡°Honey, you¡­ughed aloud¡­¡±


    It seemed to be the first time she had heard himugh so happily¡­


    Damien nodded with a smile. ¡°Mm. I found you amusing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly amazing!¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled. She leaped onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    kissed him. ¡°Honey, do you know you look very handsome when youugh?¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Yourughter sounds very pleasant too!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    She imitated the way Lucy used to joke around with her. She reached out to grab his chin. ¡°Come on,


    smile for me!¡±


    Damien shook his head in exasperation. He lifted his hand to lightly smack her butt. ¡°Don¡¯t say such


    things.¡±


    ¡°Mmph! Honey, you hit me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cry! You hit me!¡±


    The girl¡¯s coy voice and the man¡¯s deepughter echoed in the corners of the garden.


    Sitting on the porch of the second floor, Gwenn looked at the two figures in the dark and silently


    clenched her fists tightly.


    ¡°D*mn! They¡¯re nauseating!¡±


    Kareen rolled her eyes as she sat on a bench in the distance.


    Zachary leaned back in his chair leisurely and shut his eyes. ¡°How are they nauseating? Don¡¯t people


    act like this when they¡¯re dating?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, why don¡¯t you find someone to date?¡±


    That night, Damien carried Cherise back.


    While joking around with Damien, she cheekily smacked his butt.


    Afraid that he would chase after her and teach her a lesson, she quickly ran away pping his butt.


    after


    But Cherise forgot that she had been wearing the pair of crystal heels Damien had prepared for her


    since she arrived at the Tanner Residence.


    Hence¡­


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    2/3


    De pe neked in pain


    Daiman shook his head exasperatedly and were over to crouch down ¡°Comtar on


    Chenier wanted to cry Darling, am I a fool


    Damien¡¯s deep voice was slightly exasperated and amused. ¡°You knew how to run aher smarking my


    butt. You¡¯re not a fool.


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly flushed Tm sorry, darling


    It was just because she felt overjoyed seeing him happy tonight, so she got carried away in


    her excitement


    ¡°I don¡¯t me you


    The man carried her gently ¡°It was my mistake


    I shouldn¡¯t have made you wear heels


    Cherise immediately shook her head ¡°No, it¡¯s on your fault

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338


    Chapter 338 I Can Put Them On Myself


    ¡°I should have been more careful and not run in heels¡­¡±


    She bit her lip, afraid that he would continue ming himself. So, she ignored him and said, ¡°From now


    on, I¡¯ll practice wearing heels until it bes a habit!¡±


    Damien smiled casually. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear them if you don¡¯t like them.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°Actually, I quite like them¡­¡±


    In the past, Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah had never bought her a pair. She was sensible enough not to


    ask for one either.


    As she grew up, she got used to wearing t shoes. She always felt ufortable in heels, so she


    didn¡¯t wear them.


    Actually¡­ how could any girl dislike high heels¡­


    ¡°Take your time to get used to them. There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    Damien carefully carried her as they walked through the long, intricately carved corridor and slowly


    returned to their guest room.


    Back in the room, Damien gently applied cream to Cherise¡¯s ankle before putting her to bed.


    The next day, when Cherise woke up, although her ankle didn¡¯t hurt as much, she still felt a dull pain


    when she stood on her feet. It made her ufortable.


    Damien had instructed Mr. Hampson to go out and buy a pair of soft, pink rabbit slippers in the


    morning.


    ¡°Put these on.¡±


    As Cherise was about to put on her heels, Damien took out the slippers and carefully ced them on


    her feet.


    The girl¡¯s fair and tiny feet were now adorned with the pink bunny slippers. They looked exceptionally


    charming.


    Upon seeing Damien put on the slippers for her, Cherise blushed. ¡°I¡­ I can put them on myself.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    1/3


    It was just slippers. It didn¡¯t require much effort.


    ¡°I want to do it for you.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was deep yet affectionate as he looked down. ¡°This is the first time in twenty-six years


    that I¡¯ve put shoes on a girl I like.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to take away my joy, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    How could she answer that?


    ¡°Then¡­ you can continue¡­¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    The man smiled indifferently and put on the two slippers for her before walking out. his arm around her.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too bad.¡±


    with


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°It hurt when I stood up, but it feels much better after walking a little.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    The man smiled indifferently and held her hand. The two of them strolled along the long, intricately


    carved corridor, the epitome of a beautiful couple.


    When they arrived at the dining room, some people were already seated at the table.


    The enormous long table could amodate fifty to sixty people.


    Cherise and Damien sat in their assigned seats, just like yesterday, under the guidance of the


    attendant.


    Once again, it was a dull waiting time.


    Cherise yawned a few times and leaned against Damien¡¯s arm. She took out her cell phone and read


    Lucy¡¯s rants for the day.


    ¡®Cherry, Mandy is really¡­¡¯


    ¡®She keeps asking me what you like to eat. I casually mentioned that you like eating chicken legs.


    2/3


    Do you know what happened?¡±


    She stole all the money from Jacob¡¯s wallet and bought all the chickens here. She even found a


    woman here to kill the chickens. She¡¯s in the kitchen now, meticulously figuring out how to cook


    chicken legs


    Lennon is trying to console Jacobs.


    I want to escape because Mandy wants me to try her chicken legs


    Tve eaten more than ten chicken legs today. She¡¯s still making them in the kitchen.


    ¡®Save me!!!


    Cherise smiled and typed her response. Just stay with her and try them. When Ie back, her


    cooking skills must have greatly improved under your guidance.


    I don¡¯t want to! Help me! I¡¯m going to throw up!


    3/3

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339


    Chapter 339 Why Are You Always So Happy?


    The girl giggled uncontrobly.


    When Gwenn, Kareen, and Zachary entered the dining room, they were greeted by Cherise¡¯s radiant


    and beaming face, shining as brightly as the sun.


    Kareen scoffed coldly. ¡°The mentally ill are always cheerful.¡±


    Gwenn rolled her eyes. ¡°She looks foolish even when she smiles. I really don¡¯t understand what


    Damien see¡¯s in her.¡±


    Zachary approached with a wide smile. ¡°Bunny, why are you always so happy?¡±


    His gaze then fell upon Cherise¡¯s fair feet, adorned with pink rabbit slippers. ¡°It seems like you really


    have a fondness for bunnies.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and responded politely. ¡°Mm.¡±


    In reality, she didn¡¯t actually like rabbits.


    It was Damien who liked rabbits.


    He alwayspared her to a rabbit.


    And now, Zachary was calling her a bunny too.


    Cherise nced at her reflection on her darkened cell phone screen.


    Do I really resemble a bunny¡­


    ¡°Wow, some people be so arrogant just because they have a powerful benefactor.¡± Behind


    Zachary, Kareen noticed the slippers on Cherise¡¯s feet as she approached.


    The girl scoffed coldly and deliberately spoke loudly. ¡°Mr. Tanner kindly expressed his affection for a


    certain individual yesterday and inquired about her favorite dishes.¡±


    ¡°Now, this individual believes that Mr. Tanner likes her so much that he would tolerate her wearing


    slippers to such a formal asion.¡±


    As Kareen spoke, all the seats in the dining room, except for Beckham and Mr. Tanner¡¯s seats of honor,


    were upied.


    Her loud voice instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    1/3


    Gwenn furrowed her brow. She walked over, nced at Cherise¡¯s feet, and immediately understood.


    ¡°The Tanner family has always upheld certain traditions. As the Tanner family¡¯s eldest granddaughter, I


    have never worn slippers in the dining room in my neen years of living.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t someone being too casual?¡±


    ¡°Does she not respect the Tanner family? Or does she consider Tanner Residence her own home? Is


    that why she is behaving rudely and indecently?¡±


    As the two girls stared at Cherise, they were no longer indirectly criticizing her. They were openly


    discussing her.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and put away her cell phone. ¡°Did the two of you not sleep wellst night?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so angry early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°How can we sleep well with rude and arrogant people like you around?¡±


    Kareen didn¡¯t think she had said anything wrong. In fact, she continued. ¡°This is the first. time I¡¯ve seen


    a guest attend a formal asion at their host¡¯s house while wearing slippers!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. How embarrassing!¡±


    Gwenn also sneered. With her arms crossed, she towered over Cherise. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, don¡¯t you think


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    you owe us an exnation?¡±


    The people around them eagerly joined the discussion, taking Gwenn and Kareen¡¯s side. They began


    berating Cherise just as the two Tanner men arrived.


    Gwenn started causing trouble as the two men took their seats. ¡°Dad. Grandpa. Take a look at the Mrs.


    Lenoir you like so much. She¡¯s such a rude person!¡±


    Mr. Tanner was indifferent towards Gwenn and usually couldn¡¯t be bothered to wish her a happy


    birthday.


    As the Tanner family¡¯s biological granddaughter, Gwenn naturally couldn¡¯t stand seeing the Tanner


    family treat an outsider like Cherise so favorably.


    Given the opportunity, she had to make Cherise look bad. It would be best if she could.pletely ruin


    Cherise¡¯s reputation, ensuring her image would always be tarnished!


    2/3


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Mr. Tanner sat in the seat of honor and asked with a furrowed brow. He was unaware of what had


    transpired.


    ¡°Allow me to exin, Mr. Tanner.¡±

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340


    Chapter 340 Don¡¯t Cause Trouble


    Kareen immediately spoke up, rolling her eyes at Cherise coldly. ¡°It¡¯s her¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Zachary interrupted her.


    The usually apathetic man wrinkled his brows indifferently. He pulled Kareen into his arms, put her in a


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    chokehold, and covered her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Beckham. My sister tends to talk a lot. Please don¡¯t


    mind her.¡±


    Then, he pushed Kareen into her seat before looking up indifferently at Gwenn. ¡°Please continue, Ms.


    Tanner.¡±


    Gwenn frowned. She didn¡¯t quite understand Zachary¡¯s actions.


    However, Gwenn didn¡¯t publicly question his motives. She assumed he feared tarnishing the Miles


    family¡¯s reputation byining about Cherise.


    She sneered. How cowardly!


    She had previously exposed someone Mr. Tanner was fond of and revealed that the person didn¡¯t care


    for her grandfather in front of him. She could do it again!


    Gwenn took a deep breath, looked up, and said. ¡°Let me exin, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, or Cherise Shaw, doesn¡¯t show respect for you and Dad and disregards the family¡¯s


    rules.¡±


    ¡°She came to breakfast wearing slippers because you like her, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°She must be aware of the Tanner family¡¯s rules¡­¡±


    Mr. Tanner¡¯s brows furrowed. He looked at Cherise and asked indifferently, ¡°What happened, Cherise?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s what happened.¡±


    Damien, who had been silent, spoke nonchntly. ¡°My wife isn¡¯t used to wearing high heels, but she


    respected the Tanner family¡¯s request to dress formally during mealtimes, so she deliberately put on


    heels for yesterday¡¯s dinner.¡±


    Gwenn rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m talking about this morning!¡±


    ¡°She had to be well-behaved and properst night because she wants to gain favor with my


    grandfather!¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Since she saw yesterday that Grandpa favors her, she started acting arrogantly today and doing as


    she pleases!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    Cherise suddenly stood up after Gwenn finished.


    Her actions were too abrupt, and there was a sharp pain where she had sprained her foot.


    The girl¡¯splexion instantly paled.


    But she still stood up firmly and seriously. ¡°I wore slippers today because I sprained my footst night!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still swollen now!¡±


    Cherise wasn¡¯t someone who sought pity from others.


    But they had gone too far!


    She wore slippers, yet they spoke about her as if she were a convicted criminal!


    ¡°You sprained your leg?¡±


    Gwenn sneered. The scene of Cherise and Damien having fun in the garden yesterday appeared in her


    mind, and she frowned. ¡°Are you making up an injury as an excuse?¡±


    ¡°Are you really injured just because you im to be?¡±


    Does she think I didn¡¯t see her being so energetic yesterday?


    Gwenn took a deep breath and waved for the servants toe over. ¡°Call the family. doctor.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn!¡±


    Beckham furrowed his brows fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble!¡±


    From Cherise and Damien¡¯s confident appearances, Beckham could tell that the two weren¡¯t lying.


    He could see things more objectively than Gwenn. She was clouded by her impulse. She wanted the


    family doctor to examine Cherise?


    If the family doctor was called to examine Cherise¡¯s ankle, Gwenn had no way out if she made a


    mistake!


    2/3

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341


    Chapter 341 Apologize To Me


    Gwenn felt inexplicably wronged.


    She was arguing with a woman who had recently visited Tanner Residence, but her father wasn¡¯t taking


    her side¡­


    ¡°Mr. Beckham, she isn¡¯t causing trouble.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know how she found the courage, but she raised her head and looked at Beckham


    earnestly. ¡°From my perspective, Ms. Tanner¡¯s attitude of seeking the truth is admirable.¡±


    Gwenn rolled her eyes at Cherise. Pffi! I don¡¯t need your admiration!


    ¡°However.¡±


    In


    front of the fifty to sixty people in the dining room, Cherise had a smile on her face. Her voice was clear.


    ¡°If you¡¯re wrongly using me, Ms. Tanner, and if my ankle is sprained, please apologize to me and


    my husband sincerely.¡±


    The girl¡¯s gaze and voice were firm and determined.


    The entire dining room fell silent.


    Everyone looked at Cherise in astonishment.


    They had thought she was a pushover, as she hadn¡¯t said a word when she was harassed and berated.


    But now¡­


    She was too courageous to make such a request to the Tanner family!


    ¡°Good! Great!¡±


    Mr. Tanner pped happily. ¡°I love Cherise¡¯s attitude in seeking the truth!¡±


    He then raised his hands and instructed the servants by his side. ¡°Tell Dr. Bakewell toe here.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Beckham whispered with furrowed brows.


    Mr. Tanner stroked his beard and sighed. He spoke in a tone that only the two of them.


    1/3


    could hear. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve spoiled Gwenn?¡±


    ¡°Why must you clean up her mess when she always causes trouble?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll learn today that she¡¯s nothing without the Tanner family¡¯s protection!¡±


    Beckham had an awful expression.


    Ultimately, he sighed. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn¡­ is in the wrong anyway.¡±


    It was good for her to learn her lesson.


    The servants quickly led the Tanner family¡¯s personal doctor, Dr. Bakewell, into the dining


    room.


    Dr. Bakewell crouched down and held up Cherise¡¯s foot while holding a medical kit. He immediately


    frowned. ¡°Her leg is so swollen. Even an ordinary person can tell. Why did I


    have toe?¡±


    The entire dining room erupted inmotion.


    After all, the dining room was where they ate. Cherise couldn¡¯t publicly show everyone. her swollen


    ankle. They were also too embarrassed to lean over and look at her foot.


    However, Gwenn and Kareen must have been able to tell.


    Everyone discussed it fervently.


    Since Dr. Bakewell said that, did the two wealthy daughters not see Cherise¡¯s swollen ankle, or did they


    pretend not to see it?


    ¡°The sprain is quite severe.¡±


    Dr. Bakewell sighed indifferently. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll give you pain relief cream. Apply it to your sprained ankle


    After that, he stood up and bowed respectfully to the two Tanner men. ¡°This woman did. sprain her


    ankle, and it¡¯s very severe.¡±


    ¡°I gave her a pain relief cream. She just needs to apply it regrly.¡±


    After that, Dr. Bakewell packed his medical kit and calmly turned around. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb your breakfast


    any longer. Goodbye.¡±


    2/3Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    The servants escorted Dr. Bakewell out.


    The dining room instantly fell silent.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Gwenn and Kareen.


    Especially Gwenn. Her face was as pale as the wall behind her.


    Damien calmly picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip. ¡°Ms. Tanner, if I remember correctly, my wife


    said that if she¡¯s truly injured and didn¡¯t fake it, you must sincerely apologize to her.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342


    Chapter 342 Isn¡¯t This General Knowledge


    ¡°You heard what Dr. Bakewell said, didn¡¯t you? Do I need to remind you of your responsibilities now?¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s hands were tightly clenched by her side!


    She never expected that someone like Cherise, who came from the countryside, would make a fool out


    of her!


    Cherise had concealed her right leg while speaking to them just now!


    Her left leg was perfectly fine. That¡¯s why they were confident that her feet weren¡¯t injured.


    They didn¡¯t anticipate that the woman would be so cunning as to deliberately hide her injured foot


    where they couldn¡¯t see it!


    ¡°Gwenn.¡±


    At this point, Beckham, sitting in a position of authority, furrowed his brows indifferently. ¡°Apologize.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Gwenn gritted her teeth. Do you really expect me, the daughter of a wealthy family, to apologize to an


    uncivilized girl from the countryside like Cherise? No way!


    She took a deep breath and met Beckham¡¯s intense gaze. ¡°Dad, she cheated!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Bakewell mentioned that even an ordinary person could see how swollen her foot is.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter is not a fool. I suspected she was pretending because she kept showing us her


    uninjured foot!¡±


    Everyone was once again in a state ofmotion.


    Cherise smiled indifferently. ¡°How dare you use me of cheating, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    ¡°I said I sprained my foot. You only saw one foot and immediately assumed I was. pretending, Ms.


    Tanner. Did I cheat, or are you biased against me, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I only have one leg, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    1/3


    Mr. Tanner, who was observing the scene, couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re clever, girl!¡±


    When Mr. Tanner burst outughing, everyone else who had been holding back theirughter started


    chuckling softly.


    Even Kareen, standing on the side¡­ could barely contain herself.


    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s true that rabbits bite when they¡¯re anxious.¡±


    Zachary propped his head up with one hand. He smiled casually as he gazed at Cherise¡¯s face. She


    became more beautiful the longer he looked at her.


    In the end, Gwenn¡¯s face turned red.


    ¡°You keep talking about the customs of the Tanner family, Ms. Tanner.¡±


    Damien smiled coldly. He reached out and elegantly poured a ss of water for Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me


    the Tanner family taught you to only consider one side of a problem, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has two legs. Isn¡¯t thismon knowledge?¡±


    Gwenn gritted her teeth viciously.


    Beckham felt utterly humiliated.


    Therefore, he furrowed his brows and scolded Gwenn sharply. ¡°Gwenn, apologize to Mrs.


    Lenoir!¡±


    Gwenn took a deep breath and reluctantly gritted her teeth. She looked up at Cherise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs.


    Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have assumed you weren¡¯t injured just because you deliberately hid your other leg.¡±


    ¡°It was my mistake. Please forgive me.¡±


    It was the first time Cherise received such a solemn apology since arriving at the Tanner Residence.


    Although it wasn¡¯t sincere.


    And it paled inparison to Gwenn¡¯s sarcastic remarks towards her.


    But she epted the apology dly.


    2/3


    1. Taniny I¡¯m a medical student I have some books on general knowledge of the human body. I can


    give them to you if you re enterested¡±


    She spoke uncerely, but everyone knew she was intentionally taunting Cwenn


    No need. You can keep the books for yourself Mrs. Lenoir¡±


    Gwenn seemed to struggle with each word


    ¡°That¡¯s enough


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    Beckham furrowed his brows, and his gaze coldly swept past Gwenn ¡®Come here and a


    down for breakfast¡±

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343


    Chapter 343 I¡¯ll Dance For You


    Gwenn gritted her teeth and sat beside Beckham, her face pale.


    The servants served breakfast.


    Mr. Tanner stroked his beard and observed Cherise¡¯s reaction.


    He spoke again. ¡°Cherise, what do you enjoy about breakfast?¡±


    Cherise, who was devouring her food, paused. She put down her cutlery and looked up at Mr. Tanner


    with a smile. ¡°I enjoy everything!¡±


    Mr. Tanner¡¯s eyes crinkled as he smiled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll have the same breakfast as


    yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll instruct the servants to prepare these dishes for you again over the next three days.


    Cherise was taken aback. She scratched her head in embarrassment. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Grandpa!¡±


    Mr. Tanner beamed and continued to look at Cherise. ¡°Dear Cherise, you must recover soon!¡±


    It was the first time an elderly felt a warm sensation in her heart.


    other than her grandmother had looked at her with


    such love and concern. Cherise


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Grandpa, you don¡¯t have to go through so much trouble. I¡¯m healthy. I¡¯ll be up and


    about by tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll dance for you tomorrow!¡±


    Mr. Tannerughed delightedly. ¡°Sure! Dance for me tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since anyone has entertained me!¡±


    Kareen pursed her lips. ¡°She¡¯s such a naive girl. Does she even know how to dance?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t shee from the countryside? Do people from rural areas have the means to learn dancing?¡±


    After thinking for a moment, she smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice for her to dance for Mr. Tanner.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn and I graduated from the same dance ss. She has even won international prizes.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Cherise is just asking for trouble!¡±


    After breakfast, Cherise felt slightly worried.


    She had only been joking when she said she would dance for Mr. Tanner.


    The joke had started because of Lucy.


    Whenever Lucy had injured her legs, Cherise would always ask about her well-being.


    In response, Lucy grew annoyed and would say, ¡°I¡¯m fine! Believe it or not, I¡¯ll dance for you tomorrow!¡±


    Lucy¡¯s mother was a dancer, so her father had sent her to dance school at a young age. She had been


    learning dance for a long time.


    Therefore, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll dance for you tomorrow!¡± became one of Lucy¡¯s favorite expressions.


    Cherise had wanted to amuse Mr. Tanner during breakfast, so she blurted it out.


    But in reality¡­


    She didn¡¯t know how to dance.


    Cherise returned to her room and rolled on the bed, feeling lost. ¡°I made a mistake¡­ I made a


    mistake!¡±


    ¡°I should have told Grandpa that I¡¯ll read sos to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m particrly good at reading sos!¡±


    She tossed and turned on the bed. ¡°Other than my good grades, I don¡¯t think I have any other


    strengths¡­¡±


    After rolling around on the bed for some time, she nced at the man sitting motionless. on the couch,


    working. ¡°Honey, can you help me out?¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curved into a nonchnt smile. ¡°Mr. Tanner said you¡¯re quick-witted.¡±


    ¡°With your quick-witted mind, you should be able toe up with a solution.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°Can I say that my leg hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet?¡±


    The man looked up indifferently at her. ¡°Dr. Bakewell¡¯s pain relief cream is very It can heal your injury


    within a day.¡±


    effective.

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344


    Chapter 344 Do You Have A Foot Fetish?


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Cherise was speechless.


    Dr. Bakewell was not someone to be messed with.


    He was just as stern and cold as her professors in school.


    Such a person would never show mercy.


    She took a deep breath and thought about the person responsible for the situation, Lucy.


    ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Lucy cried out in anguish. ¡°Can¡¯t you understand how I feel after eating


    ten chicken legs?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t always me me for things like this, okay?!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°But if I don¡¯t find you¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    Lucy sighed on the other end of the phone. ¡°Actually, dancing¡­¡±


    She furrowed her brow and pondered. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    ¡°Cherry, do you remember the dance I taught you on the school¡¯s orientation night?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you practice the dance until you knew it by heart? Perform that dance!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Um¡­ Can I?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can!¡±


    Lucy smiled mischievously. ¡°When you


    dance..


    Cherise stopped wearing the rabbit slippers at dinner on the second night.


    She wore a pair of ck canvas shoes.


    Kareen saw Cherise¡¯s shoes and silently rolled her eyes. ¡°Although you¡¯re no longer wearing slippers,


    it¡¯s hard to think these canvas shoes are dignified.¡±


    Zachary rolled his eyes at Kareen. With one hand supporting his head, he kept looking at Cherise


    leaning against Damien. ¡°I say, Kareen. In the past, you used to judge people


    1/3


    based on their appearances. Now, you¡¯re fixated on the shoes they wear¡­ Do you have a foot fetish?¡±


    Kareen red at him viciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of magic potion the country. bumpkin fed you.


    Why do you keep defending her?¡±


    Zachary smiled coldly. He didn¡¯t say anything.


    After breakfast, Gwenn took the initiative to step forward. No one knew if she did it intentionally.


    ¡°Grandpa, do you remember that your dear Cherise said she wanted to dance for you yesterday?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hands froze as she held her cutlery.


    Oh no. I knew I wouldn¡¯t get away with it so easily!


    Mr. Tanner grinned as he stroked his beard. ¡°I do recall something like that.¡±


    Gwenn smiled casually. ¡°I was unfair to Mrs. Lenoir yesterday. After reflecting on my actions, I want to


    make it up to Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I arranged for a small stage to be set up in the backyard so that everyone can enjoy Mrs.


    Lenoir¡¯s dance.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    Mr. Tanner burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re so considerate, Gwenn!¡±


    ¡°I remember you¡¯re also a talented dancer, right, Gwenn?¡±


    Kareen stood up and spoke with a smile. ¡°Many of the women here are skilled in various


    art forms.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had many opportunities to get to know each other sinceing to Tanner Residence.¡±


    She looked at Mr. Tanner cheerfully. ¡°Mr. Tanner, since we have a stage, I suggest that everyone can


    put on a simple performance to entertain you and everyone else. It can also help us get to know each


    other better. Would that be alright?¡±


    Mr. Tanner furrowed his brow. After a while, he nodded. ¡°That sounds reasonable.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been at Tanner Residence for three days, but we haven¡¯t provided any entertainment or


    activities.¡±


    ¡°If no one objects, let¡¯s do as Ms. Miles suggests.¡±


    2/3


    Those with talents can showcase them, while those without can show their support by apuding!¡±


    After Mr. Tanner spoke, the atmosphere in the dining room instantly became lively.


    All the women who were guests at Tanner Residence came from distinguished families. They were


    skilled in various art forms.


    Except for Cherise, almost all of them had talents and unique strengths.


    After dinner, everyone gathered at the ¡°little stage Gwenn mentioned.

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345


    Chapter 345 Embarrass Me As You Like


    Cherise was astonished. ¡°Is this a¡­ small stage?¡±


    It was clearlyrger than the theater at her school!


    Her school¡¯s orientation stage couldn¡¯tpare to this one!


    Cherise felt terrified at the thought of dancing in front of so many people on such a grand


    stage.


    Damien held her hand. ¡°Are


    you afraid?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my first time¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up at Damien with worry. ¡°Will I


    embarrass you?¡±


    Damien held her hand and gently kissed her forehead. ¡°Embarrass me as much as you want. I¡¯m not


    afraid.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s chest tightened silently.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Honey¡­ Am I very inadequate¡­¡±


    Cherise felt particrly worthless as she looked at the women changing into their performance outfits


    one by one. Like her and Damien, they were the femalepanions of the men invited to the birthday


    banquet:


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I learn dancing with Lucy back then? Then, I would have an extra skill and wouldn¡¯t feel


    so¡­ humiliated after lying.¡±


    It seemed like everyone was better than her¡­


    The girl sighed, feeling even more miserable.


    Damien¡¯s lips curved into an indifferent smile. He kissed the bridge of her nose. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re great


    at dancing.¡±


    ¡°I saw you practicing in the room today. You were amazing.


    At that moment, Kareen started dancing on stage.


    Cherise secretly pointed to Kareen on stage. ¡°Better than her?¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    The man gently kissed the girl¡¯s check. ¡°To me, you¡¯re always the best.¡±


    After Kareen finished her dance, a few other women performed.


    One danced a Latin dance, another did the Samba, and one even yed the violin!


    Cherise was so nervous that her body was trembling.


    ¡°These¡­ These people are all experts!¡±


    She was basically an amateurpared to them¡­


    She had no skills or strengths to speak of.


    Soon, it was Gwenn¡¯s turn.


    The stage darkened.


    Amidst the thick smoke and lights, Gwenn wore a vintage outfit and gracefully waved her sleeves as


    she danced.


    Cherise was in a daze after watching Gwenn.


    She was basically¡­ even better than Lucy!


    She took a few deep breaths. Besides admiration, she also felt dejected and nervous.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m really going to embarrass myself greatly this time¡­¡±


    After Gwenn finished her dance, thunderous apuse erupted offstage.


    Beckham couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration. ¡°Gwenn¡¯s dancing has improved. It¡¯s even better than


    Ari¡¯s dance back then, more¡­


    He paused and didn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    The people around them also started discussing it animatedly.


    ¡°Ms. Tanner¡¯s dancing is amazing! I feel so inferior!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Mrs. Lenoir. She wanted to dance, so she gave Gwenn Tanner a chance to showcase


    herself!¡±


    2/3


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been overshadowed!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Cherise Shaw has yet to perform. I wonder what kind of dance she¡¯ll do. She doesn¡¯t even have a


    performance outfit.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Let¡¯s wait for Cherise to make a fool of herself! I heard that Mrs. Lenoir is a girl. from the


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    countryside. She doesn¡¯t know how to do anything other than studying!¡±


    Cherise sat in her spot and listened to the discussions around her. She silently looked. down and


    yed with her fingers.


    ¡°Next to perform is Mrs. Lenoir, Cherise Shaw!


    Cherise didn¡¯t know if it was intentional, but as Kareen announced the order of performers on stage,


    she deliberately called out Cherise¡¯s name after Gwenn.


    3/3

 Chapter 346

    Chapter 346


    Chapter 346 Can¡¯t You Recognize My Voice


    In an instant, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to Cherise.


    Cherise pursed her lips and immediately stood up to go change backstage.


    The stage darkened.


    Gwenn and Kareen exchanged nces and smiled.


    Almost everyone was waiting for Cherise to embarrass herself.


    Because no one could outperform Gwenn¡¯s dance!


    She was essentially setting herself up for failure!


    The stage lights gradually illuminated.


    A person in a thick and heavy mascot outfit appeared on stage.


    The mascot was a gigantic pink rabbit. It had a bowknot on its chest and dazzling crystal hair


    ornaments on its head.


    When all the lights were on, the audience offstage burst intoughter.


    Is this what Cherise is wearing for her performance?


    Can this really be a performance outfit?!


    How can she dance in such a heavy and bulky mascot costume?


    Is she doing this to make othersugh?


    Plus, she hasn¡¯t revealed her face. Who knows if she¡¯s actually inside?


    Kareen furrowed her brows and was about to ask when Gwenn stopped her.


    ¡°Tell her to take off the mascot head after her dance.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not her¡­ Cherise won¡¯t get away with it!¡±


    Kareen thought about it andughed. ¡°That makes sense. Even if it¡¯s not Cherise, we¡¯ll find out once


    she finishes dancing.¡±


    It was exhausting to dance in such a thick and heavy mascot outfit.


    1/3


    The music gradually started.


    It was a popr song that was easy to dance to.


    The person in the thick and heavy mascot costume on stage started dancing gracefully as the music


    yed. Cherise executed the butterfly footwork and raised her hands¡­ Her moves were natural¡­


    It was incrediblyical and hrious to see a pink rabbit perform such a dance to this


    music.


    Mr. Tanner was the first tough. ¡°How creative. Well done!¡±


    Beckham nodded. ¡°Wearing such a mascot costume must be tiring. It seems like she put some thought


    into this.¡±


    The audience offstageughed one after another.


    Through the holes in the mascot costume, Cherise saw Damien give her a thumbs-up from offstage.


    So, the girl put even more effort into her dance,


    Once the song ended, Cherise was drenched in sweat inside the mascot outfit.


    The audience offstage was also sweating fromughter.


    There was a lively atmosphere offstage.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡±


    **


    In the mascot costume, Cherise spoke while panting heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading off now.¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡±


    Kareen stood up and spoke sharply into the microphone. ¡°Can the person on stage take off the mascot


    head?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, how will we know if it¡¯s a man or a woman inside? How will we know if it¡¯s you,


    Cherise?¡±


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    Cherise¡¯s face was soaked with sweat. Her hair clung together due to the perspiration.


    She must have looked incredibly disheveled at this moment.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Ms. Miles, I¡¯m speaking. Can¡¯t you recognize my voice?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°How would I know if you¡¯re speaking from backstage?¡±


    Kareen continued to interrogate Cherise.


    The audience immediately erupted intomotion offstage.


    Those who had praised Mrs. Lenoir for being creative and thoughtful began to doubt her.


    She was a petite, thin girl. Could she really dance to ¡®Stayin¡¯ Alive¡¯ in such a thick, heavy


    mascot costume?


    Even grown men would struggle, right?


    Was it really Cherise on stage, or was it someone else?


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, Ms. Miles!¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth. Her voice carried a hint of frustration. Why do these people enjoy harassing


    me so much?


    They doubted everything she did and didn¡¯t believe a word she said!


    ¡°Cherise!¡±


    Damien sighed nonchntly. He stepped offstage, and his tall, imposing figure jumped onto the stage,


    standing beside her.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347


    Chapter 347 An Amazing Bunny


    ¡°Remove it,¡± he said gently, cing his hands by the sides of her mascot head.


    Cherise shook her head vigorously.


    She must look hideous now!


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the man reassured her with a tender smile. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and allowed him to take off the mascot¡¯s head.


    The audience erupted in excitement.


    The person underneath the rabbit mascot¡¯s head was Cherise!


    In that moment, her face was covered in sweat, and her hair clung to her head in clumps.


    She was in a slightly disheveled state, but still adorable.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Bunny!¡± Zachary stood up and began apuding. ¡°It¡¯s extraordinary that a petite


    Bunny like you can wear such a heavy and thick mascot costume to dance and entertain everyone!¡±


    After he spoke, Mr. Tanner also joined in the apuse. ¡°You¡¯re very thoughtful, Cherise!¡±


    Cherise smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed. She instinctively hid behind Damien. ¡°As long as you¡¯re


    happy, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Cherise¡¯s intention was to bring joy to you, Mr. Tanner,¡± Damien¡¯s deep voice carried at hint of


    indulgence. ¡°When she mentioned wanting to dance for you during breakfast yesterday, she simply


    wanted to make youugh.¡±


    ¡°She never anticipated that her casual remark would lead Ms. Tanner to create such a grand stage out


    of consideration, so she feels a bit out of ce. Please don¡¯t me her.¡±


    Mr. Tanner nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. If Cherise had performed for me in my living room. instead of on


    stage, I would have been overjoyed!¡±


    He then nced at Gwenn, whether consciously or unconsciously. ¡°You were thoughtful in setting up


    such arge stage, Gwenn. Those who understood Cherise¡¯s intentions knew she did it out of devotion.


    Those who didn¡¯t might have thought she was organizing a dance.petition!¡±


    Mr. Tanner¡¯s words caused Kareen¡¯s expression to instantly change. She furrowed her brow and


    seemed ready to retort, but Gwenn calmly spoke up. ¡°I misunderstood Mrs.


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    1/2


    Lenoir¡¯s intentions.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir mentioned wanting to dance for Grandpa, so I thought that since there were so many


    people present, it might have been awkward if she was the only one dancing for Grandpa. That¡¯s why I


    set up a stage so that everyone could entertain Grandpa together.¡±


    ¡°I never imagined that Mrs. Lenoir actually wanted to dance for Grandpa alone in his living room and


    didn¡¯t want the rest of us around.¡±


    Her words seemed innocent on the surface, but many women in the room felt.


    uneasy.


    She¡¯s right. There are many female guests at the Tanner Residence. Why should Cherise be the only


    one dancing in his living room?


    She wants to gain favor with Mr. Tanner, just like the rest of us.


    Who does she think she is to have this special privilege?


    Beckham furrowed his brow. After all, he had lived with Gwenn for over a decade and understood her


    personality. She must have built the stage because she couldn¡¯t bear to see Cherise gaining favor with


    Mr. Tanner, so she deliberately did it to embarrass Cherise.


    However¡­


    He nced subconsciously at Cherise before looking at Gwenn.


    Although Cherise bore a slight resemnce to Ari, she was still a stranger.


    As for Gwenn, she was his daughter, whom he had raised for over a decade.


    Therefore, he cleared his throat lightly and spoke indifferently. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir had good intentions, and


    Gwenn was being respectful. Compared to Mrs. Lenoir, Gwenn showed. more attentiveness. She


    deserves Mr. Tanner¡¯s love after all these years.¡±


    His words didn¡¯t offend either party, and they implicitly praised Gwenn.


    But Gwenn didn¡¯t seem satisfied. She continued to sneer at Cherise, who was sweating on stage. ¡°Of


    course. After all, I¡¯m a Tanner. I inherited Father and Grandpa¡¯s genes.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348


    Chapter 348 I Want To Learn Them All


    ¡°With the noble bloodline of the Tanner family, I will never be ignorant!¡±


    As Cherise mentioned the Tanner family¡¯s genes and bloodline, pale expressions simultaneously


    crossed Mr. Tanner and Beckham¡¯s faces while they were on stage.


    Actually¡­


    Offstage, discussions continued with great enthusiasm.


    But Gwenn¡¯s taunting didn¡¯t disturb Cherise.


    She pondered carefully and nodded. ¡°You were very considerate, Ms. Tanner.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to repay Grandpa because he had previously taken special care of me. I never expected that


    everyone here also wanted to make Grandpa happy.¡±


    While speaking, she nced at Mr. Tanner with a radiant smile. ¡°Grandpa, everyone cares a lot about


    you. You must be delighted!¡±


    Admiration for Gwenn and respect for Mr. Tanner could be seen in the girl¡¯s eyes.


    With her bright, ck eyes, no one would suspect her of being devious.


    Initially agitated by Gwenn, Mr. Tanner was in a good mood again because of Cherise¡¯s sunny smile. ¡°I


    am. I¡¯m thrilled!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m most delighted to see you act like a rabbit, Cherise.¡±


    On stage, Cherise could clearly see that the other women offstage were slightly annoyed when Mr.


    Tanner said this.


    She furrowed her brows and put herself in their shoes. Everyone who performed on stage put a lot of


    effort into their performances.


    But Mr. Tanner had only praised her.


    Therefore, Cherise smiled kindly. ¡°Grandpa, I think everyone was amazing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very capable. I was only strong enough to dance for you in a mascot costume.¡±


    ¡°Once I¡¯ve learned properly from all the other women offstage, I¡¯ll be able to perform a better dance for


    you too!¡±


    ¡°That sounds good!¡±


    1/2


    Mr. Tanner pped excitedly. ¡°Let the other women offstage teach you!¡±


    As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Let me ask you, which performance did. you like?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. She knew she could potentially offend the others.


    But she wasn¡¯t afraid.


    After all, her excellent memory was one of her strengths. Moreover, she had lived in the countryside for


    many years. It wasn¡¯t without reason that almost every elderly person was fond of her!


    The girl smiled. ¡°Actually, I want to learn them all.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ludgate¡¯s Latin dance just now was effortless and brilliant. I don¡¯t have as good a figure as hers. If


    I did, I would want to learn from her!¡±


    Ms. Ludgate was feeling quite irritated, but Cherise¡¯s words instantly cheered her up.


    ¡°And Mrs. Gruth¡¯s Samba just now. It made me feel her passionate and exotic charm, but I¡¯m quite


    clumsy. I can¡¯t move as well as she does¡­ I¡¯m afraid Mrs. Gruth will be infuriated. with me if she


    epts me as her disciple.¡±


    Mrs. Gruth¡¯s eyes widened. She had been on Gwenn¡¯s side as she mocked and ridiculed Cherise.


    ¡°Ms. Miles¡¯ violin ying was exceptional too¡­ It¡¯s a shame that my fingers are too awkward.¡±


    ¡°And Ms. Tanner¡¯s ssical dance. It truly made me feel like I was watching a world-ss performance.


    She was exquisite when she waved her sleeves¡­. It¡¯s a shame that my body. can¡¯t coordinate as well


    as hers¡­¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, I understand!¡±


    Mr. Tanner was pleased. ¡°You clever girl. You¡¯replimenting everyone and belittling yourself.


    Everyone else is excellent, but you can¡¯t learn from them, right?¡±


    Cherise giggled. ¡°Because I have poor basics. I grew up in the countryside, and my aunt and uncle


    didn¡¯t know how to send me to art sses. I only learned to dance a little with my best friend after


    getting into college.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 349

    Chapter 349


    Chapter 349 Roast Rabbit


    Afterwards, she smiled at Mr. Tanner. ¡°Actually, dancing isn¡¯t my true strength. If the opportunity arises,


    I¡¯ll show you my real talent!


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    Mr. Tanner apuded happily. ¡°Everyone who performed today did a great job! I¡¯ll have my servants


    send you a gift that I preparedter!¡±


    Then, the old man¡¯s eyes shifted towards Cherise. ¡°You won¡¯t receive a gift.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you once you showcase your true talent!¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s gettingte. Everyone can go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°I had a great time tonight!¡±


    Afterwards, he stood up, and Beckham assisted him as they left.


    The people at the scene gradually dispersed.


    Kareen red at Cherise, who was taking off the mascot outfit in the distance. ¡°She¡¯s just seeking


    attention! What¡¯s wrong with her!¡±


    ¡°I think Mrs. Lenoir is quite charming.¡±


    Ms. Ludgate, whom Cherise hadplimented on her excellent figure, walked by. She smiled


    indifferently. ¡°She treats others sincerely. It¡¯s no wonder Mr. Tanner likes her.¡±


    Mrs. Gruth, who was nearby, quickly added, ¡°Not only does Mr. Tanner like her, I like her


    too!¡±


    Kareen¡¯s face turned pale with anger.


    Zachary had one hand behind his head as he yawned. ¡°Kareen, you should learn to have the same


    emotional intelligence as Bunny. You and Gwenn can¡¯tpare to her.¡±


    ¡°Always Bunny this, Bunny that!¡±


    Kareen gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going to teach her a lesson sooner orter!¡±


    ¡°Why did you say that on stage?¡±


    1/3


    Damien asked Cherise in an indifferent tone after the performance ended, while instructing Mr.


    Hampson to take care of the rabbit mascot outfit.


    Cherise hadn¡¯t rehearsed in advance what she said on stage. Even Damien didn¡¯t expect. his yful


    wife to say such things on stage.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t offend anyone. She even generously praised Gwenn, who had bullied and taunted her.


    As Cherise used a wet tissue to wipe her sweat, she smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just came to me


    at that moment, so I said it.¡±


    After changing her outfit, the girl took the ice cream handed to her by the man. As she ate it, she


    grinned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I find Mr. Tanner particrly friendly. He reminds me of my


    grandmother, so I feel exceptionally rxed around him. I just said. what came to mind.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Actually, I act most foolishly in front of strangers and people I¡¯m not very close to.¡±


    ¡°Honey, think about it. I talk a lot in front of you and Lucy, but I don¡¯t want to say anything in front of


    others.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m around him, I feel at ease. It¡¯s the same feeling I have when I¡¯m with you and Lucy. He¡¯s


    very warm-hearted, and I can say whatever I want.¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°Perhaps you and Mr. Tanner are destined to be connected.¡±


    Cherise nodded and finished her ice cream happily. When she threw the wrapper away, she reached


    out her hand to Damien. ¡°Honey, is there more?¡±


    She had clearly seen Mr. Hampson give him two ice creams.


    She had only eaten one. Where was the other one?


    The man turned and nced at the top floor of the gallery.


    Cherise followed his gaze and looked over.


    A young teenager in a navy blue outfit was lying on the green-tiled rooftop, licking his ice


    2/3

 Chapter 350

    Chapter 350


    Chapter 350 A Targeted Search


    Cherise immediately shook her head. ¡°No, thanks! I want to go back and take a shower!¡±


    After performing in the mascot outfit, her clothes were soaked with sweat!


    ¡°Then you can¡¯t have any more.¡±


    Damien smiled indifferently as he pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Someone once said they don¡¯t want to


    gain weight.¡±


    ¡°If I indulge you and give you more ice cream, won¡¯t you me me if you actually gain weight?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    Alright, then I won¡¯t eat!


    She pouted and returned to the guest room, feeling annoyed.


    Damien stood in ce and watched her huffy appearance with a smile on his face. ¡°Buy another ice


    cream for her.¡±


    Mr. Hampson acknowledged and left.


    It was a peaceful summer night in the garden.


    Damien sat on a bench at the entrance, waiting for Mr. Hampson to return.


    ¡°Mr. Miles, I¡¯ve found everything you wanted to know about that bodyguard!¡±


    A familiar middle-aged man¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any man named Elvis Miles in Adania¡­¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes slightly. This voice¡­


    He instinctively looked towards the voice.


    Through the dense shadows of the trees, he saw a familiar figure standing with a bow, reporting to a


    young man in the corner.


    Raymond Lenoir.


    Damien never expected to see his Uncle Raymond here. It had been a long time since hest saw


    Raymond.


    1/3


    Damien sneered and put the branch back in ce as he listened to Raymond and the young man¡¯s


    conversation.


    ¡°Is this all?¡±


    If Damien heard correctly, the young man¡¯s voice belonged to Zachary, who had been calling Cherise


    ¡®Bunny¡¯ for the past few days.


    At that moment, Zachary carefully examined the information Raymond had given him. ¡°Perhaps his real


    name isn¡¯t even Elvis Miles.¡±


    ¡°Elvis.¡±


    Zachary narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Investigate everyone named Elvis.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Raymond¡¯s voice was humble as he tried to please Zachary. ¡°Mr. Miles, may I ask why you must


    investigate this person?¡±


    ¡°If you can provide me with more information, perhaps I can conduct a more focused. search¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    Zachary¡¯s usually cheerful voice turned icy and sharp. ¡°All you need to know is that this is my


    instruction to you. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Although Raymond¡¯s attempts to tter weren¡¯t working, he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Mr. Miles, the funds your


    father mentioned to me¡­¡±


    ¡°My nephew has been on my case. He¡¯s been keeping tabs on me recently, just like his father. Your


    father said he would take care of me¡­¡±


    ¡°The Miles family can¡¯t take care of you forever.¡±


    Zachary coldly smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a difficult task. I¡¯m simply asking you to find


    someone.¡±


    ¡°If you find him, I¡¯ll help you with Damien.¡±


    Raymond acknowledged fearfully before leaving.


    Damien shifted to a morefortable position, closed his eyes, and leaned back on bench. A sneer


    formed on the corners of his lips.


    the


    2/3


    ¡°Wow! Ice cream!¡±


    Cherise, who had just showered, was lying on the bed and about to read before falling asleep when


    Damien entered through the door.


    The first thing she noticed wasn¡¯t him, but the ice cream in his hands.


    The girl jumped off the bed and grabbed the ice cream. Then, she hugged Damien¡¯s neck and kissed


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    him passionately. ¡°I know you love me the most, honey!¡±


    ¡°I thought about it just now.¡±


    The man gracefully loosened his tie before sensually undoing the top few buttons of his shirt. ¡°Actually,


    you can have another ice cream.


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 Chapter 351

    Chapter 351


    Chapter 351 Dessert


    ¡°After all, I have many ways to help you burn off the calories from the ice cream tonight.¡±


    The girl was licking her ice cream but suddenly stopped.


    Why¡­


    Do I detect a hint of danger¡­ in his voice¡­


    A sense of foreboding arose in her heart. rm bells immediately rang in her mind.


    She looked up at Damien with her guard up. ¡°Can I¡­ put the ice cream in the cooler


    now¡­¡±


    The man nced at her nearly finished ice cream. The corners of his lips curled into at cold smile.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    The man took off his white shirt, revealing his toned eight-pack abs.


    Cherise looked up and quickly finished the remainder of her ice cream, giving him a pitiful look. ¡°Honey,


    I¡¯m exhausted today.¡±


    ¡°I learned the dance with Lucy through a video call during the day, and I had to dance in the mascot


    costume at night¡­¡±


    ¡°May I¡­¡±


    The man pressed her against the wall. ¡°But you¡¯ve already had two servings of ice cream.¡±


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t replenished¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had two scoops of ice cream. I also feel like having dessert.¡±


    He kissed her, and she felt weak. Afterward, he charmed her and whispered softly in her ear, ¡°y


    along, honey.¡±


    ¡°Let me have one good meal, hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re lying. You never stop at one. You always¡­ have one after another¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm. You¡¯re right. However, you¡¯re still going to be devoured.¡±


    The next morning, warm sunlight streamed in through the curtains.


    1/3


    Cherise groggily opened her eyes. Her entire body felt incredibly sore.


    She forced herself to sit up and checked the time on her cell phone. Oh my god. It¡¯s already past ten in


    the morning!


    The girl dragged her aching body out of bed, silently berating Damien for being so demanding¡­


    He had tormented her untilte into the night yesterday!


    She cried and reminded him that they weren¡¯t at home. They were at the Tanner Residence, but he


    refused to listen. He made her cry several times before he was satisfied!


    The girl moved her sore body and quickly freshened up before slowly opening the bedroom door to


    leave.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, Bunny is awake!¡±


    As soon as she stepped out of the bedroom, she heard a man¡¯s clear voice teasing her.


    Cherise was startled and instinctively looked towards the voice.


    She saw Zachary lounging on the couch in their guest room, casually eating chips while watching


    sis.


    It felt as though he was at home rather than in Cherise and Damien¡¯s guest room!


    On the couch across from him, a young teenager in a navy blue outfit was unhappily ying with his


    phone.


    Cherise rubbed her eyes repeatedly to confirm that only Zachary and ke were in the guest room.


    She was taken aback. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Am I imagining things?


    Why is Zachary in my guest room?


    ¡°Mr. Tanner was concerned about you because you didn¡¯te down for breakfast. He specially


    prepared dessert for you, so I volunteered to bring them here.¡±


    Then, Cherise noticed a small, well-packaged box on the coffee table, next to the empty potato chip


    bags Zachary had finished.


    ¡°I never expected you to sleep until thiste, Bunny.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Mr. Tanner instructed me to personally make sure you finish the cakes before I can return the empty


    box and report back to him.¡±


    Zachary yawned andzily got up from the couch. He opened the box of cakes. ¡°Hurry up and eat.


    Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to stay until noon.¡±


    ¡°Your husband was initially willing to stay and chat with me, but he left because he said he had


    something to do. He left this sulky face with me.¡±


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 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352


    Chapter 352 Don¡¯t Ask


    After that, he nced at ke, who hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to keep. mepany,


    you can return to your room now.¡±


    ke rolled his eyes at Zachary and kept his cell phone. He looked at Zachary seriously and had no


    intention of leaving. It seemed like he was keeping watch over Zachary.


    Zachary was speechless.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond to him. Her attention waspletely upied by the cakes in


    the box.


    The girl¡¯s slender and fair fingers picked up the cakes one at a time as she happily ate them.


    Meanwhile, Zachary and ke exchanged nces, waiting for Cherise to finish eating. She stroked


    her satisfied tummy and said, ¡°How delicious!¡±


    Zachary furrowed his brow. Before he could say anything, ke spoke indifferently. ¡°You should leave.¡±


    This was the first time ke had spoken to Zachary all morning.


    Zachary was astonished.


    He stood up and shook his head in frustration before taking the empty cake box. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t argue


    with minors.¡±


    Then, he turned to Cherise. ¡°By the way, Bunny, you mentioned that you lost your parents. when you


    were young. Were you raised by your aunt and uncle?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Zachary smiled nonchntly. ¡°Can you tell me your uncle¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°My uncle is El¡­¡±


    Cherise was about to answer when she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Are you from the census


    bureau?¡±


    Zachary smiled. ¡°I was just curious about the person who could protect you so well. You¡¯re so innocent


    and adorable.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just call me silly and dumb?¡±


    1/3


    Cherise pouted. However, she was pleased by Zachary¡¯s praise for her aunt and uncle. ¡°My aunt and


    uncle are indeed good people.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re justid-back farmers in the countryside. Even if I told you their names, you wouldn¡¯t know


    them, so don¡¯t ask!¡±


    She waved goodbye with a grin, ¡°Goodbye! Remember to tell Grandpa that I loved the


    cakes!¡±


    After that, the girl sat on the couch and treated him as if he were invisible. ¡°ke, where did Dame


    go?¡±


    ¡°Dame is discussing business. He went to¡­¡±


    Zachary shook his head indifferently before leaving.


    After he sent the cake box to the main vi and returned to his guest room, Kareen leaned against the


    door with her arms crossed and looked at him. ¡°You were gone for the entiret morning. Were you


    chatting with your Bunny?¡±


    Zachary returned to the room with a casual smile and sat on the couch. ¡°I finished. watching the si


    you were watching.¡±


    ¡°In thest episode, the leadingdy didn¡¯t end up with the leading man. She chose the supporting


    actor because¡­¡±


    Kareen gritted her teeth. She picked up a pillow and threw it at him. ¡°You¡¯ll have bad luck if you spoil


    the plot!¡±


    Zachary caught the pillow gracefully. A slight smile formed on the corners of his lips. ¡°You¡¯re my


    younger sister. My bad luck will rub off on you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so unhappy that you¡¯re cursing yourself too?¡±


    Kareen was furious.


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you treat me like a younger sister. You¡¯re nicer to Cherise than me!¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I wish she was my younger sister.¡±


    Zachary yawned and closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­ She¡¯s really Aunt Charisa¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, she isn¡¯t a younger sister¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was barely audible. Kareen couldn¡¯t hear him at all.


    2/3


    She frowned. ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡±


    ¡°I said.¡±


    Zachary spoke coldly without looking up. ¡°Stay away from Gwenn. Don¡¯t try to plot against Cherise with


    her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. If Cherise is really Aunt Charisa and Beckham¡¯s daughter, we can¡¯t


    afford to offend any of them.¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    Kareen rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡±


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 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353


    Chapter 353 Comparing My Dna With Hers


    ¡°How can Aunt Charisa¡¯s daughter be as foolish as her?¡±


    ¡°And with her IQ, what does she even understand?¡±


    ¡°Gwenn embarrassed her yesterday, yet she still praised Gwenn¡¯s dancing. She¡¯s such a fool!¡±


    Zachary chuckled softly. ¡°Perhaps the true fool¡­is not Bunny.¡±


    In the study room of the main vi at Tanner Residence.


    ¡°Take the DNA remnants on this cake box for ab test.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Mr. Tanner closed his eyes and casually stroked his beard. He instructed his butler, who stood before


    him, with indifference. ¡°Apart from the DNA of Miles¡¯ son on this box, the remaining DNA belongs to


    Cherise. Compare her DNA with mine.¡±


    The butler acknowledged the instructions and put on rubber gloves before taking the box. away. ¡°Mr.


    Tanner, if the test results show that she is your granddaughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Should we inform Mr. Beckham?¡±


    ¡°Considering that he ns to¡­at the birthday banquet in two days¡­¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Mr. Tanner yawned. ¡°Even if she is a descendant of the Tanner family, I don¡¯t think she wants to stay in


    this gilded cage.¡±


    ¡°Go and conduct the test. We can discuss the restter.¡±


    Cherise and ke spent the entire day at Tanner Residence watching sis.


    At night, Damien returned, with a slight musty smell.


    He had returned toote. The dinner at Tanner Residence had already ended.


    Therefore, Cherise found the backdoor for servants at Tanner Residence and used her own money to


    buy salmon before rushing to the kitchen to make honey garlic salmon for


    Damien.


    When Damien returned, she served the piping hot honey garlic salmon to him in their


    1/3


    room.


    ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve been busy all day. You probably haven¡¯t eaten, right?¡±


    The girl handed him a set of cutlery with a beaming smile. ¡°I haven¡¯t cooked for you long time.¡±


    The man, who had been troubled by financial statements all day, had a smile on the corners of his lips.


    He raised his hands to stroke her head. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±


    in a


    Cherise grinned, her face slightly flushed. Tm your wife, and you¡¯re my husband. It¡¯s my duty to cook


    for you.¡±


    Damien smiled as he picked up his cutlery to cat.


    The fragrant aroma and tender fish instantly washed away his exhaustion.


    As he ate, he listened to Cherise talk about what had happened and the sis she had watched.


    During her conversation, she mentioned Zachary, who had waited for her to eat cake in the morning.


    The man narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Did he say anything strange to you?¡±


    ¡°Strange?¡±


    Cherisey on Damien¡¯s legs, furrowing her brow as she pondered. ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°He asked me about Uncle Shaw¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°He asked you about Uncle Shaw¡¯s name?¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling Zachary¡¯s conversation with Raymond.


    ¡°Perhaps his real name isn¡¯t even Elvis Miles.¡±


    ¡°Investigate everyone with the first name Elvis¡­¡°


    Damien suddenly froze, holding his utensils.


    If he remembered correctly, Cherise¡¯s uncle was named Elvis Shaw.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡±


    Cherise immediately asked earnestly when she saw Damien¡¯s strange expression.


    2/3


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°I suddenly remembered something that I forgot to tell Mr. Kolson.¡±


    After that, the man quickly pulled out his cell phone.


    He was about to call Mr. Kolson but decided to send a text message instead when he noticed Cherise¡¯s


    puzzled gaze.


    ¡®Find someone to hide the household census details of Elvis, Cherise¡¯s foster father. Also, send


    someone to Shaw¡¯s vige and inform Jack so that the vigers will speak and act. cautiously.


    After sending the message, the man ced his cell phone down with his usual expression. He picked


    up his utensils and continued eating. ¡°Your cooking has improved.¡±

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354


    Chapter 354 Sleep With Me


    Cherise was instantly filled with excitement. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since Ist cooked for you. Have I improved?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien indulgently stroked her head and quickly finished his meal. ¡°Your cooking is always the most


    delicious.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±


    The girl beamed as she packed the dishes and walked out. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll cook for every day when


    we go home!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The man had a tender gaze.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    The girl nodded and swiftly returned the dishes to the kitchen.


    When she came back, Damien had fallen asleep on the couch.


    you


    He had always lived a disciplined life. Damien had never fallen asleep while sitting down. or without


    showering.


    He must have been exhausted to fall asleep while she cleared the dishes.


    She sighed and felt distressed as she loosened his necktie. She unbuttoned the first two buttons of his


    shirt.


    The man¡¯s breathing gradually steadied.


    She crouched down and held hisrge hands. She leaned over with her tiny face and pressed his hand


    against her cheek.


    ¡°Darling¡­¡±


    It was hard not to feel distressed when she saw him so drained.


    But she was a fool and didn¡¯t understand his business. She couldn¡¯t help him at all.


    1/3


    The only thing she could do to help was to serve him honey garlic salmon at the end of his busy day.


    The girl couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Am I very useless¡­¡±


    Actually, with Damien¡¯s identity, status, and appearance, he would have an outstanding wife if he hadn¡¯t


    previously faked an illness.


    However¡­.. he was unlucky and married her.


    And she was too lucky to have married him.


    After a moment, the man¡¯s fingers twitched.


    In the next moment, he put his other hand on her head. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    His deep voice sounded slightly weary but mostly indulgent. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re by my


    side.¡±


    ¡°I previously said that you don¡¯t need to do anything. I¡¯m very content with you by my


    side.


    The man smiled indifferently. ¡°Darling. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°Sleep with me, mm?¡±


    Cherise looked up and nodded eagerly. ¡°Alright¡±


    He rarely called her ¡®darling¡¯ or ¡®honey¡¯ so affectionately with such an enticing voice.


    He mainly called her ¡®Cherise,


    The man would only lie by her side and affectionately call her ¡®honey¡¯ or ¡®darling¡± repeatedly when he


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    reached the peak while making love.


    Just like when she couldn¡¯t help but call him ¡®Damien¡¯


    When he called her ¡®darling¡¯ or ¡®honey¡¯ affectionately, it was when he felt most passionate or when he


    needed her the most.


    Cherise understood this better than him.


    Therefore, the girl held his hand and got into bed with him. She put his arms around her and fell asleep.


    The night was long-


    2/3


    Shey in his arms and felt his breathing and scent. Her heart was filled with happiness.


    Two dayster, the birthday banquet of Beckham Tanner, head of the Tanner household, took ce as


    scheduled.


    Many people attended the birthday banquet.


    In addition to various wealthy and influential people from multiple regions who had.e from afar in


    advance, different government officials from neighboring European countries also attended.


    This was the grandest birthday banquet Cherise had ever witnessed.


    ¡°To the Tanner family, this is just an ordinary scale.¡±


    Damien exined to her indifferently, ¡°There are many unimaginable worlds that we


    can¡¯t see.¡±


    Cherise wholeheartedly agreed with what he said.


    She felt that those in the city were amazing when she was in the countryside.


    After studying in the city, she discovered that many of her ssmates had incredible families.


    3/3

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355


    Chapter 355 Do You Have An Invitation


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After marrying Damien, Cherise was in awe of the Lenoir family.


    Currently¡­.


    The Tanner family was not just impressive.


    They were practically treated like royalty¡­


    As Cherise sat in the corner of the birthday banquet, observing the peopleing and going to wish


    Beckham, she was astonished to the point where her jaw almost dropped.


    They were the wealthiest and most famous people in the world¡­ People she had only seen. on the


    news were now humbly speaking to Beckham¡­


    ¡°Stay here for a moment.¡±


    When Damien saw a familiar figure walk to a remote corridor with Zachary, he stood up and quietly


    instructed Cherise before leaving.


    Cherise obediently sat in the corner and nibbled on cookies.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look that unsophisticated after dressing up today, country bumpkin.¡±


    A woman¡¯s taunting voice echoed.


    Cherise furrowed her brow. She knew who it was without even looking.


    She frowned and looked up. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Beckham¡¯s birthday today. Don¡¯t you need to help. out, Ms.


    Tanner?¡±


    Gwenn sneered and taunted Cherise. ¡°We have enough servants in the Tanner family. Do


    think we¡¯re in your vige where family members need to help out? Country bumpkin.¡±


    you


    Cherise pursed her lips. She didn¡¯t understand why Gwenn disliked her and always found an


    opportunity to ridicule her. So what if I¡¯m from the countryside?


    Is it embarrassing?


    Cherise felt slightly unhappy.


    She took a deep breath and stood up, looking directly into Gwenn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Tanner, I don¡¯t know


    how my countryside upbringing has offended you.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°I don¡¯t think my background is worth mentioning repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has a different way of living. To you, those from the countryside may seem unsophisticated,


    but in our vige, many people are kind-hearted. Few constantly nitpick. on others like you, Ms.


    Tanner.¡±


    Until now, Cherise had remained silent and pretended not to hear whenever Gwenn taunted her.


    This was the first time Cherise responded properly.


    And it was during Beckham¡¯s birthday banquet.


    After hearing Cherise¡¯s words, the people around them turned and began discussing it. animatedly.


    Gwenn felt humiliated and was about to say something when Kareen, who was standing nearby,


    quickly approached. She whispered softly into Gwenn¡¯s ear. ¡°I saw Damien going to the backyard. I


    don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be back soon. Why don¡¯t we¡­¡±


    Gwenn sneered and looked at Cherise. ¡°I¡¯m not looking down on you. Many of our family¡¯s servants are


    from the countryside as well.¡±


    ¡°Since I was young, I¡¯ve been taught that those from the countryside have a different status. than


    intellectual people like us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised someone like you could appear at my father¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t Damien¡¯s wife, I might have instructed the servants to kick


    you out.¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth. Her hands clenched into fists by her side. ¡°Regardless of my status or social


    ss, I received an invitation. Who are you to say anything about throwing me out?¡±


    ¡°Invitation?¡±


    Gwennughed. ¡°Do you have an invitation? Is your name written on the invitation?¡±


    If Gwenn remembered correctly, her father had instructed her to send Damien¡¯s invitation.


    Only Damien¡¯s name was written on the invitation. Not even Mrs. Lenoir or Cherise Shaw.


    Now that Cherise mentioned the invitation, she was only asking for trouble!


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 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356


    Chapter 356 Must I Have An Invitation


    Upon seeing Gwenn¡¯s confident appearance, Kareen immediately stepped forward to help. ¡°That¡¯s


    right. Cherise, show her the invitation card if you have it!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, don¡¯t me Gwenn for following the rules and instructing people to show you out!¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth. ¡°My husband and I have been staying at Tanner Residence for the past few


    days. Do I really need an invitation to prove my identity?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Gwenn deliberately wanted to embarrass Cherise. After all, it was only half an hour until the official


    start of the birthday banquet. Mr. Tanner and Beckham wouldn¡¯t arrive in advance, and Damien was in


    the backyard. As long as her people found an excuse to stop him, he couldn¡¯t save this damsel in


    distress!


    As she thought about it, she smiled more arrogantly. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation. The Tanner family has a rule


    that our guests can stay at Tanner Residence with their partners. However, only those who have


    received invitations have the right to attend our banquets.¡±


    ¡°After all, the banquet is a formal asion. Only those with invitations may attend.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look. Mrs. Gruth and Ms. Ludgate from a few days ago. aren¡¯t here, are


    they? That¡¯s because they didn¡¯t receive an invitation.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hands were clenched tightly. She took a deep breath. ¡°Ms. Tanner, you said it yourself. Those


    without invitation cards can¡¯t enter this hall.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have an invitation, the security outside wouldn¡¯t have let me in.¡±


    ¡°Why must you make things difficult for me?¡±


    Kareen rolled her eyes. ¡°How would we know if the security outside were attracted by your flirtatious


    demeanor and made an exception by letting you in?¡±


    ¡°As the daughter of the Tanner family, Gwenn just wants to look at your invitation. Doesn¡¯t she have the


    right to do this?¡±


    The two spoke loudly, and people around them started discussing it spiritedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this girl doesn¡¯t have an invitation?¡±


    ¡°How embarrassing. Why did she sneak in without an invitation?¡±


    1/3


    ¡°She can¡¯t act so recklessly even if Mr. Tanner favors her¡­¡±


    Gwenn and Kareen grew even more delighted as the people around them made nastier remarks about


    Cherise.


    Cherise took a deep breath and organized her thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to show you my


    invitation card. Are you trying to dere war on the Lenoir family by being so aggressive, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    Gwenn wrinkled her brows. ¡°What are you talking about? I just want to take a look at your invitation.


    Why are youing up with all sorts of excuses?¡±


    Why does this stupid girl know so much?


    Cherise smiled callously. ¡°Because everyone kept taunting me for being unsophisticated, I stayed in my


    room for the past few days and familiarized myself with high society¡¯s social etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Your current behavior, Ms. Tanner, shows your disrespect for the Lenoir family.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t show you my invitation, I¡¯m not obeying the Tanner family¡¯s rules.¡±


    ¡°If I do, wouldn¡¯t you have vited social etiquette, Ms. Tanner? Wouldn¡¯t you be dering war on the


    Lenoir family?¡±


    Gwenn narrowed her eyes and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Kareen frowned. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? If you have an invitation, show it to


    us.¡±


    ¡°The Tanner family only invited your husband, not you!¡±


    Cherise stood her ground and looked at Gwenn with a faint smile. ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t show you


    my invitation, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    In the corridor outside the hall, Mr. Hampson looked at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs. Lenoir is in a difficult


    spot. Aren¡¯t you going in to help her out?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she has matured?¡±


    The crowd in the hall was in a frenzy.


    Gwenn wrinkled her brows. After a long time, she finally spoke coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep bluffing.


    If you had an invitation, you would have shown it to me long ago.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and took out a gilded ck invitation from her handbag.


    3/3

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357


    Chapter 357 Cherise¡¯s Invitation


    The invitation had been handwritten, with the words ¡°Ms. Cherise Shaw is invited to Beckham Tanner¡¯s


    birthday banquet¡± clearly written.


    As soon as Cherise took out the invitation card, Kareen snatched it from her.


    She burst outughing, saying, ¡°Cherise Shaw, aren¡¯t you embarrassed? Did you fake invitation?¡±


    ¡°Even if you forged an invitation, you should have made a better one.¡±


    make a


    Sheughed even harder as she took out her own invitation. ¡°Look, here¡¯s the official Tanner family


    invitation. It¡¯s red and gold. Only the name is handwritten. Everything else. is printed.¡±


    ¡°Look at yours. Your invitation is the wrong color, and it¡¯s entirely handwritten!¡±


    ¡°This handwriting is so awful. Did you write it yourself? It¡¯s hideous!¡±


    ¡°The signature at the back is wrong too. Aaron Tanner? Who is that? The current head of the Tanner


    household is Beckham Tanner!¡±


    Kareenughed, and everyone around her joined in.


    But Gwenn wasn¡¯tughing.


    Herplexion gradually paled.


    Few knew that the previous head of the Tanner family, Mr. Tanner, was named Aaron


    Tanner.


    Under Kareen¡¯s influence, almost everyone at the scene wasughing at Cherise.


    ¡°I must say, Cherise Shaw, you¡¯re Damien Lenoir¡¯s wife after all. If you wanted to attend this banquet,


    you could have asked Gwenn. She would have given you an invitation for Damien¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to create such a poor imitation?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡±


    Kareen grew even more delighted and excited as she continued to taunt Cherise.


    She had disliked Cherise from the start!


    1/3


    A handsome, intelligent, and wealthy man like Damien was unattainable!


    Kareen had been a long-time ssmate of Gwenn. When Gwenn sent out invitations on behalf of


    Beckham, she told Kareen that Damien Lenoir was the only eligible bachelor among the banquet¡¯s


    guests.


    Therefore, the two decided to wait for Damien¡¯s arrival and agreed topete for hist affection fairly.


    But Damien surprised them and brought his wife with him!


    Besides Damien being unavable, Mr. Tanner even called her ¡®dear Cherise¡¯ affectionately!


    Who does Cherise think she is?


    Does she think she¡¯s pretty or intelligent?


    She¡¯s just an awfully unsophisticated girl from the countryside. How dare she publicly vie for Mr.


    Tanner¡¯s favor after snatching Damien away?


    She won¡¯t know where she stands if she isn¡¯t put in her ce!


    ¡°The Tanner family did give me this invitation


    ¡°I didn¡¯t write it.¡±


    Cherise stood boldly with a stubborn and firm gaze.


    She had a simr expression to when Old Mr. Lenoir initially punished her at Lenoir Residence for


    viting family rules.


    But at the time, she could only endure it passively.


    At this moment, she knew how to strike back.


    As Damien watched her, the corners of his lips curved slightly.


    It seemed like bringing her along to such asions was the right decision.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t write it?¡±


    Kareen scoffed. ¡°So you¡¯re saying someone from the Tanner family invited you with this handwritten


    invitation card?¡±


    Kareen and the people around herughed derisively. ¡°Are you trying to nder them?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°With one nce, the handwriting on the invitation looks like it was written by an elementary school kid.


    Who in the Tanner family could produce such handwriting?¡±


    ¡°Also, the name ¡®Aaron Tanner. You must have made it up, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been friends with Gwenn for a long time. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone called Aaron


    Tanner!¡±

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358


    Chapter 358 Why Must I Leave?


    After that, Kareen handed the invitation to Gwenn. ¡°Gwenn, can you recognize the handwriting? It¡¯s


    from someone in your family, right?¡±


    ¡°Does anyone in your family have such terrible handwriting?¡±


    Gwenn frowned and nced at the ck gilded invitation in her hands.


    The handwritten words were in gold.


    Although the writing wasn¡¯t perfect¡­


    It was her grandfather¡¯s handwriting.


    Seeing Gwenn staring at the invitation without saying anything. Cherise looked up and smiled. ¡°Have


    you recognized the handwriting, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    Gwenn checked the time.


    It was ten minutes before the birthday banquet was scheduled to start.


    If she rejected the invitation and asked Cherise to leave within ten minutes¡­


    No one would find out!


    She narrowed her eyes and hesitated for a moment before standing tall over Cherise and, smiling. ¡°No


    one in the Tanner family has such ugly handwriting.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s gaze froze.


    The invitation is clearly¡­


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a price to pay for lying, Ms. Tanner.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who will pay the price!¡±


    Kareen snorted coldly and reached out to push Cherise. ¡°You imitated the handwriting of a Tanner


    family member and forged an invitation to sneak into the banquet. You won¡¯t get away with it when the


    Tanner family finds out!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry up and leave?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make us call security!¡±


    Cherise stood her ground without moving. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. Why do I have


    1/3


    to leave?¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Kareen gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t done anything wrong?!¡±


    ¡°Gwenn!¡±


    Gwenn narrowed her eyes. As she raised her hand to call security, she picked up Cherise¡¯s invitation


    and intended to tear it apart.


    It would be best to have no evidence!


    She never expected that as soon as she tore off a corner of Cherise¡¯s invitation, a white. figure would


    leap onto her.


    Cherise and Gwenn fell to the floor, and Cherise snatched the invitation back. ¡°If I forged the invitation,


    why are you destroying it, Ms. Tanner?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep it as proof of why you wanted to get rid of me?¡±


    Gwenn was pinned under Cherise. She didn¡¯t have the strength to get up.


    Cherise was too strong!,


    ¡°Security!¡± Kareen called out.


    As she pulled Cherise¡¯s hand, she instructed others to take the invitation from Cherise¡¯s arms while


    repeatedly calling for security.


    The hall descended into chaos.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    A middle-aged man¡¯smanding voice echoed through the hall. The entire room fell silent.


    The voice belonged to the main character of the banquet, Beckham Tanner,


    Kareen was forced to release Cherise¡¯s hand.


    Cherise also stood up from the floor.


    She still fiercely protected the invitation in her hands.


    ¡°Mr. Beckham!¡±


    2/3


    Kareen stood up and began to protest. ¡°Cherise Shaw! She doesn¡¯t have an invitation, and. she forged


    one to sneak into the banquet!¡±


    ¡°Gwenn and I were trying to maintain order and peace. We wanted her to admit her mistake and leave,


    but she refused. She even made Gwenn fall!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Mr. Tanner slowly descended from the second floor behind Beckham, using a walking.


    stick.


    The old man had a smile on his face, and his voice was gentle. ¡°Girl, tell me what really. happened.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s heart leaped with joy!


    From the looks of it, Mr. Tanner clearly didn¡¯t trust Cherise!


    So, she began to embellish her ount of what had urred. ¡°Gwenn and I saw Cherise here and


    thought she didn¡¯t have an invitation, so we came over to ask her.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn was initially willing to give her one if she sincerely admitted that she had snuck in since we had


    been getting along well for the past few days.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359


    Chapter 359 I¡¯m Aaron Tanner


    ¡°However, she presented a handwritten invitation that was different from ours.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn also examined it. No one in the Tanner family has such atrocious handwriting.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, the invitation was signed by Aaron Tanner. There is no such individual in the Tanner


    family¡­¡±


    Kareen¡¯s words caused Gwenn¡¯splexion to pale, gradually turning ashen.


    ¡°There is no one named Aaron Tanner in the Tanner family?¡±


    Mr. Tanner approached Gwenn with his walking stick. His dull, aged eyes red fiercely at her. ¡°Do you


    dare repeat that?¡±


    Gwenn took a step back, her face pale.


    ¡°Kneel down!¡±


    Mr. Tanner roared sharply, his gaze fixed on her.


    Gwenn¡¯s eyes


    eyes welled


    up


    with tears. She fell to the floor with a thud.


    The surrounding crowd erupted inmotion. Kareen was taken aback. ¡°Mr. Tanner, you¡­¡±


    Mr. Tanner turned to Kareen with a faint smile! ¡°I am Aaron Tanner.¡±


    Kareen almost lost her bnce.


    She could hardly believe her own ears.


    The girl was stunned. ¡°Mr. Tanner, what¡­ did you say?¡±


    ¡°My name is Aaron Tanner.¡±


    Although Mr. Tanner was elderly, he exuded vitality. His gaze was so stern that it weakened Kareen¡¯s


    legs.


    The old man spoke icily. ¡°I observed everything you said and did while I was on the second floor.¡±


    With that, he reached out and took the torn invitation from Cherise¡¯s hands. He nced. at it


    indifferently. ¡°I wrote these uneven words that, ording to Ms. Miles, resemble the handwriting of an


    elementary school child.¡±


    1/3


    Kareen could barely stand.


    If someone hadn¡¯t supported her from behind, she would have copsed to the floor like


    Gwenn.


    She clenched her teeth. ¡°Mr. Tanner¡­ You¡­ You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    The words on the invitation were crooked. How could this be the handwriting of the former head of the


    Tanner household¡­


    ¡°Do I appear to be joking, Ms. Miles?¡±


    Mr. Tanner snorted coldly before chuckling lightly. ¡°You have a keen eye, Ms. Miles.¡±


    ¡°With just one nce, you could discern that this handwriting belongs to an elementary school student.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I, Aaron Tanner, took the leap to learn business from others when I was thirteen. I don¡¯t


    possess many academic qualifications.¡±


    ¡°I onlypleted middle school.¡±


    Kareenpletely lost her bnce.


    She fell to the ground with a thud, sitting paralyzed on the floor. ¡°Mr. Tanner, I¡­ I didn¡¯t


    mean to¡­


    ¦§


    Mr. Tanner cast a callous nce at Kareen. ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡®Since you were unaware, you can be forgiven. You didn¡¯t know my name, nor were you familiar with


    my handwriting. By making such a statement, it only reveals that you are a shallow individual with


    prejudices against others.¡±


    ¡°But for someone else¡­ it¡¯s a different matter.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    He deliberately emphasized the words ¡®someone else¡¯ as he spoke.


    Gwenn, who knelt on the floor, trembled violently!


    She clenched her teeth and looked down, admitting her mistake. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Mr. Tanner sneered. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice because the banquet hadn¡¯t started.


    2/3


    yer. You assumed we wouldn¡¯t arrive early, so you acted as you pleased, right?¡±


    ¡°Never mind that it was wrong of you to embarrass Cherise with an invitation card.¡±


    ¡°When Ms. Miles imed that there was no one named Aaron Tanner in the Tanner family and that the


    handwriting on the invitation belonged to Cherise, what did you do?¡±


    W

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360


    Chapter 360 I Had My Reasons


    ¡°Did you silently acknowledge it?¡± Mr. Tanner¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°Beckham has really spoiled you!¡±


    Gwenn looked up, tears pouring down her cheeks. ¡°Grandpa¡­ I¡­ I had my reasons.¡±


    ¡°Reasons?¡±


    ¡°You intentionally misled others into believing your deceptive behavior. What were your reasons?¡±


    The old man red at Gwenn icily, his sharp voice devoid of affection.


    Unable to tolerate it any longer, Beckham immediately asked, ¡°Dad, what is going on?¡±


    Mr. Tanner¡¯s expression calmed down at this point.


    He snorted coldly. ¡°When Cherise visited me yesterday, I told her toe to your birthday banquet


    tonight. However, she said she couldn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t have an invitation.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s eyes widened in response.


    Gwenn had assumed that Cherise wouldn¡¯t consider needing an invitation because she was a girl from


    the countryside.


    Gwenn never imagined that Cherise was aware the day before that she couldn¡¯t enter without an


    invitation!


    Mr. Tanner sighed indifferently. ¡°I didn¡¯t think much of it. I told her she could enter as she wished, even


    without an invitation.¡±


    ¡°Guess what this girl said?¡±


    ¡°This girl said that rules exist for a reason, and she couldn¡¯t enter without an invitation. card. She said


    she couldn¡¯t go against the Tanner family¡¯s rules.¡±


    ¡°Since this girl is so stubborn and particr, I found an empty card on the spot and wrote out an


    invitation for her. I told her she had to attend the banquet tonight.¡±


    As Mr. Tanner spoke, Beckham furrowed his brows. He looked up at Cherise, and a hint of approval


    shed in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that your darling daughter Gwenn and Ms. Miles thought my handwritten invitation was


    forged and insisted on chasing Cherise out.¡±


    1/2


    Mr. Tanner shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Tell me. Isn¡¯t it humiliating if someone I invited with a


    handwritten invitation was chased out?¡±


    Since Mr. Tanner had said so, everyone present would be foolish not to understand.


    Beckham furrowed his brows and looked down at Gwenn, who was kneeling on the floor. ¡°Is that true,


    Gwenn?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    A crowd surrounded them. Gwenn knew that lying was useless, so she could only admit. defeat and


    nod. ¡°It¡¯s my mistake¡­¡±


    ¡®Smack¡±


    Beckham pped her. ¡°Your grandfather taught you to read and write when you were young. You said


    you didn¡¯t recognize your grandfather¡¯s handwriting and imed to have never heard his name just to


    take revenge on a Tanner family guest?!¡±


    He was forceful. Gwenn¡¯s face immediately swelled from the p.


    ¡°Mr. Beckham, you don¡¯t have to be so angry.¡±


    After observing the scene from the side for a while, Damien finally walked over slowly and embraced


    Cherise. ¡°My wife has no intention of ming Ms. Tanner.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She just hopes that the Tanner family can discipline Ms. Tanner more in the future.¡±


    ¡°My wife is just a girl from the countryside. She isn¡¯t much of a threat to Ms. Tanner and Ms. Miles.


    Neither of you needs to scheme against her.¡±


    As he said this, the crowd started their vigorous discussions once again.


    They recalled how Gwenn and Kareen kept calling Cherise a crude country bumpkin.


    When they thought about it¡­


    If Mrs. Lenoir is really the rude hillbilly they had made her out to be, why is she more thoughtful


    than them?


    Did the two youngdies who im to be intelligent deliberately make things difficult for a girl from the


    countryside?


    As the surrounding discussions grew louder, they made nastier remarks.


    2/2

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361


    Chapter 361 You¡¯re Not A Tanner


    Beckham felt humiliated, so he raised his hand and pped Gwenn again. ¡°Apologize to Mrs. Lenoir!¡±


    Gwenn was in tears from the pain. She gritted her teeth. ¡°L


    Are you going to apologize?¡±


    Beckham raised his hand as he threatened her.


    ¡°Forget it, Beckham.¡±


    Mr. Tanner smiled indifferently. He lifted his hand to pull Beckham¡¯s hand down. ¡°If this was the past, it


    would be eptable if you hit her to teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°But now¡­


    Mr. Tanner nced at Gwenn nonchntly. ¡°She¡¯s no longer a Tanner. It would be inexcusable if you


    continue to hit her.


    Beckham¡¯s face turned pale.


    Gwenn looked up in astonishment. She didn¡¯t dare to believe her ears.


    The crowd around them was in an uproar.


    As far as everyone knew, Beckham¡¯s wife, Charisa Neller, had left the Tanner family twenty years ago


    and had never appeared again. Gwenn was the only daughter of Charisa and the head of the Tanner


    household.


    But now, Mr. Tanner was saying. Gwenn wasn¡¯t a Tanner?


    ¡°Grandpa¡­ You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    Gwenn had a handprint mark on her tear-streaked face as she crawled over to pull the corner of Mr.


    Tanner¡¯s shirt. ¡®Grandpa, you must be joking, right?¡±


    ¡°How can I¡­ How is it possible that I¡¯m not a Tanner?¡±


    1. I¡¯ve been a Tanner since I was young.


    Mr. Tanner sneered and grabbed Gwenn¡¯s hand on the corner of his shirt. He pried apart her fingers


    one at a time.


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡±


    1/3


    Gwenn was utterly perplexed.


    She turned to look at Beckham. ¡°Dad, I¡­¡±


    Mr. Tanner had a hesitant expression, but he sighed indifferently. ¡°What your grandfather is saying is


    true.¡±


    The crowd was in amotion.


    Mr. Tanner nced at Beckham. ¡°It¡¯s time to announce it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this.¡±


    Beckham took a deep breath and slowly walked to the banister on the second floor. He towered over


    everyone at the scene. ¡°Actually, everyone must be quite surprised. I¡¯m only forty-six years old this


    year. It isn¡¯t my fiftieth birthday yet, so why did I hold such a grand birthday banquet?¡±


    Actually, I have something to announce.¡±


    The man took a deep breath and nced at the butler by the side.


    The butler understood implicitly and immediately lowered arge white screen before projecting an


    image on it with a projector.


    The lights in the entire hall darkened.


    Cherise was slightly at a loss as Damien held her in his arms. ¡°What are they¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re about to announce the inexplicable mystery.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and looked at the screen intently.


    His European informationwork had sent him information in the past few days.


    He understood to some extent why Mr. Tanner liked Cherise so much.


    If Cherise was the secret that the Tanner family wanted to solve tonight, Mandy would no longer be a


    problem.


    An image was quickly projected on the white screen.


    It showed a young Beckham and a young woman standing by the sea.


    The woman on screen had ck, lively eyes like Cherise.


    2/3


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This is my wife, Charisa Neller.¡±


    Beckham took a deep breath. ¡°As everyone knows, my wife, Charisa, left home for certain reasons


    neen years ago. She left our child with me to raise.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is well acquainted with the child. She¡¯s the daughter of the Tanner family, Gwenn Tanner.¡±


    ¡°All these years, the Tanner family and I trusted with absolute certainty that this child was my daughter,


    and we didn¡¯t doubt it at all.¡±

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362


    Chapter 362 A Painful Reality


    ¡°However,¡± Beckham took a deep breath, ¡°half a year ago, I discovered during one of Gwenn¡¯s physical


    examinations that her DNA does not match mine.¡±


    ¡°Despite having the same blood type, we are not biologically rted.¡±


    This revtion caused amotion among the crowd.


    Gwenn¡¯s face turned pale as she knelt on the floor, as if all the blood had drained from her face.


    She¡­ was not Beckham¡¯s biological daughter¡­


    How can this be¡­


    She had always taken pride in being the Tanner family¡¯s daughter.


    Just ten minutes ago, she had even mocked Cherise mercilessly, believing herself to be born into a


    noble family.


    But now¡­


    She sat on the ground, paralyzed, and shook her head vigorously. ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not true!¡±


    Kareen crawled over and hugged her tightly. ¡°Gwenn, the DNA test center must have made a mistake.


    There has to be an error!¡±


    On stage, Beckham felt a twinge of sympathy as he witnessed her distress.


    After all, Gwenn had been his daughter in every sense of the word for neen years.


    It pained him to see her like this.


    But¡­


    Reality was often painful.


    He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I found it difficult to ept this result, so I conducted multiple


    tests with a dozen DNA test centers. All the results confirmed that Gwenn is not biologically rted to


    me.¡±


    ¡°After over a month of investigation, the Tanner family hase to believe that when Charisa left me


    all those years ago, she also secretly took our biological daughter with her.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°We suspect that Charisa substituted my biological daughter for a child adopted from the orphanage.¡±


    Offstage, frenzied discussions erupted.


    They had stumbled upon astonishing information about a wealthy and influential family,pletely free


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    of charge!


    It¡¯s gossip about the Tanner family!


    Attending the birthday banquet was truly worth it!


    ¡°We have been searching for Charisa and this child for six months, but we havee up empty-


    handed.¡±


    Beckham took a deep breath. ¡°Therefore, on my forty-sixth birthday today, I have invited all of you to


    my birthday banquet to earnestly implore for help in finding my biological daughter.¡±


    ¡°If anyone can provide information about my daughter¡¯s whereabouts, the Tanner family will be forever


    indebted to them.¡±


    ¡°You can use this favor to request anything within our capabilities. I will not hesitate to give up the


    entire Tanner Residence.¡±


    The crowd stirred once again.


    The Tanner family¡¯s wealth¡­


    No one would turn down such an offer!


    From the audience, some bolder individuals called out, ¡°Mr. Beckham, don¡¯t just ask us to search


    blindly. Can you provide us with some clues?¡±


    ¡°This world is vast, and without any clues, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.¡±


    Beckham smiled nonchntly. ¡°Of course, there are clues.¡±


    The image on the white screen onstage changed, revealing a jade pendant with an intricate pattern.


    ¡°She wore this jade pendant around her neck from the moment she was born. Charisa was in a hurry to


    take her away, so she didn¡¯t leave the pendant behind.¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know if she still wears the pendant, if you can find it, you will uncover


    2/3


    clues from that time.¡±


    Beckham narrowed his eyes. ¡°I gave this jade pendant to Charisa when I proposed to her. There is only


    one like it in the world, with no imitations. Everyone can try to search for it.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363


    Chapter 363 Birthday Cake


    ¡°If anyone can find it, you may ask the Tanner family for something within our capabilities.¡±


    ¡°I think this is a fair trade.¡±


    The crowd offstage eagerly discussed it.


    Cherise leaned back in Damien¡¯s arms and gazed at the unique jade pendant projected on the white


    screen. ¡°The jade pendant looks very distinctive.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re in such a vast world. Searching for the jade pendant is more challenging than searching for


    a person, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She pouted. ¡°Do you think we can find it, honey?¡±


    Damien casually embraced her and smiled. ¡°We can.¡±


    One day ago, he had instructed Mr. Hampson to retrieve the jade pendant from the safe in his study


    room.


    Jack had given him the jade pendant during Cherise¡¯s and his visit to Shaw¡¯s vige.


    It was identical to the jade pendant depicted in the picture on stage.


    The rest of the night was filled with liveliness.


    It was as if the entire birthday banquet had transformed into a press conference where Beckham was


    searching for his daughter.


    Someone in the audience began asking questions, and Beckham earnestly answered them.


    They inquired about how he and Charisa fell in love, why they argued, and what he did after Charisa


    left.


    They asked about every detail, regardless of its significance. Cherise quickly grew tired of listening to


    the questions before anyone else.


    She reclined in Damien¡¯s arms and yawned incessantly.


    ¡°Are you sleepy?¡±


    The man asked softly.


    ¡°A little.¡±


    1/3


    The girl smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed. She was about to turn and grab a cup of coffee from the


    table to freshen up.


    But Damien stopped her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to drink too much coffee.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, let¡¯s go back and rest, hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked up at Beckham on stage, still earnestly discussing how much he


    valued finding his daughter. ¡°The main character hasn¡¯t even cut his cake yet.¡±


    ¡°Is it right for us to just leave like this?¡±


    Damien was slightly taken aback. He suddenly realized that to her, a birthday banquet was iplete


    without a birthday cake.


    He smiled in exasperation and tapped her nose. ¡°Tell me. Did you ask for an invitation to enter because


    you wanted to eat cake?¡±


    Cherise smiled, slightly embarrassed. ¡°Grandpa told me that tonight¡¯s cake¡­ was made by a famous


    European pastry chef¡­¡±


    She recalled how Mr. Tanner had described the delectable cake to her.


    Mr. Tanner said that he had eaten many delicacies over the years, but he loved the cakes made by this


    pastry chef the most!


    He also mentioned that hiring this pastry chef was expensive and beyond the means of an ordinary


    person. Only the Tanner family could afford it¡­


    Therefore, she¡­


    Damien shook his head in exasperation. ¡°He knows how much you love indulging yourself.¡±


    After that, he took a deep breath and motioned for Mr. Hampson toe over. He spoke to Mr.


    Hampson in a low voice.


    Mr. Hampson was slightly astonished but followed the instructions and approached Mr.


    Tanner.


    Mr. Tanner¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing what Mr. Hampson said.


    2/3


    He nced at the time, then quickly grabbed his walking stick before walking over to Damien. ¡°Alright,


    everyone. You can ask more questionster.¡±


    ¡°Today, we¡¯re not only searching for my biological granddaughter, but we¡¯re also celebrating my son¡¯s


    birthday!¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t start soon, the cake will get cold!¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    Isn¡¯t cake supposed to be served cold?


    Although many still had questions, no one continued to ask after Mr. Tanner spoke up.


    The birthday banquet officiallymenced.


    The pastry chef wheeled in an enormous three-tier cake from backstage.


    ¡°Come here, Cherise!¡±


    Mr. Tanner said, beaming at Cherise. He positioned her between him and Beckham. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s


    blow out the candles together and make a wish!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364


    Chapter 364 Helpless And Lonely


    This position had always belonged to Gwen, but she was demoted to the corner, feeling helpless and


    lonely.


    Meanwhile, Kareen was taken away by Zachary


    No one cared about Gwen anymore, even though they would usually tter her and speak to her with


    respect.


    Jealousy consumed her as she watched Cherise take her ce as the true daughter of the Tanner


    family.


    I¡¯m¡­.. no longer part of the family. I have no rights to-


    ¡°Gwen!¡± Before blowing out the candles, Beckham couldn¡¯t bear to leave her in that state and asked


    her to join him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s blow out the candles together.¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°B-But, Grandpa said¡­¡±


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re no longer part of the family, we have been father and daughter for so many years.


    I can¡¯t just abandon you like that.¡± Beckham sighed. ¡°But if you continue to abuse your position, the


    Tanner family might disinherit you.¡±


    Wiping away her tears, Gwen replied, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Looking at Cherise beside her, she quietly concealed the animosity in her eyes.


    Although Aaron was displeased with Beckham¡¯s actions, he didn¡¯tment on it.


    As they blew out the candles together, he asked Cherise to stand beside him and warned. Gwen in a


    low voice, ¡°If you have any ill intentions towards my baby Cherry, I will not let it go!¡±


    Gwen clenched her fists tightly, but she still replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, Grandpa. I will change my ways.¡±


    Finally, the cake was cut after the host of the ceremony made an announcement, and. Cherise got the


    most delicious piece.


    Sitting on the couch, she happily swung her legs as she savored it. ¡°Grandpa was right- this is really


    delicious. It¡¯s the best cake I¡¯ve ever had!¡±


    Damien smiled helplessly and pushed his portion towards her. ¡°Take it. There¡¯s more.¡±


    1/2


    Surprised by his actions, Cherise turned to look at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating too, dear?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like cream.¡±


    He¡¯s lying! Back in Adania, he¡¯s the one who asked Frances to prepare cakes filled with cream and


    spread it all over my body before eating it!


    However, she understood his underlying intentions-he wanted her to enjoy more of the food she liked.


    Taking advantage of his distraction, she fed him a spoonful of cake.


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    Stunned by the sudden food in his mouth, he red at her before swallowing it-that was the only action


    he could take.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that anymore. I know you like this too.¡± Cherise took a bite before. scooping some


    onto a spoon and lifting it to his mouth. ¡°Sharing food together will bring us closer.¡±


    He looked at her in exasperation and ate the cake she offered. They continued this until she finished


    her portion.


    Finally, he surrendered. ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore. I¡¯m full.¡±


    When she saw the expression on his face, she stopped feeding him and finished the rest of his cake as


    her legs swung back and forth on the couch.


    Beside her, Damien yed with his phone as he quietly observed Beckham, who was talking to other


    people at the party.


    I initially thought Cherise was someone Grandpa found in the countryside. It turns out her father is


    Beckham Tanner.


    2/2

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365


    Chapter 365 Locked Out Of The Room


    Fortunately, we got married before this was revealed. Otherwise, I would have a difficult time


    understanding how they treat their children as priceless treasures.


    ¡°Darling.¡± Cherise said timidly.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Damien turned around, frowning.


    She burped and continued, ¡°I ate too much again.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that we¡­ exercise at night?¡± He smirked mischievously, leaving her speechless.


    However, that night, he found himself locked out of the room due to her vehement


    protests.


    On the couch, he suddenly found himself face to face with Hampson.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time to go to bed soon.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in your room?¡± Damien inquired.


    ¡°ke locked me out, so I¡¯ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well, Cherise kicked me out too, so it seems I¡¯ll be joining you on the couch tonight.¡±


    Hampson was speechless upon hearing that. Do we really have to fight for the couch nowadays?


    After a moment of staring at each other, Damien sighed. ¡°You can have it. I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±


    Hampson nced at his watch; it was already ten p.m.


    ¡°Where are you going, sir?¡±


    ¡°To the Tanner Residence. Maybe I can get a spare key or adder to get back into the


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    room.¡±


    After a brief silence, Hampson replied, ¡°Good luck, sir!¡±


    Indeed, Damien went to the Tanners after leaving the house. Instead of following his carlier n, he


    immediately went to meet Aaron.


    From the balcony on the third floor, one could have a clear view of the garden.


    1/2


    Damien and Aaron stood there, observing Beckham bidding farewell to the guests.


    ¡°Because of me, Beckham can only remain within this garden,¡± Aaron sighed. ¡°When he was young, he


    had dreams of being a singer, traveling the world with his guitar. But he¡¯s part of the Tanner family, and


    he¡¯s my son. He¡¯s not in a position to have dreams of his


    own.¡±


    With another sigh, Aaron asked, ¡°What is Cherise¡¯s dream?¡±


    Damien hesitated briefly before replying. ¡°To be the best cardiology surgeon.¡±


    Aaron smiled. ¡°At least it¡¯s much better than her father¡¯s.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°Mr. Tanner, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. Since you have already confirmed


    that Cherise is indeed your granddaughter, why did you keep it from Beckham and even announce that


    they would be rewarded for finding her?¡±


    Damien had a fair guess himself, but he wanted to hear it from Aaron.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not safe for Cherise. Beckham is not my¡­¡± Aaron looked at the silhouette of his son, who


    was still bidding farewell to the guests one by one. ¡°He¡¯s an open book. Everything is written on his


    face. If Cherise knew the truth but refused toe back to us, what would happen to her? Although we


    have considerable influence in Europe, we also have numerous enemies. If they discovered her true


    identity, your peaceful days with her woulde to an end.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366


    Chapter 366 Cherise¡¯s History


    Damien frowned. ¡°But we can¡¯t keep hiding this from him forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up again when he hardly remembers.¡± Aaron smiled at Damien. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know my own


    son.¡±


    He then turned serious and continued, ¡°You¡¯re an intelligent young man with a future full of potential.


    I¡¯m relieved that Cherise is with you. However, if you ever mistreat her, the entire Tanner family will be


    your enemy!¡±


    Damien nodded earnestly and smiled back. ¡°I promise to take good care of her.¡±


    Aaron sighed. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t need to know this. Actually, I¡¯ve known Charisa¡¯s. whereabouts all


    along, but I couldn¡¯t tell Beckham about it. And you shouldn¡¯t let Cherise. know either. I want her to


    remain as carefree as she is today. If she knew about her birth¡­¡± He shook his head as his voice


    trailed off.


    ¡°By the way, about the chip in her brain¡­¡± Aaron produced a bottle of medicine. ¡°Divide this into three


    portions and have her take it every morning. Three dayster, the medicine. will take effect and corrode


    the chip. After that, no one else will be able to control her. A broken chip won¡¯t cause too much harm.¡±


    Damien nodded and took a deep breath before cing a jade pendant on Aaron¡¯s palm.


    ¡°I also fulfilled my part of the promise and found this for you.¡±


    Aaron examined the jade pendant and smiled.


    ¡°Beckham personally made this for Charisa back then. Unfortunately, things have changed¡­¡±


    After putting the pendant away, Aaron noticed that Beckham was about to return. ¡°Beckham ising


    back soon. I think you should leave now so he won¡¯t be suspicious.¡±


    Damien nodded and left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let hatred blind you.¡± Aaron sighed as Damien walked away. ¡°There¡¯s a reason. behind your


    sister¡¯s ident back then.¡±


    He paused for a moment and replied, ¡°Thank you for the advice. I will keep it in mind. I will also visit


    you often with Cherise.¡±


    Aaron closed his eyes and let out another sigh before speaking to a man concealed in the


    shadows. ¡°Come out.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Your senses are sharp. I thought you would have fallen asleep by this hour.¡± A man dressed in ck


    emerged from the shadows.


    ¡°You nned to sneak in while I was asleep to steal something, but you ran into Damien. and me


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    having a conversation, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The man froze and nodded in response.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve heard everything.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes remained closed. ¡°I suppose you know better. than me


    what to tell Charisa in a few days.¡±


    Zachary¡¯s usually gentle face looked serious. ¡°I know, but I need to return that pendant to her.¡± His


    gaze fell on the object in Aaron¡¯s hands.


    ¡°So many years have passed. What on earth does she want this for?¡± Aaron smiled with exasperation.


    ¡°She could bring herself to leave her child, yet she still wants this?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa didn¡¯t abandon Cherise.¡± Zachary¡¯s voice was filled with pain. He took a deep breath and


    continued, ¡°When my uncle imprisoned Aunt Charisa, he nned to raise her child himself.¡±

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367


    Chapter 367 A Foreboding Premonition


    ¡°We once had a bodyguard named Elvis. Charisa instructed him to secretly take Cherise away, and


    they have not been seen since then. Zachary¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If that child ist really Cherise, then the


    person who took her away should be¡­ Elvis Shaw.¡±


    Meanwhile, moonlight illuminated Shaw¡¯s Vige.


    Elvis stood in his front yard, smoking a cigarette and wearing a thick coat, while Sarah put the children


    to bed. She then went into Old Mrs. Shaw¡¯s room to spray some insect repellent before quietly stepping


    out into the yard.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± she asked when she reached him.


    Elvis let out a heavy sigh and embraced her. ¡°I¡¯ve been having a bad feelingtely. Cherise. told me


    that Damien took her to Europe a week ago, and she doesn¡¯t know when they will


    return.¡±


    He closed his eyes. ¡°She looks just like her mother. I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    Sarah tightly held his hand. ¡°She has been safe and sound all these years, hasn¡¯t she? You also


    mentioned that her birth mother has remarried. Perhaps she has her own children now and has


    forgotten about Cherise.¡±


    Elvis furrowed his brows deeply as he let out a long breath. ¡°You don¡¯t know her.¡± He put out his


    cigarette and continued in a husky voice, ¡°She is someone who would seek revenge. without a doubt.


    She left for another man because she didn¡¯t want to bring down the Tanner family. Neen years ago,


    she asked me to take Cherise away. In the following six years, she was confident that she could seek


    revenge on all the people who framed her and her husband. However, thirteen years ago¡­¡± He sighed.


    ¡°Something terrible is about to happen. I can¡¯t shake this feeling.¡±


    With that, he took out a bank card and handed it to Sarah. ¡°After that incident thirteen. years ago, I felt


    guilty. Besides the money used to save Cherry¡¯s life, I haven¡¯t touched the rest of the money. Two


    months ago, not only did the Lenoir family pay for Mom¡¯s medical expenses, but they also gave a


    generous amount as a token of appreciation for raising Cherise all these years. The money in this card


    is enough for you to relocate Sky, Tay, and Mom. If something happens to me, don¡¯t confront Cherry. I


    hope you won¡¯t me her either. Take everyone and start fresh in a new ce.¡± He slowly closed his


    eyes. ¡°Perhaps you can even find a good man to remarry.¡±


    Tears streamed down Sarah¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m not young anymore. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much to ask of me


    to move and find-


    ¡°I made too many mistakes when I was young. Elvis chuckled bitterly. ¡°Some things are bound toe


    to light eventually. It¡¯s good to have some backup ns.¡±


    1/2


    Sarah wiped away her tears and took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me


    how you managed to get the two hundred thousand to save Cherise¡¯s life. thirteen years ago. And


    there was even some left over! What on earth-¡±


    ¡°I did something immoral.¡± Elvis shook his head andughed at himself dryly.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw!¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    In Tanner¡¯s Residence across the Pacific Ocean, Cherise woke up abruptly.


    Cold sweat covered her forehead as she opened her eyes. Her heart was pounding so fast. that it felt


    like it might jump out of her chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± a deep voice sounded as Damien appeared. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± he asked,


    pulling her into an embrace.


    2/2

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368


    Chapter 368 Nightmare


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Cherise trembled, still feeling the lingering effects of the nightmare. ¡°I-I dreamt that Uncle Shaw was


    burned alive in a fire!¡± Tears trickled down her cheeks. ¡°But he wouldn¡¯t let me save him, saying it was


    his destiny!¡±


    She wiped away her tears and reached for her phone to call Elvis. However, as soon as the call


    connected, she quickly hung up.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± she sniffed. ¡°If he hears me crying, he¡¯ll probably think it¡¯s your fault. I can¡¯t call him


    now!¡±


    She put the phone away and snuggled back into Damien¡¯s embrace.


    As soon as Elvis saw her missed call, he called back. As the phone vibrated on the bed, Cherise


    looked at Damien with fear in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to answer it¡­¡±


    He shook his head in exasperation and answered the call.


    ¡°Hi, Uncle Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Damien?¡± Elvis smiled on the other end. ¡°Why did Cherise call at this hour?¡±


    ¡°She had a nightmare about you and was worried.¡± Damien teased the woman in his arms. ¡°She woke


    up sobbing, saying she missed you and called you immediately. But then, she hung up, afraid that you


    might tease her.¡±


    Cherise angrily bit into his chest, which was exposed through the cor of his shirt.


    ¡°Silly girl,¡± Elvis said with augh. ¡°Tell her I won¡¯t tease her and ask her toe to the phone.¡±


    Damien handed her the phone. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Cherry?¡± Elvis asked fondly.


    Cherise red at Damien before running to the balcony with the phone in her hand.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Uncle Shaw. I¡¯ll be back in a few days. Would you like some souvenirs?¡±


    ¡°No way! When did you go to Europe? It¡¯s my first time here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I know you don¡¯t want anything. So I¡¯ll buy for Aunt Sarah, Grandma, Sky, and Tay. Oh,


    and for Jack! I¡¯ll buy something for everyone except you!¡±


    1/2


    Damien shook his head as her cheerful voice echoed from the balcony into the room.


    He turned around and noticed the wet pillow.


    Seems like it was a terrible nightmare-the pillow is set.


    Just as he was about to change the pillowcase, he suddenly remembered something, went into the


    bathroom, and prepared a bath for her, just like she did on their wedding day.


    When everything was ready, he walked out of the bathroom and found Cherise, who had just finished


    the call.


    Though her hair was disheveled, her mood had visibly improved. There was a smile on her lips.


    ¡°Dear, Uncle Shaw lied to me. He said he had enough souvenirs from Europe and asked me not to


    bring him anything. Hmph! I¡¯ve been here for so long, and I haven¡¯t gotten tired of anything. How could


    he, when he was just sitting at home watching television?¡±


    Damien shook his head, led her into the bathroom, and helped her undress before gently cing her in


    the bathtub. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about that and take a bath first.¡±


    Cherise frantically covered herself and looked at Damien as he closed the door. ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    He rolled up his sleeves gracefully and took a towel from the wall with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to help you


    shower.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait!¡± Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Oh, it hurts! Be more gentle!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369


    Chapter 369 Workaholic


    It turned out that Damien had a talent for giving massages.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Although it was painful during the process, Cherise felt rxed afterwards.


    Once everything was finished, she began to insist that they go sightseeing.


    ¡°I promised Uncle Shaw that I would get presents for everyone.¡±


    Lying on the couch, Cherise grabbed Damien¡¯s arm as he worked on hisptop and shook. it. ¡°Honey,


    you don¡¯t want people to think your wife is unreliable, do you?¡±


    Damien smiled at her and gently caressed her hair. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t hear your conversation.


    You were the one who offered to buy them presents.¡±


    Nevertheless, Cherise continued to pester him. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go! What are we waiting


    for?¡±


    Damien shook his head with a smile of exasperation and typed, ¡®Meeting paused.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with my report, Boss?¡¯ the Caucasian employee replied


    nervously in the group chat. Just let me know, I will


    ¡®Your report is fine, but I have to go sightseeing with my wife. Justpile all the documents again and


    email them to meter. Damien elegantly typed on his keyboard.


    The employee was shocked upon hearing that. What is happening? Work has always been his top


    priority. Since when does he skip work to go out with his wife?


    While Cherise was changing, Damien continued his reply. ¡®By the way, there was an issue. with your


    report. It¡¯s up to you how you want to fix it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡¯


    However, Damien¡¯s screen shut down after he managed to type two words.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were about to stop working just now?¡± Cherise pouted.


    Damien shook his head helplessly and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Do you know what the consequences


    would be if it wasn¡¯t you, the woman I love, who unplugged the power


    cord?¡±


    Cherise froze, finally realizing the seriousness of her actions.


    After all, Damien¡¯s time was worth hundreds of thousands of dors per minute.


    1/2


    Biting her lip tentatively, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey.


    She even crouched down to plug the power cord back in. ¡°Why don¡¯t you continue? I-¡±


    It¡¯s not necessary for him to go with me. If we were in Adania, I could find Lucy or Mandy. I could even


    go out alone. But I¡¯m not familiar with Europe and thenguage here. People only understand me if


    they¡¯re patient enough to listen to me making mistakes. Besides, we¡¯ve never been sightseeing before.


    That¡¯s why I kept pestering him. Well, if he¡¯s free, of course, we should go, but if he¡¯s busy, we


    don¡¯t have to.


    Damien shook his head at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t me you. We¡¯ve been here for quite some time, but I haven¡¯t spent much time. going out with


    you, and we¡¯re heading back soon.¡±

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370


    Chapter 370 Shopping


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re more important than work.¡±


    Cherise blushed and followed him into the car.


    As the car started, Cherise began searching for nearby attractions and the most interesting. souvenirs


    to bring back.


    Meanwhile, Damien found amusement in the ensuing chat conversation.


    ¡®Boss, what¡¯s wrong? Are you hesitant to correct my mistakes?¡±


    ¡®Boss, just let me know what I did wrong. I¡¯ll definitely fix it.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since you replied. Oh, I hope you¡¯re not considering firing me.¡±


    As the typing chat bubble appeared, Damien replied, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting. I¡¯m not unhappy with you.


    It¡¯s just that my wife shut down myptop just now.


    His response left the employee speechless.


    ¡®But, the mistake is quite disappointing.


    ¡°Yes, Boss. I¡ª¡¯


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I¡¯ll give you a chance to redeem yourself-what¡¯s the name of the mall we own?¡¯


    The employee was speechless, thinking, Don¡¯t you know your own business, Boss?


    Half an hourter, Mr. Hampson parked the car in front of DL Mall.


    When Cherise got out and saw therge sign, she eximed, ¡°Dear, I can¡¯t believe we have a mall so


    far from home.¡±


    Damien hugged her. ¡°How did you know it¡¯s ours?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t DL the abbreviation of your name?¡± Cherise looked at him nkly. ¡°I also read the pamphlet you


    brought back a few days ago. CY Group belongs to you, right?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He had a financial group here that primarily invested in his properties, but he entrusted a part of it to


    Lennon to manage.


    And it was evident that he named the


    group.


    1/2


    Cherise confidently strolled into the mall and tried on various clothes, since they belonged to Damien.


    Initially, Damien enjoyed watching her try on different outfits.


    However, as time passed, it drained all his energy. Shopping is such a tiring activity. There are so many


    options, and I just want to go home.


    Observing the distracted look on his face, Cherise thought he was still preupied with the interrupted


    meeting and considerately led him to a resting area.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you continue your work here? I¡¯ll take ke to the store. Just call me whent you¡¯re


    finished.¡±


    Her thoughtfulness touched him.


    ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded and took out his phone.


    Cherise assumed he was working, but he was actually messaging Lennon instead.


    Were you the one who named it DL?¡±


    Lennon chuckled. ¡®Yeah. Isn¡¯t it unique? It¡¯s so recognizable!¡±


    Yeah. Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡®And I¡¯m going to name the next subsidiarypany LennonxLucy!¡¯


    ¡®Please! No!¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t you love her?¡±


    ¡®I¡­¡¯


    ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll send a screenshot of this to her.¡±


    Speechless, Lennon replied, ¡®Alright, I¡¯m sorry for the name.

 Chapter 371

    Chapter 371


    Chapter 371 Shopping


    On the other hand, Cherise had a n while leaving Damien in the resting area ¨C she wanted to buy


    him a gift.


    Ever since they had been together, she had been spending his money without doing anything


    substantial in return.


    Two days ago, the final portion of her schrship fund had just been transferred to her


    ount.


    After marrying Damien, she was no longer considered a student in need. The fund should. be given to


    those who need it more than her.


    However, since it was already approvedst semester, the fund was transferred to her ordingly.


    What can I buy with eight thousand? He doesn¡¯tck anything. All his possessions cost more than five


    figures. Pen? Button? Necktie? She frowned as she walked along the shops.


    Suddenly, a beautiful handbag caught her attention.


    This bag! People say shopping is like dating ¨C once you have your eyes on something, you will do


    anything to get it. And I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m getting this bag!


    Taking a deep breath, she hurried into the store. But as soon as she entered, the saleswoman handed


    the bag to a woman behind her.


    ¡°Gwen, this bag suits you,¡± Kareen said, looking at Gwen who posed with the bag. ¡°It suits you really


    well,¡± she sighed.


    Gwen wrinkled her nose when she saw the price tag. ¡°Forget it. Grandpa just announced. yesterday


    that I¡¯m no longer part of the Tanner family.¡± A crestfallen expression appeared. on her face. ¡°Even


    though Dad didn¡¯t revoke my card, I don¡¯t think buying such an expensive item is reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Gwen!¡± Kareen clenched her teeth. ¡°Why are you putting yourself down? The girl hasn¡¯t been found


    yet. What if she¡¯s already dead? Don¡¯t be so pessimistic!¡±


    Gwen¡¯s gloomy demeanor was the main reason Kareen dragged her out to shop.


    As her friend, she was annoyed and sympathetic towards Gwen¡¯s situation.


    It waspletely unexpected that the Tanner family would publicly announce that Gwen was not part


    of their bloodline. All this time, she had been extremely proud of being part of the Tanner family.


    1/2


    I bet no one can handle that blow well!


    Kareen took a deep breath and turned to the saleswoman. ¡°We¡¯re getting this bag.¡±


    ¡°Kareen!¡± Gwen frowned and shook her head. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so uptight about it,¡± Karcen persuaded. ¡°Your father would never have said


    anything even if you were to buy both of these bags in the past. Even though you¡¯re not his biological


    daughter, he didn¡¯t kick you out of the family or forbid you from calling him dad. He also didn¡¯t freeze


    your card. It shows that to him, you¡¯re still his daughter!¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Gwen sighed resentfully and returned the bag to the saleswoman. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll have a


    look at other items first.¡±


    Upon seeing that, Cherise¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Gwen is not getting that!


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She rushed into the store and said, ¡°I would like to buy that, please.¡±


    After shopping around for a long time, this was the first bag she fell in love with.


    The saleswoman paused for a moment. Looking at Cherise¡¯s outfit a white T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and


    canvas shoes she frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¨C

 Chapter 372

    Chapter 372


    Chapter 372 Better Check Who The Mall Owner Is


    ¡°Would you like to check the price first?¡±


    Cherise was exhausted from running and didn¡¯t grasp the saleswoman¡¯s implied meaning. Panting, she


    waved her hand and said, ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll take it!¡±


    Gwenn, who had previously given up on the bag due to its price, was stunned when she heard Cherise.


    Kareen frowned and stopped the saleswoman, who was about to issue an invoice. ¡°Ms. Tanner is


    purchasing this bag.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wrap it up for Ms. Tanner.¡± The saleswoman quickly nodded.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and protested, ¡°But I asked to buy it first.¡±


    She clearly heard that Gwenn had decided not to buy it, so she made her request. Regardless of the


    fact that Cherise and Gwenn had ill feelings toward each other, Cherise didn¡¯t like to pick fights. Even if


    it were a stranger who had expressed interest in the bag first, she wouldn¡¯t snatch it and would, at


    most, consider herself unlucky.


    ¡°We saw it first.¡± Kareen rolled her eyes. ¡°So what if you asked to buy it first? This is Europe, the


    Tanner family¡¯s territory. Gwenn can have anything she wants. Even if someone has already paid, we


    can still take it away!¡±


    Kareen nced disdainfully at Cherise. ¡°You married a rich man, so you should know that, certain


    people have certain privileges.¡±


    Cherise smiled. ¡°Ms. Miles, do you think having privileges is worth bragging about?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± The saleswoman was in a quandary and had no choice but to dissuade Cherise. ¡°This bag is


    too expensive, and it¡¯s the only one in the mall. Ms. Tanner is our regr customer, making substantial


    purchases every time¡­ Would you like to check out other bags in the store? We have different bag


    styles here and plenty of more affordable options¡­¡±


    The saleswoman thought she was being helpful, assuming Cherise couldn¡¯t afford the bag. based on


    her attire.


    However, Kareen perceived it as a tant taunt. ¡°Did you hear that? Even the saleswoman can tell you


    can¡¯t afford this bag. Cherise Shaw, you better stop embarrassing yourself here. Even if you buy this


    expensive bag, your style won¡¯t match it. You¡¯ll still look like a country bumpkin. You should return to


    the vige a straw bag suits you best!¡±


    ¨C


    Kareen¡¯s remark was harsh and merciless. Cherise clenched her fists at her side.


    ¡°Kareen.¡± Frowning, Gwenn walked up to Cherise, appearing magnanimous. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir,


    1/2


    I know I offended youst night. But I¡¯m already in this state. You don¡¯t have to go all the way to cause


    me trouble, right?¡±


    Cherise shot a nce at Gwenn. ¡°No one¡¯s causing trouble for you.¡±


    ¡°Quickly wrap up the bag. You can¡¯t afford to offend a major customer like Gwenn!¡± Kareen scowled at


    the saleswoman.


    The saleswoman nodded and was about toply, but Cherise narrowed her eyes and looked at her.


    ¡°Wait a moment. You heard them calling me Mrs. Lenoir just now, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The saleswoman was startled. ¡°Uhm¡­ yes.¡±


    ¡°My husband is Damien Lenoir.¡± Cherise exhaled deeply and gazed at the saleswoman with a half-


    smile. ¡°You might not be familiar with his name, but I advise you to check the name of this mall¡¯s owner


    before deciding whether to sell this bag to her or me.¡±


    The saleswoman was bewildered. As far as she could remember, the owner of this mall was living on


    the other side of the world.


    2/2

 Chapter 373

    Chapter 373


    Chapter 373 I¡¯m Buying It For My Aunt


    Why does this young girl talk as if her husband owns the mall? Although the saleswoman didn¡¯t believe


    Cherise¡¯s words, she put down the bag and went to check the name of the mall. owner, thinking that by


    doing so, Cherise would give up and stop arguing with Gwenn.


    A minuteter, the saleswoman returned with a smile. She took the bag and said politely, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir,


    I¡¯ll issue the invoice immediately. Would you like to pay by cash or card?¡±


    ¡°Card, please.¡±


    Little did Kareen expect the sudden change in attitude from the saleswoman. She stared at the


    saleswoman furiously and yelled, ¡°You! What¡¯s the matter with you?! Gwenn spends at least hundreds


    of thousands here every month. Is this how you treat a loyal customer?!¡±


    The saleswoman replied without turning, ¡°Miss, we can afford to lose a big client like Ms. Tanner, but


    we can¡¯t afford to lose ourdy boss.¡±


    Kareen was exasperated. ¡°Do you really think she is thedy boss just because she ims


    to be?!¡±


    ¡°This mall belongs to Damien.¡± Gwenn arched her brows, signaling for Kareen to stop.


    She nced coldly at Cherise and sneered, ¡°This country bumpkin is notpletely stupid.¡±


    Just now, she remained silent while Kareen mocked Cherise because she wanted to see if Cherise was


    a pushover who would even be bullied in her husband¡¯s mall. However, Cherise turned out to be


    smarter than she thought.


    ¡°D*mn it!¡± Kareen gnashed her teeth and red hatefully at Cherise as thetter followed the


    salesperson to pay. ¡°Gwenn, let¡¯s go! I¡¯ve been shopping here for so long, and I didn¡¯t. even know this


    mall belongs to Damien Lenoir! If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t havee!¡±


    Gwenn smiled indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry. It¡¯s necessary to maintain some level of contact with


    Damien. Who knows, they may divorce someday.¡±


    Kareen was taken aback briefly and thought Gwenn had a point. ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe Damien married


    her out of impulse. When he bes tired of her, he¡¯ll marry someone like us, an elite woman who


    can help his career prosper!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Gwenn sighed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We cane again another day.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Kareen felt somewhat defeated. ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed, Gwenn. It¡¯s just a bag. We can


    1/2


    check out the other malls. I¡¯m sure this is not the only mall that has this bag!¡±


    Gwenn shook her head. ¡°Forget about it.¡±


    ¡°But why?! I think you¡¯d look much better with the bag than that country bumpkin! You don¡¯t have to


    worry even if you run into her!¡±


    While Kareen was babbling away, Cherise returned with the saleswoman. Having heard. Kareen¡¯s


    ¡°Ms. Miles, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not buying this bag for myself.¡±


    Kareen turned and shot a re at Cherise. ¡°Oh well, at least you have some self-awareness. You know


    you don¡¯t deserve this bag!¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to use this bag. I¡¯m buying it for my aunt so


    it with her fellow friends in the vige.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Both Kareen and Gwenn were rendered speechless.


    she


    e can carry


    After the two nuisances left, Cherise gleefully put the bag away and continued shopping in the mall for


    quite some time. Eventually, she chose a pen for Damien.


    2/2

 Chapter 374

    Chapter 374


    Chapter 374 It¡¯s Wonderful To Marry You


    The pen he usually used in his study room looked old. Cherise believed that the pen held some special


    meaning to him, so she intended to gift him a new pen, allowing him to keep


    the old one as a memento.


    By the time she finished shopping, Damien and Lennon had resolved their dispute. After sending Greg


    to return the items to the Tanners, Damien took Cherise to try some local. delicacies.


    Sitting across froin Cherise, Damien smiled in resignation when he saw her struggling to remove the


    shells from the escargots.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    Damien elegantly ced some escargots he had already deshelled in front of Cherise and moved hers


    onto his te.


    Cherise chuckled in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m a little clumsy.¡±


    ¡°Not just a little. You¡¯re very clumsy.¡± Damien wore a faint smile.


    The girl pouted. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I scored full marks in all my exams.


    ¡°Even so, you¡¯re clumsy.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cherise nced at the escargots Damien had nicely deshelled and nodded in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ll


    work on it.¡±


    Damienughed. ¡°You silly girl, you¡¯ll never need to with me around. I¡¯ll lose my job if you can do it


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    yourself someday.¡±


    Cherise took a while to realize it was a flirtatious remark. Her cheeks flushed. ¡°Even so, I shouldn¡¯t


    always rely on you¡­. If I¡¯m still this clumsy in front of others, they¡¯llugh at me.¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re constantly being teased after marrying me. Do you regret it?¡±


    Cherise shook her head without hesitation. ¡°Of course not! Even before we got married, Aunt Sarah


    told me that I couldn¡¯t have any regrets once I decided to marry you. I made a promise with them that


    no matter what happened, I would never leave you unless you didn¡¯t want me anymore.¡±


    After saying this, Cherise could feel her cheeks grow hotter.


    Looking affectionately at her, Damien mumbled softly, ¡°You hadn¡¯t even seen me then,


    1/2


    and you knew I was blind and disabled. How did you have the courage to make such a


    decision?¡±


    To him, any rational person wouldn¡¯t make such amitment without knowing the other person at all.


    A lifetime was too long; no one could guarantee their feelings for someone for their entire life.


    ¡°¡­¡± Cherise lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare to look at Damien. Her voice was barely audible.


    ¡°Because¡­. I¡¯ve seen your picture.¡±


    She was blushing to the root of her hair. ¡°Grandpa sent me your pictures. Lucy even got help from a


    Cherise lifted her head and gazed at Damien, looking shy. ¡°Hubby, you grew on me. I thought you were


    handsome when I first saw your pictures. But after I met you in person. I found you even more


    attractive. So¡­.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand was trembling. ¡°I thought you were so good-looking, and you turned out to be a person


    with disabilities, so I should protect you. But now, you¡¯re the one protecting


    me!¡±


    Cherise beamed brightly. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to marry you.¡±


    At the age of seventeen, she had once dreamed of marrying a handsome, charming, rich, and loving


    man. At that time, Lucy had teased her for her unrealistic dreams.


    2/2

 Chapter 375

    Chapter 375


    Chapter 375 Farewell Gifts


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    No one would expect a vige girl to marry someone like Damien. It was almost. impossible. So, she


    could endure others¡¯ jealousy and ridicule because she had received so


    much.


    Damien looked at Cherise and couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Cherise, I will treat you well for the rest of my life,¡± he made a solemn promise.


    ¡°I know.¡± Cherise ¡®replied with a smile, cing some food on Damien¡¯s te.


    ¡°When are we returning to Adania? Lucy said Mandy¡¯s drumsticks have be perfect with her help. I


    can¡¯t wait to go back and try them.¡±


    Suddenly, she lifted her head and gasped, ¡°By the way! We haven¡¯t found a way to Mandy destroy the


    chip!¡±


    help


    Frowning, Cherise took out her phone. ¡°I took a picture of that jade pendant yesterday and nned to


    start investigating as soon as we returned. I hope Mandy can wait for us¡­ Lucy said that since Mandy


    moved to the vige, the vigers have earned a fortune by. sourcing chickens from other viges and


    selling them to her.¡±


    Damien remained silent briefly and said, ¡°It seems like Mandy is doing pretty well in the vige.¡±


    He heaved a sigh and continued, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I guess I don¡¯t have to give her the drug from Old


    Mr. Tanner.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°A drug?¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Yes. Old Mr. Tanner secretly gave me the drug to destroy the chip without Mr.


    Tanner¡¯s knowledge.¡±


    Cherise squealed in excitement, ¡°I knew old Mr. Tanner was a kind man!¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°So, did you get him a gift today?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cherise nodded with a proud smile. ¡°I noticed he loves painting. There are a few unfinished


    paintings in his study room, but no brushes or paints are on the table. I he has run out of paints, so I


    bought some paints and brushes for him as farewell gifts.¡±


    guess


    ¡°After all¡­¡± She giggled with a reddened face. ¡°He asked the kitchen to prepare so much. good food


    for me. I should express my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Damien was pleased. Although the girl was scatterbrained at times, she was


    1/2


    good at returning favors.


    ¡°Let¡¯s bid Old Mr. Tanner a proper farewell when we go backter, and we¡¯ll return to Adania tomorrow


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Cherise nodded and finished her food.


    After leaving the restaurant, she sighed, ¡°I wonder when we¡¯ll visit Europe again!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯lle more often in the future.¡± Damien assured her and pulled her into his arms.


    When they went to the Tanner¡¯s residence to bid Aaron farewell, Zachary was also present.


    He grinned at Cherise and teased, ¡°Bunny, you¡¯re leaving already? Why don¡¯t you stay few more


    days?¡±


    for


    Cherise smiled awkwardly. ¡°I have to go back to my sses. I¡¯ve taken a long leave, and the final


    exams are approaching. If I continue staying here, I¡¯ll fail my exams.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a very responsible student!¡±


    Zachary winked at Aaron. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to praise her?¡±


    Aaron stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°Cherise is a top student because she¡¯s diligent, unlike


    all he wanted to do during his school days was to be a traveler.¡±


    my son


    Beckham, who was already in his middle age, knitted his brows and cleared his throat. ¡°Dad!¡±


    Why did he bring up my embarrassing past in front of these unrted young people?


    2/2

 Chapter 376

    Chapter 376


    Chapter 376 A Hard Goodbye


    ¡°Don¡¯t yell at me. It won¡¯t change the fact that your grades were poor.¡±


    all


    Aaron shot a re at Beckham and held Cherise¡¯s hand with a loving smile. ¡°I wish you the best in your


    studies. Pursue your dreams and do what you love! Don¡¯t be like Damien. All he does is work.¡±


    Cherise giggled. ¡°I will, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very fond of you. Pleasee and visit often!¡±


    The old man was reluctant to let Cherise go. ¡°I¡¯ll miss all theughter once you leave. Oh, I¡¯m so sad to


    see you go.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t bear to see Aaron shed tears over her departure. She bit her lip and said, ¡°Grandpa,


    you can call me whenever you miss me. Otherwise, do visit us in Adania. Our house is huge, so both


    you and Mr. Beckham can stay with us. I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t tried the local specialties in Adania. I¡¯ll


    take you to try out all the delicacies when youe!¡±


    Beckham rolled his eyes. Who wants to visit your small, backward city?


    On the other hand, Aaron was overjoyed. ¡°Really? Will you wee an old man like me?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Of course!¡±


    Aaron nced at Damien. ¡°What about Damien? Will you wee me too?¡±


    Standing behind Cherise, Damien smiled faintly, ¡°I wee all of Cherise¡¯s friends.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Aaron¡¯s tears were instantly reced with smiles. ¡°Awesome! I¡¯ll go check out Adania when there¡¯s a


    chance!¡±


    Perceiving his father¡¯s yfulness, Beckham shook his head helplessly.


    He turned to look at Zachary and asked, ¡°They¡¯re here to say goodbye, but what brings you here at this


    hour?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to say goodbye too.¡±


    Zachary smiled at Beckham. ¡°I¡¯m flying tomorrow morning. Charisa called urgently and summoned me


    back to handle some business. So, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±


    Beckham nodded. ¡°Ms. Miles is indeed a capable businesswoman. Please send my regards


    to her.¡±


    1/2


    Zachary was slightly startled. ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded. Then, he added, ¡°Charisa will surely bet delighted to


    know that you¡¯re aware of her.¡±


    After Zachary left, Cherise and Damien continued chatting with Aaron for a while before going to bed.


    The next morning, Cherise was awakened by Zachary as he knocked on her door non- stop. ¡°Bunny!


    Lazy little bunny! Get up! It¡¯s time to go!¡±


    Cherise got up sulkily and mumbled, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Zachary, who was neatly dressed, grinned at Cherise with his luggage in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to hitch a


    ride on your private ne!¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Where are you heading to?¡±


    ¡°Wherever you¡¯re going!¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°Are you saying your family business is in Adania?¡±


    ¡°Smart girl!¡± Zachary beamed from ear to ear. ¡°Initially, Charisa gave me money to buy a ne ticket,


    but when I told Old Mr. Tanner about it, he suggested I should keep the money as my wedding fund for


    the future!¡±


    Cherise was amused by his serious look. ¡°Wedding fund? What a hardworking man. You don¡¯t even


    have a girlfriend yet, and you¡¯re already preparing the wedding fund!¡±


    Zachary giggled. ¡°Exactly¡­¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377


    Chapter 377 I Belong To My Husband


    Zachary suddenly realized something was amiss after he had spoken. ¡°Bunny, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already twenty-five, yet you cursed me to remain single until thirty-five. You¡¯re wicked!¡±


    Cherise shrugged and retrieved her luggage from the bedroom. ¡°How is this wicked? It¡¯s a logical


    prediction.¡±


    ¡°Your wife probably doesn¡¯t want to show up, considering how annoying you are.¡±


    Zachary rolled his eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be too happy just yet.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t find a wife in the future, I¡¯ll marry you!¡±


    Although Cherise found Zachary infuriating, he was harmlesspared to his sister or Gwenn Tanner.


    Therefore, she joked with him without a care. ¡°You should forget about it.¡±


    ¡°I ammitted to my husband for the rest of my life. If you wish to steal me from him, you¡¯d better


    make sure you stand a chance against him!¡±


    Zacharyughed heartily. ¡°I think your husband and I are evenly matched¡­ Argh!¡±


    Someone pinched his arm viciously before he could finish speaking, causing the usually graceful


    Zachary to scream in pain.


    ¡°From what I can see, you¡¯re no match for me in a fight.¡±


    Damien released him. He walked gracefully to Cherise and picked up her suitcase. ¡°Mr. Miles, you


    should disy the basic courtesies of a guest if you wish to board my ne.¡±


    ¡°My wife is not someone you can simply joke about.¡±


    After saying that, he carried the suitcase and went outside.


    Cherise stuck out her tongue at Zachary before following Damien.


    Seeing her rushing after Damien and holding his arm, Zachary shook his head in resignation.


    He was only joking. He never nned to snatch Cherise from Damien.


    1/3


    After all, he knew it was an impossible task.


    ¡°Mr. Miles, it¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    Mr. Hampson kindly reminded him, ¡°Mr. Lenoir said you have five more minutes. We will leave if you¡¯re


    still not in the car by then.¡±


    Zachary was rendered speechless.


    He clenched his teeth and carried his heavy suitcase as he hurried to catch up with Mr. Hampson.


    ¡°Does your boss have some psychological condition, such as excessive possessiveness? I¡¯m sure he


    has¡­.¡±


    ¡ª


    Cherise felt nervous during her first flight.


    However, she had more or less gotten used to it during her second flight.


    During the flight to Europe, Cherise panicked and made a fool of herself.


    On the other hand, she was calm enough to fall asleep on the return flight to Adania.


    Perhaps she was exhausted from shopping yesterday.


    Since Cherise was sleeping, Zachary and Damien had nothing much to talk about.


    Thus, Zachary rxed in his seat and yed a game.


    ¡°You¡¯re too much of a novice,¡± ke said, watching from the seat beside Zachary,


    After Zachary lost two rounds, ke frowned andmented, ¡°You are as much of a loser in the game


    as you are in life.¡±


    Zachary was rendered speechless.


    He arched his eyebrows and tossed his phone to ke. ¡°As if you can do better!¡±


    ¡°What if I can?¡±


    ke grumbled and grabbed the phone. ¡°Just watch!¡±


    A momentter¡­


    ¡°Whoa, dude, you¡¯re not too bad.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°How did you dodge that?¡±


    ¡°You can defeat it like that?¡±


    ¡°Amazing, I¡¯m impressed!¡±


    ¡°Can you teach me? I¡¯ll buy any skins you want!


    Damien furrowed his brow and gestured at Mr. Hampson to bring him earbuds. He helped Cherise put


    them on.


    Then, he inserted another pair into his ears.


    Unfortunately, he could still hear Zachary through the earbuds.


    He scrunched his face in annoyance and closed his eyes.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Rumors say the head of the Miles family in Ziphon has been strict since he took over twelve years


    ago.


    Could Zachary¡¯s behaviors be the side effect of too much restriction at home? Is that why he is so¡­


    unrestrained away from the Miles family?

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378


    Chapter 378 Siblings


    Damien endured Zachary¡¯s talkativeness throughout the flight.


    Finally, the nended in Adania.


    ¡°Bunny and Bunny¡¯s husband, we¡¯ll soon meet again!¡±


    Zachary grabbed his luggage and bid farewell to Cherise and Damien at the airport exit. ¡°Don¡¯t miss me


    too much!¡±


    Cherise rubbed her tired eyes and groaned, ¡°Why would we miss him?¡±


    She estimated that she and Zachary had exchanged no more than twenty sentences. Damien had


    spoken to him even less.


    Yet, Zachary acted as if they were close.


    Does that mean he¡¯s too carefree, or is he foolish?


    Cherise stretchednguidly and turned to find Damien. Instead, she came face to face. with a woman


    pulling a suitcase out of the airport.


    She had a high ponytail and wore a smart, tailored suit.


    However, her oversized sunsses covered part of her face. Cherise couldn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk¡­¡±


    The woman snorted disdainfully. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you should see a doctor about your eyesight.¡±


    Cherise was stunned. Her sleepiness vanished instantly.


    That voice¡­


    The woman removed her sunsses and looked at Cherise coldly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re quite


    forgetful. We only just met yesterday, and you¡¯ve already forgotten me?¡±


    Cherise confirmed the woman¡¯s identity once she took off her sunsses.


    That woman was Kareen Miles.


    No wonder I keep feeling that Zachary is missing something.


    1/3


    He has forgotten his cynical younger sister.


    ¡°Kareen!¡±


    Zachary called out to Kareen from a distance.


    Kareen snorted and nced at Cherise mockingly. Then, she put on her sunsses and hurried


    toward Zachary, dragging her suitcase.


    ¡°What the heck? How dare you get me an economy ss seat?¡±


    She rushed to Zachary and kicked him. ¡°I hate you!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa only gave me enough money for economy seats.¡±


    Zachary smiled and took Kareen¡¯s suitcase. He pulled both bags and headed outside. ¡°I found a way to


    get on a private ne for free. It¡¯s you who refused to join me.¡±


    I¡¯m not as shameless as you!¡±


    Cherise stood before the airport exit and watched Zachary and Kareen leave. She couldn¡¯t. help but


    feel wistful.


    No matter how one presents oneself to the public, one cannot avoid showing their true character to


    family.


    The thought made her miss her home.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Damien had gone to get her a drink. He saw her gazing into the distance upon his return.


    ¡°Kareen has also arrived in Adania.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°She and her brother seem close. It makes me a little jealous.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow.


    After a moment, heughed, ¡°Why be jealous of others?¡±


    ¡°You have a younger sister too. She¡¯s waiting to be fed and for you to bring her medicine.¡±


    Cherise was surprised. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Her vige is near the Shaw¡¯s vige. We can bring the medicine to her first and visit. Uncle Shaw and


    Aunt Wanda afterward.¡±


    2/3


    Damien touched her shoulders and leaned closer to whisper in her ear. ¡°Should we go now or go home


    to rest first?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise was excited as soon as she heard about the Shaw¡¯s vige. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡±


    ¡°I want to go there now!¡±


    Having anticipated Cherise¡¯s reaction, Damien shook his head in resignation. He waved Mr. Hampson


    over. ¡°You and ke should go home first. Leave behind Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s gift and bring home the rest.¡±


    Mr. Hampson nodded and quickly handed Damien the gift Cherise bought yesterday. Then, he dragged


    ke into the car and left.

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379


    Chapter 379 A Stingy Man


    Damien drove the car to pick up Cherise from Adania¡¯s airport and take her to Mandy¡¯s vige.


    Cherise sat in the backseat, watching the scenery pass by the window as the car sped along. She was


    filled with excitement, imagining how happy her aunt and uncle would be when. they saw the gifts she


    had bought.


    This thought only added to her excitement, and she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to herself.


    Damien nced at Cherise through the rearview mirror, seeing her silly smile, and shook his head


    helplessly.


    Cherise had a way of melting his heart with her adorableness when he least expected it. Int that


    moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to embrace and kiss her.


    Damien followed the address Lennon had given him, and after about two hours, they arrived at


    Mandy¡¯s secluded vige.


    Jacob had chosen this ce carefully to ensure the safety of his patient.


    The car bumped along a road filled with potholes and finally stopped in front of a house at the end of


    the vige.


    ¡°Sis, Damie, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Mandy rushed out of the house upon hearing the sound of a vehicle outside.


    She still had someone else¡¯s face, but now it was adorned with a genuine smile that had never been


    seen before.


    As soon as Cherise stepped out of the car, Mandy threw herself into her embrace. ¡°I missed you!¡±


    Mandy had shed her identity as the eldest daughter of the Wool family, along with all the disguises she


    had to wear for years. She no longer had to dress in clothes that made her look older than her age.


    Cherise was amazed to see Mandy in a frilly Lolita-style dress. ¡°Do you always dress like this here?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Lolita-style dresses were not suitable for everyday wear, and Mandy had never dressed like this before.


    ording to Lucy, Mandy worked in the kitchen every day. So Cherise. was surprised to see her in


    Lolita style.


    1/3


    ¡°I¡¯m only dressed like this today.¡±


    Mandy let go of Cherise and smiled sheepishly


    ¡°She set herself free after you left.¡±


    Jacob stepped out of the yard and leaned against therge steel gate, looking at Mandy with


    resignation. ¡°A few days ago, she was wearing a men¡¯s suit. Lately, she¡¯s fallen in love. with the Lolita


    style.¡±


    ¡°She says she finally feels free after being trapped for neen years. She wants to transform herself


    into Miraculous Mandie.¡±


    He shook his head helplessly. ¡°Who is Miraculous Mandie?¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Well, um, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°The important thing is¡­¡±


    Jacob took a deep breath and approached Cherise. He pulled out a two-meter-long bill from his shirt


    pocket. ¡°She spent this much of my money.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept a record of everything she bought.¡±


    ¡°She says you, her sister, will pay off her debt.¡±


    Cherise looked at the incredibly long bill in shock. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for them.¡±


    Damien took out a card from his pocket. ¡°You¡¯re so stingy.¡±


    ¡°I agree!¡±


    Mandy pursed her lips and stuck her tongue out at Jacob. ¡°You¡¯ll never find a wife if you¡¯re so petty and


    stingy!¡±


    Jacob red at her and took the card from Damien, putting it away carefully. ¡°With you. spending all


    my money, it¡¯s no wonder I can¡¯t find a wife.¡±


    Mandy turned around and pulled Cherise into the house, rolling her eyes at him. ¡°As if I¡¯m the reason


    you can¡¯t get married!¡±


    Cherise looked at Mandy helplessly.


    2/3


    When she first met Mandy, she felt inferior in every waypared to her.


    After all, even though they were the same age, Mandy seemed much more mature and intelligent.


    3/3

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380


    Chapter 380 I Miss Her A Lot


    However¡­


    She observed Mandy fervently arguing with Jacob.


    Perhaps¡­ the previous Mandy was merely ying a role.


    Meanwhile, Lennon and Lucy had finished preparing the table for their meal.


    Once Cherise arrived at the table, Mandy presented a dish as if it were a precious treasure. ¡°Look at


    this. I spent the entire morning cooking this chicken!¡±


    ¡°Lucy said it¡¯s delicious! She even said it¡¯s better than the ones at New World Restaurant!¡±


    Cherise looked at the dish Mandy was pointing at. It was a te of perfectly roasted. chicken thighs.


    After spending the entire morning on the ne, she was hungry.


    As she reached for the chicken thighs, Lucy suddenly pped her hand. ¡°Go wash your hands!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Cherise nced longingly at the food before turning to Lucy. Then, she turned around. and left to wash


    her hands.


    Once she returned, everyone was already seated at the table.


    Mandy epted a bottle of medicine from Damien with trembling hands. Her face was. flushed with


    excitement. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be free in three days?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    He then poured a ss of water for Cherise before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged a flight for you in three


    days. You¡¯ll be going to Europe to work as a maid for the Tanner family for at


    year.


    Mandy¡¯s trembling body suddenly froze. She stared at Damien. ¡°I¡¯ll be working¡­ as at maid?¡±


    ¡°Correct.


    1/3


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°The Tanner family developed the chip in your brain. They also created the


    medicine you¡¯re taking.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m sending you there because the researchers in the Tanner family want to observe your condition.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, my sister is relentless.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve disrupted the schemes she had been implementing for years. Once she bes angry, she¡¯ll


    send people to capture you by any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°The Tanner family residence is heavily guarded. Once you join the Tanner family, no one can harm


    you, even if you¡¯re just a maid.¡±


    Then, he looked at Mandy¡¯s pale expression. ¡°Freedomes at a price.¡±


    ¡°I imagine being a maid for the Tanner family is a reprievepared to what you ve endured for the


    past neen years.¡±


    Mandy clenched her teeth. After a while, she softly began, ¡°What about my father and brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you still care about them at this point?¡±


    Lucy couldn¡¯t bear to see her so indecisive. ¡°They treated you as a tool. Did they ever consider your


    feelings?¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, if you care about their feelings, why did you escape?¡±


    ¡°For you to suddenly worry about your father and brother now, do you truly care about. them that


    much?¡±


    Mandy tightly gripped the bottle of medicine. ¡°I¡­.¡±


    She raised her head and pleaded with Damien. ¡°Can I go home¡­ to retrieve what my mother left for


    me?¡±


    Damien frowned but eventually nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mandy looked down and sniffled. She drank a third of the medicine in the bottle.


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I don¡¯t care about my father or brother.¡±


    ¡°Since I was young, my mother was the only one who was kind to me.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡±


    Mandy smiled bitterly. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°I miss her a lot.¡±


    Her tears moved everyone¡¯s hearts.


    Lucy put down her fork.


    She smiled bitterly. ¡°To be honest, you¡¯re much stronger than I am.¡±


    She looked into Mandy¡¯s bloodshot eyes and felt a tinge of sadness. ¡°At least you have fond memories


    of your mother.¡±

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381


    Chapter 381 Mothers


    ¡°Do you know what my memory of my mother is?¡±


    ¡°Before I turned seven, all I remember of my mother is her lying in bed all the time. She never moved.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My dad would give her a sponge bath daily, and the nurses would administer nutrient solution daily. All


    I could do was watch.¡±


    ¡°Other children had mothers to scold them, hug them, and tell them how much they. loved them.¡±


    ¡°But my mother justy there,pletely still.¡±


    ¡°When I turned seven¡­¡±


    She sniffled. ¡°My dad discussed with my grandparents. They agreed to let the doctor euthanize my


    mom.¡±


    ¡°I was still too young then and did not understand what it meant.¡±


    ¡°My dad said my mother¡¯s organs were donated to three people.¡±


    ¡°Her heart and two kidneys were given to three boys older than me.¡±


    Lucy wiped her tears with a tissue. ¡°My dad said Mom didn¡¯t die. Instead, she lives on in the three boys


    who received her organs.¡±


    ¡°At the time, I told myself that I must remember what these three boys looked like. They carried on my


    mother¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Butter¡­¡±


    Lucy rested her head on her arms and cried profusely. ¡°Mandy, you should be thankful that your mother


    at least left you with beautiful memories. At least you know that she loved you.¡±


    ¡°As for me¡­¡±


    ¡±


    Lennon¡¯s heart ached when he saw Lucy cry.


    He felt her sadness acutely as if it was his own. Moreover, he sensed an inexplicable grief.


    He took a deep breath and moved closer to her. Then, he held her hand and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t cry.¡±


    1/3


    Lucy nced at him. She wanted to say something but decided against it.


    In the end, she rested her face against his chest and hugged his muscr waist as she cried.


    profusely.


    After many years, she finally found the person who had a part of her mother.


    However, she did not dare to tell him¡­


    Mandy and Lucy cried that noon.


    At the same time, Jacob got drunk.


    Lennon had to rush around to take care of them.


    Cherise stood at the door and was reluctant to leave. ¡°What about¡­ I call my uncle and tell him that I¡¯m


    noting over today.¡±


    She had called her uncle as they traveled, informing him that she and Damien woulde over for


    lunch.


    Unfortunately, the situation here¡­


    ¡°You should go.¡±


    Lennon shook his head helplessly. ¡°I can take care of a drunkard and two women.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen your uncle and aunt for a long time. You should visit them.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at Lucy and the others. Once she confirmed that Lennon could care


    for them, she gradually followed Damien to the car.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Damien said calmly and started the car.


    Cherise was still worried about Lucy and the others. She kept looking at the house as the car traveled


    away.


    Once the house disappeared from view, she sighed. ¡°The lunch started on a happy note¡­¡±


    But Mandy mentioned her mother.


    The word ¡®mother¡¯ triggered Lucy¡¯s unhealed wound.


    Then, Lucy and Mandy took turns exposing their hurts, causing the atmosphere to grow


    2/3


    somber.


    ¡°My mother had loved me too.¡±


    Damien gripped the steering wheel and looked ahead. Hints of emotions flickered in hist usually


    emotionless eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, she passed away too soon.¡±


    ¡°She was kind, just like you.¡±


    ¡°If she had lived longer¡­. I believe my sister wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips.


    Damien rarely brought up his family with her.


    She sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve always sensed that your mother was a good person.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 382

    Chapter 382


    Chapter 382 A Simple Life


    ¡°I can see her influence in you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gentle and caring. You must have learned from her.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes gleamed earnestly.


    Damien smiled resignedly. ¡°You always have a way of uplifting people.¡±


    Then, he frowned and continued, ¡°You were an orphan since you were young. Do you miss your birth


    parents sometimes? Have you ever thought about searching for them?¡±


    Cherise solemnly shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t miss them, nor do I want to find them.¡±


    ww


    Cherise pursed her lips and continued, ¡°My aunt and uncle have been very good to me.


    ¡°In my vige, people would tell their adopted children that they were their birth parents. to avoid


    being adopted.¡±


    ¡°However, my aunt and uncle were different. From the moment I could speak, they told me I had


    biological parents, and they were only my aunt and uncle.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s expression softened as she recalled her past. ¡°In reality, aunt and uncle are just titles.¡±


    ¡°They cared for me more than some parents care for their own biological children.¡±


    ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve wondered why my parents didn¡¯t want me.¡±


    ¡°Later, I realized they must have had their reasons for giving me away.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps my father remarried, or my mother married someone else. I would have only been a burden


    to them.¡±


    Cherise looked ahead resolutely. Her voice was solemn.


    Damien gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his fingers turned pale. ¡°Is this really what you


    believe?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°If they remembered me, they would have found me.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Cherise smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s been neen years. No one came to find me. They must have forgotten


    about me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better this way. I can focus on taking care of Uncle Shaw, Aunt Sarah, and Grandma in their old


    age. Then, you and I can focus on our own lives.¡±


    ¡°If my parents found me, we would have to deal with other rtives. That¡¯s exhausting!¡±


    She grinned and leanedfortably into the seat. ¡°I dislikeplicated matters. I want. life to be


    simple and easy. It¡¯s nice this way.¡±


    Damien nced into the rearview mirror. Seeing her contented and happy smile, he couldn¡¯t help but


    chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s good to live a simple life.¡±


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    It was past three in the afternoon when Cherise and Damien arrived at Shaw¡¯s vige.


    Cherise had called her uncle, Elvis, before boarding the flight in the morning. She informed him that


    they would reach the vige around two in the afternoon.


    However, they were dyed for some time at Mandy¡¯s ce. It was already half past three when their


    car stopped in front of Elvis¡¯ house.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw!¡±


    Cherise got out of the car and ran excitedly into the yard.


    Damien watched her with an amused smile. He opened the car trunk and retrieved a box. filled with


    presents.


    As he walked through the gates with the box, he noticed a ck car parked in the vacantnd beside


    Elvis¡¯ yard. It looked new and didn¡¯t seem like a car from the vige.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw, who are they¡­¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t expect to see Elvis with guests when she entered the house. There were two men in


    suits sitting on a couch in the living room.


    The men were lean but fit. They appeared to be ex-soldiers.


    2/2

 Chapter 383

    Chapter 383


    Chapter 383 I¡¯ll Keep My Promise


    ¡°These two are the sons of my friends from the army. They came to visit me.¡±


    Elvis smiled when he saw Cherise. ¡°It looks like you had a great time in Europe. Your cheeks have


    gotten rounder.¡±


    Cherise was surprised and instinctively touched her cheeks. ¡°Really? That can¡¯t be true!¡±


    I remember to exercise every day!


    I even controlled my intake of ice cream and cake. How could I have gained weight?


    ¡°Uncle Shaw.¡±


    As Cherise pondered, Damien entered the house carrying a box.


    He immediately noticed the two men sitting on the couch.


    Elvis repeated the exnation he had given Cherise.


    Then, he smiled and turned to the two men. ¡°My niece and her husband have arrived. Would you


    gentlemen mind waiting in the inner room?¡±


    ¡°They will only be here for half an hour. I will discuss your fathers¡¯ matters shortly.¡±


    The men exchanged nces and did not object. ¡°We will wait for half an hour. Please don¡¯t dy it any


    further.¡±


    The taller man warned before heading to the inner room.


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±


    Elvis smiled and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    After the two men left, Elvis sighed and looked at the suitcase in Damien¡¯s hands. ¡°Did you bring


    presents for us?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Cherise looked around the room excitedly. ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Sarah and Grandma?¡±


    ¡°And where are Sky and Tay? Isn¡¯t it summer vacation?¡±


    Elvis shook his head resignedly. ¡°It¡¯s summer, and you know how much your grandmother loves


    watching people y cards. After lunch, she dragged your aunt to the back street to


    1/3


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    watch a card game.¡±


    ¡°Sky and Tay are in the middle of their summer vacation. However, they will have exams. soon, so I


    enrolled them in extra sses.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Cherise looked down, feeling disappointed.


    She had informed them earlier that she would be back from Europe.


    Furthermore, she even called her uncle from the airport. She thought the whole family. would be


    waiting to wee her home.


    In the end, only her uncle was at home. And there were two unfamiliar


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Elvis could easily tell what Cherise was thinking.


    guests.


    He chuckled and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell your grandmother that you would be back. I wanted to surprise


    her.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the n backfired. She and your aunt went out before I could stop them.¡±


    Elvis patted Cherise¡¯s head. ¡°Do you want me to call them toe home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I will see them again. I wille back another time to talk to


    Grandma.¡±


    After all, she had only nned to stay for half an hour and leave after dropping off the gifts.


    She had to leave soon because she had missed a lot of sses and the final exams were approaching.


    She couldn¡¯t afford to dy her studies any longer.


    With that in mind, Cherise sighed. ¡°I will have finals in less than half a month.¡±


    ¡°Once I finish my finals and start summer vacation, I wille here and stay for a few days. Then,


    Grandma will be able to see me every day. She won¡¯t have time to watch people y cards anymore!¡±


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m good at card games. I can y with her.¡±


    2/3


    Cherise had spent many summer vacations ying cards with her grandmother and aunt.


    The memories filled her with nostalgia.


    ¡°Haha, great!¡±


    Elvis smiled and patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Can you show me what you bought?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Cherise turned around and opened the suitcase.


    3/3

 Chapter 384

    Chapter 384


    Chapter 384 I¡¯ll Take Good Care Of Her


    As Cherise was about to open the suitcase, she furrowed her brow and remembered. something. She


    turned to Elvis and said, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed toin about the gifts. being expensive or ask about


    their prices!¡±


    Every gift she bought from Europe had a high price tag.


    Since it was her first trip there, she wanted to buy nice things for her family.


    ¡°Cherry¡­¡±


    Elvis shook his head resignedly. He looked at her affectionately. ¡°Did you overspend again?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that Mr. Lenoir¡¯s money doesn¡¯t grow on trees? I warned you not to waste his money,


    but you never listen¡­¡±


    It was difficult to get Elvis to stop nagging once he started.


    Cherise pursed her lips and pretended not to hear.


    ¡°This purse is for Aunt Sarah. It will suit her when she goes line dancing.¡±


    ¡°This tablet is for Sky and Tay. I¡¯ve downloaded many educational apps on it. It will be beneficial for


    their studies.¡±


    ¡°I bought a set of clothes for Grandma. The elderlydies in Europe all dress in this style. It looks


    elegant!¡±


    ¡°And also, there¡¯s this.¡±


    Cherise ced a massaging device in front of Elvis. ¡°This is not for Grandma, but for you.¡±


    ¡°I consulted the salesperson. She said this massaging device is useful for treating old. injuries from


    your time in the army¡­¡±


    ¡°Also¡­¡±


    Cherise sat on the floor and brought out the gifts one by one. She introduced each of


    them.


    Finally, she looked at Elvis and grinned. ¡°Uncle Shaw, do you like them?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I like them!¡±


    1/3


    Elvis¡¯ smile seemed a little forced.


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s less than a month left before your vacation starts. If there¡¯s anything else, we can


    discuss it then.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte. If you don¡¯t leave now, it will be dark by the time you reach Adania. I have


    some matters to attend to.¡±


    Elvis patted Cherise¡¯s head and put the gifts away.


    Then, he looked at Damien with a meaningful gaze. ¡°Please take good care of Cherise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m entrusting her to you. You must take good care of her for the rest of your life.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. Conflicting thoughts crossed his mind. ¡°Uncle Shaw, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take


    good care of her.¡±


    Then, he pulled Cherise up from the floor and continued, ¡°We¡¯ll leave first since you have other matters


    to attend to.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Cherise was reluctant to leave. However, she still followed Damien out of the house.


    Elvis stood at the doorway. Once Cherise and Damien¡¯s car left, he closed his. helplessly.


    eyes


    He turned around and opened the door to the inner room. ¡°We can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Shaw.¡±


    Even though there was no one else in the house, the two in-clothed police officers dutifully showed


    their badges. ¡°We received a report from Ms. Maeve Lenoir using you of involvement in a fire


    thirteen years ago.¡±


    ¡°Pleasee with us and cooperate with our investigation.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Elvis smiled and turned around to put Cherise¡¯s presents in the inner room.


    He had spoken to Jack earlier. After he left, Jack woulde to the house and take the things away.


    After finishing his preparations, he smiled and extended his hands to the police officers.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    2/3


    He chuckled bitterly as the police officers ced handcuffs on his wrists.


    He reminisced about the summer thirteen years ago.


    At the time, Cherise was seriously ill from the cold that was spreading around the vige.


    Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be a cause for concern. One just needed to take medicine and get


    some rest.


    Unfortunately, someone had nted false information in Cherise¡¯s mind. They told her. that adopted


    children would eventually be abandoned. Therefore, her aunt and uncle would leave her if she caused


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    trouble.


    3/3

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385


    Chapter 385 We Must Turn Around


    Cherise, a well-behaved six-year-old, never caused trouble for her aunt and uncle. She was even too


    afraid to tell them that she was unwell, fearing that they would abandon her. As a result, a simple cold


    worsened and developed into pneumonia.


    Eventually, Elvis and Sarah discovered Cherise unconscious with a high fever in the chicken coop. but


    it was already toote. When they brought her to a doctor in the city, he informed them that Cherise


    urgently needed treatment or she would not survive. The treatment cost two hundred thousand.


    Elvis had no choice but to search for jobs in the city¡¯s ck market. After all, he had a shady past when


    he was younger. Eventually, he received a job that required him to set fire to a ce. The person


    insisted it was an empty house and no one would be there at night. Elvis was required to set fire to it


    due to property disputes. He would be paid two hundred thousand for the job.


    Elvis found it suspicious to be paid so much for such a simple task. However, he desperately needed


    the money and had no choice but to proceed with it. He paced outside the house for a long time,


    confirming that there were no lights in the house and it seemed to be empty. Therefore, he took a nap


    in a corner outside the home.


    By the time he woke up, it was already the appointed time. He did not pause to reconsider and


    immediately started a fire that burned down the house. Once he received the payment, he immediately


    used it to save Cherise¡¯s life.


    Later, on the second day after Cherise regained consciousness, Elvis read the news and realized that


    the fire had killed a youngdy and injured a boy from a wealthy family. He panicked and immediately


    brought Cherise back to the vige, swearing to nevere to Adania again. However, fate had a


    twisted sense of humor.


    Yearster, Cherise was epted into a university in Adania. Sheter married the young man who


    had been severely injured from the fire and almost couldn¡¯t walk again.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Elvis entered the police car and closed his eyes. He calmly nced at the police officer beside him and


    asked, ¡°Do you know whether I¡¯ll receive a death sentence for my crime?¡± The police officer frowned


    and replied, ¡°We¡¯re not sure.¡± Elvis sighed and muttered calmly, ¡°Honestly, the death sentence will be


    the best. It will end everything once and for all.¡± He feared they would do something worse to him.


    Cherise felt somber after leaving Shaw¡¯s vige. She couldn¡¯t exin why, but she felt inexplicably


    anxious. She leaned into the backseat, and her difort grew as she pondered on the matter.


    ¡°Hubby, can we turn back?¡± Cherise gritted her teeth. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but voice her


    concern. ¡°I¡¯m worried that the two men in Uncle Shaw¡¯s house would harm him.¡±


    ¡°Vivian Shaw,¡± she continued, ¡°Uncle Shaw said they were the sons of his friends in the army.


    1/2


    army


    However, he hadn¡¯t been in contact with anyone from the army for a long time. He left the over twenty


    years ago. Why would his army friends¡¯ sons suddenlye to see him? And why do they insist on


    staying?¡±


    The more Cherise thought about it, the more absurd the situation seemed. ¡°Hubby, something is wrong.


    We must turn around to check on Uncle Shaw.¡±


    ¡°What if they¡­¡± Cherise held her head and pondered for a long time. ¡°Uncle Shaw is an honest man.


    He never offended anyone¡­¡± Then, she suddenly looked up. ¡°Vivian¡¯s husband has been released


    from prison. Could he have sent someone to harass Uncle Shaw?¡± Convinced of her theory, she


    urgently sat up and said, ¡°No, we must turn around now!¡±


    ¡°Cherise,¡± Damien frowned slightly, ¡°Uncle Shaw hurried us out of the house because he had


    something important to discuss with those people. If they had threatened Uncle Shaw, he would never


    have made us leave. Furthermore, those two wouldn¡¯t have regarded us with indifference.¡±

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386


    Chapter 386 A Distant Rtive


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Damien sighed. ¡°Have you been experiencing your menstrual cycle recently? You seem to be


    overthinking and more anxious than usual.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    Menstrual cycle¡­


    She instinctively protected her lower abdomen with her arms. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ How did you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I have no idea what you did in the bathroom?¡±


    Damien shook his head in resignation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Uncle Shaw will be fine.


    ¡°Even if anything happens, you have me.¡±


    Damien took a deep breath and looked ahead. It seemed his words were not only for Cherise but for


    himself.


    In reality, he had guessed what was going on when he saw the license te number of the car parked


    in the empty lot beside Elvis¡¯ yard.


    Those two men were fit and alert. They did not look like ordinary people.


    Furthermore¡­


    Damien narrowed his eyes. He had glimpsed into the house through the rearview mirror when he


    started the car.


    He noticed Elvis extending his hands towards the two men.


    Judging from the gesture and angle, it could only mean they were putting handcuffs on his wrists.


    Damien let out his breath. ¡°Cherise, can you tell me about your uncle.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned he stayed in Shaw¡¯s vige for many years and never went anywhere.


    ¡°Has he ever been to the city?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow and pondered. After a while, she answered, ¡°Uncle Shaw doesn¡¯t go to the


    city. He hates going there.¡±


    ¡°When I started university, he also didn¡¯t send me there.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s only been to the city when I was six to bring me to the hospital. The only other time was


    when my Grandma was ill.¡±


    Then, she looked at Damien in confusion. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    1/3


    Damien¡¯s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. ¡°Were you ill when you were six?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise nodded awkwardly. ¡°I was too young to understand what was happening. It started as an


    ordinary cold. I tried to hide it, but it worsened so severely that I nearly died.¡±


    ¡°We ended up spending a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°The treatment cost two hundred thousand. My aunt said they couldn¡¯t afford it initially. They would


    have no choice but to bring me home and perform thest rites.¡±


    ¡°However, Uncle Shawter returned to the hospital with two hundred thousand. He said he borrowed


    the money from a distant rtive.¡±


    Cherise frowned and continued, ¡°However, that distant rtive never reappeared.


    Damien¡¯s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.


    ¡°Were you ill during the summer?¡±


    Yes.¡±


    Cherise nodded innocently. ¡°Speaking of this, I should remind Uncle Shaw the next time I see him.¡±


    ¡°Even though we never saw the distant rtive in all these years, we still have to return the money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of integrity.¡±


    Damien nodded and smiled. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll prepare the money the next time we return. You can ask your


    uncle about how we can get in touch with the rtive.¡±


    ¡°I wish to thank the person who saved my wife.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded solemnly.


    However, her phone rang before she could say anything.


    It was a generic message from the university counselor sent to every student under his charge. The


    message urged every student to study hard for the uing final exam.


    There was also a message specifically for Cherise. It reminded her to focus on her studies as she had


    missed too many sses this semester. Furthermore, it also said that the counselor¡¯s friend, a former


    top student, offered to tutor Cherise.


    Cherise fell silent as she read the message.


    The counselor¡¯s friend, a former top student, wants to tutor me personally?Can I refuse?


    2/3


    She was confident that she could prepare for the finals on her own.


    However, she could not bring herself to refuse the counselor¡¯s offer.


    Never mind¡­


    3/3

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387


    Chapter 387 I Don¡¯t Want Any Privileges


    I¡¯ll exin everything to this individual properly once we meet.


    Cherise took a deep breath and began typing on her phone. ¡°Sure, thank you.¡±


    Upon receiving Cherise¡¯s message, the counselor promptly sent more messages, urging Cherise to


    excel in the final exam.


    In essence, the messages emphasized the importance of studying hard and striving for good. grades in


    all subjects.


    If she failed to do so, he would reduce her holiday time in the following semester.


    Cherise patiently replied to each message.


    By the time she finished responding, the car had already entered Adania.


    Cherise stretched wearily. ¡°Hubby, have you nned any activities for me in the next few days?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Cherise gazed out of the window at the familiar scenery. ¡°The counselor went to great lengths to


    remind me to study hard and prepare for the final exam.¡±


    ¡°He even threatened to shorten my holiday next semester if I didn¡¯t achieve good grades in every


    subject¡­¡±


    Damien seemed distracted as he replied, ¡°Then you should study hard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off at home first. After that, I have some matters to attend to. You should study at home


    and not go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Since Damien had been away from Adania for over a week, Cherise didn¡¯t suspect anything when he


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    mentioned having things to deal with.


    After all, he had a massive corporation to manage. It was expected for him to be busy.


    Damien stopped the car in front of Lenoir Manor. Cherise got out and waved goodbye. Then, she stood


    at the doorway and watched him drive. away.


    She smiled as she watched Damien¡¯s car disappear into the distance.


    My husband is so reliable! He takes good care of his family and manages his business well.


    1/3


    Cherise suddenly frowned.


    Why did Damien¡¯s car go in the opposite direction instead of heading to thepany?


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you¡¯re home!¡±


    The grand vi door swung open. Frances rushed towards her excitedly and pulled her inside. ¡°It¡¯s


    been so long. You look slimmer.¡±


    Cherise saw her round face reflected in Frances¡¯ eyes. ¡°Am I really, slimmer?¡±


    Frances observed her closely for a moment. Then, she looked away and cleared her throat. ¡°Yes,


    you¡¯re slimmer. You¡¯ve definitely lost weight!¡±


    Cherise pouted indignantly. ¡°From the way you reacted, you must be thinking that I¡¯ve gained weight!¡±


    Uncle Shaw also mentioned that I¡¯ve be rounder when we were in the Shaw¡¯s vige. Have I


    gained weight?


    She pouted and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard on my studies and start losing weight from


    now on!¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±


    Frances grinned and pulled Cherise into the vi. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared your favorite chicken thigh dish. Let¡¯s


    have a feast to celebrate your return. Don¡¯t worry about dieting today.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    Meanwhile, Damien was inside a police station in Adania.


    The police chief looked at him resignedly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, how did you find out about this?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just brought the suspect to the police station and haven¡¯t even started questioning him. Yet,


    you¡¯re already here to see him. It goes against our procedures!¡±


    Damien nodded and adjusted himself to a morefortable sitting position. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Since you must


    follow procedures, I don¡¯t want any special treatment either.¡±


    ¡°I can wait.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to visit him after you finish interrogating him.¡±


    The police chief was at a loss.


    ¡°Why do you insist on going against a suspect?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°I understand that you want to know what happened years ago. However, we can only reach a


    conclusion after interrogating him.¡±

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388


    Chapter 388 Did The Old Man Know?


    ¡°Besides¡­¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand.¡±


    Damien graciously epted the cup of tea from the police chief. I¡¯m here not because I him of setting


    fire to my house.¡±


    ¡°Instead, I¡¯m here to see him because he¡¯s my wife¡¯s adoptive father.¡±


    The police chief was left speechless.


    suspect


    How much stranger can things get?A woman who had been presumed dead for thirteen years


    suddenly imed that she was alive. She made a police report using Elvis Shaw of starting the fire,


    which nearly killed her and her brother. My subordinates immediately arrested Elvis. Now, the woman¡¯s


    brother shows up and ims that Elvis is his father-inw. I¡¯ve never encountered such aplex case


    in all my years inw enforcement!


    The police chief was at his wit¡¯s end. Damien seemed determined to remain in his office and would not


    leave until he spoke to Elvis.


    Suddenly, a police officer knocked on the door and entered. ¡°Chief, Elvis confessed to starting the


    fire.


    The police officer btedly realized that Damien was present in the office.


    Damien met the police officer¡¯s gaze.


    That police officer was one of the ¡®guests¡¯ he had met at Elvis¡¯ home earlier that afternoon.


    ¡°Good that he admits it!¡±


    The police chief sighed and turned to Damien. ¡°Your father-inw confessed to the crime. Do you still


    want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Damien stood up and elegantly adjusted his clothes. ¡°If I don¡¯t see him, how can I confirm that he


    wasn¡¯t coerced into confessing?¡±


    The expressions of the police chief and the police officer darkened.


    Nevertheless, the police chief calmly instructed the police officer to bring Damien to see Elvis.


    The police officer led Damien to a dimly lit room with only onemp. Soon, Elvis was brought in.


    handcuffed and shackled.


    ¡°I knew you would figure it out.¡±


    1/2


    Elvis sighed calmly.


    Damien hade to the police station immediately after Elvis was brought in. Therefore, Elvis. knew


    that Damien had seen through his deception in the Shaw¡¯s vige.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Elvis sat down on a chair and smiled. ¡°Thank you for keeping this from Cherise.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a bit naive. I worry about what she would do if she discovered the truth.


    Damien remained silent for a while..


    Then, he smiled and replied, ¡°She may be naive, but she cares about you.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t stopped her from returning to the vige, she would have realized the truth by now.¡±


    Elvis was taken aback. He looked down and his voice sounded a little choked. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    Damien closed his eyes. ¡°I never knew that the fire thirteen years ago not only destroyed my sister¡¯s


    and my life, but also saved a girl.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I didn¡¯t expect that this girl would be my wife, the person who would spend the rest


    of her life with me.¡±


    Damien crossed his arms and continued, ¡°Uncle Shaw, I didn¡¯te here to condemn you. I have


    already investigated the entire matter.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect everyone to keep it hidden from me for so long.¡±


    He had sensed something unusual about Elvis from the beginning but couldn¡¯t figure out why.


    Moreover, Elvis would always divert important matters and focus on trivial things during their


    conversations.


    Damien frowned and asked coldly. ¡°Did the old man know that you did it?¡±


    The ¡®old man¡¯ Damien referred to was Old Mr. Lenoir, his grandfather.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Thirteen years ago, Elvis set fire to a house and saved Cherise by burning himself and Maeve. Then,


    thirteen yearster, Damien¡¯s grandfather took a liking to Cherise and arranged for her to marry


    Damien.


    Damien was not foolish. He knew that things could never be so coincidental.


    2/2

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389


    Chapter 389 Charisa Neller


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Elvis wiped his eyes and raised his head. His eyes shimmered with tears as he looked at Damien. ¡°Old


    Mr. Lenoir found me when my mother was seriously ill. I was searching for a way to make money in the


    ck market.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Heughed bitterly. ¡°Thirteen years ago, I was traumatized by what happened and vowed never to


    ¡°Unexpectedly, even after all these years, Old Mr. Lenoir still had someone waiting to capture me in the


    ck market.¡±


    Although Elvis was staring directly at Damien, his gaze seemed distant. Later, he sent people to beat


    me up and threatened to hand me over to the police.¡±


    ¡°I admitted that I deserved punishment for my crime, but I begged to be allowed to say goodbye to my


    family. My mother was dying, and the daughter I raised had reached a marriageable age. I pleaded to


    see them onest time.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Lenoir took pity on me and asked if I would do something in exchange for forgiveness. He


    knew I was just a pawn. Even if I hadn¡¯t started the fire, the mastermind would have found someone


    else¡­¡±


    ¡°I was desperate and had no choice but to do as Old Mr. Lenoir said.¡±


    ¡°Then, I showed Cherise your photo and asked if she would be with you¡­.¡±


    Elvis looked down andughed bitterly. ¡°At the time, I thought if she agreed, I could pretend it was a


    normal matchmaking and move on.


    ¡°If she didn¡¯t want to marry you, I wouldn¡¯t force her. I knew I would eventually have to go to prison.¡±


    ¡°However, I didn¡¯t expect her to agree when she saw your photo. She even put it under her pillow,


    saying you were her lucky star.¡±


    ¡°At the time, her aunt and I questioned her, thinking she was just trying to put us at ease. We were


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    worried that she only agreed to marry you to save my mother.¡±


    ¡°Later, we realized that¡­ she really did like you¡­¡±


    Elvis raised his head again and focused on Damien. ¡°But fate yed a cruel trick. I thought everything


    would be over after Cherise married you.¡±


    ¡°Who knew¡­¡±


    1/2


    ¡°My grandfather was right.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and emphasized what Elvis had said. ¡°You were just a pawn.¡±


    ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t started the fire thirteen years ago, someone else would have.¡±


    He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. ¡°Honestly, you shouldn¡¯t me yourself for everything.


    Elvis gave a bitterugh. ¡°But there¡¯s no denying that what I did was wrong.


    ¡°I should take responsibility for my mistake.¡±


    He sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements for my family. My wife will take them to a ce


    where no one knows them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be safe without me.¡±


    Then, he closed his eyes. ¡°The person I worry about the most is still¡­ Cherise?


    ¡°She has aplicated background. Her mother is a formidable figure. Her father¡­¡±


    Heughed sarcastically. ¡°Since I¡¯m here now, I might as well tell you about her past. At least you won¡¯t


    be confused when her birth parentse looking for her.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Alright.¡±


    In reality, Damien already knew a lot about Cherise¡¯s background.


    Still, he was curious to hear what Elvis had to say.


    ¡°Since you had a previous agreement with Charisa Neller, you should have returned Cherry to her


    thirteen years ago. Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Elvis was stunned.


    He clenched his handcuffed fists and mumbled, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Furthermore¡­¡±


    Damien frowned and continued calmly. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Charisa Neller changed her name to


    Charisa Miles thirteen years ago. She killed her then-husband and became the head of the Miles.


    family.¡±

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390


    Chapter 390 Have You Had Dinner?


    ¡°You should have informed Charisa when Cherry was ill. Then, Charisa could have arranged for the


    best doctors for her.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Instead, you chose to ept a job from the ck market and brought Cherry back to the vige after


    she recovered.¡±


    ¡°Cherry said you hated going to the city. I suppose one of the reasons was that someone would


    discover that you set the fire thirteen years ago.¡±


    you feared


    ¡°The other reason was that you knew Charisa had people searching for you worldwide.¡±


    Elvis¡¯ fingers turned pale as he clenched his fists.


    After a moment, he closed his eyes and muttered, ¡°L¡­ was selfish.¡±


    Suddenly, he recalled a memory from thirteen years ago. A little girl on the hospital bed reached. out


    her tiny hand and held his hand.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw, I don¡¯t have parents, and I don¡¯t want them. All I want is you and Aunt Sarah. You are


    nice to me.¡±


    ¡°People said you would send me away eventually¡­¡±


    Her


    eyes were swollen from crying. She looked at him expectantly with innocent eyes. ¡°Uncle Shaw, I¡¯ll


    listen to everything you say. I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t send me away, okay?¡±


    At the time, he looked at her doll-like face and felt his heart melting into a puddle.


    Still, he gently coaxed, ¡°But Cherry, your birth mother is a good person. She¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her!¡±


    The little girl clung to his arm like it was her lifebuoy. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything else. All I want is to live in


    Shaw¡¯s vige with you and Aunt Sarah!¡±


    Elvis reopened his eyes in the cold detention center room. He looked at Damien and replied. sadly, ¡°I


    couldn¡¯t bear to let her go.¡±


    Damien stayed in the detention center and talked to Elvis all afternoon.


    When he returned home, he found Cherise asleep in the study, hugging a book.


    He looked at her revision notes and smiled.


    Her handwriting reminded him of her. It was meticulous yet endearing.


    1/2


    He carried her in his arms and helped her change into pajamas beforeying her on arge bed.


    ¡°Bayes¡¯ theorem¡­¡±


    Cherise mumbled about her studies in her sleep.


    Damien smiled, feeling amused. He covered her body with a nket.


    I must prevent her from finding out about Elvis for as long as possible. She has to sit for her finals


    soon.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir waited for you all night.¡±


    After tucking Cherise in bed, Damien left the room and bumped into Frances.


    She held a te of warm honey garlic salmon. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir cooked this for you. She waited for you to


    Then, she smiled and continued, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, would you like to have it in the study or the dining room


    downstairs?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the dining room.¡±


    Damien smiled and went downstairs.


    Frances followed him.


    She set the table and stood behind him to serve him.


    ¡°Frances.¡±


    Damien frowned and continued, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    Frances was surprised by his question. She nodded immediately, ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Around six¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Damien nced at his stainless steel watch. ¡°It¡¯s past ten. You should have ate-night snack.¡±


    Frances hesitated on her spot and did not know what to say.


    ¡°Grab a te and eat with me.¡±


    Damien rubbed his sore brow.


    ¦§


    Why is Frances so slow to react?Is it because she spent too much time with Cherise?


    +


    2/2

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391


    Chapter 391 Would She Forgive Him?


    ¡°Oh, sure. No problem.¡±


    Frances hurried to the kitchen and grabbed a te. She sat ufortably before Damien.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate because she thought she had misheard, but rather because she was taken aback.


    Frances had been Damien¡¯s housekeeper for almost six years.


    It was the first time Damien had spoken to her in such a friendly manner and invited her to dine with


    him.


    His sudden kindness left her stunned.


    Even so, she only ate the side dishes and didn¡¯t dare to touch the fish Cherise cooked for him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡±


    Damien chuckled and shook his head helplessly.


    Seeing Frances¡¯ reaction, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Am I that unapproachable?¡±


    Frances seemed afraid as she dined with him.


    However, she was different when she was with Cherise.


    Cherise would even hug Frances and act cute with her.


    ¡°No¡­..


    Frances met Damien¡¯s gaze.


    But she immediately looked down again. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you used to be intimidating¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t interact with any staff in the household except Mr. Kolson and Mr. Hampson.¡±


    ¡°But even when someone as close to you as Mr. Kolson made a mistake, you made him run in the rain


    as punishment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you were unapproachable.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Damien closed his eyes and thought. He vaguely remembered the incident Frances mentioned.


    However, he hadn¡¯t punished any staff for a long time.


    ¡°You became apletely different person after you married Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir is kind and friendly. You gradually became morepassionate¡­¡±


    Frances realized she had overstepped her boundaries and added cautiously, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir has had a


    tremendous influence on you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ simr to thete Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Thete Mrs. Lenoir¡¯ Frances mentioned was Damien¡¯s mother.


    Damien¡¯s hands trembled slightly.


    ¡°I almost forgot you used to work for my mother.¡±


    He sighed and looked at Frances. ¡°If my mother were alive, would she forgive the caused the fire that


    injured me and my sister?¡±


    person who


    Then, he realized his question was too ambiguous. He added, ¡°I meant the person who set the fire, not


    the person who ordered it.¡±


    ¡°Your mother was friendly.¡±


    Frances took a deep breath and closed her eyes to think. ¡°When she and your father had just gotten


    married, your father¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e hired someone to hit your mother with a car.¡±


    ¡°Although your mother wasn¡¯t injured, she would have died if the person had elerated.¡±


    ¡°Later, the person¡¯s family came to beg for mercy. They said the person did it to save his mother¡­¡±


    Damien¡¯s temple throbbed. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    ¡°Your mother forgave the person, sparing them from the death penalty. They were sentenced to a few


    years in prison.¡±


    ¡°Your father argued with your mother about this. He said she was too soft-hearted.¡±


    Frances smiled as she reminisced. ¡°In the end, your mother retorted, What¡¯s wrong with being soft-


    hearted?¡±


    ¡°She angered your father so much that he wouldn¡¯t eat for two days.¡±


    Frances was so absorbed in her memories that she forgot to be cautious around Damien. ¡°At the time,


    your mother whispered to me that everyone faces difficulties in life.¡±


    ¡°The driver of that car didn¡¯t intend to harm her. Otherwise, they would have driven much faster.¡±


    ¡°They only wanted to earn money to protect their loved ones. That¡¯s why they hardened their heart to


    hurt others.¡±


    ¡°People like them are quite pitiful.


    2/2

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392


    Chapter 392 A Clever Little Bunny


    Damien closed his eyes and nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    That does make Elvis a pitiful person.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw, may I ask you a question? When you set fire to the house, didn¡¯t you feel any


    apprehension about hurting the people inside?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were people in the house. I was told to burn it due to an economic dispute. That¡¯s


    why I started the fire and left right after.¡±


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but recall his conversation with Elvis in the detention center.


    He smiled bitterly before turning to Frances. ¡°Do you remember how my sister and I escaped the


    burning house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do!¡±


    Frances nodded eagerly. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget it for the rest of my life!¡±


    ¡°I remember it was your birthday that day. Ms. Lenoir was afraid you would be lonely if she couldn¡¯t


    return on time for your birthday. That¡¯s why she rushed home in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°I was the one who called the police.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lenoir threw you from the second-floor balcony, and you fell into the swimming pool¡­¡±


    ¡°As for Ms. Lenoir..¡±


    Frances frowned and continued, ¡°I remember a man brought her out of the burning building.


    ¡°He said she was seriously injured and ordered me to call the ambnce.¡±


    ¡°After I called the ambnce, I rushed to pull you out of the pool with the security guard¡¯s help. By


    then, the man had disappeared.¡±


    Frances sighed. ¡°At first, I thought the man was a Good Samaritan.¡±


    ¡°Later, I realized he was probably a thief. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t he reveal his identity after rescuing


    you and Ms. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°He might even be the one who started the fire!¡± Frances added angrily.


    Then, she turned to Damien, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, why did you suddenly bring up this matter?¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve be nostalgic about the past now that I¡¯m older.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise was awakened by the counselor¡¯s call the following morning.


    She groggily grabbed the phone and answered it without checking the number. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, it¡¯s eight o¡¯clock! Why are you still in bed?¡±


    The counselor eximed on the other end. ¡°Have you forgotten that you used to wake up at five o¡¯clock


    every day?¡±


    ¡°You used to prioritize studying. You were so diligent. What happened to you?¡±


    Cherise yawned and nced at the time. It was past eight.


    However, she had bezy since getting married.


    She used to wake up at five every day.


    But now¡­ Cherise sighed.


    ¡°My friend has already arrived.


    The counselor coughed and continued, ¡°He was curious about a clever little bunny like why he¡¯s eager


    to tutor you.¡±


    you. That¡¯s


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Cherise frowned and felt that the counselor¡¯s words werepletely out of character for him. ¡°I


    understand.¡±


    ¡°Can you give me his number? Maybe you can give him mine? I want to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    The counselor continued eagerly, ¡°I¡¯ve reserved a private study room in the library for you¡­. Ahem¡­.


    You should hurry since he¡¯s already there. I want you there in ten minutes. You can find him on the


    south side of the second floor of the library!¡±


    The counselor hung up after that.


    Cherise was confused.


    Nevertheless, she got out of bed and packed her bag before heading downstairs.


    Frances saw Cherise run down the stairs and head for the door. She chased after Cherise and


    shouted, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, won¡¯t you have breakfast?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 393

    Chapter 393


    Chapter 393 You¡¯re Incredibly Lazy


    ¡°No, I have to go. My ssmate reserved good seats in the library. They are waiting for me to study


    together.¡±


    Cherise yawned and nced at the food on the table. ¡°Oh, can you give me two cartons of milk?¡±


    Frances nodded and ced two cartons of milk into Cherise¡¯s backpack.


    Cherise sat on a chair by the entrance and put on her shoes, ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    ¡°He said he had to attend to some personal matters and left early.


    Frances smiled cheerfully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Mr. Lenoir. He always does his own thing. You should


    focus on preparing for your exam.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She finished putting on her shoes and stood up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll only be back tonight.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare lunch for me.¡±


    Since the counselor¡¯s friend offered to tutor her, she felt she should treat him to lunch out of courtesy.


    Cherise hurried to the library. When she arrived, it had been around twenty minutes since her


    counselor called.


    She felt nervous and apologetic as she scanned her card to enter the library.


    Then, she took the stairs to get to the second floor. She came across someone unexpected at the


    Kareen had a backpack and carried a book in her arms. She seemed in a bad mood as she walked


    down from the second floor.


    Seeing Cherise, Kareen groaned angrily. ¡°Consider yourself lucky!¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise was confused.


    Why should I consider myself lucky?


    As she hesitated whether to ask Kareen to exin what she meant, her phone rang in her pocket.


    ¡°Cherise, it¡¯s nearly eight-thirty! Why aren¡¯t you in the library yet?¡±


    ¡°My friend is getting tired of waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    1/3


    Chapter 393 You¡¯re Incredibly Lazy


    ¡°No, I have to go. My ssmate reserved good seats in the library. They are waiting for me to study


    together.¡±


    Cherise yawned and nced at the food on the table. ¡°Oh, can you give me two cartons of milk?¡±


    Frances nodded and ced two cartons of milk into Cherise¡¯s backpack.


    Cherise sat on a chair by the entrance and put on her shoes, ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    ¡°He said he had to attend to some personal matters and left early.¡±


    Frances smiled cheerfully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Mr. Lenoir. He always does his own thing. You should


    focus on preparing for your exam.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She finished putting on her shoes and stood up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll only be back tonight.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare lunch for me.¡±


    Since the counselor¡¯s friend offered to tutor her, she felt she should treat him to lunch out of courtesy.


    Cherise hurried to the library. When she arrived, it had been around twenty minutes since her


    counselor called.


    She felt nervous and apologetic as she scanned her card to enter the library.


    Then, she took the stairs to get to the second floor. She came across someone unexpected at the


    Kareen had a backpack and carried a book in her arms. She seemed in a bad mood as she walked


    down from the second floor.


    Seeing Cherise, Kareen groaned angrily. ¡°Consider yourself lucky!¡±


    Cherise was confused.


    Why should I consider myself lucky?


    As she hesitated whether to ask Kareen to exin what she meant, her phone rang in her pocket.


    ¡°Cherise, it¡¯s nearly eight-thirty! Why aren¡¯t you in the library yet?¡±


    ¡°My friend is getting tired of waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    1/3


    Cherise felt an urge to argue with the counselor. If he¡¯s tired of waiting, tell him to leave!


    However, she did not dare to say that.


    After all, she was dealing with her counselor, whose status at the university was equivalent to a head


    teacher at school.


    She would face consequences if she dared to disobey him.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve reached the library, I should be able to find your friend soon. Please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Then, she hung up and walked upstairs indignantly.


    She followed the counselor¡¯s instructions and arrived at the south area of the second floor.


    It was quiet in this area. There was only a man sitting at a desk with his back facing her. He was


    engrossed in a game.


    Cherise frowned and felt skeptical that the man was her counselor¡¯s friend, a top student.


    But why does his back profile look familiar?


    The man heard her footsteps and turned off theputer. He turned around¡­.


    Cherise was stunned from shock.


    ¡°You, you¡­


    ¡°What? What are you mumbling about?¡±


    Zachary grinned and crossed his arms as he looked at Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re incrediblyzy.


    ¡°Your counselor told me you were a good student who woke up at five every day to study.


    ¡°Although I¡¯ve witnessed how much you could sleep in Tanner Residence, I thought I should give you


    another chance. Perhaps what your counselor said was true.¡±


    ¡°In the end, you lived up to my expectations. That means I won.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that Zachary was the legendary top student who could guide her to score the


    highest grade in every subject.


    Cherise nced left and right. She didn¡¯t believe that someone like Zachary was ever a top


    student.


    However, she knew not to judge someone by their appearance.


    Thus, she took a deep breath and sat before Zachary. She took out a carton of milk from her bag


    2/3


    and gave it to him. Thank you for offering to tutor me.¡±

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394


    Chapter 394 I¡¯m Not A Bunny


    Since Zachary was assigned as her tutor, Cherise felt less antagonistic towards him than before.


    Although he seemed like a cker, he was less detestable than some people.


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Zachary epted the milk carton and yawned as he sipped from it. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy.¡±


    After finishing the milk, he grinned at Cherise. I¡¯ll take a nap. I woke up too early today.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    Zachary slept until around eleven.


    ¡°Is it time for lunch?¡±


    He rubbed his bleary eyes and nced at Cherise. ¡°Why did you wake me up?¡±


    ¡°You were disturbing other students with your snores.¡±


    Cherise lowered her voice. ¡°Mr. Miles, if you want to sleep, isn¡¯t a hotel much morefortable than


    the library? Why torture yourself?¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Zachary yawned and propped his head on one arm. He smiled at Cherise. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see you


    in the hotel.¡±


    Cherise red at him and continued studying.


    However, she barely got through her notes when Zacharyined he was hungry.


    Cherise had no choice but to go out for lunch with him.


    ¡°I recall you came to Adania toplete a task from the head of your family.¡±


    ¡°Do they know how free you are right now?¡±


    Zachary shrugged. ¡°They know.¡±


    Then, he leaned towards Cherise¡¯s ear and whispered mysteriously. ¡°You probably have no idea that


    my mission is to apany you in studying and help you achieve the highest grades in your


    finals.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    Does the head of your family know how annoying you are?


    Cherise took him to a diner.


    1/3


    Zachary had never been to Adania before. He was curious about everything.


    He kept asking the owner questions about the items on the menu.


    ¡°Which is better, a club sandwich or a BLT?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a club sandwich and a BLT?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a wrap and a panini?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a grilled cheese sandwich?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    She noticed the owner¡¯s growing annoyance and wished she had somewhere to hide.


    However, Zachary remained oblivious and continued asking questions.


    Since there was nothing she could do, she stayed in her seat and messaged Damien. Remember to


    eat your lunch.


    Damien soon replied. ¡°I know. You should eat properly, too.


    ¡®Okay, I will. Don¡¯t overwork yourself!¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    Cherise inexplicably calmed down when she read Damien¡¯s messages.


    Her annoyance with Zachary disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°What are you reading? You seem happy.¡±


    Zachary finally turned his attention to Cherise after arguing with the owner. He sat opposite Cherise


    and grinned at her. ¡°Were you messaging Damien?¡±


    Cherise put her phone away and rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How nice.¡±


    Zachary sighed. ¡°When will I ever have my beloved bunny? I¡¯ve been waiting for so long.¡±


    Then, he turned to Cherise excitedly. ¡°Do you know any single bunnies with a simr personality to


    yours? Can you introduce them to me?¡±


    Single¡­ Bunny¡­.


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat this!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a bunny!¡±


    2/3


    ¡°My friends aren¡¯t bunnies either!¡±


    However, speaking of singledies¡­ What about Mandy?


    Cherise immediately shook her head.


    Forget it.If Mandy finds a boyfriend, Jacob will be sad because he will be the only single person left.


    She let out a breath and looked up. However, Zachary¡¯s phone rang before she could say anything.

 Chapter 395

    Chapter 395


    Chapter 395 I Need You


    He furrowed his brow and answered the call.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Zachary¡¯s inquisitive expression vanished. He spoke coldly to the person on the phone. ¡°He won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t go to prison either.¡±


    ¡°Outsiders have no right to interfere in the matters of the Miles family


    ¡°Aunt Charisa despises people who break their promises.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the right time yet. Once the time is right, I¡¯ll bring the person back to the Miles family.¡±


    Cherise sat in her seat, sipping her tea as she listened to Zachary¡¯s solemn voice. It felt strange to see


    him so serious.


    If she were being honest, she would say he looked handsome in that moment.


    Zachary appeared nothing like his usual talkative self. It was as if he had transformed into an entirely


    different person.


    This made her wonder which version of Zachary was his true self.


    Zachary soon ended the call.


    He let out a long sigh and turned to Cherise with a yful grin. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?


    Have you fallen in love with me?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes.


    She should have known better than to expect him to behave normally.


    After lunch, Cherise attempted to end the tutoring session with Zachary


    ¡°Zachary, you saw for yourself this morning.¡±


    ¡°I can study perfectly fine and focus properly without your help.


    Cherise fooked at him seriously. ¡°Why don¡¯t you deal with your own matters? You don¡¯t have to study


    with me anymore.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I never nned on getting a tutor. I only epted the tutoring because my counselor


    was so excited about it. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint him.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Zachary wagged his finger. ¡°You need me.¡±


    1/3


    Cherise groaned in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t need you here.¡±


    ¡°No, you need me.¡±


    Zachary looked at her and smirked with amusement. ¡°If you insist on saying that you don¡¯t need me,


    then I¡¯ll say I need you.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re determined to apany me while I study for the exam?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Zachary nodded solemnly. ¡°I have to ensure that you achieve the highest grades in your subjects. Only


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    then can I return home and report my sess.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know what to say.


    It seemed he wasn¡¯t lying about being assigned to monitor her studying.


    Still, Cherise couldn¡¯t ck off with Zachary around.


    For the next few days, she maintained the habit of waking up at seven to go to the library and returning


    home at nine in the evening-


    Even Damienplimented her on how hardworking she was.


    Everything seemed to be going well.


    Within three days, Cherise not onlypleted the homework for the sses she missed, but she. also


    reviewed the lecture notes for each subject.


    There were only three days left until finals.


    On the fourth day, Cherise woke up early and was getting ready to go to the library when Mandy


    called.


    ¡°Sis¡­¡±


    Mandy sounded timid on the phone. ¡°Can you apany me to Wool Residence?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. It was then that she realized it had been four days since shest visited.


    Mandy.


    In other words, Mandy had likely finished the medication and would be preparing to move to Tanner


    Residence.


    Then, Cherise remembered Mandy tearfully mentioning that she wanted to go to Wool Residence to


    collect the things her mother had left behind.


    2/3


    She pursed her lips and considered. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll ask ke toe with us.¡±


    If the Wool family were to cause trouble, ke would retaliate immediately.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡±


    Mandy pursed her lips. ¡°Honestly¡­ I was hoping you would bring Damien to apany us¡­


    ¡°However, Damien refused when I called him.¡±


    Cherise fell silent for a moment.

 Chapter 396

    Chapter 396


    Chapter 396 Heading Into The House


    ¡°You have to understand. After all¡­


    After all, Maeve was at the Wool Residence.


    Damien said he did not want to see his sister. He refused to acknowledge what she had be.


    His refusal was expected.


    ¡°How about this?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Give me your address. I¡¯ll bring ke and Mr. Kolson along and


    apany you to your house.¡±


    Bringing ke alone was sufficient. With Mr. Kolson around, they would have nothing to worry about.


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s voice was filled with gratitude. ¡°You¡¯ve always treated me the best.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re my sister.¡±


    Grinning, Cheriseforted her. She went downstairs and informed the two men.


    ke had no problem with it. Mr. Kolson unexpectedly agreed. ¡°Any matters concerning Mrs. Lenoir


    concern us too.¡±


    Before they left, she remembered and called Zachary. ¡°I have something to do with my friend and won¡¯t


    be going to the library. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going? What will you be doing?


    Zachary sounded serious on the other end of the line. ¡°Tell me the address. I¡¯m going too.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡±


    They left after the call.


    She called Damien on the way to their destination, telling him about her thoughts.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice was filled with adoration. ¡°Leave immediately after getting the things. Don¡¯t take


    too long.


    ¡°I know!¡±


    1/3


    The car stopped right at the entrance when the call ended.


    Mandy had been waiting for a while.


    Cherise stepped out of the car, ran toward Mandy, and held her hand. ¡°Should we go in?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face was flushed. She sped Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me.¡±


    Cherise was about to continue when an eye-catching sports car stopped in front of them.


    The door opened, and Zachary stepped out gracefully. He looked at Cherise dejectedly. ¡°How dare you


    abandon me, Bunny!¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    How did he get here?


    Dazed, Mandy looked at the man. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your brother-inw, first in line.¡±


    He leaned on the door, grinning at Mandy.


    The two women were speechless.


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise took a step forward and swung her bag at him. ¡°What nonsense is that?¡±


    ¡°Who told you to leave me behind when you¡¯re having fun?¡±


    He pouted and looked at Cherise innocently..


    Cherise¡¯s blood boiled.


    She scowled.


    ¡°This is a private matter between me and my friend! You¡¯re not involved here! Don¡¯t follow us!¡±


    But he was already there. Would he really stay away from Cherise?


    And so¡­


    ¡°Bunny, Bunny, what¡¯s this ce?¡±


    ¡°Bunny, Bunny, what are we doing here?¡±


    2/3


    Irritated, Cherise rolled her eyes.


    Mandy, on the other hand, exined kindly.


    ¡°This is my house. I¡¯ve decided to sever my ties with my family and go to a faraway ce. But I want to


    take what my mother left for me before I leave. Cherise, my sister, is here to apany me. Do you


    understand? Mister?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Zachary nodded, although he was confused. ¡°Alright, I understand!¡±


    The five of them slowly entered the house.


    A Bugatti Veyron had been waiting at an intersection some distance from the residence for the past half


    hour.

 Chapter 397

    Chapter 397


    Chapter 397 A Scene From A Horror Movie


    Damien gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the ce they


    were about to enter.


    It turned out that she had spent the past thirteen years in this dreadful ce.


    He closed his eyes, feeling a pang of guilt. As her brother, he should have rushed here as soon as he


    heard about her.


    But fear held him back.


    What if he and his once beloved sister were now on diverging paths in life?


    Leaning back in the plush leather seat, Damien felt weariness wash over him, his eyes still shut.


    He used to be consumed by hatred, wanting nothing more than to sever ties with the world, the Lenoir


    family, and anyone who had caused harm to those he cared about.


    But he never expected¡­.


    His grandfather¡¯s decision that would turn his world upside down..


    Lately, he had been sneaking back to the Lenoir Residence.


    The old man¡¯s words echoed in his mind.


    ¡°Your hesitation and wariness towards meeting Maeve show that you¡¯ve changed¡­¡±


    He let out a sigh..


    ¡°At least Elvis did one good thing in his life. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have Cherise, such a loving.


    child.¡±


    Damien sighed again and reclined his seat.


    It was Cherise¡¯s first time visiting Mandy¡¯s home.


    The manor was enormous, but it exuded an eerie darkness.


    The lighting inside seemed dimmer than in ordinary houses. The windows were either covered with


    dark, ck paper or adorned with thick curtains.


    The only source of light came from the swaying fixtures hanging from the ceiling.


    It felt like a scene straight out of a horror movie.


    1/3


    ¡°This is where I¡¯ve lived for over a decade, Mandy whispered into Cherise¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Her face is disfigured, so she avoids light, mirrors, and meeting people. She prefers having me stand


    before her so she can look at my face.¡±


    Cherise clenched her fist silently.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The scene Mandy described was nothing short of horrifying.


    They walked through the main hall and ascended the stairs to the next floor.


    Mandy¡¯s room was at the far end of the corridor.


    ¡°Mandy.¡±


    A husky voice reverberated through the space.


    Cherise turned to the source of the sound. It was a slender, middle-aged man.


    He opened the study door and strode towards Mandy.


    ¡®Smack!¡±


    Before anyone could react, the man swung his hand and mercilessly pped Mandy across the


    face.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Mandy gritted her teeth, her head spinning. Tears welled up in her eyes.


    The man clenched his jaw. ¡°DO NOT call me your father!¡±


    He raised his hand again.


    ke was about to intervene, but Zachary was one step ahead.


    Though his actions seemed nonchnt, he had a firm grip on the man¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Clinton red. I¡¯m teaching my daughter a lesson. Who are you to interfere?¡±


    ¡°Why arg


    you pping her if you¡¯re teaching her a lesson? If you were disciplining her, you would have hit her on


    her back.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    Zachary gave him a smug look. ¡°As your daughter¡¯s friend, it¡¯s my duty to protect her.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Mandy clenched her teeth as tears streamed down her face uncontrobly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a daughter like you!¡±


    Clinton coldly red at her.


    ¡°And now you im this is your home? You disappeared for days, ignoring everything this family taught


    you, and yet you have the audacity toe back! If it weren¡¯t for S suggesting we let you live, I would


    have sent people to kill you earlier!¡±


    Clinton¡¯s words were heartless.


    3/3

 Chapter 398

    Chapter 398


    Chapter 398 Meeting Maeve For The First Time


    Instinctively, Mandy took a step back.


    She maintained eye contact with Clinton, and a sense of unfamiliarity and indifference filled the space


    between them.


    Truth be told, Mandy had doubts about whether to go through with taking that potion.


    Her biggest worry was that Maeve might harm her father and brother once she was no longer bound by


    her. But now¡­.


    It had been quite some time since Mandyst visited her father, and this marked her first time seeing


    him after she had the chip removed from her body.


    But boy, did Mandy get a shock from her father¡¯s revtion, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Maeve telling me to spare


    your life, I would have ended you a long time ago!¡±


    Mandy found herself baffled by this strange situation. Was she not her father¡¯s biological daughter?


    Could Maeve be his true child and not her? How could a father treat his own flesh and. blood with such


    cruelty?


    She forced a bitter smile. ¡°Your heartlessness only confirms my choice to have the chip removed from


    my body.¡±


    Apart from her mother¡¯s belongings, there was nothing in this house worth holding onto- nothing at all.


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Clinton, I¡¯m done with you. I never want to see your face again. Get out of my


    way; I just want to get to my room to retrieve my personal belongings.¡±


    Clinton shot Cherise a cold, raised eyebrow look. ¡°The Wool family has invested so much and time in


    you, and you¡¯re just walking away?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    money


    Cherise narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists, positioning herself in front of Mandy. ¡°She¡¯s a


    person, not a possession. At neen, she has every right to decide how she wants to live.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then¡­¡±


    p, p, p.


    The study door creaked open, revealing a woman in a red dress seated in a wheelchair with her back


    facing Cherise.


    ¡°Oh, the wisdom! Who would have thought Cherry, my sister-inw, is such a brilliant and cloquent


    mind?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a person, not a possession. At neen, she has every right to decide how she wants to live her


    life. The woman in the wheelchair repeated, her voice taking on an eerie, hoarse quality as


    1/2


    though it had been run through some strange sound device.


    Cherise looked at the woman¡¯s back and was struck by a sensation that jolted her as if her blood had


    turned to ice. This was Maeve, the one Mandy had talked about ¨C Damien¡¯s older sister.


    ¡°Did you not hear what Mandy said? Move it, Clinton. The woman, still with her back turned,


    our property, so just let her be.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Clinton attempted to respond but was silenced by Maeve.


    Maeve gave a slight smile. ¡°Cherise, I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡±


    Seated in the study at Wool Manor, Cherise felt an almost imperceptible tremor course through her


    body.


    The woman before her had a face that seemed straight out of a horror movie with special effects


    makeup. Her features were distorted and marked by scars.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but think back to the photos of Damien and Maeve together, and it dawned on her


    that Mandy¡¯s face closely resembled the way Maeve appeared back when she was Maeve.


    Cherise was suddenly overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. In a way, Maeve was also someone to feel


    sorry for. She had lost the face she once prided herself on, which was why she went to such extremes


    to try and control Mandy like her very own porcin doll.


    ¡°Drink up.¡± The woman ced a cup of tea in front of Cherise. Her eyes, glimpsing throughyers. of


    scars, remained fixed on Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not poisoned.¡±


    Cherise took a cautious sip, forgetting to check the tea¡¯s temperature in her nervousness, and scalded


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    her tongue, causing her to frown.


    Maeve offered a faint smile. I¡¯ll keep my back to you.¡±


    She started to turn her wheelchair.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary,¡± Cherise quickly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ okay¡±


    Maeve gripped the wheelchair¡¯s handles, paused for a moment, and then smiled. ¡°You¡¯re braver than I


    expected.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together and quietly set the teacup back on the table. ¡°I bet you¡¯re wondering


    why I had Mandy sabotage your rtionship with Damien.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 399

    Chapter 399


    Chapter 399 Elvis Shaw The Arson


    Maeve didn¡¯t waste time on trivial conversations with Cherise. ¡°You know, Mandy hasbeled me a


    pervert for using a doppelganger to seduce my own brother. But to me, it¡¯s not perversion; in my


    opinion, it¡¯s taking advantage of an opportunity.


    ¡°Mandy and Damien, they were like my proteges. Especially Mandy. I shaped her and taught her


    everything she knows. If she follows the n, she¡¯ll dominate Adania¡¯s high society, just like I


    used to.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing unfortunate about that,¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Mandy is an independent person


    with her own thoughts. You can¡¯t impose your ideas on her.¡±


    ¡°She has the right to live life on her own terms.¡±


    Hah! The same oldme excuse.


    Maeve let out a bitterugh. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. She can do as she pleases, just like Damien.


    you and


    ¡°What about me, then?¡± Maeve¡¯s voice grew angry and raspy. She extended her scarred, disfigured


    hand, pointing to her ruined face. ¡°Did I get to choose? What¡¯s left for me?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, looking at the horrifying sight before her, her hand clenched. ¡°I sympathize with what


    you¡¯ve been through, but you can¡¯t burden someone else with your misfortune. The person who started


    that fire thirteen years ago is to me. Don¡¯t ruin Mandy¡¯s chance at happiness.¡±


    Maeve sneered, ¡°So you mean I should seek revenge on the person who caused that fire and


    destroyed my life?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow, taking a moment to think. ¡°Well, in a way.¡±


    ¡°Every wrongdoing has consequences; he did something he had no right to do, and he should face the


    consequences.¡±


    Maeveughed once more. ¡°You¡¯re incredibly naive. Perhaps you¡¯re still clueless even now.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s smile at the corner of her lips turned cold. ¡°It was Elvis who caused that massive fire back


    then.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s expression froze immediately. Her eyes widened, her voice quivering slightly. ¡°Which Elvis¡­


    ¡°The Elvis who raised you.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s face took on a more sinister edge as she smiled. ¡°Remember thirteen years ago when you


    1/2


    Chapter 399 Elvis Shaw The Arson


    Maeve didn¡¯t waste time on trivial conversations with Cherise. ¡°You know, Mandy hasbeled me a


    pervert for using a doppelganger to seduce my own brother. But to me, it¡¯s not perversion; in my


    opinion, it¡¯s taking advantage of an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Mandy and Damien, they were like my proteges. Especially Mandy. I shaped her and taught her


    everything she knows. If she follows the n, she¡¯ll dominate Adania¡¯s high society, just like I used to.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing unfortunate about that,¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Mandy is an independent person


    with her own thoughts. You can¡¯t impose your ideas on her.¡±


    ¡°She has the right to live life on her own terms.¡±


    Hah! The same oldme excuse.


    Maeve let out a bitterugh. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. She can do as she pleases, just like you and


    Damien.


    ¡°What about me, then?¡± Macve¡¯s voice grew angry and raspy. She extended her scarred, disfigured


    hand, pointing to her ruined face. ¡°Did I get to choose? What¡¯s left for me?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, looking at the horrifying sight before her, her hand clenched. ¡°I sympathize with what


    you¡¯ve been through, but you can¡¯t burden someone else with your misfortune. The person who started


    that fire thirteen years ago is to me. Don¡¯t ruin Mandy¡¯s chance at happiness.¡±


    Maeve sneered, ¡°So you mean I should seek revenge on the person who caused that fire and


    destroyed my life?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow, taking a moment to think. ¡°Well, in a way.¡±


    ¡°Every wrongdoing has consequences; he did something he had no right to do, and he should face the


    consequences.¡±


    Maeveughed once more. ¡°You¡¯re incredibly naive. Perhaps you¡¯re still clueless even now.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s smile at the corner of her lips turned cold. ¡°It was Elvis who caused that massive fire back


    then.


    Cherise¡¯s expression froze immediately. Her eyes widened, her voice quivering slightly. ¡°Which


    Elvis¡­¡±


    ¡°The Elvis who raised you.


    Maeve¡¯s face took on a more sinister edge as she smiled. ¡°Remember thirteen years ago when you


    1/2


    fell seriously ill and almost didn¡¯t make it? And Elvis suddenly came home with twenty thousand to get


    you treated?¡±


    Maeve¡¯s gaze gradually became wild and deranged. ¡°Do you know how that twenty thousand came


    about? It was the price for burning down my house!¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was hoarse and unsettling. And every word she uttered struck Cherise to the


    core.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That day was Damien¡¯s birthda


    ¡°You can verify it with the hospital; the day you were ill was Damien¡¯s birthday. Those criminals had it


    all nned. They knew I woulde back for Damien¡¯s birthday, and they were certain my brother


    wouldn¡¯t turn on the lights until I arrived, leaving him alone at home with his troubled thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Your uncle did their dirty work by burning down our house and destroying our lives!¡±


    She pointed at her own disfigured face in a fit of anger. ¡°Elvis Shaw, the man who raised you, turned


    me into this freak because of you.¡±


    ¡°By what right do you think you can marry my brother?¡±


    Cherise slumped on the couch, her limbs turning to ice. She just stared at Maeve, her mind going


    nk.


    Despite Maeve¡¯s loud words, it felt as if they were miles away.


    She continued to stare, unable to find the words.


    She¡­


    Thirteen years ago, the day she fell ill, it was Damien¡¯s birthday that day.


    2/2

 Chapter 400

    Chapter 400


    Chapter 400 He Had Been Sincere


    The Lenoir¡¯s Manor had burned to ashes, and Maeve, Damien¡¯s sister, was left burned and scarred by


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    the fire. However, by some cruel twist of fate, Cherise got a second chance at life.


    Cherise vividly remembered that ever since then, Elvis had refused to return to Adania. Whenever he


    drowned his sorrows in booze, he would me himself for being wicked¡­


    Cherise¡¯s blood ran cold, and tears flowed uncontrobly. She stared at Maeve in shock. ¡°Is that¡­ is it


    true?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Maeve narrowed her eyes, burning with vengeful anger. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you that your uncle


    destroyed everything Damien and I had! We spent thirteen years living in fear while you married. into a


    wealthy family and enjoyed Damien¡¯s love. Where¡¯s the justice in that? That¡¯s why I had Mandy


    interfere and take Damien away. I would rather see the two kids I raised together than let Damien dote


    on the murderer¡¯s niece!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s tears finally welled up, and her vision blurred. ¡°Does Damien know about this?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know before, but he should know now.¡±


    Maeve sneered, ¡°By the way, you don¡¯t know yet, do you? Elvis was arrested three days ago and


    confessed to what he did back then. If you doubt what I¡¯m saying, you can ask him in person. I bet he¡¯ll


    tell you the truth.¡±


    Cherise trembled.


    ¡°Does Damien¡­ also know about¡­my uncle?¡±


    ¡°You bet,¡± Maeve said sinctly.


    Cherise stumbled off the sofa, finding herself on the floor in disbelief.


    So¡­st night, Damien kissed her and asked her when they should make love again to have a baby.


    Were those just lies and pretense?


    Now¡­ What Maeve had shared seemed far too authentic to be dismissed as fiction. She wasn¡¯t in the


    right frame of mind to process it¡­


    ¡°Bunny!¡±


    Zachary stormed into the study. He hurried to Cherise, helping her up from the floor. ¡°You! What did you


    say to Bunny?¡±


    ¡°I just told her the truth.


    Maeve sneered, turned away from Cherise, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve said what I had to. You know, everyone


    1/2


    should have the freedom to choose. So, I¡¯m leaving that choice up to you. If you¡¯re determined to stay


    with Damien, there¡¯s not much I can do.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s body quivered in Zachary¡¯s embrace. Everything Maeve had mentioned left her feeling


    confused and dazed. She couldn¡¯t figure out if these were some kind of fabricated lies or¡­


    Cherise mped her hand over her mouth, struggling to contain her tears and sobs. Faced with these


    harsh truths, it was impossible to remain unaffected!


    She bit her lip, making an effort not to let it get to her, not to let it disturb her. But it was in vain. She


    couldn¡¯t. She really, absolutely couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Bunny!¡±


    Zachary clenched his teeth and pulled her up from the floor. ¡°Stop crying!


    His demeanor was unusually severe, starkly contrasting with his usual yful self. He firmly held


    Cherise¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare doubt Damien¡¯s love for you!¡±


    ¡°Remember when you were at Tanner Manor, and he carried you back home on his back?¡±


    ¡°Do you recall when he put work on hold just to go shopping with you?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when he yfully removed the hat from your bunny plushie on stage?¡±


    The man¡¯s persistent prodding into her memory gradually quelled Cherise¡¯s tears. Every memory


    Zachary brought up resurrected vivid scenes and images from the past.


    Indeed, Damien had always been good and sincere to her.


    2/2

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401


    Chapter 401 Drop The Lawsuit


    Damien had been and was good to her.


    But she¡­


    She had¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault!¡± Zachary took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto hers. ¡°I promise you, Elvis won¡¯t


    end up in prison or die. But you need to keep yourself together now.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. What else does Damien have left now?¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he want to meet his sister? Do you really think Damien is unaware of what happened


    back then?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s avoiding his own sister for your sake.¡±


    ¡°If you also walk away because of baseless lies, what will he have left?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s let go of his hatred and is trying to move on with his life for you. If you can¡¯t do the same¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, you don¡¯t deserve him!¡±


    Zachary¡¯s rapid words left Cherisepletely stunned.


    ¡°1¡­¡±


    Tears still clung to her cheeks, but Cherise was determined not to shed any more. Zachary¡¯s stern


    reprimand had left her feeling somewhat dazed.


    Zachary gritted his teeth and bellowed, ¡°Mandy, ke, get in here!¡±


    Startled by his loud voice, Mandy, who had just finished packing, hurried into the room with her


    backpack.


    Meanwhile, in the study room, Cherise had be a weeping wreck.


    Zachary pushed Cherise towards Mandy, ¡°Take her to Damien¡¯s car¡±


    Mandy hesitated, almost mentioning that Damien wasn¡¯t waiting outside. However, when she caught


    the man¡¯s gaze, she felt a twinge of apprehension and refrained from asking questions. She swiftly,


    with the assistance of ke and Mr. Kolson, guided Cherise out of Wool Manor.


    After all themotion, only Zachary and Maeve remained in the study.


    The room hung heavy with an unsettling silence and tension. Maeve wheeled himself to the window,


    observing the tree shadows swaying in the breeze outside.


    1/2


    ¡°Why bother helping them? Separating them would only serve your interests.¡±


    There was a hint of contempt in Macve¡¯s voice. ¡°I heard that Ariel¡¯s condition for you was granting the


    headship of the Miles family to anyone who brings her daughter back.¡±


    Turning to face Zachary with her cold gaze, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have no interest in bing


    the head of the Miles family.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been on a wild goose chase looking for Cherise for over a year. If you didn¡¯t intend to marry


    her, why go to such lengths to find her?¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found her, you¡¯re not making any moves to win her over, but instead, you¡¯re trying to


    make her reconcile with my brother.¡±


    Maeve shook his head in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as foolish as you. You know, we could


    have formed an alliance.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to team up with someone like you,¡± Zachary said, crossing his arms and leaning against


    the door with a cold expression. ¡°I¡¯ll achieve what I want through my own efforts. I don¡¯t need to depend


    on a hideous freak like you.¡±


    A flicker of anger crossed Maeve¡¯s face. ¡°Who are you calling a ¡®hideous freak¡¯!?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You! Your actions are nothing short of monstrous, and you certainly look the part,¡± Zachary


    Maeve, her patience running thin, asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Zachary let out a yawn. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯te here today to watch a Lenoir family soap opera.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did youe?¡±


    ¡°For you to drop thewsuit.¡± He raised his hand, pointing his finger at Maeve. I¡¯m talking about


    Elvis Shaw¡¯s case.¡±


    ¡°He holds great importance for our family head.¡±


    ¡°So, you must retract thewsuit. Otherwise, it will lead to a confrontation with the Miles family.¡±


    Maeve held onto the wheelchair¡¯s armrests tightly. ¡°Why go through all this trouble to bring back a


    bodyguard who¡¯s now worthless to the Miles family


    ¡°Laws exist everywhere, and every family has its own code of conduct.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s let our family head down, so it¡¯s our family head¡¯s duty to decide his fate.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 402

    Chapter 402


    Chapter 402 Stop Endangering Ourselves


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the authority to challenge our family head¡¯s decision, Zachary asserted.


    Meanwhile, as Mandy and ke left the Wool Residence, Damien¡¯s car was already waiting at the


    entrance.


    ¡°You actually came,¡± Mandy remarked, her lips pursed. She opened the passenger door and gently


    guided Cherise inside. ncing at Damien, she added, ¡°I should have asked you toe in earlier.¡±


    Pursing her lips again, she said, ¡°Your sister might have revealed more than she should have.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Damien nodded and closed his eyes. ¡°Go ahead, both of you. I¡¯ll handle this on my


    own.¡±


    ¡°Well, then,¡± Mandy sighed, shut the car door, and walked away. Cherise sat in a daze, her body rigid in


    the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the horizon.


    Damien put out his cigarette, fastened Cherise¡¯s seatbelt, started the car, and said, ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    Cherise zoned out, unable to find the right words for Damien. Countless thoughts filled her mind, but


    shecked the courage to express them. Instead, she pretended to be lost in thought while tears


    continued to flow uncontrobly. She felt utterly helpless, as if crying was her only option.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Damien let out a faint sigh, pressed down on the gas pedal, and merged onto the city¡¯s outer


    ring road. The speed quickly reached its maximum, the wind roaring past their ears, and the


    speedometer disyed an rming velocity.


    Cherise watched the rapidly passing trees outside her window, and finally, she snapped back to reality.


    The car¡¯s speed on the dashboard had reached a dangerous level.


    She bit her lip hard. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°I have.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice carried a hint of self-mockery. ¡°Cherry, would you die with me?¡±


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    Cherise clenched her teeth. Her face, red from crying, now turned pale with tension. She red. at him.


    ¡°Slow down!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He sneered, elerating the car stubbornly.


    Cherise¡¯s heart pounded with anxiety. At this speed, the slightest mistake or collision could have


    catastrophic consequences, leaving them beyond any hope of rescue.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± she shouted, biting her lip to hold back her tears. ¡°This is madness!¡±


    1/2


    deal ears, she took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Who was it that


    whispered in my earst night about wanting to have a child with me on our farm?¡±


    ¡°At this rate, how can we even think about having a child?¡±


    Damien chuckled softly and downshifted, reducing the speed. ¡°But you cried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying anymore! Slow down!¡±


    He shifted down another gear, but the car still maintained a pace faster than the average vehicle.


    Cherise, with a racing heart, took a deep breath. ¡°Damien, can we please calm down and have a


    conversation instead of risking our lives like this?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she relented. ¡°Let¡¯s have a proper conversation instead of ying with our lives like this!¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep gaze lightly brushed over her. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    Gradually, the car slowed down. Cherise¡¯s heart, which had been pounding, finally eased. The vehicle


    came to a stop on the beach by the sea.


    Damien got out of the car, circled around to her side, and opened the door.


    Cherise, gripping the door handle tightly, started to feel nauseous. The intense fear had momentarily


    overshadowed her physical difort. But with the car stopped, all the unpleasant sensations


    returned, and she felt as if she might be sick.

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403


    Chapter 403 Apart From My Family, You¡¯re The Kindest To Me


    After finishing vomiting and regaining herposure, Cherise slumped against the car door. She


    epted the water Damien handed her and began rinsing her mouth.


    ¡°Feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± She looked at him, still slightly annoyed.


    Damien nodded and settled her down on a rocky patch by the seaside. Cherise observed the sea at


    noon for the first time.


    The distant coastline stood out against the clear sky, and the sea and sky blended seamlessly in


    various shades of blue, creating a tranquil panorama. By the sea, the gentle breeze offered a sense of


    He embraced her from behind, allowing her to rest against his chest. ¡°Let me guess why our lovely and


    gentle Mrs. Lenoir was crying.


    ¡°Probably because she believes that if she hadn¡¯t made that impulsive decision and fallen ill back then,


    her uncle wouldn¡¯t have resorted to such wicked acts to gather the money needed for her treatment.


    That way, my sister and I wouldn¡¯t be in this mess, right?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart sank, and she bit her lip, nodding in silence. In the end, she felt responsible for


    everything.


    What right or entitlement did she have to be by Damien¡¯s side, enjoying his kindness and affection,


    when his tragic life was primarily her fault?


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He nestled closer, resting his chin on her head, savoring the scent of her hair. ¡°You know, those who


    aimed to harm Maeve and me were lurking around, with or without you in the picture.


    ¡°Do you really think that if you hadn¡¯t fallen ill and your uncle hadn¡¯t done what he did, my sister and I


    would¡¯ve had an easy, worry-free life?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s entire body tensed up. It was so obvious that even a child could see it. But if her Uncle Elvis


    really did those things to Damien and Maeve¡­


    How could she evere to terms with this painful truth?


    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to me her uncle for what he did for her sake.


    And as forforting Damien? Cherise felt she had lost that right after what her uncle had done to him


    and his family.


    Her thoughts were all tangled up. With a deep breath, her voice shook as she said, ¡°Damien¡­ My


    dear¡­¡±


    1/2


    Cherise sniffled, her thoughts veering toward a topic she couldn¡¯t quite articte. Divorce seemed


    impossible to broach, even though it was on her mind. Her nose and eyes stung as tears flowed


    uncontrobly.


    She didn¡¯t want to leave Damien; he was her source of joy and the cornerstone of her life. But her guilt


    weighed heavily, rendering her speechless.


    ¡°Why did you stop using those endearing names?¡± Damien retorted with a hint of bitterness in his


    voice.


    He chuckled softly, wiping away the tears that clung to the corners of her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t


    have to call me ¡®my dear¡¯ if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you ¡®my dear¡¯ whenever I want.¡±


    He held her close and gazed at the distant sky. ¡°Listen, my dear.


    ¡°In my life, I won¡¯t marry anyone else besides you. If you decide to leave. I won¡¯t stop you. I promise


    you that.¡±


    ¡°But if you choose to leave, I¡¯ll be all alone until the day I die.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart ached deeply. She sniffled, biting her lip and wrestling with her tears.


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t. You have ke, Mr. Kolson, Frances, and Mr. Hampson. And there¡¯s Lennon, and¡­


    ¡°But they¡¯re not you, my dear.¡±


    He gently nibbled on her earlobe and whispered, ¡°When you went inside with Mandy and the others, I


    was contemting what I¡¯d do if you wanted to leave me.¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together, her breath catching in her throat. ¡°So¡­ Have you¡­ thought it


    through?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°In this world, apart from my parents and sister, you¡¯ve been the kindest to me.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404


    Chapter 404 Seaside Vi


    ¡°I¡¯m going to start by seeking revenge on Raymond for what he did to my parents. Then, I¡¯ll do


    everything in my power to bring down the people who helped him, even if it means sacrificing myself. If


    you no longer want me, I¡¯ll be with my parents in heaven.¡±


    Cherise was shocked and quickly covered his mouth. ¡°You¡­ stop with all this nonsense!¡±


    Damien smiled softly and kissed her hand. ¡°My dear, I cannot imagine my life without


    you.¡±


    He held Cherise in his arms, gently kissing her, reflecting her determined and unwavering gaze. ¡°I have


    been contemting this for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°I havee to realize¡­ I cannot live without you any longer.¡±


    The man leaned in and whispered softly into Cherise¡¯s ear. ¡°If you are wondering whether I despise


    your uncle¡­ well, I used to.¡±


    ¡°For the past thirteen years, I have harbored resentment towards the man who took my parents away,


    kidnapped my sister, and forced me to pretend to be sick.¡±


    ¡°But when I discovered that he started the fire to ensure you received the necessary treatment, my


    hatred diminished.¡±


    ¡°As time went on, I realized that if you despised your uncle because of me, you would choose me over


    him and stay¡­ I made up my mind to let go of that hatred.¡±


    Cherise stood there,pletely taken aback, her eyes fixed on the man before her, her face disying


    astonishment.


    For a brief moment, she found herself speechless, unsure of how to react.


    Damien had never opened up to her in such a profound way. The sincerity in his gaze was undeniable,


    leaving her with absolute certainty that he had no intention of letting her go,


    But¡­


    Tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks, and she turned around, burying her face into Damien¡¯s


    chest. ¡°1¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave you either¡­¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, then let¡¯s not part ways.


    Damien embraced her tightly, showering her with kisses. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past behind us.¡±


    ¡°You and I¡­ cannot change the past.¡±


    ¡°But the future¡­ we still have a long time ahead of us.¡±


    He yfully nuzzled her like a child. ¡°How about we make a deal?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°I have endured thirteen years of ridicule, pretending to be blind because of your illness.¡±


    ¡°How about, as payback, you tolerate me for thirteen years? Let¡¯s make it a twenty-year- arrangement


    with interest. Spend twenty years with me first, and consider it settling the score, okay?¡±


    Cherise found his calction rather amusing. ¡°What kind of math is this?¡±


    ¡°So, my wifey,¡± the man rarely used such an endearing term as he looked at her. ¡°is that a deal


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Damien¡¯s captivating, husky voice, along with his adorable expression, left Cherisepletely


    defenseless.


    She couldn¡¯t resist and shrugged, smiling. ¡°Alright, I promise.¡±


    Damien gently lifted her chin and kissed her lips. ¡°Perfect! We have a deal.¡±


    With a smile, he suggested, ¡°This ce is a seaside paradise. I have a vi nearby that I haven¡¯t


    stayed in yet. How about we go there now?¡±


    Cherise was momentarily surprised, then remembered that there was no coastline in Adania.


    In fact, he had driven her to the seaside in Yatesville.


    But¡­


    ¡°When did you buy a vi?¡±


    He was never the type to interact with strangers, let alone go through the trouble of purchasing a


    vi!


    ¡°A few days ago.¡±


    The man gave a slight, warm smile. ¡°The house is under your name.¡±


    ¡°Why mine?¡±


    He crouched before her and motioned for her to hop on his back. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want you to walk


    away from me.¡±


    He lifted her onto his back gently, a faint smile ying on his lips. ¡°Seaside vis don¡¯te cheap. I


    spent over six million on this.¡±

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405


    Chapter 405 We Will Never Part


    ¡°I¡¯ve just bought this vi for you, and you¡¯re already thinking about divorcing me?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell everyone you¡¯re a love con artist!¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    She yfully tapped his forehead. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that mind of yours?¡±


    ¡°Not much,¡± he replied.


    The man carried her to the entrance of their seaside vi, used his fingerprint to unlock the door, and


    skillfully transported her to the master bedroom on the third floor.


    The master bedroom had floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the sea outside, where the soft


    sunlight poured in, giving the room a unique charm.


    He gentlyid her down on the plush, spacious bed and leaned over her, kissing her with a mixture of


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    tenderness and passion.


    As his kisses traveled lower, Cherise immediately sensed a change in the atmosphere.


    She quickly pushed his head away. ¡°What are you¡­ doing?¡±


    ¡°Doing¡­ You¡­ of course.¡±


    Cherise was confused. What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we just in a tense situation a moment ago?


    She thought Damien had brought her into the room so they could have a snack and find somefort


    before going to sleep¡­. but this wasn¡¯t the kind of sleep she had in mind!


    ¡°You know, Lennon¡¯s theory on marriage was that the fights and making up both happen in the


    bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems we¡¯ve just had a little argument. So¡­ Damien continued kissing Cherise with a


    mischievous grin.


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    Can I choose not to make up then?


    But she had already been deprived of that choice.


    The man¡¯s kisses traveled down her neck and eventually stopped at¡­.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She eagerly clutched the bedsheets with her fingers. ¡°Stop kissing¡­¡±


    1/3


    lowever, the man, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, pulled her into the abyss.


    Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, causing Cherise¡¯s face to blush. She gritted her


    teeth. ¡°At the very least, could you close the curtains..


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one can see,¡±


    He let out a light chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. If you say what I want to hear, I might close those curtains


    for you.¡±


    Cherise had never encountered someone as shamelessly bold as Damien!


    Eventually, the curtains were closed, not because Cherise pleaded for it, but because Damien had


    be overheated from the relentless sun.


    The seaside sun was scorching, and he had been working out in bed!


    After a long day, Cherise, utterly exhausted, devoured a box of cereal and then fell asleep like a log.


    Damien sat at the edge of the bed, gazing at her peacefully sleeping face, and let out a soft sigh.


    Her eyes were still swollen, a testament to how much she had cried earlier.


    ¡°My sweet, silly girl,¡± he murmured with a gentle, resigned smile, ¡°You¡¯re an angel with teary eyes too,


    you know.¡±


    He leaned down and ced a loving kiss on her lips.


    ¡°Damien¡­¡±


    Cherise, halfway between sleep and wakefulness, clung to his neck, her voice carrying a touch of


    dependence. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be away from you¡­


    ¡°Then we will never be apart.¡± He embraced her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.


    Meanwhile, seated in a cafe, Mandy red intensely at Zachary, who sat across from her, casually


    sipping his yogurt. ¡°Put that down already! Seriously?! How can you stay so calm and do nothing about


    it!?¡±


    ¡°Do something about it, can you?¡±


    Zachary regarded her with indifference. ¡°Getting all worked up won¡¯t solve the problem.¡±


    ¡°Who said getting worked up won¡¯t solve the problem?¡±


    Mandy was on the verge of losing her temper!


    Upon returning home, she had expected Maeve and Clinton to give her a hard time. To her


    astonishment, Maeve went directly to Cherise and bombarded her with a barrage of bizarre


    2/3


    Mandy herself found it difficult to ept, and she could only imagine how bewildering it must have


    been for Cherise, who had never experienced such chaos in her life.


    Zachary looked at her coldly. ¡°You¡¯re the one getting anxious.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406


    Chapter 406 Unharmed


    ¡°Does getting all worked up and resentful help you solve any problems?¡±


    Mandy remained silent.


    ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t you at least show some concern for your friend in a situation like this? But look at you!¡±


    She gestured towards the five empty yogurt bottles in front of Zachary. ¡°You¡¯ve already consumed so


    many drinks, and you don¡¯t seem to be in a hurry!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not my friends. Why should I be concerned?¡± Zachary set down the yogurt andzilyced his


    fingers behind his head. ¡°They¡¯re your friends, not mine.¡±


    Mandy shot him an exasperated look. ¡°You¡­!¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re not your friends, then what are they?¡±


    ¡°Tools.¡±


    Zachary smiled faintly and raised his hand to signal the waiter. ¡°Bring me five more bottles of yogurt.¡±


    ¡°Yes, charge it to thisdy¡¯s tab.¡±


    Mandy was once again exasperated and left dumbfounded.


    Once the following five yogurt bottles arrived, the man gave a nonchnt yawn and turned towards


    Mandy. ¡°Okay, quit it with that overly concerned expression.¡±


    ¡°Damien isn¡¯t an idiot. A grown man like him, if he can¡¯t handle a simple, innocent bunny..


    Then, he wouldn¡¯t be worthy of being the heir of the Miles family.


    With that in mind, he stretchedzily and directed his attention back to Mandy. ¡°You¡¯re leaving for the


    Tanner family in Europe in a few days, right?¡±


    Mandy shot him an irritated look but stayed silent.


    ¡°Can I join you on a private jet? I want to go too.¡±


    Cherise had a nightmare. In her dream, her uncle, Elvis, kept apologizing. Then Maeve¡¯s unsettling


    face berated and sneered at her, saying. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of my brother! Never!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Cherry¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherry? Cherry dear¡­


    1/2


    Suddenly, she heard a deep and husky voice repeatedly calling out to her. And the soothing voice


    gradually chased away the unsettling and twisted face of Maeve.


    In the end, she saw Damien standing by the sea. He stood there, a towering andmanding figure.


    He smiled at her, calling her name time and time again.


    All the anxiety and sorrow in her heart disappeared in an instant. Cherise rushed towards Damien,


    arms wide open, shouting, ¡°Hubby, I will never mention the idea of us parting again. Even if the world


    conspires to keep us apart, I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    Before Cherise could throw herself into Damien¡¯s embrace, a person holding a knife appeared behind


    him.


    The person with sinister intentions would stab Damien, but thetter was unaware.


    Cherise panicked and rushed over, pushing the assant aside.


    However, in the ensuing struggle, the knife ruthlessly pierced Cherise¡¯s palm, drawing blood.


    In a sea of crimson, she could still hear Damien calling her name, ¡°Cherry¡­ Cherry¡­ Cherry¡­!¡±


    ¡°Damien-!¡±


    Cherise abruptly opened her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, my dear.¡±


    Damien held her tightly in his arms. ¡°You had a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I was calling out to you the whole time. Did you hear me?¡±


    In her groggy state, Cherise quickly examined her hand and found it unharmed. The Damien before her


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    was also perfectly fine.


    It had all been a dream!


    With relief, she embraced Damien tightly. ¡°Hubby, I saw¡­ you-


    He grinned and kissed her lips. ¡°Your dream was not real.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping all afternoon and throughout the night.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling hungry?¡±


    Cherise raised her head, only realizing she was still in the luxurious vi Damien had recently.


    acquired.


    But it was already the following day.


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 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407


    Chapter 407 Table Salt


    In Cherise¡¯s memory, every detail from the previous day yed out like a vivid scene. She couldn¡¯t help


    but blush, her face resembling a zing crimson sunset, yet she nodded with a sweet smile and said, ¡°I


    could use a little something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make some pasta for you,¡± the man offered.


    He responded with a warm smile and gracefully made room for her. On the bedside table behind. him


    sat a te of bolognese meatball pasta.


    Cherise gazed at the dish and then back at Damien. ¡°Did you¡­ make this?¡±


    It was evident that this was his first attempt at preparing a meal for her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed.


    A sheepish chuckle escaped him. ¡°I gave it a try; it might not be as good as your cooking, but it¡¯s


    edible.¡±


    Cherise found herself in stunned silence. Her eyes widened in disbelief. He¡­ actually cooked for


    me?


    Damien, having been born into a life of privilege, had never felt the need to enter the kitchen, let alone


    acquire cooking skills, as he always had cooks and helpers at his disposal.


    Even after their marriage, their house had never been without a chef. He was the kind of who never


    went near the kitchen.


    person


    But now¡­ Cherise took a deep breath, picked up her fork, and took a bite. It was decent, though it


    seemed he had forgotten to add salt.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get some salt; it¡¯s a bit nd,¡± she said, trying to get out of bed.


    However, Damien raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Let me do it.¡± He double-checked, ¡°You want salt,


    right?¡± Cherise nodded.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    The man rose from his seat and quickly made his way downstairs.


    In less than a minute, he returned with a bottle of table salt and handed it to her.


    Cherise hurriedly added some salt to her pasta and gave it a stir. However, there was an


    unexpected sweetness to the taste.


    Perplexed, she took a pinch from the small bottle of salt Damien had handed her, and it, too, turned out


    to be sweet. It was sugar!


    She couldn¡¯t help butugh at the irony. Sugar again!


    1/2


    Taking a deep breath, she got out of bed. ¡°I think I¡¯ll get the salt myself.¡±


    Damien reached out and ced a hand on her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll go. What do you need?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. While his sudden culinary efforts were surprising, he seemed particrly


    helpful today, and a vague sense of foreboding began to creep into her heart.


    With a deep breath, she gently pushed his hand away. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can handle it.¡±


    And with that, she hurried downstairs, wearing pink bunny slippers.


    As expected, when Cherise reached downstairs, she detected a strong burnt smell wafting from the


    kitchen.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and followed the source of the odor.


    What she found wasn¡¯t a kitchen; it was a war zone. Utensils were scattered everywhere, and even the


    once-sturdy iron pots had been reduced to charred ruins. The trash can was overflowing with ck and


    yellow, egg-shaped casualties.


    Cherise turned her gaze toward the man standing near the stairs.


    Damien cleared his throat, a tinge of embarrassment on his face. ¡°I was taking the trash out, but then I


    heard you calling from upstairs, so I hurried back.¡±


    Cherise stood there in stunned silence, her eyes fixed on the chaotic kitchen.


    He had wrecked more than just the eggs she saw¡­.


    She could practically feel her temples throbbing.


    Taking the salt, Cherise headed back upstairs to finish her meal. She then tied on an apron and began


    the challenging task of cleaning up the kitchen.


    Initially, Damien tried to help. However, each time he approached the kitchen, Cherise gently redirected


    him to the sofa.


    ¡°Focus on your own responsibilities, and I¡¯ll handle this mess.¡±


    ¡°You can participate in a video conference with your colleagues or listen to their phone updates.¡±


    ¡°No need to interfere in the kitchen¡°

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408


    Chapter 408 A Serious Talk With Elvis


    Cherise had a lingering fear that the more Damien tried to help, the messier things would. be, and


    she might lose her temper.


    Feeling somewhat helpless, Damien settled onto the couch and sent a message to Lennon. ¡°Hey. You


    told me that if I personally cooked for her, it would touch her, right?¡±


    Lennon quickly replied, ¡°Yeah, I said that.¡±


    ¡°Think about it: someone like you who knows nothing about cooking, venturing into the kitchen. to


    prepare something special for her, ying the role of the family chef for the day. She should be truly


    touched by that, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow in contemtion. He nced over at the kitchen, where a woman was


    scrubbing a burnt pot with a stern expression. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s touched at all. If anything, she


    looks a little angry.¡±


    Lennon was puzzled. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Your Cherry has always been someone who values emotions, a sensitive girl. How can she not react


    to such a heartfelt gesture?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Damien sighed. ¡°She might not let me set foot in the kitchen again.¡±


    Lennon was taken aback and finally asked the burning question. ¡°Damien, do you even know how


    to cook?¡±


    ¡°Nah, not really,¡±


    ¡°I managed with the pasta; it took me three attempts to get it right. But the meatballs? Over ten tries


    with three different pans.¡±


    Lennon was taken aback.


    ¡°Cherry might not be unimpressed; she might just be worried about the state of the kitchen.¡±


    After tidying up the kitchen, Cherise took a deep breath. She returned with a stack of instant noodle


    cups from the supermarket, cing them on the coffee table.


    ¡°Hey, if you ever feel like cooking for me again¡­ you can make these. They¡¯re pretty straightforward.¡±


    She picked up an electric kettle and calmly exined, ¡°Just open this, pour in hot water, close the lid,


    and wait for three to five minutes.¡±


    ¡°These are super easy eggs.¡± Cherise produced a few vacuum-sealed eggs. ¡°You can use these as


    1/2


    well.¡±


    Her sincere gaze andposed expression left Damien feeling¡­ somewhat foolish.


    Damien took a deep breath and offered a smile to Cherise. ¡°Alright.¡±


    He privately resolved to never cook again in his life. It was the first time he had been so thoroughly


    underestimated by his adorably silly wife.


    Cherise noticed that Damien seemed a bit upset, linked her arm through his, and gave it aforting


    shake. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m not teasing you for being clumsy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that everyone has their own strengths. When ites to cooking and handling the kitchen, I


    think it¡¯s probably better if I take care of that. What do you think?¡±


    This time, it was just pasta, and he had already ruined two pots. If Damien tried something more


    ¡°Okay.¡± Damien nodded, feeling somewhat disheartened.


    After a short silence on the couch, Cherise lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°And, dear, we should go


    back to Adania.¡±


    ¡°I have an exam in three days, and I¡¯m running out of time to study.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ I want to see my Uncle.¡±


    Damien heaved a sigh of relief and replied, ¡°Alright. It¡¯s time to have a serious talk with him as well.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He knew how important Elvis was to Cherise. He understood that Elvis wanted nothing more than for


    Cherise and him to find happiness together,


    Sometimes, no matter how much Damien said, it couldn¡¯tpare to a single word from Elvis.


    This bond between Elvis and Cherise had deepened over neen years.


    So, from every perspective, it was crucial for Cherise and Elvis to have a meaningful meeting.


    The man pulled her close, gently kissing her forehead. ¡°Get ready; we¡¯ll go back soon.¡±


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 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409


    Chapter 409 Hitching A ne Ride.


    ¡°In the afternoon, we¡¯ll go see your uncle,¡± he suggested, noticing Cherise¡¯s slightly swollen eyes. ¡°You


    wouldn¡¯t want your Uncle to see you like this, right? How about using a warmpress, and once


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    you¡¯re feeling better, we¡¯ll head over, okay?¡±


    Cherise hesitated for a moment but then nodded in agreement.


    She hurried upstairs, holding a towel soaked in hot water. Just as she ced it on her eyes, her phone


    started ringing. It was a call from Zachary


    He seemed to be in a noisy and crowded ce.


    ¡°Hey, Bunny!¡± The voice on the other end of the line was still clear, with a hint of yfulness,


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Honestly, she was grateful to Zachary for what happened the previous day. When she was in the study


    at the Wool Residence, Maeve¡¯s words had deeply affected her.


    At that moment, she genuinely believed that she wasn¡¯t good enough for Damien and that breaking up


    with him was the best option.


    Fortunately, Zachary arrived just in time. He gave her a firm shake on the shoulders and used


    It was he who reminded her of the love she shared with Damien.


    Cherise took a deep breath, her tone somewhat yful. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Before, when Zachary annoyed her, she often found him irritating. She had even suspected that


    Zachary might have hidden motives, especially with the somewhat ambiguous term ¡®Bunny¡¯ he used to


    address her.


    But now, Cherise felt she might have judged too quickly.


    Zachary wasn¡¯t as carefree as he seemed on the surface. At least, in a real crisis, he could be relied


    §Ú§â§à§á.


    ¡°I want to bid you farewell.¡±


    The man chuckled softly. ¡°Hearing your cheerful voice, I guess everything is good now, right?¡±


    ¡°God knows how easily influenced and gullible you are, Bunny!¡±


    Cherise blushed a little. She smiled and asked, ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    1/2


    Zachary grinned, I¡¯m currently at the airport.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here on a mission to bring someone back, and I¡¯ve already found that person, so I won¡¯t have time


    to join you in your studies this time.¡±


    ¡°But, if you ever want to see me in the future, you¡¯ll have to score perfectly in all your final exams;


    otherwise, I won¡¯t pay you a visit!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in Adania in a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving already? I won¡¯t be able to see you off¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to see me off.¡±


    Zachary smiled and said, ¡°Well then. We¡¯ll meet again soon.


    ¡°All good things muste to an end. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone shifted into surprising seriousness. ¡°Value the time you have with Damien. If your bond


    with him is tarnished by someone like Maeve, you¡¯ll be the one who loses out.¡±


    With that, he decisively ended the call.


    Cherise listened to the sudden dial tone on the phone, feeling somewhat perplexed. Why did she get


    the feeling that Zachary was more mysterious than she had previously thought?


    Meanwhile, at the Adania airport, Mandy, holding her luggage, looked at Zachary and the stern- faced


    Kareen beside him with disdain. ¡°You two can¡¯t be serious about hitching a ride on my flight, seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zachary nodded, wearing a sly grin, and casually ced his hand on Kareen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ms.


    Wool, please consider our situation. We weren¡¯t given a generous budget for this trip!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410


    Chapter 410 Arriving At The Shaw¡¯s Vige


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Mandy pursed her lips and joined the stream of people heading through the security.


    checkpoint.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± Zachary spoke indifferently, turning to the person behind him.


    ¡°Of course.¡± A middle-aged man dressed in ck with a matching cap approached. He efficiently


    collected the suitcases held by him and Kareen, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Miles.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Uncle Elvis.¡± Zachary crossed his arms, ncing at the man¡¯s back, shaking his head slightly. ¡°I


    never expected that after all these years, you¡¯d still recognize me


    Elvis paused for a moment, holding the suitcases. ¡°Of course, I remember.


    ¡°I took care of you when you were young.¡±


    ¡°You saved my life as well.¡± Zachary sighed softly, approached Elvis, and gave his shoulder a


    reassuring pat. ¡°You have nothing to fear; I won¡¯t harm you. Aunt Ariel is very fair and just. She


    remembers exactly what deserves recognition and what calls for consequences.¡±


    When Cherise and Damien arrived at the Adania Detention Center, it was well past one in the


    afternoon.


    As Cherise exited the car, she meticulously checked her appearance, determined to conceal any traces


    of her earlier crying spell. Smiling, she linked her arm with Damien¡¯s and entered the detention center.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to see Elvis Shaw?¡± The police officer furrowed his brow deeply, looking puzzled as he


    looked at Damien. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± Cherise was perplexed.


    ¡°Elvis Shaw has already been released.¡± The police officer ced a closed case file before Damien


    and Cherise. ¡°A woman named Maeve Lenoir personally confirmed the withdrawal of the charges


    against him.


    ¡°It was a case from thirteen years ago, which was difficult to investigate due to theck of substantial


    evidence. And now, the only witness has dered that she¡¯s dropping the charges. So, our superiors


    decided to release him immediately.¡±


    The police officer checked the time and said. ¡°He left early this morning, and he should be back home


    by now.¡±


    Cherise was stunned, and a burst of joy flickered in her eyes. Joy surged through her as she heard


    about her uncle¡¯s freedom!


    She eagerly held Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Shaw¡¯s vige to find my uncle, shall we?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    1/2


    Although she didn¡¯t understand why Maeve had withdrawn the charges, if she was willing forgive her


    uncle and not dwell on the past, Cherise was ready to thank Maeve personally.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Damien frowned, started the car, and drove towards the Shaw¡¯s vige.


    Everything unfolding seemed to be an uncanny series of coincidences. Damien gripped the steering


    wheel, narrowing his eyes as he pondered the circumstances, his mind brimming with suspicion.


    Just yesterday, Zachary had met Maeve, and now she had withdrawn the charges against Elvis. The


    Miles siblings had hastily departed from Adania.


    Throughout the years, Damien had preferred to remain in the shadows, silently observing and


    orchestrating the lives of those around him.


    However, this time-


    Whether it was the Tanner family or the Miles family, both left him with a sense of unease.


    The Miles family, in particr, appeared mysterious, their true intentions obscured.


    Damien couldn¡¯t discern what the head of the Miles family sought or Zachary¡¯s true desires.


    This feeling of being manipted left him feeling stifled and powerless.


    This marked the first instance in his twenty-six years of life when he had felt this way.


    The man firmly clutched the steering wheel.


    If it turned out that the head of the Miles family was Cherise¡¯s biological mother, then this potential


    mother-inw of his, whom he had never encountered, was clearly a formidable force.


    After more than two hours on the highway, they finally arrived at the Shaw¡¯s vige.


    To Cherise¡¯s astonishment, the gate to the Shaw Residence was tightly closed.


    2/2

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411


    Message To Cherise


    The sturdy padlock on the entrance filled Cherise with a sense of unease. In broad daylight, the locked


    gates and the eerie absence of any signs of life puzzled her. Had her Uncle returned and wanted to


    remain unnoticed?


    ¡°Uncle! Aunt! Grandma!¡± She stood at the door, desperately pounding on the iron gates of Shaw Manor.


    As the sky began to drizzle, Cherise remained at the gate, her voice now hoarse from shouting.


    However, there was no response, and a feeling of unease washed over her, causing tears to well up in


    Cherise¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Uncle, Aunt, Grandma! Open the gate! It¡¯s me, Cherry! I¡¯m back!¡­ Uncle, Aunt, Grandma!¡± Cherise¡¯s


    voice, tinged with a sob, echoed in the rain.


    Damien stood by her side, holding an umbre, and remained silent. He knew she would have to face


    the truth sooner orter.


    ¡°Cherry?¡± The rain wasing down harder, and a man with an umbre rushed over from a distance.


    ¡°Stop knocking. Your Uncle¡¯s family has already moved out.¡±


    Jack was growing increasingly concerned and reached out to guide Cherise. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my ce; we


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    can talk there.¡±


    Cherise looked up, her gaze distant. ¡°Jack, do you think my uncle doesn¡¯t want me anymore?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Jack took a deep breath and turned to Damien. ¡°Come on, Mr. Lenoir, even if Cherry¡¯s


    acting a bit out of sorts and doing things impulsively, why haven¡¯t you stopped her? Instead, you¡¯re


    going along with all this craziness!¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and then walked over, gently lifting Cherise and following Jack back to their


    home.


    ¡°Auntie Sarah, Sky, Tay, and Mrs. Shaw left several days ago,¡± Jack exined as they sat on the


    doorstep, looking at Cherise, who remained lost in thought. ¡°Elvis mentioned that they wanted to find


    refuge.


    ¡°I tried to convince him and told him our vige would protect them, and the people here have the


    utmost respect for your family. But he insisted on not involving the vigers and chose to move away


    Cherise sat in the chair, allowing Jack¡¯s wife to gently dry the rain from her head. ¡°What else did my


    uncle say?¡±


    ¡°He mentioned that you should live your life to the fullest.¡±


    Jack lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and let out a heavy sigh. ¡°He knows you¡¯re a sensitive soul,


    1/2


    ¡°He also said¡­. Wait, I have something to show you.¡± He retrieved his phone. ¡°Elvis mentioned that


    this video is for you.¡±


    Cherise epted the phone in a daze. On the screen, her Uncle¡¯s face appeared.


    He sat by the stream near the vige entrance, looking serious. ¡°Cherry, I had Jack show you this


    video. I believe that by the time you watch this, I¡¯ll either be behind bars or no longer around. But don¡¯t


    let sorrow consume you; we all have our own journeys.¡±


    ¡°The truth is, I haven¡¯t done a whole lot of good in my life. The one thing I don¡¯t regret is not. sending


    you away thirteen years ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a kind-hearted kid, maybe a bit naive, but that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of you being dragged into a life filled with hidden agendas and criminal


    activities.¡±


    ¡°But Damien, he¡¯s a good man. Live a happy life with him. He¡¯ll take care of you and keep you


    safe.¡±


    ¡°And if you ever find out the truth about what I arranged for you thirteen years ago, please don¡¯t lose


    heart and think of divorce, okay?¡±


    ¡°When I discussed marrying you to Damien with Old Mr. Lenoir, I aimed for reconciliation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made his grandson unhappy for too long. It¡¯s time we made amends.¡±


    ¡°Stay with Damien, and don¡¯t worry about my affairs.¡±


    ¡°Your aunt and grandmother, they¡¯re all innocent people. Don¡¯t go looking for them. I¡¯ve provided


    enough financial support for your aunt to start fresh with Sky and Tay.¡±


    **


    2/2

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412


    Chapter 412 Jumble Of Memories


    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in other people¡¯s lives. Do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Uncle,¡± Cherise sobbed.


    Cherise wept uncontrobly, her eyes fixed on the man on the screen.


    Memories of sitting on her uncle¡¯sp and begging him not to send her away flooded her mind.


    ¡°Silly girl,¡± her uncle had assured her, ¡°I won¡¯t have the heart to send you away.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you begged me to keep you here.¡±


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll never search for your biological parents.¡±


    Cherise, who was seven at that time, nodded her head. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°You are the best, Uncle Shaw. I promise I won¡¯t find them!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks, her gaze fixed on Elvis¡¯ face on the screen.


    Uncle Shaw¡­ is the best person I know.


    But she didn¡¯t feel like the best daughter.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She had never called him ¡®Dad.¡¯


    But to her, he had always been her father.


    The rain pounded the ground like a relentless drumbeat.


    Cherise bolted out of Jack¡¯s house and sprinted towards the Shaw family¡¯s home.


    She flung herself at the heavy metal door and clutched the lock; her vision blurred with tears.


    ¡°Also, Sky and Tay.¡±


    ¡°Plumkin.¡±


    ¡°I want to go home¡­¡±


    Memories from the past flickered through Cherise¡¯s mind, ying out like a film reel.


    When Cherise was five, she tightly gripped Sky¡¯s and Tay¡¯s hands as they strolled through the garden.


    Grandma chuckled softly as she rocked back and forth in her chair. ¡°A kid trying to take care of a kid.


    What a big kiddo you are!¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± Cherise said proudly.


    Aunt Sarah washed berries and set them out to dry. ¡°She¡¯s just like her uncle, always trying to act like a


    grown-up.


    Elvis sauntered over to Aunt Sarah with a mischievous grin, his bare shoulders gleaming in the


    sunlight. He picked a berry from the bowl and popped it into his mouth. ¡°Was I like that?¡±


    Sarah swatted him yfully on the back. ¡°These are for the kids, Elvis. Put it down!¡±


    Grandma¡¯s lips curled into a fond smile. ¡°Sarah only has eyes for her own kids,¡± she said with a twinkle


    in her eye.


    ¡°Elvis,e over and get some from me.¡± Grandma said.


    Cherise¡¯s face lit up with a grin as she held onto Sky and Tay¡¯s hands. ¡°Uncle Shaw is still a kid at


    heart!¡±


    The next montage yed-Cherise, who was fifteen years old, had just been epted into one of the


    most prestigious high schools in town.


    Her eyes filled with tears as she clung to her grandmother. I don¡¯t want to go to school. We don¡¯t even


    have enough money to survive.¡±


    Sarah tapped Cherise on the head gently. ¡°Even if we are poor, we don¡¯t need you to be the


    breadwinner. Your uncle can earn enough for the family. Don¡¯t worry about it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Sky pouted as he worked on his homework. Tay and I won¡¯t even be able to get into school. We¡¯ll need


    you to care for us in the future, sis!¡±


    Elvis kicked Sky lightly on the shin. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll be


    able to get in with such a smart sister?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s mind was a jumble of memories, ying like a movie before her eyes.


    Cherise leaned on the front door, her face streaked with tears and rain.


    They had been such a happy family in the past.


    But Uncle Show left And Aunt Sarah remarried Grandma¡­ Will Aunt Sarah¡¯s new husband treat


    Grandma kindly?Will he be nice to Sky and Tay?Is Aunt Sarah truly happy after leaving Uncle Shaw?


    Tears streamed down Cherise¡¯s cheeks, unbidden. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡±


    If she had died when she was six, then none of this would have happened.


    2/3


    Uncle Shaw wouldn¡¯t have started the fire and gone to jail. Aunt Sarah wouldn¡¯t have left either¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Damien said firmly.


    Damien wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413


    Chapter 413 Took Care Of Out Of Pity


    ¡°L¡±


    Cherise stood motionless by the door, unaffected by the pleas of others.


    Rain poured down on the town relentlessly and mercilessly.


    The water rose, reaching Cherise¡¯s waist.


    Yet, she remained on her knees, unmoving.


    Jack had gathered almost every viger in town to try and convince her.


    But she remained firmly rooted to the ground.


    Everyone praised Cherise for being a dutiful child, one of the greatest blessings in Elvis¡¯s life.


    But Cherise knew she didn¡¯t deserve that reputation..


    Her knees had not left the ground since the rain began, and she remained as steadfast as a rock. even


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    amidst the rumbling thunder.


    Eventually, the rain stopped, but Cherise continued to kneel.


    Even Damien couldn¡¯t persuade her to stand up.


    Her stubbornness was intimidating.


    Dusk had fallen.


    ¡°When will you stop being so foolish?¡±


    A cold, indifferent voice echoed from above. Cherise looked up in disbelief, ¡°Aunt Sarah!¡±


    ¡®p!¡¯


    Sarah pped her across the face without hesitation.


    Cherise¡¯s head spun from the harsh blow.


    She struggled to lift her head, her gaze fixed on Sarah before her.


    Sarah appeared thinner and more fragile than thest time Cherise had seen her.


    Sarah stood before Cherise, her gaze filled with arrogance. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known you were here if it


    weren¡¯t for Mr. Lenoir. Have you lost your mind?¡±


    Cherise stood frozen in shock, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Aunt Sarah¡­¡±


    1/3


    She lunged at Sarah, her drenched body wrapping around Sarah¡¯s legs.


    Sarah turned her head away, her eyes shimmering with emotion.


    Nevertheless, she took a deep breath andposed herself before speaking coldly. ¡°Who are you


    calling your aunt?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you have your biological parents and real uncle and aunt. Elvis and I have no rtion to you


    whatsoever.¡±


    Cherise froze, her bloodshot eyes reflecting her conflicting emotions. ¡°Aunt Sarah¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you


    abandoning me?¡± Cherise asked, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Why should I keep you around?¡±


    Sarah chuckled under her breath. ¡°I have two sons of my own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a child I took care of out of pity. You¡¯re no different from a stray animal.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s gaze was cold and indifferent. ¡°Was I wrong to abandon you when I no longer needed. you?¡±


    ¡°Save your tears for my funeral. Perhaps then I might appreciate them. After all, you¡¯re such a


    sentimental fool.¡±


    ¡°Now, go live your life as you wish.¡±


    ¡°But Aunt Sarah¡­¡±


    Tears welled up in Cherise¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did you remarry?¡± she asked, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarah replied curtly.


    Sarah took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Stop this charade! And don¡¯t ask your husband to find me


    again. I just want to live my life in peace like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity. My new husband and I are happy.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s tears flowed freely. ¡°What about Uncle Shaw?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern.¡±


    Sarah regained herposure, her icy re piercing Cherise. Tm a simple, powerless woman from


    the countryside. I¡¯m not capable of caring for or helping Elvis,¡±


    ¡°I just want to ensure my children have enough to eat.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re dwelling on the past,¡±


    2/3


    Her face filled with frustration, she red at Cherise. ¡°You should go find him.¡±


    ¡°He was the one who took you in and raised you. He didn¡¯t want to let you go.¡±


    ¡°You should be grateful to him, not me.¡±


    After a moment, Sarah sighed softly, saying, ¡°Elvis is most likely still alive. If he were dead, he would


    havee to me in my dreams.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Your husband is capable, and so are your biological parents.¡±


    ¡°With their help, you¡¯ll be able to find him.¡±

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414


    Chapter 414 An Interesting Family


    She turned away from Cherise, trying to hold back the tears that were about to spill. ¡°By the Sky, Tay,


    and Grandma really liked the gifts you boughtst time.¡±


    ¡°They were grateful that you still remembered them.¡±


    She walked away as soon as she conveyed their gratitude.


    She was afraid that if she stayed, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back her tears.


    way,


    Cherise knelt on the ground and watched Sarah¡¯s silhouette as she walked away. ¡°Aunt Sarah¡­


    ¡°If I find Uncle Shaw¡­ I¡¯m willing to¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s save that forter.


    She continued to walk away, leaving behind only her cold and indifferent silhouette.


    Cherise knelt on the ground, her head bowed, overwhelmed with guilt and despair.


    ¡°Thank you for taking me in.¡±


    ¡°I will find Uncle Shaw.¡±


    In the car outside the Shaw vige.


    Sarah got into the car. ¡°Mr. Caldwell, I¡¯ve said what I needed to say. Can I go now?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Jacob leaned against the driver¡¯s seat and nced at Sarah. ¡°Aunt Sarah, I don¡¯t understand why you


    had to be so harsh to her.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s petite figure curled up in a corner, but her cries were drowned out by the rain.


    Sarah leaned against the car window and closed her eyes slowly. ¡°How else was I supposed to say


    it?


    ¡°You could have just told her that you haven¡¯t found another man and that you¡¯ve had a hard time


    taking care of Sky, Tay, and Grandma.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°The Cherise I know would offer to help.


    Sarah chuckled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden her,¡± she said solemnly.


    ¡°She has her own life. One day, she¡¯ll have her own children to take care of.¡±


    Jacob started the car. ¡°You¡¯re a fascinating family,¡±


    1/3


    ¡°I remember that people in this vige value filial children who can take care of their families. That way,


    they have someone to rely on when they¡¯re older.


    ¡°But now you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t want to burden Cherise.¡±


    *Please exin why you took Cherise in all these years.


    Sarah grinned as she stared out the window. ¡°Mr. Caldwell, I don¡¯t know if I should tell you


    Jacob smiled wryly. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I was going to say¡­


    Sarah red at him, her eyes shing with anger. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    this.¡±


    ¡°What does my decision to care for Cherise or her choice to take care of me have to do with you?


    ¡°I like this girl, so I cared for her like a pet. Does it bother you that I want her to have a good life?¡±


    ¡°Is it something you have to interfere in?¡±


    Jacob was stunned by her sudden outburst of anger.


    He shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Aunt Sarah, I understand this must have been difficult for you since I brought you here sote,


    knowing your husband is missing.


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t think I should be yelled at for it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just who I am!¡±


    Sarah rolled her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s enough talking! Take me home!¡±


    Jacob shook his head and pressed harder on the elerator.


    When they arrived at Sarah¡¯s house, Jacob handed her a letter. ¡°Damien asked me to give you


    this.


    ¡°I know you have your pride to protect, and you wouldn¡¯t want to be a burden to Cherise.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just lending you this money¡±


    ¡°Remember to repay him.¡±


    Jacobs drove away after giving her the money.


    Sarah¡¯s lips curled into a soft smile, with a trace of guilt shing in her eyes as she watched the car


    disappear into the night.


    2/3


    Elvis, I¡¯m sure Cherise will go find you now that I¡¯ve made it clear to her. You have to stay strong I¡¯ll


    wait for


    you.


    Sarah finally stopped sobbing after Sarah left.


    She looked into Damien¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want to find Uncle Shaw.¡±

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415


    Chapter 415 Bodyguard¡¯s Uniform


    Damien remainedposed and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Your uncle is now technically my uncle


    as well. We can search for him together.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cherise sniffled. ¡°When I went to the Wool Residence yesterday afternoon, Zachary assured


    me that my uncle wouldn¡¯t be in jail or dead. He promised to ensure his safety.¡±


    The youngdy then lifted her head and met Damien¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you think Zachary¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll obtain the CCTV footage from the airport.¡±


    Damien reached out and gently rubbed Cherise¡¯s head. ¡°You need to concentrate on your final


    semester exams.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you find your uncle once you¡¯re finished.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Cherise took a deep breath, her hands tightly clenched around Damien¡¯s neck as she


    considered her response. However, her mind went nk, and she fainted in his arms.


    ¡°If Elvis and Sarah had even a hint of wickedness in them, Cherise wouldn¡¯t have grown up so well.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Damien shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that a kind-hearted girl like Cherise ended up with such parents.¡±


    In front of him was the CCTV footage from the airport that Mr. Hampson had obtained.


    It showed Elvis, dressed in a bodyguard¡¯s uniform, following behind Zachary and Kareen as they


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    boarded a private jet prepared by Damien and Mandy.


    He had forgotten to consider that Mandy might not recognize Elvis.


    Mandy must have assumed that Elvis was simply a bodyguard!


    ¡°Since he¡¯s part of the Miles family, it will make things easier.¡±


    Lennon shook his head.


    ¡°The head of the Miles family is Charisaa. She¡¯s a shrewd negotiator.¡±


    There were numerous rumors surrounding Charisaa.


    It was said that she was the wife of a powerful man, but during a business trip with him, she fell into a


    trap set by his enemies.


    1/2


    That night, five or six men assaulted her.


    She experienced the most humiliating ordeal of her life.


    One of the men happened to be the head of the Miles family.


    Any person would have been devastated and lost hope after such a humiliation..


    But Charisaa was different.


    She divorced her previous husband and became Connor¡¯s lover.


    Initially, Connor knew that she sought revenge and kept her captive.


    However, she gained his trust through her innocent demeanor.


    Three yearster, she went from being Connor¡¯s prisoner to his wife.


    Within two more years, she had won his heart, and he willingly transferred his assets to her.


    Charisaa had Connor under her control. She forced him to step down as the head of the Miles family


    and took over the position herself.


    After Charisaa assumed control, Connor mysteriously disappeared.


    The other wealthy individuals who had conspired against her that night also vanished.


    From that point on, Charisaa became known as a cold and resilient woman.


    However, most people only knew her name. They had never seen her and were unaware of her birth


    name or who she was married to.


    ¡°She¡¯s an enigmatic woman.¡±

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416


    Chapter 416 She Had Never Seen Him Like This Before


    After hearing Charisaa¡¯s life story, Jacob couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Wow! She¡¯s one terrifying viin if


    she endured the things that would have broken others.¡±


    ¡°And Elvis has her daughter.¡±


    Lennon furrowed his brows and turned to Damien. ¡°Do you think she would let Elvis go if Cherise


    begged her to release him?¡±


    Damien closed his eyes, deep in thought. Im not sure.¡± As Cherise¡¯s husband, he didn¡¯t want her to


    ever have contact with such a person.


    Cherise had been running a fever all day. When she woke up the next day, she realized she only had


    one day left until her final exams started.


    Cherise was overwhelmed with thoughts about finding her uncle, and she couldn¡¯t focus on her exams.


    She even contemted skipping them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to study anymore.¡±


    She took a deep breath and pushed the pile of revision books onto the floor, scattering them


    everywhere.


    In the past, her studies had always been her top priority.


    Cherise knew that getting good grades would prove to her family that she was working hard and that


    they didn¡¯t need to worry about her.


    She always wanted her family to have a better life.


    When she started high school, her teacher told her she would have to study hard to escape her


    mediocre life and provide for her family.


    Cherise took this advice to heart, and for years, she had dedicated herself to her studies in order to


    give her family a better life.


    But now¡­


    Cherise couldn¡¯t even protect her family, nor could she return to the family she loved.


    ¡°Cherry!¡±


    Hearing the loud bang from the study, Damien burst through the door and pulled her into his embrace.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    His low, gentle voice brought tears to her eyes, and she struggled to maintain herposure. She bit


    her lip and looked directly into his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like studying anymore.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Damien forced a smile and hugged her tightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to take the exam, we won¡¯t.¡±


    He cupped her face, gazing intently into her eyes. ¡°Let me show you something.¡±


    Cherise nodded and leaned against his chest.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    He carried her to the other side of the study and gently ced her in a chair. He opened hisptop and


    showed her the footage of Zachary with Elvis.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t feel like taking the exam. I can take you to find Zachary right away.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she watched the CCTV footage.


    Uncle Shaw¡­


    She had never seen him like this before.


    All these years, she had only seen him in worn-out farmer¡¯s clothes.


    He only wore the clothes Aunt Sarah stitched or the overalls he bought from the market.


    This was the first time she had seen Elvis in a full-fledged bodyguard uniform.


    He wore a cap and exuded strength, looking nothing like theid-back uncle who enjoyed cracking


    jokes.


    Cherise¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists.


    So¡­ this was Uncle Shaw¡¯s true nature?


    He had only mentioned being in the army, never delving into his past.


    ¡°If my people had thoroughly investigated, your uncle was most likely Zachary¡¯s family¡¯s bodyguard,¡±


    Damien said, taking a deep breath and patting Cherise on the head. ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult to find him. Do


    you want to go now?¡±


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 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417


    Chapter 417 He Did It Intentionally


    Cherise nodded, understanding the situation. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s that simple.¡± She had initially expected finding her uncle to be as challenging as finding at


    needle in a haystack.


    ¡°Zachary never intended to hide it from you, Damien exined with a faint sigh as he leaned to the


    side, retrieving a cigarette from his pocket.


    ¡°When he came to Adania, he traveled with me on my ne. And when he left, he took a flight on


    Mandy¡¯s private jet to the Tanners.¡±


    ¡°Do you think someone like Zachary, heir to the Miles family, couldn¡¯t afford a ne ticket?¡± Damien


    inquired, raising an eyebrow.


    Cherise was taken aback, and her eyes automatically shifted towards Damien. 7So, you¡¯re saying¡­


    ¡°He did it intentionally,¡± Damien affirmed.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°He wanted both of us to know that he had arrived in Adania and took Elvis away.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°But what was his intention?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t figured that out yet,¡± Damien admitted with a hint of a smirk. ¡°But, Cherry, it¡¯s quite clearly a


    trap.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to go?¡± Cherise asked.


    Cherise turned her attention to theputer screen, watching Elvis as he departed with Zachary and


    Kareen¡¯s luggage. ¡°I¡¯m going. I don¡¯t know what Zachary is up to, but my uncle is with him. Even if it¡¯s a


    trap, I have to go,¡± Cherise said, her gaze unwavering,


    With determination in her voice, Cherise nced at Damien and added, ¡°Honey, you don¡¯t have to


    Cherise shook her head a secondter. ¡°Actually, never mind. I can handle it by myself. Though


    Zachary is a bit peculiar, I doubt he¡¯d resort to anything excessively harmful.¡±


    Damien took a deep breath, raised his head to gaze at her, and a hint of amusement danced in his


    eyes. ¡°What are you talking about? You are my wife, Cherry. Whatever happens, I will be there for you.


    You think I¡¯d let you handle all of this alone?¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned. She lifted her gaze to meet Damien¡¯s, her eyes glistening with


    unshed tears.


    Cherise sniffled and flung herself into Damien¡¯s arms, embracing his sturdy frame. ¡°My darling. you¡¯re


    the best!¡±


    1/2


    Damien smiled wryly, extinguishing his cigarette before affectionately pinching her cheek. ¡°So, are you


    sure you want to give up on your exams to search for your uncle?¡±


    Cherise bit her lower lip and remained silent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to influence your decision,¡± he continued in a deep, solemn voice.


    ¡°If you choose to skip the exams and look for your uncle, I can take you there tomorrow. Although, I


    believe if you approach your uncle with outstanding grades, he¡¯ll be even happier, Damien suggested.


    Cherise bit her lip. pondering for a moment.


    She recalled what Zachary had said over the phone when he left Adania.


    He said she had to bring top scores in all subjects to see him. If she fell short, he wouldn¡¯t meet her.


    Back then, she thought he was just making a silly and heartless joke. But she wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    Zachary was a person she couldn¡¯t quite understand, and she wondered if he had been serious. about


    his words.


    She looked up and regarded Damien with a crestfallen expression. ¡°But I¡¯ve only had less than a week


    to study¡­ And the exams are tomorrow¡­ I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Damien reassured her, tilting his head to nt a tender kiss on her forehead. ¡°You can do


    it.¡±


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 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418


    Chapter 418 Daughter Of Miles And Tanner.


    Cherise nervously bit her lip, her worry evident. ¡°But I¡¯m still afraid, I¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll study with you, alright?¡± Damien lifted her up and gently ced her on the desk, nting a soft kiss


    on her earlobe. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal-I¡¯ll quiz you on the book¡¯s contents. If you can¡¯t answer correctly, I¡¯ll


    give you a chance to continue studying and another test in the evening


    ¡°If you still can¡¯t answer correctly on the second test¡­ let me do it ten times. Does that sound fair to


    you?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly turned crimson. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°This way, you¡¯ll be motivated.¡± The man smirked as he kissed her and added, ¡°Ten times for each


    question. Let¡¯s see, I wonder how much practice I¡¯ll get tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to study!¡± The young girl hurriedly moved to the floor, gathering her books. She retorted,


    ¡°You rascal! I have an exam tomorrow, and you¡¯re thinking about these things!¡±


    Although Damien often teased Cherise for not being exceptionally bright, when it came to studying, she


    was genuinely quite adept. She had diligently sat in the study throughout the afternoon,mitting all


    the book¡¯s content to memory.


    After dinner, Damien settled on the study¡¯s carpet, holding her ss notes. He started a series of


    quizzes.


    Cherise reclined with her head resting on his thigh, stifling yawns as she answered all the questions


    with utmost uracy. Not a single mistake, not a single omission.


    Damien was mildly astonished. He reached out, pinching her fair cheek. ¡°You have such an impressive


    memory.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Cherise nodded proudly. ¡°Not only is my memory remarkable, but I¡¯m also exceptionally skilled in


    calction and logic.¡±


    She blushed a little, her lips pursed. ¡°But I still struggle to understand things sometimes..¡±


    ¡°My teacher always said that I had a natural aptitude for learning. But¡­¡± She pressed her lips. together.


    ¡°I aspire to be an outstanding cardiac surgeon, and simply relying on a strong learning capacity won¡¯t


    be enough.¡±


    Cherise sighed, her tone carrying a hint of sadness. ¡°I¡¯m only a freshman, and I haven¡¯t delved deeply


    into many specialized subjects yet. I¡¯m nervous about what lies ahead.¡± With that, the young girl took a


    deep breath and resumed reading her books.


    Damien wore a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ll be an exceptional cardiac surgeon. After all, she was the


    daughter of Charisaa Miles and Beckham Tanner.


    *Thank you, I¡¯ll strive for it!¡± Cherise beamed and nodded, then returned to her studies.


    1/2


    The following day was the final exams. Frances woke up early to prepare a special, extravagant


    breakfast for Cherise.


    ke watched as Frances arranged a spread of delicious dishes in front of Cherise and asked, ¡°Why is


    her breakfast so much more extravagant than mine?¡±


    ¡°Because Miss Cherise has an exam today!¡± Frances beamed and yfully tapped ke¡¯s head.


    ¡°Today is especially important, so Miss Cherise needs to enjoy a hearty meal to perform well!¡±


    ¡°I want it too.¡± ke persisted eagerly.


    Helplessly, Cherise pushed her breakfast towards ke and said. ¡°You can have anything you like.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really!?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Cherise grinned and nodded.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± The boy promptly moved Cherise¡¯s food to his side and eagerly began to dig into


    the feast.


    ¡°Miss Cherise, this¡­¡± Frances appeared somewhat sheepish. ¡°Should I fetch more¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Cherise smiled at Frances. ¡°It¡¯s just an exam; there¡¯s no need to overindulge. Are you not


    afraid I¡¯ll have a stomach ache in the exam room?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419


    Chapter 419 Prodigious Assassin


    Frances finally nodded in agreement and quietly stepped aside. Cherise enjoyed her breakfast while


    keeping a watchful eye on ke. She remembered her first encounter with ke when Nicky had


    This young man not only dealt a heavy blow to Nicky but also took him to the rooftop garden, almost


    throwing him over the edge¡­


    During that initial encounter, Cherise¡¯s impression of ke was nothing but fear and cruelty. However,


    over time, she came to realize that he was actually a simple and endearing boy.


    On the way to school, Cherise asked Damien about ke.


    ¡°He was taken into the assassin organization at a young age and treated like ab rat. He had training


    but no friends, which is why he appears the way he does now,¡± Damien exined as he drove, gripping


    the steering wheel with his hands and a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Why this sudden. interest in ke?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s lips tightened. ¡°ke used to be¡­ an assassin?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Damien continued to drive with an unceasing grin. ¡°A prodigious assassin.¡±


    ¡°Three years ago, when he was ten, he could ruthlessly eliminate trained attack dogs at the assassin


    base. So the organization tried to have him assassinate people.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.


    A ten-year-old¡­ taking lives¡­.


    ¡°I was his initial target and his ultimate one. Damien looked forward, the unrestrained grin revealing


    itself. ¡°Those who sent him to kill me probably assumed I was blind and had limited. mobility.¡±


    To any trained assassin, I was an easy target. That¡¯s why they sent ke to assassinate me, thinking a


    single, young, and trained assassin would be enough to take my life. But ke not only spared my life,


    he became part of my team.¡±


    Cherise was speechless with shock. She had always sensed that ke was different from other


    children and possessed immense power. However, she never imagined that ke, who stayed by


    Damien¡¯s side, had such a backstory¡­.


    ¡°Is it really that astonishing?¡± Damien parked the car and helplessly looked at Cherise. There are even


    more staggering and legendary stories than this. If you want to hear more, I can gradually tell you.¡±


    Cherise quickly waved her hand. ¡°No, I don¡¯t-I don¡¯t want to hear anymore.¡±


    ke was one of the few people closest to her, yet she remained oblivious to the details of his


    1/2


    past¡­.


    Cherise had a feeling that the stories of the other people might be even more absurd. However, she


    preferred not to delve too deeply into such matters. She feared that hearing these stories. would


    dampen her zest for life.


    So, Cherise took a deep breath, swung open the car door, and grinned at Damien. ¡°I¡¯m off. Good luck


    to me!¡±


    Without waiting for his response, she grabbed her backpack and dashed onto the school campus.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Damien stood in ce, watching her disappearing form with a helpless smile on his face.


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but worry that if a small tale about ke¡¯s history was already challenging. to


    ept, coping with the harsh reality of her biological parents¡¯ shared history and the fact that they


    would never reconcile in this lifetime would be even harder.


    The man subtly shook his head. When the girl¡¯s dwindling silhouette finally vanished from his view, he


    returned to the car.


    As soon as he closed the car door, his phone started ringing. It was a call from Lennon. ¡°Damien,


    someone has arrived at thepany.


    ¡°Who?¡± He knew Lennon¡¯s judgment well. If the person in question wasn¡¯t of great importance, Lennon


    wouldn¡¯t have urgently contacted him.


    2/2

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420


    Chapter 420 A Heart-to-heart With Mr. Lenoir


    ¡°Maeve,¡± Lennon began, taking a deep breath. ¡°She wants to meet you, and I mentioned that today


    might not be very convenient for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Did she say anything else?¡± Damien inquired.


    Lennon replied grimly, ¡°She insisted that if you don¡¯t appear before her within an hour, she¡¯ll head to


    Cherise¡¯s school and disclose your rtionship to everyone¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll head back right away.¡± Damien closed his eyes briefly, and his hand holding the phone. trembled


    slightly. The dreaded day had finally arrived.


    Cherise spent the entire day taking her exams. After finishing herst test in the evening, she stretched


    She wrapped her arms around Cherise. ¡°Lennon just messaged me. He said that after your exams


    tonight, don¡¯t rush back home. First, head to Lenoir Manor


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°The Lenoirs?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lucy scratched her head, not entirelyprehending Lennon¡¯s message. ¡°He mentioned. that


    you should have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Seems like something has happened to Damien, and they need Mr. Lenoir¡¯s help to resolve it.¡±


    ¡°Given Damien¡¯s strained rtionship with Mr. Lenoir, they want you to step in.¡±


    After a brief consideration, Cherise nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Lennon was Damien¡¯s best friend, and he wouldn¡¯t deceive her. Furthermore, Damien¡¯s character was


    such that even if he faced difficulties, he wouldn¡¯t seek assistance from Mr. Lenoir. Winning the favor of


    his elders required her intervention.


    After bidding Lucy farewell, the young woman hailed a taxi to Lenoir Manor.


    On her way there, she passed by a clothing store. Cherise nced down at her usual attire-jeans and a


    white T-shirt. Deciding to make an impression, she asked the driver to stop by a boutique and changed


    into a modest and sweet ensemble.


    A long pink skirt and a white chiffon blouse made her appear endearing and delightful.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be returning homete tonight.¡±


    Cherise, having finally turned on her phone for the first time that day, received a message from


    Damien. She stared at the screen momentarily, her lips pursed in contemtion.


    So, something profound had indeed transpired, something beyond resolution?


    1/2


    Otherwise, Damien wouldn¡¯t have informed her at noon that he¡¯d be home veryte.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    After closing the chat, Cherise hesitated momentarily but dialed Lennon¡¯s number.


    ¡°What happened to Damien that he couldn¡¯t handle it alone?¡±


    ¡°His sister¡­¡± Lennon shut his eyes. ¡°His sister came to thepany.


    As he spoke, Lennon heaved a sigh. ¡°In any case, Cherry, after you have that heart-to-heart with Mr.


    Lenoir, let him know that Damien¡¯s sister has caused amotion at thepany.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir will know what to do. Remember, don¡¯t divulge anything else!¡±


    Cherise nodded, taking his words to heart.


    However, what she hadn¡¯t anticipated was encountering someone she wished to avoid as soon as she


    arrived at Lenoir Manor¡¯s gate-Tristan.


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this little Cherry?¡± Tristan stood with his arms crossed, eyeing Cherise, d in a long pink


    skirt, his gaze growing more sinister.


    Tristan hadn¡¯t seen her in a while, and Cherise seemed to have gained some weight. The parts of her


    that were already plump were even more tempting to his eyes.


    He sauntered closer to Cherise, wearing a cold smile. ¡°Where¡¯s Damien? Wasn¡¯t he apanying


    you?¡±


    ¡°Did youe alone?¡± The grin on his face widened, causing Cherise¡¯s face to turn pale.


    She had crossed paths with Tristan less than ten times before, but each encounter left her with


    unpleasant memories.


    Taking a deep breath, she bypassed him and made her way toward the entrance. ¡°I¡¯vee to see


    grandfather.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421


    Chapter 421 Lurking In The Dark


    Cherise walked confidently towards the vi, her footsteps resounding in the quiet air.


    The footsteps behind her grew closer and more urgent.


    Cherise quickened her pace as her heart pounded in her chest.


    She knew she was insignificant in the mansion; even her husband, Damien, held no power within those


    walls.


    Without Mr. Kolson, no one could speak up for her; she had to rely solely on herself.


    Cherise hurried through the floral pathway of the Lenoir Residence.


    Her racing heart finally calmed as she reached the entrance of the Lenoir Residence. She hade


    this far; surely, she was safe now¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    As she pondered, the footsteps behind her suddenly stopped. In the next moment, her whole body was


    violently jerked backward as her backpack was yanked-


    Cherise found herself in Tristan¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    She cried, struggling against his grip with all her might.


    She had been cautious but never expected that Tristan would dare to touch her as soon as she


    stepped foot in the mansion¡¯s living room!


    *Shut up! Why are you screaming?


    Tristan nervously covered her mouth, swiftly dragging her into a corner of the small garden. ¡°I finally


    caught you alone. Did you think I would let you go?¡±


    ¡°That blind man has been interfering thest few times, and it angered me!¡±


    Cherise struggled and yelped as she bit his hand. Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Do you conveniently forget the promise you madest time? If you touch me again-


    Tristan seethed with suppressed rage as he remembered the past incident.


    With a swift motion, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding p. ¡®Smack!¡¯ The sound echoed


    through the air. ¡°You dare mention thatst time?¡± he growled.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Acting all innocent and virtuous in front of me every damn time!¡± he spat, his voice filled with


    1/3


    contempt.


    ¡°And what happened? It made the headlines, almost resulting in someone else¡¯s child!¡±


    Cherise was left dazed, seeing stars from the intensity of his blows.


    Despite the pounding in her head, Tristan¡¯s scornful and condemning voice continued to ring in her


    ears.


    Cherise clenched her teeth. ¡°That was fake news!¡±


    Lennon


    ¡°I never had anything with Lennon¡­ so keep your hands off me!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So? What¡¯s your excuse now?¡±


    With a sneer, Damiennded another brutal p. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯re already tainted. What harm


    would it do if I had my turn?¡±


    He tore Cherise¡¯s dress apart, his hands ruthless and relentless.


    ¡°Tristan!¡± Cherise seethed.


    Cherise gritted her teeth and pleaded, ¡°Think about the consequences of your actions!¡±


    1.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about consequences. So what?¡± Tristan¡¯sughter was hollow as his eyes burned with


    malice.


    He let out a chillingugh. ¡°Oh, Cherise, you might not know,¡± he sneered, ¡°but Damien took that huge


    contract from your precious Shaw Group for you. Well, it backfired. The quality of the clothing he


    provided was poor, and he got caught.¡±


    Cherise stood there in shock. She felt her stomach drop, and her knuckles turned white. How could this


    happen?


    Did the problems that Lennon mentioned today rte to thepany¡¯s current issues?


    Tristan¡¯s contemptuousughter filled the air. ¡°Surprised, Cherise? Let me enlighten you. My father and


    I were the masterminds behind this chaos,¡± he snickered.


    ¡°After we signed the cooperation contracts with you, most of the profits went into your pocket. We were


    barely breaking even in our business with you,¡± Tristan sniggered, his words filled with disdain.


    ¡°So, what did we do? We resorted to producing low-quality goods. Then, we switched these items with


    the ones you shipped from your factory. During inspections, the faulty products would naturally be


    traced back to yourpany while ours remained untouched.¡±


    2/3


    empire is on the verge of copse. There¡¯s no escaping it now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be better off with me. I could give you all the luxuries you desire. I¡¯d treat you like a queen!¡± he


    sneered.


    He then reached out, intending to continue tearing Cherise¡¯s dress off.


    ¡°Stop!¡±

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422


    Chapter 422 Whispers Of Vengeance


    A cold, resolute voice cut through the air.


    This voice¡­


    Instinctively, Cherise followed the sound and looked in its direction-


    In the distance, Lennon held a video camera, capturing the unfolding scene.


    ¡°Tristan, I¡¯ve recorded everything. There¡¯s no escape,¡± Damien confronted.


    Cherise was taken aback, her eyes darting between the camera in Lennon¡¯s hands and the thundering


    rage on Tristan¡¯s face. It finally dawned on her¨Cshe understood what was happening-


    Tristan, too, realized the seriousness of the situation. His face twisted with anger, and he was


    ovee with sudden fury as he delivered a resounding p across Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°You betrayed


    me!¡± He bellowed.


    She felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her momentarily paralyzed.


    Her legs weakened, causing her to stumble towards a nearby pir. Lennon acted swiftly, extending his


    other hand to prevent her from crashing into it.


    Amidst themotion, Old Mr. Lenoir, supported by Mr. Hampson, emerged.


    He quickly assessed Cherise¡¯s red and disheveled appearance, then looked at Tristan and understood


    the situation.


    ¡°You despicable beast!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s voice thundered. He fiercely banged his cane, instructing Mr.


    Hampson, ¡°Take him away and whip him until he¡¯s silenced!¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± A cold voice interrupted.


    Lennon put away the camera with a faint smirk. ¡°It¡¯s Tristan¡¯s affair with Damien¡¯s wife, so Damien


    should handle it, right?¡±


    ¡°Instructing him now might backfire. If Damien isn¡¯t satisfied with your punishment, will Tristan bear the


    Old Mr. Lenoir snorted and leveled a fierce re at Lennon. The matters of the Lenoir family are none


    of your business!¡±


    Lennon met the stare head-on and retorted defiantly. ¡°Well, here I am, intervening anyway.¡±


    Lennon smiled faintly. ¡°Old man, perhaps you¡¯re not aware,¡± he began, ¡°I¡¯m not only the child that the


    Belcourt family adopted; I¡¯m also Damien¡¯s business partner and his closest friend.¡±


    ¡°Closest friend?¡±


    1/2


    Old Mr. Lenoir scoffed, repeating those words. His cold eyes stared at Lennon and remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t


    see that friendship between you two.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t assume I¡¯m oblivious,¡± the old man continued, his voiceced with sarcasm. ¡°You undoubtedly


    exploited Cherise¡¯s trust in you, lured her here, and set up this scheme, baiting Tristan into the trap.


    ¡°I know Cherise better than you think. Even if you wanted her to participate in this n of yours, she


    might not have agreed.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s words left Cherise stunned; her hands clenched silently at her sides.


    Her heart swelled, and tears glistened in her eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected¡­ Old Mr. Lenoir¡­ to defend


    her.


    Previously, Damien had told her that Old Mr. Lenoir knew about the incident with her uncle Elvis.


    Yet he still spoke up for his stubborn daughter. It shocked her.


    Tristan sneered coldly and gritted his teeth. ¡°Hmph, old man, if you knew he plotted against me, why hit


    me?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir shot Tristan a sharp re, silencing him instantly before he could finish his


    sentence.


    Lennon merely offered a faint and sardonic smile. ¡°Impressive observation, sir.¡±


    ¡°I did all this merely to resolve Damien¡¯s issues, he exined calmly.


    ¡°Since I brought Cherise here, I won¡¯t allow her to suffer in vain.


    A cold snort escaped Old Mr. Lenoir, but he remained silent.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°In light of your grandson¡¯s mistreatment of your granddaughter-inw, Lennon continued, his voice


    weary, ¡°it¡¯s crucial to gather the family and find a resolution. And then there¡¯s Maeve; she has been


    meddling in the Lenoir family affairs for years. I doubt she feels any familial connection to the Lenoirs


    anymore.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir narrowed his eyes, carefully considering Lennon¡¯s words.


    2/2

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423


    Chapter 423 Maeve¡¯s Vengeful Return


    Old Mr. Lenoir let out a deep sigh and thenmanded Greg, ¡°Gather everyone back.¡±


    Greg turned around and headed back to the living room. ¡°Pleasee inside, everyone.¡±


    Twenty minutester, the members of the Lenoir family arrived.


    Tristan¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared in shock at the woman before him; her face was so contorted it


    barely resembled a human. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡±


    ¡°A monster!¡±


    ¡°She scared the life out of me!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Maeve chuckled softly, wheeling her wheelchair and deliberately spinning it a couple of times in front of


    Tristan. ¡°I remember when we were kids, you used to enjoy ying with me, cousin.¡±


    Tristan was so shocked that he nearly fell to the ground.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re Maeve?¡± he stammered.


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    The woman replied indifferently, stopping beside the sofa and ncing at Cherise¡¯s pale face.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be dead?¡±


    Tristan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re alive?¡± he gasped.


    ¡°What? My beloved cousin isn¡¯t happy that I¡¯m alive?¡±


    Maeve said with a faint smile. ¡°Well, I can understand.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too happy that I¡¯m still alive,¡± Maeve said icily.


    ¡°Everyone seems to think that all of the Lenoir wealth belongs exclusively to the Lenoir members,¡± she


    continued.


    ¡°Neither I, my brother, nor my parents canpete with you for it.¡±


    Wanda stood next to her and rolled her eyes contemptuously. ¡°Maeve, considering the state of your


    throat, perhaps it¡¯s wise to keep your words to a minimum¡±


    ¡°Your face might be terrifying, but at least your voice still works.¡±


    ¡°Keep babbling, and I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll lose the ability to speak in the future,¡± Wanda continued


    1/3


    derisively.


    Maeve scoffed, ¡°Aunt Wanda worries too much.¡±


    ¡°Even if you die, I won¡¯t lose my speaking ability


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s frown deepened upon hearing the biting, cold sarcasm.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Old Mr. Lenoir bellowed.


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s cane struck the ground with a resounding thud. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for so


    many years!¡±


    ¡°Yet every time we meet, it turns into an argument! Every single time!¡±


    ¡°Well, Grandpa, you should know I never wanted to see her in the first ce.¡±


    Maeve sniggered coldly.


    Wanda rolled her eyes. ¡°I second that!¡±


    As the two women argued vehemently, Damien sat gently beside Cherise, delicately applying a


    medicinal solution to the swollen red marks on her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir sighed and handed the chip that Lennon had given him via Greg. ¡°y this,¡± he ordered.


    Greg nodded.


    Soon, the enormous curved television screen in front of them lit up, disying the earlier scene in the


    courtyard where Tristan had ruthlessly pped Cherise three times.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    He even came close to stripping her dress off


    His words alone could provide a solution to the problems the Shaw Group was currently facing.


    Raymond¡¯s face turned sickly pale as the recorded footage yed, and slow fury consumed him.


    He gritted his teeth and red hotly at Tristan. ¡°Get on your knees!¡±


    Tristan rolled his eyes, snarled, and begrudgingly knelt down..


    To him, it was just a few ps and touches on Cherise.


    Was all this fuss necessary?


    ¡®p, p, p,¡¯ the room echoed with the slow and chilling apuse.


    2/3


    It was Macve.


    ¡°Cousin, your straightforwardness never fails to amuse,¡± she sneered.


    Her icy gaze then settled on Raymond, who stood before her. ¡°Uncle Raymond, do you have anything


    else to say?¡±


    Raymond¡¯s face nched, and his voice faltered as he felt bile rising. ¡°I¡­ About this matter¡­¡± he


    stammered.


    Throughout the day, Raymond had been discussing the incident with Damien and Maeve.


    Despite his efforts, the oues were far from satisfactory.


    Now, Tristan had revealed everything.


    He lowered his head and said solemnly, ¡°Raetec Group epts responsibility for our actions in


    this matter,¡±


    ¡°We aremitted topensating for your losses and¡­¡±


    ¡°We seek more than just Raetec Group, a voice interjected.

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424


    Chapter 424 Legacy In mes


    ¡°Uncle Raymond,¡± Maeve¡¯s cold voice cut through the tension. ¡°I have discovered that despite your


    supposed partnership with Raetec Group and Dame, you secretly used the assets of the Lenoir family


    that were inherited from Grandpa.¡±


    Her icy stare bore into him, and she said sternly, ¡°You have two options, Uncle. First, willingly sever all


    connections with the Lenoir family, publicly admit to every action you have taken, and ensure that from


    now on, your affairs will have no association with ours.¡±


    ¡°The other choice,¡± Maeve¡¯s lips curled into a malicious smile. Still, her voice remained cold, ¡°is to


    release this footage, exposing you, your Raetec Group, and the entire Lenoir family legacy, effectively


    destroying everything that has been built.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s eyes widened in shock and trembled in fury. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°Maeve, the Lenoir family is our blood, sweat, and tears, for which we work so hard!¡± Raymond


    pleaded.


    She shrugged and replied dismissively, ¡°Watch me. The legacy of the Lenoir family might have been


    your heart and soul, but I intend to shatter it into pieces.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, even if you choose the first path,¡± Maeve¡¯s voice turned venomous, ¡°I will still destroy


    the Lenoir Group, piece by wretched piece.¡±


    ¡°Consider what has been done to secure the Lenoir Group¡¯s legacy.¡± Maeve sniggered callously.


    ¡°I ammitted to watching it crumble, slowly and painfully. There is no sweeter satisfaction than


    witnessing its demise.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s words hung heavily in the air, leaving everyone in the Lenoir Residence speechless.


    Cherise stared at Maeve, and her jaw tightened as a bone-chilling realization settled in her chest.


    Cherise had long suspected that Raymond, Damien¡¯s uncle, was responsible for destroying Damien¡¯s


    parents and sister in the past. Although Tristan had distanced himself from the Lenoir Group, Cherise


    was aware of the immense importance of the family legacy built over generations. by the Lenoir family.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The revtion sent shivers down her spine, and a sinister aura loomed over the room.


    Damien had revealed to her how deeply his parents cherished the legacy, aspiring to enhance the


    reputation of the Lenoir family.


    However, every word from Maeve¡¯s lips was now aimed at destroying the Lenoir family¡¯s legacy.


    It was solely because of Raymond¡¯s insatiable greed that she intended to eradicate everything.


    This seemed rational and usible at first.


    1/2


    Yet, the Lenoir Group was not at fault.


    Its millions of employees were innocent bystanders.


    As were the other members of the Lenoir family entangled in this unfortunate situation.


    Why should the sins of one, Raymond, lead to the shattering of countless lives and dreams?


    Old Mr. Lenoir¡¯s brows knitted in concern. ¡°Maeve, is this level of cruelty truly necessary?¡±


    ¡°Cruelty?¡± Maeve¡¯sughter dripped with malice. ¡°I don¡¯t see it that way.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I know exactly what kind of person you are,¡± she sneered.


    ¡°I must ask, why has the Lenoir family withered away over the years?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because infighting is a cherished tradition within our family?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you also scheme against your brother to inherit this legacy of the Lenoir family?¡± she sneered,


    her eyes cold and calcting. ¡°When my parents fell victim to Uncle Raymond¡¯s schemes, you didn¡¯t lift


    a finger, did you?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir frowned, and his gaze fixed sharply on Maeve. His voice turned icy and distant. ¡°Is that


    how you see it?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± she replied indignantly.


    Maeve let out a bitterugh. ¡°Uncle Raymond conspired with outsiders to tamper with my parents¡¯ car


    and hired a fugitive to ram arge truck into them. I have thoroughly investigated every detail of that


    incident.¡±


    ¡°And then,¡± she continued, her voice turning colder, ¡°when Uncle Raymond discovered I had uncovered


    his scheme, he arranged an arson, hoping to silence me for good, to cover his tracks.


    ¡°Do you think saving me through a staged death gives you control over my loyalty?¡± She taunted, each


    word sharper than thest.


    The relentless barrage of questions left Old Mr. Lenoir speechless as his fingers tightened around the


    cane.


    She continued mirthlessly. ¡°Now, I want topletely destroy this Lenoir Group.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425


    Chapter 425 Beyond Broken Ties


    ¡°In the future, there will be no more disputes, no more rivalry. Everyone can go their separate ways;


    wouldn¡¯t that be great?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Lennon, standing nearby, shook his head with a faint smile and jeered, ¡°Even if you destroy Lenoir


    Group, what then?¡±


    ¡°In the future, even if you and Dame manage to rebuild a thriving business, can you guarantee that


    your descendants won¡¯t tear each other apart for the spoils?¡± Maeve retorted; her gaze was sharp and


    cold.


    ¡°The downfall of the Lenoir Group doesn¡¯t rest on the shoulders of the organization itself but on the


    twisted ambitions of the Lenoir family members.¡±


    Maeve red at Lennon. ¡°Why do you care?¡±


    ¡°Frankly, it¡¯s none of my business,¡± he said casually.


    Lennon shifted into a morefortable position on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m merely disturbed witnessing the


    annihtion of a once esteemed and respected establishment, all because of your impetuous


    vendetta.¡±


    She hurried to thepany early in the morning, determined to meet Damien and make himply


    with her demands. She intended to exploit Raymond¡¯s recent mistakes, exacerbate the situation, and


    involve the entire Lenoir Group.


    Although it was a minor case involving counterfeit goods, she believed that sensationalizing it could


    tarnish the reputation of the Lenoir Group.


    Lennon noticed the divergent problem-solving approaches of Damien and Maeve.


    In the past, Damien had once proposed holding the Lenoir Group ountable for his parents¡± tragic


    fate.


    But as time unfolded, his perspective changed.


    He hoped for the truth to surface so Raymond could face the consequences he deserved and perhaps


    find redemption for being too weak to save them when he was younger.


    Yet, Maeve remained stubborn to destroy it all.


    ¡°What happened with your parents back then¡­


    Raymond closed his eyes and let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°If I were to im innocence, I¡¯m certain you


    wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°But that incident¡­¡±


    He let out a bitterugh and looked up at Maeve, ¡°Maeve, thirteen years ago, you tried to tarnish my


    name with baseless usations, hoping to make me pay for what happened to your parents.¡±


    ¡°I did not expect you to still hold onto that hatred from the past.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I misled your mother, convincing her to transfer her shares to my name.¡±


    ¡°But I never intended to harm anyone, Raymond said in remorse.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Maeve¡¯s grip tightened on the wheelchair¡¯s handles; her voice trembled in fury. ¡°It¡¯s been years, Uncle


    Raymond. Your insistence won¡¯t resurrect the past.¡±


    She fixed her steely gaze on him. ¡°Think logically. Who had a motive to kill my parents, if not you?¡±


    Old Mr. Lenoir remained silent.


    After a pregnant pause, he sighed, ncing at Damien, who was tenderly attending to Cherise¡¯s


    wounds. ¡°Damien, what¡¯s your take on this?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say much. You have the upper hand.


    Damien nonchntly ced the object he held aside and delicately wiped the corner of Cherise¡¯s


    mouth. ¡°Will my words ever matter to any of you?¡±


    Nobody in the Lenoir family had acknowledged him ever since he was a little boy.


    Not his grandfather, nor his uncle and aunt¡­


    Not even the household staff.


    Since Maeve¡¯s passing, he had felt like a forsaken child carrying the weight of loneliness in a world


    where the only person willing to listen had vanished.


    But now, Damien realized that it had all been his wishful thinking.


    Not even Maeve had ever truly valued his opinions.


    Having built his own sessful business, he could challenge the influence of the Lenoir family and the


    power tomand obedience.


    Yet, he remained utterly insignificant in the eyes of his family.


    Even after spending an entire day exining to his sister that evidence and a personal apology from


    Uncle Raymond were needed to rectify the past, that obliterating the Lenoir Group was not the solution.


    Yet, his words were brushed aside.


    2/3


    Especially Maeve, who was not willing to hear him out.

 Chapter 426

    Chapter 426


    Chapter 426 An Eye For An Eye


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply disappointed. He had always believed that his sister, his closest


    confidante, would understand his inner turmoil and despair. However, she remainedpletely


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    unaware of his struggles. All she cared about was seeking vengeance and making the entire Lenoir


    Group pay for their parents¡¯ demise.


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Old Mr. Lenoir sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on Damien. ¡°I just want to know,


    what¡¯s your n now?¡±


    ¡°Will you listen to me?¡± Damien scoffed lightly, cing the object in his hand on the table. He stared at


    Old Mr. Lenoir with continued hostility. ¡°I do have my own ideas.¡±


    He nced at the curved television screen before him andmanded, ¡°Retrieve the records.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Damien quickly retrieved the video footage from his phone.


    These files contained the footage where Tristan had solemnly pledged to never harm Cherise again.


    ¡°Tristan had made it clear that if heid a finger on Cherise again, he¡¯d rip out his own eyes.¡± A stone-


    cold gaze fixed on Raymond. ¡°Uncle Raymond, I present you with two options. Either surrender the


    Lenoir Group to me willingly¡­¡±


    ¡°Or,¡± his tone turned sinister, ¡°An eye for an eye. Tristan, experience eternal darkness.¡±


    A chilling silence fell over the entire mansion.


    Wanda stood up abruptly, shielding her precious son behind her. ¡°No one touches my son¡¯s eyes!¡±


    ¡°Damien, her voice cracked with fury, ¡°you¡¯re heartless! It was just a minor incident with your foolish


    wife, and you dare demand my son¡¯s eyes!¡±


    ¡°I-1¡ä¡ä


    ¡°Uncle Raymond, Damien interrupted, lifting his gaze to meet Raymond¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a choice.


    ¡°If you agree to hand over the Lenoir Group to me and pledge never to target it again, I will spare


    Tristan¡¯s eyes this time,¡± Damien stated coldly.


    ¡°But if you choose to destroy Tristan¡¯s eyes,¡± he continued, his voice taking on a chilling edge, ¡°l will


    focus my wrath on your brainchild, the Ractec Group. I will withdraw frompeting with the Lenoir


    Group, and your precious Raetec Group will bear the brunt of my fury.¡±


    ¡°Maeve wants to obliterate the Lenoir Group, and you want to salvage it. That¡¯s your battle. I¡¯m out,¡± he


    dered.


    1/2


    ¡°Damien!¡± Maeve hissed through gritted teeth, her voice barely audible.


    In the absence of her ally, Mandy, and with Damien refusing to support her, she found herself at a loss


    in confronting Raymond.


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Damien sighed, rubbing his temples and pulling Cherise closer. ¡°I simply want to have


    a peaceful life.¡±


    ¡°The decision is yours, Uncle Raymond, he continued.


    Raymond stood frozen, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.


    He nced at Damien and then at Tristan, whom Wanda shielded. His jaw clenched tightly. ¡°Damien,


    can I trust your words?¡±


    Damien nodded, hisrge hand gently patting Cherise¡¯s back. ¡°You have my word.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Raymond said.


    Raymond took a deep breath, reached out, and picked up the scissors from the coffee table. He moved


    slowly, heading in Wanda¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Dad-1¡± Tristan screamed in terror, and his knee began to jerk.


    Wanda, too, went berserk, clutching Tristan¡¯s head protectively in her arms. Her face was pale with


    fear.


    ¡°Enough, Raymond!¡± she shrieked.


    ¡°He¡¯s our flesh and blood!¡±


    ¡°Even if we forsake the entire legacy of the Lenoir Group, we¡¯re still a family!¡±


    ¡°If you destroy Tristan, I¡¯ll have nothing to live for!¡±


    Raymond narrowed his eyes, and a flicker of agony crossed his gaze.


    Yet, his grip on the scissors remained firm..


    He walked steadily toward Mandy, his voice firm, ¡°Tristan, everything I have is yours.¡±


    ¡°Just the eyes¡­¡±


    If he couldn¡¯t see, then so be it.


    Tristancked the necessary intelligence to inherit his empire anyway.


    2/2

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427


    Chapter 427 Eye For An Eye


    Tristan¡¯s eyes were a small price to pay for gaining a worthy opponent like Damien.


    ¡°Dad will take care of you in the future.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s voice was low andforting. He sounded like the most loving of fathers.


    But he was about tomit the cruelest act in the world.


    All of Lenoir Group¡¯s businesses had to be his.


    Raymond knew there was no turning back ever since he leaked his brother and sister-inw¡¯s personal


    information thirteen years ago.


    He was too far gone to consider turning back now.


    He had only one goal in mind, and nothing would stop him from achieving it.


    Raymond was the true heir to the Lenoir Group. Everything belonging to his father would be his and his


    alone!


    ¡°Dad-!¡±


    Tristan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and swollen with tears. A man turning thirty was crying like a child,


    ¡°Dad.¡±


    ¡°Aargh!!¡±


    Damien shielded Cherise¡¯s eyes the moment blood started sttering.


    Cherise did not see anything.


    But the metallic smell in the air and Tristan¡¯s screams of agonizing pain made her chest tighten


    painfully as if a hand was gripping her heart tightly.


    Damien took a ck silk handkerchief from his pocket and blindfolded Cherise. Holding her tightly, he


    said, ¡°Uncle Raymond has made his decision.¡±


    ¡°And I always keep my word.¡±


    Damien sighed and said, ¡°Lennon, call Jacob. Let me know when you¡¯re finished.¡±


    Lennon turned pale. He quickly nodded.


    Damien picked Cherise up and walked out the door..


    Even though Cherise was still blindfolded, her eyes were tightly closed for fear of seeing something.


    1/3


    As a medical student, she shouldn¡¯t be afraid of gore.


    But that was too much for her.


    She couldn¡¯t bear to watch.


    Even though Tristan had hurt her, she couldn¡¯t bear to watch him¡­..


    Damien cradled her gently in his arms and carried her to the car.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re safe¡­¡±


    Hiding in Damien¡¯s arms, Cherise asked, ¡°Is¡­ Is this what your family is like?¡±


    Damien squeezed her hand.


    It took him a few more minutes to respond. Damienughed bitterly and nodded.


    ¡°This is what the Lenoir family is like.¡±


    Cherise nodded. Her teeth were chattering.


    She now understood why Damien had pretended to be blind and weak for so long.


    The Lenoirs¡­ They were ruthless.


    When she was a child, she often heard the saying, ¡®Even tigers don¡¯t eat their young


    The saying meant that even tigers, known for their brutality, would not harm their cubs.


    But¡­


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but imagine Raymond stalking towards Tristan with scissors in his hand.


    The Lenoirs were cruel and immoral creatures, even worse than animals.


    Back then, if Damien, who had no family or power, hadn¡¯t pretended to be blind or stupid.


    Then he would have¡­.


    Cherise squeezed Damien¡¯s hands tightly. ¡°Will you be like this too?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien held her even tighter. ¡°I scared you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it.¡±


    2/3


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°From today onwards, we will have nothing to do with the Lenoirs¡±


    Raymond had taken the lives of Damien + parents. In return, Damien took his son¡¯s eye


    The debt has been settled


    He didn¡¯t want to pureur in and fight them any longer


    They didn¡¯t care about anyone except themselors. They carries quickly


    But he was different


    Damien pulled Cherise towards him


    He had things he couldn¡¯t afford to love and people he wanted ns keep cafic


    ??


    Damien


    Lennon called from outside the car


    His face was serious as he tapped on the window

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428


    Chapter 428 Do Not Mess With Cherise


    Damien raised his head slowly and gave Lennon a cold look. He gently released his arm from around


    Cherise and said, ¡°Let Mr. Kolson take you home, alright?¡±


    ¡°I have some matters to attend to.¡±


    Cherise nodded and hugged herself. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    Damien kissed her forehead and stepped out of the car.


    The car started moving.


    Cherise curled up in the backseat and remained still.


    Fear grew in her chest. Strange and unsettling images flooded her mind¡­


    Damien watched until Cherise¡¯s car disappeared from his view.


    Once it was gone, he turned back to Lennon. He clenched his fist and punched Lennon in the face.


    Lennon staggered to the side.


    He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. ¡°Was that really necessary? Cherry wasn¡¯t even hurt.¡±


    Damien had spent the entire day in a confrontation with Danielle at the


    Danielle wanted to destroy the Lenoir Group.


    While Damien only wanted Raymond to face consequences.


    The two of them argued all day but couldn¡¯t reach a resolution.


    That¡¯s why Lennon decided to use Cherise as bait to trap Tristan and disrupt theplicated.


    rtionships within the Lenoir family.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, Lennon didn¡¯t inform Damien about his n to use Cherise.


    But even so, he kept a close watch on Cherise since she left school.


    He knew how much Damien cherished her and made sure she didn¡¯t suffer much.


    ¡°What if Tristan had targeted Lucy instead?¡±


    ¡°What if Lucy was the one pped by Tristan?¡±


    1/2


    Damien grabbed Lennon by the cor, his eyes filled with rage. ¡°Do you think you could have stayed


    calm?¡±


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    Lennon frowned, grabbing the hand on his cor. ¡°I thought you would realize it was a setup.¡±


    ¡°Cherise didn¡¯t experience much harm!¡±


    ¡°But if I hadn¡¯t involved her, would you and Danielle have resolved your conflict without fighting?¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for what I did, would you have peacefully stepped back?¡±


    Damien red at Lennon, refusing to let go.


    Lennon took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve barely given any thought to the


    situation with your family!¡±


    ¡°All your attention is focused on Cherise!¡±


    ¡°How much work have you done for thepany recently?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t neglected your responsibilities, Raymond wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to do


    this!¡±


    ¡°Cherise is all that¡¯s on your mind. Your sister noticed it too. That¡¯s why she took control of the


    Damien narrowed his eyes.


    Lennon took a deep breath. ¡°Cherise has gained a lot.¡±


    ¡°All I wanted was for her to make a small sacrifice for you. Was that too much to ask?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien sneered. His knuckles turned white with anger. He struck Lennon. ¡°Lennon, I know you think


    you¡¯re doing this for my own good.¡±


    ¡°But I won¡¯t allow anyone to harm Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Not even myself.¡±


    Damien¡¯s icy re remained fixed on Lennon¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so many years. You


    should know better than anyone what kind of person I am.¡±


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a second chance.¡±


    ¡°If there is¡­ If you mess with Cherise again.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429


    Chapter 429 No One More Important Than Her


    He sneered at him, saying. This is as far as you and I go.¡±


    Damien then tossed Lennon aside. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Damien spun around and


    walked away.


    Lennon watched him go. He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one woman! Is she really that important?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damienughed bitterly, ¡°She is that important to me.¡±


    So important that he would even let go of years of umted hatred just to live a peaceful life with


    her.


    Damien returned home to find Cherise on the couch, curled up under a nket.


    She was watching Boonie Bears on the TV. Brian, Bramble, and Logger Vick were going on a holiday


    together.


    He walked over and pulled her into his arms, asking, ¡°Are you still upset?¡±


    Cherise froze. Instinctively, she tried to push him away before realizing it was Damien.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she nestled into his chest..


    ¡°Darling¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re having a hard time processing what happened today.¡±


    Damien closed his eyes. ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°The same blood runs through my veins.¡±


    Cherise tensed.


    But she shook her head firmly, ¡°I know you¡¯re different


    Damien sighed. He held her tighter. With a bitter smile, he said, ¡°I used to be just like them.¡±


    No attachments. No hesitation. He was like a wild dog itching for a fight.


    But now..


    1/3


    He gently stroked Cherise¡¯s hair. I¡¯ve changed since the moment I met you.¡±


    Maybe that was why his grandfather insisted on him marrying her.


    She was innocent, pure, kind, lovely, enthusiastic, and had a zest for life.


    Only a girl like her could melt the heart of someone as cold as Damien and make him regain his


    humanity.


    Cherise took a deep breath and snuggled deeper into his chest. ¡°Any news from Jacob?¡±


    ¡°And¡­. How is Tristan doing?¡±


    ¡°They managed to save one eye.¡±


    Damien cupped Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cruel?¡±


    Cherise hesitated to answer. She nodded and then quickly shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a risk.¡±


    Damien held her close. A cold hardness returned to his features as he stared into the darkening sky.


    ¡°I¡¯m gambling on whether Uncle Raymond still cares about family.¡±


    ¡°Even if he chooses to let go of Lenoir Group and never gets involved with our business, as family, I


    won¡¯t let him fall into poverty.¡±


    ¡°But, he chose to hurt his own son.¡±


    ¡°He is, as I suspected, ruthless and cruel.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to continue fighting against someone like him.¡±


    ¡°For now, at least. Until I can ensure your safety, I won¡¯t engage in another battle with him.¡±


    ¡°Because hecks any semnce of humanity.¡±


    ¡°And I have someone I hold dear.¡±


    Cherise held his hand tightly but did not say anything for a long while.


    Finally, she exhaled and kissed Damien on the lips. ¡°Thank you, my love.¡±


    She was grateful for how much he cherished her.


    Even though she had lost everything.


    Her uncle. Her aunt. Her grandmother and even Skay and Tay.


    2/3


    He was the only one left who cherished her.


    It was her greatest fortune.


    ¡°I should be thanking you.¡±


    Damien kissed her back. ¡°Are you packed?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ I¡¯m taking you to Ziphon to visit Zachary?¡±

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430


    Chapter 430 Nightmare-


    Cherise froze.


    After everything that had happened today, she hadpletely forgotten that Damien had promised to


    take her to visit Zachary after her exams.


    But¡­


    ¡°What about your businesses in Adania and your family? Can you really just drop everything and


    leave?¡±


    Damien gently pinched her cheeks. ¡°I told you I won¡¯t be bothered with them anymore.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Finding Zachary is far more important.¡±


    He squeezed her hand. ¡°Your concerns are more important than mine.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know when she drifted off.


    All she remembered was Damien holding her and talking to her.


    She vaguely remembered him kissing her ear and saying. ¡°Thank you foring into my life.¡±


    And then she fell asleep.


    She had a strange dream.


    In her dream, a group of men dragged a woman into a room.


    She couldn¡¯t move or speak. The womany motionless on the bed.


    She could hear a man¡¯sughter and a woman screaming from the next room.


    Her cries were so heartbreaking that they would bring anyone to tears,


    Cherisey on the bed. She wanted to sit up and say something, but she couldn¡¯t move.


    All she could do was listen to the woman¡¯s shrieks of pain.


    ¡°Beckham.¡±


    ¡°Beckham!¡±


    ¡°Beckham¡­¡±


    1/3


    Finally, the woman cried, ¡°I¡¯ll kill every one of you with my bare hands!¡±


    Cherise startled awake.


    She was drenched in sweat.


    She closed her eyes and leaned back against the headboard, trying to regte her breathing


    Why did she have such a dream¡­.


    She did not know that woman.


    Nor did she know anyone named Beckham.


    ¡°Madam, are you awake?¡±


    Frances¡¯ muffled voice came from the other side of the door.


    ww


    Cherise froze. She instinctively turned to look at the time. It was past seven in the morning. Wiping the


    sweat from her forehead, she got out of bed. ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    She remembered he had mentioned that they were going to Ziphon today to visit Zachary


    ¡°He left early in the morning.¡±


    Frances smiled brightly as she led Cherise downstairs. ¡°He left in a hurry but didn¡¯t forget to ask me to


    make you breakfast. You¡¯re going with him, right?¡±


    Cherise nodded. She sat down at the dining table and picked up a spoon. ¡°Did he mention what time


    he¡¯ll be back?¡±


    Frances shook her head. ¡°He said you might have to wait a while for him.¡±


    ¡°He needs to take care of some things so he can go with you to visit your uncle.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She started packing after breakfast.


    By the time she finished packing, it was past ten in the morning.


    But Damien still hadn¡¯t returned.


    She tried calling him, but he didn¡¯t answer.


    He must be busy.


    Without any response, Cherisey spreadeagled on the couch and texted Lucy.


    2/3


    ¡°Cherry, I¡¯ve decided I won¡¯t have any feelings for Lennon anymore!¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    It was obvious from her voice that Lucy had been crying. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he used both of us!¡±


    ¡°He ispletely different from the person I thought he was!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear from him ever again!¡±


    Cherise thought for a moment and recalled yesterday¡¯s events.


    She gave a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s really not that bad. Lennon is probably more practical than we are.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s chest tightened as she remembered what happened yesterday.


    If Lennon hadn¡¯t done what he did, Damien and Danielle might still at it today.


    3/3

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431


    Chapter 431 Where¡¯s Damien?


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re defending him.¡±


    Lucy sighed, ¡°You have no idea what happened, do you?¡±


    ¡°Your husband attacked Lennonst night.¡±


    ¡°Lennon tried to call Damien today to apologize and asked him toe to thepany for some work


    matters, but Damien refused!¡±


    ¡°In the end, he got Jacob to conceal his cuts and bruises, so they weren¡¯t visible, and went to work.¡±


    Cheriseughed, ¡°How do you know this? Are you with him?¡±


    ¡°I am not! Don¡¯t make things up!¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°You amaze me.¡±


    ¡°You took care of him all night, yet you im not to like him anymore.¡±


    ¡°Lucy, you¡¯re such a hypocrite!¡±


    Cheriseughed when she suddenly realized something strange..


    ¡°Did you say that Lennon went to work today?¡±


    But Frances said Damien had left early in the morning


    to handle some work matters!


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    Lucy frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Are


    you sure? He tried to contact Damien but was turned down, and then he went to work himself?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lucy could sense something was wrong. ¡°Cherry, what¡¯s wrong?


    Cherise¡¯s heart sank.


    If Damien hadn¡¯t gone to thepany, why did he lie to Frances and her?


    She took a deep breath and recounted her earlier conversation with Frances to Lucy. ¡°Let me ask


    Frances for more details.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir didn¡¯t personally tell me he was going to thepany¡±


    1/3


    Frances looked puzzled. ¡°It was Mr. Kolson. Mr. Kolson informed me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir was already in the car when he told me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kolson is Mr. Lenoir¡¯s chauffeur. He wouldn¡¯t lie to me, would he?¡± Frances asked in bewilderment.


    Cherise bit her lip and tried Damien¡¯s phone again.


    It went unanswered.


    She decided to call Mr. Kolson.


    To her surprise, Mr. Kolson answered after two rings.


    ¡°Madam.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir is in the emergency room.¡±


    Mr. Kolson¡¯s voice was devoid of any emotion. ¡°We were attacked on the way to the office this morning.


    Mr. Lenoir is seriously injured.¡±


    Crash! Cherise¡¯s phone slipped out of her hand and fell onto the floor.


    ¡°Madam!¡±


    Cherise woke up to find herself in the hospital.


    Lucy was sitting next to her, holding her hand. Her eyes were red and swollen from tears.


    ¡°How is Damien¡­¡±


    Cherise massaged her throbbing temples and asked quietly.


    ¡°He¡¯s out of danger.¡±


    Lucy squeezed Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°The doctor said you fainted from shock.¡±


    Jacob came by and said that Damien is doing much better. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°I want to see him¡­¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Cherise struggled to sit up. ¡°I can¡¯t rx until I¡¯ve seen him¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine now. You can go see himter.¡±


    2/3


    Lucy made her lie back down. ¡°There¡¯s not much you can do for him now. You¡¯re not a doctor. He has


    Jacob, and his family will take care of him. Nothing will happen.¡±


    ¡°You, on the other hand, haven¡¯t fully recovered from that cold you caught in Shaw¡¯s Vige. With the


    shock you experiencedst night and this morning added to that¡­¡±


    ¡°The doctor said you might have a breakdown if you don¡¯t get enough rest.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. ¡°I still want to see him.


    Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself up and put on her shoes. Swaying on her feet, she said,


    ¡°Where is he?¡±

 Chapter 432

    Chapter 432


    Chapter 432 Miss Lenoir In Charge


    ¡°You!¡±


    Lucy took a deep breath, gripping Cherise¡¯s arm to steady her. ¡°There¡¯s no reasoning with you!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even stand up straight. Why are you being so stubborn?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, her pale face filled with determination. ¡°Im perfectly fine.


    She needed to see how he was doing to put her mind at ease.


    Lucy sighed, ¡°Danielle is keeping an eye on Damien.¡±


    Mandy had informed Lucy over the phone about everything that had transpired between Danielle and


    Cherise.


    Lucy strongly disliked the idea of Cherise encountering Danielle again.


    But¡­


    Cherise wanted to see Damien, and who could stop her?


    Lucy supported her, but continued to protest, ¡°If we happen to run into Danielleter, just ignore


    everything she says!¡±


    ¡°Okay.


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t pay her any attention.¡±


    Danielle¡¯s dislike for her was not surprising.


    Lucy sighed in exasperation, but still assisted her.


    Damien¡¯s room was on the top floor.


    The corridor leading to his room was heavily guarded.


    Cherise counted more than a dozen tall, burly men in ck suits standing outside his door.


    ¡°Mr. Hampson, I¡¯m here to see Damien.


    Cherise looking as pale as a ghost, was physically supported by Lucy.


    Mr. Hampson stood guard outside the door. He said ufortably, ¡°But Madam, Miss Lenoir has


    explicitly stated that no one is allowed in without her permission.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, ¡°But I¡¯m Damien¡¯s wife.¡±


    1/3


    Lucy raised an eyebrow, ¡°Exactly. Cherise is Damien¡¯s legal wife. She wants to see her husband. Who


    are you to stop her?¡±


    Mr. Hampson bowed his head. ¡°Youngdy, we¡¯re not stopping her. But these are direct orders. from


    Miss Lenoir.¡±


    Impossibly, Cherise¡¯s face grew even paler.


    Lucy frowned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Damien¡¯s butler? Why are you taking orders from Danielle?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Mr. Hampson nodded. ¡°But this is unavoidable.¡±


    ¡°We are servants of the Lenoir household first and foremost. Mr. Lenoir¡¯s servants, second.¡±


    ¡°In the past, Miss Lenoir practically managed the entire Lenoir household on her own.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You-!¡±


    Damien was only seventeen or eighteen when he had his ident. How could she have possibly¡­


    ¡°Then please inform Miss Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Please tell her that I¡¯d like to see my husband. Cherise smiled.


    Mr. Hampson hesitated briefly before nodding. ¡°Very well. Please wait.¡±


    With that, he turned and entered the room.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Lucy red after him. ¡°What kind of reasoning is that?¡±


    ¡°You are Damien¡¯s closest family, not her! How can they obey someone who disappeared for over a


    decade?¡±


    ¡°True¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°The Lenoirs are peculiar like that.¡±


    Damien was the only person she could trust and rely on in that family.


    Now, she was reduced to someone akin to a refugee because he was unconscious.


    She had no choice but to endure it in order to see him.


    Mr. Hampson didn¡¯t take long before the door opened.


    A woman in a wheelchair was pushed out by another woman dressed in pink.


    Danielle wore a mask, probably because she knew how unsightly her face was.


    2/3


    But the mask did nothing to hide her icy re.


    Danielle stared coldly at Cherise from the wheelchair, ¡°You want to see Damien?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cherise nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see him.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433


    Chapter 433 How About Signing This


    Cherise still felt weak. Her steps were unsteady. Just talking exhausted all her energy.


    Danielle¡¯s icy stare did not waver, ¡°What makes you think you have the right?¡±


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    Chapter 433 How About Signing This


    Cherise still felt weak. Her steps were unsteady. Just talking exhausted all her energy.


    Danielle¡¯s icy stare did not waver, ¡°What makes you think you have the right?¡±


    Cherise stubbornly smiled, I¡¯m not sure why I wouldn¡¯t have the right.¡±


    ¡°He is my husband.¡±


    p!


    Danielle pped Cherise before she could finish her sentence.


    Cherise staggered backward and almost fell from the force,


    ¡°Cherise!¡±


    Lucy rushed forward to catch her. ring at Danielle¡¯s masked face, she yelled, ¡°Why did her?¡±


    you


    hit


    ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t know her ce.¡±


    Danielle snickered.


    Her eyes were filled with hatred for Cherise, ¡°I made myself very clear to you.¡±


    ¡°And yet you¡¯ve continued to cling onto my brother like a leech.¡±


    ¡°Cherise Shaw, I¡¯ve never seen anyone as shameless as you!¡±


    Cherise clenched her teeth. Her gaze was firm and unwavering. I wasn¡¯t the one who burned you.


    ¡°Whatever happened with our parents has nothing to do with Damien and me.¡±


    ¡°I love him and won¡¯t leave him. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with that.¡±


    Before, Cherise could only cry in front of Danielle, but now, her eyes were determined and resolute.


    It made Danielle seem unreasonable.


    Cherise¡¯s calm and sensible exnations infuriated Danielle.


    Clenching her teeth, she signaled the guards.


    The guards standing in the corridor immediately rushed to her side.


    1/3


    They separated Lucy from Cherise.


    Two guards held Cherise up between them.


    ¡°Sage.¡±


    Danielle smiled at the woman dressed in pink behind her. ¡°Do you remember what I told you?¡±


    The woman nodded, ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°You said that as long as I listened to your orders, you¡¯d make it possible for me to marry Damien.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Satisfied, Danielle closed her eyes. ¡°p that woman until she can¡¯t speak.


    The woman paused before smirking.


    Rolling up her sleeves, she walked towards Cherise. ring disdainfully at her, she said, ¡°Pitiful thing.


    p!


    p!


    The force from the ps almost knocked Cherise ¨C already frail ¨C over.


    But she continued to stare resolutely at Danielle. ¡°I just want to see my husband.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Unfortunately, he won¡¯t be your husband for much longer.¡±


    Sageughed. She raised her hand to deliver the third p but stopped as if remembering something.


    She turned and caught Danielle¡¯s eye. ¡°Danielle, hitting her will achieve nothing. And my hand hurts


    quite a bit.¡±


    She retrieved a divorce agreement she had prepared beforehand and shoved it in Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°How


    about signing this?¡±


    ¡°If you sign this, I¡¯ll let you catch a glimpse of him. How does that sound?¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re dreaming!¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t expect to see my Damien again.¡±


    Sage smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank Mandy. If it weren¡¯t for her. I wouldn¡¯t get the chance to be your


    sister-inw.¡±


    Sage turned to smile at Danielle. ¡°Danielle, what do you think I should do if she doesn¡¯t sign it?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°There are plenty of ways to make her sign it.¡± Danielle snickered.


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°For example, gathering evidence to make it appear as if she was behind Damien¡¯s attack.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434


    Chapter 434 I Don¡¯t Care If He Loves Me


    Danielle narrowed her eyes and red at Cherise. The harshest punishment for attempted. murder on


    a spouse¡­ would probably be the death penalty.


    ¡°Once she¡¯s dead, Damien would, of course, marry you.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You-!¡±


    She calmed herself down after the initial shock.


    ¡°So you were the one behind Damien¡¯s attack.¡±


    The only reason Danielle would be so sure of her sess in framing Cherise was if she was behind


    the attack all along-


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Danielle looked down and rubbed her fingers. ¡°Damien probably wasn¡¯t even aware that the people


    around will obey only me when I return.¡±


    ¡°Miss Lenoir.¡±


    Mr. Kolson emerged from the room and humbly interjected, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the doctor to increase the


    dosage for Mr. Lenoir. He won¡¯t wake up for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Good.


    Danielle smirked at Cherise. ¡°See that?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise frowned. She finally understood.


    The ¡®attack¡¯ on Damien was just a dose of sleeping medication.


    She felt like she could finally breathe.


    Damien wasn¡¯t actually hurt.


    He just got¡­ Stabbed in the back by his own family.


    ¡°Danielle.¡±


    Holding onto Danielle¡¯s wheelchair, Sage smirked, ¡°We¡¯ll go with your idea. To prevent any unwanted


    surprises, let¡¯s call the police now and have her arrested.¡±


    She¡¯d do anything if it meant getting one step closer to being Damien¡¯s wife!


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    1/3


    Danielle smiled and nodded at Mr. Kolson.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Mr. Kolson nodded and left.


    He gave Cherise a cold, derisive nce as he passed her.


    A chill entered her heart.


    Damien trusted Mr. Kolson, and yet¡­


    Cherise looked up at Mr. Hampson standing by the door.


    Their eyes met, but he quickly looked away.


    Cherise smiled bitterly.


    How would Damien feel when he woke up and found out everyone he had trusted had betrayed


    him?


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Danielle yawned. Spinning the wheelchair around, she gave onest order, Tm leaving this to you,


    Sage.¡±


    Before she closed the door, Cherise caught a glimpse of a nurse carefully injecting something into


    Damien¡¯s IV.


    Her hands clenched into fists as she stared defiantly back at Sage. ¡°Are there any side effects to the


    drug you¡¯re giving him?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Sage leanedfortably against the door. Her eyes were cruel as she mocked Cherise, ¡°I didn¡¯t think


    you¡¯d be so concerned about my future husband.¡±


    ¡°But you


    should worry about yourself.¡±


    She sneered at her, not bothering to hide her greed. The crazed glint in her eyes was in for all to


    see. ¡°My uncle is the deputy chief of the police department.¡±


    ¡°Use your imagination. Think about what will happen to you when they arrest youter.¡±


    She leaned in closer and whispered into Cherise¡¯s ear, ¡°I heard that prison is filled with inmates who


    are having a hard time, and there¡¯s no hope of them getting out. You¡¯ll find female inmates with nothing


    to lose where you¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°You better hope they¡¯ll have mercy on you.¡±


    2/3


    Cherise¡¯s jaw was clenched so tight, it was starting to hurt. ¡°Damien would never ept you even if


    you do this to me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Sage sniggered. ¡°Do you really think I care if he loves me?¡±


    ¡°I just want him.¡±


    ¡°All the doctors and nurses in this hospital are in our pocket,¡± Sage whispered into Cherise¡¯s ear.


    3/3

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435


    Chapter 435 He Is My Everything


    ¡°Every day you¡¯re alive is a day longer Damien will have to remain unconscious.¡±


    Her voice was soft, but to Cherise, it sounded like the cursed mutterings of the devil.


    Cherise fought to suppress her shivers.


    By the time she snapped back to reality, the police had arrived.


    Feeling the sudden chill of handcuffs on her wrist, Cherise summoned every ounce of strength she had


    left and screamed.


    ¡°Damien Lenoir! Wake up!¡±


    ¡°I know sedatives can¡¯t fully render you unconscious.¡±


    ¡°If you can hear me, please wake up!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up now, you¡¯ll never see me again!¡±


    Her simple criespletely drained her.


    Tears streamed endlessly down her face.


    Cherise had imagined numerous ways she would be separated from Damien when she learned about


    the conflict between her uncle and him.


    But she never imagined it would happen like this.


    T


    For years, Damien had no close friends or anyone he could trust. He only had Mr. Hampson, Mr.


    Kolson, and ke.


    But now


    Cherise¡¯s nose and eyes began to sting.


    ¡°Screaming won¡¯t aplish anything


    Sage gritted her teeth and red at Cherise, saying to the officer. ¡°Take her away!¡±


    The police officers escorted Cherise to the elevator.


    Cherise continued screaming Damien¡¯s name until her throat hurt.


    Again and again until her voice was hoarse.


    Just yesterday, Damien held and cradled her, expressing his gratitude for her.


    1/3


    Chapter 435 He Is My Everything


    ¡°Every day you¡¯re alive is a day longer Damien will have to remain unconscious.¡±


    Her voice was soft, but to Cherise, it sounded like the cursed mutterings of the devil.


    Cherise fought to suppress her shivers.


    By the time she snapped back to reality, the police had arrived.


    Feeling the sudden chill of handcuffs on her wrist, Cherise summoned every ounce of strength she had


    left and screamed.


    ¡°Damien Lenoir! Wake up!¡±


    ¡°I know sedatives can¡¯t fully render you unconscious.¡±


    ¡°If you can hear me, please wake up!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up now, you¡¯ll never see me again!¡±


    Her simple criespletely drained her.


    Tears streamed endlessly down her face.


    Cherise had imagined numerous ways she would be separated from Damien when she learned. about


    the conflict between her uncle and him.


    But she never imagined it would happen like this.


    For years. Damien had no close friends or anyone he could trust. He only had Mr. Hampson, Mr.


    Kolson, and ke.


    But now¡­


    Cherise¡¯s nose and eyes began to sting.


    ¡°Screaming won¡¯t aplish anything!¡±


    Sage gritted her teeth and red at Cherise, saying to the officer. ¡°Take her away!¡±


    The police officers escorted Cherise to the elevator.


    Cherise continued screaming Damien¡¯s name until her throat hurt.


    Again and again until her voice was hoarse.


    Just yesterday, Damien held and cradled her, expressing his gratitude for her.


    1/3


    But now, not even 24 hourster, everything went wrong because of his sister and servants.


    She didn¡¯t want to be separated from him. Not even for a day!


    Or a minute!


    ¡°Damien¡­¡±


    Cherise cried hoarsely, hoping he would wake up.


    She had nothing left.


    Except him.


    If she were to lose him too¡­


    Bang!


    Cherise was almost in the elevator when the door to the ward crashed


    open.


    A man wearing a striped hospital gown stood swaying in the doorway. His facecked any color.


    The IV on his arm looked like it had been torn off. Blood slowly trickled down the tube.


    ¡°Let go of her,¡±


    His voice was as hoarse as hers..


    He walked towards Cherise, leaving a trail of blood on the floor.


    Cherise stared nkly at him.


    He walked towards her against the light.


    Sunlight streamed through the window towards her.


    He appeared to be glowing.


    She recalled a saying.


    ¡°My beloved is a hero of the world.


    He once said that he woulde to see me in golden armor and sacred clothes, surrounded by


    iridescent clouds.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    And now, Damien was walking towards her.


    He was her hero.


    Her everything.


    2/3


    Her whole world.


    Damien was tall and slim.


    His steps were unsteady from the lingering effects of the sedatives. But his determination never


    wavered as he approached her.


    Hismanding presence made the police officers freeze, forgetting to pull her into the elevator.


    But Damien was still weak from the ordeal.


    After a few more steps, he stumbled and almost fell.


    This was the first time Cherise had seen him this weak.


    Her chest tightened painfully.


    She struggled like a woman gone mad, sessfully throwing the two officers off her and running


    towards Damien.


    3/3

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436


    Chapter 437 Cut¡­ Cut Her?


    Blood oozed from the wound.


    An intense pain shot through her arm and into her head.


    Sage clenched her teeth to suppress a scream. Holding her injured hand with her other hand, she


    gasped, ¡°Guards!¡±


    ¡°Get me a doctor!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from Damien¡¯s grip on Cherise. Her anger turned her eyes red. ¡°He


    just won¡¯t let go, will he?¡±


    ¡°Find me a doctor and a scalpel. We¡¯ll cut through Cherise¡¯s flesh!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t believe that two people who were so exhausted they could barely stand were causing her


    so much trouble!


    ¡°That might not be the best idea.


    Mr. Hampson tried to dissuade her. ¡°I understand you¡¯re angry, Miss Caldwell.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But we should avoid shedding blood.¡±


    ¡°What will you do if the young master holds a grudge against you for this?¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Sage scoffed. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of him holding a grudge against me?¡±


    ¡°If I were afraid, I would prevent anyone from taking Cherise away!¡±


    She red at Mr. Hampson. Tve never cared about his opinions.¡±


    ¡°What I care about is the status and power thate with being Damien Lenoir¡¯s wife and the money


    Danielle will give me!¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about who he likes or his hatred for me!¡±


    Mr. Hampson hesitated and shook his head helplessly. ¡°But Miss Caldwell, cutting into her flesh¡­.


    That¡¯s not a good idea.¡±


    Sage frowned. ¡°You think that¡¯s going too far?¡±


    ¡°No one will miss her if she dies!¡±


    ¡°I am Damien¡¯s future wife and Danielle¡¯s recognized god-sister! Will you obey my orders or not?!¡±


    1/3


    Mr. Hampson couldn¡¯t argue after she scolded him.


    After hesitating, he finally sighed and instructed a guard, ¡°Go fetch a doctor.¡±


    Shortly after, the guard returned with a female doctor.


    ¡°Cut¡­ Cut off¡­¡±


    The doctor stared at Damien¡¯s hand on Cherise¡¯s waist. ¡°This¡­¡± She stammered in shock.


    She had never encountered such an irrational demand in all her years as a doctor.


    This was the first time she had witnessed something like this.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, find someone who can!¡±


    Sage said through gritted teeth.


    It was such a trivial matter. She couldn¡¯t believe they were treating Cherise like some precious object.


    First, Mr. Hampson said it wasn¡¯t a good idea. Then the doctor couldn¡¯t do it.


    If no one else would do it, she would!


    Sage snatched the scalpel from the doctor¡¯s hand and approached Cherise. She pulled her arm back,


    ready to stab Cherise¡¯s waist-


    ¡°Put it down!¡±


    A cold and sternmand rang out. It sounded like it came from an elderly person.


    Though elderly, the voice was so powerful that Sage almost dropped the scalpel.


    She furrowed her brow and unintentionally looked towards the source of the voice.


    Standing in front of the elevator was an elderly man supported by a middle-aged man.


    The elderly man¡¯s eyes were sharp and piercing. He was dressed in a ck suit, exuding wealth and


    superiority.


    Even in his old age, his eyes were so sharp that it felt like he could see into your soul.


    The man supporting him was handsome and aloof. There was a sense of nobility about him.


    His jawline and the shape of his lips were particrly striking.


    Still holding the scalpel in her hand, she nced at Cherise, still unconscious on the ground.


    This man¡¯s facial structure, nose, and mouth¡­. They were almost identical to Cherise¡¯s!


    2/3


    ¡°Beckham.¡±


    The elderly man furrowed his brow and turned to Beckham. Tll allow you to strike a woman, just for


    today.¡±


    Uh¡­ Strike a woman¡­.


    Beckham cleared his throat and nced at Sage.


    .


    He admitted to being furious, but that didn¡¯t mean he was about to harm a girl.

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437


    Chapter 436 You Can¡¯t Hold Me, But I Can Hold You!


    Finally¡­


    She rushed into his arms.


    Damien embraced her tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s tears wouldn¡¯t stop. Her voice was filled with sobs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    His voice was hoarse from disuse. Guilt and regret consumed him for what she had endured. ¡°I can no


    longer hold you.¡±


    Damien buckled and fell onto his knees.


    Cherise knew the sedatives and sleeping pills were to me!


    Anger and worry overwhelmed her. She couldn¡¯t believe they had done this to him!


    Just because he wasn¡¯t physically harmed didn¡¯t mean the drugs wouldn¡¯t affect him mentally!


    She took a deep breath and tried to help him up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my love.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t hold me, but I can hold you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m strong enough! Trust me!¡±


    She supported his body with hers, ensuring that he leaned on her.


    ¡°Dummy.¡±


    Damien smiled bitterly. But his body finally gave out, and he slumped onto the floor.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t any better.


    She hadn¡¯t fully recovered from getting sick at the Shaw¡¯s vige, and now, after this immense


    shock.


    Getting pped by Sage and arrested by the policepletely drained her.


    All she could do right now was cling to Damien¡¯s arm.


    But she couldn¡¯t support him at all.


    Holding onto each other, they knelt on the floor.


    1/3


    Cherise winced when her knees hit the floor. She had used up everyst bit of strength she had


    left.


    Her vision went dark, and she copsed onto Damien.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She could finally rx now that she saw he was fine.


    ¡°Dummy.¡±


    Damien held her small figure tightly in his arms and finally sumbed to sleep.


    ¡°Miss Lenoir, Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir have both fainted.¡±


    Mr. Hampson rushed over to prevent them from falling onto the floor.


    ¡°What do you mean, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Sage gave him an ice-cold re, ¡°I will be the future Mrs. Lenoir!¡±


    ¡°Help up my husband-to-be and remove that woman from him. Officers, take her away


    The guards hurried over.


    Mr. Hampson frowned at Sage but said nothing.


    ¡°Miss Caldwell.¡±


    The guards looked up at Sage and said. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir is holding Mrs. Lenoir too tightly. We can¡¯t separate them.¡±


    Sage raised an eyebrow and looked down at both of them¡­


    Damien was slumped over and unconscious, but his arms were still tightly wrapped around Cherise¡¯s


    waist.


    Sage red at his arms. A surge of hatred consumed her.


    What did this woman have that was so special?


    Even unconscious, Damien wouldn¡¯t let go of her!


    If he wouldn¡¯t release her, she could make him release her!


    Clenching her teeth tightly, Sage approached them on her high heels. She reached out with her


    elegantly manicured hands and attempted to pry them apart.


    Despite using all of her strength, she made no progress. Damien¡¯s arms remained firmly sped


    around Cherise.


    2/3


    Damien held Cherise even tighter as if he could sense someone trying to separate them.


    He was clinging to her as if she were hisst lifeline.


    Stubborn, rigid, and unyielding.


    Veins throbbed on Sage¡¯s forehead, and sweat trickled from her brow.


    Snap! Sage felt a sharp pain in her finger.


    Upon closer inspection, she realized that she had identally ripped off her nail on Damien¡¯s


    arm!

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438


    Chapter 438 I Don¡¯t Really Care For Him.


    The girl appeared to be the same age as Cherry, while he was over forty years old. Even if he were to


    hit a woman, it wouldn¡¯t be someone as young as her.


    Those unaware might assume he was disciplining his daughter.


    He frowned and caught a glimpse of a dark blue shirt around the corner.


    The man drowned and asked, ¡°ke?¡±


    The thirteen-year-old teenager slowly emerged. ¡°Here.¡±


    Beckham caught his eye. ¡°Did you see her hurt your brother and his wife?¡±


    ¡°She hit her¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ke nodded and walked towards Sage.


    Sage froze and stared nkly at ke, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me.¡±


    ¡°I am Damien¡¯s future¡­¡±


    p!


    ke pped her across the face before she could finish her sentence. He shoved her onto the


    ground and continued to pummel her, one punch after another.


    Sage could only lie there and cry out in pain.


    Her cries echoed throughout the corridor.


    Danielle forcefully pushed open the door to the ward in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t even trust you to handle


    such a small matter?¡±


    The corridor outside.


    Cherise and Damien were held up by Mr. Hampson and a guard.


    Sage was pinned to the ground by ke,


    At the end of the corridor in front of the elevator stood an elderly man with silver hair, supported. by a


    middle-aged man. He smiled at her, ¡°Miss Lenoir, long time no see.¡±


    Danielle¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.


    How could she not recognize these two men?


    1/3


    Back then, she had made significant effort to purchase the chip-controlling Mandy from these


    Two men.


    One was the current head of the Tanner family. Beckham Tanner.


    The other was the previous head of the family, Aaron Tanner.


    Still in shock, Danielle forced a smile, ¡°Good sirs, how did youe to be here?¡±


    Rumors had it that Beckham Tanner had not left the Tanner Residence for neen years.


    He hadn¡¯t left the residence ever since his wife disappeared neen years ago when he was away


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    from home.


    Even business negotiations had to take ce in the Tanner Residence.


    ording to his exnation, he was afraid his wife, Charisa Neller, woulde home one day and not


    find him there.


    He believed she would return one day.


    That¡¯s why he never left home for many years.


    But now.


    Not only did Beckhame, but his over seventy-year-old father, Aaron Tanner, came as well.


    ¡°Miss Lenoir seems surprised to see us.


    Aaron chuckled lightly. ¡°We¡¯re here to visit family.¡±


    Danielle froze.


    After a moment, she understood.


    Previously, Damien had destroyed Mandy¡¯s chip just because of a visit to the Tanner Residence.


    More than a monthter, after having built a good rtionship, they were there to visit him.


    Danielle gave the order to separate ke from Sage and smiled sweetly at Aaron and Tanner. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    know both of you cared for my brother this much.¡±


    Aaron and Beckham, who hadn¡¯t left their house for over a decade, made the trip to Adania to visit


    Damien.


    What an honor it is!


    No matter what happens in the future, this is something to brag about!


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care for your brother.¡±


    2/3


    Beckham casually yawned and cast Danielle an indifferent nce. ¡°We¡¯re here to see Cherise.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439


    Chapter 439 We¡¯ll Take His Hands


    Danielle¡¯s forced smile immediately froze.


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡­ To see Cherise¡­?¡±


    Why did this girl deserve a visit?!?


    The adopted daughter of an arsonist.


    A naive girl from the countryside.


    An¡­ Ungrateful, useless woman!


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Beckham released Aaron¡¯s arm. Walking confidently to Mr. Hampson¡¯s side, he lifted Cherise up.


    ¡°We¡¯re here for her.¡±


    Frowning, he attempted to pry Damien¡¯s arms away from Cherise, but to no avail.


    Sage, with a swollen face and bruised nose,ughed, ¡°Nothing will work!¡±


    ¡°All of us have tried, but nothing will separate them!¡±


    ¡°There is no other option but to cut into that woman¡¯s flesh!¡±


    Beckham frowned. Disregarding his handmade leather shoes, he lifted his foot and kicked her.


    Crash! Sage mmed into the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It seems impossible to separate them.¡±


    Aaron sat on a nearby bench and stroked his beard. Pondering Damien¡¯s arms around Cherise¡¯s waist,


    he said, ¡°Actually, there might be a way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of cutting into Cherise¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°But why don¡¯t we chop off Damien¡¯s hands?¡±


    The elderly man smiled at Danielle. ¡°Cherise is a Tanner,¡±


    ¡°Your brother is refusing to release my granddaughter. ording to our family¡¯s rules, chopping off his


    arms is well within our rights.¡±


    ¡°My son and I, the current and previous head of the Tanner family, want to chop off your brother¡¯s


    hands. Do you have any objections?¡±


    The elderly man smiled warmly at her.


    1/3


    But his words and smile filled Danielle¡¯s heart with fear.


    She wheeled herself back a few inches. ¡°You. You can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡±


    Aaron leaned forward on his cane. Taking in Danielle¡¯s panicked gaze, he continued, ¡°Last month,


    when Damien brought Cherise to our home, I noticed her resemnce to my son and took a DNA


    sample. After testing, we discovered that she is my granddaughter who has been missing for neen


    years.¡±


    Danielle¡¯s face turned pale.


    Her jaw clenched and her hands clenched into fists. ¡°How is this possible.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s possible.


    The old man gave her a small smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t stop that woman from trying to harm my


    granddaughter earlier.¡±


    ¡°Now, we would like to chop off your brother¡¯s hands ording to our rules. What right do you have to


    stop us?¡±


    Danielle croaked. She didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    She knew the Tanners always kept their word.


    They were much more ruthless and crueler than the Lenoirs.


    If they said they wanted to chop off Damien¡¯s hands, they would do it¡­


    She bit her lip and closed her eyes.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    After a while, she opened them and turned to Aaron, ¡°But Damien is Cherise¡¯s husband¡­¡±


    ¡°Harming him¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise would never agree to that.¡±


    Witnessing all of this, Sage¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Danielle¡­¡±


    Danielle¡¯s statement meant she would allow Cherise and Damien to stay together!


    Then what about her?!


    Holding onto the wall for support, Sage stood up. Wincing in pain, she hobbled over to Danielle,


    ¡°Danielle, didn¡¯t you promise me they would divorce soon?¡±


    2/3


    ¡°And I would be Damien¡¯s future wife?¡±


    Aaron¡¯s smile remained unchanged as he stroked his beard. ¡°Youngdy, you say you want to marry


    Damien.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440


    Chapter 440 Who Do You Think You Are?


    ¡°What if Damien loses his hands? Will you still marry him and take care of him?¡±


    Sage froze. Of course not!


    She didn¡¯t want to marry Damien when she thought he was blind!


    If Damien hadn¡¯t rified his so-called blindness, Sage would never have considered marrying him!


    No one was as foolish as Cherise. Who would willingly marry a disabled person?!


    But she kept these thoughts in her heart.


    She gave them a sincere smile on the surface, ¡°Of course I would!¡±


    She thought saying this was proving her loyalty to Danielle. But to her horror, Mr. Tanner and Beckham


    both chuckled.


    Danielle turned pale.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re willing to look after Damien Lenoir for the rest of his life¡­¡±


    Mr. Tanner beckoned to Beckham, ¡°Wasn¡¯t she holding a scalpel earlier?¡±


    ¡°Cut off Damien¡¯s hands.


    The Lenoirs will force Cherise and Damien to separate sooner orter. And there¡¯s someone here


    who¡¯s willing to take care of him. We can set our concerns aside.¡±


    Beckham nodded, ¡°Father, you¡¯re right.¡±


    He picked up the scalpel from the floor and walked towards Damien.


    One step. Two steps.


    Danielle¡¯s heart tightened with every step he took.


    No! This can¡¯t happen!


    She couldn¡¯t let Damien lose his hands. She couldn¡¯t


    Crash! Danielle fell out of her wheelchair.


    Ignoring the pain, she knelt in front of him. ¡°Please, spare my brother.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    1/3


    Mr. Tanner looked down at her, ¡°The only thing we care about is our family. Who do you are? Do you


    think we¡¯ll give in just because you¡¯ve begged for it?¡±


    you


    think


    ¡°You¡¯ve never cared for Cherise, so why should we care about you?¡±


    He was cold and cruel.


    Danielle had never been spoken to like this in all her life.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She had never been shamed like this.


    But she knew she didn¡¯t have the power to confront the Tanners,


    Danielle had no choice but to close her eyes and take a deep breath, saying, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nothing.¡±


    ¡°But Damien and Cherise love each other so much. I was just angry when I said I wanted to separate


    them¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    She looked at Damien¡¯s arms around Cherise and continued, ¡°See. Even unconscious, he still won¡¯t let


    her go


    ¡°You know Damien cares deeply for Cherise.¡±


    ¡°And Cherise feels the same way for him, too. She fought everyone just to see him when she heard he


    was injured. She wouldn¡¯t rest until she was sure he was fine.¡±


    Danielle bowed her head, They- They¡¯re in love.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t separate them?¡±


    Aaron chuckled, ¡°Danielle Lenoir, remember what you¡¯ve just said.¡°


    ¡°If I ever find you doing anything to harm Cherise in the future, I¡¯ll take care of you myself!¡±


    His eyes pierced through her.


    Danielle ducked her head down, avoiding his gaze, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You¡±


    Mr. Tanner pointed a finger at Mr. Hampson. ¡°And you¡±


    ¡°Both of you, carry those two sleeping beauties ande with me!¡±


    Startled, Danielle stammered, ¡°Mr. Tanner, you


    2/3


    ¡°Damien is still weak. He needs to stay in the hospital and recover¡­¡±


    ¡°Recover my ass!¡±


    Mr. Tanner spat. ¡°Leaving him here will cause more trouble than it¡¯s worth!¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 441

    Chapter 441


    Chapter 441 Room For Improvement


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe a single word you say!¡±


    ring at Mr. Hampson, he eximed, ¡°Pick them up and deliver them to the Lenoir Residence!¡±


    ¡°Let that old man witness what his grandson and granddaughter are doing to my granddaughter!¡±


    Mr. Hampson nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ke and Mr. Hampson supported Damien and Cherise, assisting them into the elevator.


    Finally, Mr. Tanner yawned. Looking at Beckham, he stated, ¡°T¡¯ll leave the rest to you. Find me at the


    Lenoir Residence once you¡¯re finished, and we¡¯ll settle the score with that old man!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Beckham nodded and attentively watched Mr. Tanner depart with Damien and Cherise.


    The elevator doors closed.


    He turned back to Danielle, giving her a cold stare, and asked, ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t think Cherise was


    suitable for your family because of your feud with her adoptive father. Did I understand correctly?¡±


    Sittingfortably on the bench, now empty since Aaron had left, he smirked. ¡°Whatever Cherise¡¯s


    adoptive father did made you believe she wasn¡¯t good enough for your brother.¡±


    ¡°Now that you know she¡¯s my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s good enough now?¡±


    Still kneeling on the ground, Danielle¡¯s voice was hoarse and gruff. She didn¡¯t want to ept defeat.


    But she kept her head bowed and conceded, ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°We Lenoirs¡­ are moving up in the world.¡±


    Sage was shocked to see Danielle so submissive and hear her hesitant responses.


    ¡°Danielle!¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Who exactly is he? Why are you so afraid of him?!¡±


    ¡°Cherise is just a simple girl from a small farming town. She isn¡¯t a suitable match for Damien!¡±


    ¡°She never was and never will be!¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Comes from a wealthy background.¡±


    ¡°Your uncle is the deputy chief of the Public Security Bureau.¡±


    ¡°Your father is a contractor.¡±


    ¡°And your mother sells insurance.¡±


    He dismissively listed Sage¡¯s family background. ¡°So this is the kind of person Miss Danielle Lenoir


    thinks is a good match for Damien.¡±


    Beckham Tanner was in his forties. Although he sat on a bench in a hospital corridor, he exuded the


    aura of a king on his throne.


    He spoke coldly and indifferently, creating distance and unapproachability.


    He smiled and returned his phone to his pocket. ¡°Miss Lenoir, are you looking down on us, the Tanners,


    or your own brother?¡±


    ¡°If you believe that a contractor¡¯s daughter is the best match for your brother¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my opinions to myself.¡±


    ¡°After all, my daughter isn¡¯t someone that just anyone should approach.¡±


    ¡°Even though I really like Damien, that young man.¡±


    ¡°But his family background leaves much to be desired.¡±


    More to be desired¡­.


    Danielle had used these exact words many times before.


    She had even used them to describe Cherise¡¯s background.


    But she never thought that one day these words would be used to describe herself and her family.


    However, if the person saying it was from the Tanner family, there was nothing wrong with it..


    Still kneeling


    on the ground, Danielle¡¯s hands were clenched so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.


    ¡°I know the Lenoir family is no match for the Tanners,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ This is a private matter between Damien and Cherise. As their family, maybe¡­ Maybe


    we shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    If what Beckham said was true.


    2/3


    And if Cherise was indeed the granddaughter of the Tanner family.


    Then, of course, she couldn¡¯t allow Damien and Cherise to separate.


    3/3

 Chapter 442

    Chapter 442


    Chapter 442 My Uncle¡­!


    Everyone knew that Beckham only had a daughter.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    If Cherise was indeed the mentioned daughter, then Damien was the son-inw of the Tanner family.


    Cherise and Damien will inherit everything from them.


    The assets of the Lenoir family barely amount to a tenth of what the Tanner family possesses.


    With the support of the Tanner family, who would want to continue working with Raymond?!


    Beckham smiled, ¡°My daughter has been my pride and joy since birth.¡±


    ¡°Just because circumstances separated my daughter from her family, does that give you, as her sister-


    inw, the right to degrade her like this?¡±


    ¡°Not even my father, who adores young people, would tolerate this. Let alone me.¡±


    His cool gazended on Danielle as if she were as insignificant as a gnat. ¡°How do you suggest we


    settle this matter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Beckham rubbed his forehead as if he suddenly remembered something. He frowned, ¡°I should check


    the surveince camera and see how you and your¡­ subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Harassed my daughter.¡±


    Danielle was trembling, still on her knees.


    The power and influence possessed by the Tanner family is something the Lenoirs can never hope to


    achieve, even after years of perseverance.


    Challenging the Tanners would only lead to their own destruction.


    ¡°I am not her subordinate!¡±


    Sage clenched her teeth. She tried to pull Danielle up onto her feet, but Danielle wouldn¡¯t move.


    Grinding her teeth in frustration, she stood up and red at Beckham, ¡°Who do you


    are?


    ¡°You may be someone important where youe from, but this is Adania!¡±


    ¡°My uncle-!¡±


    ¡°What about your uncle?¡±


    think you


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    Instead of getting angry, Beckham chuckled in amusement. ¡°You have a keen eye, Danielle.¡±


    ¡°Is this the sister-inw you desired?¡±


    ¡°Stop mocking us!¡±


    Sage clenched her teeth, ¡°Adania is my city. No matter how powerful you think you are in your territory,


    just tryying a finger on me in Adania!¡°


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°You said it, not me.¡±


    Suddenly, Sage found herself crashing into a wall. Beckham had sent her flying with a kick.


    Heughed out loud. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy hitting women, especially someone around the same age as my


    daughter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s humiliating.¡±


    ¡°However.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for trouble, I¡¯m happy to oblige.¡±


    Beckham retrieved his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Come on up.¡±


    The elevator slowly ascended.


    Ding! The elevator door opened.


    A stunningly beautiful woman dressed in ck stepped out.


    Danielle stared at the woman in a daze.


    She bore a resemnce to Mandy Wool, but there was something different about her as well.


    The resemnce was in her appearance.


    The difference was in the look in her eyes, her charisma, and the aura she emitted.


    Mandy didn¡¯t possess this confidence and radiance when Danielle controlled her.


    ¡°Mandy


    Beckham rubbed his temples and pointed at Sage, ¡°Teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Mandy bowed respectfully. With long, graceful strides, she approached Sage. She grabbed Sage by


    the cor, lifted her, and punched her in the face.


    2/3


    Over de years. Danselle had trained her


    Am


    3/3

 Chapter 443

    Chapter 443


    Chapter 443 A Chip Off The Old Block


    Though not as strong as Mr. Kolson or ke, she was one of the most skilled female fighters.


    Sage¡¯s cries of pain reverberated throughout the corridor.


    Completely oblivious to her suffering, Beckham took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.


    ¡°Speaking of Mandy, there¡¯s another matter I need to settle with you, Miss Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°You should know that we developed the brainwave control chip because many fighters trained by our


    family betrayed us halfway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we created this inhumane device.¡±


    ¡°To ensure our secrets remain secret and their loyalty remains unquestionable.


    ¡°My father initiated this research during his time. I had always been against it, so even though it was


    sessful, I allowed limited use of it.¡±


    ¡°Miss Lenoir, do you remember purchasing this chip from us over a decade ago?¡±


    ¡°You were crying and sobbing, saying you were betrayed by someone you trusted more than anyone.


    That betrayal started a fire, and your skin was covered in burn scars. You wanted us to sell you the


    chip for peace of mind.¡±


    Danielle¡¯s head was bowed. She didn¡¯t dare utter a word.


    Beckham blew a smoke ring. His smile was cold and distant. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know you bought this chip


    from me to imnt it into the mind of a young girl.¡±


    ¡°When Mandy came to my home, she threatened me with a knife. She asked me why I was aiding the


    wicked?¡±


    ¡°Miss Lenoir, how should we resolve this?¡±


    Danielle bit her lip.


    1.


    ¡°This concerns the reputation of the Tanner family¡±


    Beckham chuckled lightly. ¡°Miss Lenoir, please be mindful of what you say.¡±


    Danielle gritted her teeth.


    Finally, she exhaled and said, ¡°I apologize for tarnishing the Tanner name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide on the punishment.¡±


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    One of the reasons she feared the Tanner family was because anyone who had offended them did. not


    meet a good end.


    Even if they expressed gratitude and were forgiven graciously¡­


    In the end, none of them escaped punishment.


    This gave rise to rumors of Beckham Tanner hiding a dagger behind his smile.


    Pleading and begging for forgiveness were futile.


    epting punishment was the only way to avoid ruthless retaliation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to decide that.¡±


    Beckham gave her a faint smile and tossed her a document. ¡°This is my guarantee to you, and you


    need to guarantee something in return.¡±


    ¡°I can let go of the chip matter. I can even turn a blind eye to my daughter.¡±


    ¡°But from this moment on, if you show any sign of disrespect towards my daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°You will hear from me.¡±


    With trembling hands, Danielle signed the agreement. Sage had also been beaten to the point of losing


    consciousness.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Shey crumpled on the ground, pleading. ¡°Please¡­ Please don¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget about your uncle!¡±


    Danielle had finally reached her limit.


    She took a deep breath, approached Sage, and grabbed her by the cor. She pulled back her arm and


    pped Sage twice across the face. ¡°Your uncle will be the one begging for forgiveness. instead!¡±


    ¡°No one can save you once you¡¯ve offended the Tanners!¡±


    ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    Sage froze. Realizing that Danielle was giving her a chance to escape, she lowered her head and


    quickly left.


    ¡°Mandy, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Beckham yawned. ¡°We still need to check on what¡¯s happening at the Lenoir Residence.¡±


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 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444


    Chapter 444 Your Grandson Takes Responsibility


    ¡°If I don¡¯t keep an eye on your grandfather, with his temperament, he¡¯s going to destroy the entire


    ce.¡±


    Mandy nodded, brushing the soot off her clothes, and quietly followed Beckham out.


    Danielle watched her leave. Something inside her couldn¡¯t help but call out, ¡°Mandy!


    Mandy turned back with a frown.


    Her gaze was cold and distant. ¡°Miss Lenoir, what can I do for you?


    Danielle clenched her hands tightly by her sides. ¡°You left me, and for what? You don¡¯t have the


    freedom you wanted.


    ¡°Is being the Tanner¡¯s servant and thug really better than staying by my side?¡±


    Mandy smiled.


    Her eyes were bright as she calmly looked at Danielle. ¡°Without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t lock me in a small dark room by myself or control me with the chip.¡±


    ¡°Even if I am a servant with them, it¡¯s what I have chosen.¡±


    She spun on her heel and quickly caught up with Beckham. They both disappeared into the


    elevator.


    Danielle¡¯s nails were digging crescents into her palms.


    She had hidden for thirteen years and plotted for thirteen years.


    And it had all been for nothing!


    Mandy had escaped.


    Cherise was now recognized as part of the Tanner family.


    And she¡­ was left with nothing!


    ¡°Uncle, you were amazing!¡±


    On the way to Lenoir Residence, Mandy sat in the front passenger seat. She turned around and


    beamed at Beckham. ¡°I thought Miss Shaw got her adorableness from you.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m surprised at howposed you can be when you¡¯re serious!¡±


    ¡°I have always beenposed.¡± Beckham rolled his eyes in feigned annoyance.


    1/3


    ¡°After all¡­¡±


    After all, Charisa had fallen in love with him at first sight.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Charisa Neller¡­


    He closed his eyes.


    Charisa no longer existed.


    Only Charisa Miles remained.


    Charisa Miles, the head of the Miles family.


    Beckham sighed and gave Mandy a look. ¡°I told you to text Zachary, did you?


    ¡°Yes, I did!¡±


    Mandy nodded. ¡°Zachary said he knows you and grandfather are in Adania. So he is aware of Miss


    Shaw¡¯s injuries and won¡¯t be deceived.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s willing to pretend to believe it and let the necessary people know what happened.¡±


    Beckham nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a considerate man.¡±


    The sound of screaming and fighting woke Cherise.


    To her shock, the screaming came from two elderly men.


    ¡°Cherise is my granddaughter. I can hold your grandson responsible for this!¡±


    ¡°Why is my grandson responsible for this? My grandson is the love of your granddaughter¡¯s life! You¡¯re


    hurting your own family by doing this!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! My granddaughter will be fine no matter what happens!¡±


    ¡°I will hold your grandson responsible for this!¡±


    ¡°Aaron Tanner, how can you still be so obnoxious after all these years? Both of them are doing fine on


    their own. Why is an old beast like you trying toe between them?!¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling an old beast?!¡±


    ¡°Your family¡¯s beast is clearly the one against them!¡±


    Cherise slowly opened her eyes.


    What in the world was going on¡­


    2/3


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Noticing Cherise was awake, Mr. Hampson quickly brought her a ss of water. ¡°Are you in any pain?¡±


    Cherise recoiled when she saw him.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡± Cherise frowned.


    Mr. Hampson froze. He knew Cherise probably thought he was the same as Mr. Kolson.


    He sighed and offered her the ss. ¡°This is what happened, Madam.¡±

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445


    Chapter 445 I Want Them To Break Up!


    ¡°Miss Lenoir was the one who hired Mr. Kolson and me to serve Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°When she disappeared, we only followed Mr. Lenoir¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Now that she¡¯s back, she wants to regain control.¡±


    Out of his past loyalty to her, Mr. Kolson foolishly chose to obey her again.¡±


    ¡°My only option was to pretend to be the same as Mr. Kolson, but secretly¡­¡±


    He sighed, ¡°As a medical student, you should know that if there hadn¡¯t been anything wrong with the


    drugs they gave Mr. Lenoir, he wouldn¡¯t have heard you and woken up.¡±


    Mr. Hampson pursed his lips, ¡°I was the one who switched out the drugs.


    ¡°I was the one who asked ke to inform your grandfather about the situation.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect ke to encounter Mr. Aaron Tanner so quickly¡­¡±


    Cherise frowned.


    Reflecting on it, she hadn¡¯t seen ke at all in the hospital.


    Indeed, if Damien had been given the correct amount of sedatives and anesthetics, it would have


    been impossible for him to burst out of the room and run towards her like that.


    Considering what he had said, she epted the ss of water. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you for now.¡±


    She then nced around the unfamiliar room. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°And where is Damien?¡±


    ¡°We are at Lenoir Residence.¡±


    Mr. Hampson replied, ¡°Mr. Lenoir is in the room next to yours.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather insisted on separate rooms until we clear things up.


    Cherise stared at Mr. Hampson with her mouth open. ¡°My grandfather?¡±


    She only had a grandmother. Where did the grandfathere from?


    Mr. Hampson pressed his lips together. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Aaron Tanner.¡±


    ¡°He ims you are his long-lost granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Tanner is here in Adania?¡±


    1/2


    Cherise was stunned for a couple of seconds.


    She finally regained herposure.


    Danielle always used her birth and the incident with her uncle as reasons why she wasn¡¯t good enough


    for Damien.


    Grandpa Tanner must have heard about this while he was in Adania and imed her as his


    granddaughter to give her an advantage.


    She felt warmth in her chest.


    Cherise had felt a closeness with Grandpa Tanner when she first met him. Indeed, he was as kind and


    caring as when they first met!


    ¡°I¡¯m not kind, nor am I caring!¡±


    Cherise was thinking that when she heard him yelling from outside. I am going to break them up!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you Lenoirs want as well?¡±


    ¡°Aaron Tanner, can you stop messing around, please?¡± Old Mr. Lenoir cried out in frustration..


    ¡°You want an apology? I¡¯ll give you an apology. I¡¯ll make my entire family apologize to you. So please


    don¡¯t talk about separating the children!¡±


    ¡°You just want to make me angry!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let such a sweet daughter-inw like that go!¡±


    The arguments she heard weren¡¯t a dream.


    She took a deep breath, and Mr. Hampson helped her out of bed. Pushing open the door, she called


    out, ¡°Grandfathers¡­ Stop fighting.


    ¡°Cherise is awake?!¡±


    Grandpa Tanner hurried over excitedly. Clutching her hand tightly, he cried out in concern, ¡°My dear


    granddaughter!¡±


    ¡°How has the Lenoir family tormented you?!¡±


    Cherise froze, finally realizing that Grandpa Tanner deliberately said this in front of the Lenoirs.


    She wouldn¡¯t deny she wasn¡¯t his granddaughter in front of everyone and embarrass him.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


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 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446


    Chapter 446 Demanding Grandfather


    Cherise gently ced her hand on the older man¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Mr. Lenoir took good care of


    me.¡±


    Old Mr. Aaron Tanner furrowed his brow and then nced at Cherise. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that while Mr.


    Lenoir treated you well, the other Lenoirs did not?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No, everyone was kind to me!¡±


    Well, except for Tristan and Danielle.


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping something from me. You must think I¡¯m foolish for believing you.¡±


    Aaron huffed before continuing. They must have mistreated you. Who do they think I am? I¡¯m your


    grandfather, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯ll make them pay for it!¡±


    Cherise smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Grandpa, I think this is going too far.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    We¡¯re just pretending, aren¡¯t we? The older man might take it too far¡­ If the Lenoirs find out that I¡¯m


    not someone from the Tanner family, I will be in trouble.


    ¡°What do you mean this is going too far?¡±


    Aaron frowned at Cherise, his gaze filled with discontent. ¡°Demanding them to apologize for mistreating


    my granddaughter is never going too far for me. How dare they mistreat you?¡±


    He immediately red at Peter Lenoir. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Peter smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s not going too far. You have every right to demand an apology.¡±


    Peter believed he knew Cherise¡¯s background. She was known to be Elvis Shaw¡¯s daughter, which


    meant she carried the burden of being the offspring of a known arsonist. However, Peter married


    Damien and Cherise to build bridges with Elvis. Why dwell on the past when they could bond over a


    strong marriage? Besides, Cherise was a delightful young woman.


    He didn¡¯t expect Cherise to be a granddaughter of the Tanner family. This revtion hit him hard, as


    having Cherise in their family was a great blessing for the Lenoirs.


    However, Raymond and his son, as well as Danielle, had treated Cherise horribly. Therefore, an


    apology was necessary.


    Cherise grimaced, but before she could remind Aaron that they were only pretending, the older man


    released her hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your family had a festive wedding ceremony and dinner, did they?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t¡­ Peter responded quietly.


    ¡°This is what I suggest. I will choose an auspicious date, and let¡¯s have a proper wedding ceremony. I


    won¡¯t allow your family to take this marriage lightly. I¡¯ll overlook the fact that you didn¡¯t know Cherise


    was a Tanner, but now that you do, I will hold you ountable for hosting a grand wedding!¡±


    Cherise observed the interaction silently and once again feltforted by how much Grandpa Tanner


    seemed to care for her.


    ¡°I¡¯d also like to have a wedding photoshoot. How can I boast about my granddaughter and her


    handsome husband if I can¡¯t show off their photos?¡±


    Peter smiled awkwardly once more. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ww


    Initially, he had wanted to host a grand wedding for Cherise and Damien when they got married.


    However, Cherise was preupied with her grandmother and had declined the offer for a wedding and


    photoshoot.


    She had suggested forgoing the wedding in favor of a simple marriage registration at the registrar¡¯s


    office so that she could ask the Lenoirs for a loan to help with her grandmother¡¯s


    treatment.


    Peter had thought he could arrange a wedding celebration for Cherise and Damien when the time was


    right; he was eager to pursue Aaron¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°Great!¡± Aaron sighed before adding, ¡°You Lenoirs better apologize to my granddaughter at their


    wedding then!¡±

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447


    Chapter 447 nning For The Wedding


    ¡°I¡¯m still upset with you, you know!¡± Aaron seethed at Peter.


    ¡°Do you realize how fortunate you are to be able to win over my granddaughter with just a few tens of


    thousands?¡±


    Peter brightened up at the thought. ¡°Yes, we are truly blessed.¡±


    Aaron stroked his beard, deep in thought. ¡°Let¡¯s meet the fortune teller at Esmeralda¡¯s Caravan on the


    southern side of the city.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite surprising! I didn¡¯t expect you to be familiar with Esmeralda¡¯s Caravan after being away for


    so long.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know the ce! I¡¯m not clueless like you. I haven¡¯t met anyone else who would allow


    someone to marry into their family without fully getting to know them¡­¡±


    The two older men walked away, almost hand in hand, leaving Cherise behind.


    Cherise, on the other hand, was astonished as the older men proceeded to n her wedding without


    consulting her and Damien.


    A thought suddenly crossed her mind.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡± She asked Greg, who bowed and gestured towards the stairs.


    Greg led Cherise to the guest room where Damien was resting.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir is exhausted he has been taking care of you despite his poor health. He intended to rest


    only after apanying you to meet the Miles, but I think staying up was too much for him.¡±


    Greg sighed. ¡°He was already weak, so the medication they gave him was strong. He¡¯s going to need a


    long sleep.¡±


    Cherise felt her heart ache as she observed Damien¡¯s paleplexion.


    She had been through a lot in the past few days and had been worried about her uncle since meeting


    Danielle.


    She wanted to leave and return to her hometown, where she could cry in the rain in front of her uncle¡¯s


    house. This was the only way she knew how to cope with her emotions.


    She had forgotten that Damien was watching over her and supporting her.


    Surely he was exhausting himself taking care of weak old me. Otherwise, why would he allow Danielle


    Lenoir and Mr. Kolson to administer those medications?


    1/2


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir¡­ Would you like me to wake Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise shook her head, her eyes closed as she let out a sigh.


    Walking to Damien¡¯s side, she gently patted the mattress before sitting down next to him.


    ¡°My dear husband¡­¡± Cherise sighed as she held his hand.


    ¡°It must have been tiring for you.¡± She leaned down to kiss him between his eyes and allowed herself to


    breathe in his scent for a moment.


    ¡°Your grandfather has promised to host a wedding for us. Let¡¯s do it. You should rest first before we go


    looking for my uncle.¡±


    The moon hung high in the sky by the time Damien woke up.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sitting up, he realized Cherise was asleep by his side, holding his hand.


    When he looked up, he saw Beckham, Mandy, Aaron Tanner, and Peter Lenoir in the room with. them.


    He motioned for Greg toe closer, and with considerable effort, he got out of bed.


    ¡°Good day, Aaron and Beckham¡­ Damien nodded to the two older members of the Tanner family.


    ¡°You should start calling us ¡®Dad¡¯ and ¡®Grandpa.¡±


    Damien was surprised to see Aaron¡¯s usually cheerful smile turn into a serious expression. ¡°We¡¯re here


    for Cherry because we heard about everything that has happened.¡±


    Damien raised an eyebrow at the statement and nced at Mandy.


    2/2

 Chapter 448

    Chapter 448


    Chapter 448 Skeletons In The Closet


    Mandy smiled, then quickly averted her gaze.


    Damien pondered for a moment, but the truth came to him quickly.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Danielle to let Mr. Kolson harm him, but Mandy had anticipated it. Perhaps Mandy


    knew Danielle better than Damien did.


    Mandy might also be responsible for the Tanners¡¯ prompt arrival.


    Damien shook his head sadly. He had allowed Mandy to work with the Tanners because he was


    concerned that Danielle would make her life difficult. Besides that, the Tanners were the best people to


    handle Mandy¡¯s situation..


    He hadn¡¯t expected to gain anything from his good deed.


    ¡°My sister must be blinded by revenge,¡± Damien said slowly, his face filled with gratitude towards


    Beckham and Aaron.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ve changed my mind ¨C she¡¯s just arrogant. She doesn¡¯t see less privileged people as human.¡±


    Aaron waved his hand dismissively in response to Damien¡¯sment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin


    sister¡¯s behavior to us. We¡¯ve been observing her since childhood and anticipated this.¡±


    your


    The older man sighed. ¡°I was worried for Cherry too. I knew that your sister would take advantage of


    Cherry¡¯s kindness.¡±


    He nced at Beckham, who was tenderly looking at his daughter. ¡°However, I¡¯m less worried


    now.


    ¡°Now that people know Cherry is a Tanner, your sister wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything against her, even if


    she doesn¡¯t like Cherry.¡±


    ¡°But remember, even though she¡¯s a Tanner, Cherry is also my granddaughter.¡±


    Aaron shifted in his seat to get morefortable. ¡°We have another reason for being here.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning now?¡± Peter scowled at Aaron.


    ¡°We want to expose how you treated Cherry¡± Aaron yawnedzily.


    ¡°I hope everyone in Ziphon will hear about it.¡±


    Peter wheezed loudly and almost choked on his saliva. ¡°We¡¯re in Adania, and Ziphon is two thousand


    miles away. The Lenoirs would lose their social standing if people in Ziphon found out how badly they


    treated Cherise.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Why do you care about your reputation now?¡± Aaron huffed before looking at Damien. ¡°Do you care


    about it?¡±


    Damien stared at him and instinctively pulled Cherise into his arms. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Shall we proceed with the wedding celebration?¡±


    Aaron Tanner rolled his eyes at Peter. ¡°Yes, we nned to organize the wedding celebration. However,


    since her parents are here, they should take care of her. We can¡¯t possibly host two celebrations ¨C one


    after we find her father, and another after we find her mother, right?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Damien gazed at Cherise, who was peacefully sleeping in his arms, and the memory of their encounter


    at the hospital resurfaced in his mind.


    Her heart-wrenching sobs had awakened him from his slumber,


    He had instinctively rushed to her side and freed her from the chains imposed by the public jury.


    She was the balm in his life, the only thing that anchored him to this world.


    As he gently caressed her face, he felt his heart bloom like a flower, carried by a gentle spring breeze.


    She would be overjoyed to know that her parents are alive. After all, familyes first to her.


    Although Damien didn¡¯t like the idea of Cherise and Charis meeting, he trusted that things would


    progress positively since Aaron had initiated the encounter.


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 Chapter 449

    Chapter 449


    Chapter 449 Cherise¡¯s Doubt


    Damien shifted his attention back to the older men and asked, ¡°When will the wedding take ce?


    ¡°One week from now,¡± they replied.


    Aaron observed Damien¡¯s slightly tired face and said, ¡°You look exhausted. Get well soon! My


    granddaughter will be able to take care of you and help you recover!¡±


    Damien nodded cheerfully and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure she will.¡±


    The next day, Cherise woke up before the sun had risen.


    As she rubbed her eyes, she immediately looked for Damien. However, she became rmed when she


    couldn¡¯t find him in bed.


    ¡°Damien!¡± she called out in fear, but was quicklyforted when she heard his response.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Damien was sitting in the window nook with a notebook on hisp and a drink in his hand.


    ¡°Why are you awake so early?¡± Cherise asked.


    Initially worried, Cherise felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders when she saw Damien full of energy


    and cheerfulness.


    Sighing, she brushed her messy hair with her fingers and asked, ¡°When did you


    wake up?¡±


    ¡°I woke up when you held my handst night.¡±


    Cherise felt her face turn red with embarrassment. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Damien replied.


    Damien left the window alcove and approached Cherise, embracing her. ¡°Did you sleep well? I¡¯m sorry


    for worrying you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Cherise whispered as she wrapped her arms around Damien¡¯s waist.


    ¡°You trusted Kolson too much.¡±


    She leaned into his chest and breathed in his scent. ¡°Thankfully, Grandpa came to our rescue.¡±


    Cherise shuddered as she thought about what had happened at the hospital the day before.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened if Aaron hadn¡¯t intervened and imed that she was


    his granddaughter.


    1/2


    ¡°Let¡¯s thank Grandpater, shall we?¡±.


    ¡°Sage would have sent me to a high-security female prison if it weren¡¯t for Grandpa Tanner, who lied for


    my sake.¡±


    Damien frowned at herment. ¡°Do you really think Aaron Tanner lied to help you out of trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cherise nodded firmly, but her eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement. ¡°Wait, did you actually


    believe that I¡¯m his granddaughter?¡±


    Damien yfully pinched her cheek. ¡°What if he was telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? I¡¯m not a Tanner.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that you¡¯re not a Tanner?¡± Damien grinned, challenging her. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be the


    missing Tanner girl?¡±


    Cherise almostughed in disbelief. ¡°That would be incredibly coincidental


    Although she longed to meet her rtives, her uncle had told her that she was found in a dumpster,


    which meant her parents had abandoned her.


    Meanwhile, the missing Tanner girl was adored by her parents.


    Damien felt a pang of sadness for Cherise, who wholeheartedly believed that her parents didn¡¯t love


    her and that she couldn¡¯t possibly have such a loving family. Despair and self-doubt were deeply


    ingrained in her identity.


    However, he believed that she would embrace the role of the missing Tanner girl, as she was also


    wholeheartedly devoted to Aaron Tanner.


    Sighing, he held her so close that he could almost feel her heartbeat. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go and thank Aaron


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 Chapter 450

    Chapter 450


    Chapter 450 A Surprising Encounter


    Since Cherise denies being a Tanner, Damien can only wait until she epts the fact.


    Cherise nodded in agreement that they could thank Aaron Tanner before adding. ¡°I promised to take


    Grandpa Aaron out to try some local specialties when hees to Adania.¡±


    She turned away to get her phone. ¡°What do you suggest?¡±


    Damien smiled weakly as he watched her scroll through the list of local specialties. ¡°I can¡¯t rmend


    anything special in Adania. However, it might be more meaningful if you could cook for him. Nothing


    beats homecooked food.¡±


    Cherise pped her forehead in embarrassment. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±


    Grandpa Aaron has never tasted the dishes I¡¯ve made. Furthermore, it would express my gratitude


    more sincerely if I cooked for him.


    Cherise took out her notebook and began listing what she would cook for lunch. Once she had nned


    everything, she called for Frances, and thedies went out for a shopping trip.


    Despite the long shopping list, Cherise¡¯s excellent nning skills shortened their trip to a mere thirty


    minutes.


    On their


    way back home, they passed a shop that sold tailor-made Western men¡¯s wear. Cherise stared at the


    well-made suits.


    Grandpa Tanner likes traditional things, but I¡¯ve never seen him wear a tailor-made suit when I was


    staying with the Tanners. It would be nice if I could get a gift for him a simple meal doesn¡¯t feel


    appropriate.


    Cherise sent Frances back home and then went to visit the tailor.


    ¡°Excuse me, could you tell me if this suites in another color?¡± Cherise asked one of the


    salespersons, who had their back turned towards her.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The salesperson turned around and gasped at her in disgust.


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±


    Cherise blinked at the middle-aged woman. Despite feeling the woman¡¯s hostility, Cherise remained


    smiling. ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°Have we met before?¡± The woman mocked, trying to ridicule Cherise.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, how could you forget who I am?¡±


    Cherise stared at the woman, and a faint memory of her came back to her.


    ¡°Are you¨C¡±


    1/2


    ¡±


    A terrible memory resurfaced when Cherise heard the name. Sunny invited her ss to Viopril Pce


    without consulting her, and he ended up being detained by the authorities.


    Cherise remembered how intimidating Sunny¡¯s parents were when they were angry at her, but she was


    forgiving. She didn¡¯t recall what Sunny¡¯s mother looked like.


    However, Sunny¡¯s mother¡¯s fervent reminder jogged her memory.


    ¡°How is he? Is he doing well?¡± Cherise asked cheerfully, but she was already slowly heading towards


    the exit.


    I don¡¯t have to buy anything with Sunny¡¯s mother breathing fire down my neck. There are other tailors


    in


    town.


    ¡°Hah, how could he be doing well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault that he was thrown into jail. He now has a criminal record. After that, he was expelled


    and had to start over at a local college.¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother towered over Cherise, screaming her anger at the young woman.


    Cherise, on the other hand, was not in the mood to deal with the ring woman.


    Turning to leave the shop, she heard a woman call out. ¡°Hey, you! Youngdy at the door!¡±


    Cherise had ced a hand on the door to push it open but felt someone tug on her sleeve.


    ¡°Why are you leaving already, miss? You haven¡¯t seen any of our products yet!¡± An authoritative


    woman asked pleasantly.


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 Chapter 451

    Chapter 451


    Chapter 451 In The Devil¡¯s Den


    ¡°Perhaps these clothes don¡¯t fulfill your desires. We have more styles and colors inside, soe on


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    in!¡±


    Cherise winced at the shop owner¡¯s words.


    She wouldn¡¯t mind walking out on a bothersome woman like Sunny¡¯s mother, but the shop owner¡¯s


    affectionate customer service made her feel ashamed to leave.


    Cherise had to avert her gaze from the shop owner¡¯s earnest and pleading eyes. Her words of rejection


    died on her lips.


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise gently removed the shop owner¡¯s fingers from her sleeve one by one. ¡°I


    think I should visit other stores.¡±


    ¡°How do you know you won¡¯t find what you want here? You haven¡¯t seen everything we have to offer.


    The shop owner straightened up and crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed.


    ¡°I believe she¡¯s the one you dislike, am I right?¡±


    The shop owner red at Sunny¡¯s mother. ¡°Leave! Stay in the back!¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother gasped and clenched her fists in frustration. She opened her mouth to challenge her


    employer, but before she could say a word, the shopkeeper yelled at her to leave again.


    Unable to contain her embarrassment, the middle-aged woman gritted her teeth as she turned to leave


    Cherise and the shop owner.


    The shop owner waited until Sunny¡¯s mother was out of sight before cing her hands on Cherise¡¯s


    shoulders and turning her around. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to shop without anyone aggravating you?¡±


    ¡°I promise you, we have amazing products here. Don¡¯t let someone you dislike get in the way of a


    fulfilling shopping experience!¡±


    Cherise nodded quietly. She found herself captivated by the shop owner, unable to resist the older


    Furthermore, she still had her eyes on one of the stylish suits.


    Cherise had confirmed Grandpa Tanner¡¯s measurements with Mandy. After browsing the store, she


    selected a couple of outfits, paid, and left.


    Sunny¡¯s mother emerged from the back of the store, scowling at the shop owner. ¡°That woman is not


    someone you should associate with. She¡¯s a disgusting and evil person. I didn¡¯t expect you to


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool like you.¡±


    1/2


    The shop owner red at Sunny¡¯s mother. ¡°I¡¯m going to profit as much as possible from despicable


    people. I want her to regret her purchase!¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She was buying something for an elderly person. Older people have poor eyesight, so I¡¯m sure he


    won¡¯t notice the needles I hid in the clothes.¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother gasped in amazement.


    ¡°Did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did!¡±


    The shop owner crossed her arms, smirking to herself. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster. I only put in about five


    needles. These needles are coated with medication that causes itchiness, so I¡¯m sure the elderly.


    person will be irritated to the point of difort.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯lle after you?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be?¡± The shop owner rolled her eyes. ¡°She has no evidence that I did it. You could argue


    that she was trying to harm the elderly person. Maybe she¡¯s the culprit. My hands are clean.¡±


    Sunny¡¯s mother was astonished. ¡°I admire your strategic mind. I wouldn¡¯t have thought of such a n.¡±


    She saluted the shop owner.


    If I had. I wouldn¡¯t have gotten into an argument with Cherise. I would have convinced her to buy a few


    more outfits before hiding more of those poisonous needles in the clothes.


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 Chapter 452

    Chapter 452


    Chapter 452 Lunch With Tanners


    We aplished two goals with one action! She lost money, and now, she¡¯ll lose her reputation!


    ¡°You should learn from the best!¡± The shop owner scowled at Sunny¡¯s mother before turning


    away.


    It was already ten in the morning when Cherise arrived home with her conquest.


    She had invited Aaron and Beckham Tanner to join them for lunch at noon; she had little time to


    After bringing in all her purchases, she hurried to the kitchen to start cooking.


    prepare.


    Cherise¡¯s gratitude was evident in her heart she made sure to rinse all the ingredients and chop them


    up.


    All her hard work made Cherise sweat buckets, but none of it went to waste.


    Damien, reclining on the sofa, took out his phone and recorded a video of Cherise bustling around the


    kitchen. He then sent the footage to Aaron and Beckham.


    ¡°She¡¯s cooking for you now!¡±


    ¡°My granddaughter is so sweet!¡± Aaron gushed in the WhatsApp group,


    ¡°She must have inherited my amazing diligence!¡± Beckham chimed in.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been hardworking! How can you say that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Damien shook his head indignantly at the two Tanner elders who argued like children in the WhatsApp


    group.


    No one would expect these older men to fight like children. Even if I told people how they behaved, no


    one would believe me. Beckham is usually stern and unapproachable, and Aaron typically looks like he


    would bite your head off if you looked at him wrong. And yet, they squabble about Cherise in a group


    chat.


    ¡°I have something to tell you two.¡± Damien finally sent. ¡°She doesn¡¯t believe that she¡¯s a Tanner. I bet


    she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯s worthy of the Lady Tanner¡¯ title.¡±


    ¡°How are you two going to exin it to her? I¡¯m not a Tanner, so I think it¡¯s best for me to sit this


    one out.¡±


    The group chat fell silent after Damien sent his messages. The Tanner elders always imagined Cherise


    weeping and hugging them after discovering she had a family. However, they never expected Cherise


    to be in denial about her identity.


    Years of hardships have taught her that she was worthless,


    1/2


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯lle around.¡±


    Aaron sighed.


    ¡°A Tanner should never be so despondent.¡±


    Aaron and Beckham arrived promptly at noon under Mandy¡¯s guidance.


    After their arrival, Mandy led the way into the house.


    Cherise, who was serving thest dish, looked up to see who had arrived.


    She was astounded by how different Mandy looked.


    She no longer carried the mature and calm demeanor, nor did she have the rebellious look she wore at


    Clover Garden.


    This must be the real Mandy


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Mandy giggled, then added, ¡°Mr. Aaron and Beckham Tanner are


    here too.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Stepping aside, she revealed Aaron and Beckham standing at the door. Beckham was carrying a few


    packages.


    Both men¡¯s eyes were brightly lit, as if they were contemting a jewel.


    However, Cherise felt a little uneasy with how they were watching her.


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 Chapter 453

    Chapter 453


    Chapter 453 It¡¯s Her


    She coughed awkwardly as she removed her apron.


    ¡°Come on in!¡± She gestured for them to enter the house.


    ¡°I¡¯ve cooked to thank you for helping me out of a difficult situation. I prepared everything, but I¡¯m not


    sure if they¡¯re delicious. However, Damien said they¡¯re good, so I hope I can introduce my cooking to


    you. I promised Grandpa Tanner that I would introduce local delicacies if he came to Adania. However,


    after careful consideration, I realized that Adaniacks local delicacies. So, here we are, enjoying my


    cooking!¡± Cherise rambled.


    However, her voice was pleasing to their ears.


    Aaron and Beckham sat down at the dining table.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Damien?¡± Aaron asked.


    ¡°He has a lunch appointment.¡±


    Damien had never had a lunch appointment before. Therefore, Cherise wondered if he was reluctant to


    have lunch together. However, she did not want to force him to do something he didn¡¯t want to do, as


    she was the one who invited Aaron for a meal.


    ¡°I see that he is clever enough to avoid me.¡± Aaron huffed.


    Beckham, on the other hand, smiled at his father¡¯sment. ¡°Well, I think he is wise. Do you think it¡¯s


    nice to hear someone else insult their family in front of their partner?¡± He asked. rhetorically.


    The Lenoir family is one of the most influential families in Adania and owns thergest. corporation in


    the city, appropriately named the Lenoir Group.


    However, Aaron cursed and insulted almost everyone, including the leaders.


    ¡°I would avoid you if I were Damien.¡±


    ww


    ¡°You youngsters are too weak! The reality scares you!¡± The older man rolled his eyes as he picked. up


    a knife. ¡°Since we don¡¯t have to wait for Damien, let¡¯s eat!¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    Beckham observed the dishes on the table.


    He neither expected much from this woman nor cared much about her, but the moment he tasted the


    honey garlic salmon, he felt like he was thrown headlong into nostalgia.


    Is this Charis¡¯ cooking?


    1/2


    Cherise saw Beckham¡¯s trembling hand and felt her heart sink.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Beckham?¡±


    Uncle Shaw and Aunty Sarah never made honey garlic salmon for her.


    However, after marrying Damien, she learned that he liked eating fish and quickly picked up how to


    prepare fish dishes.


    When she saw the recipe for the honey garlic salmon dish, she fell in love with it immediately.


    She thought that this was her best dish, which was why Beckham¡¯s response after eating it shocked


    her.


    Why is he trembling? She wondered, but her train of thought was interrupted by Beckham, who


    suddenly yelled at Aaron.


    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡±


    This tastes like Charis¡¯ cooking! It has been neen years since she left, and that is how long I haven¡¯t


    had her cooking. Never in a thousand years would I dream of tasting her cooking, and yet, this young


    woman managed to replicate it urately.


    Beckham exhaled shakily. ¡°You did an excellent job.¡±


    As excellent as your mother did.


    Cherise blushed. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    2/2

 Chapter 454

    Chapter 454


    Chapter 454 Childhood Trauma Runs Deep


    Beckham quickly averted his gaze to prevent Cherise from noticing the tears welling up in his eyes.


    Silently, he savored the taste of the salmon, relishing the nostalgia it brought.


    He had once believed that he had lost Charis and their child forever. He even thought that he would


    have to entrust the search for Charis and their child to Gwenn after his passing, as part of his final


    wishes. But things had changed he had found Cherise, and he was confident that he would soon find


    Charis as well.


    This is the first time in neen years of despair that I feel tion.


    ¡°Foolish boy,¡± Aaron mumbled, secretly overjoyed as well. ¡°Hey girl, let¡¯s eat. While we dine, I have


    something to discuss with you.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Okay. I also have a gift for you


    After the meal, Cherise led the Tanners to the living room to rest on the sofas. Meanwhile, she went


    upstairs to retrieve Aaron¡¯s gift..


    This is for you, Grandpa Tanner.¡±


    Cherise ced the box in front of Aaron. ¡°I remember that you appreciate traditional yet stylish. suits,


    Grandpa. I selected these designs for you, taking into ount your age and your spirited


    nature.¡±


    The elderly man blushed slightly as he examined the clothes. ¡°What a thoughtful girl you


    are.¡±


    ¡°I know someone who has been by my side for twenty years but has never given me such a sweet gift


    before,¡± he added, ncing at Beckham.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise giggled. ¡°Well, Uncle Beckham has been busy, hasn¡¯t he? Besides, women usually have more


    experience with shopping for clothespared to men.¡±


    She took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Thank you foring to my rescue that day. I am eternally


    grateful! You even imed that I was your granddaughter, leading them to believe that I was your long-


    lost granddaughter. I can only express my gratitude through this gift.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Aaron shook his head sadly as he picked up the suits. ¡°Beckham, help me put on the suit


    jacket.¡±


    ¡°You care about others too much, Cherry. Why can¡¯t you think more about yourself? Don¡¯t your want to


    be my granddaughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do¡­¡±


    Cherise smiled serenely, but her words sent a chill down their spines. ¡°And yet, Grandpa, my parents


    abandoned me when I was a child. My uncle found me in a dumpster. When I was six, I fell ill. Things


    worsened when my birth mother came to take me back. I was so sick that the


    1/2


    doctors warned Uncle Shaw to prepare for my death. The only thing that saved me was Uncle Shaw¡¯s


    promise never to return me to my parents¡¯ home.¡±


    Her smile faded.


    The men were at a loss for words. They finally understood the depth of Cherise¡¯s trauma and realized


    that her wounds would not heal overnight.


    She firmly believed that she was an orphan and would only ept a statement if she had proof.


    ww

 Chapter 455

    Chapter 455


    Chapter 455 The Final Truth


    Aaron shook his head as he retrieved a piece of paper from his jacket and handed it to Cherise. ¡°We¡¯ve


    conducted DNA tests with nearly twenty organizations, and these are the results.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to doubt us. You¡¯re a Tanner.¡±


    Cherise epted the fluttering piece of paper from Aaron, but to her, it felt like a heavy burden.


    How could this be? Does that mean Beckham is my father? Beckham Tanner, the man known for his


    love and devotion to his children?


    Aaron sighed. ¡°Your father was out of town on a business trip when your mother left us. She also filed


    for divorce. You were only two months old, so your facial features hadn¡¯t fully developed yet. She left


    another girl in your ce. Meanwhile, she kept the truth hidden from you.¡±


    ¡°You must be joking.¡± Cheriseughed incredulously. ¡°How is this possible? Uncle Shaw said¡­


    ¡°Your Uncle Shaw used to be a bodyguard for your mother-inw¡¯s family from her second marriage.¡±


    Aaron shook his head slowly before adding. ¡°That¡¯s why Zachary Miles didn¡¯t charge your uncle in


    Adania, which would have exposed the case. Your uncle wasn¡¯t a child abductor or an arsonist. His


    greatest mistake was taking you away from the Miles family and then refusing to send you back home.


    Beckham sighed. ¡°However, I believe Elvis took excellent care of you. If you had stayed with the Miles


    or had been returned to them when you were six, you would have be another Kareen Miles.


    Cherise stared at the older men and felt augh well up from within her. She felt bewildered and, at the


    same time, amused.


    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t made a mistake?¡± This must be a mistake.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re certain.¡±


    Aaron smiled wryly. ¡°We¡¯re not trying to deceive you.¡±


    Cherise frowned at the Tanners.


    She heard and understood them, but it seemed too good to be true.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    How could I suddenly be a Tanner? How could Uncle Shaw suddenly be a kidnapper? How


    could I belong to both the Tanner family and the Miles family? How could I have parents of noble


    heritage? And why did I have to endure insults and scorn from others when I was a child? They called


    me a peasant and a fool.


    ¡°I know this is difficult for you to ept.¡± Aaron took a pained breath through his teeth as he retrieved a


    stack of DNA reports from his bag and handed them to Cherise.


    1/2


    ¡°These reports are from internationally recognized familial DNA organizations.¡±


    ¡°You excelled in school, and you¡¯re a medical student. You should understand what it means when all


    these tests yield the same results. If you struggle to ept it emotionally and rtionally, I hope you


    can ept it intellectually Aaron¡¯s voice resonated throughout the room, clear and resolute like a


    judge¡¯s gavel.


    Yet Cherise felt as though she was enveloped in a warm nket of love and concern.


    She gripped the stack of papers so tightly that her knuckles turned white.


    Why did they go to all these organizations to verify my identity?


    As if reading her thoughts, Aaron spoke up. ¡°I know you, and I know your father. It¡¯s difficult to change


    your mind once it¡¯s made up.¡±


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 Chapter 456

    Chapter 456


    Chapter 456 A Parent¡¯s Love


    ¡°Your father didn¡¯t believe you would be his daughter.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe you are rted to us either.¡±


    ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°I can only throw this pile of identification certificates in your face for you to have a good look at the


    truth!¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s lips trembled in shock as she nced meaningfully at Beckham.


    Beckham had his gaze fixed on her, and their eyes locked.


    Cherise looked away first.


    The young girl cleared her throat and said, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll gradually get used to it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t feel ted with joy, but¡­.


    All these years, I harbored a deep hatred for my parents. I wanted to know how they could heartlessly


    abandon me in the dumpster all those years ago.


    Now, everything hase to light. I¡¯m in the wrong for hating my parents. I don¡¯t have any reason or


    right to hate my birth parents because they never intended to abandon me.


    Even my mother, whom I¡¯ve never met, deliberately reced me with another baby girl and took me


    away when she divorced Beckham.


    Cherise paused in her thoughts and exhaled deeply, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Why did¡­ Why did my


    mom take me away?¡±


    She should¡¯ve known how loving the Tanner family was toward children. I wouldn¡¯t have faced any


    hardships if she had left me with them. Why did she go through all that trouble to put Gwenn there and


    take me away? She even ensured Beckham mistook me for Gwenn and was in love with me for so


    many years.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± The old man sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in the future.¡±


    Cherise shook her head, ¡°What if I want to know now?¡±


    The old man let out a long breath and spoke after a moment, ¡°Rachel took you away because she was


    afraid you would be bullied. Not by our family, but by our enemies, as we had many enemies in the


    past. Your father was very ostentatious in the business circle and angered many people. Many of them.


    went after you and your mother, but your mother always resolved the situation amicably. However, in


    the end, she could no longer cope with that kind of life.¡±


    ¡°As for recing you with Gwenn. Firstly, it was to give your father somefort so he wouldn¡¯t search


    for her. Secondly, it was to let everyone mistake Gwenn for you and treat the girl she left behind as the


    princess of the family. This way, it would prevent those nosy people from digging into your true identity.


    As for how you were taken away by Elvis¡­¡±


    The old man closed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s because your mother¡¯s next husband never trusted her from the beginning. He thought your


    mother was spying for information and ordered the driver to harm him. So, he imprisoned her like a


    criminal. You were taken away because your mother couldn¡¯t take care of you. All these years, your


    mother never gave up searching for you. When your father found out Gwenn wasn¡¯t his biological


    daughter, he, too, searched far and wide for you.¡±


    The elderly man opened his eyes. He patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder and sincerely said, ¡°Don¡¯t think you are


    not loved or that your parents do not care for you. They are searching everywhere for you because


    their love for you is too deep.¡±

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457


    Chapter 457 Reunion


    Cherise bit her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she listened to the old man¡¯s words.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡± Cherise sniffled.


    Even though she couldn¡¯t treat Beckham the same way she did Elvis, her heart still ached upon hearing


    the truth about her parents searching for her. She raised her eyes and looked at Beckham, silently


    contemting before summoning her courage and uttering a single word.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Beckham felt his pulse quicken as his blood surged through his veins. He looked up at Cherise, a


    mixture of shock and ecstasy on his face.


    ¡°What¡­ What did you call me?¡± His deep voice was filled with excitement.


    ¡°Father,¡± Cherise timidly whispered.


    It was the first time she had ever called anyone ¡®Father. Although he was her biological father, she still


    felt a sense of unease.


    ¡°Cherry¡­¡± Beckham rushed over and pulled Cherise into his arms. Tears streamed down his cheeks as


    he cried, ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you!¡±


    ¡°These past few years¡­ have been so difficult for you¡­ Cherry,¡± he sobbed as he embraced Cherise.


    Cherise could feel the warmth radiating from his body and his tears falling onto her neck. Her lips


    trembled, and the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.


    ¡°I finally have a father¡­¡±


    Aaron wiped at his teary eyes as he watched the scene unfold before him. It was an unimaginable


    sight. After years of searching, Cherise and Beckham had finally been reunited.


    However¡­


    Aaron let out a sigh and approached them. He lightly tapped Cherise¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Would you


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    like to meet your mother?¡±


    Cherise looked up at Aaron with teary eyes and asked, ¡°My mother? Do you know where she is?¡±


    Aaron nodded, a hint of annoyance shing in his eyes.


    ¡°Things areplicated between your parents. But you must remember that they truly love and cherish


    you. You are the most important person to them, aside from each other.¡±


    Cherise nibbled her lip and nced at Beckham. ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Beckham snillled, loosening his grip on his daughter to wipe away his tears. In his forty-odd


    years of life, excluding his childhood, this was only the second time he had cried. The first was when


    Rachel


    left him.


    Taking a deep breath, he continued. ¡°Cherry, regarding your mother¡­ we need your help.


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Tell me


    As soon as she spoke. Aaron¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, and he copsed onto the couch.


    ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m having an allergic reaction.¡±


    Why does it feel like bugs are crawling on my skin?


    Allergies


    Beckham¡¯s eyes gleamed. He quickly released Cherise¡¯s hand and rushed to Aaron¡¯s side.


    How do you feel?


    ¡°My whole body itches, he growled. ¡°get a doctor.¡±


    ¡°I must be reacting to something in this city.


    Beckham nodded and hurried off to find a doctor.


    ¡°Grandpa, how are you feeling?¡± Cherise asked as she handed Aaron a ss of water.


    ¡°lichy.¡± Aaron replied with a scowl. He gestured to his back and said, ¡°Take a look.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and gently lifted the edges of the trembling man¡¯s shirt.

 Chapter 458

    Chapter 458


    Chapter 458 The Two Daughters


    His back was covered with angry red patches that resembled horrible blisters. Cherise noticed a red


    dot among the bubbling pustules and reached out to touch it.


    The man jerked away from her touch.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and shifted her gaze to the man¡¯s shirt, thinking.


    Sure enough, she spotted a minuscule needle embedded in the seams of the shirt. The red dot on


    Aaron¡¯s back was the result of being pricked by this needle.


    ¡°After considering it, please take off your shirt,¡± Cherise said quietly.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Aaron scowled and turned around to re at her. ¡°I refuse! This is the first shirt my granddaughter gave


    me. I will not remove it!¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t know how to respond to Aaron¡¯s outburst. She took a sharp breath and reasoned,


    ¡°Grandpa, I suspect you¡¯re having an allergic reaction to the fabric of the shirt. How about taking it off


    first?¡±


    Aaron rolled his eyes and stubbornly dered, ¡°I won¡¯t do it. Unless a doctores and confirms it, I


    won¡¯t take it off.¡±


    After all these years, I finally received a gift from my granddaughter. I won¡¯t take it off!


    Soon after, Beckham returned with Jacob Caldwell..


    And behind them was¡­ Gwenn.


    She had shed her snobbish attitude and discarded all her branded items. She was dressed the same


    way Cherise had first seen her, in a T-shirt and jeans, canvas shoes, and her hair tied up in a high


    ponytail.


    She looked like the girl next door.


    Cherise took a moment to recognize Gwenn as the woman before her.


    How did she be like this? It¡¯s only been¡­ less than a month.


    ¡°Mr. Tanner was pricked by a needle.¡±


    If it was something even Cherise could see, Jacob would definitely be able to notice.


    Jacob frowned and continued, ¡°Mr. Tanner, please take off your shirt. Someone has tampered with it.¡±


    Aaron couldn¡¯t retort. He quietly nodded his head. With the assistance of Jacob and Beckham, he


    removed his shirt and changed into his pajamas.


    While Aaron changed, Cherise and Gwenn discreetly left the room.


    ¡°Cherise.¡± Gwenn had her hands on her hips as she coldly stared at Cherise.


    Even though she was wearing a simple short and grans she will exuded an air of wealth. ¡°I calcted


    our borth dates, and I think I was born a couple of days earler Yes don¡¯t mind if I treat you as younger


    I dont sand treat


    to eager to be


    ** Cherise retorted


    Gwent chackled Cherne, oh right, I should call you Charlotte. I never thought someone like you would


    be the true youngdy of the Tanner family No wonder Ive despised you since our first meeting You¡¯re


    the person fare sent to real my identity¡±


    Cherise was stunned with disbelief. She scoffed and said. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who stole my entity


    They were still infants wrapped in clothes when their identities were switched. They couldnt change


    what the adults had done Cherise understood that even though they found her. Beckham would still


    choose to treat Gwenn as his daughter


    After all, humans are sentimental beings.

 Chapter 459

    Chapter 459


    Chapter 459 The Two Faces


    Just like Cherise, she may have found her birth father but still needed to find her mother. However, in


    her heart, the position of her aunt and uncle remained unchanged. It could not be altered.


    What right does Gwenn have to use me of stealing her identity?


    ¡°Am I not correct?¡± Gwenn sneered at Cherise. She stood by a window and gazed outside. The trees


    swaying in the wind mirrored her fluctuating heart. She used to be the favored daughter. She took pride


    in her status as a Tanner family member. She was content.


    Throughout the years, people respected and ttered her because of her status, but Cherise suddenly


    appeared one day.


    Beckham chose his birthday dinner to reveal that she was not a true Tanner but was, in fact, adopted.


    The real Tanner daughter was someone else.


    Since then, Gwenn¡¯s world crumbled into pieces. What was worse was that it wasn¡¯t just anyone, but


    the girl she believed was unworthy of Damien. Gwenn couldn¡¯t believe it was Cherise, the girl she and


    Kareen looked down upon and mocked.


    What a terrible person! I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s trying to take my ce after taking Damien away! Is she


    going to steal Kareen¡¯s position as the beloved daughter of her family next? How dare she! Just


    because she can act spoiled?


    ¡°You may enter now.¡±


    Jacob opened the door for them.


    The door was barely ajar before Gwenn rushed past Cherise and grabbed Aaron¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Grandpa! What happened? Let me see! It pains me to see you in such agony at your age¡­¡± Gwenn


    cried.


    Cherise stood by the door, astonished.


    Is this the Gwenn Tanner I know? The Gwenn I know doesn¡¯t like to act coy and wouldn¡¯t treat Mr.


    Tanner with such care¡­ Her actions now may seem sincere, but¡­ they seem a bit fake¡­.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Jacob looked at Cherise awkwardly.


    ¡°The Tanner family¡¯s daughter, Cherise cautiously replied.


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Beckham confirmed with a smile and gently patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder. Tve investigated.


    Gwenn is two days older than you, so she is the older sister. You are younger by two days, so you are


    the younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cherise nodded. She didn¡¯t consider herself a part of the Tanner family and never thought about.


    being the eldest daughter of the family. She didn¡¯t mind what they called her.


    ¡°Younger sister is fine.¡±


    Gwenn nestled herself in Aaron¡¯s arms and looked at Cherise with teary eyes. Her eyes may have


    1/2


    glistened from the tears, but Cherise could see the cold intent behind them. Cherise clenched her teeth


    and turned away from Gwenn.


    ¡°Where is this shirt from?¡± Jacob held up the shirt in question and looked at Beckham.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It was a gift from Cherry. Is there a problem?¡± Beckham asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°Yes. Take a look.¡± Jacob showed Beckham the tiny needle.

 Chapter 460

    Chapter 460


    Chapter 460 A Show


    The needle sparkled in the sunlight.


    ¡°This needle is flexible and microscopic. It¡¯s difficult to notice. The needle is coated with an ointment.


    that triggers an allergic reaction in the body. That¡¯s why Mr. Tanner¡¯s body reacts this way.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s hands trembled around Aaron as she turned and walked towards Cherise.


    ¡®Smack!¡±


    The sound of the p across Cherise¡¯s face reverberated through the house, leaving everyone


    shocked.


    Beckham hurried forward and stood between Cherise and Gwenn.


    ¡°Gwenn, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m teaching her a lesson!¡± Gwenn sniffled. Her voice was still hoarse from crying. She wiped her


    tears. and looked pitifully at Cherise. ¡°I know you¡¯ve suffered these past few years and that you have a


    dislike for this family, but Grandpa is over seventy! You shouldn¡¯t hide something so malicious in your


    gift and cause him such difort!¡± Gwenn¡¯s agitation grew, and she burst into tears. ¡°Cherry, if you¡¯re


    upset that I took your ce and made you wander the streets,e at me! I¡¯m not afraid! I¡¯m willing to


    endure anything for Dad and Grandpa!¡±


    Cherise shook her head in disbelief at Gwenn¡¯s exaggerated performance. ¡°We haven¡¯t even


    uncovered the truth, and yet you¡¯re so eager to me me and say I ced the needle there.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s using me of doing that to Grandpa just because I¡¯m upset!


    ¡°You won¡¯t confess now.¡±


    Gwenn looked pitiful as she wiped her tears and huffed, ¡°Grandpa and Daddy will take your side since


    you¡¯re the legitimate daughter of the Tanner family. Even if the p was because I cared for Grandpa,


    they would still think I was in the wrong.¡±


    Gwenn raised her hand again.


    ¡®Smack!¡±


    It was another p, but this time itnded on Gwenn¡¯s own face. She was definitely not putting on a


    show because the sound of the p was louder than when she hit Cherise. Her face immediately


    started to swell after the impact.


    ¡°Gwenn! Stop causing amotion! We haven¡¯t resolved the situation yet!¡± Beckham frowned


    disapprovingly at Gwenn.


    ¡°Amotion?!¡± Gwenn cried and turned to Cherise with a bitter smile. ¡°Take a look, little sister. No


    one will me you for anything you do. Dad even thinks I¡¯m causing amotion by pping myself to


    make things fair! I¡¯m not a Tanner by blood, so of course, I¡¯m in the wrong. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough! Everyone, leave!¡± Aaron shouted from the bed, unable to watch any longer.


    Jacob pressed his lips together and quietly said, ¡°Mr. Tanner needs to rest. Please leave the room.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gwenn turned her teary eyes away and walked out. The moment she left the room.


    Cherise noticed a sly grin appear on Gwenn¡¯s face. The grin seemed to say, ¡°I can do anything you can


    do!¡±


    Cherise felt her head throb. She knew Gwenn Tanner was difficult to handle. However, back then, she


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    didn¡¯t have such a rtionship with the Tanners. Now, she had be the daughter of the Tanner


    family, the family¡¯s princess.


    ¡±

 Chapter 461

    Chapter 461


    Chapter 461 Sabotage


    I can¡¯t believe such a bossy person has be my sister¡­ What a pain in the oss.


    ¡°Cherry, please stay back,¡± Aaron said as Cherise was about to leave.


    Cherise nodded and closed the door after everyone else had left.


    ¡°Come here. Aaron gestured for her toe to him.


    ¡°Grandpa. Cherise nibbled her lips.


    ¡°Think carefully. Whose hands did the shirt you gave me go through? Someone is trying to harm you


    with this shirt.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart warmed from Aaron¡¯s words. ¡°Grandpa, you don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t have those intentions. How can I not know my own granddaughter?¡± Aaron grinned at


    the docile girl. ¡°You look just like your mother, but your silliness is just like your father!¡±


    Cherise lowered her head shyly, ¡°Mr. Tanner¡­ Oh, Daddy is not silly.¡±


    ¡°How is he not? He couldn¡¯t even tell Gwenn was acting!¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. She looked up at Aaron, ¡°You could tell?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I could! What do you take me for?¡± Aaron rolled his eyes and continued, ¡°I¡¯m Aaron Tanner,


    a master in the field! That little fox is too young to be acting in front of me!¡±


    Aaron raised his hand and caressed the swollen part of Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± The young girl shook her head and grinned at the old man, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt as long as you


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    believe me!¡±


    The old man shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Oh, you. Quick. Think about whose hands this shirt has


    gone through.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows knitted together as she pondered the question.


    Cherise went shopping with Frances, but Frances had left when she bought the shirt. Sunny¡¯s mother


    might not like her, but she had already gone to the warehouse when Cherise saw the shirt. She hadn¡¯t.


    had time to look at her purchases as she went straight to the kitchen to make dinner when she got


    back.


    So¡­. No one else but the shop owner could¡¯ve done something to the shirt!


    Cherise¡¯s eyes bulged with realization. Her teacher had said that once all the wrong answers had been


    eliminated, the remaining one would be the correct answer, no matter how preposterous.


    that


    Cherise felt a chill go down her spine. She thought back to when she met the shop owner afternoon.


    Thedy had enthusiastically shown her around the store. After Cherise had selected two shirts, she


    said she would get some new ones from the back as those were dusty. Cherise had waited at long time


    for her toe back. She had even texted Lucy, saying the shop owner was so slow.


    Now that she thought about it, the shop owner must have sabotaged the shirt when she went to the


    back!


    But¡­ there wasn¡¯t any animosity between them¡­


    Suddenly, she thought about Sunny¡¯s mother. She must have done something because she worked


    there¡­


    Her body broke out in a cold sweat. She never thought that a simple shopping trip could be tainted.


    with such malicious intentions.


    ¡°Does somethinge to mind?¡± Aaron sighed and held Cherise¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯re too naive.¡±

 Chapter 462

    Chapter 462


    Chapter 462 I Want Revenge


    ¡°You¡¯re always too trusting of people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very different from your mother in this aspect.¡±


    Cherise smiled awkwardly.


    She turned around and faced Aaron. ¡°Grandpa, can you tell me what my mother is like?¡±


    ¡°You keep saying she¡¯s clever while Dad and I are stupid.¡±


    ¡°Your mother is the head of the Miles family.¡±


    Aaron sighed softly. ¡°Do you remember Zachary when you were in Tanner Residence?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Of course, I remember! How can I forget?¡±


    ¡°He abducted my uncle!¡±


    Although Zachary always seemed cheerful and easy-going, he secretly controlled many things behind.


    the scenes.


    ¡°He¡¯s your mother¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦.¡±


    Aaron chuckled. ¡°Your mother¡¯s personality is quite simr to his.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    ¡°My mother is simr to Zachary?¡±


    ¡°Is he kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, only in some aspects.¡±


    Aaron looked at Cherise. His gaze seemed to grow distant.


    ¡°This girl is almost a splitting image of Charisa. Back then¡­¡±


    Back then, Beckham¡¯s striking sess drew the ire of many enemies.


    These people could not stand losing to him in business and broke into Charisa¡¯s room while he was not


    at home.


    That night, Aaron was bedridden from severe illness and could not move. Moreover, the intruders had


    bribed the servants at home.


    All he could do was listen to Charisa scream and her baby cry.


    He could not even get to her room.


    When Aaron finally pushed himself out of the bed, he copsed on the floor.


    Moreover, someone removed all themunication devices in his room. He could not do anything to


    save Charisa. He could not even contact Beckham.


    The intruders assaulted Charisa all night.


    That night, Aaron had considered many possibilities.


    He feared Charisa would kill herself.


    He thought she would divorce Beckham.


    He even expected her to hate the Tanner family.


    Unexpectedly, Charisa appeared before him the following morning, gorgeously dressed.


    Her face still bore traces of injuries from the night before. However, she smiled radiantly before him.


    ¡°Dad, I want revenge.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her smile did not fade as she continued, ¡°I want to make those people pay for what they did.¡±


    ¡°I thought for a long time after they left.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate Beckham for failing to save me. Beckham is kind and honest. He only did what he thought


    was right and never expected those people to be capable of such evil. It isn¡¯t his fault.¡±


    ¡°Those evil men are the ones to be med.¡±


    Aaron looked into Charisa¡¯s eyes in shock. ¡°Ari, about this¡­¡±


    ¡°I know many businessmen are like them. It¡¯s rare to find someone as frank as Beckham.¡±


    ¡°Since those men like ying dirty, I¡¯ll beat them at their own game.¡±


    Then, she kneeled before Aaron and continued, ¡°One of the men gave me his contactst night. He


    offered to provide for me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to divorce Beckham and look for him.¡±


    Aaron widened his eyes in shock and stared at the woman before him. ¡°Ari, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve investigated. He¡¯s the head of the Miles family.¡±


    ¡°The Miles family can be the best supporter for Beckham¡¯s sess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll marry the head of the Miles family and kill him. Then, I¡¯ll take over as the family¡¯s leadership.¡±


    ¡°From now on, let me crush all the obstacles on Beckham¡¯s path.¡±


    That day, Charisa seemed to glow like she had a halo around her head.


    Aaron protested strongly even though he was stuck to his bed. ¡°Ari, please don¡¯t do anything rash!¡±

 Chapter 463

    Chapter 463


    Chapter 463 I Want To Marry Him


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for me¡± Charisa whispered, closing her eyes. ¡°Dad, do you know¡­¡±


    ¡°There were six of themst night,¡± Aaron interrupted.


    ¡°The six of them tormented me all night long.¡± Charisa continued, her voice filled with pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer worthy of Beckham,¡± she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. ¡°I wish to die.¡±


    ¡°But why should I give up my life when they were the ones who tormented and humiliated me?¡± she


    questioned, her voice filled with defiance.


    ¡°They tortured me to make Beckham despair,¡± she exined. ¡°Why should I let them win?¡±


    ¡°Beckham has finally found sess in business. I can¡¯t drag him down,¡± she reasoned, her voice filled


    with sadness.


    Aaron remained silent for a long time, contemting her words.


    Finally, he sighed and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already made up your mind, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything¡­ I can do for you?¡± he asked, his voice filled with concern.


    ¡°I need you to hide this from Beckham,¡± Charisa said firmly, looking directly into Aaron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hide it


    from him forever.¡±


    Aaron couldn¡¯t help but shudder as he recalled the events of that morning.


    That was the day he witnessed Charisa¡¯s true character.


    She was no longer Charisa Neller, his daughter-inw. Instead, she became Charisa Miles.


    A woman who would turn the Miles family upside down.


    Her name was Charisa Miles.


    After bidding farewell to Aaron, Charisa left a divorce agreement for Beckham. Then, she left Tanner


    Residence with her child and met with the head of the Miles family.


    Aaron had thought that Charisa had only spoken those words in the heat of the moment. He didn¡¯t


    expect her to actually seed.


    She became the head of the Miles family and exacted her revenge.


    At the same time, she became Beckham¡¯s greatest ally on his path to sess.


    Everyone feared Beckham, as anyone who dared to oppose or scheme against him would meet a


    terrible fate.


    Only Aaron knew that Charisa was behind it all.


    She yed the role of the head of the Miles family in public. Yet, behind that facade, she was still the


    woman who loved Beckham the most and was willing to sacrifice everything for him.


    Memories of the past flooded Aaron¡¯s mind. He sighed softly and patted Cherise¡¯s arm. ¡°Your


    mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Is an extraordinary person,¡± Cherise finished his sentence.


    She had kept her promise and hadn¡¯t seen Beckham for over a decade.


    Previously, Aaron had offered to reconnect Beckham and Charisa. He had searched for ways to bring


    them together.


    But too many years had passed. Knowing Beckham¡¯s personality, Aaron believed that Beckham would


    still love Charisa even if other men had assaulted her.


    However, Charisa had refused and was unwilling to meet.


    Aaron had no other choice. When he revealed Cherise¡¯s true identity to Beckham, he also took the


    opportunity to confess who Charisa had been all these years.


    Upon learning this, Beckham locked himself in his room and refused to eat or drink for three days.


    Finally, he approached Aaron and said, ¡°I want to see Ari again.¡±


    ¡°I have wronged her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. She did nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I should have expected that my enemies would target her. I failed to protect her.¡±


    ¡°Our family failed her.¡±


    Beckham came up with the idea of going to Adania and offering to hold a wedding for Cherise.


    He wanted to use his daughter¡¯s wedding as a way to bring Charisa back into his life.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cherise nodded after hearing Aaron¡¯s n. ¡°If my wedding can reunite Mom and Dad, let¡¯s


    have


    one.¡±


    She bit her lip. ¡°Furthermore¡­¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Her cheeks turned red. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to marry him in a wedding dress.¡±

 Chapter 464

    Chapter 464


    Chapter 464 Did Grandpa Forgive You?


    Initially, Cherise married Damien because she urgently needed money for her grandmother¡¯s treatment.


    Since they weren¡¯t in love, she didn¡¯t think a wedding was necessary.


    However, things were different this time.


    Cherise and Damien had faced many challenges together. Now, she desired a proper wedding for


    them. to exchange their vows and promise to be together forever.


    ¡°Good.¡± Aaron smiled and looked at the door. ¡°Anyway, what do you n to do about the person


    outside the door?¡±


    ¡°Your father is too kind-hearted to kick her out of the house.¡±


    ¡°However, I have disliked this girl since the beginning. She¡¯s too shy and has a bad personality.¡±


    ¡°The way she behaved just now made me nauseous.¡±


    Then, he held Cherise¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°My darling Cherise, tell me. What do you want me to do


    about her?¡±


    ¡°Say a word, and I¡¯m even willing to get rid of her for you.¡±


    Cherise was stunned.


    She waved her hands in panic. ¡°Grand¡­ Grandpa, please don¡¯t be rash¡­¡±


    He said he would get rid of her¡­


    Even though Gwenn is annoying, there¡¯s no need to go so far as to harm her!


    ¡°Sure, what do you think I should do?¡± Aaron asked, holding her hand. The corners of his eyes crinkled


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    as he smiled.


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Since Dad thinks she can stay and be sister¡­¡±


    my


    ¡°I¡¯ll let her remain here for now.¡±


    After all, there was not much animosity between them.


    She would reconsider if Gwenn were to attempt anything against her.


    Moreover, she felt it was wrong to kick Gwen out right after she reunited with her father and


    grandfather.


    Not only would it invite public criticism, but it was also against her conscience.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    Aaron chuckled and continued, ¡°As for this shirt, let the guilty person take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feelpelled to shoulder all the me simply because I¡¯m fond of you!¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    She chatted with Aaron for a while before leaving the room.


    Gwenn and Beckham were discussing something outside.


    Seeing Cherise, Gwenn rushed to her and asked, ¡°Did Grandpa forgive you?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa loves you the most¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much I care about him¡­ You¡¯re still the one he loves the most¡­¡±


    Cherise felt her blood run cold.


    She knew Gwenn was pretending, yet she could not expose her. It felt terrible.


    ¡°Speak up. Did Grandpa forgive you?¡±


    Gwenn repeated when Cherise remained silent.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and pursed her lips. ¡°Sis, what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to Grandpa. Why would he need to forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Since I gave Grandpa the gift, I¡¯ll investigate who ced those needles.¡±


    ¡°Sis, you didn¡¯t have to speak like this in front of Dad. You made it seem like I did it.¡±


    ¡°Besides, the matter is between me and Grandpa. It doesn¡¯t matter whether I did it or if Grandpa.


    forgave me. It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, why don¡¯t you send Grandpa a gift?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what Grandpa likes?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s question sounded like a challenge to Gwenn, triggering her.


    Didn¡¯t they say Cherise was gullible from growing up in the countryside?


    Yet, she didn¡¯t fall for my bait. Instead, she caught a w in my words and retaliated by asking if I knew


    what Mr. Tanner liked.


    Beckham frowned and seemed displeased with Gwenn. He felt Cherise¡¯s words made sense.

 Chapter 465

    Chapter 465


    Chapter 465 You Never Showed Concern For Me


    If Gwenn were to admit that she didn¡¯t know what Aaron liked, all her pretense would have been in


    vain. Moreover, Beckham would think she was a hypocrite.


    Gwenn clenched her teeth. ¡°Of course, I know what Grandpa likes!¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you may have gotten Grandpa a gift, but that doesn¡¯t give you the right to mock!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given Grandpa so many more gifts over the years!¡±


    Cherise smiled and asked, ¡°In that case, can you tell me what kind of gift you gave Grandpa?¡±


    Gwenn clenched her teeth. ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    Cherise smirked as she looked at Gwenn. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve only recently reunited with Dad and Grandpa.


    That¡¯s why I want to find out their preferences.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been living with them for neen years. You must know what they like.¡±


    ¡°I just want to learn more about them. There¡¯s no need for you to hide it from me.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you share what you know? After all, we are family. We should prepare gifts for Dad and


    Grandpa together.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s words made Gwenn grit her teeth. ¡°Cherise, don¡¯t you think this is too much?¡±


    Beckham frowned slightly. ¡°Gwenn, how is this too much?¡±


    ¡°Cherise means well and wants to understand your grandfather¡¯s and my preferences.¡±


    ¡°As her older sister, you should guide her. How can you say she¡¯s causing you trouble?¡±


    Gwenn was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Tanner, you don¡¯t know anything about your grandfather¡¯s preferences. Contrary to what you


    im, you didn¡¯t prepare gifts for Mr. Aaron.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Gwenn gritted her teeth furiously. She had nothing to say in response to Cherise and Jacob¡¯s insults.


    ¡°It seems I was right.¡±


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    Jacob crossed his arms and nced at Beckham with an amused smile. ¡°Mr. Tanner, it seems


    someone needs to be taught manners.¡±


    ¡°Even people like me, from ordinary families, know to prepare gifts for elders on special asions.¡±


    He nced at Gwenn. ¡°You should learn more from Cherise from now on!¡±


    ¡°Cherise doesn¡¯t know much about our family, yet she brought a gift for Grandpa to thank us.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    Gwenn didn¡¯t expect Beckham to scold her.


    She bit her lip, a hint of hatred flickering in her eyes.


    Then, she sniffled and pitifully pursed her lips. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll learn from Cherise from now on.¡±


    ¡°She is outstanding. I should learn from her¡­¡±


    She forced a smile and held Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Cherise, please teach me from now on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been living alone all these years. Dad and Grandpa were always busy. There was no one to teach


    me these things.¡±


    ¡°Please guide me from now on.¡±


    On the surface, she seemed to be asking Cherise to teach her.


    However, her words implied that it was all Beckham and Aaron¡¯s fault.


    It was as if she was saying, ¡°See, myck of etiquette is because you never cared about me! You two


    are always busy. I don¡¯t remember you teaching me anything. How would I know?¡±


    Beckham sighed softly and gently patted Gwenn¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve neglected you and failed to


    teach you many life principles.¡±

 Chapter 466

    Chapter 466


    Chapter 466 A Brilliant Sessor


    ¡°But Cherise¡¯s adoptive parents raised her well. You should learn from her.¡±


    Then, he turned to Cherise and seemed pleased with her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her to your guidance.¡±


    Gwenn was left speechless.


    She had said those words to make Beckham feel guilty.


    Yet¡­


    Beckham regarded her as immature. He even asked Cherise to educate her.


    I don¡¯t want this country bumpkin to teach me anything!


    On the other hand, Jacob watched the scene unfold with glee.


    He turned to Beckham and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Mr. Aaron¡¯s medicine with you.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll return to my clinic.¡±


    Then, he turned around and left without bothering to check Gwenn and Cherise¡¯s reactions.


    Once he left Lenoir Manor, he immediately called Damien. ¡°I finally figured out why your dear Cherise is


    so adorably silly.¡±


    ¡°She got it from her father!¡±


    He understood what Gwenn¡¯s words meant. She implied Beckham had no right to call her immature.


    Even if she was, it was because Beckham failed to educate her.


    However, Beckham did not notice anything strange about her words. Instead, he was happy to have


    Cherise teach Gwenn good manners. He was pleased not to have to teach her himself.


    Jacob imagined how furious Gwenn must be.


    Meanwhile, Damien chuckled on the other end. ¡°Sounds like they got along quite well.¡±


    Jacob opened the car door and put on a Bluetooth earpiece. He shrugged indifferently. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect


    Cherise to have such an incredible and unique background.¡±


    ¡°It turns out she was not only Beckham Tanner¡¯s daughter, but also the daughter of the head of the


    Miles family¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s now above your social status.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you


    worried her parents might find your family background too lowly for their daughter?¡±


    Damienughed into the phone. ¡°I suppose Lenoir Group would seem inferior to them.¡±


    ¡°But you forgot I have a few major corporations in Europe. Even thepanies under Lennon¡¯s name


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    are mine.¡±


    Jacob smacked his forehead. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always so secretive.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t remind me, I would have almost forgotten that you founded many corporations alone.¡±


    ¡°With all those corporationsbined, they should make you almost as influential as the Tanner and


    Miles families.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, you have the advantage of being young. Surprisingly, you created massive business


    empires overseas while remaining in Adania.¡±


    Jacobughed and continued, ¡°Looking at this, should I congratte you and Cherise for making such


    a advantageous match? Or should I congratte the Tanner and Miles families for discovering such a


    brilliant sessor?¡±


    ¡°Sessor?¡±


    Damien¡¯s tone contained a hint of mockery. ¡°I guess I might seed the Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°But the Miles family¡­¡±


    There¡¯s still Zachary and his group of siblings waiting to inherit it.


    But two years ago, Charisa, the head of the Miles family, dered that any of the younger generations


    who married Charise would inherit the Miles family¡¯s properties.


    Of all these people, only Zachary knows Cherise¡¯s identity for now.


    Once we hold the wedding, others from the Miles family will discover Cherise¡¯s existence.


    What happens next will beplete chaos.


    ¡°Damien.¡±


    Jacob bit his lip and looked into the distance. ¡°Do you have any pretentious neighbors living near your


    ce?¡±


    Damien frowned and shook his head. ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Jacob nearly dropped his phone. ¡°I saw a convoy of luxury cars¡­ They¡­ They are heading toward


    your


    house.¡±

 Chapter 467

    Chapter 467


    Chapter 467 Meeting The Head Of The Miles Family


    ¡°What are the cars like?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so many limited edition sports cars¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see the car tes.¡±


    ¡°They are from Ziphon.¡±


    Jacob paused briefly.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Miles family from Ziphon.¡±


    ¡°The Miles family!¡±


    Jacob gripped his phone and stared at the iing vehicle procession in shock.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to have a chance to see the head of the Miles family.¡±


    ¡°You most likely won¡¯t see her.¡±


    Damien chuckled from the other end. ¡°But I¡¯ll get you a chance to meet her anyway.¡±


    ¡°I want you to go there and tell them you¡¯re my friend.¡±


    ¡°Then, inform the head of the Miles family that Aaron and Beckham are currently meeting with Mrs.


    Lenoir in Lenoir Manor.¡±


    Jacob frowned. ¡°If you tell her that the Tanners are in the manor, won¡¯t she decide not to meet them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to meet that easily.¡±


    Damien sighed and continued, ¡°Since they haven¡¯t met for nearly twenty years, their reunion should


    ur in a more formal situation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too hasty for them to meet like this.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise has just been reunited with her father and grandfather. She¡¯s probably at her limits by now.¡±


    ¡°If she were to meet her mother and witness her parents¡¯plicated rtionship¡­¡±


    ¡°It will be too much for her to bear.¡±


    Jacob fell silent for a moment.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°In other words, you prevent them from meeting due to concern for Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice was calm and logical. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m concerned for my wife. Did you think it¡¯s out


    of concern for you?¡±


    Jacob was rendered speechless.


    Despite hisint, Jacob still exited his car and approached the motorcade.


    It consisted of around thirty limited edition luxury cars.


    The car leading the procession was as expensive as Damien¡¯s limited edition Bugatti Veyron sports car.


    Jacob stood in its path and parted his arms. ¡°I want to talk to the head of your family.¡±


    The sports car stopped.


    The other cars in the motorcade also stopped.


    Then, a man in his twenties stepped out of the first car.


    He wore a ck suit. His lips curved into a slight smile. ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Damien¡¯s friend.


    Jacob furrowed his brow. ¡°I want to speak to the head of your family.¡±


    The man chuckled and appraised Jacob from top to bottom. ¡°Bunny¡¯s husband has such a bad temper.


    Why would he have friends?¡±


    ¡°You should havee up with a more convincing lie.¡±


    Jacob was rendered speechless.


    How does he know about Damien¡¯s low emotional intelligence?


    He cleared his throat. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m not ying with you.¡±


    ¡°I have something urgent to discuss with the head of your family.¡±


    Zachary leaned against the car door and pursed his lips. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re Damien¡¯s friend. You can¡¯t


    even take a joke.¡±


    Then, he nced at Jacob. ¡°Ms. Charisa doesn¡¯t simply meet with anyone. If Damien has anything to


    say to her, you can tell me. I¡¯ll pass the message.¡±


    Jacob frowned and knew it would be challenging to deal with the man before him. Thus, he had no


    choice but to forgo meeting the head of the Miles family this time.


    He sighed and told Zachary word for word what Damien had said.


    ¡°Damien said if you insist on proceeding, he doesn¡¯t mind turning Lenoir Manor into a site to


    Zachary rolled his eyes and turned around to go to a ck sports car at the back


    The person in the car rolled down the window and spoke briefly to Zachary,


    It was a woman with a mask over her face.

 Chapter 468

    Chapter 468


    Chapter 468 She Mustn¡¯t Learn That


    The woman wore a Vian mask, but even the mask couldn¡¯t hide her regal posture and demeanor. It


    was evident to anyone who saw her.


    She must be the head of the Miles family.


    Jacob shook his head. As expected, he didn¡¯t get to see the face of this legendary woman. For years,


    rumors had described Charisa as a ruthless woman, but no one knew what she looked like. Her


    appearance remained a mystery.


    ¡°Ms. Charisa expressed her gratitude,¡± Zachary yawned and nced indifferently at Jacob. ¡°She also


    asked you to thank Damien on her behalf.¡±


    After saying that, he returned to his car. The motorcade made a U-turn and left.


    Meanwhile, Cherise felt frustrated as she looked at her father. Beckham sat on the couch, gazing at


    Cherise with fatherly affection. ¡°Your older sister isn¡¯t as knowledgeable as you. You must teach her


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    well.¡±


    Then, he turned to Gwenn expectantly. ¡°You should focus on learning from Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Do your best!¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s expression turned livid.


    How dare he tell me to do my best?


    Does he always see me as inferior to this stupid Cherise?


    Gwenn took a deep breath and managed to suppress her anger. She smiled at Beckham, imitating


    Cherise¡¯s innocent expression. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°But the Tanner family belongs to the upper ss.¡±


    ¡°Cherise grew up in a vige and isn¡¯t familiar with the etiquette of upper-ss society. Why don¡¯t I


    teach her the things that an upper-ssdy should know?¡±


    Gwenn felt gleeful after saying that. She saw it as an opportunity to get even, as there were things she


    knew that Cherise didn¡¯t.


    However, Beckham shook his head. ¡°No, she mustn¡¯t learn that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been misled by these so-called upper-ss rules. You know nothing about humility and


    warmth.¡±


    ¡°Cherise shouldn¡¯t learn that upper-ss nonsense. She should remain as she is!¡±


    Gwenn was left speechless.


    Is he doing this on purpose?


    Cherise wanted tough as she watched Beckham and Gwenn interact, but she didn¡¯t dare to. She had


    no choice but to hold back herughter.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. She immediately grabbed it. Zachary had sent her a photo.


    The photo showed Elvis¡¯ profile. He stood by the road, gazing earnestly into the distance. It seemed


    like he was on guard and looking at something far away.


    Elvis looked much more energetic in this photo than before. He wore camouge attire and appeared


    neat and calm. In fact, he lookedpletely different from how Cherise remembered him.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but feel sad as she looked at the photo. If her father and grandfather hadn¡¯te


    to the house, she would have gone to Miles Manor to search for her uncle.


    She sighed and replied to Zachary¡¯s message. ¡®Please take good care of my uncle.


    If I find out you mistreat him, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡±


    Meanwhile, Zacharyughed when he saw Cherise¡¯s reply. He looked at Elvis, who was quietly staring


    towards Lenoir Manor, and shook his head helplessly.


    ¡°Bunny, it¡¯s only been a few days since we met, but your temper has gotten worse.


    Anyway, we¡¯ll be meeting soon.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips as she read the message. As she was about to reply, she suddenly noticed a


    detail in the photo.

 Chapter 469

    Chapter 469


    Chapter 469 She Got On His Nerves


    The photograph depicts a road and a sign¡­ It¡¯s the road sign near Lenoir Manor!


    Cherise felt a surge of excitement upon realizing this.


    She stopped paying attention to Gwenn and Beckham¡¯s conversation.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Instead, she focused on her phone and typed a message to Zachary. ¡®Where are you now?¡±


    When did you take the photo?¡±


    Zachary chuckled at her response. I just took it¡¯


    ¡°He¡¯s not my type. Why would I keep his photo in my phone¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened as she realized something.


    He took the photo just now¡­


    Cherise couldn¡¯t calm down. She jumped up from the couch and rushed towards the door.


    Beckham frowned. ¡°Cherise, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find my uncle!¡±


    Cherise shouted as she hurried outside with her phone in hand.


    Beckham furrowed his brow as he watched her run away.


    She went to find her uncle?


    When did she have an uncle?


    I¡¯m her father, and I don¡¯t have any brothers¡­.


    Suddenly, Beckham looked up, realizing something.


    Could her uncle mean her adoptive father?


    Her adoptive father is with Charisa.


    Since Cherise has gone to see him, doesn¡¯t that mean¡­


    Beckham immediately stood up and ran outside, ignoring Gwenn.


    Gwenn rolled her eyes. She watched Beckham leave and smiled coldly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice sooner that


    you¡¯re an idiot too?¡±


    She changed to a morefortable sitting position and examined the things in the manor closely.


    So, this is Damien and Cherise¡¯s home.


    It¡¯srge and luxurious.


    This manor is everything that I dream of in a home.


    Unfortunately, that foolish Cherise is the one living here.


    If she hadn¡¯t gone ahead and snagged that brilliant Damien, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance¡­


    This darn bastard is incredibly lucky.


    Not only did she marry such a wonderful husband. She even turned out to be Beckham¡¯s only


    biological daughter.


    Previously, Karcen had told her that Cherise was the daughter of the head of the Miles family.


    That meant Cherise was not only connected to the two most influential families by blood, but she also


    married a highly capable man.


    Gwenn was consumed with jealousy.


    Suddenly, a noise came from upstairs. It sounded like someone had dropped a ss.


    Gwenn frowned. ¡°I almost forgot that the old man is still upstairs.¡±


    She stood up and reluctantly went upstairs.


    Then, she put on a worried expression right before she opened the door to Aaron¡¯s room.


    It was a guest room on the upper floor.


    Aaron leaned against the bed. He had dropped a ss on the floor.


    Due to his weak health, he had difficulty getting out of bed after being pricked by the poisonous needle


    earlier.


    Gwenn had a concerned expression as she walked in. ¡°Grandpa, what happened?¡±


    Aaron coughed briefly. ¡°I wanted some water, but the ss slipped from my hand.¡±


    ¡°You should have called someone.¡±


    Gwenn sighed softly and imitated Cherise¡¯s innocent expression. Then, she picked up the ss,


    poured some water, and offered it to Aaron. ¡°Please have some water, Grandpa.¡±


    Aaron epted the ss and said calmly, ¡°Gwenn.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±


    Gwenn appeared docile as she looked at Aaron, blinking innocently.


    Aaron nearly choked on the water.


    He patted his chest and coughed hard. ¡°Stop doing that. It¡¯s irritating me.¡±


    Cherise had a habit of looking at people with her big and innocent eyes. She also unintentionally made


    expressions that others would find adorable.

 Chapter 470

    Chapter 470


    Chapter 470 Blood And Familial Bond


    However, those expressions only worked on Cherise.


    It was because of her genuine personality and adorable face that she looked natural when making such


    expressions or when looking at someone with big, childlike eyes.


    Unfortunately, the same could not be said of Gwenn.


    She had always been mboyant and arrogant.


    Moreover, she had always preferred a morous and seductive style.


    Thus, Aaron found it disturbing when Gwenn began to imitate Cherise¡¯s behavior.


    He looked at Gwenn acting cute and rubbed his brow helplessly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to act like this to be a


    part of the Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°All these years, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong except for bossing people around using the family¡¯s


    reputation.¡±


    ¡°Even though Cherise has returned to us, we won¡¯t kick you out.¡±


    Aaron coughed and looked away. ¡°You have your own personality and interests. There¡¯s no need to


    keep imitating Cherise.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Gwenn looked at the back of Aaron¡¯s head and narrowed her eyes.


    However, she spoke in a gentle and sweet tone. ¡°But Grandpa, you like people like Cherise, right?¡±


    ¡°Since you and Dad like her, is it wrong for me to emte her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the real Ms. Tanner. Is it wrong for me to want to learn from the real Ms. Tanner?¡±


    Aaron shook his head. ¡°Gwenn, you¡¯re too obvious.¡°


    ¡°I can see that it¡¯s not a sincere desire to learn from Cherise.¡±


    ¡°You are furious that she is my real granddaughter. Thus, you act like this to anger everyone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much?¡±


    ¡°If you keep doing this, you won¡¯t be able to coexist peacefully with Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, you know the consequences if you continue to coexist with Cherise in this family.¡±


    Gwenn clenched her fists.


    ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes furiously. Tve been living as a Tanner for neen years.


    ¡°Being a Tanner has always been a source of pride for me.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve never done anything that tarnishes the Tanner family¡¯s reputation in all neen


    years.¡±


    ¡°When I appear before others, I always remind myself to behave properly and not embarrass the


    Tanner family name. I worked hard so this family would not be ashamed of me.¡±


    ¡°But look at what I get for my effort?¡±


    ¡°All Cherise has is the Tanner¡¯s blood in her veins. She has never lived as a Tanner and does not know


    how to carry herself as a member of the upper-ss society.¡±


    ¡°Yet, I became a burden in your eyes when she returned. I suddenly became the detested one in this


    family.¡±


    ¡°Is blood more important to you and Dad than the familial bond of neen years?¡±


    Aaron chuckled. ¡°Gwenn, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone too far.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, we didn¡¯t kick you out of the family. Instead, we granted you the status as Beckham¡¯s eldest


    daughter while Cherise is your younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done or what you¡¯re scheming now? If you refuse to


    ept Cherise, don¡¯t me us for refusing to tolerate you.¡±


    ¡°Thirdly¡­¡±


    ¡°You have been using the Tanner family¡¯s status to bully others. Do you think Beckham and I have no


    idea?¡±


    Gwenn could only grit her teeth and had nothing to retort.


    ¡°Where are they?¡±


    Since Gwenn remained silent, Aaron did not want to waste his breath.


    ¡°They¡­¡±


    Gwenn pursed her lips. ¡°They¡¯ve gone to chase after Cherise¡¯s uncle.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re already here?¡±

 Chapter 471

    Chapter 471


    Chapter 471 Aunt Charisa Will Meet You


    Charise hurriedly left Lenoir Manor in her bathroom slippers. However, when she arrived at the location


    indicated in Zachary¡¯s photo, Elvis and Zachary were already gone.


    Ail she could see was the motorcade disappearing in the distance.


    Cherise watched them vanish and clenched her fists.


    Her hands trembled as she tried to call Zachary.


    Zachary declined her call.


    Instead, she received a message a momentter. ¡®We¡¯ll meet eventually. Don¡¯t worry!¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth.


    How can I not worry?


    If Maeve hadn¡¯t convinced Mr. Kolson to take action against Damien, I would have arrived in Ziphon


    and searched for Uncle Shaw in Miles Manor!


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Now that Uncle Shaw has returned to Adania, how can I not be anxious to see him?


    Moreover, based on Zachary¡¯s photo and the position of the road sign¡­.


    Furthermore, the direction Uncle Shaw was looking¡­ It¡¯s Lenoir Manor!


    Uncle Shaw stood near the manor and gazed at me!


    A wave of sadness overwhelmed Cherise as she imagined the scene.


    Knowing that he had been there just a moment ago made her feel even worse.


    If she had left the house earlier, she would have met her uncle.


    Cherise let out a sigh and bit her lower lip. Her hands trembled nervously as she replied to Zachary¡¯s


    message. Where are you?¡±


    ¡®I want to see him.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be anxious.


    Zachary remained calm and unconcerned. ¡®Since Ms. Charisa brought him to Adania, you¡¯ll have at


    chance to meet him.


    Cherise gritted her teeth. ¡®When will I get to meet him?¡±


    I believe that meeting Aunt Charisa should excite you more than meeting Elvis.¡±


    Bunny, don¡¯t you want to see Aunt Charisa? Aren¡¯t you curious about what she looks like?¡±


    C


    Cherise held her phone tightly and was momentarily stunned.


    She couldn¡¯t deny that she wanted to meet Charisa.


    Her grandfather had described Charisa as the most intelligent person in their family.


    Moreover, Cherise had heard how much she resembled Charisa. Therefore, she was eager to meet the


    woman who had brought her into the world and cherished her.


    However, these desires were overshadowed by her longing to see her uncle.


    Even though she anticipated meeting her biological mother, it couldn¡¯tpare to her concern for her


    uncle, who had raised her for neen years.


    While this may seem harsh towards her mother, Cherise couldn¡¯t help it. After all, humans are


    emotional beings.


    Despite being rted by blood, Cherise had no memories of her mother. On the other hand, her uncle.


    had cared for her for neen years.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for now!


    Seeing that Cherise didn¡¯t respond, Zachary sighed and sent another message. ¡®Aunt Charisa will meet


    you eventually.


    ¡®Elvis will be safe if you agree to meet Aunt Charisa,


    ¡®Since Aunt Charisa wants to hear you call her ¡®Mom,¡¯ why would she mistreat your uncle?¡¯


    Cherise was stunned. Her anxious heart gradually calmed down.


    From her mother¡¯s perspective, Elvis had taken Cherise away and refused to return her.


    Thus, Cherise feared that her mother would hold a grudge against her uncle and mistreat him.


    But Zachary¡¯s words brought her peace of mind.


    Cherise exhaled and put her phone away.


    She turned around and found Beckham standing behind her.


    He kept staring at the direction the motorcade had gone, his gaze filled with sadness.


    Cherise couldn¡¯tprehend the emotions in his eyes, nor did she want to.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°They left.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Beckham snapped out of his thoughts and patted Cherise¡¯s head. ¡°They must have discovered that I¡¯m


    here.¡±

 Chapter 472

    Chapter 472


    Chapter 472 Five Wedding Dresses


    Judging from Charisa¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t simply show up at Lenoir Manor just to gather


    information.


    Since she arrived in a motorcade, it¡¯s likely that she wanted to meet with Cherise and Damien.


    However, upon discovering that Beckham and Aaron were in the manor, she immediately left.


    Beckham sighed, his heart filled with sadness.


    Even after all these years, Charisa still couldn¡¯t get over what had happened to her back then.


    In reality, Beckham never med her. Instead, he felt deep sympathy for her.


    Furthermore, he had no right to me or think less of her.


    If she hadn¡¯t married a reckless man like him, who acted without considering the consequences, she


    would never have suffered as she did.


    Beckham looked at Cherise¡¯s face, which resembled Charisa¡¯s. He smiled bitterly. ¡°Will you help me


    bring her home?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded.


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    Beckham and Charisa were her parents. They had been separated for neen years due to the


    actions of others.


    Therefore, as their daughter and their only remaining connection, Cherise decided to help them.


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Beckham sighed in relief and led Cherise home. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to your grandfather and discuss wedding


    matters.¡±


    Cherise called Damien to return to Lenoir Manor at her grandfather¡¯s request.


    Then, the four of them gathered in the study and spent a long time nning the wedding.


    It would be Cherise¡¯s first wedding. Initially, she eagerly participated in the discussion with Aaron and


    Beckham.


    However, as the afternoon wore on, Cherise¡¯s interest waned.


    She became more interested in her wedding gown than the wedding procedures.


    ¡°The wedding dresses will arrive in two days.¡±


    After dinner, Damien pulled her into his embrace and kissed her lips. ¡°There will be five of them. When


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    they arrive, you can bring Lucy and Mandy to try them on. Then, you can decide which one you like


    best.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°But why are there five wedding gowns?¡±


    She could never resist beautiful things. Moreover, wedding gowns were exquisite. She worried that


    choosing one would be difficult.


    Yet, Damien had prepared five wedding gowns for her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Damien caressed her cheek. ¡°One of them was designed by me during my youth. It was what I


    imagined my future bride would wear.¡±


    ¡°I designed the second one after we got married. I¡¯ve always considered having a wedding ceremony,


    so I sketched your dress whenever I had free time.¡±


    ¡°As for the other three¡­¡±


    Damien smiled and caressed Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°Someone else prepared them for you.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes. ¡°Someone prepared them for me?¡±


    Aside from Damien and Grandpa, who would prepare a wedding dress for me?


    Could it be Beckham?


    That¡¯s unlikely. He¡¯s usually busy. Since he didn¡¯t even have time to discipline Gwenn all these years,


    why would he think to prepare a wedding dress for his daughter?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised.¡±


    Damien chuckled and patted her head. ¡°Apart from me, there are many people in the world who wish to


    see you in a wedding dress.¡±


    For example, Charisa.


    Two dayster, Cherise finally had the opportunity to go to a wedding dress boutique and try on the


    wedding gowns.


    Damien arranged for a team of bodyguards to apany her before she left the house.


    Cherise put on her shoes and looked at Damien in confusion. ¡°If you think it¡¯s unsafe, why don¡¯t you


    She wished her future groom would apany her when she tried on the wedding gowns.

 Chapter 473

    Chapter 473


    Chapter 473 We Are Not Close


    ¡°It will affect your judgment if I go.¡±


    Damien gracefully knelt before her, skillfully tying her shoces. ¡°Furthermore, I have something


    important today.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and watched him attentively as he focused on tying her shoces. ¡°You really


    won¡¯te with me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien smiled and gazed into her eyes. ¡°I look forward to seeing you in a wedding gown, but I want it


    to be a surprise on our wedding day.¡±¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and reluctantly epted his exnation.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Then, she stood up and sighed. ¡°Still, even though the wedding gowns are expensive, there¡¯s no need


    to have so many bodyguards.¡±


    Usually, she only had to bring ke with her wherever she went.


    ke was obedient, quiet, and trustworthy.


    Most importantly, with ke¡¯s abilities, everyone would think twice before hurting her.


    Since I already have ke, why do I need a team of bodyguards?


    ¡°We still need to maintain appearances.¡±


    Damienughed and wrinkled his nose. ¡°Since my wife will be trying on wedding dresses, I need


    people to surround the boutique so no one can see you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and did not ask any more questions.


    An hourter, Cherise, Lucy, and Mandy arrived outside the wedding dress boutique.


    It was a three-story building.


    As Cherise had made an appointment to try on the gowns, the owner hung a sign at the door stating


    that the boutique was closed for the day.


    When Cherise and her friends entered the boutique, the staff warmly weed them. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir,


    would you like a cup of tea before trying on the dresses, or would you prefer to start immediately?¡±


    Cherise frowned and considered. ¡°Let¡¯s begin now.¡±


    It was the summer holiday, so Lucy had a part-time job. Since Lucy had taken leave to apany her


    to this boutique, Cherise did not want to waste Lucy¡¯s time with a pointless tea session.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The staff smiled and led Cherise to the changing room on the second floor.


    ¡°You will be trying on five wedding dresses today.¡±


    The staff smiled and slowly pulled back the curtain, revealing five wedding gowns on mannequins to


    Cherise and her friends.


    Each gown shimmered under the light and was breathtakingly beautiful.


    Lucy was mesmerized by their beauty.


    Mandy was astonished.


    Even Cherise began to hesitate.


    As expected, all five wedding gowns were so stunning that Cherise wanted them all.


    The staff seemed to have read her thoughts and smiled understandingly. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you can try on


    each of the dresses and have your friend help you decide which one looks best on you.¡±


    Cherise nodded and decided to try on the gowns in the arranged sequence.


    Lucy leaned back on the couch and nced at Mandy. ¡°Do you notice that thest three dresses look


    like they were designed by the same person?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mandy narrowed her eyes and examined each dress closely. Then, she nodded and continued,


    ¡°Moreover, these three dresses have simr elements despite their different styles.¡±


    ¡°I can see that the designer of these three dresses has a liking for stars, small flowers, and lilies.¡±


    Lucy grunted in agreement.


    She turned to Mandy a momentter and blinked expectantly. ¡°I heard you¡¯re quite close to Zachary.¡±


    ¡°Has he ever mentioned that the head of the Miles family has a fondness for these elements?¡±


    Hearing Zachary¡¯s name, Mandy couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes and retorted, ¡°We are not close!¡±

 Chapter 474

    Chapter 474


    Chapter 474 You¡¯re Gorgeous


    The man she had encountered was the most peculiar and unpredictable person she had evere


    across. She had no desire to know him or establish any kind of closeness with him!


    ¡°It saddens me to hear that,¡± a nonchnt male voice suddenly interjected.


    Lucy and Mandy were taken aback. They instinctively turned their heads towards the source of the


    voice, only to see Zachary leaning gracefully against the railings on the third floor. ¡°Ms. Mandy, we


    have had coffee and yogurt together, and we were even on the same flight. How can you im that we


    are not close to each other? It would break my heart.¡±


    Mandy rolled her eyes. ¡°Just be quiet!¡±


    Lucy furrowed her brow. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    She recalled that when they arrived at the bridal shop, it had already been closed and cordoned off.


    However, Zachary was standing on the third floor, conversing with them. So, Lucy suspected that he


    had entered the bridal shop before them. Why is he here? Did hee alone or¡­


    ¡°The owner of this bridal shop is a member of my family. Naturally, I cane here,¡± Zachary yawned


    and descended the staircase gracefully, a faint smile adorning his chiseled face. ¡°Technically, Cherise


    is also a member of the Miles family. Can¡¯t I represent the Miles family to see her in a wedding dress?¡±


    ¡°I doubt that¡¯s the real reason.¡± Lucy smiled. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s because these three wedding gowns were


    designed by the head of the Miles family, Cherise¡¯s biological mother. That¡¯s why you came to take a


    look.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re partially correct.¡±


    Zachary went to sit beside Mandy and said, ¡°Ms. Mandy, could you peel a grape for me?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Mandy red at him and moved to sit on the other side of Lucy, Zachary rested one hand on the couch


    and smiled. ¡°You have such a short temper. Bunny, on the other hand, has a great temperament; I can


    always tease her.¡±


    Just then, the door of the changing room swung open. Cherise emerged, adorned in the wedding


    gown.


    The 16-foot-long train of the white crystal wedding dress elevated her elegance. The dress was


    perfectly tailored to entuate her stunning figure and beauty.


    Zachary stared at Cherise in a daze, realizing that she had been this stunning when she was young.


    d in the wedding gown, Cherise seemed to have shed her innocent appearance and exuded an


    elegance that left one speechless.


    Faced with her friends¡¯ astonished expressions, Cherise became bashful. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say


    anything? Do I¡­ look strange in this dress?¡±


    Zachary could feel his heart racing. He pressed his lips together and murmured, ¡°You look absolutely


    gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Cherise tugged nervously at her dress. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m not myself anymore.¡±


    Indeed, she was presenting apletely different style from her usual self.


    Zachary took a deep breath. ¡°Bunny, have confidence in yourself. You are stunning.¡±


    Cherise nodded earnestly. She was so nervous that she had forgotten to ask why Zachary was there.


    She turned to Lucy and Mandy. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You look fantastic.¡± Lucy expressed her opinion with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s different from your which is why you


    might feel a bit ufortable.¡±


    usual style,

 Chapter 475

    Chapter 475


    Chapter 475 A Dilemma


    Mandy agreed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try on the other dresses?¡±


    Cherise nodded. Just as she was about to return to the changing room, Zachary called out to her.


    ¡°Bunny!¡±


    Cherise turned back while Zachary swiftly captured a picture of her surprised expression.


    He looked at the picture with satisfaction and smiled. ¡°You may go in now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cherise hurried into the changing room while a staff member followed her with the second dress.


    Sitting on the couch, Zachary was still at a loss for words as he watched Cherise leave.


    Lucy frowned and nced at Zachary. ¡°Bro, drop that infatuated look. She has been married for some


    time. They¡¯re just having the wedding ceremony now. Don¡¯t get attracted. It¡¯ll be in vain.¡±


    Startled, Zachary retracted his gaze and maintained his flirty expression. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡±


    ¡°Am I the one overthinking or are you?¡±


    Lucy leaned against the couch in afortable posture. ¡°Cherise and I have been friends since high


    school. She was naive and silly. Whenever some unscrupulous guys tried to approach her, I would


    analyze the situation for her so she wouldn¡¯t be deceived.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Lucy smirked while gazing at Zachary. Those guys who were up to no good had exactly the same look


    in their eyes as you. You might be able to deceive others, but you can¡¯t deceive me.¡±


    Zachary grinned and didn¡¯t appear to mind that his thoughts were exposed. ¡°Appreciating beauty is not


    a crime, is it?¡±


    Then, he adjusted his posture and said, ¡°I have no malicious intentions. You don¡¯t have to be on guard


    against me.¡±


    Lucy red at him and decided not to continue the topic.


    Soon, Cherise had tried on all five wedding gowns. Zachary responsibly captured pictures


    of her in each dress.


    1/2


    After trying on all the dresses, Cherise sat on the couch and scrutinized the five pictures.


    Each dress was beautiful in its own way. One of them was a red dress, which Cherise nned to wear


    for the family portrait. The remaining four were full wedding gowns. She couldn¡¯t possibly wear four


    gowns for a wedding, but they were equally beautiful, putting her in a dilemma.


    After hesitating for an hour, she picked two pictures. ¡°Let¡¯s go with these two.¡±


    Lucy nced at Cherise in resignation. ¡°You were supposed to pick one out of the four,


    not two.¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°But¡­ I really can¡¯t decide.¡±


    She took a deep breath and held onto the two pictures. ¡°What if I bring these pictures back and ask my


    husband¡­¡±


    Suddenly, she recalled Damien¡¯s remark in the morning that he was looking forward to surprises. So,


    she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll ask my dad, grandpa, and¡­ mom¡¯s opinion.¡±


    She took pictures of the two pictures before returning them to Zachary. ¡°Can you help me


    ask her?¡±


    The fact that she was Charisa¡¯s daughter was no longer a secret, and she didn¡¯t intend to be overly


    polite with Zachary.


    Looking at the pictures, Zachary smiled. He stretched and looked up in the direction of the third floor.


    ¡°Aunt Charisa, among the two gowns she chose, one of them is yours. Though she¡¯s still hesitating, it


    shows she can¡¯t bear to give up the gown you prepared for


    her.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 476

    Chapter 476


    Chapter 476 An Unexpected Reunion


    ¡°Do you n to continue watching?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She instinctively looked towards the third floor, but all she could see


    was a group of ck-d bodyguards standing next to each other. She couldn¡¯t tell if someone was


    standing behind them.


    ¡°Bring her here. Ask her two friends to wait for a moment,¡± a cold and domineering female voice


    Grinning, Zachary turned to Lucy and Mandy. ¡°Please wait here.¡±


    Then, he winked at Cherise. ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s body stiffened. Has she been secretly watching me all this time? Did she design one of the


    dresses I chose? Did she actually design my wedding gown?


    Cherise was surprised, delighted, yet fearful at the same time. If I hadn¡¯t chosen the wedding gown my


    mother designed, would I have never known that she was watching me try on wedding gowns this


    morning? I could have missed her, just like two days ago when I chased after her car¡­


    Zachary dragged Cherise upstairs. Sturdy ck-d bodyguards stood in two rows, creating a ck


    barrier.


    The bodyguards made way for Zachary to lead Cherise towards Charisa.


    In the living room on the third floor, a woman with a masquerade mark sat on the couch. She wore a


    white outfit and had a slender figure. Sitting straight, she exuded a cold and arrogant air.


    Even without seeing her face, Cherise could sense that she was a beautiful woman.


    Zachary stood before the woman with Cherise and said, ¡°Aunt Charisa, Bunny is here.¡±


    Then, he gave amand, and all the bodyguards immediately turned around, facing away from them.


    Cherise was astonished as the scene unfolded.


    Her grandfather had told her that her mother was the legendary head of the Miles family, and no one


    had seen her appearance before.


    All this time, Cherise thought no one knew her appearance because she rarely appeared in public. But


    now, she realized it was because Charisa didn¡¯t allow others to see her face.


    1/2


    All the bodyguards turned away except one who stood behind Charisa with his head lowered.


    ¡°Come here,¡± Charisa beckoned to the bodyguard.


    The man hesitated briefly before walking up to Cherise and lifting his face. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Uncle Elvis?!¡±


    Elvis nodded. He had the urge to hug Cherise, but he didn¡¯t have the courage and could only stand


    there, staring at her fervently. ¡°Cherise!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Elvis!¡±


    It had been some time since theyst met. Tears welled up in Cherise¡¯s eyes as she recalled the


    anxiety, grievances, helplessness, and sorrow she had experienced during these days. She


    immediately darted forward to hug Elvis. ¡°Uncle Elvis, I was so worried about you!¡±


    Elvis pressed his lips together and nervously looked at Cherise. He wanted to hug her back but didn¡¯t


    dare to.


    After all, ever since Cherise¡¯s true identity was revealed, he felt unworthy of being called her uncle


    because he was merely a bodyguard from a vige.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The difference in their status was too vast.


    2/2

 Chapter 477

    Chapter 477


    Chapter 477 She¡¯s Your Mother


    Cherise should have been the cherished daughter of a wealthy family, but because of Elvis¡¯ momentary


    weakness, she had suffered for so many years and nearly lost the chance to reunite with her parents.


    Now, as Cherise hugged Elvis in excitement, he was at a loss for words.


    Charisa waved her hand, indicating that Elvis shouldn¡¯t worry too much.


    But still, Elvis only had the courage to lightly put his arm on Cherise¡¯s back.


    ¡°There, there. I¡¯m fine. Ms. Charisa didn¡¯t make things difficult for me. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Cherise cried for a


    moment while hugging him. Sniffling, she looked at Charisa and said, ¡°Thank you¡­. Thank you for not


    making it difficult for Uncle Elvis.¡±


    Elvis frowned and quickly corrected her. ¡°You should call me Mr. Elvis. Also, this is your mother. Quickly


    call her Mom.¡±


    Cherise shook her head stubbornly. ¡°You¡¯re not Mr. Elvis; you¡¯re my uncle!¡±


    Although it was just a matter of title, Cherise knew that once she called him ¡®Mr. Elvis¡¯, she would never


    be the Cherise Shaw from the Shaw vige again!


    She took a deep breath and gazed at Charisa. ¡°I can call you Mom, but¡­ I¡¯ll still call him Uncle Elvis.¡±


    Charisa leaned casually against the ornate couch with a faint smile on her lips. Under the mask, her


    eyes showed resignation. ¡°Did I ever ask you to change the way you address him? He asked you to


    change it. does that have to do with me?¡±


    What


    Startled, Cherise thought about it and realized Charisa had notmented on the matter. She was just


    intimidated by Charisa¡¯s overwhelming vehemence.


    She smiled gleefully. ¡°Do you mean I can continue calling him uncle?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Charisa looked at her daughter helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re even more naive than your


    dad.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless..


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    When she visited the Tanners previously, she perceived Beckham as a powerful and intelligent man.


    However, within these few days, she had heard from George that her father was simple-minded.


    Now, even her mother was calling her father dumb, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but wonder if


    1/2


    she really resembled him.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Charisa waved at Cherise.


    Cherise nced cautiously at Elvis. The man nodded at her and said, ¡°Go ahead. She¡¯s your mother.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and walked over. When Cherise was a few steps away from Charisa, the


    Staring at Charisa¡¯s face, Cherise was dumbstruck ¨C it felt like she was looking at herself twenty years


    in the future! She finally realized why her grandfather always said her appearance resembled her


    mother¡¯s. He was right!


    Their facial features and face shape were almost identical.


    However, the resemnce between Cherise and her mother was limited to their appearance. Cherise


    thought she could never match Charisa¡¯s aura in her lifetime.


    Her eyes were cold, elegant, and nonchnt. The aloof and poised aura was a result of experiencing


    all kinds of ups and downs in life.


    Even when looking at her daughter, whom she had not seen for neen years, she didn¡¯t show much


    excitement or emotion.


    ¡°Are you that surprised?¡±


    Charisa smiled and pointed to the seat next to her.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    Cherise nervously sat down beside Charisa.


    Before this, when George mentioned that her mother woulde, Cherise had imagined. countless


    scenarios of their meeting.

 Chapter 478

    Chapter 478


    Chapter 478 The Happiest Girl


    Cherise had anticipated that meeting her mother would be just as emotional as when she met her


    father, with tears and embraces.


    But¡­


    She nervously nced at the nonchnt woman beside her. She just couldn¡¯t bring herself to cry.


    Gracefully, Charisa picked up a peeled grape and ced it near Cherise¡¯s mouth. ¡°Open up.¡±


    Cherise obedientlyplied and savored the sweet and sour grape.


    Charisa continued to feed Cherise grapes, one after another.


    Cherise felt confused. Shouldn¡¯t this be an emotional reunion? Why is my mom feeding me grapes?


    Soon, a te full of grapes was ced into Cherise¡¯s mouth.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Charisa wiped Cherise¡¯s mouth before cleaning her own hands. ¡°Wonderful. My daughter has quite the


    appetite.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    ¡°Out of the two wedding gowns you chose earlier, one was designed by me, and the other by Damien.


    Since you love both of them, let¡¯s have two weddings. You can wear mine in the morning and his in the


    afternoon.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded by this unexpected suggestion.


    Noticing her confusion, Charisa frowned and said, ¡°If you think that will be too rushed, you can wear


    mine this time and wear his next time.¡±


    Does she mean I should have another wedding after this one? Cherise was flustered.


    your


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Zachary interjected, raising his eyebrows. ¡°Bunny, since you can¡¯t decide, what if we


    get a skilled tailor tobine these two dresses? The left side will be mom¡¯s design, and the right side


    your hubby¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Charisa red coldly at Zachary, ¡°I meticulously designed this wedding dress, and every


    stitch was done by my own hand. If you want to split this dress in half, it would break my heart.¡±


    1/2


    Zachary nced at Cherise, signaling for her to handle the situation.


    Cherise pressed her lips together. ¡°Actually¡­ I think Zachary¡¯s idea is quite good. This is my first and


    likely only wedding in this lifetime. I truly adore both dresses, and I don¡¯t want to disappoint either of


    you.¡±


    Charisa furrowed her brows and looked at Cherise coldly. ¡°Is that truly what


    Cherise felt intimidated by her icy gaze.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s just my suggestion. If you think¡­


    you believe?¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy,¡± Charisa interrupted, shrugging in resignation.


    Zachary was taken aback and gave Cherise a thumbs up. She was the first person he had ever seen


    who could change Charisa¡¯s mind with just a few words.


    Indeed, Charisa cared more than she let on.


    Under Zachary¡¯s guidance, the tailors in the bridal shop reassembled the two wedding dresses.


    An hourter, Cherise stood before the mirror, adorned in the wedding dress created through the


    The dress turned out to be absolutely stunning.


    In that moment, she believed she must be the happiest person in the world.


    a


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Charisa remarked indifferently, ncing at the wedding gown. She then put on her mask and


    stood up. ¡°Zachary, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise was caught off guard. She turned to Charisa and asked, ¡°Are you leaving already?¡±


    Charisa nodded. ¡°I came today to see you try on the wedding dresses. Now that you¡¯re finished, it¡¯s


    time for me to leave.¡±

 Chapter 479

    Chapter 479


    Chapter 479 Who¡¯s That?


    ¡°I had the impression¡­¡± Cherise bit her lip. She had believed that she came today to meet her mother,


    just like she did with Beckham Tanner.


    However, Charis was about to leave before Cherise could address her as her mother.


    ¡°What did you think?¡± Charis raised an eyebrow inquisitively.


    ¡°I thought you would want me to call you¡­ Mom,¡± Cherise said shyly.


    Charis scoffed and fixed her onyx eyes on Cherise. ¡°Can you?¡±


    The young girl couldn¡¯t say anything.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°All things take time to process. A simple girl like you, who has led a traditional lifestyle, will take even


    longer. It would be meaningless if you called me mother without truly meaning it.¡±


    Charis walked over to Cherise and tousled her hair. ¡°We have established that mother. We are


    connected to each other. I am certain I can wait a little longer. Do you


    you are my think I am shallow like your father? Don¡¯t overthink. I can wait until you genuinely want to


    call me mother,¡± Charis said with a smile and turned to leave.


    Cherise stood motionless in her wedding dress as she watched Charis turn and depart with her


    entourage. She slowly unclenched her tightly clenched fists. Charis was an enigmatic woman, and


    Cherise finally witnessed for herself what her grandfather meant when he said Charis was much more


    intelligent than her father. That didn¡¯t mean that Beckham wasn¡¯t intelligent. It was just that their


    approaches to things were drastically different.


    Charis was as aloof as the rumors suggested. She handled everything with precision. Compared to


    Beckham, who wore his heart on his sleeve, Charis was more rational andposed. She was more


    open to others¡¯ opinions and didn¡¯t desire too much.


    Cherise took a deep breath and made her way down to the second floor with the assistance of a staff


    member, her dress trailing behind her.


    Lucy and Mandy were arguing on a couch on the second floor. They immediately stopped when they


    saw Cherise descend..


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes widened.


    Mandy could tell that this dress was clearly abination of the previous two. ¡°Well


    1/2


    dene,¡± she couldn¡¯t help butpliment. They had just been arguing about Cherise¡¯s previous choice


    when she went to change.


    ¡°Was that your mom just now?¡± Lucy asked quietly.


    That woman had been surrounded by a group of people when they came down. She could barely see


    the person¡¯s cor.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cherise nodded, ¡°but she didn¡¯t want me to call her mother. She said¡­ There¡¯s plenty of time in


    the future.¡±


    Mandy furrowed her brow in deep thought.


    Cherise was lost in contemtion on the way back to Lenoir Manor after leaving the bridal shop.


    Finally, she sent a photo of herself in a dress to Sarah.


    ¡°Aunt Sarah, I will be getting married soon. Will youe?¡±


    She knew that Sarah was no longer a part of her family. Even if her uncle returned, she might not


    mother in thest neen years of her life. Even though Sarah always made sure Cherise called her


    ¡®Aunt.¡¯


    Not long after, Cherise received a reply.


    ¡®I¡¯m busy.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 480

    Chapter 480


    Chapter 480 A Name To Remember


    Cherise¡¯s heart sank when she saw those two words. She chewed her lip and pondered for a long time


    before finally typing a reply.


    I hope you cane.¡±


    ¡®Uncle has returned and will attend my wedding.


    I hope you cane and witness my marriage.


    Cherise did not receive any replies. She was about to send another text when she finally


    got one.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡®It¡¯s none of my business if he has returned.


    I¡¯m not going.


    I wish you happiness.


    Cherise gripped her phone tightly with both hands. Her heart ached from those words. She didn¡¯t know


    what she had done wrong.


    Why would someone from the family treat me so coldly? It was the same at the Shaw¡¯s vige¡­


    The memory of Sarah coldly ushering her away resurfaced in her mind. Cherise¡¯s eyes started to burn


    and sting.


    Why can¡¯t things be whole on both ends? I just found my parents. Yet, Aunt Sarah and Uncle Elvis are


    distancing themselves from me¡­ If I knew this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have looked for my biological


    parents!


    Cherise¡¯s eyes were bloodshot by the time she arrived at the manor.


    Aaron was shouting on the phone with Peter Lenoir in the living room.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. The choice is up to my granddaughter!¡±


    ¡°Your family just has to follow along!¡± a


    Peter had known Aaron for many years. He knew about his temper, so he quickly replied, ¡°Alright,


    alright, alright.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not alright! I¡¯ve said that her name should be Charlotte Tanner on the invitation!¡±


    ¡°But the name on her ounts is Cherise Shaw


    1/2


    ¡°We can change that in a moment!¡± Aaron rolled his eyes and continued, ¡°She¡¯s epted us as her


    family. Of course she has toe back to our family! It¡¯s either Tanner or Shaw!¡±


    ¡°How can she continue to be a Shaw?¡±


    How can she continue to be a Shaw¡­.


    Those words echoed in Cherise¡¯s ears as soon as she entered the manor. The sentence pierced right


    through her and shattered her heart. She felt an even sharper sting. She knew what Aaron meant,


    but¡­


    Cherise gritted her teeth and clenched her fists so tight she left crescent-shaped marks on her palms.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not going to change my name.¡± Cherise was content with the name she had. Her aunt


    and uncle had named her and recorded it in the Shaw family ount. It was intertwined with Sky and


    Tay. This was the evidence of her past neen years.


    Aaron didn¡¯t expect Cherise toe back so quickly. He hurriedly hung up and looked at Cherise.


    ¡°Cherry, I¡¯m not being bossy. However, you¡¯ve epted our family. You should identify yourself as a


    daughter of the Tanner family. We can¡¯t introduce you as Shaw to others.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, your mother isn¡¯t even a Shaw.¡±


    Cherise felt her blood freeze at his words. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Grandpa, I understand


    that as a conglomerate, the Tanners will have their own rules. But¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t ready to take on her role as the Tanner daughter. More importantly, she didn¡¯t want to


    change her surname or name. It hadn¡¯t even been a week since she met the Tanners. She couldn¡¯t do


    it. She couldn¡¯t erase what her aunt and uncle had done for her. They were irreceable, an undying


    presence.


    ¡°Grandpa, why trouble Cherry if she¡¯s not willing to change her name?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 481

    Chapter 481


    Chapter 481 A Fool Not To ept


    Gwen Tanner descended the spiral staircase with a smile on her lips. ¡°Cherise is her own person.


    Maybe she doesn¡¯t even want to be the seconddy of the Tanner family?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips.


    While she knew Gwen did not bear any ill will towards her, Cherise didn¡¯t exactly like her.


    But what she said was true.


    If she had to choose between staying in the Shaw family vige or returning with the Tanner family as


    their seconddy, she wouldn¡¯t choose the Tanner family.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Grandpa Tanner red at Gwen. ¡°I know you can make your own decisions, but as a family, there are


    some things we need to consider.¡±


    ¡°Your father wants to make a public statement telling everyone you¡¯re a daughter of the Tanner family.


    That means you have to change your name to Charlotte Tanner.¡±


    ¡°And you need to understand the situation with the Lenoirs.¡±


    ¡°Damien¡¯s sister and uncle are both urging for a go at you. We can protect you while we¡¯re here, but


    once we¡¯re gone, they might pose as obstacles for you.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°The best way to deter them is to announce your identity as a Tanner.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise¡­¡±


    Grandpa Tanner sighed. ¡°They¡¯ll find any reason to get in your way.¡±


    ¡°For instance, you were almost taken to the police station when we arrived.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think Danielle didn¡¯t know who you were?¡±


    Cherise stumbled backward in shock.


    ¡°She might not have known you were a Tanner, but she knew you are Cherise¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°But how dare she treat you that way while knowing you were Cherise¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Because she knew who Cherise was and that Cherise couldn¡¯t let people know you were her


    daughter.¡±


    ¡°And if somewhere in the future, Cherise were to be prosecuted, she could say you werepletely


    unaware.¡±


    ¡°Which is why, to ensure Danielle never tries to hurt you¡­¡±


    ¡°The best way is to change your name to Charlotte Tanner and announce to everyone that you are a


    daughter of the Tanner family Ill get her to give up any ideas of giving you a hard time in the future


    1/2


    Cherise bit her lip.


    She looked into Grandpa Tanner¡¯s worried eyes.


    He told her the truth of the current situation. She would be a fool not to ept the lifeline he was


    offering her.


    But¡­


    Did she really need to change her name?


    She had already grown apart from her uncle and aunt.


    If she changed her name¡­


    There might be no way back..


    ¡°Grandpa, if Cherise doesn¡¯t want to do it, don¡¯t pressure her to.¡±


    Gwen popped a grape into her mouth as she lounged against the couch. ¡°She has her own ideas.


    Maybe she feels that her adopted parents are more important than you and her father?¡±


    Gwen hit the nail on the head.


    It also echoed what Grandpa Tanner was thinking.


    He frowned and red at Gwen. ¡°Go back to your room!¡±


    ¡°This is Cherise¡¯s and Damien¡¯s home!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re eating their food and drinking their water. Stop yapping!¡±


    Gwen rolled her eyes. ¡°I just want to help Cherise solve her problem.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to stir up some trouble! Just keep


    cating your grapes and stop talking!¡±


    Grandpa Tanner turned back to Cherise. ¡°Cherise, I don¡¯t want to put you in a tough spot. Take your


    time and think it over.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to take the Tanner name if you don¡¯t want to. Neller is fine, too. Then we can say


    you¡¯ve taken your mother¡¯s name.¡±

 Chapter 482

    Chapter 482


    Chapter 482 Which Should I Choose?


    Cherise pursed her lips, contemting her options. She simply wanted to remain Cherise Shaw, but it


    seemed unlikely. With a sad smile, she said, ¡°Okay, Grandpa. Give me some time.¡± She turned and


    made her way upstairs.


    As she ascended, she overheard Gwen¡¯sughter. ¡°I envy you. You have the privilege of choosing your


    surname.¡±


    ¡°As for me, I don¡¯t even know where my parents are. I have no choice but to be a Tanner. The adoped,


    unloved daughter of the Tanner family.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart tightened, but she continued on her way.


    That night, after dinner, Cherise pretended to feel unwell and retired early. Shey on the bed staring


    up at the ceiling without blinking.


    She understood the challenges faced by everyone around her.


    Her aunt didn¡¯t want to see her because she had moved on with her new husband and wanted to leave


    the past behind.


    Her uncle didn¡¯t want to maintain frequent contact because he hadn¡¯t fulfilled his promise to return


    Cherise to her mother. Moreover, he now worked under her mother and couldn¡¯t have a friendly


    rtionship with his master¡¯s daughter.


    Her grandfather wanted her to change her name, hoping she would embrace her lineage and receive


    the protection that only the Tanners could provide.


    Each of them had valid reasons for their actions.


    But what about Cherise?


    Had everyone forgotten that she, too, was an individual with her own emotions and desires?


    Had she been too considerate of their feelings that they had overlooked her own thoughts and


    feelings?


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Damien unbuttoned his shirt and climbed into bed, pulling her close to him.


    Cherise waspletely different from this morning when they went to try on wedding gowns.


    Damien gently poked her cheek. ¡°Did you not like the dresses you tried on today?¡±


    ¡°Or is your mother giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s neither.¡±


    Cherise kissed him on the cheek and looked deeply into his eyes. ¡°Darling, if¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, if. If you had to choose between doing what you believe is right and letting go of something


    you hold dear.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Which would you choose?¡±


    ¡°I would choose not to let go.¡±


    Damien held her tenderly and nted a kiss on her lips. ¡°People can make mistakes, but they cannot


    ignore the desires of their hearts.¡±


    ¡°One choice is based on reality, and the other is your dream.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural to hold onto your dream, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cherise felt a surge of warmth.


    This man was undoubtedly the one she wanted to spend her life with.


    He hit the nail on the head.


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise leaned in closer and shared the events of the day with him. ¡°Sweetheart,


    which option would you choose if you were in my position?¡±


    Damien chuckled and ced her phone in her hands. ¡°I would choose the third option.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I would confide all my worries to Zachary.¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Zachary?¡±


    ¡°Is Zachary good at giving advice?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°But he has another ability.¡±


    The ability to convey everything to Charisa Miles.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Afterforting Cherise, Damien returned to work.


    Cherise stared at her phone, hesitating to contact Zachary, when he called her. ¡°Bunny, Aunt Charisa


    wants to know if you¡¯re free for lunch tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°She wants to know your favorite foods.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and carefully listed her preferences, considering the question.


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 Chapter 483

    Chapter 483


    Chapter 483 Tanner Or Shaw


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Zachary was about to hang up.


    ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, ¡°I need to ask you something.¡±


    Zachary was surprised.


    There was a moment of silence before he spoke, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cherise took another breath to steady herself before sharing with him how her grandfather wanted her


    to change her name.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really want to change my name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been Cherise Shaw for neen years.¡±


    ¡°Besides¡­ I don¡¯t have a good rtionship with my aunt and uncle. If I change my name¡­¡±


    She would be distancing herself more and more from them.


    Soon, they would be strangers.


    But she still owed them so much for taking care of her for neen years.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zachary chuckled, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Bunny, don¡¯t be upset. There¡¯s always a way.¡±


    His deep,forting voice warmed her heart.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Cherise bit her lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re about to be a family.¡±


    Zachary hung up.


    Cherise stared at her phone for a while. She felt somewhat sad.


    It was almost bedtime when Frances knocked on the door. She brought Cherise a warm soup to calm


    her nerves. ¡°Mr. Lenoir had me prepare this for you. He said you might have trouble sleeping tonight.¡±


    Cherise eyed the soup and asked, ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the study


    1/2


    Cherise bit her lip, ¡°Thank you, Frances. You may leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink the soup after it cools down.¡±


    Cherise sighed when Frances left. Shrugging on a cardigan, she headed to the study.


    ¡°Cherise isn¡¯t changing her name. There¡¯s nothing to discuss.¡±


    Cherise overheard Damien¡¯s voice from the study. ¡°Damien, do you understand why we want her to


    change her name?¡±


    ¡°The Tanner name will be her protection.¡±


    ¡°If not, I don¡¯t feel safe leaving her here.¡±


    Damien lowered his head and chuckled, ¡°Uncle Tanner, I understand your concerns.¡±


    ¡°But have you considered how Cherise feels?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever thought about whether she wants to change her name? Does she want topletely


    cut out her past? And if she wants to ept this new identity?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s willing.¡±


    Beckham Tanner frowned. ¡°Cherise has never rejected us as her family


    after all. I think she¡¯s more than happy to be a Tanner.¡±


    We are her biological family,


    Sitting on his chair, Damien was filled with frustration towards the self-assured man before him.


    ¡°Uncle Tanner, you don¡¯t understand Cherise at all.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know how to say no to people. As long as she believes they have good intentions, she will


    wholeheartedly ept them.¡±


    ¡°But just because she has difficulty refusing people doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t have her own thougins


    and ideas.¡±


    ¡°epting her identity as a Tanner doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s willing to change everything about herself for


    them.¡±


    ¡°In her eyes, the Tanners and the Shaws are her family.¡±


    ¡°By asking her to change her name, you¡¯re forcing her to choose between her adoptive parents and her


    biological father.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re putting her in a difficult position.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Damien¡¯s voice was filled with tenderness and concern for Cherise.

 Chapter 484

    Chapter 484


    Chapter 484 A Good Husband


    Cherise stood outside the door wearing only pajamas and a cardigan.


    It was autumn, and the nights were growing colder.


    But Damien¡¯s concern for her warmed her heart.


    No one¡­ No one understood her better than he did. No one loved her more than him.


    Heprehended her conflicting emotions and her hesitation.


    He advocated for her in front of the Tanners and revealed everything she didn¡¯t dare to.


    This was Damien Lenoir. Her husband. The man she vowed to spend the rest of her life with.


    He understood her, cared for her, and fought for her¡­.


    She was a fortunate woman.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t have the wedding of her dreams, Cherise felt like the happiest woman on earth.


    Because she had encountered the sweetest, kindest man on earth.


    ¡°Cherise?¡±


    The door to the study opened while she was still lost in thought.


    Beckham was surprised to see the young woman standing outside. ¡°Are you still awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise shook her head.


    ¡°Did you hear everything we said?¡±


    She nodded.


    Beckham looked at her. ¡°Is what he¡¯s saying what you¡¯re thinking? Or are they just his assumptions?¡±


    Cherise clenched her hands into fists.


    She looked up at him, ¡°Dad.¡±


    ¡°When you and Mom were together, could you tell what she was thinking¡±


    Cherise was trying to convey that they were in syne


    She believed that if she and Damien were like that. Beckham and Charisa would be too


    However..


    1/2


    Beckhamughed bitterly, ¡°I thought I knew her.¡±


    ¡°Later on, I realized I never truly understood her.¡±


    Cherise froze. She realized she had misspoke.


    Not every married couple was like her and Damien, knowing what the other was thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Beckham smiled and tousled her hair. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    He nced at Damien and then back at Cherise, ¡°I think I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions on finding a husband who understands you, loves you, spoils you, and fights for you.¡±


    ¡°He is a good husband.¡±


    He closed his eyes. He saw a younger version of himself and Charisa¡¯s innocent and pure face.


    Back then, when he was still with Charisa, she was adorable and sweet, just like Cherise was now,


    But¡­ He wasn¡¯t a good husband.


    He never trulyprehended her. He did what he believed was best for her, but in the end¡­


    He was the one who needed protection.


    Beckham sighed and tousled Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°Treasure this.¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    Beckham chuckled, ¡°You guys should go to sleep soon too.¡±


    ¡°You youngsters shouldn¡¯t stay up toote.¡±


    He turned on his heel and left.


    Cherise blushed.


    She knew Beckham was just trying to get her to go to bed early.


    But¡­


    Why was she having impure thoughts?


    Had they been spending too much time together that she was starting to have mappropriate thoughts?


    ¡°What are you thinking about?


    Damien chuckled as Cherise tried to cool her flushed cheeks ¡°Und le just told us not to stay upte¡±


    2/2N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

 Chapter 485

    Chapter 485


    Chapter 485 You Are Too Tense


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± Damien asked.


    Cherise remained silent, her thoughts in turmoil.


    ¡°You have such a dirty mind.¡± He smiled wryly, effortlessly lifting her. ¡°What brings you to the study?¡±


    Enfolded in his arms, Cherise¡¯s heart raced, her cheeks flushing deeper. Biting her lip, she asked, ¡°I¡­


    wanted to know when you n to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Can¡¯t sleep without me?¡± His deep voice held a trace of amusement, setting Cherise¡¯s senses


    on edge.


    Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson, her pulse quickening. She chided herself for herck of


    control, even after years of marriage.


    Before she could finish reproaching herself, he hadid her on the bed, pinning her down. She watched


    his face drawing closer, feeling her heartbeat quicken further. His kiss finallynded, throwing her into a


    whirlwind of sensations. Her body and soul swirled in a tempest of emotions, caught in his intense


    passion.


    Helpless, she whimpered and pleaded for a break, but the more vulnerable she appeared, the more he


    seemed to enjoy teasing her.


    ¡°Honey¡­¡± With teary eyes, Cherise looked at Damien, who was kissing her, ¡°Please, stop¡­ I feel


    uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Hush.¡± He yfully nibbled her car as he continued. ¡°Dad and Grandpa are in the next room. Dad


    warned you about fooling aroundte. If you make a sound, they¡¯ll know how naughty you are.¡±


    His words immediately stirred anxiety within her; her bodily reaction was barely under control.


    Damien winced as she clenched a little too tightly onto him. Trying tofort her, Damien whispered,


    ¡°Rx, darling. It will be ufortable if you¡¯re too tense.¡±


    Cherise stared at him with teary eyes. She found it ironic that he purposely brought up her grandfather


    and father being nearby and then reproached her for her anxiety that was precisely stirred up by the


    possibility of their family overhearing their activities.


    She bit her lip hard. Outside of the bedroom, Damien was attentive and caring. Still, in bed, the devious


    yet alluring man took control, and she had no other choice than toply.


    ¡°Cursing me again in your mind? Naughty girl. He kissed her forehead, ¡°Let me think, how should I


    discipline you¡­¡±


    Cherise mumbled, ¡°Honey, I was just admiring your exceptional qualities How could I curse you


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He chuckled softly


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true¡± Softly, she continued. ¡°My incredible extraordinary husband


    1/2


    ¡°If that¡¯s the truth. He smiled, his lips close to her ear, ¡°Let me remind you how remarkable your


    husband is


    ¡°Ahh Cherise yelped as he surprised her.


    Exhausted, Cherise slept deeply, awakening well past nine in the morning.


    At half-past nine, Zachary¡¯s call roused her, ¡°Hey, sleepyhead, I¡¯m outside. Freshen up and join me;


    Aunt Charisa is looking for you.¡±


    Yawning, Cherise checked the time. I just woke up. Give me a moment.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten; Zachary had organized dinner with Charisa for today.


    212

 Chapter 486

    Chapter 486


    Chapter 486 Country Food


    After ending the call, Cherise quickly changed her clothes, freshened up, and appeared before Zachary


    with a smile. ¡°So, where are we going to cat today?¡±


    Zachary shrugged. ¡°Aunt Charisa suddenly had a craving for something organic, so we¡¯re heading to


    the countryside for some home-style food.¡±


    ¡°Eating country food?¡± Cherise was surprised. She had spent eighteen out of the past neen years.


    eating country food, as she had stayed in the countryside. While she enjoyed it, the idea of Charisa, an


    elegant woman, going for country food felt unexpected. Besides, Cherise was sure rustic bread would


    not be Charisa¡¯s first choice, given her usual refined pte.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we reconsider this? I¡¯m fine with whatever; there¡¯s no need to¡­¡±


    ¡°The ce has already been reserved,¡± Zachary interrupted before she could finish her sentence,


    opening the car door as he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Cherise rolled her eyes and got into the car.


    Zachary nced at her, surprised that despite her troubles, Cherise still considered others¡¯ feelings.


    Zachary drove Cherise to a small vige a good distance from Adania. As Cherise sat in the passenger


    seat, the surroundings felt familiar. When they finally reached their destination, she realized this country


    food spot was none other than Clover Gardens, the ce Damien had purchased when Mandy still had


    her chip intact. It brought back the memory of the day when they had lunch here after returning from


    the Tanners, an unforgettable day due to the amount of alcohol they consumed.


    As they approached the entrance, she couldn¡¯t believe how the ce had transformed into a


    farmhouse-style restaurant. What surprised her was that Charisa had coincidentally selected this spot


    for their meal.


    ¡°This way, to our table.¡± Zachary guided her to a room on the east side.


    The room was decorated in a rustic farmhouse style, with many decorative elements reminiscent of


    those at Cherise¡¯s aunt¡¯s home.


    Once seated, Zachary stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get Aunt Charisa, they haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll check out the menu while you¡¯re gone,¡± Cherise replied while scanning the menu.


    After Zachary left, the door swung open, revealing a slim teenager of about sixteen or seventeen


    holding a notebook. ¡°Ready to order, Miss?¡±


    The boy¡¯s voice immediately caught Cherise¡¯s attention. She gripped the menu tightly in her hand.


    lifting her head quickly


    ¡°Sky¡± she blurted out


    In front of her stood Sky Shaw, the eldest son of Elvis and Sarah whom she hadn¡¯t seen a long time


    ¡°Cherry?¡±


    1/2


    Seeing Cherise, Sky was thrilled. ¡°How did you end up here?¡±


    Cherise was ted and stood up, embracing Sky. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since we met! What brings you here?


    Where¡¯s Aunt Sarah?¡±


    Sky eagerly exined, ¡°My mom started this farmhouse restaurant! Tay and I are helping out during the


    summer break!¡±


    The youngd beamed with excitement as he continued, ¡°Cherry, how did you find your way here? Did


    youe all the way to visit us knowing this is our ce?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Cherise bit her lip, ¡°Someone invited me for a meal here.¡±


    She took a deep breath before she added, ¡°Aunt Sarah didn¡¯t tell me where you were, so I had no idea.


    If it weren¡¯t for this invitation¡­¡± She wouldn¡¯t have known that her aunt had opened a restaurant.


    2/2Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 487

    Chapter 487


    Chapter 487 You Are Not Wee


    ¡°Your friend must be quite the foodie,¡± Sky said, grinning as he handed the menu to Cherise. ¡°Our


    restaurant is thriving, but it¡¯s mostly thanks to the elite city clientele who know about us through word.


    of mouth. Average folks don¡¯t just stumble upon this remote spot.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and suddenly realized something. She called Zachary, ¡°Did you arrange this


    restaurant for us, or was it¡­ her?¡±


    Zachary had visited Adania before and had made friends, while Cherise was visiting for the first time.


    How could she have known about this renowned eatery in Adania?


    ¡°Aunt Charisa made the reservation,¡± Zachary chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it impressive? The truly impressive part


    is yet toe, Little Bunny. Aunt Charisa is bringing a bodyguard today, and guess who it is? It¡¯s Elvis!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s mind swirled. Suddenly, she felt disconnected, as if Zachary¡¯s voice wasing from miles


    away.


    Zachary continued, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot you don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll fill you inter.¡±


    After ending the call with Zachary, Cherise felt a jolt, as if her blood was flowing backward. So, all of


    this was orchestrated by her¡­ Cherise thought, finding it hard to believe the extent of Charisa¡¯s effort.


    ¡°Cherry.¡± Sky interrupted Cherise¡¯s thoughts, ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t know you and your friend are today¡¯s


    guests yet. You better order quickly. If she checks and finds out you¡¯re here, she might ask you to


    leave.¡±


    ¡°Would Aunt really kick me out?¡± Cherise asked.


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Sky leaned in and whispered, ¡°Mom said if you and your pals show up, she will kick you


    out without service!¡±


    Cherise winced, feeling a pang in her heart. Quickly, she looked through the menu. The listed dishes


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    were the special ones her aunt used to prepare back in Shaw¡¯s Vige. Looking at the menu, Cherise


    vividly remembered the taste of these dishes.


    She ordered some of the dishes she loved in the past, then waved Sky away.


    Sky took Cherise¡¯s order menu to the kitchen.


    In the kitchen, Sarah was ted about the extensive order for the day.


    When Sky handed her the order menu, Sarah¡¯s brow furrowed immediately. She noticed that the order


    Sarah frowned deeply, giving Sky a sharp look. ¡°Do you know today¡¯s guest?¡±


    Sky was startled and hastily shook his head. ¡°No, I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°People who visit us are from the city; how could I recognize them?¡±


    His response only deepened Sarah¡¯s suspicions. Frowning, she nudged Sky aside and stormed


    towards the private dining room.


    1/2


    The door was pushed openabruptly with a thud.


    As Cherise looked up, she was met with Sarah¡¯s cold, slightly angry gaze.


    ¡°Cherise, you¡¯re not wee here! I¡¯ve made it clear-I won¡¯t attend your wedding or have any


    association with you!¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, staring straight at Sarah. Even though she understood Sarah¡¯s intentions to sever


    their ties to the past so that she could get back to her birth parents, Sarah¡¯s tone and stare still tugged


    at


    her heart.


    Pursing her lips, she gazed at Sarah with eyes full of anguish. ¡°Aunt Sarah, do you really dislike me


    that much?¡±

 Chapter 488

    Chapter 488


    Chapter 488 A New Addition To The Family


    Sarah rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°But..¡± Cherise bit her lip, speaking humbly. ¡°Aunt Sarah, you and Uncle Elvis have been there for me


    for the past neen years. If you truly disliked me, it would have been evident from the start. But


    you¡¯ve never shown hatred. Instead, you¡¯ve spent these neen years happily with me. Please, don¡¯t


    speak to me like this. It¡¯s painful.¡±


    The genuine sentiment and words from the girl momentarily stopped Sarah in her tracks. She bit her


    lip, turning her face away. ¡°If you¡¯re upset, just don¡¯te here! You¡¯re not wee here!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Sarah¡­¡± Cherise bit her lip, stood up, went to the door, and grasped Sarah¡¯s hand. ¡°Please,


    don¡¯t do this to me¡­¡±


    ¡°What else am I supposed to do, huh?¡± Sarah took a deep breath, locking eyes with Cherise. ¡°Because


    of you, my husband can¡¯t evene home. What else should I do? Should I go back to liking you and


    pampering you like before? Let me tell you, Cherise, that¡¯s not possible!¡±


    ¡°If your husbandes home, will you still treat Cherise like this?¡± A clear, strong male voice came


    from outside the door.


    Sarah furrowed her brow, pivoted, and nced at the closed door. ¡°My husband won¡¯t just stroll back


    home so easily! If he does, I wouldn¡¯t treat Cherise so badly. But there¡¯s no way he can be back.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he can.¡± Zachary chuckled lightly, ¡°He not only can return but also bring you an addition to


    your family.¡±


    As Zachary concluded, the door to Clover Gardens was swung open from outside.


    There stood a poised, confident Elvis.


    Behind Elvis was a middle-aged woman bearing an uncanny resemnce to Cherise.


    The woman exuded an aura of undeniable significance.


    Sarah bit her lip, her frame trembling in disbelief as she took in the scene before her, ¡°Is this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Elvis grinned at Sarah, opening his arms toward her.


    In that instant, all the grievances she suffered vanished. Sarah rushed to Elvis, throwing herself into his


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    embrace, tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Elvisforted her, patting her head. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I? Plus, I¡¯ve brought a new


    member to our family.¡±


    Sarah looked up, her eyebrows raised, ¡°A new family member?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Elvis took a deep breath before he continued, ¡°This is Charisa, the head of the Miles Family.


    She¡¯s here today to officially join our family registry, changing her family name to Shaw. She¡¯ll be my


    god


    sister.


    1/2


    Sarah gazed at Elvis in shock. ¡°Changing her family name? Taking her in as your god sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Elvis replied, staring at Sarah warmly. This way, Cherry can keep her first name.¡±


    Equally stunned, Cherise looked at Elvis and Charisa in disbelief, unable toprehend that her birth


    mother would willingly change herst name and take her beloved Uncle Elvis as a godbrother.


    ¡°Hey, knock knock?¡± Zachary leaned in, nudging Cherise with his shoulder as he whispered softly.


    ¡°Feeling touched?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, after you told me everything. I spoke to Aunt Charisa. Aunt Charisa said it was not a


    problem. If you prefer being called Shaw, she¡¯ll change her surname instead, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    At that moment, Cherise¡¯s heart swelled with warmth. She looked up at the woman standing at the


    door.

 Chapter 489

    Chapter 489


    Chapter 489 Death Is Inevitable


    The early autumn weather brought a chill to the air. Charisa wore a slim-fit, moon-white dress adorned


    with embroidered flowers. Her hair cascaded elegantly, and her whole demeanor exuded a proud and


    aloof temperament.


    Despite her usual cold and distant expression, she was willing to amodate Cherise¡¯s wish to keep.


    the surname she had grown up with.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head in for dinner!¡± Elvis called out, taking Sarah¡¯s hand and leading the way to the dining room.


    ¡°Is the meal ready?¡±


    Embarrassed, Sarah shook her head. ¡°Not yet¡­ I noticed Sky was taking Cherise¡¯s order, so I hurried


    out without preparing anything.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help you. Where¡¯s the kitchen?¡± Elvis took the lead and swiftly led Sarah to the kitchen.


    Outside, Charisa stood at the door. Meanwhile, Cherise was by the dining room entrance, and Zachary


    stood next to Cherise.


    ¡°Shall we,dies?¡± Zachary quipped, yfully opening the door. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head inside? The sun is


    quite strong; I wouldn¡¯t want anyone getting tanned, especially someone who will be a bride in a few


    days!¡±


    Cherise blushed and turned away.


    Just before entering the dining room, Cherise paused, remembering something. She turned back,


    offering a slight smile to Charisa. ¡°Mom,e in.¡±


    A glimmer of warmth shed in Charisa¡¯s typically serene eyes. Without a word, she calmly walked


    through the doorway and followed Cherise into the room.


    The dining room carried a traditional, rustic charm. Sarah was an industrious woman. Apart from the


    existing furnishings, the room was decorated with many handmade pieces, like cross-stitch and


    embroidered flowers.


    Seated, Charisa surveyed the room with aposed gaze. ¡°Did you live in a ce like this?¡±


    Cherise, momentarily caught off guard, nodded quickly. ¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t as well-maintained as it is now,


    but the setting is quite simr.¡±


    ¡°It must have been tough for you.¡± Charisa looked at her, speaking with a poised tone.


    Cherise was surprised. ¡°No, not at all!¡±


    ¡°I enjoyed living in the countryside with its fresh air and scendscape. Growing vegetables and


    being self-reliant¡­ It was quite delightful.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Charisa raised her teacup, taking a sip. ¡°Before I pass on, I should spend some time in the


    countryside.¡±


    Then, she turned to gaze outside at the mountains, waters, and blue sky. ¡°In reality, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad


    1/2


    ce to die.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa!¡± Zachary frowned, interjecting sternly. ¡°What are you talking about? Cherry might get the


    wrong idea if you keep talking about such things.¡±


    Charisa was slightly taken aback, turning to smile faintly at Zachary, ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s not discuss


    such matters at the table.¡± She nced at Cherise. ¡°And what did you just call me?¡±


    Cherise hesitated before speaking, ¡°I called you¡­ Mom.¡± She looked a bit pale, staring at Charisa.


    ¡°What did you mean by what you said earlier?¡±


    ¡°It was just a passing thought.¡± Charisa calmly ced down her teacup. ¡°I was just contemting the


    idea of passing away in a serene ce, should the opportunity arise.¡±


    She smiled at Cherise. ¡°After all, death is inevitable, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡±

 Chapter 490

    Chapter 490


    Chapter 490 Part Of The Shaws


    Cherise bit her lip, feeling uneasy and apprehensive. The idea of contemting death in such peaceful


    atmosphere didn¡¯t sit well with her.


    ¡°After dinner tonight, when we return, let Beckham know that I have officially changed myst name to


    Shaw and that you n to take your mother¡¯s surname. Whatever the Tanners your identity, just let it


    be. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    say about


    Cherise felt warmth in her heart once again. She bit her lip, looking up at Charisa earnestly. ¡°Are you


    sure about changing your surname?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Charisa smiled. ¡°The surname Miles wasn¡¯t my original one. I adopted it after marrying someone with


    that name. Everyone knows that Miles is not my true family name. If I dere that my original name is


    Charisa Shaw, there won¡¯t be any doubts.¡±


    Grateful for the sentiment, Cherise responded sincerely, ¡°Thank you¡­ Mom.¡±


    ¡°Hearing you call me ¡®Mom¡¯ makes the name change worth it.¡± Charisa ced a hand over her heart


    while her other hand casually fiddled with her phone, seemingly sending something. ¡°Zach mentioned


    that you were quite worried about Elvis¡¯s safety. Earlier, you and Elvis¡¯s wife¡­ well. now she¡¯s my


    sister-inw. From your conversation with her, I sensed that you were concerned about his safety when


    he was with me. Is that true?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips but remained silent.


    Zachary sighed softly beside her. ¡°Both of you have misunderstood Aunt Charisa all along. Aunt


    Charisa sent me to Adania to locate Uncle Elvis because the Tanners had begun searching for you. We


    had to expedite our ns. And about the intention to bring Uncle Elvis back for punishment, it was


    because, at that time, Uncle Elvis was used by Maeve and taken into custody. If we stated we


    wanted to save him, Maeve would have imposed conditions. However, by stating we aimed to bring


    Uncle Elvis back for punishment, it wouldn¡¯t provoke any further retaliation.¡±


    ¡°As for why Uncle Elvis remained by Aunt Charisa¡¯s side as a bodyguard¡­ Zachary sighed softly,


    ¡°There were two reasons. One was that when Uncle Elvis took you away, he was given an advanced


    five years¡¯ worth of sry but hadn¡¯t returned to work. The other reason is¡­ having Uncle Elvis around


    would make it easier for you to ept Aunt Charisa.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as foolish as the Tanners.¡± Charisa nced briefly at Cherise. ¡°If I were to disclose everything


    about your origins abruptly, it would only frighten you. But you trust Elvis. When he reveals it, you¡¯ll find


    it more eptable.¡±


    Cherise appeared taken aback as she looked at Charisa. ¡°So you mean¡­¡± Cherise had just realized


    that from when Zachary followed her back to Adania, Charisa had nned to reunite with her. It was


    clear from the beginning that she had no intention to harm her uncle and only used him as a means for


    their reunion.


    1/2


    ¡°Yes,¡± Charisa confirmed as she calmly raised her teacup and took a sip. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve found cach


    other, there¡¯s no need for me to continue associating with Elvis. If he¡¯s willing to remain as my


    bodyguard, he¡¯s wee to do so. If not, staying here and running this little shop with his wife is just as


    good.¡±


    The woman smiled faintly. ¡°Perhaps as I near the end, I coulde and live with them.¡±


    ¡°After all, I¡¯m now a part of the Shaws.¡±


    |||Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 491

    Chapter 491


    Chapter 491 They Were Not In Love


    Cherise sat at the table, her lips pressed tightly together while her hands clenched under the table.


    In the brief ten minutes they had been seated, Charisa had mentioned death for the third time.


    Cherise¡¯s intuition strongly suggested that Charisa didn¡¯t say these words lightly.


    Cherise¡¯s lips quivered, and she instinctively reached for Charisa¡¯s hand, but the woman evaded her


    touch with calmposure. ¡°I¡¯m notfortable with physical contact.¡±


    She nced indifferently at Cherise, then rose from her seat and walked out. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on what


    they¡¯re cooking.


    With those words, she left Cherise in the wake of her cold and distant departure.


    Cherise¡¯s hand froze mid-air, leaving her with a profound sense of loneliness.


    Biting her lip, she turned to Zachary. ¡°She¡­¡±


    Zachary¡¯s frown deepened, his gaze unusually serious. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Her health¡­¡± Cherise murmured, her fist tightening.


    ¡°She is fine. Zachary¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it. Aunt


    Charisa has been a bit more sentimental than usualtely.¡±


    ¡°And she genuinely dislikes physical contact. My uncle passed away over a decade ago, and she has


    been living alone all these years. No children, no friends. She only lets Kareen and me get a bit closer.


    So, try to understand her. It¡¯s not that she rejects your touch. She¡¯s just not used to being touched by


    anyone,¡± Zachary exined, attempting to soothe Cherise¡¯s unease about Charisa¡¯s behavior.


    Cherise bit her lip, a tinge of bitterness settling within her.


    She had felt a deep connection with Charisa, thinking she genuinely cared. However, Charisa seemed


    so ustomed to solitude that it didn¡¯t allow any space for emotional expressions.


    Cherise sniffled. ¡°So, about her¡­ and your uncle, were they in love?¡±


    Considering Charisa¡¯s solitary life for over a decade, she assumed that her not remarrying was due to a


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    deep affection for Zachary¡¯s uncle.


    She knew very little about Charisa. Beyond knowing that she was her biological mother and the head of


    the Miles Family, she had no knowledge about anything else.


    When she had previously asked why her mother left her father, Grandpa had been vague. All he had


    said was that Charisa felt unprotected by her father, so she left.


    It was not unreasonable for her to assume that one of the reasons Charisa had gotten together


    1/2


    with the man from the Miles Family was for his ability to provide her with the sense of safety that shr


    longed for


    But what Cherise didn¡¯t expect was Zachary¡¯s response, almost as if she was asking about flying


    pigs


    ¡°Was Aunt Charisa in love with my uncle? That¡¯s the most ridiculous thing I¡¯ve ever heard. ¡°When


    Charisa first joined the Miles Family, Zachary was barely ten. His mother had passed away, his father


    was a heavy drinker, and the household relied solely on the servants to look after him and


    Kareen


    Once, while ying in the backyard, he wandered into Charisa¡¯s basement. It was a memory deeply


    etched in Zachary¡¯s mind. The dark and damp basement devoid of sunlight only had a faint glow from a


    single lightbulb. Behind an immense iron door was a disheveled woman. seemingly in agony and


    covered in blood.


    Seven-year-old Zachary yelled in terror, ¡°Ghost!¡±


    But Charisa lifted her head. Her eyes were bright and clear as she smiled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, little


    bunny. There are no ghosts here.¡±


    ¡°Be brave, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± The woman¡¯s gentle voice almost brought Zachary to tears.


    O


    2/2

 Chapter 492

    Chapter 492


    Chapter 492 Mrs. Bunny


    Her voice resonated too much like his mother¡¯s. The gentleness in her eyes and voice echoed that of


    his mother, with the only difference being that his mother had passed away two years ago.


    ¡°How¡¯s the weather outside?¡± The woman smiled at him, offering a small fruit, her hand marked with


    scars. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone came to see me.¡±


    Over time, Zachary developed a friendship with her and would asionally visit the basement.


    One day, while returning home with the small fruit she had given him, he bumped into his uncle, who


    was then the head of the Miles Family.


    His uncle nced at the item in Zachary¡¯s hand. ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Bunny in the basement gave it to me!¡±


    He stared innocently at his uncle, vividly remembering the expression on his face that day-a mix of


    shock and disbelief.


    After that, the basement bunny no longer lived in the basement. Zachary¡¯s uncle married the woman.


    He started calling her Aunt Charisa, and his sister Kareen followed suit.


    However, the rtionship between Aunt Charisa and his uncle eventually became impossible.


    Finally, on a stormy night, Aunt Charisa took over as the head of the Miles Family.


    Yet, even as she became cold, proud, and aloof, she remained in his eyes the Mrs. Bunny who had


    given him the small fruit in the basement.


    ¡°Zachary?¡± The voice of the girl in front of him snapped him back to the present.


    Cherise bit her lip, her dark, crystal-clear eyes locked on Zachary. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    The man jolted back, clearing his throat. ¡°What did you ask me?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. ¡°I asked if my mom and your uncle were ever in love?¡±


    Zachary smiled, shaking his head. ¡°They were the least affectionate couple I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Cherise froze as her heart tugged. ¡°The least¡­ least affectionate couple¡­¡± she mumbled.


    Zachary nodded, lifting his hand to ruffle Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°Little bunny, cherish the time when you¡¯re still


    oblivious. Also¡­ treasure the moments you spend with Aunt Charisa.¡±


    Given her remaining time¡­ Zachary thought.


    Gritting her teeth, Cherise yelled, ¡°But you just said she¡¯s physically fine!¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Can you tell me truthfully what¡¯s really¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Before Cherise could finish her sentence, a woman¡¯s voice from the doorway interrupted,


    ¡°I¡¯ve just got my daughter back, and I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± Charisa¡¯s words couldn¡¯t persuade Cherise.


    Her knuckles clenched, preparing to continue her inquiry, when Elvis and Sarah approached with the


    food.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is hungry. Let¡¯s have your kids and your mom join us,¡± Charisa said to Elvis as she


    joined Cherise at the table, her tone neutral.


    Elvis paused briefly, then nodded respectfully, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Soon, the ce was filled with people..


    Sky and Tay sat together, observing the middle-aged woman beside Cherise with curiosity.


    Mrs. Shaw sat at a distance, smiling as she looked at Charisa, then at Cherise. ¡°You two look so much


    alike! I¡¯ve always known Cherry got her good looks from her mom!¡±


    Charisa faintly smiled at the elderlydy. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°She only resembles me in looks; I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s inherited my intellect.¡±


    Mrs. Shaw seemed upset about Charisa¡¯sment and retorted, ¡°Our Cherry is very bright!¡±


    ¡°But her kind of brilliance isn¡¯t the same as mine. It¡¯s probably more like her father¡¯s, Charisa exined.


    Equally unaware of the world¡¯s treacheries, she thought.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    |||

 Chapter 493

    Chapter 493


    Chapter 493 Lost In Thoughts


    on the


    Cherise pursed her lips, silently sympathizing with Beckham. Since reuniting with her father, she had


    often overheard her mother and grandfatherment on his intelligence. Beckham, other hand, saw


    himself as exceptionally brilliant. If he were to discover the family¡¯s opinion of his intelligence, it could


    be a harsh revtion for him. The thought brought a faint smile to her lips.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    At the same time, she felt a pang of sadness, knowing that her parents would never reconcile after


    everything that had happened. When her mother left her father neen years ago to marry the head of


    the Miles Family, they ceased to be a family. Despite her longing for them to be a family again, their


    rtionship issues were beyond her control.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Elvis nced at Cherise, shaking his head. ¡°You know, she¡¯s always like this, lost in thought while.


    cating.¡±


    Cherise offered a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Daydreaming during meals won¡¯t hurt-but


    daydreaming during work is uneptable.¡± Saying this, she transferred a piece of roasted chicken.


    from her te to Cherise¡¯s bowl.


    Cherise pursed her lips, bowing her head to nibble on the piece of chicken..


    Aunt Sarah¡¯s culinary skills were as exceptional as ever, bringing a sense of satisfaction to everyone


    dining at the table.


    After lunch, Cherise¡¯s stomach was pleasantly full. Leaning back in her chair, she yed games with


    Zachary. Meanwhile, Charisa went with Elvis and his mother to start the procedure for changing her


    name.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t skilled at gaming, but Zachary was slightly better. Despite receiving criticism from their


    teammates, they were slowly improving.


    Their immersion in the game made them lose track of time.


    When Cherise regained her awareness, it was already three in the afternoon, and Charisa and Elvis


    hadn¡¯t returned.


    A sliver of concern arose within the young girl. Registration is known to be a hassle, but she was sure it


    wasn¡¯t meant to take this long.


    Her first assumption was that her grandmother might have fainted. After all, her grandmother¡¯s health


    wasn¡¯t the best; she had asionally copsed while she was out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, little bunny,¡± Zachary said gently, his brows furrowed as he lowered his gaze to


    his phone. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of trouble with the Adania Group. I have to leave. Let Damien. take you back;


    Aunt Charisa needs my help with the procedures.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    After he said his parting words, he rose and left without looking back.


    Cherise scrunched up her nose while watching his departure, murmuring to herself, ¡°He¡¯s always in


    such a hurry¡­¡±


    She had wanted to return with him. Left with no choice, Cherise called Damien.


    In the evening, Damien finally arrived, slightly dyed.


    ¡°How was your day?¡± The man secured her seatbelt, speaking softly.


    His deep voice slightly warmed Cherise¡¯s heart. She pursed her lips, eagerly reaching up to hug his


    neck. ¡°Darling, my mom is truly a wonderful mother. I¡¯ve misunderstood her all this time.¡±


    Ever since the incident with Uncle Elvis, Cherise¡¯s perspective of the head of the Miles Family had


    always been distorted. Even upon learning she was her birth mother, Cherise hadn¡¯t been too thrilled.


    However, the reassurance from Zachary and Charisa before the meal finally made her realize that she


    had misunderstood her all along.

 Chapter 494

    Chapter 494


    Chapter 494 Gut Feeling


    Charisa waspletely devoted to Cherise in every action she took. She was even willing to change


    her name to amodate Cherise¡¯s desire to keep hers. She genuinely cared for her like a mother.


    ¡°As long as she treats you well.¡± Damien smiled, yfully tousling her hair. ¡°Let¡¯s make ns to spend


    more quality time with her, okay?¡±


    Cherise nodded. She had something to say, but she was struck by the memory of Charisa¡¯s earlier


    mention of death. Coupled with Damien¡¯s advice about spending more time with Charisa, an


    unexinable unease crept over her.


    ncing outside, she bit her lip before saying, ¡°Hey honey, could you find out if she¡¯s actually doing


    okay physically?¡±


    She felt something was off about Charisa¡¯s words today.


    Furrowing his brow,


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    mien nced at her, then settled into the driver¡¯s seat, softly asking, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to


    look into this?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a gut feeling.¡± Cherise closed her eyes, her instincts nudging her that Charisa was


    hiding something. If it was something else, it would be manageable, but if it was rted to her health,


    Cherise wasn¡¯t sure if she could handle it. Just the thought of it made her heart clench.


    ¡°If you genuinely want to know ask her directly.¡± Damien focused on the road. ¡°Charisa is the head of


    the Miles Family, and her health directly affects their future.¡±


    ¡°Even if I check, I won¡¯t get the real information. Details like that are usually strictly confidential.¡±


    ncing at Cherise, he continued, ¡°But you¡¯re different. You¡¯re her daughter. If you ask her in person,


    maybe she¡¯ll open up.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°But I asked her today, and she didn¡¯t give a clear answer.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s your only answer.¡± Damien sighed. ¡°Apart from what she¡¯s willing to share, we won¡¯t


    get more.¡±


    Cherise was restless the entire drive back from Clover Gardens. An inexplicable unease crept over her


    body, freezing her in ce as if foreshadowing a terrible scenario.


    This restlessness felt simr to when she left the Shaw vige, only to find outter that Elvis had been


    arrested.


    Once back at Lenoir Manor, she called Zachary to get Charisa¡¯s contact details. Now that she had truly


    epted Charisa as her mother, she felt she should have her number. Rying messages through


    Zachary was inconvenient. She wanted to personally assure Charisa of her well-being.


    ¡°Cherry, Aunt Charisa is in a meeting.


    1/2


    |||


    <


    Zachary hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll pass your contact information to Aunt Charisa. Once the meeting¡¯s done, she¡¯ll


    reach out to you directly. Wait for her message, alright?¡±


    Fidgeting restlessly, Cherise was about to respond when she heard a suddenmotion on the other


    end of the call.


    ¡°Okay, Cherry, I¡¯ve got something urgent to attend to. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Before Cherise could reply,


    Zachary abruptly ended the call.


    Listening to the dial tone, Cherise furrowed her brow deeply. She sensed that Zachary was hiding


    something from her. Considering Charisa¡¯s repeated references to death¡¯ today and Damien¡¯s assertion


    that only Charisa herself would disclose her health status if she wanted to, Cherise had a dreadful


    premonition.

 Chapter 495

    Chapter 495


    Chapter 495 Shaw Or Neller?


    ¡°Cherise¡±


    Mr. Tanner spoke with a furrowed brow during dinner. His voice was low and filled with concern, ¡°Do


    you have something on your mind?¡±


    Cherise quickly snapped back to reality. ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me there¡¯s nothing bothering you?¡±


    Gwenn retorted with an eye-roll, her toneced with annoyance. ¡°You just reached for the food in my


    bowl, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    She quickly realized she had indeed extended her fork into Gwenn¡¯s bowl, even picking up a piece of


    vegetable from it.


    She withdrew her hand at once, gave an embarrassed smile, and lowered her head to continue eating.


    ¡°Cherise, what did you do today?¡±


    Mr. Tanner sighed softly and asked.


    ¡°Both your father and Damien are busy today. It¡¯s just the three of us here at dinner tonight. If


    something¡¯s troubling you, let me know.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡±


    ¡°What else could it be?¡±


    Gwenn scoffed, eating with an icy demeanor. ¡°You must be reluctant to change your name.¡±


    Finishing her thought, sheughed lightly and looked at Mr. Tanner. ¡°Grandpa, if she doesn¡¯t want to


    change her name and return to her Tanner roots, then stop pushing her.¡±


    ¡°In Cherise¡¯s eyes, thest name Shaw holds more weight than our renowned Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, why are you belittling yourself like this?¡±


    Gwenn wished nothing more than for Cherise never to change her name, to never return to her Tanner


    roots.


    In this way, no matter the truth, she would remain the only Miss Tanner in the family.


    And she would not be sharing this title with anyone else!


    1/3


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Mr. Tanner shot her an angry re, then turned to Cherise. ¡°Cherise, are you still considering changing


    your name?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked earnestly at Mr. Tanner. ¡°No.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I want to take my mother¡¯s surname.¡±


    ¡°If the Tanner family wishes to announce my identity to the public and provide me with shelter, you may


    do it anytime. But please say I¡¯ve taken my mother¡¯s surname.¡±


    Mr. Tanner was taken aback. He probably had not expected the once hesitant Cherise to have such a


    resolute response today.


    He lightly tapped the table. ¡°Taking your mother¡¯s surname isn¡¯t out of the question.


    ¡°Do you intend to take the surname Miles or Neller?¡±


    Finishing, Mr. Tanner patted his head and chuckled in realization. ¡°How foolish of me.¡±


    ¡°The name Miles was never hers to begin with. It was only after her marriage that she took her


    husband¡¯sst name.¡±


    ¡°So, it should be Neller, right?¡±


    Mr. Tanner mused. The name Cherise Neller is a bit of a mouthful. How about just Cherry Neller?¡±


    Cherise replied, ¡°I¡¯d still prefer Cherise, Shaw.¡±


    ¡°I met with my mother today.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    Recalling all that Charisa had done for her, warmth surged in Cherise¡¯s heart.


    She continued. ¡°Today, she and my adoptive father acknowledged each other as siblings, and she


    changed her name to Charisa Shaw.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll stick with my mother¡¯s surname and call myself Cherise Shaw.¡±


    Her words, each and every one of them, struck Mr. Tanner in heavy blows.


    He could not have imagined the extent of Charisa¡¯s love for Cherise.


    To think¡­ she changed her own name because her daughter had second thoughts about the name


    change!?


    For a moment, Mr. Tanner was too stunned to speak.


    ww


    2/3


    Beside them, jealousy consumed Gwenn.


    With a loud ¡®smack¡¯, she mmed her bowl on the table. ¡°I¡¯m done eating!¡±


    And with that, she stormed upstairs.


    The dining room was left with only Cherise and Mr. Tanner.


    ¡°That silly girl, Charisa.¡±


    He sighed, shaking his head lightly. ¡°If she didn¡¯t want you to change your name, she could¡¯ve just


    told me. I wouldn¡¯t have persisted in the first ce.¡±

 Chapter 496

    Chapter 496


    Chapter 496 The Mysterious Vip


    ¡°Why¡­ why did she go to such lengths to change her own name?¡±


    She had always been like this, willing to sacrifice everything for the people she loved.


    ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s lips tightened as she clenched her fists. ¡°Can you please tell me a little bit about my


    parents?¡±


    Moved by Mr. Tanner¡¯s sentiment, Cherise¡¯s affection for her enigmatic mother deepened.


    But because her mother was usually reserved, Cherise knew very little about her.


    Mr. Tanner sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not a story filled with happiness.¡±


    ¡°Your mother and father were childhood sweethearts.¡±


    ¡°She was an orphan when she was a little girl. Once, your mischievous father sneaked out and met her


    when she was only seven years old.¡±


    ¡°Your grandmother took a liking to her, and she brought her home as apanion for your father.¡±


    ¡°As they grew up, they naturally fell in love, got married, and then you came along.¡±


    Cherise hesitated, ¡°Then¡­ why did they get divorced?¡±


    It was clear that both of her parents were deeply emotional individuals.


    One waited neen years for the other.


    And the other was willing to change her name just for a daughter she had only known for a few days.


    After all, they were childhood sweethearts.


    So why did they break up¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s because your father was so absorbed in his work that he neglected your mother¡¯s emotional


    needs.¡±


    ¡°She felt that he couldn¡¯t protect her, which led her to turn her attention to the Miles family.¡±


    Letting out another sigh, Mr. Tanner put down his bowl. ¡°Many years have passed since it happened.


    Just keep it to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring it up or talk about it again.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    With that, he slowly made his way upstairs.


    Left alone at the table, Cherise could hardly eat.


    She took a deep breath and called Lucy. Tm not feeling well. Can you keep mepany?¡±


    ¡°Why are you upset?¡±


    On the other end, Lucy chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve found both of your parents, and they¡¯re even nning to


    have a second wedding¡±


    ¡°Do we have a bride-to-be with cold feet?¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Cherise replied, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in person. Where are you?¡±


    Tm at work.¡±


    Lucy frowned, ¡°Quite a few respected doctors at the hospital were suddenly summoned today They say


    a VIP fainted and hasn¡¯t regained consciousness. Everyone has been called in to offer their medical


    expertise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on duty tonight with a few other interns. Do you want toe over?¡±


    Ending the call with Lucy, Cherise quickly got ready, put on her coat, and hailed a taxi to the hospital.


    Just as Lucy had described, the familiar faces were all absent from the hospital, leaving Lucy and a few


    nervous interns on duty, anxiously hoping that nothing tooplicated woulde up.


    Leaning back in her chair, Lucy gave Cherise a resigned look. ¡°What kind of important person could


    gather all the renowned doctors in the city for a consultation?¡±


    Distracted, Cherise replied, ¡°Maybe the wealthy just want to ensure they receive the best possible


    treatment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re out of touch¡±


    A male intern colleague who overheard their conversation chimed in. ¡°Apparently, this VIP is not from


    Adania.¡± He kept his eyes fixed on his phone while casually chewing gum.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°She has a personal doctor in her hometown and didn¡¯t bring him when she came to our city Instead,


    she chose to rely on medication.¡±


    ¡°It turns out that she is in critical condition and can no longer sustain herself with medication alone She


    fainted this afternoon, and it¡¯s toote to fly her personal doctor over, hence this massive mobilization¡±

 Chapter 497

    Chapter 497


    Chapter 497 I See You


    With a hint of resignation, the man let out a soft sigh. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s self-destructive.¡±


    ¡°Those who are seriously ill should stay in the hospital if they want to continue their treatment.¡±


    ¡°If they don¡¯t want to be in a hospital, they should find a peaceful ce, maybe in the mountains or by


    clear waters, to spend the rest of their days tranquilly.¡±


    ¡°Why would they make the long journey to Adania without their personal doctor? Don¡¯t they realize how


    fragile human life can be?¡±


    A female intern next to him rolled her eyes. ¡°How can you be so certain that they¡¯re just being


    reckless?¡±


    ¡°What if they have an unfulfilled wish? And they¡¯re here in Adania to fulfill it?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they bring their doctor along then?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they have their reasons.¡±


    The female intern retorted with another eye-roll. ¡°If they¡¯re meeting loved ones for their final moments,


    they probably wouldn¡¯t want a personal doctor around.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so judgmental.¡±


    With that, the female intern turned and walked away.


    Lost in thought, Cherise barely noticed the world around her until an excited voice snapped her back to


    reality.


    ¡°Good news!¡±


    A young nurse, clutching a notebook, rushed into the duty room. ¡°Dr. King from our hospital has


    sessfully saved the patient!¡±


    ¡°This VIP will soon be transferred to our hospital. The Director has instructed us to take shifts in the


    ICU for the patient. We need three volunteers. Who wants to go?¡±


    The male doctor, still chewing gum, stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in serving the wealthy.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ¡°And I¡­


    As everyone declined, the nurse¡¯s desperate eyes settled on Lucy. ¡°Lucy¡­ maybe you?¡±


    |||


    1/3


    ¡°I have a friend here¡±


    Lucy responded, a frown appearing on her face


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your friends medical erudent to


    A male intern intersected Both of you could take shifts bend and learn something valuable


    Lucy shot him a sharp lock


    om


    Seeing that Lacy did nee right refuse, the nurse hurriedly approached hosting her handt ¡°Lucy, please


    ¡°We just need three people. With you, your friend, and one more, we¡¯d he


    Besides, the VIP¡¯s condition is a rare case. As medical students, it would be an enlightening


    experience


    Lucy gave an exaggerated eye-roll and turned to Cherise, who nodded in agreement


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then


    For Cherise, it didn¡¯t matter much.


    She had simply sought out Lucy for some emotional support that evening


    There wasn¡¯t much difference between staying in the ICU ward and being in the duty room.


    Soeing Cherise¡¯s agreement, Lucy sighed resignedly. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do it your


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my friend upstairs now,


    With that, she gestured to Cherise and headed to the elevator


    Cherise and Lacy, along with several other medical staff, waited outside the ICU ward for nearly twenty


    minutes before the VIP was wheeled ins


    The ce was bustling with people Cherise, being an extra pair of hands, wood quite far away


    While she couldn¡¯t see the VIP¡¯s face clearly as they passed, she was certain it was a woman.


    The cascade of raven-ck hair spalling over the bed was unmistakable.


    ¡°You-take this prescription to the pharmacy downstairs and have them prepare the medication


    The senior doctor began assigning tasks. By the use be reached Lucy, only minor tasks icmained


    2/3


    ¡°I have a friend here.¡±


    Lucy responded, a frown appearing on her face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your friend a medical student too?¡±


    A male intern interjected. ¡°Both of you could take shifts, bond, and learn something valuable.¡±


    Lucy shot him a sharp look.


    Seeing that Lucy did not outright refuse, the nurse hurriedly approached, holding her hand. ¡°Lucy,


    please.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°We just need three people. With you, your friend, and one more, we¡¯d be set.¡±


    ¡°Besides, the VIP¡¯s condition is a rare case. As medical students, it would be an enlightening


    experience.¡±


    Lucy gave an exaggerated eye-roll and turned to Cherise, who nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    For Cherise, it didn¡¯t matter much.


    She had simply sought out Lucy for some emotional support that evening.


    There wasn¡¯t much difference between staying in the ICU ward and being in the duty room.


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s agreement, Lucy sighed resignedly. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do it your way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my friend upstairs now.¡±


    With that, she gestured to Cherise and headed to the elevator.


    Cherise and Lucy, along with several other medical staff, waited outside the ICU ward for nearly twenty


    minutes before the VIP was wheeled in.


    The ce was bustling with people. Cherise, being an extra pair of hands, stood quite far away.


    While she couldn¡¯t see the VIP¡¯s face clearly as they passed, she was certain it was a woman.


    The cascade of raven-ck hair spilling over the bed was unmistakable.


    ¡°You take this prescription to the pharmacy downstairs and have them prepare the medication.¡±


    The senior doctor began assigning tasks. By the time he reached Lucy, only minor tasks. remained.


    O


    2/3


    With the prescription in hand, Lucy left, leaving Cherise alone in the ward.


    O

 Chapter 498

    Chapter 498


    Chapter 498 The True Identity Of The Woman


    The senior doctor furrowed his brow in contemtion before ncing up at Cherise. ¡°Fetch the


    patient¡¯s family for me. I need to talk to them.¡±


    Cherise nodded, quickly weaving through the gathered crowd. ¡°Who here is rted to the patient?¡±


    ¡°Anyone? The patient¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    A deep, familiar male voice asserted.


    Without thinking, Cherise turned around, only to lock eyes with Zachary¡¯s surprised gaze.


    Time seemed to stand still for a moment.


    Staring at Zachary in disbelief, Cherise uttered, ¡°You mean to say¡­ you¡¯re the family of the patient in


    there?¡±


    Zachary gave a subtle smile, a hint of helplessness coloring his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite the coincidence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± he continued.


    Taken aback, Cherise subconsciously stepped back.


    The revtion was staggering-Zachary was rted to the VIP.


    It felt as if her head had been struck by a hammer, the realization resounding loudly in her mind.


    So that woman is¡­


    In a fit of panic, she shoved Zachary aside, sprinting towards the ICU.


    Guards and medical staff were quick to stand in her way. ¡°You can¡¯t go in there.¡±


    ¡°Let me in! I need to see for myself!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I have to know who¡¯s in there!¡±


    It can¡¯t be her, it just can¡¯t!


    She merely wanted to confirm that the person inside was not who she feared it might be.


    She desperately wished it to be untrue!


    How could it be her¡­It can¡¯t be¡­ This isn¡¯t true¡­.


    1/3


    She had only just reconciled with that woman, and as recently as this afternoon, she hade to


    terms with the realization that the woman was her mother¡­


    It can¡¯t be¡­


    The person simply must not be there!


    ¡°Let her in,¡± Zachary murmured, eyes closed, a bitter smile of resignation on his face.


    In the end¡­.


    She found out.


    He had thought he had done a good job keeping the secret.


    Yet, he had forgotten-she was a medical student and had a friend interning at the hospital.


    He never anticipated that the one doctor capable of saving his Aunt Charisa would be from the very


    hospital where Lucy worked.


    It was unfortunate.


    Perhaps this was fate.


    Watching the frantic figure dashing toward the ICU, he sighed regretfully. ¡°Aunt Charisa, I tried my


    best.¡±


    Yet, in the end, Cherise could not make it into the ICU.


    The doctor only allowed her to peer through the ss.


    Her face was still cold, still distant-like her usual self.


    Lying motionlessly on the hospital bed, her lips were dangerously pale.


    Standing next to Cherise, the doctor sighed softly. ¡°The condition Mrs. Miles suffers from is¡­ extremely


    rare.¡±


    ¡°From what I deduce, she was injected with a specialized drug during her younger days.¡±


    ¡°She must have been administered the drug for over two days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s intriguing, as most people won¡¯tst under the effects of this drug. Many who¡¯ve been under its


    influence for over half a year eventually lose their sanity and start harming themselves.¡±


    ¡°But she survived, even lived for many years since.¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly, her heart a mix of anger and grief. ¡°Is she suffering from a recurrence


    of the drug?¡±


    111


    2/3


    The doctor shook his head. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s due to her initial resistance to the drug, which damaged her heart. Over time, the strain on her


    heart has only increased.¡±


    ¡°Her heart is now at its limits.¡±


    He continued with a heavy sigh. ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s not just her heart that¡¯s been affected at this point, but


    her entire cardiac system.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Even a heart transnt wouldn¡¯t save her.¡±

 Chapter 499

    Chapter 499


    Chapter 499 Months To Live


    Clenching her jaws tightly, tears began to slide down Cherise¡¯s cheeks. ¡°So you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s time is running out,¡± the doctor said, releasing a heavy sigh.


    He lifted his hand, gently patting Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Make the most of the time you have left with her.¡±


    ¡°She chose not to bring her personal doctor along, fearing that you would discover her illness.¡±


    From behind, Zachary took slow, deliberate steps towards her. ¡°Aunty Charisa once told me that she


    wanted to spend the remaining time she had left to see if you were doing well,¡± he revealed softly.


    ¡°She couldn¡¯t bear to get too close, fearing it would cause you pain in the end.¡±


    ¡°She never forced you to acknowledge her as a mother to prevent the heartbreak she knew would be


    inevitable.¡±


    ¡°She was scared that as soon as you developed an attachment, she would have to leave you.¡±


    Zachary let out a faint sigh. ¡°Cherise, don¡¯t resent her foring into your life sote.¡±


    ¡°Aunty Charisa never expected her body to fail her so soon.¡±


    ¡°She had hoped¡­ hoped to wait until she saw you with your own family, leading a blissful life, before


    approaching you.¡±


    ¡°But now, it seems she¡¯s run out of time.¡±


    Hearing Zachary¡¯s words, Cherise was inconsble and started sobbing uncontrobly.


    She bit her lip hard, suddenly overtaken by a rush of emotion, and lunged forward, gripping Zachary¡¯s


    cor. ¡°Why?!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform me when we were at the Tanner residence that you were connected to my


    mother?!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring me to the Miles family and introduce me to her earlier?!¡±


    It had been over a month since she met Zachary.


    She could have¡­ she could have spent that month with her!


    But now¡­


    [1]


    1/3


    Drawing a deep breath. Cherise turned to the doctor, her voice wavering ¡°How long how much time


    does she have left¡±


    The doctor sighed again. ¡°She has two months at most.¡±


    ¡°Make the most of it¡±


    Two month¡­


    Cherise¡¯s tears Dowed freely


    Two months is not enough!!!


    Not nearly enough!!!


    She wanted to fully embrace her as family, to take care of her, to shower her with all the love and care


    she missed out on for the past neen years.


    She refused to part from her, refused to watch her slip away!


    Especially to soon after they had just reunited!


    Why is fate so cruel!


    She had only just experienced the joy of having both her parents¡­


    She copsed on the ground, choking on her sobs, muffling her cries with her hands


    She knew that if her cries were overheard, it would disturb her mother¡¯s rest


    But she could not hold back any longer..


    Just then, her phone rang-


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    It was a call from Beckham


    ¡°Cherise¡±


    As soon as the call was answered, the man¡¯s stern voice spoke. Your grandfather told me about the


    name change¡±


    ¡°Do you really have such an affinity for the Shaw surname?¡±


    ¡°Where are you? I need to talk to you?


    Drawing a heavy breath. Cherise tried to find her voice, each word feeling like a weight on her


    chest


    Finally, unable to hold back, she cried out, Tin at the hospital


    2/3


    ¡°Dad!!¡±


    A crashing sound echoed from the other end, as if a phone had dropped to the ground.


    A moment passed before the phone had been picked up.


    The trembling voice on the other end, now deeper, asked, ¡°Cherise¡­. what did you just say?¡±


    With tears continuing to fall, she took another deep breath before she whispered, ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 500

    Chapter 500


    Chapter 500 Where Is She


    ¡°I¡­ I mean, Mom is sick, she¡¯s very, very ill..


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    The doctors¡­ they say there¡¯s nothing they can do¡­..


    ¡°They say she doesn¡¯t have much time left¡­.


    ¡°What should I do, Dad?¡±


    Tears streamed down Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°I know you and Mom are divorced. I know you might not want to


    deal with Mom¡¯s situation, but¡­


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    From the other end, Beckham¡¯s voice trembled in an unusual wavering ¡°Send me your location.¡±


    ¡°I am on my way,¡±


    Cherise found herself unable to articte where she was, choking on her words.


    Hearing the entire conversation, Zachary grabbed the phone.


    Holding the device, Zachary let out a deep sigh. ¡°Mr. Beckham, it¡¯s Zachary,¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re at the General Hospital of the East.¡±


    Once the call ended, he sighed again, lifting Cherise from the ground and helping her to a bench.


    ¡°You¡¯re making it difficult for Aunt Charisa.¡±


    Crouching down to meet her eyes, he continued, ¡°Not only did Aunt Charisa not want you to know


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    about her illness, she also didn¡¯t want Mr. Beckham to know either.¡±


    ¡°You might not be aware, but Aunt Charisa originally married my uncle¡­ for Mr. Beckham¡¯s sake¡±


    Cherise stared, shock evident in her eyes, as she met Zachary¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, it¡¯s true.


    Taking her hand, he continued, ¡°There¡¯s so much we¡¯ve kept from you because it¡¯s too painful to


    bear¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa didn¡¯t leave Mr. Beckham because their love faded.¡±


    ¡°She felt unworthy of him, so she willingly left him, married my uncle, and even took over as the head of


    the Miles family, all while paving the way for Mr. Beckham.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°All these years, the Tanner family¡¯s prosperity owes a lot to her.¡±


    ¡°She knew Mr. Beckham never truly forgot about her.¡±


    ¡°So, she didn¡¯t want him to find out about her condition.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Beckham arrived at the hospital just ten minutes after Cherise¡¯s tearful phone call.


    Seeing his frantic expression, she could almost imagine the desperation that had driven him to get


    there so quickly.


    It had taken her over an hour by taxi to reach the hospital.


    Yet, he had managed it in just ten minutes.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Worry and sorrow etched across his usually solemn face.


    ¡°ICU.¡±


    He looked paler than a ghost. Cherise hesitated, her lips quivering, ¡°She¡¯s still in the ICU; she just


    stabilized.


    When he had called earlier, Cherise had just found out about Charisa¡¯s condition, leading to her


    emotional breakdown and disclosure..


    But now, with him standing in front of her, her face ashen, she felt as if she might have made a mistake.


    Zachary was right.


    Her mother, having hidden her condition even from her, would not have wanted him to find out.


    She had always made sacrifices for him, even her departure after their divorce, all for his well- being.


    She surely wouldn¡¯t want him to witness her vulnerability and burden him with that guilt.


    However, it was toote for regrets. Taking a deep breath, Cherise reached out, holding Beckham¡¯s


    hand. ¡°Dad.¡±

 Chapter 501

    Chapter 501


    Chapter 501 Charisa¡¯s Numbered Days.


    ¡°Mom hid her illness from us¡­¡±


    Beckham lifted his gaze, his eyes drawn to the woman behind the ss istion door.


    It was the first time he¡¯d seen her since their painful separation neen years ago.


    He had yearned for her return for nearly two decades, clinging to the belief that she still loved. him, but


    he couldn¡¯t understand why she¡¯d leave him.


    Beckham had always believed Charisa was under duress, forced to leave by some unspeakable


    circumstance, and that she would one day return.


    But¡­


    When he learned about Charisa from his father, a wave of guilt, helplessness, and regret washed over


    him.


    Beckham ached for a reunion with Charisa, to make amends for the sacrifices she¡¯d made over the


    past neen years, to embrace the daughter they¡¯d created together.


    His father mentioned her tarnished reputation, hinting that Charisa wouldn¡¯t be epted and regarded


    as Mrs. Tanner again, even if they reconciled.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    It was no secret that Charisa had been involved with several men in the past, back when she was still a


    Miles.


    But Beckham didn¡¯t care about her past.


    He knew Charisa had been coerced, vited, and mistreated.


    None of it was her fault.


    His love for her was an unyielding force, resilient against the storms of her past.


    Before setting foot in Adania, Beckham had painted countless reunion scenarios, envisioning them


    locked in a tearful embrace, their hearts pouring out their unspoken longings.


    But Beckham never imagined that their reunion would be under such dire circumstances, with Charisa


    lying unconscious behind a ss barrier. At the same time, he stood outside, a helpless. observer.


    Tears streamed down his face as he gazed upon the woman imprisoned within the sterile chamber.


    A flood of memories from their shared past and youthful days washed over him, back to their innocent


    childhood and wedding after college graduation.


    |||


    1/3


    Charisa had expressed her preference for sessful men.


    So, Beckham sacrificed his musical dreams and aspirations of bing an independent musician and


    devoted himself to the Tanner family business.


    But she¡­.


    Beckham had aplished every desire she had ever expressed except for shielding her from harm


    He had failed in the past, and now, what of the future?


    Could there be any future for them?


    Secing her father¡¯s devastated form, Cherise¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists.


    The man behind her pulled her into aforting hug.


    Cherise mitially stiffened, taken aback by the unexpected gesture, but Damien¡¯s familiar scent soon


    calmed her anxieties.


    She nestled into his arms and whispered. ¡°Did I


    ¡°Did I do something wrong.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Damien¡¯s gaze shifted from Charisa in the ICU to Beckham, who was sobbing uncontrobly outside


    the ss door. ¡°You did nothing wrong


    ¡°They¡¯ve lost too many precious years.¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t spoken up¡­ they might have missed each other for the rest of their lives.¡±


    ¡°Sharing this final journey is better than living with a lifetime of regret.¡±


    By now, Cherise couldn¡¯t stop weeping, her heart overwhelmed by the weight of life and death¡¯s cruel


    intery.


    She didn¡¯t want to, and she wasn¡¯t ready to!


    Ironically, she had always aspired to be an exceptional cardiac surgeon.


    Now, her mothery battling an incurable heart disease.


    Was this some cruel cosmic joke? Was fate mocking her?


    Throughout the night, Beckham remained steadfast, his vigil unbroken, his gaze fixed on the woman


    behind the ss door

 Chapter 502

    Chapter 502


    Chapter 502 Mourning for Charisa


    ¡°How will Aunt Charisa react when she wakes up and sees you all like this?¡± Zachary¡¯s voice echoed


    through the room, his words cutting through the thick tension.


    He nced at Cherise¡¯s tear-stained face and Beckham¡¯s ashenplexion, his toneced with


    concern.


    ¡°Do you all wish for Aunt Charisa¡¯s premature demise?¡± Zachary¡¯s question hung in the air, casting a


    shadow over the room.


    Cherise sniffled, recognizing that Zachary¡¯s harsh words were meant to jolt them out of despair.


    Still, they stung like a p to the face.


    Beckham slowly turned his head, his dark eyes meeting Zachary¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he


    acknowledged, a faint smile gracing his lips. Then, without another word, he turned and walked


    away.


    He approached Cherise, extending his hand to her. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said softly.


    Damien watched them leave without a word, his heart heavy with worry.


    Beckham led Cherise up to an empty hospital room. He called for a doctor, requesting sleeping pills for


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    both of them. ¡°We need to rest and regain our strength,¡± he exined to the doctor. ¡°Then we can go


    see her.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, her voice barely a whisper as she nodded in agreement. At this moment, she


    had no choice but to follow Beckham¡¯s instructions.


    After ensuring Cherise was settled into bed, Beckhamy on the adjacent bed and closed his. Soon,


    Cherise¡¯s breathing deepened into a steady rhythm, her exhaustion finally taking over.


    eyes.


    Beckhamy awake, his mind flooded with memories of Charisa¡¯s radiant smile from her teenage


    years. Sleep cluded him, even with the aid of sleeping pills. His love for her was a me that burned so


    brightly it overshadowed his physical weariness.


    Nevertheless, hepelled himself to rest his eyes for a while.


    Beckham smiled as he thought of Charisa waking up to see him looking put together and well.


    ¡°Ari¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled as he softly uttered her name, a solitary tear tracing down his


    cheek.


    Over thirty-five years, their tapestry of life had been woven with threads of their first meeting, their


    blossoming love, their wedding vows, and the birth of their precious daughter.


    It was a journey etched with an enduring love that defied the boundaries of life and death. If you live, I¡¯ll


    share your life. If you die, I¡¯ll apany you in death.


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s slumber was fleeting, reced by an awakening at Damien¡¯s gentle touch.


    ¡°I know Uncle Beckham had asked me not to disturb you,¡± Damien told her, kissing her tenderly.


    ¡°But I believe you might prefer witnessing your parents reunion rather than continuing your slumber¡±


    Cherise¡¯s drowsiness vanished in an instant, her eyes widening in dis


    With renewed vigor, she sprang from the bed, assisted by Damien¡¯s steady hand, and rushed towards


    Charisa¡¯s ICU, her heart pounding with anticipation.


    Cherise¡¯s body, still weak from sleep, betrayed her, and she stumbled as she attempted to stand


    Damien, ever watchful, reacted swiftly, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her towards Charisa¡¯s


    hospital room.


    Cherise was surprised to find that while she had been asleep, Charisa had been moved from the ICU


    to a regr hospital room. The room was still under heavy guard, and Zachary stood at the entrance, a


    faint smile ying on his lips as he observed their arrival.


    ¡°So, you decided to bring her here after all,¡± Zachary remarked with amusement. I thought you¡¯d


    consider Bunny¡¯s well-being and let her rest a bit longer.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, her eyes shing with determination. ¡°No worries, there¡¯ll be plenty of sleeping


    timeter¡±


    ¡°But missing my parents¡¯ reunion¡­ The thought of missing out on such a monumental asion would


    make her regret.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t quite go as nned,¡± Zachary informed her, gesturing towards the hospital room. ¡°They nearly


    came to blows.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart raced as she pushed open the door, eager to witness the reunion she had longed


    for


    Inside the hospital room, Charisa sat upright in the bed, her eyes fixed on Beckham with a mix of anger


    and resentment. ¡°We¡¯ve been divorced for over two decades, Mr. Tanner. I hope you¡¯ll respect my


    boundaries and refrain from further interfering in my life!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 503

    Chapter 503


    Chapter 503 Caring for Charisa


    Beckham, his eyes twinkling with amusement, approached Charisa with a steaming bowl of mushroom


    soup.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to disrupt your life, Charisa,¡± he stated with a charming smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to tend to my


    daughter¡¯s mother; her wedding is just two days away, and you, as her mother, should be present,¡± he


    gently reminded her. ¡°Your absence would be a disappointment to Cherise.¡±


    Despite her frail appearance, Charisa¡¯s eyes sparkled as she retorted at Beckham. Her demeanor,


    usually reserved and aloof, softened slightly during their exchange.


    Cherise observed their interaction, a myriad of emotions swirling within her. She had always perceived


    her mother as a distant, unattainable figure. Despite knowing Charisa was her biological mother,


    Cherise felt a deep chasm between them.


    Watching Charisa lean against the headboard, her expression a blend of frustration and vulnerability,


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but question her perceptions.


    Perhaps there was more to her mother than met the eye. Perhaps, beneath her aloof exterior, Charisa


    harbored hidden depths of emotion.


    Cherise thought of Damien, a man often perceived as standoffish and reserved. Yet, in her presence,


    he transformed into a yful rogue, always up to his mischievous antics.


    Perhaps¡­ this was the real Charisa, the person she revealed only to those she genuinely loved and


    considered equals.


    As Cherise was lost in her thoughts, Beckham sensed the unusual mood in the air. Although slightly


    annoyed by Damien¡¯s intrusion, he maintained hisposure and addressed Charisa, ¡°Our daughter is


    here, Charisa. Shouldn¡¯t I take good care of you so you can be in top form for her wedding?¡±


    When caught off guard by the unexpected suggestion, Cherise could only manage an awkward nod in


    response.


    Charisa,ced with helplessness, protested, ¡°It was just a simple cold-induced fainting spell. There¡¯s no


    need for such a fuss.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s gaze darted to Beckham, their eyes meeting silently. Beckham¡¯s expression was one of quiet


    appeal, urging for her cooperation.


    Clearing her throat, Cherise addressed her mother, ¡°But fainting from a cold can be serious, Mom


    You¡¯ve been preupied with the wedding preparations and haven¡¯t taken care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Let Dad take care of you while I focus on the wedding details,¡± she suggested, her toneced with


    concern.


    1/2


    Charisa¡¯s face hardened into a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t need him hovering over me! I have Zac¡­


    ¡°Unfortunately, Zac has been roped in by me, too,¡± Cherise interrupted unapologetically.


    Charisa was left speechless. Why was everyone hell-bent on having this shameless Beckham look


    after her?


    Before she couldplete her sentence, Damien interrupted Cherise, ¡°Auntie, if you¡¯re not entirely


    confident in Uncle Beckham¡¯s ability to ensure your safety, I¡¯ll be happy to step in as your caretaker and


    tend to my future mother-inw¡¯s needs.¡±


    He paused, his gaze unwavering, ¡°However, to provide the best possible care, I¡¯ll need to review your


    medical history thoroughly.¡±


    The man said, shaking his head in distress, ¡°I remember there should be some records in the city


    library¡­


    Damien¡¯s words sent a chill down Charisa¡¯s spine. She knew Damien would not be underestimated; his


    sharp intellect and resourcefulness were evident. If he set his mind to investigating her health, he


    would undoubtedly uncover the truth. And if he knew, so would Cherise. The consequences of such a


    revtion were too terrifying to contemte.


    Resigned to her fate, Charisa reluctantly agreed. ¡°Do as you see fit¡­¡±


    ¡°After all,¡± she added, trying to keep her voice steady, ¡°he¡¯s practically got nothing but time on his


    hands. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind caring for things around here.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Damien said with a smile, pulling Cherise close. ¡°So, how about it? Do you want to stay


    with your parents for a while longer, or shall we head home first?¡±


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    2/2

 Chapter 504

    Chapter 504


    Chapter 504 Bumping into The Difficult Tristan


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s lips tightened into a thin line. A part of her yearned to stay, to bask in thefort of her


    parents¡¯ presence.


    But reason prevailed. As a daughter, she understood the importance of granting her parents the privacy


    they needed for their reconnection.


    With a contrived smile, she turned to Beckham, ¡°Well, Dad, we should probably head out now. Please


    take care of Mom.¡±


    Beckham¡¯s reassuring wink conveyed his message. ¡°Don¡¯t you fret, my dear. With me here, she¡¯s in


    capable hands.¡±


    After bidding farewell to Charisa, Cherise returned to the car with Damien.


    Cherise leaned back in the passenger seat as they merged onto the highway, her gaze drifting toward


    the passing scenery. Her mind wandered through thebyrinth of memories, intertwining. the past and


    future of Beckham and Charisa¡¯s bond.


    Suddenly, the unfamiliarndscape outside the window caught her attention.


    Cherise¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°The Lenoir Residence, Damien replied.


    As Damien brought the car to a halt, he gantly opened the door and retrieved a stack of invitations


    from within. ¡°Despite the Lenoirs¡¯ disdain for me,¡± he confessed, ¡°I¡¯ve always considered them family.¡±


    Today, the sight of Cherise Shaw interacting intimately with her parents tugged at Damien¡¯s


    heartstrings, stirring a deep-seated longing for the parental love he once knew. Yet, all that remained


    were the bitter remnants of a shattered rtionship, a void mirrored by his mother, Maeve¡¯s unwavering


    disdain.


    Drawing a deep breath, Damien extended his hand towards Cherise. ¡°Let¡¯s deliver these invitations and


    head home, shall we?¡± he suggested. Damien extended his hand to Cherise Shaw, guiding her out of


    the car. Still reeling from the emotional encounter with her parents, Cherise nodded silently and


    followed him out of the car.


    They approached the imposing Lenoir Manor only to find the front door firmly shut.


    Cherise¡¯s mind drifted back to her first visit to this grand residence, apanied by Tristan.


    The present, however, held a starkly different atmosphere.


    As Cherise hesitated before knocking, the door swung open, revealing Tristan, his one visible eye


    betraying a mixture of surprise and disdain. He had likely not anticipated encountering Cherise and


    Damien at this juncture.


    1/2


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Tristan said, his lone eye darting between Cherise and Damien with a hint of


    hostility.


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed in response. ¡°Nick,¡± he began, calling Tristan by his childhood nickname.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Nick, Tristan snapped, his voice dripping with disdain. Tve forfeited that privilege long


    ago!¡±


    Tristan¡¯s eyes shed with fury as he gestured towards his bandaged eye. ¡°This is your fault!¡± he


    growled, his voice dripping with bitterness.


    Tristan¡¯s sudden usation shattered Cherise¡¯sposure. Her fists clenched at her sides as anger


    coursed through her veins.


    Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her voice resonating with defiance, ¡°You dare to me us for


    your eye?¡±


    ¡°Listen up. Tristan! We owe you nothing! You said yourself that if you everid a hand on me again,


    you¡¯d end up like Damien, blind. It was your father who chose Lenoir Group over you.¡±


    ¡°So, pause and reflect, did we force you into this wager? Did Damienpel your father to blind you?


    No! It was your father, and you made those choices; how can you me us!? Can you believe after


    what you guys did to him, Damien still wanted to invite the both of you to our wedding?¡±


    With a deep breath, Cherise snatched the two invitations for Raymond and Tristan from Damien¡¯s


    hand. She flung them at Tristan, ¡°Your presence is your choice!¡±


    Her emotions were in turmoil, a vtile mix of anger and frustration.


    No one should dare provoke her!


    After her outburst, Cherise, in a fit of fury, pulled Damien into the Lenoir Residence, leaving Tristan


    stunned and speechless.

 Chapter 505

    Chapter 505


    Chapter 505 To Attend Their Wedding or Not?


    Tristan lingered at the doorway, his gaze trailing Cherise and Damien as they vanished. A frosty sneer


    formed on his lips, ¡°Fu king imbeciles.¡±


    With that, he turned his attention to the invitation lying forgotten on the ground. He stooped to retrieve


    it, scanning its contents. ¡°Well, well, they¡¯re getting hitched?¡±


    Tristan scoffed as he carried the two invitations back home, presenting them to Raymond, who was


    leisurely sipping tea on the sofa. ¡°Hey, Dad, Damien and Cherise are nning a wedding.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, Raymond replied, reclining on the sofa, his eyes closed, a hint of frostiness on his lips.


    ¡°Given themotion he¡¯s causing, who in Adania isn¡¯t aware they¡¯re nning another wedding?¡±


    He reached out to take the invitation, examining the names listed. ¡°Well, well, Cherise, also known as


    Charlotte Tanner?¡±


    ¡°Since the Tanner family has publicly acknowledged her as one of their own, it implies¡­ she is that


    man¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Raymond narrowed his eyes, a cold smile ying on his lips. ¡°Hold onto these two invitations.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s one remaining eye widened in disbelief as he eximed, ¡°You¡¯re seriously thinking about


    going?¡±


    He had only brought the invitations back to poke fun at them with his father. He never expected


    Raymond to think about attending their wedding!


    Raymond¡¯s decision to attend Damien and Cherise¡¯s wedding seemed utterly absurd to Tristan. How


    could his father be so foolish even to contemte it? Anyone withmon sense would know it was a


    colossal blunder.


    As if sensing Tristan¡¯s bewilderment, Raymond rolled his eyes in exasperation and gave Tristan a swat


    on the head. ¡°Honestly, Tristan, you¡¯re not exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier, are you?¡±


    ¡°If you had a smidgen of intelligence, even if not an abundance of it, as long as you were as sharp as


    Damien, I wouldn¡¯t have to keep everything from you.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s face clouded with confusion. Then at least exin your reasons to me! I honestly don¡¯t see


    the point in attending this wedding!¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re about to witness a grand spectacle, Raymond dered with a sneer, tapping his finger


    against the coffee table. ¡°Tristan, you may not be aware, and in fact, many people are oblivious to this,


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    but the mastermind behind the car ident that imed Damien¡¯s parents¡¯ lives was Mendoza.¡±


    Tristan remained puzzled. ¡°Mendoza?¡±


    |||


    1/2


    ¡°Indeed Raymond Lenoir confirmed with a cold eneer ¡°The world spot a tapestry of eroncidences,


    wouldn¡¯t prej kary?¡±


    Even if Damien con Togh


    mother for piloting agier i pr


    Tritan


    Chemoptive father for the arm can he ever forgive Cherie


    illinent with


    Ta


    Did you im lie dode


    Raymond tipe curled his fallen


    mncholy pose in a mark beper game


    jure v roo


    And with than he deved that the mining the Tamer Brudence filtration w a group of sin southful spirited


    friends


    That woman the Tunner Revidence was of privating here her mining like melodion soice and flewles


    rexionable mark on his memory


    The sensation of her long legs desped amen k¨¦n alkuulder, a memory forever etched in his minife


    tapestry


    Raymond never imagined de son he met that night would ascend to auch errordinary power With


    calcted perchion, dhe elliminent de men from that fateful evening eventually bing the


    formidable matriarch of the Miles family


    a


    The creeping realization of singing de ke dark cloud, signaling the inevitable arrival of his judgment day


    To his surprise, the Mis family came to him, desperar for information shout ha brother


    A vivid Bachibach flooded tos mund, raporting hacks when he was young brimming with lite yetcking


    social manding


    tie was a noboity, his presence angarmal, hispany sunwanted


    2/2


    ¡°Indeed, Raymond Lenoir confirmed with a cold sneer. ¡°The world is just a tapestry of coincidences,


    wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    ¡°Even if Damien can forgive Cherise¡¯s adoptive father for the arson, can he ever forgive Cherise¡¯s


    mother for plotting against his parents?¡±


    Tristan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You mean, they¡­¡±


    ¦§


    Before he could finish his sentence, Tristan¡¯s expression turned sour once more. ¡°Wait a minute. Didn¡¯t


    you im earlier that their death¡­ was your doing?¡±


    Raymond¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, ¡°Not at all, he exined, his tone tinged with mncholy. ¡°I


    was merely a pawn in a muchrger game.¡±


    And with that, he delved into that night¡¯s events, recounting the Tanner Residence¡¯s infiltration by a


    group of six youthful, spirited friends¡­


    That woman at the Tanner Residence was a vision of captivating beauty. Her stunning looks, melodious


    voice, and wlessplexion left an indelible mark on his memory.


    The sensation of her long legs draped over his shoulders, a memory forever etched in his mind¡¯s


    tapestry.


    Raymond never imagined the woman he met that night would ascend to such extraordinary. power.


    With calcted precision, she eliminated the men from that fateful evening, eventually bing the


    formidable matriarch of the Miles family.


    The creeping realization of his impending demise loomed like a dark cloud, signaling the inevitable


    arrival of his judgment day.


    To his surprise, the Miles family came to him, desperate for information about his brother.


    A vivid shback flooded his mind, transporting him back to when he was young, brimming with life yet


    He was a nobody, his presence inconsequential, hispany unwanted.


    .

 Chapter 506

    Chapter 506


    Chapter 506 Hansen Lenoir


    The people around Raymond were snobbish, only interested in associating with those who had made


    their mark in the business world. Take his beloved brother, Hansen Lenoir, for instance.


    So, when Raymond was yet to establish himself, he assumed his brother¡¯s identity and swindled. his


    way across Europe under the guise of Hansen.


    As a result, when he found himself in bed with the alluring woman from the Tanner family, she also


    believed Raymond was Hansen.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Interestingly, Raymond was in a protracted feud with Hansen during that period. Hansen constantly


    urged him to work hard like a seasoned professional.


    Work hard?


    The Lenoir family members had been running the Lenoir Group since their youth. Was there a need to


    work hard??


    So, with bitterness, he revealed Hansen¡¯s whereabouts to the Miles family.


    In the end-Hansen and his wife met with a fatal car ident, leaving no survivors.


    And Raymond emerged as the sole heir of the Lenoir family.


    From that moment, Raymond realized he had crossed a point of no return in his life.


    So, he embarked on a path of vengeance against Maeve and Damien, straying from the path of


    morality¡­.


    Reflecting on the past, Raymond let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°Things seem to be getting more and more intriguing.¡± And Raymond believed fate was on his side.


    At present, Damien¡¯s heart and soul were now entwined with Cherise, his hopes and dreams.


    inextricably linked to hers. How would he react upon discovering that Cherise was the daughter of his


    sworn enemy?


    Inside, Damien¡¯s grandfather, Peter, sat engrossed in a chess game with his sister Maeve.


    Once shrouded in mystery, Maeve had shed her veil, her face now a familiar sight to the household


    staff. Despite the constant stares, she carried herself with quiet grace.


    Peter, his eyes still focused on the chessboard, broke the silence. ¡°Quit overthinking. You¡¯ve made your


    choice; now embrace it fully. Let go of the past and live in the present.¡±


    Maeve, her brows furrowed in contemtion, remained silent.


    |||


    1/2


    irtikal disrupted the pensive mood. Grandpa, Sis,¡± he greeted them, his voiceced with a hint of


    nervousness.


    Peter looked up. ¡°Have youe to deliver the invitations?¡± he inquired.


    Damien nodded, cing two elegant invitations on the coffee table. ¡°One for you and one for Sis.¡± he


    exined.


    ¡°I intend to spend the rest of my life with Cherry, and I hope you can all be there to witness our


    union.


    Damien¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t self-serving; it was just a wave of envy that washed over him whenever he


    saw Cherise¡¯s family reuniting with her one by one.


    His family had shrunk over the years, leaving him only a few rtives.


    Despite past disagreements with Raymond, Damien knew he wasn¡¯t the one behind the fire that had


    taken his parents¡¯ lives. He would like to consider Tristan¡¯s partial loss of vision as an odd, somber


    bnce to the tragedy that had struck their family.


    As Damien and Cherise nned their wedding, he yearned to reconnect with his estranged sister.


    Maeve. He approached her with a genuine smile, ¡°Sis, it¡¯d mean the world to me if you could be there


    for our wedding?


    Maeve¡¯s silence spoke volumes as she turned her head away, her lips emitting a soft hum in response


    to Damien¡¯s plea.


    ¡°Your sister is in a state of flux right now,¡± Peter exined with a knowing smile. ¡°she¡¯s having difficulty


    With a gesture towards Cherise, Peter invited her to join them. ¡°Come, sit with us.¡±


    Acknowledging her eptance with a nod, Cherise pursed her lips and sat beside Peter.


    ¡°I always knew you were kind-hearted, Peter affirmed, pouring Cherise a cup of coffee. ¡°back then, I


    sought a bright and cheerful spirit like yours to bnce Damien¡¯s somber nature.¡±

 Chapter 507

    Chapter 507


    Chapter 507 Please Speak Favorably of Damien More


    ¡°Who would have thought that your true identity would pave the way for Damien¡¯s future business


    endeavors?¡±


    The old man chuckled heartily. This is indeed a blessing in disguise for the Lenoir family.¡±


    With a gleam in his eyes, he continued, ¡°The entire family will be there to witness your wedding. Not a


    single one of us will miss it!¡±


    His voice softened as he leaned towards Cherise, ¡°But, dear Cherry, I hope you¡¯ll speak favorably of


    Damien to your parents in the future. You see¡­


    ¡°Grandpa, your groveling attitude is off-putting. It¡¯s entirely up to Cherise whether or not she chooses to


    help Damien. Don¡¯t make our Lenoir family look like we¡¯re begging for scraps!¡±


    Unfazed by her disapproval, Peter retorted coldly, ¡°So, your bowing down to Beckham Tanner wasn¡¯t


    an act of begging for scraps, was it?¡±


    He sighed wistfully and continued to gaze at Cherise with a smile, ¡°Damien hasn¡¯t been actively


    involved in business for many years. His only venture is the Shaw Group, which bears your name. In


    the future, you must encourage your parents to mentor him more.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback, instinctively turning her head to look at Damien. He offered her a subtle


    smile.


    Cherise sat in the passenger seat as they drove back, her gaze drifting out the window as she asked.


    ¡°Are Maeve and your Grandpa unaware of your overseas businesses?¡±


    The man shrugged casually, ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need for them to know.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°No need?¡±


    At the Lenoir Residence, Peter practically begged Cherise to get her parents to look after Damien.


    But the truth was, as Lennon pointed out, Damien¡¯s overseas conglomerates and businesses were


    second only to the Tanners.


    Lennon also mentioned Damien¡¯s rare ability to strategize from thousands of miles away in Adania,


    expanding his business empire to such heights.


    Many in Europe hailed him as a genius.


    Yet, in his grandfather¡¯s eyes, this universally acimed genius was almost a fool, needing his wife¡¯s


    constant support through her family¡¯s influence.


    Cherise pursed her lips, turning to Damien, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your grandfather¡¯s misunderstanding bother you?¡±


    1/2


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Damien shook his head lightly. Td rather everyone think I turned my life around with your parents help


    Cherise was surprised ¡°Why¡±


    Damien smiled fairly his bedaneves exring is the dice ¡°This sy vryer will understand how much I need y


    Then, everyone will know how much of one or m


    Damien took advantage of the mid light to meals te gee at Cherie 1 want


    n?


    you as my kryptinite someone I be without he cast his drept with affection


    His cards and loving per shear after Awariation quel themeh Her chest, and she tightened her grip on


    the newbielt x the it


    1: had been a whirlwind of set Intely and Damien had been delete working in their wedding


    preparations vary day I had been a while they had och an intimate moment


    if together and had been even longer since she¡¯d besed him on something wees


    e


    While she couldn¡¯t help but feel their rtionship had taken on a bit of an old-marriedple vibe his


    words always managed to touch her heart


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise turned to face Dummies. Honey, you¡¯re amazing?¡± the eximed


    ¡°Okay enough with the mushy muff Damien chuckled grly caressing her soff, radiant fare Close your


    eyes and get some rest. The winding is in a day and I want you to be the most beautiful bride


    ¡°We will see through your mom remaining days with your dad


    2/2

 Chapter 508

    Chapter 508


    Chapter 508 A Harmonious Union


    Cherise¡¯s eyes welled up slightly as she held Damien¡¯s hand resting on her cheek. ¡°Thank you,¡± she


    said softly.


    Truth be told, Charisa was none of Damien¡¯s business since it was Cherise¡¯s family affair. But Damien¡¯s


    willingness to offer support was purely from his love and affection for Cherise. How could she not be


    grateful or touched by his unwavering support?


    This man always considered her in every decision he made.


    The traffic light turned green, and the car resumed its journey. Cherise leaned back against the seat


    and drifted into a deep slumber.


    She had a beautiful dream. In the dream, she was a vision of elegance in a pristine white wedding.


    dress, gracefully walking down the aisle with her father by her side. Her mother sat in the distance, her


    eyes sparkling with joy as she watched her daughter take her final steps toward a new chapter in her


    life.


    Damien and Cherise joined hands and exchanged vows, promising to love and cherish each other for


    eternity.


    But then, the beautiful dream abruptly turned into a nightmare- Maeve stormed into the wedding scene,


    a knife glinting in her hand, and plunged it into her already grievously wounded Charisa¡¯s heart.


    Blood spilled everywhere, and the dream ended in a crimson sea.


    Cherise awoke with a gasp, the horrifying scene still fresh in her mind. She found herself back in the


    Damien wrapped his arms around her, his voiceced with concern, ¡°Did you have a bad dream?¡±


    Cherise nodded, her face pale and drawn.


    He gently stroked her hair, offeringfort, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dreams are often the opposite of reality.¡±


    Nestling in Damien¡¯s arms, she foundfort in the rhythm of his heartbeat.


    She slowly closed her eyes, a glimmer of hope flickering within her; she noted to herself that dreams,


    after all, often showed the opposite of what was toe.


    Two dayster, Cherise and Damien¡¯s grand wedding took ce at Adania¡¯s most opulent venue, the


    New World Restaurant.


    Lennon, in honor of their union, had even personally overseen the refurbishment of the New World


    Restaurant.


    1/3


    On the wedding day, Cherise woke up at the break of dawn.


    While the makeup artist was working her magic, Lucy and Mandy engaged in their usual yful banter,


    teasing each other about their figures and asking for help tightening their bridesmaid


    dresses.


    Cherise, held captive by the makeup artist¡¯s brushstrokes, could only utter a muffled plea, ¡°Hey, you


    two, can we please tone it down?¡±


    Lucy turned her head to face Cherise with a cheeky grin. ¡°Just this once, Cherise!¡± she protested.


    ¡°It¡¯s your big day, so we¡¯re allowed to let loose a little. When it¡¯s my turn to walk down the aisle, I¡¯ll be


    the picture of grace and poise,¡± she winked.


    ww


    Mandy huffed, a yfully-exasperated expression crossing her face. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be the next one to


    walk down the aisle?¡± she protested.


    Lucy rolled her eyes teasingly. ¡°Oh, please, Mandy,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Like anyone would want to marry


    you!¡±


    Their yful banter filled Cherise¡¯s heart with joy. This was precisely how she¡¯d pictured her wedding


    day surrounded by the people she loved most, sharingughter and lighthearted


    moments.


    ¨C


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    With the makeup artist¡¯s final touchesplete, Cherise, assisted by her bridesmaids, eased into the


    stunning patchwork wedding dress that Damien and Charisa had painstakingly created.


    Standing before the mirror, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but be captivated by her reflection. The woman


    gazing back at her was a picture of elegance and beauty, her face glowing with an infectious


    happiness.


    Charisa stepped into the room, drawn by the girls¡¯ infectious giggles.


    Cherise was lost in her world, admiring her reflection in the mirror with a silly grin stered across her


    face. Charisa couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her daughter¡¯s antics. ¡°My silly girl,¡± she said fondly.


    She had to give it to Elvis; he had done an incredible job raising Cherise. Her daughter was as innocent


    and adorable as Beckham had been, untouched by the world¡¯s harsh realities.


    The father and daughter duo shared a simr simplicity, a focus on their passions, never letting. the


    negativity of others weigh them down. It was a rare quality, bing increasingly scarce in this cynical


    world.


    A pang of sadness struck Charisa as she thought of Beckham. She turned to Zachary, who understood


    her unspoken pain. He discreetly slipped two pills from his pocket into her hand.


    After swallowing the medication, Charisa felt a sense of calm wash over her.


    She approached Cherise, her gaze lingering on her daughter in her wedding gown. A hint of pride


    2/3


    flickered in her eyes. ¡°Just as beautiful as I was back then, Charisa whispered.


    r

 Chapter 509

    Chapter 509


    Chapter 509 I Do


    A flicker of surprise ignited in Cherise¡¯s eyes, quickly reced by a spark of curiosity.


    She immediately strolled over and gently sped Charisa¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom,¡± she inquired, her voiceced


    with eagerness, ¡°tell me about your wedding to Dad. Grandpa always said you two were childhood


    sweethearts, so it must have been a magical day, right?¡±


    ¡°Our wedding¡­¡± Charisa trailed off, her gaze drifting into the distance, her eyes reflecting nostalgia.


    Her wedding to Beckham was a memory etched in her heart, a vivid recollection from twenty- one


    years ago.


    Back then, she was brimming with youthful exuberance and dreams of a shared future. She envisioned


    growing old with him, hand in hand, their lives intertwined in a tapestry of happiness.


    They had stood before God, exchanging vows of eternal love, promising to remain inseparable, their


    hearts entwined in an unbreakable bond.


    But fate, in its capricious nature, had other ns¡­.


    A sudden coughing fit seized Charisa, her breath catching in her throat. Zachary, ever vignt, swiftly


    extended a handkerchief.


    Charisa covered her mouth, a cough racking her body. The white handkerchief came away stained with


    bright red blood.


    Mandy, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t bear to watch. She turned away, discreetly wiping away tears that


    threatened to spill over.


    Cherise¡¯s heart ached. Life, she knew, was a cruel mistress, bringing with it aging, sickness, and,


    ultimately, death. Neither the doctors nor she could alter the inevitable course of nature. All she could


    do was providefort and support during her mother¡¯s final moments.


    Soon, the door burst open, and Damien and his groomsmen charged in, their faces flushed with


    excitement and anticipation.


    Lucy and Mandy had been plotting yful pranks to pull before the wedding, including hiding the


    bride¡¯s heels.


    With a sly grin, Lucy stealthily tied one of Cherise¡¯s shoes to her ankle, the voluminous skirt of her


    bridesmaid¡¯s dress concealing the cheeky prank from anyone watching.


    But even the most carefullyid ns couldn¡¯t escape Damien¡¯s eagle eyes. With a swift, practiced


    move, he pinned Lucy to the bed and reached under her skirt, retrieving the hidden heel.


    Neither Damien nor Lucy had anticipated Mandy and Jacob¡¯s quick reflexes. They captured the entire


    scene with a click and a sh, forever immortalizing the moment Lennon pinned Lucy


    |||


    1/2


    down, one hand strategically ced under her skirt.


    Mandy¡¯sughter erupted like fireworks, her sides aching from amusement. ¡°This photo is going.


    straight into my family album!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Jacob agreed with a mischievous grin, sending the photo to the WhatsApp group. ¡°If


    Lennon ever tries to pull a runner on Lucy, we¡¯ll release this photo at their wedding.


    Lennon and Lucy stood there speechless, their faces burning with embarrassment.


    Cherise¡¯s brow furrowed as she turned to Damien. ¡°There¡¯s no way any embarrassing photos of you


    and another woman will be making an appearance at my wedding today, right?¡±


    Damien smiled reassuringly and took the heels from Lennon. Kneeling before Cherise, he gently


    slipped them onto her feet. ¡°The only photos like that are with you.¡±


    After saying that, he looked up at her with a yful glint. ¡°If you want everyone to see, I could¡­¡±


    His expression didn¡¯t suggest he was joking.


    Cherise¡¯s heart raced as she quickly raised her hand to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, Damien reassured her with a subtle smile. Standing up, he effortlessly swept her off


    her feet and into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my best behavior from now on.¡±


    ¡°If you disapprove, I wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± he added yfully.


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink.


    Damien scooped her up in his arms and strode out of the room, her wedding dress trailing behind


    them, the stark white fabric intermingling with the crimson carpet, creating a captivating


    contrast.


    They strolled down the red carpet, the train of her dress gracing the ground, the white and red blending


    seamlessly, exuding an unparalleled romance.


    The wedding car embarked on a grand tour through the wealthy city of Adania.


    Every major inte media outlet and television station broadcasted this extravagant wedding live,


    capturing every detail of thevish affair.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Whispers swirled that the wedding venue had been transformed into a magical wondend by the


    groom¡¯s close-knit circle of friends.

 Chapter 510

    Chapter 510


    Chapter 510 Raymond Met Charisa


    Buzz swirled around every wedding detail, meticulously nned and executed by the


    groom.


    Tales were whispered that the groom had envisioned the bride¡¯s wedding dress the day after their first


    meeting, a testament to his unwavering love and dedication.


    Such rumors and whispers whipped the city into a frenzy, with countless young girls swooning over the


    romantic tale, dreaming of their fairytale weddings.


    Amidst the whirlwind of excitement, Cherise, hand in hand with Beckham, gracefully navigated the long


    aisle, each step bringing her closer to her groom, the man with whom she would spend the rest of her


    life.


    Reality and dreams intertwined, creating an enchanting fusion of romance and reality.


    Cherise felt a flutter of nerves; her lips pursed as she subtly nced at Charisa from the corner of her


    eye.


    Charisa sat there, an aura of elegance radiating from her, her lips curved into a gentle smile.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    To her left sat Zachary, while the seat to her right remained conspicuously empty.


    Just as Cherise began to rx and turn her gaze away, Raymond, dressed in a crisp white suit, took


    his ce beside Charisa.


    The atmosphere in the church was a harmonious blend of serenity and passion, a reflection of the love


    that filled the air.


    The priest, adorned in gold-trimmed robes, stood at the center, his smile warm and weing as he


    addressed the couple before him.


    ¡°Damien Lenoir, do you take Cherise Shaw to be yourwfully wedded wife? To love and cherish her,


    through thick and thin, in sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, until death do you part?¡±


    Damien, his voice filled with conviction, replied, ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Cherise Shaw, do you take Damien Lenoir to be yourwfully wedded husband? To love and cherish


    him, through thick and thin, in sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, until death. do you part?¡±


    Her eyes sparkling with love, Cherise squeezed Damien¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I do.¡±


    The apuse echoed through the room, a resounding symphony of support for the newlyweds.


    In a quiet corner, Charisa joined in the apuse, her smile masking the turmoil within. A man, sitting


    beside her for a while, leaned over.


    1/2


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Miles,¡± Raymond greeted her with a hint of mischief in his eyes. His gaze drifted towards


    the couple at the center of the stage, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Remember me?¡±


    Charisa¡¯s smile faltered, her attention drawn to the man. Her eyes widened in surprise as recognition


    shed across her face.


    That face¡­


    Memories of a fateful night neen years ago flooded back, vivid and unforgettable. Every person


    from that night was etched in her mind forever.


    But¡­


    If her memory served her right, Hansen should have been dead for over a decade.


    ¡°I am Raymond Lenoir,¡± he said, his smile unwavering. The look in her eyes told him she still


    remembered.


    Once, such a gaze would have unnerved him. But the Raymond of today was a different man. His


    resilience hardened like a city wall.


    ¡°I know I resemble my older brother,¡± he continued, his expression unreadable. ¡°But don¡¯t be mistaken,


    Ms. Miles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the viin you met seventeen years ago. I was the one who provided you with those vital


    clues.¡±


    Charisa¡¯s frown softened, the wariness in her eyes subsiding. It was true.


    He and Hansen were brothers, their resemnce inevitable. And she remembered Hansen¡¯s younger


    brother from the Lenoir family, who had aided her in her mission.


    With his help, she had sessfully eliminated Hansen, who was far away in Adania.


    2/2

 Chapter 511

    Chapter 511


    Chapter 511 Sins of the Past


    She nced at him indifferently and said, ¡°I appreciate the favor you did for me.¡±


    ¡°But let¡¯s be clear-I don¡¯t owe you anything.¡±


    ¡°I helped you, and now we¡¯re even.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡±


    Raymond scoffed, his gazending on the newlyweds on the stage. I must admit, I find it all quite


    fascinating.¡±


    He chuckled softly. ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, you know Damien is Hansen Lenoir¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°You orchestrated the downfall of his biological parents years ago, and now your daughter is his bride.


    Does that sit well with you?¡±


    ¡°So, is this the sole reason for your sudden interest in conversing with me?¡± Charisa retorted.


    ¡°My past with Hansen has no bearing on his son.¡±


    ¡°The wed intelligence you supplied back then led us to eliminate not only Hansen but also his


    spouse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been burdened with guilt ever since.¡±


    ¡°Just because someone is despicable doesn¡¯t mean their family shares their traits,¡±


    Her stone-cold gaze fixed on Raymond, ¡°I have nothing further to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s face darkened as a colossal rage surged in his chest at her tant dismissal.


    He drew a deep breath, ¡°Mrs. Miles, I approached you with good intentions; why the hostility?¡±


    ¡°This Damien isn¡¯t as innocent as you think he is.¡±


    He gestured


    Damien ly to Tristan, standing behind him, and frantically said, ¡°Look at my son¡¯s eyes!


    ¡°Indeed.


    him!¡±


    Charisa nodded, ¡°Why did he spare one?¡±


    Raymond was dumbfounded and quivered with frustration.


    The woman shifted to a morefortable position as her gaze slowly focused on Cherise and


    |||


    1/2


    Damien, exchanging rings in the distance, ¡°Why did your son only lose one eye?¡±


    She turned her head, and her lips curled into a cold icy smile. ¡°If I were Damien, if someone tormented


    me, tormented my wife¡­ she snorted.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t just take one of his eyes,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d take both eyes at the very least and might even create a dish from them,¡± she snickered


    menacingly.


    Raymond felt his stomach drop, and his blood went cold.


    A cold malevolence permeated the room, and every word she uttered carried a sinister threat.


    Raymond shuddered as her words sent a chill down his spine.


    ¡°Leave if there¡¯s nothing more.¡±


    Charisa dismissed him again and sneered, ¡°If you vex me, I¡¯ll make sure your son loses his other eye


    as well.¡±


    She smiled wryly at Raymond and asserted, ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m capable.¡±


    Behind her seemingly genteel smile lurked a sinister and chilling intent.


    Raymond felt a chill creep up his neck. He rose hastily and slinked away.


    Unbeknownst to Charisa, upon his departure, Raymond retrieved a recorder from his pocket.


    He intentionally broached the subject of Hansen during their premeditated conversation.


    It was all to ensure that whoever listens to the recording learns that the person responsible for framing


    and killing rk was none other than her, risa!


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Upon leaving the venue, Raymond handed the recorder to Tristan. ¡°Maeve didn¡¯t attend the wedding


    today, did she?¡±


    Tristan nodded, ¡°I saw her this morning. She told me that she wouldn¡¯t attend this wedding.¡±


    ¡°She even attempted to dissuade me from attending.¡±


    Raymond gave a faint smile..


    He gestured towards the recorder in Tristan¡¯s hand, ¡°Edit the content and forward it to Maeve.¡±


    ¡°Hurry, it must be done before the banquet.¡±


    Tristan appeared perplexed, ¡°Why?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 512

    Chapter 512


    Chapter 512 Maeve¡¯s Return


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Raymond sneered and looked back at the lively and enchanting wedding behind him.


    ¡°If Maeve discovered everything after the wedding, few would know even if she sought revenge.¡±


    ¡°But today is different.¡±


    The entire elite of Adania was present.


    Everyone connected to the Tanner family was here.


    Everyone associated with Miles was here.


    In such avish wedding banquet¡­


    He wanted everyone to know that this wedding was a sham!


    He wanted everyone to witness how Cherise and Damien break up!


    The wedding was still going on with full enthusiasm. It was a lively celebration.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    In front of their loved ones, Cherise and Damien exchanged vows with the priest officiating. They then


    served tea to their parents and close family members in gratitude, including Charisa, Beckham, Mr.


    Tanner, and old Mr. Lenoir.


    In the evening, a grand banquet ensued.


    Cherise graced a fitted red dress, while Damien appeared in a navy-blue suit with gold ents.


    No lighting engineer was necessary; their casual presence stole the spotlight, making them the most


    prominent figures of the night.


    The banquetmenced.


    Cherise and Damien walked arm in arm, raising a toast to each guest individually.


    ¡°Tired?¡±


    During a toast, Damien leaned close to Cherise and whispered.


    Cherise nestled into his arm, her lips curled into a joyful smile, and said, ¡°Not tired.¡±


    She was overjoyed to share such a romantic and significant moment with everyone.


    How could she be tired?


    1/3


    The man smiled subtly, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear.¡±


    He lifted her chin gently, his voice tender with a hint of teasing, ¡°Remember, tonight is our wedding


    night.¡±


    Cherise was slightly taken aback.


    Wed¡­ wedding night?


    She looked at his face in astonishment, ¡°You¡¯re thinking about that now¡­¡±


    ¡°This is exactly when I should be thinking about it.¡±


    The man smiled as he leaned closer to her, ¡°Who believes that abstaining on the wedding night. brings


    fortune and happiness?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, my dear, is the real wedding night.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless, so surprised that she couldn¡¯t find the right words to express herself.


    ¡°How do you¡­


    How did he know what she was thinking back then?


    The man smiled subtly. ¡°Aunt Wanda told me.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    She turned to look at Sarah,ughing and chatting with Charisa at the table.


    How could Aunt Wanda¡­ reveal everything?


    ¡°Alright, onto the next table.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ear.


    Cherise turned her head and hurriedly followed him to continue with the toast.


    Midway through the toast, a murmur swept through the crowd, ¡°Who is that person over there?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows slightly and nced in the direction the person was pointing ¨C


    At the banquet hall entrance stood a woman in a white dress.


    She wore a face mask, and her slim figure exuded a regal air, inspiring reverence..


    There was a moment of silence in the hall.


    Almost every guest turned around to look at the woman at the entrance.


    2/3


    A security guard hurried over and inquired, ¡°May I ask who you are¡­


    ¡°Maeve Lenoir.¡±


    The woman¡¯s thin lips parted slightly as she enunciated her name.


    An uproar erupted in the hall.


    Maeve Lenoir¡¯s name was familiar to many.


    The public¡¯s knowledge of her ended with the fire thirteen years ago.


    It was widely believed that she perished in the ze..

 Chapter 513

    Chapter 513


    Chapter 513 Cherise¡¯s Sacrifice


    Contrary to widespread belief, she was very much alive.


    The security guard stared in disbelief at the woman standing before him.


    Maeve confidently strolled into the venue and announced, ¡°Today is my brother¡¯s wedding day.¡±


    ¡°As his sister, how could I miss the chance to bless my beloved brother and my dear Cherry


    personally?¡±


    Maeve¡¯s sudden entrance sent a chilling breeze throughout the venue, enveloping it in an eerie


    ambiance.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and instinctively shifted her gaze towards Damien.


    There was a spark of joy flickered in his eyes.


    When the wedding invitations were sent out, Maeve had dered her absence from the event,


    Her reason was her dislike for Cherise.


    Though she had initially opted out of the wedding, Maeve¡¯s unexpected presence had caused some


    upheaval..


    Was her apparent distaste for Cherise a sign of genuine concern for Damien?


    Damien released his grip from Cherise¡¯s hand and walked towards Maeve.


    Finally, he stood before her and said sternly, ¡°Hello there, sister.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Maeve retrieved a red envelope from her pocket and handed it to Damien, ¡°This is a token of my


    sisterly affection.¡±


    Her brown eyes swept across the room and asked wryly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to offer me a seat?¡±


    Damien hesitated as he scanned the room.


    The venue was nearly at total capacity.


    Charisa¡¯s formidable presence left an empty seat beside her.


    Damien frowned, turning to Charisa, ¡°Maeve, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have that seat.¡±


    Maeve smiled and said coldly, ¡°I can also foster some rapport with this inw.¡±


    1/3


    As the celebrations continued, Damien failed to notice the momentary darkness that flickered in


    Maeve¡¯s eyes.


    The banquet continued in a st.


    Damien and Cherise soon raised a toast to the Fuoco family¡¯s table.


    A woman in an elegant white dress rose, her lithe figure grinning at Cherise. ¡°Cherise, do remember


    who I am?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Mnie Fuoco.


    Cherise furrowed her brows, fixed her gaze on her, and muttered, ¡°I remember.¡±


    Her outstanding quality was her remarkable ability to remember things.


    you


    She remembered Mnie, the second daughter of Fuoco Corporation, who had attempted to signn


    Philips and establish a private clinic for him.


    Fueled by her hatred towards Cherise and Damien, she and her family believed that the Lenoir family


    had failed to take responsibility for her sister.


    But what brought someone of her stature to their banquet today?


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Of course, I came to extend my blessings to the both of you.¡±


    Mnie smiled, her eyes twinkling.


    She stood up and raised her ss to Damien, ¡°My sister wasn¡¯t fortunate enough to be with you. so I


    can only wish Ms. Shaw well.¡±


    Damien nced at her indifferently, refilling Cherise¡¯s empty ss with wine.


    Cherise initially focused on Damien but then turned towards Mnie.


    In the corner of her eye, Mnie¡¯s hand grasped a gleaming silver weapon from the table.


    Cherise¡¯s heart dropped, and her eyes widened in shock at the dangerous glint.


    It was¡­ a dinner knife!


    The atmosphere grew taut as Mnie, ready for a menacing act, directed the knife toward Damien¡¯s


    heart. Cherise swiftly intervened, and the imminent peril hung heavily in the charged.


    air.


    Pain-surged through her heart.


    Mnie had exerted a great deal of force.


    The sharp dinner knife pierced through Cherise¡¯s palm.


    2/3

 Chapter 514

    Chapter 514


    Chapter 514 Blood in the Celebration


    Cradling Cherise, he bellowed, ¡°Jacob!¡± His hoarse voice pierced the air.


    Chaos erupted in the venue.


    It wasn¡¯t just Jacob.


    Almost everyone in the room stood up and rushed over.


    Charisa, gued by poor health and consumed by worry for Cherise, knew that standing up would


    result in fainting.


    While everyone else rushed to attend to the bride¡¯s injuries, her biological mother remained calmly


    seated at a distance.


    Maeve was seated next to her.


    ¡°To the hospital!¡±


    After inspecting Cherise hand injury, he dered decisively, ¡°It appears to have damaged the tendons


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    and bones. We must get to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    As Jacob¡¯s words echoed, Damien scooped Cherise into his arms and uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,


    Cherry.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face was nched from the agony.


    But she smiled wearily at Damien and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little painful¡­ but I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°How would you be?!¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice faltered for the first time, ¡°Don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°What about the wedding?¡±


    The girl asked deliriously as cold sweat beaded her forehead.


    ¡°Postpone it or reschedule.¡±


    Damien held her tightly and sprinted towards the exit, ¡°You are the priority.¡±


    ¡°Your hand is equally important as well!¡±


    A piercing scream echoed through the venue as Damien carried Cherise toward the entrance.


    1/3


    ¡°Murder!!!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Charisa Miles -!¡±


    The voices sent chills down everyone¡¯s spine.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she struggled to escape Damien¡¯s grasp. ¡°My mom!¡± she


    shricked.


    Damien¡¯s frown deepened, acutely aware of Charisa¡¯s fragile state.


    If he doesn¡¯t let Cherise down now¡­.


    He tightly clutched the squirming girl and swiftly dashed back into the venue.


    The atmosphere inside the venue was sickeningly unpleasant, as the central area was filled with the


    stench of blood.


    Charisa was nestled in Beckham¡¯s arms.


    A crimson stream gushed relentlessly from her wounded stomach, staining her pristine white dress.


    And beside her stood Maeve, concealed behind a mask, wielding a knife as Zachary firmly gripped her


    neck.


    Zachary¡¯s firm grip on Maeve¡¯s neck drained the color from her lips.


    She would meet her maker with just a little more pressure from Zachary,


    Cherise leaped out of Damien Lenoir¡¯s arms and cried hysterically, ¡°Mom-!¡±


    Charisa, gasping for breath, gazed at Cherise¡¯s blood-soaked hand with aching sorrow and muttered,


    ¡°Silly girl.¡±


    ¡°Your hand is so important. Go to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°But your life is more important!¡±


    Tears welled in Cherise¡¯s eyes as she held Charisa¡¯s hand and sobbed, ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    How could this happen? How could this happen?


    She had just acknowledged her mom not long ago!


    She had just forcedly epted that her mom was about to leave her!


    This was her wedding!


    This was supposed to be her happiest moment!


    2/3


    But her mom¡­


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    Maeve choked and gasped for breath under Zachary¡¯s grip.


    Maeve smirked defiantly. ¡°Avenge my parents at Dame¡¯s wedding¡­ my life is a worthy sacrifice!¡±


    Shut up!¡±


    Zachary¡¯s unyielding grip with a forceful grip left Maeve unconscious.


    As the ambnce arrived, they hoisted Cherise, Charisa, and Maeve onto the stretcher.


    Little did anyone anticipate that this wedding at the New World Restaurant would end with the bride


    injured and both the groom¡¯s sister and mom unconscious.


    |||


    3/3

 Chapter 515

    Chapter 515


    Chapter 515 The Painful Truth


    ¡°Your parents¡¯ demise was no ident but a scheme orchestrated by Aunt Charisa.¡±


    Zachary lit a cigarette indifferently outside the hospital. ¡°Aunt Charisa doesn¡¯t make enemies.


    for no reason,¡± he told Damien.


    After taking a deep drag of his cigarette, he exhaled smoke, then met Damien¡¯s intense gaze. He


    continued, ¡°She once told me her only regret was not thoroughly verifying the information.¡±


    ¡°She inadvertently caused Hansen¡¯s wife to be buried alongside him.¡±


    ¡°On that fateful day, her sole intention was to eliminate Hansen.¡±


    Damien sat rigidly on the bench, his fists clenched tightly.


    He stared frigidly at Zachary and snarled, ¡°I don¡¯t recall my father having any disputes with the. Miles or


    the Tanner family!¡±


    ¡°He had a bone to pick with Aunt Charisa.¡±


    Zachary closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°You must have heard.¡±


    ¡°Once she took on the title of Mrs. Miles, her foremost objective was to eradicate the men who had


    once disrespected her methodically.¡±


    Damien¡¯s face went pale as Zachary continued. ¡°Your father was one of them.¡±


    His words were like a sledgehammer that struck Damien¡¯s heart.


    He clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth, and seethed, ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°Neither you nor me determine the truth.¡±


    ¡°Those men from the past are all dead now.¡±


    ¡°Only Aunt Charisa knows the truth about what transpired back then.¡±


    ¡°If unsure, ask your grandfather whether your father traveled to Europe neen years ago in May.¡±


    Damien gritted his teeth.


    Neen years ago, he was seven.


    He was old enough to remember..


    1/3


    He vividly remembered that his father went to Europe in May of the year he turned seven.


    It was said that Dad went to Europe to bring Uncle Raymond back, who was idling and not taking life


    seriously.


    But¡­


    Damien couldn¡¯t fathom its true connection to the incident despite his journey to Europe.


    He clenched his jaw tightly and vehemently dismissed the idea.


    He didn¡¯t believe it!


    He steadfastly clung to the memory of his parents¡¯ harmonious rtionship.


    No way¡­


    How could it be¡­


    An invisible hand seemed to twist his heart, causing unbearable pain.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡±


    The emergency room door swung open, and the nurse rushed out and announced excitedly, ¡°They¡¯re


    all alive!¡±


    ¡°All three of them are alive!¡±


    Zachary sprung to his feet, rushed over to where Cherise and Charisa were being wheeled out, and


    eximed, ¡°Thank god!¡±


    Damien couldn¡¯t shake the sense of mockery underlying Zachary¡¯s exuberant tone.


    Thest one to be wheeled out was Macve.


    Damien rose from his seat, his attention shifting between Cherise, Charisa, and the Tanner and Miles


    families surrounding them. He then fixated on the empty space next to Maeve./


    He sighed, walked over slowly, and took Maeve¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    Maeve was so weak that she could barely speak.


    As Damien walked toward her, tears welled up


    It seemed her brother truly understood her!


    ¡°I know everything now.¡±


    in her eyes.


    |||


    2/3


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Damien closed his eyes, and his voice trembled.


    But even with his eyes closed, Maeve could see the pain etched on his face.


    ¡°Charisa¡­ is the murderer who took the lives of Dad and Mom.¡±


    But Charisa was Cherise¡¯s biological mother.


    Cherise recently pledged to care for and dutifully attend to her mom.


    Maeve pursed her lips, held Damien¡¯s hand, and asked, ¡°Do you still want to be with Cherise?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 516

    Chapter 516


    Chapter 516 Whispers of Devotion.


    Damien closed his eyes, and a teardrop trickled down from the corner of his eye.


    His voice was low and quivered, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Cherise regained consciousness and immediately noticed her right hand wrapped in bandages.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    As Cherise awoke, the first image that shed in Cherise¡¯s mind was Charisa.


    The haunting recollection was etched in her memory as she recalled Charisa being carried away on a


    stretcher, soaked in blood, just before she lost consciousness.


    Mom¡¯s health was already fragile.


    Could she still endure?


    ¡°Aunt Charisa is fine.¡±


    Zachary rose from his seat, grabbed a pillow, and skillfully positioned it behind Cherise, allowing her to


    rx against the headboard easily. Reflecting on the unsettling incident, he remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t know if


    Maeve hesitated at thest moment or if it was a mere slip of the hand.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t hit any of Aunt Charisa¡¯s vital organs; Aunt Charisa barely managed to pull through.¡±


    ¡°Thirsty? Would you like a ss of water?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Cherise breathed a sigh of relief, but when she reached for Zachary¡¯s ss of water, she noticed his


    heavily bandaged right hand and gasped.


    Zachary noticed this, too.


    Sensing her concern, he approached with water and gently asked, ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    The girl nodded.


    Zachary set aside the water ss and exined, ¡°Although Aunt Charisa¡¯s condition isn¡¯t critical, her


    health demands ongoing hospital monitoring. It will take another day to confirm no significant


    Cherise nodded.


    ¡°Can I see her then?¡±


    |||


    1/3


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until tomorrow.¡±


    Zachary smiled reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bunny.¡±


    ¡°Trust me -Aunt Charisa is doing fine.¡±


    ¡°I grew up under her care. I care for her as much as you care for her.¡±


    ¡°If anything happened to her, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here idly chatting with you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, hesitated, and finally believed Zachary¡¯s words.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my father?¡±


    ¡°Where else could he be? He¡¯s with Aunt Charisa.¡±


    He chuckled lightly and poured a ss of water. He sighed while drinking, ¡°Mr. Lenoir is devoted.¡±


    ¡°As Aunt Charisay unconscious, he sped her hand, expressing his longing to be by her side in the


    next chapter of life.¡±


    Zachary¡¯s words trailed off.


    Because Beckham also professed, ¡°Ari, if you die, I will die with you.¡±


    Zachary did not share this with Cherise.


    Cherise had just recently epted Aunt Charisa¡¯s illness.


    If she knew that Beckham was also contemting.


    Losing her newly acknowledged parents all at once would be too harsh for her.


    Finally, Cherise pursed her lips and sighed, setting aside her worries.


    After a while, she recalled something and lifted her head slightly.


    She opened her mouth, intending to say something, but ultimately, no words left from her mouth.


    ¡°Do you want to ask about Damien?¡±


    ¡°Or do you want to ask about Maeve?¡±


    Zachary shook his head lightly.


    Her thoughts were unmistakably evident on her face; how could he remain oblivious?


    Cherise pursed her lips and lowered her head as she muttered sheepishly, ¡°I want to know about


    2/3


    <


    both.¡±


    ¡°Maeve is fine; she got a blow from me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already been discharged from the hospital and is back home.¡±


    ¡°Damien¡­¡±


    Zachary paused.


    ¡°He returned to the Lenoir family with Maeve.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and suddenly looked up.


    ¡°He¡­ went back to the Lenoir family?¡±


    No way¡­


    He should faithfully stay by Mom¡¯s side, even if he weren¡¯t worried.


    D


    3/3

 Chapter 517

    Chapter 517


    Chapter 517 The Painful Reveal


    How could this be possible¡­.


    ¡°Is he returning to the Lenoir family to care for some unresolved matters?¡±


    ¡°Who knows.¡±


    Zachary shrugged and said, ¡°Maybe he needs to verify something.


    His demeanor turned severe as he fixed his gaze on Cherise, ¡°But Bunny, I advise you to reconsider


    your rtionship with Damien.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. Her face turned pale as she murmured, ¡°What are you implying¡­.


    She and Damien had just celebrated their wedding.


    They had just embarked on their journey of marital bliss.


    They had just¡­ started.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to interfere in your personal affairs.¡±


    Zachary shook his head gently and smiled, ¡°Despite my affection for you, I¡¯ve never intervened in your


    rtionship with Damien.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to pry into others¡¯ business.¡±


    ¡°But Bunny, between you and Damien¡­¡±


    ¡°There are too many hurdles.¡±


    Zachary sighed and spoke softly.


    Cherise¡¯s heart clenched.


    Yet, she managed to look at Zachary with a faint smile, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t Damien and I doing well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just his sister that¡¯s causing trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Just because his sister is problematic, doesn¡¯t mean he is¡­¡±


    Zachary shook his head.


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you earlier?¡±


    ¡°Bunny, you should appreciate the times of ignorance.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°Because the more you discover, the less joy you uncover.¡±


    ¡°The more you unravel, the more evident the repercussions. You¡¯ll eventuallye to know.¡±


    ¡°Damien is already making decisions. I can¡¯t keep you in the dark.¡±


    Zachary took a deep breath and recounted his conversations with Damien about Charisa and


    Hansen.


    Cherise¡¯s face stiffened, and her smile slowly faded as a cold and sorrowful look stered.


    ¡°Mom¡­ she¡­


    Cherise was in tears after hearing all of that.


    ¡°How could this be¡­¡±


    No way¡­


    Her mother, a woman of extraordinary aloofness and dignity, seemed unfathomable after enduring such


    an ordeal.


    What kind of man was Damien¡¯s father?


    The facts remained undeniable, no matter how much she resisted.


    The incident from the past had be the anchor of her mom¡¯s entire life.


    She had always wondered why her mom had contracted such a disease.


    Why would someone harm her mom when she was young?


    Now, everything fell into ce.


    The past incident changed her mom¡¯s life and impacted her and Damien¡¯s happiness.


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly.


    After Uncle Shaw started the fire, Damien forgave him, understanding that Uncle Shaw was a pawn in


    the events.


    However, learning that her mom orchestrated the murder of Damien¡¯s parents changed everything.


    Damien¡¯s father was the perpetrator who vited and harmed her mom.


    Damien and Cherise should have been at odds.


    But they found each other and fell in love..


    |||


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    2/3


    They celebrated with such avish wedding.


    Cherise took a deep breath, looked up at Zachary, and said, ¡°Since Mom knew about Damien¡¯s identity


    as Hansen, then why¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa emphasized that parents should not let their actions hurt the child.


    ¡°If your love for Damien is sincere and irreceable, she¡¯s willing to ept your marriage to


    him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her past connections with Hansen affect your happiness.¡±


    Zachary¡¯s words stirred a pang of pain in Cherise¡¯s heart..


    |||

 Chapter 518

    Chapter 518


    Chapter 518 A Mother¡¯s Sacrifice


    Cherise¡¯s jaw gnawed, and her fists clenched tightly..


    ¡°Mom¡­,¡± she began.


    She was willing to relinquish her identity, resentment, and possessions for her well-being.


    Because she loved Damien, her mother chose to ept him despite his father¡¯s atrocities.


    Cherise closed her eyes as warmth and sorrow swirled in her heart.


    Charisa had truly devoted her entire existence.


    The first half of her life was lived for Beckham.


    The second half¡­


    ¡°Compose yourself.¡±


    Zachary inhaled deeply and turned to leave.


    Cherise remained in the hospital room.


    She leaned against the headboard, her gaze fixed on the distant pale wall. Her heart swelled with


    emotion.


    Surprisingly, she reflected on the recent kindness bestowed upon her by her parents.


    The tenderness Damien disyed during this time lingered vividly in her mind.


    After a while, she opened her eyes and reached for her phone.


    The most recent call log was from Damien.


    Thetest chat record showed that Damien reminded her to get enough rest and be the most. radiant


    bride tomorrow.


    But the fate of this wedding¡­


    She held her phone, hesitated for a while, and finally sent a message to Damien.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    The man on the other end of the phone swiftly responded, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and hesitated.


    She struggled to convey her thoughts as waves of emotions paralyzed her, yet not a single word.


    |||


    1/3


    escaped her lips.


    Following their enchanting wedding at the New World Restaurant yesterday, Cherise and Damien


    discovered themselves in a state of wordless uncertainty, unsure of what to say to one another.


    ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡±


    After a long pause, the man on the other end of the phone sent another message.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    ¡°Can Ie see you?¡±


    ¡°Not now¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I need some quiet time.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes and slumped against the bed as if all her energy had been drained after


    ending the call.


    Soon after, the door of the hospital room was pushed open.


    Lucy and Mandy entered.


    ¡°Lulu¡­¡±


    Cherise welled up in tears as soon as she saw Lucy.


    Lucy walked over, hugged Cherise, and said gently. ¡°If you want to cry, just cry.¡±


    ¡°Mandy told me everything.¡±


    Cherise was brought to tears profusely by her friend¡¯s kindness at that moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡°


    After neen years, she was reunited with her family, who weed her warmly. Beside her stood a


    man she had only known for a few months, ready tomit to a lifetime with her.


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t have to make a choice.¡±


    Mandy sat down and sighed. ¡°Beckham said they can forgive Damien¡¯s family¡¯s sins.


    2/3


    Bor he hinges Themies.


    11¡¯s an inement bodies


    3.3


    ¡°But he hopes Damien can cut ties with the Lenoir family or Maeve.¡±


    Cherise lifted her tear-streaked face and sniffled, ¡°Did Dad say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mandy walked over, took a tissue, and wiped Cherise¡¯s tears. ¡°But with Damien¡¯s personality¡­ do you


    think he would be willing to cut ties with Maeve?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart dropped and twisted in agony.


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    He probably wouldn¡¯t be willing to.


    If he severed connections with Maeve, he would only have Cherise.


    And she was the daughter of the enemy who had killed his parents¡­.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Damien wouldn¡¯t consider choosing her, given the circumstances.


    The young girl¡¯s heart plummeted and shattered into fragments.


    3/3

 Chapter 519

    Chapter 519


    Chapter 519 Farewell


    ¡°This too shall pass.¡±


    Lucy gently patted her back and sighed deeply, ¡°Everything always does.¡±


    ¡°Cherry, it¡¯s up to you whether the grudges from previous generations should affect your feelings. for


    Damien, Lucy said.


    In the days that followed, Damien respectfully kept his distance from Cherise.


    She underwent surgery, faced nightmares alone, and visited Charisa ¨C all alone.


    ¡°Cherry,¡± Charisa said, leaning against her bed¡¯s headboard and smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t let my issues affect


    your life.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s mind wandered as she gazed out the window. ¡°I have been absent from your life for neen


    years.¡±


    ¡°In your future, too, I¡¯ll remain absent.¡±


    ¡°Your dad is no different ¨C he¡¯s not one to take care of others.¡±


    ¡°Acknowledging him requires dividing your attention, and it¡¯s not morous.¡±


    ¡°So, Cherry,¡± Charisa lowered her gaze, looked intently at Cherise, and said gravely, ¡°I suggest you¡­¡±


    ¡°Consider this period of your life as a dream.¡±


    ¡°But remember, Damien must stay away from Maeve.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, held Charisa¡¯s hand and was at a loss for words.


    Her parents had both made great sacrifices for her.


    She had thought that Damien was genuinely willing to sever ties with Maeve.


    Then, perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope for them.


    Cherise called Damien after leaving the hospital room.


    ¡°Do you want to meet?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    1/3


    Cherise and Damien agreed to meet at her favorite coffee shop.


    She was withn thest time she was here.


    Cherise felt an eerie sense of familiarity upon returning here.


    Before she had finished her coffee, Damien walked in.


    She hadn¡¯t seen him for a week.


    He had lost weight and looked noticeably worn out.


    ww


    She admired how he wore the familiar ck suit neatly while his face was adorned with light stubble.


    He looked at her with obsidian eyes and croaked out her name, ¡°Cherry,¡± still radiating profound


    affection.


    This was the first time Cherise heard him call her with such a strained voice.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    She raised her head a little, trying to muster her radiant smile.


    But she couldn¡¯t smile.


    In the end, her face was etched with more pity than tears.


    Damien looked at Cherise¡¯s hand, still wrapped in gauze, and asked softly, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    Cherise smiled, ¡°Not anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    He took a deep breath and said in despair. This is what I owe you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Cherise gave a bitter smile, raised her head, and looked at his cold countenance. ¡°My mom said she


    wants to go to the Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°She grew up in the Tanner family and wants to spend herst days there.¡±


    ¡°I n to go with her.¡±


    There was a long silence in the coffee shop.


    2/3


    Damien finally broke the silence, ¡°When will youe back?¡±


    ¡°It depends.¡±


    Cherise Shaw picked up her coffee, took a sip, and continued, ¡°Maybe I¡¯lle back after saying


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    goodbye to my mom, or maybe I¡¯ll bring Uncle Shaw, Aunt Wanda, Mary, Sky, and Tay over there. and


    nevere back.¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 520

    Chapter 520


    Chapter 520 Broken Promises.


    She raised her eyes, smiled at Damien, and said, ¡°Take good care of yourself.¡±


    Damien watched her silently, choosing not to say anything.


    He looked at her with deep love but also with resignation.


    Cherise felt a wave of guilt washed over her.


    Since she had already decided, there was no room for regret.


    The young girl took a deep breath and looked up to meet the man¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°My parents¡¯ issues


    shouldn¡¯t affect our rtionship,¡± she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your sister likes me very much, and I don¡¯t believe that will change anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°They trust me with you but feel uneasy about me living with your sister.¡±


    Damien¡¯s gaze fixed on her as his hand tightened around the coffee cup, but he remained silent.


    Cherise suddenly chuckled.


    She drained her coffee cup and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it ridiculous?¡±


    ¡°How could you¡­ how could you possibly sever ties with your sister.¡±


    ¡°She is your only family.¡±


    ¡°She took care of you for so long after your parents passed away.¡±


    ¡°Although her actions were at times misguided, she was ultimately motivated by a desire to avenge


    your parents.¡±


    ¡°Every move she made aimed to protect your family¡¯s interests.¡±


    ¡°As such, severing ties with her seems unlikely for you.¡±


    She swallowed the tear that trickled down her cheek, her voice quivering. ¡°So Damien, let¡¯s forget


    about us.¡±


    Cherise stood up, ced her coffee cup down, and spoke softly, ¡°I have left the divorce papers with


    Lulu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your care during this time.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, but I must break my promise.¡±


    She turned away, tears streaming uncontrobly from her eyes. ¡°I failed to uphold our vows on


    1/3


    our wedding day.¡±


    ¡°I can no longer conceive a child for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ take care.¡±


    She was about to leave.


    As she took two steps, someone grabbed her wrist.


    His face was twisted with pain as he moaned, ¡°Cherry, can¡¯t we go back?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go back.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and exined, ¡°Everything took an irreversible turn from the moment your


    father and his men barged into my mom¡¯s room.¡±


    Damien bit his lip, and his voice croaked, ¡°There¡¯s a misunderstanding in this


    ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t be that kind of person.¡±


    Cherise took a sharp breath.


    She fixed her icy gaze on Damien and asked sternly, ¡°Are you using my mom of framing your dad


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    despite your insistence that he¡¯s innocent?¡±


    ¡°Why would my mom put her life at stake to frame your father?¡±


    ¡°Neen right?¡±


    years ago, neither my dad nor my mom had any connection to the Lenoir family,


    ¡°Why would she frame him?¡± Cherise snarled..


    Damien furrowed as he tried to console the angry girl. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt Miles¡¯ family framed my father,


    but¡­¡±


    There might be more to this matter.¡±


    Cherise shook off his hand and retorted, ¡°What more could there be?¡±


    At this moment, Cherise was wholly consumed by sympathy for Charisa.


    The words spoken by Damien were unbearable for her to hear.


    As a woman, she struggled toprehend the unbearable ordeal her mom must have faced back


    then


    She was unable toprehend the existence of any covert information.


    It was clear to her that Damien, being Hansen¡¯s son, had difficulty epting the reality of his


    2/3


    father¡¯s true nature.


    But all the evidence hadid out before him.


    When did Damien start prioritizing family over truth?


    She sniffled as she wandered, ¡°I might have overestimated you.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 521

    Chapter 521


    Chapter 521 Goodbye, Damien


    Indeed, he¡¯s just like Maeve. His family is the center of his universe. So why can¡¯t I prioritize my own


    family for once, too?


    A bitter smile graced Cherise¡¯s face.


    Beforeing here, she had thought about it countless times-as long as Damien agreed to sever ties


    with Maeve, she would reconcile with him.


    If Damien had considered Maeve¡¯s impact on her, she would have sent Charisa away and her


    remaining life with him.


    She even thought of¡­.


    spent


    If Damien could assure her that he would try to focus more on her than his family in the future, she


    would disregard everything else and continue to love him with all her heart.


    However, he remained silent.


    He was trying hard to defend his father when she brought up the past.


    What else could she say?


    To him, she wasn¡¯t the most important.


    Perhaps he hadn¡¯t figured out how to handle this rtionship.


    Or maybe he had, and was just waiting for her to voice her thoughts.


    Since that was the case, Cherise decided that she would be the one to speak up.


    After all, she was the one who fell for him first.


    ¡°Goodbye, Damien.¡±


    With that, Cherise walked out of the cafe.


    It was raining heavily outside.


    Cherise didn¡¯t have an umbre. Walking alone in the rain, her figure appeared small and fragile.


    Damien stood at the door, watching Cherise¡¯s departure. He repeated the action of clenching his fists


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    and releasing them.


    He took out his phone, intending to call ke.


    But when his finger hovered over ke¡¯s name, he hesitated.


    1/2


    Zachary¡¯s number.


    ¡°Take good care of her.¡±


    Cherise walked slowly in the rain.


    With each step, she wondered if she had walked too fast and left too abruptly for Damien toe after


    her.


    She wondered if he was still hesitating and if she should give him more time.


    Before she realized it, she had been walking in the rain for quite some time.


    The cold raindrops fell from the sky and trickled down her face.


    The warm tears at the corner of her eyes were washed away by the rain, over and over again.


    She walked aimlessly as her hope was gradually reced by loss, disappointment, and despair.


    Suddenly, a ck car pulled up in front of her.


    Cherise stood still in a daze, watching the man exit the car.


    Zachary hurriedly got out of the car and pulled Cherise into his arms, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Your wound hasn¡¯t healed yet. Do you want it to get infected again? What if you catch a cold in the


    rain?¡± You don¡¯t want Aunt Charisa and Mr. Beckham to worry about you, do you?¡±


    Tears streamed down Cherise¡¯s face. She looked up at Zachary, ¡°Damien¡­ didn¡¯t choose me. I gave


    him a chance, but he didn¡¯t choose me¡­¡±


    Zachary held Cherise tightly and sighed. ¡°Then let him live with his regret.¡±


    A weekter.


    Cherise and Beckham escorted Charisa, who was seriously ill, to leave Adania and set off for where


    the Tanner family was.


    ¡°Cherry, we must keep in touch. We¡¯ll visit you when we have time.¡±


    In the airport, Lucy tearfully held Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Please be happy.¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    Standing at the security entrance, she bid farewell to Lucy, ke, Lennon, Jacob, and Elvis¡¯ family.


    After she finished saying goodbye to everyone, the person she was anticipating still didn¡¯t appear.

 Chapter 522

    Chapter 522


    Chapter 522 Five Years Later


    Cherise cast a final nce at the airport entrance, but it was empty, with no signs of anyoneing in.


    She exhaled a long sigh and smiled bitterly.


    Just like her, Damien had ultimately chosen his family.


    Perhaps it was for the best. Even if they had chosen each other and forsaken their families, they might


    not be happy.


    Such an oue might be desirable after all.


    Cherise took onest look at Adania, a ce brimming with beautiful memories, before following


    Zachary into the security checkpoint gate.


    The figure of the youngdy gradually diminished in the direction of the security entrance.


    Behind a distant pir, a man gently closed his eyes and clenched his hands.


    A monthter, Peter Lenoir¡¯s funeral was held in Adania. Damien officially assumed the role of the CEO


    of the Lenoir Group, bing the sole heir of the Lenoir family.


    Two monthster, Charisa passed away. Zachary and Cherise announced their engagement, and


    Zachary became the new head of the Miles family.


    Ten monthster, Cherise and Zachary called off their engagement. Thereafter, Cherise vanished, and


    her whereabouts remained unknown.


    Five yearster.


    ¡°Good morning, teacher!¡±


    A new batch of medical students sat in a pristine and orderly university lecture hall, attentively. listening


    to the lecture.


    The woman standing on the podium was slender and tall, dressed in slim-fit ck pants and a loose


    white T-shirt. Her hair was casually tied into a high ponytail, andrge silver-framed sses on her


    face. She wore a pair ofrge silver-framed sses, exuding a professional and elegant


    aura.


    Her voice was gentle as she elucidated the significance of cardiothoracic surgery study to these


    freshmen in aprehensible manner.


    Due to her beauty and elegant teaching style, no students were distracted throughout the ss.


    D


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    1/2


    A wave of apuse erupted in the hall when the ss was over.


    ¡°Have you heard? Miss Shaw is a renowned expert in cardiothoracic surgery!¡±


    ¡°And Miss Shaw never performs heart surgeries but only engages in academic research and teaching!¡±


    ¡°Really? Why?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Miss Shaw¡¯s hand was severely injured before, so she can¡¯t perform surgeries that require


    high precision.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­ what a pity¡­¡±.


    While the students were discussing, Cherise packed her things with a smile and exited the


    ssroom.


    As soon as she stepped out of the ssroom, her phone rang.


    ¡°Cherise, the Central Hospital just transferred a critically ill patient here. Her husband specifically


    requested your guidance for her surgery. When can youe over?¡±


    The woman¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed deeply, and she pivoted and headed towards the campus


    exit. ¡°Can you briefly describe the patient¡¯s condition to me? I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡±


    The middle-aged man on the other end of the phone exined solemnly. ¡°This female patient. suffered


    severe physical and mental trauma more than a decade ago, leaving her with residual effects.


    ¡°She got married two years ago, and her husband treats her very well. Eight months ago, she became


    pregnant. The doctor warned her repeatedly that her heart condition made it risky for her to give birth,


    and it could easily result in the death of both mother and child.¡±


    ¡°Even in the best scenario, the infant¡¯s life might be secured but not the mother¡¯s. But this woman.


    resolutely chose to give birth to this child, regardless of the advice of the doctor and her husband.¡±


    ¡°Now, the patient is eight months pregnant and started showing signs of heart failure a few days ago.


    After numerous inquiries, her husband found our hospital and specifically requested you to guide the


    surgery¡­.


    |||


    O

 Chapter 523

    Chapter 523


    Chapter 523 Her Life Is in Your Hands


    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡±


    Cherise inhaled deeply, making her way towards a crimson BMW. As she started the engine, her brows


    furrowed, ¡°How could she insist on conceiving despite knowing her health condition? And being aware


    of the potentialplications during delivery, why did she wait until now to seek help?¡±


    Despite her grumbles, Cherise still sped toward the hospital.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw!¡±


    Upon her arrival, a young cardiologist rushed to greet her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the patient¡¯s file?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows creased as she anxiously skimmed through the medical records.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    When her gazended on the patient¡¯s name, she froze in ce.


    Maeve Lenoir.


    The patient was Maeve.


    A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.


    After all these years, Maeve had gotten married and was expecting a child.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    The young cardiologist¡¯s prompt brought Cherise back to reality.


    She nced through Maeve¡¯s medical records. ¡°The patient¡¯s condition isplicated. You might not


    be able to handle it.


    The cardiologist frowned. ¡°What about Dr. Staber then?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡±


    Cherise mumbled, ¡°She might not be willing to operate on this patient.¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, Lucy, who had justpleted an operation, hurried over in her surgical


    scrubs. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a challenging case?¡±


    Cherise nodded, passing her the file.


    1/2


    Lucy frowned. ¡°Maeve Lenoir? From Adania? How many Macves could there be in Adania?¡±


    Cherise smiled, ¡°Considering her age, address, and name, it¡¯s likely the one we know.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes, ¡°Can¡¯t the director stop epting every case? Doesn¡¯t the thought of supervising


    Maeve¡¯s surgery disgust you?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t just be supervising the surgery today.¡±


    Lucy looked at her in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Neither of you are capable of performing this surgery.¡±


    Sighing, Cherise walked toward the changing room. ¡°I n to do it myself.¡±


    Lucy was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind!? Even if you perform the surgery yourself, you can¡¯t guarantee both the


    mother and the child will survive! If the surgery fails, what will the Lenoir family say? They¡¯ll


    undoubtedly use you of seeking revenge andcking medical ethics! Why bother?¡±


    Cherise nced at Lucy. ¡°As long as my conscience is clear, that¡¯s all that matters. I can¡¯t control how


    the Lenoir family willment about me.¡±


    With that, she mmed the changing room door shut.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Just as Cherise had changed and was about to leave the changing room, she was halted by a man


    with tears streaming down his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m Maeve¡¯s husband. My name is Charles Luther.¡±


    The man fell to his knees in front of Cherise, ¡°My wife¡¯s life is in your hands! I tried to dissuade her


    when she was pregnant, but she was obstinate¡­ I had no other choice. I found out about you after


    inquiring around. People say you¡¯re an exceptionally skilled doctor¡­¡±


    Cherise looked indifferently at the man kneeling before her. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Money is not an issue.¡±


    Charles took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with sorrow and anxiety for Maeve. ¡°Regardless of the


    fee, I can afford it!¡±


    ¡°Also¡­¡±


    O

 Chapter 524

    Chapter 524


    Chapter 524 Please, Dr Shaw


    The man gazed at Cherise solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m aware of the high risk involved in the surgery, and if a choice


    must be madeter¡­¡±


    ¡°Please prioritize the mother.¡±


    ¡°I want her to survive.¡±


    A hint of smile appeared in Cherise¡¯s clear eyes. ¡°Maeve is fortunate to have met you.¡±


    Throughout her medical career, Cherise had witnessed countless men abandon hope in the face of


    their wives¡¯ severe illnesses,


    Maeve¡¯s symptoms bore a striking resemnce to those of her mother¡¯s.


    In such a predicament, even if the surgery failed and the child was lost, Maeve¡¯s life expectancy would


    still be tragically short. Charles should be well aware of this.


    Yet, he resolutely insisted on prioritizing Maeve¡¯s safety, expressing his desire for her to live.


    His love for Maeve was undoubtedly heart-touching.


    ¡°Please, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Charles inhaled deeply, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Cherise looked at the sorrowful man whose face was streaked with tears. ¡°Rest assured. I will do my


    best to work closely with the obstetrician and strive to ensure the safety of both your wife and child. If a


    decision must be made, you will be asked to sign a consent form.¡±


    With that, she strode toward the conference room determinedly.


    Maeve¡¯s condition wasplex.


    It wasn¡¯t merely a cardiac issue but also rted to obstetrics.


    Cherise needed to discuss the situation in detail with the obstetrician and formte aprehensive


    surgical n.


    She arrived at the hospital immediately after her morning ss ended at half past ten.


    By the time she and the other doctors had devised a surgical n, it was already three in the


    afternoon.


    Lucy offered Cherise a cup of warm milk. ¡°Why not let me handle it? You can guide me, and I¡¯ll perform


    the surgery.¡±


    Lucy said concernedly, ¡°Cherise, you know your limitations. Everyone else believes that you¡¯ve


    1/2


    refrained from performing heart surgeries due to a hand injury five years ago. But the truth is¡­¡±


    She paused and pursed her lips before finally releasing a heavy sigh. ¡°Maeve and Aunt Charisa¡¯s


    symptoms are so simr. Will you be able to ovee it?¡±


    Cherise epted the milk. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, she looked at the patients and


    medical staff bustling outside the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because her condition is simr to my


    mom¡¯s¡­. That I feelpelled to try.¡±


    She took a sip of the milk.


    The warmth of the drink brought back memories of a few years ago when the woman handed her a cup


    of milk with a smile.


    ¡°Cherise, thank you for always being there for me.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re still holding onto that person¡­ You gave up the man you deeply love for my sake. Is it


    worth it?¡±


    At that time, Cherisey in Charisa¡¯s arms. ¡°For you, everything is worth it.¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve dedicated five years to studying this heart disease. I believe it¡¯s time to evaluate the results.¡±


    The surgery spanned from four in the afternoon to five in the morning the following day.


    For thirteen hours, Cherise remained focused at the operating table.


    As the final stitch was sewn, she exhaled a sigh of relief and leaned weakly against the operating


    room wall.


    The baby¡¯s cry echoed through the room, and Maeve slowly opened her eyes.


    Her pupils dted when she caught sight of Cherise across the room.


    ¡°Che¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Dr. Shaw.


    The nurse, who was putting away the surgery instruments, wore a faint smile and introduced Cherise.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw is the most prestigious cardiologist in our hospital.¡±


    O

 Chapter 525

    Chapter 525


    Chapter 525 Congrattions, Dr Shaw


    ¡°Never underestimate her due to her age. Apart from having less experience than the older doctors,


    she surpasses them in every other aspect!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a role model admired by all the doctors and nurses in the hospital. If she weren¡¯t married, I¡¯m


    sure all the single male doctors in the hospital would pursue her¡­¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, Dr. Shaw is already a mother to a five-year-old child¡­


    As the young nurse spoke, Maeve¡¯s face turned pale.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Cherise¡­ she¡¯s already married and has a child¡­.. while Damien¡­


    The woman closed her eyes silently; it was all her fault.


    After a while, Maeve opened her eyes again and looked toward the wall but saw no sight of Cherise.


    Outside the operating room.


    ¡°Congrattions, Dr. Shaw!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯re truly extraordinary!¡±


    As Cherise exited the operating room, a group of young doctors eagerly greeted her. We knew you


    could do it, Dr. Shaw!¡±


    Cherise removed her mask and helplessly looked at the bald man standing among the young doctors.


    ¡°Mr. Carlos, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still leading them in cheers at your age.¡±


    Mr. Carlos scratched his head and chuckled. Tm just overjoyed. Your sessful surgery has added


    another feather to our hospital¡¯s cap!¡±


    Cherise shrugged in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s not time for celebration yet. The patient¡¯s condition hasn¡¯t fully


    stabilized.¡±


    ¡°Please dismiss everyone. I need to talk to the patient¡¯s family


    ¡°Alright!¡± Mr. Carlos chuckled and dismissed the crowd.


    Maeve had given birth to a daughter, and the nurse had sent the baby to the nursery.


    But Charles stood quietly outside the operating room, waiting for Maeve.


    Cherise¡¯s heart squeezed.


    She sighed and strode toward Charles. ¡°Mr. Luther.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    The man regained hisposure and looked at Cherise with gratitude. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me just yet.¡±


    Cherise took a pen and paper from the nurse and said, ¡°Her current condition requires careful attention.


    I¡¯ll tell you how to care for her in theing days.¡±


    Charles looked at her earnestly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Cherise was so engrossed in exining to Charles that she hadn¡¯t noticed the elevator doors opening


    at the end of the corridor. A man in a ck suit stepped out of the elevator while on a phone call. ¡°She


    had the surgery yesterday, but why am I only being informed now?¡±


    ¡°Charles asked me not to tell you. He didn¡¯t want you to worry.¡± Jacob¡¯s voice came forth helplessly on


    the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t want me to worry?¡±


    Damienughed out of anger. ¡°So, he thought I wouldn¡¯t worry if he did this behind my back!? I¡­


    Before Damien could finish his sentence, he caught sight of the fair-skinned woman standing before


    Charles.


    She was d in a green surgical gown, looking tall and slender.


    This was the person he hadn¡¯t been able to get over for the past five years¡­


    In his memory, she was always naive and adorable.


    But now¡­


    Although Cherise¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t change much, she now radiated an aura of aloofness and


    coldness.


    She¡­


    ¡°Damien? Damien?¡±


    Jacob¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone snapped Damien back to reality.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at the hospital.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice sounded distant. ¡°How did Charles find this hospital?¡±


    ¡°He said a friend rmended it, mentioning that this small hospital has resolved many challenging


    heart-rted cases in recent years. So, his friend suggested he give it a try


    |||

 Chapter 526

    Chapter 526


    Chapter 526 Guess Who I Bumped Into


    ¡°Guess who I bumped into?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Cherise.


    As the name was uttered, a profound silence ensued on the other end of the line.


    After a moment, Jacob sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve been searching for her for years, and it turns out she has


    be a doctor in a small town. It does make sense, though. Wasn¡¯t she studying medicine when you


    two got married?¡±


    ¡°We were mistaken, assuming she would inherit the Tanner or the Miles¡¯ business. We¡¯ve been


    investigating in that direction all these years.¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought that Beckham would actually let her pursue her passion.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes with his gaze fixated on the woman in surgical scrubs.


    It had been five years.


    She had slimmed down, grown, and be even more captivating.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for now.¡±


    Cherise handed a full page of notes to Charles. If you have any queries, you can find me in my


    office.¡±


    With that, she turned and left.


    Damien stood less than 15 feet away from her.


    However, Cherise didn¡¯t nce in his direction or notice his presence.


    All she wanted for now was to retreat to her office and get some much-needed sleep.


    After a grueling thirteen-hour surgery, she was exhausted and famished..


    Once back in her office, Cherise quickly changed her clothes and freshened up. Then, she started


    nibbling on a sandwich while texting Zachary. ¡°The surgery from yesterday just concluded.


    ¡°Can you help drop the children off at the kindergartenter?


    ¡°My God, Bunny, can¡¯t you take a break?¡±


    Zachary replied in no time. ¡°You¡¯ve been in surgery since yesterday afternoon!¡±


    1/2


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡®Yes. It¡¯s a challenging case which is simr to Mom¡¯s back then.


    ¡®Fortunately, the surgery was a sess.


    Aunt Charisa would be overjoyed if she knew.¡±


    Zachary sent a resigned emoji. ¡®But if she knew you were pushing yourself this hard, she would be


    upset with you.¡±


    ¡®Go rest quickly!¡±


    ¡®Okay.¡¯


    Cherise put on a wry smile and continued nibbling on her sandwich. After hanging up the call, she


    picked up the surgical report and filled in the crucial details.


    Just then, her office door swung open.


    She frowned, and without lifting her gaze, she continued to fill in the report while speaking. ¡°If you¡¯re a


    patient, please seek assistance at the nurse¡¯s station or the clinic.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a staff, please refrain from disturbing me. I need to rest.¡±


    However, the person at the door showed no signs of leaving.


    Frowning, Cherise put down the pen after finishing writing and nced toward the door.


    Instantly, her pupils constricted.


    Dressed in a sleek ck suit, the striking man with distinctive features stood tall at the door, emanating


    an imposing aura.


    He was more attractive but also aloof than five years ago.


    He radiated the coldness and masculinity typical of men in their thirties.


    Cherise looked at him, but her astonishment merelysted for a moment.


    She greeted the man. ¡°Hi, Mr. Lenoir. Are you here to inquire about your sister¡¯s surgery?¡±


    She offered a professional smile. Her voice was formal as if she was dealing with a stranger¡¯s family


    member. ¡°The surgery was sessful; both the mother and daughter are safe.¡°


    ¡°Your sister gave birth to a healthy seven-pound baby girl. Her heart condition was also treated. While


    we can¡¯t predict the future, at least she can live five more years without anyplications.¡±


    The woman yawned, turned around, and opened the door behind her office, which led to the staff


    dormitory.

 Chapter 527

    Chapter 527


    Tve thoroughly exined to Mr. Luther and provided written instructions on the patient¡¯s subsequent


    care.¡± Cherise said


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I would appreciate it if you could leave. I¡¯ve been in surgery for thirteen hours. I


    desperately need some rest.¡±


    Damien stood silently by the door, his heart pounding as he gazed at her.


    He had been searching for her for five long years,


    From the moment he heard of Charisa¡¯s death, he had been relentlessly searching for Cherise


    Yet, neither the Miles nor the Tanners revealed her whereabouts.


    He searched every ce he could think of, where she might go, but to no avail


    Little did he expect she would be working as a doctor in this remote, small city.


    He had envisioned their reunion countless times, but he never anticipated that upon their


    encounter.


    She would regard him as a total stranger.


    Cherise didn¡¯t appear ted or sentimental upon the encounter. In fact, there was not even a hint


    of resentment.


    To her, he seemed to be nothing more than a strange and a patient¡¯s family member.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, if you¡¯re unwilling to leave, feel free to hang around in the office. The room has surveince


    cameras, so I¡¯m not worried you¡¯ll take anything from here.¡±


    With that, she was about to close the door to the staff dormitory to get some sleep.


    Suddenly, the man took a quick step forward, mmed the door shut, and pinned her against it. ¡°Are


    you pretending not to recognize me?¡°


    The man¡¯s icy demeanor caused Cherise¡¯s heart to flutter


    It was all too familiar-his heartbeat, his warmth, his scent.


    Even after five years apart, she still yearned for him.


    Yet despite the surging emotions within her, her face remained impassive. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I¡¯m not


    pretending not to recognize you. I didn¡¯t ask who you are. I know you¡¯re Ms. Maeve Lenoir¡¯s younger


    brother When did I ever pretend


    Her nonchrit words caused Damien¡¯s brows to furrow. ¡°You know our rtionship is more than


    1/2


    that!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between you guys, then¡­?¡±


    After a moment of silence in the staff dormitory, a soft female voice came forth.


    Caught off guard, Damien instinctively turned to look behind him.


    Inside the staff dormitory, two bunk beds were upied by a man and two women.


    They stared at Damien and Cherise with their eyes widened.


    Damien was bbergasted.


    He hadn¡¯t realized there were others present.


    Cherise gave him a helpless look. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, could you release me now?¡±


    Frowning, Damien nced at the three onlookers and reluctantly released Cherise.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Please close the door on your way out, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise yawned and had no intention of continuing to engage with Damien.


    Shey down in the vacant bed, pulled a nket over herself, and prepared to sleep.


    Damien remained motionless as his eyes fell on the man lying on the bed beside Cherise.


    He knitted his brows. ¡°You share a room with a man?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes, looking impatient. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    It was a small hospital, so the rest area was modest.


    2/2

 Chapter 528

    Chapter 528


    Chapter 528 Come With Me


    This ce served as a resting spot for everyone, regardless of gender.


    Unless one is too fatigued even to consider thefort of the bed, who would willingly choose to sleep


    on such hard beds?


    In such a state of exhaustion, no one could bother to care about gender differences. After all, they were


    not sleeping shirtless.


    However, Damien didn¡¯t share the same perspective.


    He strode over and pulled Cherise up. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Cherise red at him and forcefully shook off his hand. ¡°What are you doing? Mr. Lenoir, please get


    your facts straight. I¡¯ve justpleted a thirteen-hour surgery for your sister, so I¡¯m utterly exhausted.


    Even if you don¡¯t express gratitude, can you at least refrain from disturbing my rest!?¡± The man¡¯s lips


    curl into a frosty smile. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I¡¯m aware that you had a long day, so as a patient¡¯s


    family member, I want to offer you a morefortable way to rest. Is that not permissible?¡±


    Having said this, he carried Cherise effortlessly and addressed the three people in the room, ¡°I¡¯m taking


    Dr. Shaw with me. If anyone asks, just tell them it¡¯s Damien Lenoir.¡±


    With that, he disregarded Cherise¡¯s resistance and carried her out of the office inrge strides.


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    ¡°Release me!¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Have you


    lost


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    your mind!?¡±


    Held in the man¡¯s arms, Cherise is both frantic and furious. ¡°Are you insane!?¡±


    ¡°If you want everyone to know I¡¯m bringing you away, feel free to continue struggling and yelling.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression remained cold as he carried Cherise into the elevator.


    Cherise was at a loss for words.


    She was livid but couldn¡¯t vent her anger. Finally, in a fit of rage, she grabbed Damien¡¯s arm and bit it


    forcefully.


    Feeling the pain in his arm, Damien didn¡¯t exhibit any signs of difort but smiled.


    1/3


    The painful sensation assured him that it was not a dream.


    It¡¯s not a dream. I finally found her. She¡¯s finally back in my arms. Five years¡­I¡¯ve been yearning for


    this day for five years!


    Damien wasn¡¯t irritated by Cherise¡¯s retaliation.


    As long as she wouldn¡¯t suddenly vanish, he would endure anything.


    Damien carried Cherise all the way to the luxury limousine parked at the hospital¡¯s back


    entrance.


    Inside the car, the now eighteen-year-old ke was leaning against the car seat, reading a novel.


    As the car door opened, he lifted his head to see Damien carrying a woman in.


    The young man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you came to the hospital to pick up women?¡±


    ¡°Look at who she is.


    Damien smiled faintly and finally put Cherise down..


    Only then did ke get a clear view of the woman¡¯s face.


    The moment he recognized her, ke rushed into Cherise¡¯s arms and eximed, ¡°Cherry!¡±


    ¡°Hey, ke.¡±


    Cherise red at Damien and gently patted ke¡¯s back. ¡°But please bear in mind Damien and I are


    no longer husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    After a small talk with ke, Cherise yawned andy down on the soft leather seat of the car.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir is right. This is indeed much morefortable than the hard bunk in the dorm.¡±


    The woman stretched and said, ¡°ke, I¡¯m going to rest. Please stay here and keep watch. Don¡¯t let


    any bad guyse in.¡±


    With that, she closed her eyes, pulled the nket over herself, and sumbed to a deep sleep.


    Damien sat in the seat opposite her and gazed at her intently. His gaze was fervent, as if he wanted to


    set her on fire.


    She had changed a lot in the five years they had not seen each other.


    |||


    2/3


    in past. would never


    At least in the pan Cherise we havey down and slept so peacefully in his presence if


    then were apart Tie Die vesini,

 Chapter 529

    Chapter 529


    Chapter 529 Five Dors


    In the past, Cherise was a woman of firm principles.


    Once she had decided something, she wouldn¡¯t easily change her mind.


    If she believed that a rtionship was over, she would sever all ties with the man.


    However, the current Cherise seemed different.


    Before long, the steady rhythm of her breathing began to deepen.


    It was clear that she was exhausted.


    Damien observed her for a while before he sighed, rose from his seat, and exited the car.


    His silenced phone disyed several missed calls from Charles.


    He dialed Charles¡¯ number as he ascended the stairs. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Maeve is awake.


    Charles¡¯ voice was heavy. ¡°She wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Damien closed his eyes and took a deep breath before pivoting to board the elevator.


    A minuteter, he appeared in Maeve¡¯s ward.


    ¡°Dame.¡±


    With Charles¡¯ assistance, Maeve propped up on the bed and looked at her brother, who now seemed


    like a stranger, ¡°My attending physician¡­ is Cherise.¡±


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed as he sat down. ¡°So, do you still harbor prejudice against Cherise even until


    now?¡±


    ¡°She saved your life.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s face turned paler.


    She shook her head, and her lips trembled slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t hold any prejudice against her¡­¡±


    ¡°The nurse told me earlier that¡­ she¡¯s married and has a child.¡±


    A hint of coldness shed across Damien¡¯s stern fac. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    r


    1/2


    Maeve sighed, ¡°Dame, if she has truly found her happiness¡­ you should let go too.¡±


    ¡°But if she¡¯s unhappy¡­¡±


    Her gazed profoundly at Damien. Then, I¡¯m willing to support you to win her back.¡±


    Damien looked up, somewhat taken aback by her words.


    ¡°Before this, I couldn¡¯tprehend why a woman with no blood rtion to you was worth your


    protection¡­ Until I met Charles. I was too mindless.¡±


    She lifted her head as a drop of tear silently rolled down her cheek. ¡°Cherise is a good woman.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ if she¡¯s truly married, has a child, and is content¡­ would you still pursue her?¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t stay long in Maeve¡¯s ward.


    After perceiving that Maeve¡¯s condition was stable, he left the building and returned to the limousine.


    However, only ke was present.


    Damien frowned. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡±


    ke took out five coins from his pocket and quietly ced them on the table in front of him. ¡°Cherise


    said that this is her rent for sleeping for an hour.¡±


    Damien was rendered speechless as he gazed at the five gleaming coins on the table.


    This fool¡­ she really has changed.


    On one hand, she used five dors to establish a boundary with him.


    On the other hand, her action trivialized his concern for her.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, isn¡¯t Mrs. Lenoir being a bit unreasonable?¡±


    Behind him, Mr. Hampson frowned.


    Chuckling lightly, Damien walked over, picked up the five coins one by one, and held them in his


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    hand.


    He ced the five coins into Mr. Hampson¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Go to the bank and open an ount to


    deposit these five dors.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, what are you¡­¡± Mr. Hampson was astonished.


    I¡¯m curious to see how much money she intends to spend on me.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 530

    Chapter 530


    Chapter 530 Is She Working Again


    Perceiving Mr. Hampson¡¯s confusion, Damien cast a stern nce at him.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Mr. Hampson hesitantly epted the five coins and got out of the car.


    ¡°Did she mention anything else?¡±


    ke waved his hand. ¡°Nothing. That was it.¡±


    ¡°Oh wait, there¡¯s one more thing. She asked you not to disturb her as she¡¯s married now.¡±


    Damien knitted his brows.


    Married? Does she really think she can deceive me with such a im?


    When she faced him, she seemed calm, but her evasive gaze and the pounding heartbeat when he


    held her betrayed her!


    If she was truly married to someone she loved and had children, how could she react so sensitively to


    her ex-husband?


    Furthermore, considering her status, she wouldn¡¯t possibly marry someone she didn¡¯t care for.


    Based on these observations, Damien concluded that Cherise¡¯s supposed marriage was nothing more


    than a ruse to evade him!


    ¡°Which direction did she take after she left?¡±


    ke gestured toward the hospital building in front of them. ¡°She went in there.¡±


    The man drew a deep breath and headed to the building-


    The cardiac surgery office was located on the third floor.


    As soon as Damien opened the door, a notebook flew into his direction. ¡°You should knock before


    entering!¡±


    Damien swiftly dodged the notebook.


    Upon closer inspection, the person seated in the office was Lucy, who had mysteriously vanished from


    Adania for three years.


    The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find you here.¡±


    Since Lucy was already aware that Maeve was receiving treatment in the hospital, she wasn¡¯t surprised


    to see Damien here.


    The woman cast him an indifferent nce. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t bother you whether I¡¯m here or not.¡±


    1/2


    The rtionship between Lucy and Lennon wasplicated, and he didn¡¯t intend to engage in a


    dispute with her. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Who are you referring to?¡±


    Lucy smirked with a cold look. The one who slipped out of your room in the dead of night four years


    ago, or the one you went on a blind date with three years ago?¡±


    Damien¡¯s face darkened slightly. ¡°You know who I¡¯m referring to.¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you where she is?¡±


    Lucy closed the file in her hand, reclinedfortably in her office chair, and stared at Damien


    indifferently. ¡°Who are you to show up in front of her now? As a family member of the patient? Her ex-


    husband? Or a man who once abandoned her for your sister?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s as a family member, I advise you to leave. The patient¡¯s surgery is over, please talk to the nurse


    if you need assistance. If it¡¯s the other two, I suggest you leave immediately!¡±


    Damien frowned and took a seat across from Lucy. ¡°It¡¯s been three years, and your temper has


    certainly red. Lennon would be pleased to know that you¡¯re still so energetic.¡±


    Lucy tightened the grip on her pen.


    This man certainly knew how to hit the bull¡¯s eye.


    Thest thing she wanted to hear was Lennon¡¯s name!


    The woman pursed her lips and looked at Damien solemnly. ¡°Fine, you came here to see her. right? Let


    me tell you-Cherise is not here.¡±


    Damien nced toward the dormitory door.


    ¡°Do you suspect she¡¯s in there?¡±


    Lucy snorted dismissively, rose from her chair, and flung the door wide open. ¡°Look, she¡¯s not


    here.¡±


    Damien¡¯s frown deepened.


    ke said Cherise entered the hospital, so he was surprised to realize she was not resting in the


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    dormitory.


    She stayed up all nightst night. Is she working again now?


    2/2

 Chapter 531

    Chapter 531


    Chapter 531 I¡¯m Not Mrs Lenoir


    ¡°As you can see, she¡¯s not here.¡±


    Lucy retorted icily. She sat in her office chair and continued, ¡°I guess you want to know how she¡¯s doing


    now. Well, let me tell you.¡±


    A hint of distaste clung to her lips. ¡°After she left you, she returned to the Tanner family with Beckham


    and Charisa.¡±


    ¡°Three monthster, Charisa passed away.


    ¡°Cherise then announced her engagement to Zachary and subsequently married him.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Now, their children are already five years old.¡±


    ¡°They are fraternal twins. The family is living together blissfully.¡±


    Then, she regarded Damien sternly, ¡°Does this satisfy your curiosity?


    Damien¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡°You¡¯re lying.


    She couldn¡¯t have married another man and had children with him!


    ¡°Stop deluding yourself, Damien.¡±


    Lucy inhaled deeply. ¡°She has long since erased you from her memory and forgot about shared


    history.¡±


    your


    ¡°Take a look at your respective backgrounds.¡±


    ¡°Your father did something to her mother, and her mother also did something to your parents.¡±


    ¡°Cherise is far more pragmatic than you. She knew back then that the two of you wouldn¡¯t have a


    future, so she chose to marry Zachary,¡±


    ¡°Although Zachary didn¡¯t stir her heart like you did, he was at least the most valued sessor of the


    Miles family.¡±


    ¡°So, she married him. Any more questions?¡±


    Damien¡¯s hands clenched into fists at his sides. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ I don¡¯t believe¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡±


    Lucy yawned. She looked down and resumed work, ¡°Please close the door when you leave.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise slept in her supervisor¡¯s office until three in the afternoon.


    At three o¡¯clock, she received a text from Beckham, asking her and her children toe for dinner that


    evening.


    Cherise yawned. She washed her face and realized it was over half a month since shest brought her


    children to visit her father.


    He must be missing them.


    After freshening up, she typed a reply to Beckham Tanner¡¯s message while exiting the hospital.


    Unexpectedly, a shadowy figure blocked her way when she stepped out of the hospital¡¯s main


    entrance.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    A deep, masculine voice sounded in her ear.


    Cherise Shaw¡¯s hand, holding the phone, paused slightly.


    She looked up. Her clear eyes brimming with annoyance towards the man before her, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you


    must have confused me with someone else? Please address me as Mrs. Miles.¡±


    With that, she sidestepped him and walked briskly toward the parking lot.


    Damien chuckled and caught up. ¡°Mrs. Miles? Did you marry Zachary?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Cherise pressed the car¡¯s remote control and walked purposefully towards the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°We have


    been divorced for five years. Do you expect me to remain single? I¡¯m not that naive.¡±


    She swiftly opened the driver¡¯s side door and got in.


    As she shut the driver¡¯s door, the passenger side door mmed shut simultaneously.


    She was startled and turned around to re icily at the man in the passenger seat. ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien fastened his seatbelt unabashedly, ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you used to sit in my passenger seat quite


    often five years ago. This is the first time I¡¯ve been in your passenger seat. It¡¯s quite a novel.


    experience.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    When did he be so shameless?


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Let me repeat this one more time. Firstly, I¡¯m not Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 532

    Chapter 532


    Chapter 532 He¡¯s My Father-in-Law


    ¡°Secondly, I have important matters to attend to, I don¡¯t have time to engage in idle chatter with


    you.¡±


    Damien responded with a faint smile. He shifted into a morefortable position in the passenger


    seat. ¡°Firstly, I never signed the divorce papers back then, so technically, we¡¯re not divorced.


    ¡°If you have indeed married another man, I advise you to finalize our divorce promptly. Otherwise, you¡¯ll


    be charged with the crime of bigamy.¡±


    ¡°However, legally, if you haven¡¯t married anyone else, we¡¯re still husband and wife,¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with a husband taking a ride in his wife¡¯s car.


    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s normal for a husband to apany his wife when she has important matters to attend


    to.¡±


    Cherise drew in a sharp breath.


    Is this man nning to be unreasonable to the very end?


    Just as she was about to demand Damien to leave, her phone rang.


    It was a call from Beckham.


    ¡°Cherise, why haven¡¯t you replied to my message? I was worried something might have happened to


    you.¡±


    ¡°What could happen to me?¡±


    Cherise shot Damien Lenoir a warning nce, signaling him to remain silent: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fll be


    home soon.


    ¡°Please prepare some delicious food for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure!¡±


    Beckham¡¯sughter echoed warmly over the phone. ¡°You should bring the two little ones with you. I


    haven¡¯t seen them in a while.¡±


    When Beckham mentioned ¡®the two little ones, Cherise Shaw instinctively nced at Damien


    Lenoir.


    Thankfully, he did not seem to have overheard the conversation.


    She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°They might not be able to make it. I¡¯ll bring them next time.¡±


    1/3


    Beckham¡¯s mood seemed to dete slightly over the phone. ¡°Why?¡±


    He had not seen his grandchildren for half a month.


    ¡°No special reason. Cherise smiled. ¡°Ipleted a thirteen-hour surgeryst night and slept all day.


    Anyway, I just woke up and am too tired to pick them up. I¡¯ll head straight to your ce.¡±


    There was a long silence on the other end. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°See you soon.¡±


    With that, Cherise ended the call.


    Damien rested his hands behind his head, leisurely leaning on the passenger seat. ¡°And here I thought


    it was something urgent. Turns out you have dinner ns with my father-inw?¡±


    Cherise was annoyed.


    ¡°Who the hell is your father-inw?¡±


    ¡°Your dad.¡± Damien continued shamelessly, ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Since he¡¯s my wife¡¯s father, that makes


    him my father-inw.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, you wouldn¡¯t be confused over such a simple matter, right?¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, your skin is thick enough to be bulletproof.


    Then, Cherise took a deep breath before turning to Damien. ¡°You don¡¯t n on getting out of my car,


    do you?¡±


    Damien sped his hands and nodded faintly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise nced at the time.


    Suit yourself


    Knowing how stubborn Damien was, he would not leave the car even if she argued with him for


    another half an hour.


    Moreover, they were near the hospital entrance. She could not afford to cause a scene and be the


    subject of her colleagues¡¯ gossip.


    She was only having dinner with her father, and he knew Damien.


    If Damien insisted on tagging along, so be it.


    She wanted to see who would end up more embarrassed.


    2/3


    With that thought, she let out a long sigh and started the car.


    The moment the car started, Damien¡¯s eyes flickered with a sly glint.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Beckham¡¯s residence was close to the hospital where Cherise worked.


    The car stopped in front of Beckham¡¯s house in less than half an hour.


    |||


    3/3

 Chapter 533

    Chapter 533


    Chapter 533 We Can Afford It


    ¡°Dad moved here a few years ago after handing over Tanner Residence to Mandy.¡±


    Damien looked up and gazed at the house before him. He could not help but sigh. He had been


    searching for Cherise and her family for years but to no avail. Unexpectedly, Charles¡¯ search for a


    hospital for Maeve inadvertently found them.


    ¡°He¡¯s not your Dad,¡±


    Cherise locked the car and strode towards the vi. ¡°My father has been in a foul mood in the recent


    years. So don¡¯t me me for not warning you if he loses his temper and kicks you out.¡±


    Then, she paused and turned around, looking at him meaningfully. ¡°After all, family means a great deal


    to the both of us.


    Damien narrowed his eyes and chose to remain silent.


    Beckham ced the final dish on the dining table as they entered the house.


    ¡°Cherise, you¡¯re back¡­¡± He fell silent when he caught sight of Damien behind Cherise.


    His brows knitted together in confusion. ¡°Cherise, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°His sister had surgery at our hospital today, and I was the lead surgeon, Cherise exined.


    She gracefully removed her coat and hung it on the rack before heading to the bathroom to wash her


    hands. ¡°Mr. Lenoir insisted on treating me to a meal to express his gratitude for curing his sister. So, I


    brought him here.¡±


    Beckham scoffed, ¡°You mean the one who came to you for treatment today is his sister?¡±


    Cherise confirmed with a nod. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And how many sisters does he have?¡±


    ¡°Just one.¡±


    Beckham narrowed his eyes fiercely. ¡°So, it¡¯s the sister who nearly killed Ari


    His gaze darkened as he turned to Damien. ¡°How dare you let Cherise treat your sister?¡±


    Damien lowered his head in silence.


    Cherise shrugged, put the towel down, and calmly sat at the dining table. She picked up a fork and


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    began to taste each dish. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t waste your breath on him. It¡¯s just a meal. We can surely


    afford it.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Beckham snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook today. That way, people can¡¯t use us of being


    1/2


    unreasonable, saying we brought a guest home only to kick them out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a meal. We can certainly afford it.¡±


    His words dripped with sarcasm, treating Damien not as a guest but as a beggar the master of the


    house brought home.


    Despite this, Damien continued to smile as he looked at Beckham. ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡±


    With that, he sat at the dining table directly opposite Cherise.


    Cherise rolled her eyes, ironically noting that what one feared the most woulde to pass. She had


    hoped he would not sit directly across from her, yet there he was.


    ¡°The chil¡­¡± Beckham Tanner began, intending to ask Cherise about her children. However, he stopped


    short when he saw Damien.


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Were you busy in the hospital today?¡±


    ¡°Not particrly,¡± Cherise replied. ¡°But I had surgery yesterday afternoon thatsted until this morning.


    It took thirteen hours.¡±


    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re tired and not used to sleeping in the hospital. Thus, you prefer toe home


    and sleep in your bed.¡±


    Beckham shook his head and sighed helplessly. Tve told you to ask your supervisor to arrange a better


    room for you to rest in, but you just wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Now you finally understand how tiring it is?


    2/2

 Chapter 534

    Chapter 534


    Chapter 534 He Is Utterly Shameless


    Cherise nodded solemnly. ¡°I underestimated the intricacy of certain surgeries.¡±


    Beckham sighed, choosing not to speak further.


    After dinner, Cherise went to the kitchen with the housekeeper to wash the dishes as usual.


    Damien boldly sat beside Beckham. ¡°Mr. Beckham, how have you been all these past years?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost my beloved. How do you suppose I¡¯ve been?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows, choosing to remain silent.


    ¡°Why do you suddenly attempt to get close to me?¡±


    Beckham lit a cigarette and reclined on the couch. He peered at Damien through the swirling smoke.


    ¡°Are you trying to win Cherise back?¡±


    Damien pursed his lips and nodded earnestly. ¡°I want to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Beckham dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. ¡°When Ari passed away, she entrusted the


    Miles family¡¯s businesses to Cherise. Whoever married Cherise would be the next head of the


    family,¡±


    ¡°And as it happens, Zachary is the lucky new head of the Miles family.¡±


    ¡°Cherise has been married to him for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived toote to win her back.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows, looking at Beckham intently. ¡°Did she marry Zachary?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But whenever you or Cherise mention Zachary, it¡¯s like you¡¯re speaking of a close rtive or a friend.¡±


    ¡°Neither Cherise¡¯s demeanor nor your attitude indicates they are a couple.


    Then, Damien gave a faint and bitter smile before continuing. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s also possible that they are


    just low-key.¡±


    However, his heart inexplicably clenched when Cherise mentioned she was with Zachary in the


    morning.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re overthinking, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    1/3


    gestured to a servant to set up the chessboard. Then, he turned to Damien and asked, ¡°Do you y


    chess, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows slightly and nodded, ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Then join me for a game.¡±


    Beckham smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since anyone yed chess with me.¡±


    ¡°Cherise doesn¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°And Zachary seldom visits¡­


    Damien Lenoir smiled and elegantly sat down across from Beckham. ¡°Is Zachary good at chess?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s average.¡±


    Beckham smiled and made the first move.


    In truth, he had liked Damien from the very beginning.


    If it weren¡¯t for what happenedter¡­..


    He would not have objected to Cherise being with Damien.


    But he could not ignore what had happened.


    When Cherise revealed she had ended things with Damien, Beckham could not say much as her


    father.


    Still, there was no harm in asking Damien to join him for a round of chess.


    ¡°When I have the chance, I¡¯ll challenge Zachary to see who is better at chess.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. He picked up a ck piece and began the game.


    Beckham became more talkative as they yed. The two chatted amiably and seemed to have an


    enjoyable time.


    After washing the dishes in the kitchen, Cherise checked her phone.


    Someone had sent her a photo of her children sitting quietly on the office couch, munching on snacks.


    She shook her head in mild exasperation.


    Sometimes, Zachary, the children¡¯s non-blood-rted uncle, seemed more like their mother than she


    did.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick them upter.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Zachary replied to her message promptly. ¡°I heard from Lucy that Damien went to see you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise leaned against the intricately carved railing of the spiral staircase and observed the man


    engrossed in a chess game with her father in the living room. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him for five He has


    be utterly shameless.¡±


    years.

 Chapter 535

    Chapter 535


    Chapter 535 Striking Resemnce


    If it weren¡¯t for Damien, Cherise would not have troubled Zachary to pick up the children from


    kindergarten.


    She did not want Damien and her children to meet.


    Still, she knew he would eventually see her children if he continued to pester her.


    However, she was determined to dy it as long as possible, even if it was only for another day.


    She knew it was impossible to hide the truth about her children.


    Her son, Soren, bore too striking a resemnce to Damien.


    The faces of the father and son seemed as if they were carved from the same mold, only differing in


    size.


    Once Damien looked at Soren, he would figure out the children¡¯s parentage.


    Their genes would never lie.


    With such a striking resemnce, no one would believe Cherise even if she imed they were her


    children with Zachary


    Cherise sighed in resignation as she pondered. She gently stroked Soren¡¯s face in the photograph


    before looking at the man engrossed in a chess game with her father.


    They had the same eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and facial structure.


    Genes were indeed a fearsome thing.


    Back when she secretly gave birth to the children, she thought she could fool the world and never let


    Damien find out about their existence.


    Unfortunately, Soren had inherited a face identical to his biological father,


    ¡°I heard Cherise has children.¡±


    Damien casually initiated a conversation while focusing on the chess game.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Beckham was deeply engrossed in the chess game and dedicated his full attention. Unfortunately, that


    caused him to be careless in other things.


    ¡°She has two children: a son and a daughter.


    ¡°The daughter looks a lot like her.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    Beckham suddenly realized he had misspoken and cleared his throat. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s the spitting image


    of that Miles brat.¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    With that, he made the final move. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve won.¡±


    Beckham¡¯s expression shifted slightly.


    He coughed and said, ¡°Watch your words. I¡¯m not your father-inw.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°You used to be my father-inw. Am I wrong?¡±


    Beckham Tanner shot him a nce before peering cautiously at Cherise washing dishes in the kitchen.


    ¡°You¡¯re putting me in a tough spot.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re referring to me when you call me ¡®Dad, but I can¡¯t ept it. If I do, Cherise will be upset.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Damien Lenoir smiled calmly. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s stick with Mr. Beckham for now. We can reconsider


    thister.¡±


    Beckham nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    After answering Damien, Beckham finally realized something was wrong. He red at Damien. ¡°What


    do you mean reconsider? We won¡¯t have anything to do with each other in the future!¡±


    Damien smirked and was about to reply, but Cherise had finished washing the dishes and left the


    kitchen.


    She gracefully removed her apron and regarded Damien indifferently. ¡°Are you going to continue


    ying chess with my father? I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Then, she headed toward the door without waiting for his response. ¡°It¡¯s rare that Dad has someone to


    y chess with him. Why don¡¯t you stay to keep himpany? I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Damien stood up and strode to Cherise¡¯s side, ¡°I¡¯ll leave with you.¡±


    Cherise frowned and nced at him. ¡°Sure.¡±


    With that, she grabbed her coat and left. ¡°It¡¯s better that you leave early. Then, Dad can get some rest


    sooner. He¡¯s at an age where he struggles with insomnia every night.¡±


    Beckham¡¯s face turned slightly pale. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I had trouble sleeping!¡±


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 536

    Chapter 536


    Chapter 536 You Can Get Out Now


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    A faint, cold smile graced Cherise¡¯s lips as she cast Beckham a reproachful nce. This morning.


    Soren informed me that he logged into your ount with his phone and discovered you spent five


    hours gamingst night.¡±


    Beckham was rendered speechless.


    ¡°That little rascal betrayed me!¡±


    ¡±


    Cherise looked at him firmly. ¡°Mind yournguage. If Soren is a little rascal, what does that make


    us?


    Beckham had nothing to say.


    Watching her father¡¯s defeated expression, Cherise could only shrug helplessly andugh.


    As she was about to speak, she suddenly noticed Damien standing beside her.


    Thus, she bit her lip and swallowed her words.


    She realized she was too careless and should never have brought up Soren before Damien.


    However, Damien remained calm. It seemed he did not suspect anything.


    With that realization, Cherise exhaled a sigh of relief and opened the car door. ¡°Get in.¡±


    Damien Lenoir chuckled. He opened the car door and settled into the passenger seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite nice to be a passenger and have someone else driving instead.¡±


    He smiled and seemed amused as he adjusted himselffortably in the luxurious leather chair.


    Cherise red at him and settled into the driver¡¯s seat. She started the car with practiced ease.


    Damien nced at her before looking ahead. ¡°When did you learn to drive?¡±


    She was only a neen-year-old girl from a mountain vige when they married. At the time, she did


    not have the time or means to learn to drive.


    ¡°Three years ago, Cherise replied detachedly, focusing on the road ahead.


    In truth, she disliked driving and even somewhat hated it


    She always felt clumsy behind the wheel, fearing she could not react fast enough in an


    emergency.


    111


    1/2


    Moreover, one wrong move on the road could spell disaster.


    Butter, circumstances forced her to learn to drive..


    After all, she could not keep asking Zachary to chauffeur Soren and Serafina to kindergarten, the


    hospital, and every outing.


    Even though Zachary was well-to-do, being a single mother, she had to maintain certain boundaries


    with him despite their close rtionship.


    Even if they did not care about other people¡¯s gossip, crossing that line would still make things.


    awkward between them.


    Therefore, Cherise decided to get a driver¡¯s license.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The day she received her license, Zachary gifted her this car.


    He even announced gleefully that he was finally relieved of his chauffeur duties.


    Cherise shook her head helplessly and sighed as she recalled what had happened in recent years.


    Zachary was indeed a dependable male best friend.


    Over the years, his care andmitment to her were no less than that of Lucy.


    Moreover, he held a more significant ce in her children¡¯s hearts than their biological father, whom


    they had never met.


    ¡°Cherise?¡±


    A deep masculine voice snapped Cherise out of her reverie, forcing her to return to reality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t daydream while driving.¡±


    There was a mix of indulgence and concern in Damien¡¯s tone. ¡°Do you usually drift off like this when


    you drive?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, if you¡¯re unhappy with my driving skills¡­¡±


    She halted the car. ¡°You can get out now.¡±


    Damien was briefly silent.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯tining. I was only reminding you.¡±


    Damien shamelessly refused to leave.


    ¡°Even so, you should still get out.¡±


    Cherise opened the car door. ¡°Getting a cab from my dad¡¯s house is difficult.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 537

    Chapter 537


    Chapter 537 Do You Have an Answer?


    ¡°But it¡¯s easy to hail a cab here,¡± Cherise said.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, please leave and get a cab to the hospital. It won¡¯t cost you more than fifty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading home, so the hospital is not on my way.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°I¡¯m not going to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Your sister is at the hospital. Aren¡¯t you going to visit her?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to your ce.¡±


    Damien nced at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you married Zachary?¡±


    ¡°I wish to visit Zachary and your home and catch up with him. That¡¯s not too much to ask, right?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Her knuckles were turning white, ¡°Today isn¡¯t a good


    time. Moreover, Zachary isn¡¯t keen on seeing you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Damien Lenoir crossed his arms and reclined into the leather seat, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Zachary? I¡¯ll ask


    him myself.¡±


    Cherise lost her temper.


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    She gritted her teeth. Her eyes widened with fury. ¡°Can you stop being so childish?¡±


    ¡°We share a history, but that was five years ago!¡±


    ¡°People change in five years!¡±


    ¡°Even if you remain the same, I¡¯ve changed!¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten why we separated five


    years ago?¡±


    ¡°You insisted your father never assaulted my mother, and he was falsely used.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, I believed my mom wouldn¡¯t lie, and your dad got what he deserved.¡±


    Cherise inhaled deeply, adjusted her sses, and stared fiercely at Damien. I still stand by my


    mother¡¯s judgment, just like I did back then.¡±


    ¡°So, we should be sworn enemies.¡±


    1/3


    ¡°The fact that I can face you calmly and invite you to my father¡¯s ce for dinner shows tremendous


    generosity on my part.¡±


    ¡°However, if you wish to visit my home, meet my husband, and maintain further contact with me, I¡¯ll


    have to ask you this. Do you have an answer to what happened back then?¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed.


    Charisa handled the incident thoroughly and eliminated almost everyone connected to it.


    There was no witness or evidence.


    Atst, even Charisa, the victim and the final witness of the incident, sumbed to her condition and


    passed away five years ago.


    Therefore, Damien failed to unearth evidence to prove his father¡¯s innocence and show that Charisa


    was wrong.


    ¡°You have no answer, right?¡±


    Cherise regarded him with a knowing nce. ¡°Since you have no answer, please leave the car.¡±


    ¡°We were former friends at the most. Our rtionship is merely that of a patient¡¯s family member and a


    doctor.


    ¡°I prefer some distance between us. Please leave.¡±


    Damien closed his eyes and heaved a deep sigh.


    In the end, he opened the door and stepped out.


    The red BMW sped along the highway.


    Ten secondster, Mr. Kolson pulled up beside Damien in a ck Bentley. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, should we follow


    her?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Damien sighed softly. He opened the door and entered the car.


    Cherise¡¯s car did not travel very fast.


    Thus, Mr. Kolson soon caught up with it.


    Cherise¡¯s car circled the city for a while before entering a residentialmunity in the city


    center.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Mr. Kolson followed her car into the residentialmunity.


    The red BMW eventually pulled up in front of a vi.


    2/3


    The vi door swung open just as Cherise was about to exit the car.


    Two children, one dressed in ck while the other in white, ran out of the vi.


    A little girl in a white frilly dress was leading the way. She had sparkling eyes and was the spitting


    image of Cherise.

 Chapter 538

    Chapter 538


    Chapter 538 Embrace.


    A boy in a ck casual jacket followed the girl. He had one hand casually tucked into his pocket.


    Although he had the face of a child, he had an unmistakable cold and aloof demeanor.


    Mr. Kolson was stunned.


    He widened his eyes in disbelief, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    This boy is practically a replica of Mr. Lenoir in his childhood!The resemnce is uncanny!It¡¯s like Mr.


    Lenoir and this boy are erged and miniaturized versions of the same person!


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    A childish voice rang.


    Serafina ran toward Cherise and flung herself into her arms. The girl encircled her arms around


    Cherise¡¯s neck. ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t you pick us up from kindergarten today? Were you busy


    with work?¡±


    Behind her, Soren stood indifferently with one hand in his pocket. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°If Mommy wasn¡¯t busy, why would Uncle Zach have to pick us up?¡±


    ¡°Remember, she promised to pick us up from the kindergarten unless she has to work overtime.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    Serafina nodded. She embraced Cherise¡¯s face and showered her with kisses. ¡°Mommy, you must be


    tired. I love you, Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed?¡±


    Soren leaned against the wall and looked at his sister with disdain.


    Zachary emerged from the vi and turned to Cherise. ¡°Would you like toe in for a bit? Or are you


    going to leave now?¡±


    Cherise nced at the time before looking at Serafina, who seemed tired. ¡°We should head home


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    now.¡±


    ¡°But I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°We can talk over the phone.¡±


    Zachary was used to interacting with Cherise this way. As such, he did not insist that she stay but


    swiftly opened the car door. ¡°Soren, Serafina, hop int


    The two children, one bouncing energetically while the other had a mature demeanor, climbed


    !!!


    1/4


    ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    Zachary extended his arms toward Cherise.


    Cherise nodded and smiled warmly as she returned his embrace. ¡°Thanks for your help today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Zachary smiled and waved to the children in the car.


    Then, Cherise entered the car and started the engine.


    Meanwhile, Damien observed Cherise and Zachary¡¯s interactions from a distance.


    His emotions fluctuated from joy at seeing the children to a darkening mood at the sight of Zachary


    before culminating in anger when Zachary and Cherise embrace.


    He clenched his fists tightly.


    Zachary, just you wait!


    Judging from the familiarity between Zachary and Cherise, it could not have been their first embrace.


    The thought of them sharing such tender moments daily during his five-year absence infuriated


    him.


    The atmosphere in the car turned tense, making it difficult to breathe.


    Mr. Kolson watched anxiously as Cherise¡¯s car pulled away. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, should we tail her?¡±


    ¡°Of course we should!¡±


    Damien red at Mr. Kolson. ¡°If we don¡¯t, how will we find out where she lives?¡±


    He knew winning his wife back was a long-term endeavor. Moreover, he had all the time in the world!


    Even though Zachary and Cherise¡¯s embrace irked him immensely, Damien knew it was not an


    embrace between lovers.


    Thus, their actions only affirmed what Damien suspected. It meant Cherise and Zachary were only


    husband and wife in name.


    They were never a couple.


    This was a silver lining.


    <


    2/4


    Mr. Kolson turned the car around and followed Cherise¡¯s red BMW to a distant residential building.


    3/4

 Chapter 539

    Chapter 539


    Chapter 539 Why Would I Make You Worry?


    Damien had seen Beckham and Zachary¡¯s luxurious homes and was


    amazed to discover where Cherise and her children lived.


    Isn¡¯t this a dormitory for school staff?


    She is Beckham and Charisa¡¯s daughter. Surely, she doesn¡¯t have to live so modestly, right?


    ¡°We¡¯re home!¡±


    The door of the red BMW


    swung open. A little girl in a white frilly dress hopped out, beaming happily. She sprinted towards the en


    trance of the dormitory, saying, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m so tired!¡±


    Cherise locked the car. She held her children¡¯s hands and entered the apartment building. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry


    home, take a bath, and go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, you¡¯re twenty¨Cfive years old. Can you stop talking in a childish voice like Sera?¡±


    ¡°Hey, twenty¨Cfive is still considered young!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, people my age are what is called young¡­¡±


    Damien got out of the car and listened to Cherise and her children¡¯s conversation fading into the distan


    ce. His lips curved into a faint smile.


    No matter how she acted in public, Cherise reverted to her down¨Cto¨C


    earth self when with family and enjoyed teasing loved ones.


    Damien leaned against the car, lit a cigarette, and observed the lights flicker to life in the staff dormitory


    . A faint smile appeared on his lips.


    Cherise was still the same as he remembered. As long as she did not fall in love with another man and


    their children had his blood in their veins, he still had a chance to win her back.


    The walls of the apartment were adorned with pink rabbit¨C


    patterned wallpapers. There were adorable rabbit decorations everywhere.


    Cherise unlocked the door and turned on the light. ¡°Sera, Ren, go change your clothes. I¡¯ll get the bath


    ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mommy!¡± Serafina grinned and announced, ¡°I¡¯ll go change now!¡±


    Soren, however, had one hand tucked in his pocket as he quietly observed Cherise. ¡°Did you deal with


    a difficult patient today?¡±


    Cherise was taking off her coat and was momentarily startled. She turned to her son with a smile. Altho


    ugh he was only five, his attitude seemed more like that of a fifteen¨Cyear¨Cold. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve been frowning and forcing yourself to smile.¡±


    If it isn¡¯t work trouble, it must be someone pursuing you.¡±


    The boy smoothly removed his coat and gracefully plopped down on the couch. ¡°So, Ms. Shaw, what ki


    nd


    of problem did you encounter that made you so downcast?¡±


    Cherise ruffled her son¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just tired from working overtime.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t used to act like this when you worked overtime.¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Having such an perceptive son was not always a good thing.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°You guessed it right.¡±


    ¡°Somebody is pursuing me.¡±


    ¡°That person¡­ is someone I knew before. I don¡¯t want to be with him, but he¡¯s persistent, so I feel trou


    bled.¡±


    Then, Cherise sighed and continued, ¡°But it¡¯s an adult matter. You¡¯re still a child. It¡¯s nothing for you to


    be concerned about.¡±


    ¡°You just have to take good care of Sera and focus on your studies in kindergarten. I¡¯ll be content as lo


    ng as you don¡¯t make me worry.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, why would I make you worry?¡±


    Soren pursed his lips and pointed to the bathroom. ¡°Mommy, aren¡¯t you going to run the bath for Sera?¡±


    Cherise was startled and realized she hadpletely forgotten about it. She got up and headed to the


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    bathroom.


    Soren had a maturity beyond his age. Although he was only five, he was keenly aware of being a boy.

 Chapter 540

    Chapter 540


    Chapter 540 My Son Will Throw The Key


    Refusing to let Cherise bathe him or share a bath with his sister, Soren insisted on bathing himself. The


    refore, Cherise would first bathe her daughter every evening, and then she would drain the bathtub bef


    ore refilling it for Soren.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m ready!¡± Serafina called out as Cherise filled the bathtub. Just then, the little girl dashed int


    o the bathroom, dressed in light pink bunny pajamas. ¡°Can we bathe now!?¡± she eagerly asked.


    Cherise nodded and closed the bathroom door.


    Meanwhile, Soren returned to the living room after changing his clothes. He opened the balcony door a


    nd looked down below.


    As expected, the ck car was still parked there.


    He had noticed the car when they left Zachary¡¯s house.


    Initially, he was merely curious about why a luxury car from Zachary¡¯s neighborhood would be traveling


    towards their working¨Css arca sote at night.


    After crossing two intersections, he realized that the car was tailing them.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    However, he kept quiet about it to avoid rming his sister.


    Then, his mother¡¯s recent words shed some light on the situation.


    Is the person downstairs the suitor Mommy mentioned?


    In the darkness of the night, a little boy in sky¨Cblue pajamas stood on the balcony, gazing down.


    Downstairs, Damien, dressed in ck, looked up as he leaned against his car.


    Soren pursed his lips, silently rolling his eyes.


    The man is impably dressed, yet he is a stalker! No wonder Mommy looked troubled.


    Any woman would feel uneasy being pursued by such a man.


    But no matter. Mommy has an intelligent son like me.


    Soren trotted back to the living room.


    He nced at the bathroom before sneakily retrieving Cherise¡¯s phone from her bag.


    There were no call logs, text messages, or WhatsApp messages. There was nothing.


    Soren pursed his lips. It seems Mommy dislikes this man. She wouldn¡¯t even share her contact details


    with him!


    He returned Cherise¡¯s phone to its ce and rushed into his room, retrieving the phone Zachary had gi


    ven him for typing practice. Then, he logged into WhatsApp.


    1/2


    Since this man is a stalker, he must be a creep.


    Usually, you can find such creepy men¡¯s WhatsApp contacts in the people nearby¡® section.


    Thus, Soren opened the ¡®people nearby¡® function and found a WhatsApp ount named ¡®Mr. Kolson¡®


    The distance matched what he had estimated from the balcony.


    It¡¯s him!


    Soren smirked and added him to his WhatsApp contacts, which prompted a verification message to be


    sent out under Cherise¡¯s name.


    Mr. Kolson waited in the car downstairs and was pleasantly surprised to see the notification.


    He grabbed his phone and opened the message. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, look.¡±


    Damien Lenoir frowned and nced at the WhatsApp ount.


    Someone nearby had added Mr. Kolson on WhatsApp.


    The username was ¡®Cherise.


    He frowned, took Mr. Kolson¡¯s phone, and epted the request.


    ¡®I know you¡¯re stalking me, and you¡¯re outside my house right now.¡¯


    Damien frowned. ¡°You know I¡¯m here?¡±


    Since she knew I had been following her, why didn¡¯t she try to lose us?


    Moreover, she didn¡¯t seem concerned with me finding out about the children.


    ¡®Of course I know.¡®


    The other side promptly replied to his message. ¡°But I¡¯m busy right


    now and can¡¯te to meet you. I have to look after the kids.¡±


    ¡°What about this? It¡¯s cold outside at night. You should wait under my window. My son will throw down t


    he key. Then, you can take the key ande upstairs.¡±

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541


    Chapter 541 She Should Be Safe


    Damien was speechless.


    Is she really going to throw the keys down?


    Didn¡¯t she kick me out of the car just now? Why is she now letting me into her home?


    Does she want to talk to me?


    Damien furrowed his brow, feeling skeptical as he walked to the area below Cherise¡¯s apartment. He p


    ositioned himself where the keys could be caught.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    Although doubts had started creeping into his mind, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the person on th


    e other end couldn¡¯t be anyone else.


    After all, no one else would have known so much about his rtionship with Cherise and gone as far a


    s to seek out Mr. Kolson¡¯s WhatsApp ount.


    Damien pondered with furrowed brows.


    ¡®Ssh!¡® A basin of cold water was abruptly dumped from Cherise¡¯s balcony.


    Damien was drenched. Chill seeped into his bones.


    Never before had he been so thoroughly and embarrassingly drenched.


    Mr. Kolson witnessed everything from a distance. His mouth hung open in shock. ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    At that moment, Damien¡¯s phone beeped with another message.


    ¡®Humph, you think you can win over Mommy? Not a chance!¡®


    ¡®Hurry up and leave, creep! Mommy has me to protect her. You won¡¯t stand a chance!¡®


    Damien Lenoir was speechless.


    ¡°Ren?¡±


    Cherise had finished drying off


    Serafina¡¯s hair and sent her back to her room. After draining the bathtub, she found Soren still on


    the balcony, holding a basin and watering the nts.


    She frowned. ¡°Soren, it¡¯s time for your bath and bedtime!¡±


    These are sulents. They¡¯ll die if you overwater them!¡±


    Oh


    The little boy in light blue pajamas responded before returning to the living room with the empty basin.


    He closed the balcony door and said, ¡°Mommy, you and Sera can go to bed first. I¡¯m going to


    1/3


    take a bath!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Cherise affectionately ruffled her son¡¯s hair, ¡°Hurry up and finish your bath. Don¡¯t y around in the bat


    hroom.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Soren closed the bathroom door with a grin.


    Cherise yawned and went into Serafina¡¯s room. She picked up a fairy tale storybook andy down on t


    he bed. ¡°Where did we stopst time?¡±


    We were at the part where the mermaid turned into a human to find the prince.¡±


    A little girl in pink rabbit¨C


    print pajamas leaned against the head of the bed, observing Cherise with her big eyes.


    Cherise cleared her throat. She turned to the page with the story about the mermaid and narrated it ear


    nestly, ¡°The mermaid came to the prince¡¯s pce and saw the prince and the princess beside him¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Mr. Kolson nervously handed tissues to Damien in the ck Cayenne parked downstairs. ¡°


    Mr. Lenoir¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Damien had taken off his coat, wearing only a thin shirt.


    Soren had dumped the water so urately that it drenched Damien from head to toe.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Mr. Kolson cleared his throat and said, ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold like this.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we return to the hotel for you to change your clothes? We cane here again afterward.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir is at home now. She should be safe.¡±


    Damien Lenoir frowned and nodded, ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    He had been in meetings all night. When he heard about Maeveing to this small town for surgery t


    his morning, he rushed to the hospital without rest.


    Then, he met Cherise again and helped Maeve settle into the hospital.


    Thus, he had not had a moment of rest all day.


    Lets go back to the hotel and rest.¡±


    Mr. Kolson was surprised that Damien agreed readily. ¡°Mr..Lenoir, are you¡­ not going to stay here!


    That won¡¯t be necessary.


    2/8


    Damien rubbed his forehead with his slender fingers. ¡°Firstly, I haven¡¯t had a proper rest all day. I¡¯m quit


    e worn out.¡±

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542


    Chapter 542 You¡¯re Too Young


    ¡°Secondly, nothing will change even if we stay downstairs. She won¡¯t be in any danger.¡±


    ¡°Thirdly¡­¡±


    Damien smiled slightly. ¡°If we don¡¯t leave, a certain mischievous boy won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight.¡±


    Mr. Kolson was momentarily puzzled. He only understood what Damien meant after a moment.


    He responded with a smile. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you truly adore the boy. Even though he drenched you with


    water, you still care about him.


    ¡°What other choice do I have?¡±


    Damien crossed his legs and reclinedfortably in the leather seat. There were still noticeable water


    stains on his shirt cor.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°After all, he¡¯s my son.¡±


    Moreover, the boy spared no effort to protect his mother.


    Damien felt more assured having such a son by Cherise¡¯s side..


    Since the boy was so ruthless to his father, he would do worse things to Cherise¡¯s other suitors.


    Perhaps this boy was the reason Cherise remained single all these years.


    Soren stood on the balcony upstairs and watched the ck car travel into the distance. Once it was out


    of sight, he pursed his lips and snorted. ¡°Hmph.¡± Then, he returned to his room and fell asleep, hugging


    his giant rabbit plush toy.


    Since bing aware of his gender at the age of three, Soren had been sleeping alone. He had his


    own. space, while Cherise and her daughter shared a room.


    Only asionally, when he had nightmares, he would bring his pillow and squeeze into the bed with


    Cherise and Serafina.


    Cherise slept peacefully all night.


    Early the following day, Soren¡¯s room door opened just as the sun began to rise.


    He quietly opened the door to his mother and sister¡¯s room and peeked inside,


    As expected, his mother and sister were sleeping soundly in bed.


    He shook his head and sighed in resignation before carrying a small chair into the kitchen.


    As he was not tall enough, he needed to stand on a chair to use the blender on the countertop.


    He put fruits, yogurt, water, and sugar into the blender.


    Then, he ced a few eggs in the egg boiler and a few slices of bread in the toaster.


    |||


    1/2


    After that, he microwaved the buns and pies Cherise prepared in advance.


    He systematicallypleted all the breakfast preparation tasks before putting on gloves and serving


    three breakfast sets on the table.


    Serafina enjoyed having milk and bread.


    Meanwhile, Cherise preferred smoothies, boiled eggs, and buns.


    On the other hand, Soren liked having smoothies, pies, and pickles for breakfast.


    After preparing breakfast, Soren reclined on the couch and took out his phone to y games.


    A friend request popped up on the screen when he turned on his phone.


    The person adding him had an all-ck profile picture. His name was just one word: Lenoir.


    His friend request note was, ¡®You will call me Dad eventually.


    Soren widened his eyes in shock.


    Where did this lunatice from?


    Soren rolled his eyes and replied to the message. ¡®You should call me Dad instead!


    After sending the message, he found the game he wanted to y and started destroying his


    opponent¡¯s base with enthusiasm.


    Once he finished several rounds, he heard the rm clock ringing in his mother and sister¡¯s room.


    Soren quickly put away his phone, took a deep breath, and ran to the bedroom door. He knocked on it


    and announced, ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s time for breakfast!¡±


    Cherise opened the door and saw steaming breakfast on the dining room table. She hugged her son.


    ¡°Soren, I¡¯m grateful you woke up early to make breakfast for me and your sister.¡±


    ¡°But I also said not to touch the household appliances. You¡¯re still too young¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Soren rolled his eyes and raised his hand to pat Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like it when you talk


    like


    that.¡±


    |||

 ) Chapter 543

    ) Chapter 543


    Chapter 543 Unconceble Joy


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m just a child, I¡¯m far from stupid. I figured out how to use the egg cooker all by myself.¡±


    Cherise Shaw was left speechless.


    ¡°I even taught you how to use the toaster.¡±


    Cherise Shaw had no response.


    ¡°Moreover, I even fixed the software system on yourputer¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    Cherise quickly changed the subject before rushing into the bathroom to wash up with Serafina.


    Soren leaned against the door, arms crossed, smiling as he observed the twodies. Their faces were


    almost identical, but one was tall while the other was petite.


    He loved this kind of life.


    His family consisted of only him, his mother, and his younger sister.


    Soren was willing to be the only man his family needed.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    He would not allow any other man to get close to his family.


    What about his father?


    As far as Soren was concerned, he never had a father and certainly did not need one.


    With that thought in mind, he nced at the message on his phone..


    Let¡¯s see who will win.


    I won¡¯t lose to anyone. You definitely won¡¯t stand a chance against me!


    ¡°Damien, why are you up so early?¡±


    They were in the ward. Charles fed Maeve some oatmeal and stole a few nces at Damien, who was


    engrossed with his phone by the door. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you this cheerful in a long time.¡±


    Damien had always been aloof since Charles met Maeve three years ago.


    From their first encounter to when they became business partners and eventually inws, Charles had


    never heard Damienugh.


    Instead, Damien had always appeared detached and unconcerned about everything.


    Maeve imed there was a void in Damien¡¯s heart, which exined his behavior.


    But Damien had been smiling at his phone several times since this morning.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I got up.¡±


    Damien responded with a slight smile. Then, he looked at Charles and Maeve, ¡°After bing


    parents, do


    |||


    1/2


    you ever feel so excited that you can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    Maeve and Charles exchanged nces.


    After a brief silence, Maeve furrowed her brows and looked at Damien. ¡°When I first found out I was


    pregnant, I was so thrilled that I couldn¡¯t sleep at night.¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly asking this?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Damien Lenoir grinned. ¡°I just wanted to confirm something.¡±


    He wanted to confirm that he wasn¡¯t being overly dramatic.


    Maeve Lenoir was surprised. She nced at Damien before turning to Charles with a bewildered


    expression.


    Charles was equally puzzled.


    While feeding Maeve oatmeal, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Has your brother been


    dating. online recently?¡±


    Based on his understanding, only those dating someone online would keep grinning foolishly at their


    phones.


    However, considering Damien Lenoir¡¯s status and disposition, he did not seem like the type to enjoy


    online dating.


    Could he have been feeling lonely for too long?


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Maeve responded with a helpless smile and nced at Damien Lenoir, still engrossed with his phone.


    His eyes were brimming with joy.


    Even if he didn¡¯t smile, anyone could tell from his actions, expressions, and the sparkle in his eyes that


    he was genuinely happy.


    He was usually good at hiding his emotions.


    But now, he couldn¡¯t hide the joy in his heart.


    Did meeting Cherise again make him so ecstatic that he couldn¡¯t control himself?


    Maeve sighed softly and looked at Charles. ¡°Can you go out first? I need to talk to Damien.¡±


    Charles was surprised by the request. He nodded and quickly fed her thest spoonful of porridge


    before leaving.


    The door closed, leaving only Maeve and Damien in the room.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544


    Chapter 544 Perhaps This Is Fate


    ¡°Damien.¡±


    Maeve weakly leaned against the headboard, her voice barely louder than a whisper.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Only then did Damien look up, locking his phone screen.


    Soren hadn¡¯t messaged him a single word since they made a bet.


    Damien also wisely refrained from sending any more messages to him.


    Yet, even though they weren¡¯tmunicating, scrolling through their chat records brought Damien al


    sense of happiness.


    He could almost see Soren¡¯s expressions and the mischievous glint in his eyes as he read those


    words.


    Soren was a miniature version of Damien, his mirror image.


    The boy was his flesh and blood and an unexpected blessing.


    Knowing this kept Damien awake all night.


    He even called Frances in the middle of the night, asking her to prepare two children¡¯s rooms at home


    in his absence.


    One of the rooms was for his son. Damien instructed that it be painted light blue and filled with action-


    packed cartoons and toys that boys love.


    The other room was for his daughter. It would be in pink and adorned with plush toys and pretty


    dresses that girls would adore.


    Even though he hadn¡¯t officially acknowledged the children, the mere thought of them filled his eyes


    with radiant joy.


    ¡°Look at how happy you are. Does it mean Cherise didn¡¯t reject you?¡±


    Maeve rested her body against the headboard and smiled as she looked at Damien. ¡°If Cherise is


    willing to give you a chance, don¡¯t hesitate to win her back.¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t given me a chance yet.¡±


    Damien snapped back to reality. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked at Maeve. ¡°I¡¯ll strive to


    win her over even if she doesn¡¯t give me a chance.¡±


    ¡°Sis, if Cherise and I got back together, would you still stand in our way?¡±


    Maeve shook her head.


    ¡°If you manage to win Cherise back, not only will I not stand in your way, but I will also bless and


    apologize to you both.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ was too presumptuous back then.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    Maeve was only eighteen when a firepletely altered her life.


    In the aftermath, she concealed herself in the shadows and hid within the Wool family to recover.


    Having experienced the harshest loss and the deepest pain, she had lost faith in all rtionships other


    than familial bonds.


    Love, she thought, was nothing more than an exchange of interests. She held this belief for a long time.


    Thus, she always suspected Cherise of having ulterior motives. Even after it was revealed that she was


    the heir of the Tanner and Miles family, Maeve still doubted that Cherise genuinely cared for Damien.


    She thought that since Cherise had attained a high status, she would inevitably lose interest in Damien


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    and leave him.


    Due to this, Maeve had always harbored prejudice against Cherise.


    Later, the animosity between their families made it impossible for Maeve to ept Cherise.


    However, when Cherise left, Damien fell into despair.


    He even nearly killed himself in a fire in his office one night around five years ago.


    As Damien¡¯s closest family member, Maeve began questioning whether she had made a mistake.


    Why did Damien Lenoir be a shell of his former self after losing Cherise?


    Later, she met Charles.


    Charles¡¯ care and affection allowed her to experience love beyond familial bonds.


    It also helped her realize that Cherise and Damien¡¯s love might also be selfless and pure.


    Unfortunately, it was toote.


    Cherise and Damien had been separated for so long that their rtionship seemed irreparable.


    But thankfully, Charles identally found Cherise when Maeve was at the hospital giving birth.


    Perhaps this is fate¡­..


    2.2

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545


    Chapter 545 A Wealthy Fool


    Maeve reached out and gently held Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°I was mistaken before. I will now support you in


    your endeavor to win her back. Furthermore, I will do everything in my power to help you uncover the


    truth about what happened back then. There must have been some misunderstanding between Dad


    and Charisa.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s words stirred a whirlwind of emotions within Damien.


    Over the years, there had been a rift between him and Maeve concerning Cherise. It was exacerbated


    by Maeve¡¯s attempt to harm Charisa.


    However, fortunately, things were improving.


    Damien took a deep breath and leaned closer to Maeve Lenoir¡¯s car. ¡°Sis, I have a secret to share with


    you.¡±


    What Damien revealed next caused Maeve to widen her eyes in shock.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Go win her back!¡±


    It was eight in the morning.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    After dropping off her children at kindergarten, Cherise drove to the hospital, visibly exhausted.


    ¡°Cherise!¡±


    When she entered the office, her department supervisor was eager to speak with her. ¡°Cherise, a


    wealthy patient has specifically requested that you conduct a health check-up.¡±


    Cherise took off her coat and put on her whiteb coat. She furrowed her brow deeply. ¡°You want me to


    perform a check-up for a patient?¡±


    She turned around and faced the balding supervisor. ¡°Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°Our hospital is fully equipped with all the necessary equipment for check-ups. If patients need one,


    they can go to the health check-up department.¡±


    ¡°I am an attending physician. It is not my responsibility to conduct physical examinations.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am aware that this is not part of your duty!¡±


    The supervisor followed Cherise and continued. ¡°If it were your duty, I would have instructed you to do


    it. Why would Ie here so early to wait for you?¡±


    Then, he cleared his throat. ¡°Cherise, this patient is unique. He specifically requested you to handle hist


    check-up!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow and looked at the supervisor. ¡°You expect me to do it just because he


    requested me? How much is he offering me?¡±


    ¡°One hundred thousand.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    She had asked the question without thinking and did not expect the person to name a price.


    J


    12


    ¡°One hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The supervisor cleared his throat. ¡°Of course, this is only your fee.¡±


    ¡°He said if you are willing to conduct a physical check-up today, he will invest ten million in our hospital


    and give everyone in our department¡­ a raise.¡±


    Cherise was stunned. ¡°Is this person insane?¡±


    She had encountered many wealthy fools in her years of work. However, few were willing to pay such a


    high price, let alone invest in the hospital.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The supervisor cleared his throat again. ¡°That is why we must seize this golden opportunity.¡±


    ¡°As you know, our hospital¡¯s cardiac surgery equipment is outdated.¡±


    ¡°I spoke to the hospital director. If we secure this ten million, over eight million will be allocated to our


    department to upgrade our equipment and instruments¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you see¡­¡±


    The supervisor looked at Cherise pleadingly. ¡°You do not have to do anything drastic orpromise


    your dignity. All you have to do is cooperate with this patient and conduct a heart check-up for him


    today. Then, we can secure this investment.


    ¡°You know how difficult it is to apply for a special fund¡­¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow.


    Apart from Lucy, no one in the hospital knew her true identity.


    Thus, she witnessed how her supervisor struggled with managing a hospital over the years. He had to


    confront many problems head-on and faced difficulties in obtaining funding. It was a lengthy and


    arduous process whenever he applied for special funds from the hospital.


    J

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546


    Chapter 546 Echoes Of Duty


    Cherise took a deep breath before finally nodding in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡±


    If dedicating a day could significantly benefit her department, she was prepared to make that sacrifice.


    After all, she was not one to indulge in pretentiousness.


    However, she failed to see why someone of her professional caliber should be tasked with a mere


    check- up.


    Yet, faced with the tempting proposalid out by the other party, she found it difficult to decline.


    ¡°Cherise, I knew you¡¯de through!¡±


    Her supervisor eximed, his voice bubbling with excitement as he sped her hand. ¡°Good deeds are


    always rewarded!¡± he beamed.


    Cherise responded with a casual air, deftly picking up the file from the table. ¡°Let me know when the


    patient arrives,¡± she stated matter-of-factly, her tone devoid of any emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m off to do rounds now.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The supervisor replied, his voice stillced with excitement.


    Cherise, file in hand, left to attend to her patients, her steps measured and purposeful. The supervisor,


    meanwhile, couldn¡¯t contain his eagerness and immediately dialed a number on his phone. ¡°Mr. Lenoir.


    she¡¯s agreed!¡±


    As Cherise made her rounds, checking on each patient diligently, she eventually came to Maeve, who


    had undergone surgery the day before.


    Despite her reluctance, driven by a professional sense of duty, she sighed and made her way to


    Maeve¡¯s


    ward.


    Every doctor must bepassionate, she reminded herself. She couldn¡¯t allow personal grievances to


    overshadow a patient¡¯s care.


    After all, this was a matter of life.


    As she approached the ward, the words of Charisa Miles echoed in her mind.


    Cherise, if you wish to be a doctor, pursue it with all your heart. Don¡¯t let go of your dream just because


    your parents are in business.


    Your mother¡¯s quest for revenge and profit has hurt many.


    Your bing a doctor could be seen as a way to atone for her actions.


    With these words ringing in her ears, Cherise took a moment, her eyes closed in reflection, before


    pushing open the door to Maeve¡¯s ward.


    Inside, Maeve was holding hands with Charles, deeply engrossed in discussing their child¡¯s name.


    ¡°Let¡¯s name her Talia Luther,¡± Charles suggested earnestly.


    |||


    1/2


    Marse paused, a hint of disagreement in her voice ¡°No, that¡¯s too old-fashioned¡±


    ¡®Tid fashioned Charles face fell, a look of hurt shing across his features.


    Indeed old fashioned


    Cherise interjected, her voice cutting through the room


    Startled, the pair turned to face her


    ¡°Dr Shaw¡±¡± Maeve eximed


    ¡°Cherise¡± Charles added, his voice softer.


    ¡°Hmm¡±


    Cherise offered them a faint smile as she approached Marve¡¯s bedude with the folder She briefly red


    at the temperature, blood sugar, and blood pressure readings recorded by the nurse that morning


    ¡°Everything seems normal¡± she noted, her voice carrying a hint of approval


    She then grabbed her stethoscope and listened attentively to Marve¡¯s chest ¡°Strong heartbeat,¡± she


    murmured, almost to herself


    Afterpleting the routine check-up, she made notes in the folder, speaking to Charles without loo


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Ling up: ¡°Remember what I said yesterday


    ¡°She needs to stick to a light diet. Don¡¯t buy into any old wives tales aboutctation. Everyone is


    different If there¡¯s not enough breast milk, form will do just fine.¡±


    Charles nodded earnestly, absorbing every word ¡°Understood,pletely¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡±


    Cherise then stood up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°If there¡¯s no other question, I¡¯ll take


    my leave.¡±


    She moved towards the door but was stopped by Marve¡¯s voice Cherise, wait a moment, Maeve called


    out softly


    Cherise turned, a slight frown creasing her forehead. ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    Maeve¡¯s lips were pursed as she spoke softly. ¡°Do you have a moment?


    ¡°I need to talk to you¡±


    Cherise Shaw nced at her watch, ¡°I did have time,¡± she replied, her voice tinged with regret.


    ¡°But unfortunately, today I am bound to a physical examination for a high-profile patient, so I don¡¯t have


    any spare time to chat¡±


    Marve¡¯s mouth fell open, her words left unspoken.

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547


    Chapter 547 Roses And Revtions.


    In the early light of dawn, Damien found himself in a dilemma, contemting how to win back Cherise¡¯s


    affections. It was his older sister, Maeve, who casually suggested, ¡°Why not have her conduct your


    physical


    examination?¡±


    Little did she know¡­


    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing else.¡±


    Maeve was both surprised by her brother¡¯s initiative and puzzled by Cherise¡¯s current demeanor.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    Cherise announced, standing tall and elegant in her pristine whiteb coat.


    As she approached the door, she paused for a moment.


    ¡°If you¡¯re set on choosing a meaningful name, how about Marcy Luther?¡±


    ¡°It sounds more appealing than Talia Luther.¡±


    ¡°Cherise, that guest¡­ no, that patient is waiting for you in the lobby on the first floor. You can go


    straight there.¡±


    The bald supervisor informed her as she left Maeve¡¯s ward. He greeted her with an eager grin, ¡°Good


    luck! You must secure this client for our department! The acquisition of new equipment for our


    department next quarter depends entirely on you!¡±


    Faced with the supervisor¡¯s enthusiasm, Cherise offered an awkward smile in return. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do my


    best.¡±


    Since Charisa Miles¡¯s passing, Cherise had rarely personally guided patients through physical


    examinations, apart from taking care of her child.


    She often considered such tasks trivial and a waste of her valuable time.


    But now¡­.


    She sighed, resigning herself to whatevery ahead.


    She would consider it a form of repayment for the supervisor¡¯s long-standing kindness.


    With this in mind, she took a deep breath,posed herself, and stepped into the elevator.


    She watched as the numbers on the elevator slowly descended. When the number turned to ¡°1¡±,


    Cherise breathed a sigh of relief and exited the elevator.


    The hospital¡¯s first-floor lobby was eerily quiet, devoid of its usual hustle and bustle.


    But what truly startled her was not just the emptiness ¨C the lobby was adorned with pink roses.


    Clusters of them filled the entire space, creating an almost ethereal scene that hardly resembled a


    hospital lobby at all.


    J


    1/2


    Rubbing her eyes in disbelief, Cherise tried to make sense of the surreal sight before her.


    What¡­ what¡¯s happening?


    Amidst the sea of roses, she saw him ¨C Damien Lenoir. Dressed as he had been on their wedding day


    five years ago, in a white suit with gold trim, he approached her, holding arge bouquet of red roses.


    Cherise was speechless.


    In this moment, everything clicked into ce.


    Why would someone be willing to pay ten million for a full body check by her?


    If that someone was Damien Lenoir, it all made sense.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that after five years¡­.


    This man had be so¡­ unpredictable.


    Taking a deep breath, she retrieved her phone from her pocket and snapped a picture of Damien.


    Damien¡¯s forehead twitched involuntarily as he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Taking a picture.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Cherise replied, her eyes sparkling with rity as she smiled at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, amidst a field of


    pink. roses, holding arge bouquet of red roses ¨C such a ridiculous and tacky scene, I simply had to


    capture it.¡±


    She nced at the photo on her phone with a faint smile. ¡°I wonder how much I could make if I sent


    this picture to a media reporter¡­¡±


    ¡°At least ten million, right?¡±


    Damien stood dumbfounded.


    Hadn¡¯t Mr. Kolson assured him that any woman would be moved to tears by such a romantic gesture,


    ready to forgive or at least concede to a small request?


    |||

 Chapter 548

    Chapter 548


    Chapter 548 The Unmoved Heart


    Why did Cherise¡¯s response differ so greatly from what was expected?


    She appeared neither touched nor excited, and even went so far as to take a mocking photograph


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, perhaps it¡¯s your approach that iscking. You didn¡¯t kneel, suggested Mr. Kolson through


    the earpiece. ¡°A heartfelt kneel could convey your sincerity.¡±


    Damien stood still, his brow furrowed.


    Mr. Kolson persisted, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you must trust me.¡±


    ¡°Your experience in rtionships is limited to a brief encounter with your wife five years ago. On the


    other hand, I have experienced numerous romances and dated countless women. I even showed them


    your photo yesterday to gather insights for your reconciliation.¡±


    ¡°They unanimously agreed that any woman would be deeply moved and readily forgive you if you knee!


    with roses in hand!¡±


    Damien¡¯s frown deepened as he processed Mr. Kolson¡¯s words. Clenching his teeth, he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll


    trust you onest time¡±


    With that, he took a deep breath and stepped forward. He knelt before Cherise with the roses and


    uttered her name. ¡°Cherise¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t change the past, but please allow me the chance to rediscover you, to reevaluate our


    rtionship, to start anew¡±


    Lifting his dark, intense eyes, he looked earnestly at Cherise, ¡°Hello, my name is Damien Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes.


    Start anew?


    What an absurd idea!


    If it weren¡¯t for his money, she would have turned away instantly.


    No, first she would have kicked him and snapped, ¡°Damien Lenoir, wake up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the naive girl you once charmed with your sweet words. I have a five-year-old child now.¡±


    But Cherise had to swallow these words.


    Because Damien came as a potential investor for the hospital.


    His satisfaction with her service today was crucial for acquiring advanced medical equipment for their


    department next quarter.


    That was the crux of the matter.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    So, with a forced smile, Cherise responded, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯re my patient today, correct?¡±


    Approaching slowly, she took the roses from his hand and ced them beside a fire hydrant, ¡°We have


    several testster, and the scent of roses might interfere with the respiratory exams, so let¡¯s keep them


    12


    away from the examination room.¡±


    She then looked up, eyeing Damien¡¯s suit, ¡°Did you bring any change of clothes?¡±


    ¡°The suit might be in the way for the testster.¡±


    Damien remained silent, his frown deepening at her question.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring any, did you?¡±


    Cherise looked at him with a kind but distant smile, while maintaining a professional distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you didn¡¯t. I have a set of clothes from a friend here. How about you change into those?¡±


    Her tone, though polite, only intensified Damien¡¯s frown. ¡°Why so formal, Cherise?¡±


    ¡°Do we¡­ need to talk like this?¡±


    ¡°Do we¡­ need all these roses?¡± he asked.


    Cherise pursed her lips, her smile reaching her eyes, but still maintaining a certain aloofness. ¡°And why


    involve our hospital in personal matters?¡±


    ¡°Ten million in medical funds is a substantial amount.¡±


    She smiled at Damien, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in five years, Mr. Lenoir. You¡¯ve be quite generous.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 549

    Chapter 549


    Chapter 549 Rekindled Sparks


    ¡°I remember¡­


    A gentle smile graced Cherise¡¯s face as she spoke to Damien, recalling a memory from five years ago.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, your investment in my hometown was a kind gesture that earned my admiration and led me


    to dedicate myself to youpletely.¡±


    ¡°Are you expecting the same devotion from me now, Mr. Lenoir, employing the same strategy as


    before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Damien¡¯s deep, dark eyes narrowed as he looked at Cherise intently. ¡°I simply want to express that I


    am now fully and wholeheartedly devoted to you.¡±


    A silence fell over the room.


    Caught off guard, Cherise instinctively took a step back.


    Five years had passed.


    They had faced so many challenges together.


    Yet, as Damien dered his devotion, her heart involuntarily quickened its pace.


    Taking a deep breath, she tightly gripped the sleeve of her white coat.


    After a moment, Cherise¡¯s heart calmed


    Damien noticed her flushed face, a smug smile ying on his lips.


    Despite her outward coldness, she was still affected by him.


    Why else would a mere deration stir her, causing her cheeks to redden and her heart to flutter?


    Tsk, tsk, such a contradictory woman.


    With a sly smile, Damien stepped into the elevator. Didn¡¯t you mention that you had a friend¡¯s clothes


    for me to change into?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    His deep, resonant voice brought Cherise back to reality.


    She pursed her lips, cleared her throat,posed herself, and followed him into the elevator.


    The doors closed.


    In the confined space, only Cherise and Damien remained.


    Damien¡¯s familiar yet unfamiliar masculine scent made Cherise¡¯s breathing falter.


    She turned away, hiding her flushed face, and began to scold herself.


    But she could hardly keep herself together!


    1/2


    She had been so determined in their parting, so why was she now stirred by his sincere gaze and


    heartfelt


    words?


    Why couldn¡¯t she control her emotions?


    Cherise, Cherise, can¡¯t you be a little stronger? She thought.


    He may be handsome, but there¡¯s no future for the two of you.


    Get your sh*t together!


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice resonated once again.


    Startled, Cherise looked up and realized they had reached their destination.


    She took a deep breath and led Damien into the cardiac surgery office.


    Swiftly, she opened the door to the staff dormitory, retrieved a set of casual gray men¡¯s clothes, and


    handed them to him. ¡°Go change.¡±


    Damien nced at the clothes and noticed the tag still attached. ¡°Newly purchased?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As she filled out Damien¡¯s medical form, Cherise responded casually, ¡°I went shopping with a colleague


    recently and bought it for my dad.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to give it to him, so you¡¯re in luck.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly, removing his suit jacket. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my future father-inw and I share


    the same size.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand, holding the pen, paused heavily.


    In reality, this set of clothes¡­ wasn¡¯t bought for Beckham.


    Not long ago, Lucy and she had gone shopping, and there was a sale at the mall.


    Cherise had contemted it and finally made the impulsive purchase, giving in to the bargain.


    But when asked for the size, she had subconsciously provided Damien¡¯s measurements.


    2/2

 Chapter 550

    Chapter 550


    Chapter 550 An Unresolved Past


    Upon returning home, she had intended to give the clothes to Beckham, only to find that they were the


    wrong size.


    Since then, the garments had been idly gathering dust in her dormitory closet.


    Now, with Damien¡¯s unexpected arrival, it seemed like an opportune moment to offer them.


    Clearing her throat, she remarked, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re the same size as my father.¡±


    The sound of a belt being unbuckled resonated behind her, ¡°So, am I expected to return them to him


    after wearing them?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows, ¡°My father doesn¡¯t like sharing clothes with others.¡±


    ¡°You can take them with you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    She added softly. ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, feel free to get rid of them.¡±


    ¡°Why would I ever do that?¡±


    As Damien elegantly changed his clothes, he responded in a gentle voice, ¡°This is the first gift Dr.


    Shaw has given me; I must cherish it.¡±


    Cherise found his words amusing. ¡°Is this the first gift I¡¯ve given you?¡±


    She recalled the numerous gifts she had given him during their time together five years ago.


    Even during her trip to Europe, while choosing presents for Uncle Shaw and Aunt Wanda, she had.


    thought of him.


    Why did he now consider this set of clothes as the first gift from her?


    She scoffed, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, your memory seems to be failing you.¡±


    ¡°Five years ago, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Five years ago, you were not Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Damien interrupted gently, ¡°Five years ago, the one who gifted me was Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Buttoning up his shirt, he stepped around Cherise to face her, his deep eyes locking onto hers. ¡°Or are


    you saying you are still Mrs. Lenoir, huh, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    His wittiness was unparalleled.


    And she had no choice but to give it to him this time.


    She clenched her teeth, shot him a re, and closed the file in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; let¡¯s begin.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you haven¡¯t had breakfast, have you?¡±


    Damien nodded, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good, we¡¯ll start with the blood draw.¡±


    d in her white coat, Cherise stood tall and poised, her mature allure radiating.


    Damien followed, watching her from behind with a faint smile on his lips.


    The pair had reached theb.


    Cherise nced at the long queue. She turned to Damien. ¡°Would you like me to draw your blood?¡±


    ¡°Or should we continue to wait?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you should draw my blood, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. She knew it!


    Taking a deep breath, she collected the supplies from the nurse, sat next to Damien, and instructed,


    ¡°Extend your arm.¡±


    Damien rolled up his sleeve and presented his arm.


    Cherise lowered her head and began to draw his blood, ¡°It might sting a bit, bear with it.¡±


    Her fingers, as white as jade, firmly gripped his arm.


    Damien sat, observing her serious demeanor, her bustling movements, his eyes filled with deep


    affection.


    and warmth.


    Five years.


    He had been searching for her for five years.


    Now, she was finally sitting in front of him.


    And finally willing to engage in a calm conversation with him.


    Although he clung to his perceptions of their past, he knew she had her convictions.


    He was ready to ept her obligations, her resentment, all of it ¨C at least until they had a chance to


    thoroughly discuss their issues.


    The issue of their parents was a ticking time bomb, best left untouched.


    They hadn¡¯t officially divorced yet, and they still had two children.


    2/2

 Chapter 551

    Chapter 551


    Chapter 551 Unspoken Invitations.


    The events of the previous generation should not overshadow the lives of these two individuals, nor


    should it impact the family they have created with their two children.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    He called out, admiring her profile as she worked tirelessly and decided to break the silence.


    Cherise furrowed her brows in response, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You look truly beautiful in this moment.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    A nearby nursemented, ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯ve drawn too much blood.¡±


    Cherise had spent the morning conducting Damien¡¯s examination.


    Severalpanies had scheduled group physical examinations, resulting in a bustling atmosphere in


    the examination department.


    Cherise personally oversaw many of Damien¡¯s tests.


    Despite specializing in cardiac surgery, she was diligent and knowledgeable about the standard


    examination equipment and procedures.


    Throughout the morning, Cherise escorted Damien from one test to another without rest.


    She made sure to avoid any private moments with Damien, maintaining a brisk pace.


    By ten in the morning, she hadpleted all of Damien¡¯s tests.


    ¡°We have your results, except for a few items that will be avable tomorrow.¡±


    Standing before Damien with a folder, Cherise continued in a professional manner. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,


    everything appears to be normal. However¡­¡±


    She squinted her eyes, looking at the findings from the urologist, ¡°The urologist suggests that you


    should engage in more sexual activities. It seems a certain part of you has been inactive for quite some


    time.¡±


    Cherise found this peculiar. Why would a urologist make such a rmendation?


    This remark seemed too absurd to be included in a report.


    Perhaps thedy in the urology department had a fondness for Damien.


    The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed..


    Taking a deep breath, she handed the examination report to Damien, ¡°If you have no questions, Mr.


    Lenoir, please sign here, and that will conclude your examination for today.¡±


    Unexpectedly, as she handed the report to Damien, he abruptly seized her wrist and pulled her into his


    arms.


    ¡°Hey¨C


    |||


    r


    1/2


    Cherise gasped, tumbling into his embrace.


    The warmth of his hold was both unfamiliar and familiar.


    As she was about to speak. Damien held her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.


    Damien Lenoir¡¯s intense gaze bore into her, ¡°Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize that saying such things to a man who has been inactive for five years could be seen as


    an implicit invitation, yes?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened.


    An invitation?


    It suddenly dawned on her.


    She cursed inwardly.


    Thedy in the urology department had set her up!


    Taking a deep breath, she gritted her teeth, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, pleasepose yourself.¡±


    ¡°The words I just ryed weren¡¯t my own, but¡­ uh¨C!¡±


    Before she could finish. Damien silenced her with a kiss.


    Cherise instinctively attempted to resist, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t break


    free.


    His strength was overwhelming, just as she remembered from five years ago.


    His lips and tongue captivated her, leaving no room for resistance, forcing her to surrender to his


    rhythm.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Damien Lenoir!¡±


    After what felt like an eternity, the man finally released her.


    Cherise red at him furiously, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡±


    ¡°Give yourself to me.¡±


    111

 Chapter 552

    Chapter 552


    Chapter 552 Forbidden Desires.


    ¡°D¡¯mn.¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    Under Cherise¡¯s terrified gaze, Damien pushed her onto the bed and locked the door of the staff


    dormitory.


    Cherise felt her head spinning, her body numb and unfamiliar.


    ¡°Damien! Have you lost your mind?¡±


    She clenched her teeth. ¡°This is a hospital!¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s a bed here.


    Damien pinned her down, a wicked grin on his lips. ¡°What did the report say, Dr. Shaw? Could you


    repeat it for me?¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to abandon my moral principles for a taste of you.¡±


    Damien responded, kissing her face and neck, tearing open her white coat, and continuing his trail of


    kisses. ¡°Cherise, I¡¯ve been restraining myself for five years.¡±


    ¡°After you left, I haven¡¯t been with any other woman.¡±


    ¡°You should know, I¡¯ve always been this way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been yearning for you all these years, and now, you stand before me and tell me to do more of


    this, how can I resist?¡±


    Cherise Shaw was flustered.


    D¡±mn it!


    She cursed inwardly and was determined to find out who was on duty in the urology department today!


    And she would make them pay!


    But now was not the time to think about that!


    Damien had already reached a point that tickled her senses¡­


    Her body trembled violently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, raising her hand to hold his head, attempting to pull him away, but couldn¡¯t.


    She was furious and anxious. ¡°Damien, can you please refrain from¡­¡±


    1/3


    Can you please refram from doing this to me?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    Damien gently kissed her, his voice low and filled with passion. ¡°You seem to enjoy it very much.¡±


    He had been celibate for five years, just like herN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    At this moment, with such provocation, and with the man she had never been able to get out of her


    mind.


    Her body had started to respond favorably to his unwee kives


    At this point, it had be impossible for her to continue denying


    T


    Cherise was on the verge of tears.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Can we please go somewhere else?¡±


    This is the staff dormitory, anyone could walk in at any moment!


    ¡°I locked the door¡±


    ¡°Even if you locked the door, it¡¯s still not okay!¡±


    Just as Cherise finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.


    It was Lucas from the same department,


    ¡°Is anyone in there?¡±


    Lucas asked, starting to search for his keys.


    Cherise¡¯s face turned pale!


    If Lucas entered, he would find out.


    He would find Dr. Shaw, whom he had a lot of respect for, in apromising position.


    In desperation. Cherise croaked, ¡°Someone¡¯s in here¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t don¡¯te in!¡±


    By the time she said ¡°don¡¯t,¡± Damien had already¡­.


    Entered


    Lucas stood by the door with a frown. It took him a moment to respond, ¡°Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    Cherise gritted her teeth and endured. Tm changing, don¡¯te in.¡±


    23


    Lucas quickly withdrew his hand from his pocket. ¡°Dr. Shaw, are you feeling okay?¡±


    ¡°You sound a little strange.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m feeling a bit under the weather.¡±


    Cherise shot an angry re at Damien, who was on top of her. ¡°I¡¯ve been working tirelessly these


    days.¡±


    ¡°Um, then Dr. Shaw, I hope you feel better soon.¡±


    Lucas pursed his lips. ¡°I know you¡¯ve dedicated yourself to this job, but you should also take good care


    of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­


    Lucas lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll be heartbroken too.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you for your concern. Cherise responded, still in Damien¡¯s embrace..


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 553

    Chapter 553


    Chapter 553 Unspoken Feelings


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The sound of Lucas¡¯ footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind a profound silence..


    Cherise lifted her gaze, her eyes icy as they met Damien¡¯s. She bit down hard on his arm-


    Their long-awaited intimate encounter was brief.


    Despite her body¡¯s yearning for more, Damien understood that Cherise was no longer the same


    woman he once knew.


    In the past, she was a naive student, and he could take advantage of her without reservation.


    But now, she was astute,posed, and mature, a respected doctor.


    He couldn¡¯t waste her time or damage her reputation.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise emerged from the bathroom, made herself presentable, but her face still showed a hint of


    difort, ¡°I can choose to forget what happened.¡±


    ¡°But I trust you will honor your promise and provide our hospital with the twenty million in medical


    funds, not a penny less.¡±


    As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and looked up at Damien, ¡°Additionally, when


    making the donation, I hope you can specify that fifteen million of the twenty million should be allocated


    to our cardiology department, thank you.¡±


    Damien buttoned up his suit jacket, a faint smile ying on his lips, ¡°Dr. Shaw, you certainly know how


    to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°I recall this morning, I only agreed to ten million.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze fixed on him, ¡°Considering what you just did to the


    daughter of the Tanner family, the sister of Ms. Charisa of Miles Manor, I believe charging you ten


    million is a bargain.¡±


    ¡°If you disagree with this amount, it¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll simply send the photos I took this morning to the media.¡±


    She smiled at him, ¡°Imagine, that picture will be seen by people all over the world.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s worth less than ten million, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Damien Lenoir¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°When did you be so shrewd?¡±


    ¡°I learned a thing or two from you.¡±


    Cherise teased him, her eyes twinkling mischievously, ¡°You wanted to exchange my time for ten


    million.¡±


    ¡°Inparison, aren¡¯t you the more cunning one?¡±


    1/2


    Damien squinted at her, and after a moment, heughed.


    She had indeed changed.


    In the past, if he had taken such liberties with her without her consent, she would have been furious,


    giving him the cold shoulder for a long time.


    But now, not only did she not ignore him, she even thought to use that to her advantage.


    He took a deep breath and looked at her, ¡°Since you feel like you¡¯ve been wronged, how about I treat


    you to a meal aspensation?¡±


    Cherise nced at the time; it was already lunchtime.


    She chuckled, ¡°Sure.¡±


    After all, she was famished, having just gone through such a strenuous exercise.


    As they descended the stairs together, they encountered Lucy who was on her way upstairs.


    Lucy frowned deeply, her gaze shifting from Damien to Cherise, whose face was slightly flushed.


    She pursed her lips, looking at Cherise with a helpless expression, ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡±


    She should have seen iting.


    Cherise¡¯s feelings for Damien¡­ were just too strong.


    Even though she had avoided his name like the gue for the past five years, even though she had


    always imed to have forgotten him¡­


    But Lucy knew very well that it was easier said than done,


    When she met Damien again, the blush on her face was all Lucy needed to see..


    .

 Chapter 554

    Chapter 554


    Chapter 554 Revtions Over Spicy Delights


    Despite being best friends with Cherise, Lucy had mixed feelings about Damien. However, she was


    willing to set them aside for now.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    ¡°Lulu, let¡¯s discuss thister,¡± Cherise said, her voice filled with unease as they left the hospital.


    Stepping out into the sunlight, Damien, dressed in a striking white suit trimmed with gold, approached


    Cherise¡¯s crimson BMW.


    Cherise followed him with a frown, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, if you¡¯re paying, why am I driving?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m unfamiliar with the area.¡±


    Damien leaned casually against her car, arms folded. ¡°I only heard about this city 72 hours ago. Do you


    expect me to know my way around and find the best food?¡±


    Cherise sighed, admitting that it was her oversight.


    She unlocked the car and slipped into the driver¡¯s seat while Damien settled into the passenger seat.


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°What would you like to eat, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Your call, lunch is on me anyway.¡±


    ¡°Just choose a ce you like.¡±


    Cherise asked skeptically, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    They cruised along the highway in the BMW.


    Eventually, Cherise took Damien to a restaurant specializing in spicy food.


    Bright red chili peppers, scorching hot, were served to them within minutes of sitting down.


    Damien raised his eyebrows at the sight of fiery red chili peppers adorning the table. ¡°Since when did


    you develop a taste for such spicy food?¡±


    He remembered her preference for sweet treats.


    She used to love sticky pudding, cakes, and gto.


    Five years had passed, and she seemed to have developed a taste as fiery as her new personality.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked it.¡±


    Cherise retorted with a smirk, savoring the boiled fish. ¡°Back in Shaw family vige, Aunt Wanda¡¯s


    boiled pork slices were my favorite.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows, surprised. ¡°I never knew,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I studied you before our marriage.¡±


    1/2


    Cherise exined as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. ¡°You didn¡¯t like spicy food, so I assumed


    you wouldn¡¯t like ¡®spicy¡¯ girls either.¡± She emphasized the word ¡®spicy.


    ¡°So, I pretended to like sweets.¡±


    Damien listened quietly, his expression growing pensive.


    He had only just learned about the sacrifices she had made to amodate him.


    But in the end¡­


    Later, when forced to choose between her and his family, he didn¡¯t choose her.


    After parting ways with Damien, she no longer had to pretend. She ate whatever she craved and


    behaved. in a way that made herfortable.


    She didn¡¯t have to worry about whether her actions were frowned.


    In many ways, it was a relief.


    upon.


    Damien silently observed her devouring the chili peppers, his lips tightly pressed together as he


    swallowed.


    So¡­


    She had done much more than he was aware of.


    A peculiar bitterness swelled in his chest.


    Damien took a deep breath, helped himself to a piece of boiled fish, and took a bite.


    The numbing and spicy sensation burned his tongue and moved down his throat.


    So this was the taste she enjoyed


    He had always imed to love her, but it wasn¡¯t until now that he truly understood.


    He was doing more than just epting the situation he was now consuming mouthfuls of chili bombs,


    torturing his body, mind, and soul.


    Cherise watched him, her amusement turning into concern as she saw his face pale..


    ¡°Damien Lenoir! Have you lost your mind!?¡±


    She eximed, rushing to his side. ¡°Spit it out! You can¡¯t handle this!¡±


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    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555


    Chapter 555 In Sickness And In Health


    Damien¡¯s face was pale, yet he managed a weak smile. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite delicious.¡±


    ¡°Delicious? Nonsense!¡± Cherise eximed.


    ¡°We need to go back to the hospital, now!¡±


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Damien lifted his gaze to meet hers earnestly, ¡°I was mistaken before.¡±


    ¡°I never truly understood you.¡±


    ¡°I had taken you for granted.¡±


    A shadow of regret passed over his deep, dark eyes. ¡°I should have realized it sooner.¡±


    ¡°Your kind nature¡­ you would change yourself just to make me happy.¡±


    With that, he let out a chuckle, ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to bring happiness to you.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you desire that you haven¡¯t told me about?¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Cherise, seeing his pallor, urgently urged him, ¡°Stop talking ande back to the hospital with me!¡±


    Damien sought to reassure her, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You call this fine?¡± Cherise¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember your gastric issues?¡±


    ¡°Spicy food is harmful to your stomach, and you¡¯ve been dealing with a stomach condition for two


    years. You can¡¯t be this reckless!¡±


    She helped him up and hurried him out of the room towards the exit.


    Damien clutched his stomach, his face contorted in pain, ¡°How¡­ how did you know¡­¡±


    During their time together five years ago, there had been lingering issues with his stomach, but he


    hadn¡¯t been ill.


    The onset of his stomach disease started three yearster¡­.


    Cherise didn¡¯t catch his question.


    She guided him swiftly to the car, ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Why the hospital? You¡¯re a doctor.¡±


    Damien weakly chuckled in the backseat as he slumped in his seat.


    Cherise frowned, ¡°Still, we need to go.¡±


    ¡°The hospital is overwhelmed today, by the time it¡¯s my turn, I¡¯ll be better.¡±


    B


    |||


    1/2


    Cherise realized he was right, and she abruptly stopped the car.


    The hospital was crowded with medical examinations.


    ¡°Where are you staying?¡± She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Syatt.¡±


    Cherise hesitated at the mention of the hotel. ¡°You¡¯re staying there?¡±


    Damien remained in excruciating pain, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    Cherise Shaw took a deep breath, made a U-turn, and headed towards the Syatt Hotel.


    Cherise helped Damien back to the Syatt Hotel¡¯s presidential suite and urgently contacted a


    gastroenterologist for advice.


    Given the doctor¡¯s busy schedule, it took a while to receive a response, which instructed her to prepare


    soft food.


    Cherise studied the text on her phone, her brow furrowing.


    She knew he had to be put on a soft food diet.


    But what about the medication?


    Taking a deep breath, she poured Damien a ss of water. ¡°Drink some water, I¡¯ll prepare some in


    porridge.


    With that, she walked towards the kitchen, put on an apron, and started cooking.


    Damien, lying on the bed, watched her bustling about, his heart warming at the sight.


    In the past¡­


    Cherise had always appeared busy in the kitchen.


    He hadn¡¯t appreciated it then, but now he realized how precious those moments were.


    With a soft sigh, he picked up the ss and sipped the water, watching her, lost in his thoughts.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 556

    Chapter 556


    Chapter 556 You Can Do It


    Damien received a concerned message from Maeve on his phone. ¡°How was it, bro?¡±


    ¡°I just got word from the nurse that Dr. Shaw had flushed cheeks and left with an attractive man. Where


    did you take her?¡±


    Damien smiled wryly. He picked up his phone and started to reply. ¡°Since when have you taken such


    an interest in me and Cherise?¡±


    ¡°I should have shown concern long ago.¡±


    Maeve expressed remorse on the other end. ¡°I regret not understanding the dynamics of love back


    then. If I had, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s all in the past. You should now focus on winning Cherise back and bringing the two Lenoir


    children back!¡±


    A faint smile appeared on Damien¡¯s face. ¡°I wish I could.¡±


    As he typed those words on his phone, he nced towards the kitchen with a soft smile ying on his


    lips. ¡°But¡­ the journey is long and filled with challenges.¡±


    On the other end, Maeve frowned. ¡°You can do it.¡±


    ¡°If you can win Cherise back¡­ I won¡¯t mind severing ties with you as the Tanner family demanded five


    years ago.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    The words on the phone weighed heavily on Damien¡¯s heart.


    Before meeting Charles three years ago, most of Maeve¡¯s life was dedicated to her family.


    Apart from seeking justice for her parents, she wanted Damien to have a better life.


    Even though she saw that Damien was now living a good life, it could have been better.


    Now, she was willing to make such a sacrifice for Damien and Cherise to reunite..


    Damien took a deep breath. He picked up his phone and typed solemnly. ¡°I won¡¯t sever ties with you.¡±


    ¡°I want both my family and Cherise in my life.¡±


    Five years had passed.


    He was no longer the Damien who had to live ording to other people¡¯s ns.


    He didn¡¯t want to give up anything. He wanted to have it all.


    ¡°The stew is ready. It¡¯s a little hot.¡±


    The petite woman left the kitchen and ced the steaming stew on the bedside table.


    ¡°You can have itter.¡±


    1/2


    She quickly removed her apron and put on her coat. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the nearby pharmacy to get some


    stomach medicine for you. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±


    Damien acknowledged it softly. He leaned against the headboard and gazed at her tiny face, his dark


    eyes. filled with affection. ¡°Hurry back.¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    She momentarily felt electrified by the intensity of the man¡¯s gaze.


    She quickly looked away. ¡°The pharmacy is just around the corner.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    With that, she left without looking back.


    Damien leaned against the headboard as he watched her leave. A faint smile appeared on his lips.


    After purchasing the medicine as prescribed by the gastroenterologist from the pharmacy, Cherise


    hurriedly entered the Syatt Hotel.


    Cherise was in such a rush due to her concern for Damien that she failed to notice the other patrons in


    the lobby on the ground floor.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dr. Shaw?¡±


    A man murmured as he lounged on the lobby sofa. He squinted slightly, watching as Cherise headed.


    towards the elevator.


    The man in ck sitting across from him paused. ¡°Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw from Adania Hospital¡­ who previously performed my heart surgery?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man in ck stood up and walked towards the reception in long strides. ¡°Check which room Dr.


    Shaw


    Went to.


    The receptionist nodded nervously, ¡°Alright, sir. I¡¯ll check immediately.¡±


    When Cherise returned to the room, the stew on Damien¡¯s bedside table remained untouched.


    The woman set down the medicine she had purchased from the pharmacy. She turned to him and


    asked, ¡°Don¡¯t


    it? Why haven¡¯t you eaten?¡±

 Chapter 557

    Chapter 557


    Chapter 557 Let Me Hold You


    The man reclining against the headboard had already taken off his jacket. He wore a thin shirt, and the


    first two buttons were undone. He was perspiring slightly and appeared strangely captivating.


    In that moment, he leaned against the headboard, gazing at Cherise with an enticing yet slightly.


    vulnerable expression. ¡°I can¡¯t eat.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart fluttered at his appearance. She looked away and coughed softly. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t


    eat, you


    still have to.¡±


    ¡°Your stomach is upset right now¡­¡±


    Upon seeing his frail state, she began to feel remorseful.


    She had deliberately chosen a Mexican restaurant when he had invited her to dinner.


    Despite knowing that he couldn¡¯t handle spicy food, she had ordered various spicy dishes¡­.


    In truth, she had intended to provoke him by ordering a table full of spicy food. She thought he would


    simply watch as she ate.


    She didn¡¯t expect him to be foolish and disregard his well-being by diving into the spicy feast!


    The more she thought about it, the more remorseful she felt. She shouldn¡¯t have acted out of spite.


    The woman sighed. She sat on the edge of the bed, picked up the bowl of stew, and spoon-fed him,


    just as she had done when they first met..


    The man reclined against the headboard with a slightly emotional gaze. ¡°You¡¯re still so gentle.¡±


    Cherise paused for a moment as she held the bowl.


    She took a deep breath and looked up at him in exasperation. I¡¯m a doctor. Of course, I¡¯m gentle.¡±


    Damien chuckled softly. ¡°This¡­ is nice.¡±


    Cherise was moved by his gaze. She wanted to give up and leave him, but she felt guilty for causing


    his current condition, so she suppressed her feelings and continued to feed him the stew.


    She spoon-fed him one bite at a time, and he ate each mouthful.


    The bowl of stew was quickly finished..


    After feeding him the stew, Cherise slowly administered the medicine she had just purchased.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Much better.¡±


    ¡°Lie down and rest for a while.¡±


    She removed the pillow behind his head and gently pushed him back. ¡°Rest well.¡±


    Having said that, she was about to withdraw her hand, but he firmly grasped it.


    |||


    1/2


    The man pulled her into the covers.


    His warm body pressed against her chest, causing her heart to race.


    She found herself enveloped in a familiar yet unfamiliar embrace.


    The man¡¯s strong arms encircled her.


    He held her tightly against his chest. ¡°Cherise, let me hold you for a while.¡±


    Cherise opened her mouth, wanting to resist, but ultimately remained silent.


    It¡¯s okay¡­.


    She closed her eyes, nestling greedily in his arms.


    He was sick now, so she would allow him to hold her for a while.


    Just for a while.


    She didn¡¯t want anything more from him. She simply wanted to fulfill his emotional needs as a patient.


    As she pondered, she let out a long sigh.


    She realized she missed being in his embrace as well.


    Over the past five years, she would always think of him whenever she had a nightmare.


    She remembered how he would hold andfort her like this if she had a bad dream.


    She recalled how he would coax her to sleep so dominantly every time she had a sleepless night.


    It¡¯s been five years¡­


    A whole five years.


    Others had pursued and advised her in the past five years.


    But when it came to love, it was difficult for her to settle after being with such an exceptional man.


    After being with a perfect man like Damien, she found it impossible to love anyone else.


    Therefore, she had stumbled along and spent the past five years alone.


    She was finally reunited with him.


    But she was uncertain whether to rekindle their rtionship or continue to hold onto past grievances¡­


    |||

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558


    Chapter 558 I Know You¡¯re In There


    In that moment, she felt a sense of tranquility in his embrace.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    His deep voice resonated from his chest, reaching Cherise¡¯s ears.


    She pursed her lips and replied softly, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is there a way¡­¡±


    He closed his eyes, his deep voice solemn. ¡°For me to develop a tolerance for spicy food?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to give up spicy food because of me in the future, nor do I want to simply watch you


    eat what you enjoy.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t even consider it!¡±


    Cherise interrupted with pursed lips, ¡°You have stomach issues and a low tolerance for capsaicin. It¡¯s a


    natural predisposition. Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts¡±,¡±


    She was as stubborn as she was five years ago. She dismissed Damien¡¯s counterarguments. ¡°If you


    can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t force yourself to eat it.¡±


    ¡°But you enjoy¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your concern.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    ¡°But¡­


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    ¡°No ¡°buts¡±.¡±


    She closed her eyes, sighing in frustration. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t actually like spicy food.¡±


    ¡°I prefer sweet dishes.


    ¡°I pretended to like spicy food and ordered a table full of it because¡­ because I wanted to annoy you. I


    just wanted you to watch me eat.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡­¡±


    She shook her head in resignation. ¡°Damien, how did I never realize how foolish you are?¡±


    He was slightly taken aback. ¡°L¡­¡±


    As they silently looked at each other, the frantic ringing of the doorbell interrupted them.


    |||


    1/3


    ¡°Dr. Shaw! Dr. Shaw, open up!¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there!¡±


    This voice¡­


    Cherise¡¯s heart immediately raced in rm.


    She recognized this voice all too well!


    This is¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Syatt Posten!¡±


    Outside, Syatt Posten, dressed in ck, excitedly rang the doorbell. ¡°You must remember me!¡±


    ¡°I saw youing up, so I followed you. I hope I¡¯m not intruding?¡±


    Damien frowned. He looked down at Cherise in his arms. ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Cherise immediately felt a headacheing on. ¡°He¡¯s one of my patients¡­


    ¡°And the heir to this hotel.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, she extricated herself from Damien¡¯s arms and got out of bed. ¡°Is something


    wrong?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Outside the door, Syatt scratched his head bashfully. ¡°You saved my life, but I haven¡¯t properly thanked


    you yet.¡±


    ¡°Also¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been discharged from the hospital for two weeks and happened to run into you, Dr. Shaw. Could


    you perhaps give me a quick check-up?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient here, I can visit the hospital tomorrow¡­¡±


    The veins on Cherise¡¯s forehead throbbed.


    She remembered Syatt¡¯s visit to the hospital¡­


    That scene was more dramatic and cheesier than Damien presenting roses to her in the hospital lobby


    today.


    After that day, Lucy had teased her relentlessly for two weeks.


    She wouldn¡¯t allow such a spectacle to happen again!


    She took a deep breath and pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll step out and examine you now. Just wait.¡±


    She picked up her coat and turned to Damien. ¡°You should be fine here. I¡¯ll check on him first, then


    return to the hospital.¡±


    After that, Cherise grabbed her coat and left.


    |||


    2/3


    Outside, Syatt looked at her admiringly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, I haven¡¯t seen you in two weeks, but you¡¯re still as


    beautiful as ever.¡±


    Cherise frowned and nced at him indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s find a ce to sit. Your heart is fine, but if


    you¡¯re still worried, I¡¯ll give you a quick check-up.¡±


    3/3


    while.¡±


    Syatt pursed his lips and murmured, ¡°But I enjoy being alone with you¡­


    Cherise gathered her coat and handbag and headed towards the bench, with Syatt reluctantly trailing


    behind.


    They had barely taken a few steps when the door behind them swung open abruptly.


    Syatt was startled and instinctively turned back.


    A man dressed in trousers and a white shirt emerged from the room.

 Chapter 559

    Chapter 559


    He had such an impressive physique that Syatt felt somewhat inferior.


    The man¡¯s white shirt was casually unbuttoned at the cor, looking alluring and enticing.


    And the man¡¯s face¡­


    He had refined features and a calm and detached expression.


    He looked captivating and handsome, as if he had stepped straight out of a painting.


    Syatt was dumbstruck. He was about to catch up with Cherise when he suddenly realized something


    was


    amiss!


    This man just¡­


    He just came out of Dr. Shaw¡¯s room!


    He instinctively nced at Cherise, then at Damien.


    Cherise¡¯s hair was noticeably disheveled.


    And Damien¡¯s shirt was slightly creased.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to deduce what the two had just done¡­


    rm bells instantly started ringing in Syatt¡¯s heart!


    It can¡¯t be!


    He gritted his teeth and red at Damien in a hostile manner. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Damien crossed his arms and leaned against the door. He looked at Syatt with his dark eyes. ¡°Who do


    you


    think I am?¡±


    1/2


    Syatt clenched his teeth. He turned to look at Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw, who is this man?¡±


    Cherise was solely focused on quickly getting rid of Syatt. She hadn¡¯t expected Damien to suddenly


    appear.


    Upon hearing Syatt¡¯s words, the woman turned.


    When she saw Damien and Syatt standing together, she pped her forehead in despair. Her worst


    fear wasing true.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The recent memory of Syatt pestering her supervisor, the hospital director, and everyone she knew to


    dere his love for her was still fresh in her mind.


    If Syatt and Damien meet¡­


    The woman took a deep breath and looked at Syatt in frustration.


    ¡°This is my ex-husband.¡±


    Syatt stood frozen, staring at Cherise in disbelief. ¡°Ex-husband!?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, didn¡¯t you say that your ex-husband passed away long ago?¡±


    Cherise and Damien were dumbstruck.


    Is this woman spreading rumors that I¡¯m dead while I¡¯m not around?


    Cherise coughed awkwardly. She turned away and dared not meet Damien¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, he¡­ he


    returned. from the dead,¡±


    Damien and Syatt were dumbfounded.


    Can ex-husbandse back from the dead?


    ¡°So why were you in the same room as your ex-husband, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    After a moment, Syatt regained hisposure. ¡°Did he coerce you into doing anything?¡±


    Cherise was slightly taken aback and quickly shook her head, ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    Syatt frowned and looked at Cherise suspiciously. ¡°So what were you two doing in there¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s head hurt.


    She took a deep breath. ¡°My ex-husband is feeling unwell, so I was attending to him.¡±


    Syatt had connections with many people in the hospital. She didn¡¯t want the entire hospital to be aware


    of her rtionship and interactions with Damien.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560


    Chapter 560 Let¡¯s Have Lunch Together


    Cherise smiled at Syatt and said, ¡°As you know, I am bound by a doctor¡¯s duty of care.¡±


    ¡°Even though he is my ex-husband, I still feel obligated to help when he falls ill and requires care¡­¡±


    Syatt looked at Cherise with admiration and said, ¡°Dr. Shaw, you are indeed thepassionate angel I


    had imagined!¡±


    Cherise was surprised.


    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Well, Mr. Posten, didn¡¯t you request a check-up?¡±


    ¡°Come here¡­¡±


    Syatt eagerly approached Cherise. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Shaw!¡±


    Cherise coughed lightly. ¡°Alright, please sit down. Let me examine you¡­¡±


    Damien leaned against the door, crossed his arms, and observed the woman and the man sitting


    together before walking over.


    Cherise took out the heart rate monitor she always carried and began assessing Syatt¡¯s heart rate.


    ¡°Your heart rate¡­¡±


    Damien leaned against the wall, a smile ying on his lips as he looked at the device in Cherise¡¯s


    hand. ¡°Mr. Posten, your heart rate seems abnormal. You should go home and rest.¡±


    Syatt frowned and subconsciously nced at Cherise.


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to his nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Posten, your heart rate is perfectly normal. It¡¯s evident that thest surgery was sessful, and


    you don¡¯t need any further check-ups in the near future.¡±


    Cherise offered Syatt a polite smile. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    Syatt pursed his lips. ¡°Dr. Shaw, when can I visit you at the hospital next?¡±


    ¡°In three months.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and pondered. ¡°Please call to schedule an appointment before youe


    in three months.¡±


    She nned to take the day off.


    Syatt clenched his fists in excitement. ¡°Alright!¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    After saying that, he checked the time. ¡°Dr. Shaw, have you had lunch yet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still lunchtime. May I invite you to join me?¡±


    Cherise wrinkled her brows. Before she could respond, Damien answered on her behalf. ¡°That¡¯s a


    splendid. suggestion.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Dr. Shaw didn¡¯t eat much at lunch today.¡±


    And it was all spicy food.


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    Syatt rubbed his hands in glee. ¡°Tll have the chef prepare food immediately!¡±


    Cherise frowned and turned to re at Damien.


    The man ignored her gaze. ¡°Mr. Posten, I haven¡¯t had lunch either.¡±


    Syatt furrowed his brows and turned to look at Damien. ¡°I invited Dr. Shaw to lunch, not you. Why are


    you getting involved?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her ex-husband,¡±


    Damien crossed his arms and smiled faintly at Syatt. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Dr. Shaw doesn¡¯t want


    us to


    meet?¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    Syatt wrinkled his brows. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I know a lot about Dr. Shaw¡¯s past, and she certainly doesn¡¯t want you to know.¡±


    After that, the man sighed lightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to invite me to lunch, Mr. Posten, let¡¯s forget it¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Syatt pursed his lips and called out to Damien. ¡°Um¡­ let¡¯s have lunch together¡­¡±


    The restaurant in Lermille¡¯srgest five-star hotel, Syatt Hotel, was quiet.


    Syatt had the hotel manager clear the restaurant to host Cherise and Damien.


    Only Syatt, Cherise, and Damien were in the vast restaurant.


    The three of them sat strangely at a rectangr table.


    Cherise sat on one side while Syatt and Damien sat across from her.


    From their respective positions, it felt as though Cherise was facing them.


    2/2

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561


    Chapter 561 Still The Same


    Shortly after settling down, a waiter served their dishes.


    Damien reclinedfortably in his plush chair, a smile ying on his lips as he surveyed the spread


    before him.


    It was evident that Syatt had gone to great lengths to cater to Cherise¡¯s preferences. Otherwise, the


    table¡¯s array of dishes wouldn¡¯t have perfectly aligned with her taste.


    This realization prompted Damien to nce at Cherise with a subtle smile. He asked Syatt, ¡°Did you


    prepare all of Cherise¡¯s favorite dishes?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Syatt looked very pleased with himself. ¡°I¡¯ve even bribed the hospital staff to slowly discover Dr. Shaw¡¯s


    favorite food.¡±


    Damien nodded. He shifted his gaze to Cherise and remarked, ¡°I¡¯m surprised your preferences are still


    the same after all these years, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    The underlying implication in his words wasn¡¯t lost on Cherise.


    Her face paled.


    She understood that Damien had intentionally said it to ridicule her previous assertion at the Mexican


    restaurant that he didn¡¯t know her.


    She conceded that she hadn¡¯t changed much in the past five years and hadn¡¯t put on a facade in front


    of Damien in the past.


    She had only made that statement to put some distance between them.


    It unexpectedly became a tool for Damien to taunt her.


    The woman coughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m quite hungry. I¡¯ll start eating.¡±


    With her ex-husband and current suitor seated across from her, it would be a lie if Cherise said she


    didn¡¯t feel ufortable.


    The most effective way to mask her difort was to focus on her meal.


    She began eating, disregarding any pretense of decorum.


    Syatt watched Cherise eat with an adoring gaze. He sighed softly, ¡°You look so attractive even when


    you¡¯re eating, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Damien was dumbstruck.


    He frowned and nced at the man beside him.


    Syatt seemed to look at Cherise with rose-tinted sses. Despite Damien being Cherise¡¯s ex-husband,


    Syatt seemed more infatuated with Cherise.


    Damien cleared his throat and began eating. He casually asked, ¡°How did you get to know Dr. Shaw?¡±


    111


    1/2


    ther hospital, of course?¡±


    Wart watched Cherise eat with a smile on his face. He said beamingly. Tve had a weak heart since I


    was young I underwent a heart transnt surgery six months ago, personally led by Dr Shaw, and she


    took care of me post-operation¡±


    ¡°I was hospitalized for over five months and was only discharged just two weeks ago.¡±


    Throughout those five months. Dr. Shaw was my primary physician.¡±


    With that, he looked at Damien smugly. ¡°Dr. Shaw and I spent a lot of time together for more than five


    months. You wouldn¡¯t understand our bond?¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough?¡±


    Across from them. Cherise nearly choked on her food.


    Damien merely smiled faintly and slid a napkin towards Cherise. ¡°So, are you aware of my history with


    Dr. Shaw?


    Syatt shook his head. ¡°No¡±


    With that, he ttened his lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t you join us for lunch to tell me about your past with her!


    ¡°I did


    Damien responded with an indifferent smile. He looked up at Cherise, who was slightly pale but still


    ating earnestly. ¡°But why don¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡±


    Firstly, it¡¯s not nice for me to discuss my past with Dr Shaw in front of her. I¡¯m afraid I might stir up


    painful memories for her


    ¡°Secondly, Dr. Shaw hasn¡¯t finished her meal yet. We can¡¯t disturb her meal, can we


    Syatt thought about it and agreed. He stood and addressed Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw, enjoy your meal and


    take your time. We¡¯ll step outside for a chat


    Before Cherise could respond, the two men had already risen and departed together in the clevator


    Cherise was bbergasted


    Syart watched Cherise eat with a smile on his face. He said beamingly. Tve had a weak heart since I


    was young. Funderwent a heart transnt surgery six months ago, personally led by Dr. Shaw, and


    she took care of me post-operation¡±


    hospitalized for over five months and was only discharged just two weeks ago.


    ¡°Throughout those five months, Dr. Shaw was my primary physician.¡±


    With that, he looked at Damien smugly. ¡°Dr. Shaw and I spent a lot of time together for more than five


    months. You wouldn¡¯t understand our bond!¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    Across from them. Cherise nearly choked on her food.


    Damien merely smiled faintly and slid a napkin towards Cherise. ¡°So, are you aware of my history with


    Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Syatt shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    With that, he ttened his lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t you join us for lunch to tell me about your past with her?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Damien responded with an indifferent smile. He looked up at Cherise, who was slightly pale but still.


    rating earnestly. ¡°But why don¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s not nice for me to discuss my past with De Shaw in front of her. I¡¯m afraid I might stir up


    painful memories for her¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Secondly, Dr. Shaw hasn¡¯t finished her meal yet. We can¡¯t disturb her meal, can we


    Syatt thought about it and agreed. He stood and addressed Cherise, Dr. Shaw, enjoy your meal and


    take your time. We¡¯ll step outside for a chat.¡±


    Before Cherise could respond, the two men had already risen and departed together in the elevator


    Cherise was bbergasted

 Chapter 562

    Chapter 562


    Chapter 562 You¡¯re Not Worth It


    She stood up and was about to follow, but stopped after a few steps.


    Never mind.


    Let them do as they please.


    She had considered getting rid of them, so their departure was rather convenient.


    Therefore, she resumed eating with a clear conscience. Once she finished, she even settled the bill at


    the


    restaurant.


    Ten minutester, she gracefully descended from the elevator to the hotel lobby on the ground floor.


    She overheard the panicked voice of the hotel receptionist. ¡°Hello, is this Adania Hospital?¡±


    ¡°Please dispatch an ambnce quickly. Mr. Posten has copsed¡­¡±


    I¡¯m not sure of the cause. It seems he got into a fight¡­¡±


    Cherise froze in her tracks.


    She hurried towards the reception. ¡°Did you say Syatt Posten copsed?¡±


    Upon recognizing Cherise, the receptionist nodded quickly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, please check on him! Mr. Posten


    seems to have had a fight and copsed¡­¡±


    You¡¯re aware of his heart condition, right?!¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes. After confirming Syatt¡¯s room number, she dashed towards the elevator.


    Syatt was on the twenty-third floor.


    Just as Cherise stepped out of the elevator on the twenty-third floor, she bumped into Damien, who


    was about to go down.


    He clearly hadn¡¯t expected to run into Cherise here. Therefore, a surprised smile appeared on his lips.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°What brings me here?!¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists at her sides.


    I should have known!


    Damien is so possessive. I experienced this firsthand five years ago!


    With his almost obsessive possessiveness, how can he peacefully get along with Syatt, who has


    always been infatuated


    with me?!


    I shouldn¡¯t have trusted his lie about discussing our past with Syatt!


    The woman gritted her teeth. Looking up, she red icily at Damien, ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°You were just with Syatt, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    J


    1/2


    ¡°What did you do to him?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows fiercely. He sensed that the woman in front of him was in a bad mood.


    But he couldn¡¯t understand why she felt that way.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to him.¡±


    He had simply told Syatt about his past with Cherise.


    ¡°Heh. If you didn¡¯t do anything to Syatt, why did he copse?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, looked up, and red icily at Damien. ¡°Remember that I¡¯m no longer the


    Cherise I used to be. I¡¯m not your woman anymore.¡±


    ¡°Syatt¡¯s pursuit and affection for me is between me and him. You have no right to interfere!¡±


    Damien frowned. He looked at her with his deep eyes and spoke in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Why


    can¡¯t I interfere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your wife!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been divorced for a long time!¡±


    Cherise shook off Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°I actually considered giving you a second chance.¡±


    ¡°But after some thought, I changed my mind. You¡¯re not worth it!¡±


    With that, the woman shrugged off Damien¡¯s hand and sprinted towards Syatt¡¯s room.


    Damien stood still. His eyes narrowed fiercely.


    Shortly after, the hospital ambnce arrived.


    Cherise and the hotel staff lifted Syatt onto the stretcher and left in the ambnce.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    As she climbed into the ambnce outside the hotel, she saw Damien standing at the entrance. He


    watched her board the ambnce with a serious expression.


    The woman gritted her teeth and mmed the ambnce door.


    He¡¯s not worth it!


    Their rtionship clearly wasn¡¯t the same as it was five years ago. Damien would still need time to win


    Cherise over again.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 563

    Chapter 563


    Chapter 563 Damien Isn¡¯t Like That


    They had a strained rtionship, yet he dared to behave so boldly towards a man who was courting


    her.


    Moreover, Syatt was her patient!


    He had already informed Damien about his heart condition as well!


    But Damien still got into a fight with Syatt, causing Syatt to faint!


    She hadn¡¯t seen Damien for five years, and he had changed beyond recognition!


    On the way from the hotel to the hospital, Cherise was worried about Syatt and disappointed in


    Damien.


    Damien hadpletely let her down.


    She knew he would never have assaulted a patient five years ago, even if he wasn¡¯t very


    But now¡­


    The woman closed her eyes. Has he really be so ruthless just to win me back?


    Perhaps a man like him¡­ truly doesn¡¯t deserve another chance.


    The ambnce arrived at the hospital shortly after.


    Syatt was immediately rushed into the emergency room.


    Lucy hurried over. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Syatt Posten¡¯s heart been stable recently? I repeatedly warned his family not to upset him. Why


    did¡­¡±


    Cherise sat on a bench with her head in her hands. She felt guilty. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    She was solely focused on getting rid of Damien and Syatt. However, she overlooked the fact that the


    current Damien was a different man from five years ago.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Upon hearing Cherise¡¯s exnation, Lucy was so shocked that it took her a moment topose


    herself.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    The woman took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t like Damien and have always had a dislike for him.¡±


    ¡°But it might not be what it seems. Damien isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe that he¡¯s someone who would assault a sick person


    either.¡±


    ¡°But if it wasn¡¯t him, how did the handprint appear on Syatt¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Besides him, who else in Syatt Hotel would dare to p Syatt Posten?¡±


    Lucy was surprised. She fell silent.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    1/2


    After a while, she still shook her head. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Damien would do such a thing.


    ¡°His w is wavering between you and his family, but he wouldn¡¯t do something so immoral.¡±


    Cherise looked up at Lucy, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Lucy nodded. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe a person¡¯s character changes so easily.¡±


    After that, she looked directly at Cherise. ¡°In any case, you used to have feelings for him. Don¡¯t you¡­


    trust.


    him?¡±


    Cherise shook her head, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Five years was more than enough time for someone to change.


    After working in the hospital for the past few years, she had witnessed countless goodbyes and too


    many people changing their minds.


    Five years. Cherise hadn¡¯t seen Damien for five


    years.


    He was now the ruthless head of the Lenoir household.


    She couldn¡¯t believe it. She didn¡¯t want to believe it¡­


    Perhaps she had lost faith in him when he chose Maeve over her five years ago¡­


    Lucy sighed. She reached out to pat Cherise¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯ll know when Syatt regains consciousness.¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    The two women waited outside the emergency room for over half an hour.


    Half an hourter, the emergency room door opened, and the nurse wheeled Syatt to a nearby ward.


    The doctor who had performed emergency treatment on Syatt came out and patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°The patient specifically requested to see you.


    Cherise quickly stood up and rushed into the ward.


    Inside the room, Syatt was leaning against the headboard with a pale expression. He looked at Cherise


    tearfully. ¡°Dr. Shaw¡­¡±


    |||

 Chapter 564

    Chapter 564


    Chapter 564 I Hit Myself


    Upon seeing his tear-streaked face, Cherise felt overwhelming sympathy. She approached him, pursing


    her lips, and handed him a tissue while reassuring him. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Syatt took a deep breath and epted the tissue with a pitiful expression, wiping away his tears. ¡°Dr.


    Shaw, I¡¯m distraught.¡±


    Cherise sat by his bedside, her lips still pursed, and gentlyforted him. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s all in the


    now.¡±


    ¡°I assure you that Damien will never appear before you again.¡±


    Syatt¡¯s hand froze as he wiped his tears.


    He looked up at Cherise tearfully. ¡°Why?¡±


    Why?


    It¡¯s obviously to protect you from harm!


    Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s for your safety. Moving forward¡­¡±


    ¡°For my safety?¡±


    Syatt was taken aback. ¡°Dr. Shaw, have you misunderstood something?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    past


    Syatt¡¯s tearful eyes blinked. ¡°Damien and I are now as close as brothers. From now on, I¡¯ll refer to him


    as Mr. Lenoir out of respect.¡±


    Cherise was so taken aback that she was momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you¡­ have a fight with Damien?¡±


    ¡°A fight?¡±


    Now it was Syatt¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°Why would I have a fight with him?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°What about the handprint on your face¡­


    ¡°This?¡±


    Syatt touched the swollen handprint mark on his face. ¡°I hit myself.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    She had previously assured Lucy that no one else in Syatt Hotel, apart from Damien, would dare to


    p Syatt.


    ww


    1/2


    She now stood corrected.


    Because, other than Damien, Syatt could also p himself¡­.


    She looked somewhat upset. ¡°Why did you p yourself?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Because I shouldn¡¯t have pursued you, Mrs. Lenoir¡­¡±


    Syatt looked up at Cherise with a pitiful expression. ¡°Dr. Shaw, no, Mrs. Lenoir. You¡¯ll be Mrs. Lenoir to


    me from now on.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


    What an unexpected turn of events!


    ¡°You pped yourself and passed out?¡±


    ¡°Why were you so worked up that you pped yourself and passed out?¡±


    Faced with Cherise¡¯s barrage of angry questions, Syatt pursed his lips, looking like a child caught red-


    handed. ¡°Well, after we entered that room, Mr. Lenoir told me about your past with him, Dr. Shaw,¡±


    ¡°He also told me how he searched for you in the past five years.¡±


    ¡°I was so overwhelmed with emotion and felt a great deal of respect for Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°After he left, I thought about how I had pursued you when Mr. Lenoir was away and felt very upset with


    myself, so I pped myself twice out of anger. Then, I felt dizzy¡­¡±


    Cherise was stupefied.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you Damien isn¡¯t like that?¡±


    As they sat in the office, Lucy poured Cherise a cup of tea before shaking her head lightly. ¡°Syatt has


    always been unpredictable. A stray animal is more trustworthy than him.¡±


    Cherise slumped over the desk. ¡°I really misunderstood Damien.¡±


    She closed her eyes. The image of the man standing alone at the hotel entrance, looking so lonely and


    deste, still haunted her.


    He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to her patient.


    Yet she had berated and used him of doing so.


    She sighed helplessly, covering her face with her hands. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Damien must think I¡¯m unreasonable, overly aggressive, and irrational.


    2/2

 Chapter 565

    Chapter 565


    Chapter 565 Another Chance


    It¡¯s Syatt¡¯s fault!


    ¡°Maybe I should apologize,¡± Lucy suggested.


    She casually sipped her coffee and flipped through a magazine across the table. ¡°What other options


    do you have?¡±


    ¡°He came all this way to pursue you, only to be scared off on the first day. That¡¯s not fair.¡±


    Cherise remained silent.


    Her eyes were fixed on Lucy. ¡°Lulu, do you think I should give him a chance?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but your words and actions suggest that he still holds a ce in your heart.¡±


    ¡°If you truly didn¡¯t care for him as you imed, you wouldn¡¯t be concerned about how you treated him.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s someone you don¡¯t care for, why should his opinion of you matter?¡±


    Cherise was left speechless. She couldn¡¯t argue with Lucy¡¯s words.


    Lucy is right¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but care.


    Cherise bit her lip. ¡°Damien should have a positive impression of me, right?¡±


    ¡°So why not give him another chance?¡±


    Lucy yawned. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t Mr. Carlos and the hospital director introduced you to numerous promising young men over


    the years?¡±


    ¡°Zachary even introduced you to a few men. Have any of them caught your eye?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve shown no interest in any of these men. But when Damien shows up, you¡¯re all over the ce.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t let go, why not give it another shot?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hands clenched tightly. ¡°I¡­¡±


    Even though five years had passed, she couldn¡¯t easily forgive Damien for the pain he had caused her


    back then¡­


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Cherise, stop being so stubborn. When I suggested giving him a chance, I meant


    allowing him to pursue you like Syatt and the others.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be won over so easily?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too grateful for every little thing he does for you. Make him work for it and pursue you for a


    year or two aspensation for the pain he caused you back then before you make any decisions!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    Cherise nodded. She gently sipped her drink. ¡°I understand.¡±


    After a moment, she looked up at Lucy again. ¡°Should I apologize for my behavior today?¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡±


    Lucy frowned. ¡°If he¡¯s serious about pursuing you, would a minor misunderstanding discourage him?¡±


    ¡°If this small incident is enough to make him back off, don¡¯t bother giving him a chance. Let him go hist


    own way!¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded lightly.


    Upon seeing the naive girl before her, Lucy sighed in exasperation..


    Others saw Cherise as a mature,posed, experienced, and restrained female doctor.


    But in Lucy¡¯s presence, Cherise was still an innocent girl who needed protection. Cherise liked to


    share. and discuss everything with Lucy.


    With this in mind, Lucy asked Cherise, ¡°Can¡¯t you figure these things out on your own without me


    spelling. it out for you?¡±


    Cherise looked up at Lucy and shook her head.


    She had her own ns for Damien and would have figured it out without Lucy¡¯s advice.


    But her past with Damien still haunted her, and she couldn¡¯t fully move on.


    Lucy¡¯s words encouraged her and provided her with a way forward.


    As it turned out, she wasn¡¯t alone in her thinking. She had people around her who supported her as


    well.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Lucy reached out and tousled Cherise¡¯s hair. ¡°Your mom passed away a long time ago. It¡¯s time to let


    go.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566


    Chapter 566 Damien¡¯s Search


    ¡°He didn¡¯t choose to have such a father or family either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like how you couldn¡¯t believe that your uncle wouldmit arson and murder. Understandably,


    he didn¡¯t believe his father was a rapist.¡±


    ¡°If you have feelings for him, don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    Cherise sighed and rested her weight on the table, exhaling softly.


    After lunch, Cherise made her rounds and checked on her patients in their rooms.


    Syatt was thest patient she visited.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±


    Syatt nodded and eagerly took Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Mrs. Lenoir, when will you reconcile with Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted.


    She found it somewhat amusing. ¡°Did Damien drug you? Why have you suddenly started defending


    him?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t drug me.¡±


    Syatt took a deep breath and pulled out his cell phone. ¡°Mr. Lenoir showed me a video.¡±


    ¡°Take a look.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and leaned in.


    His phone screen yed scenes captured with a handheld video camcorder. The footage showcased


    Shaw¡¯s vige.


    ¡°Cherise, this is Shaw¡¯s vige. You probably don¡¯t recognize it anymore, do you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the money I invested with Jackst time. He really did lead the vige to prosperity.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Shaw and Aunt Wanda moved back while Sky and Tay got into college,¡±


    The scene shifted to a small bridge and river in the vige. ¡°You and ke used to catch fish here, and


    I could only watch from the side.¡±


    ¡°Cherise, many fish are in the river now, and I¡¯d love to catch fish with you. Would youe back to


    me again?


    Cherise¡¯s college campus was shown next. ¡°I asked the dean and your ssmates. They said you like


    to study at this spot in the square every morning.¡±


    ¡°You previously said you wanted me to eat in the cafeteria and study with you.¡±


    ¡°If youe back to me, I¡¯ll do these things with you.¡±


    [1]


    1/2


    Finally, the scene switched to Damien¡¯s stubbled face. ¡°Cherise, this is the thirty-fifth day since I¡¯m


    remorseful and want to find you, but you won¡¯t see me.¡±


    The scenes kept changing.


    ¡°Cherise, this is the sixtieth day I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 120 days.¡±


    ¡°365 days have passed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for 1099 days.¡±


    Damien¡¯s cold face appeared each time. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you toe back.¡±


    The video editing wasn¡¯t perfect, but each scene was enough to bring tears to Cherise¡¯s eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    you left.


    Syatt sighed lightly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir said he started broadcasting this video on advertising screens in major


    cities around the world two years ago, hoping you would know he¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ it seems like you¡¯ve never seen it.¡±


    Cherise stared nkly at the video on Syatt¡¯s phone as she wiped her eyes. The corners of her eyes


    were filled with tears.


    The woman sniffled. ¡°Can you send me a copy of this video?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Syatt nodded and quickly emailed the video to Cherise. ¡°Speaking of which, Dr. Shaw, aren¡¯t you


    moved. by everything Mr. Lenoir has done for you?¡±


    Cherise nodded as she saw the video file in her inbox. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m moved.¡±


    ¡°So, will you two reconcile?¡±


    Syatt still looked at Cherise with the same adoring gaze as before. ¡°Does it mean you¡¯re close to


    forgiving him if you¡¯re moved?¡±


    He looked at Cherise seriously. ¡°Mr. Lenoir is sincere about you, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    ¡°He told me a lot about what happened when he was looking for you all these years when he showed


    me this video earlier this afternoon.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 567

    Chapter 567


    Chapter 567 Is He Giving Up?


    ¡°I havee to understand the difference between him and me.¡±


    ¡°I confessed my love for you, but unlike him, I cannot abandon almost everything in my pursuit to find


    you.¡±


    ¡°I questioned myself. If you were to leave me one day, would I be determined to search relentlessly for


    you for five years?¡±


    As he spoke, the man bowed his head in silence. ¡°Therefore, I pped myself.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,pared to Mr. Lenoir, Ick a true understanding of what love truly entails.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless with surprise as she gazed at Syatt before her.


    Eventually, she let out a light sigh and gently moved Syatt onto the bed. ¡°Alright. I understand.¡±


    ¡°But Syatt, you must prioritize your health no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Whatever happens between Damien and me is our own business. You have heart problems, so avoid


    getting overly agitated and refrain from self-harm without reason. Take responsibility for your own well-


    being, alright?¡±


    After that, she didn¡¯t wait for Syatt to respond and promptly left the ward.


    Cherise let out a long sigh as she left and nced at her cell phone.


    She pur her phone on silent mode and repeatedly watched the scenes that Damien had personally


    documented.


    He went to Adania, Tanner Residence in Europe, Miles Manor in Ziphon, Shaw¡¯s vige, and Adania


    University. He even visited the locations she had written about in her diary, like South America and


    Peru, where she had longed to visit and explore.


    He would record himself searching for any traces of her at each location and annotate it with how many


    days he had been searching.


    As she scrutinized these scenes, Cherise¡¯s emotions were in turmoil.


    It would be a tant lie to im she wasn¡¯t moved.


    But she didn¡¯t necessarily want to forgive him just because she was stirred¡­


    Shey in her office and watched the video for the entire afternoon.


    When it was time to clock out in the evening, Lucy asked curiously while changing, ¡°Did Damiene


    to see you in the afternoon?¡±


    Cherise, who was buttoning her clothes, paused momentarily. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°How strange.¡±


    Lucy raised her eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I hit the nail on the head? Is he giving up so easily?¡±


    ¡°I assumed he would pursue you relentlessly. Turns out, it seems he values his pride more. You


    rebuked


    |||


    1/2


    him at noon, and he¡¯s nowhere to be seen by evening?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and remained silent.


    She deliberately strolled from the hospital to the parking lot.


    Dr. Shaw, are you waiting for someone?¡±


    Doctors and nurses walked past her continuously.


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re walking so slowly. I thought you had ns and were waiting for someone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Do you want toe with us? We¡¯re going out for drinkster!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Dr. Shaw, would you like to join us? We¡¯ve never had drinks with you.¡±


    Cherise waved awkwardly. She turned to unlock the car door with her car keys. ¡°Not today. I need to


    pick. my children up from kindergarten.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I see. What a shame¡­¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The doctors and nurses walked away dejectedly. Cherise let out a long sigh and finally settled into the


    driver¡¯s seat.


    Forget it.


    I should be happy since Damien no longer wants to bother me. Why should I feel disappointed?


    He loves me deeply? So what if he broadcasted the video of his search for me on screens in major


    cities globally and searched for me relentlessly for five long years¡­


    It¡¯s all a lie!


    A charade!


    I only rebuked him impulsively before getting to the bottom of things!


    But he quickly backed away and was nowhere to be seen for the entire afternoon. Hepletely


    stopped pestering and disturbing me!


    2/2

 Chapter 568

    Chapter 568


    Chapter 568 Cherise¡¯s Sce


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Why would he portray himself as someone who searched for me relentlessly over five years if he¡¯s


    unsure of his feelings for me?


    What a jerk!


    She silently berated him as she started the car before speeding off towards the kindergarten.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    When the car stopped in front of the kindergarten, Serafina sprinted towards Cherise with her arms


    wide. open. ¡°Mommy, I missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, your eyes are so pretty. They¡¯re like stars in the sky!¡±


    Behind her, Soren curled his lips in disdain. His backpack was slung over his shoulder, and he seemed.


    wise beyond his years. ¡°She just picked up that line from a cartoon earlier today, and she¡¯s already.


    repeating it. You¡¯re like a parrot!¡±


    Serafina looked aggrieved as she nestled in Cherise¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Ren is being mean!¡±


    Cherise smiled in exasperation and turned to look at Soren. ¡°Don¡¯t bully your sister.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Soren opened the car door somewhat grumpily. Despite his squabble with Serafina, he still behaved in


    a dignified manner as he pouted at his sister. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    Serafina snorted, She let go of Cherise and mbered into the back seat awkwardly.


    She didn¡¯t have to struggle so much in the past!


    She was pretty spoiled. Cherise would always carry her into the car whenever she threw a tantrum.


    She never had to scramble in herself.


    But Soren insisted they should be more considerate of Cherise as her children. He said she must have


    been exhausted after a day¡¯s work, so they shouldn¡¯t burden her by asking her to carry them.


    Otherwise, he would tattle to the kindergarten teachers about theic books stashed in Serafina¡¯s


    desk.


    Therefore, Serafina had to clumsily obey Soren¡¯s instructions daily.


    Cherise watched the two children mber into the car with a warm smile on her face.


    Her annoyance at Damien instantly vanished at the sight of her two adorable children.


    They were her sce.


    When Charisa passed away¡­ Cherise was devastated for a long time. She even felt that her life had


    lost its meaning. She barely ate and eventually ended up in the hospital due to malnutrition.


    It was revealed that she was pregnant with twins at the hospital.


    Cherise had no choice but to gather her strength, work diligently, and continue to strive to live for the


    sake of the two tiny lives growing inside her.


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    And just like that, five years had flown by.


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    Seated in the backseat, Soren frowned as he picked up a cufflink that had fallen onto the seat. ¡°What is


    this?¡±


    Cherise was slightly taken aback. This cufflink¡­


    ¡°Um, that¡¯s a button that fell off my clothes a few days ago.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He frowned skeptically, scrutinizing the cufflink.


    It was clearly a man¡¯srge cufflink.


    Soren scoffed. He recalled the WhatsApp message from this morning. ¡®Let¡¯s see who will win.¡±¡±


    Heh. Soren scoffed and pocketed the cufflink.


    Did that man deliberately leave the cufflink to taunt me?


    Cherise returned to the modest apartment where she resided with her two children.


    The woman parked her car and opened the car door. ¡°Ren, Sera, you can get out of the car!¡±


    The little girl in a pristine, white princess dress slowly exited the car.


    Behind her, Soren carefully stepped out of the car with his backpack.


    ¡°What should we have for dinner tonight?¡±


    Cherise asked casually as she locked the car.


    ¡°We still have tomatoes at home. Let¡¯s make tomato sandwiches.¡±


    Soren was mature beyond his years. He carried his sister¡¯s backpack in one hand and held his sister¡¯s


    hand in the other. ¡°Serafina had many tomato sandwiches at kindergarten today. I guess she¡¯s craving


    it.¡±

 Chapter 569

    Chapter 569


    Chapter 569 What Brings You Here?


    Serafina was surprised, her eyes widening. I¡¯m not!¡±


    It was because all the other dishes prepared by the lunchdy were salty. Only the tomato sandwiches.


    were sweet. That was why she had eaten so many tomato sandwiches!


    She didn¡¯t have a craving for them!


    Soren red at her and whispered. ¡°Mommy isn¡¯t in the best mood today. Just eat something simple.¡±


    ¡°When she¡¯s feeling better, we¡¯ll ask her to treat us to a fancy meal.¡±


    Serafina nodded, reassured by Soren. She looked up at Cherise and smiled, ¡°Mommy, can I have


    tomato sandwiches tonight?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cherise smiled and pressed the elevator button in front of the two children.


    The elevator arrived at their floor quickly.


    ¡°Mrs¡­¡±


    The elevator door opened, and Mr. Hampson looked at Cherise, somewhat flustered. ¡°Did¡­ did you


    just finish work?¡±


    As he spoke, he involuntarily nced at the two children beside Cherise.


    The two toddlers, especially the older boy¡­


    He bore a striking resemnce to Mr. Lenoir as a child!


    Mr. Hampson was very excited. He finally understood why Mr. Lenoir was certain that Cherise¡¯s


    children. were his.


    It was evident from the boy¡¯s appearance and demeanor. There was no need for a DNA test to confirm


    that this was Mr. Lenoir¡¯s son!


    But he remembered Mr. Lenoir¡¯s instructions and dared not express his excitement.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Cherise instinctively shielded the two children behind her. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I came¡­¡±


    Mr. Hampson coughed lightly. ¡°I came to visit my rtives!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I have rtives living here!¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡±


    Afraid of revealing too much, Mr. Hampson quickly smiled at Cherise. ¡°Please go ahead. I have some


    |||


    1/2


    business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving!¡±


    After responding and watching Mr. Hampson leave, she furrowed her brows and ushered the two


    children. into the elevator.


    ¡°Mommy, is that man one of your patients?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. She nodded, ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The child looked meaningfully in Mr. Hampson¡¯s direction.


    After the three returned home, Cherise changed the children¡¯s outfits. After changing her own clothes,


    she put on an apron and headed to the kitchen.


    Soren and Serafina had requested tomato sandwiches for dinner.


    She opened the fridge and found tomatoes and eggs but realized she was out of salt.


    ¡°Ren and Sera, behave at home. Mommy is going out to buy salt.¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Soren, who had just changed, quickly ran over. ¡°Let me buy it!¡±


    As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to Cherise. ¡°Give me the money, please!¡±


    Cherise took money out of her pocket. ¡°Buy two jars.¡±


    Although Soren was only five years old, he was very clever. It wasn¡¯t his first time running errands.


    Cherise had been worried at first but now feltpletely at ease.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t enough, Mommy.¡±,


    Soren blinked at Cherise. ¡°I need an ice cream to make up for the calories burned from going


    downstairs.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t eat an ice cream alone with Sera watching, So, Mommy, you must give me enough money


    for two ice creams!¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Cherise looked at her intelligent, five-year-old son in exasperation. ¡°Mr. Know-It-All.¡±


    With that, she took out more money from her pocket and gave it to him. ¡°You can buy nicer ice creams


    today.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Serafina, dressed in pink bunny pajamas, pped happily. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Mommy!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 570

    Chapter 570


    Chapter 570 Strawberries


    Cherise nced at Soren with frustration. ¡°Please hurry back.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After hearing her son¡¯s response, Cherise turned and headed towards the kitchen.


    Before Soren left, he reminded Serafina, ¡°Wait at home. I¡¯ll be back with ice cream shortly!¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The girl nodded, her round head bobbing. ¡°I want strawberry ice cream!¡±


    Once Soren had departed, she settled on the sofa to watch cartoons, but her thoughts were already


    drifting towards him.


    Did Ren hear me ask for strawberry ice cream?


    If he gets the wrong one, can he exchange it?


    She grew more anxious as she pondered. When Cherise was preupied, Serafina opened the door


    and stood in the hallway, awaiting Soren¡¯s return.


    Ren told me not to wander off, but waiting for him at the elevator wouldn¡¯t count as wandering, right?


    Just as the little girl was eagerly anticipating her brother¡¯s return, the door of the house opposite theirs.


    opened with a click.


    The scent of strawberries wafted out from the door!


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She curiously peered towards the house.


    The house next door had been vacant since they moved in. When did someone move in?


    Her eyes widened with curiosity, and she stealthily peeked at that house¡­


    Strawberries!


    An abundance of strawberries!


    The coffee table in the living room of that house wasden with bright red strawberries!


    Serafina gulped. She cautiously walked towards the door of that house.


    Just as she was about to enter, she suddenly remembered something and stepped back.


    No. I can¡¯t eat other people¡¯s food or enter their houses!


    She averted her gaze and refused to look at the crimson strawberries. She began to earnestly count


    the numbers on the elevator instead.


    Hurry back, Ren!


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    1/2


    A deep voice suddenly echoed in her ear.


    Serafina was startled and quickly looked up.


    Standing at the door of that house was a tall andnky man.


    The man bore a striking resemnce to Soren!


    Upon seeing his daughter¡¯s shocked expression, Damien smiled faintly and crouched down to meet her


    gaze. ¡°I¡¯m having a problem. Can you help me?¡±


    Serafina instinctively retreated. Her childlike voice timidly echoed. ¡°How can I help you, mister?¡±


    The man pointed at the pile of strawberries on his sofa in his house, looking somewhat distressed. ¡°I


    can¡¯t possibly finish all these strawberries.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll go bad if I keep them for another day. What should I do?¡±


    Serafina looked where his finger was pointing and nced at the strawberries. She unconsciously


    gulped. ¡°Then you¡­ should quickly finish them.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like strawberries.¡±


    ¡°Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°Mommy said not to eat food from strangers.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not strangers. We¡¯re neighbors.¡±


    ¡°Mommy said not to eat food from unfamiliar neighbors either.¡±


    ¡°Mister, why don¡¯t you like strawberries?¡±


    Sitting on the sofa in her pink bunny pajamas, Serafina munched on strawberries while looking up at


    Damien with her big eyes. ¡°Strawberries are so tasty. Why don¡¯t you like them?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t.¡±


    Damien sat beside her, smiling as he observed her. ¡°Do you like strawberries?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡±


    Serafina nodded vigorously. ¡°But my brother said strawberries are expensive. Mommy can¡¯t buy them


    all


    the time.¡±


    ¡°Mommy works very hard!¡±


    Damien¡¯s gaze dimmed.


    ¡°Did your mommy or your brother tell you this?¡±


    ¡°My brother!¡±

 Chapter 571

    Chapter 571


    Chapter 571 I¡¯m Not Hungry


    Serafina beamed with a radiant smile. ¡°Ren said Mommy is going through a tough time.¡±


    ¡°But Mommy said she¡¯s alright.¡±


    I¡¯m confused, I don¡¯t know if Mommy is really struggling.¡±


    ¡°Your mommy¡­


    Damien raised his hand and tousled her dark hair. ¡°She must be going through a tough time.¡±


    ¡°Ren thinks so too!¡±


    The man nodded in agreement.


    For the past five years, Cherise had been singlehandedly taking care of two children.


    She had refused financial support from Zachary and assistance from Beckham. She chose to work and


    raise her children alone.


    Damien shook his head in resignation.


    She was as stubborn as she was five years ago, beyond any hope of change.


    Once she set her mind on something, she persevered, no matter how challenging or exhausting it was.


    She had made a decision regarding both the children and her job. Thus, she refused any financial aid


    from the Tanner and Miles families.


    She was stubborn but also unwavering.


    ¡°Mister, do you have strawberries here every day


    Serafina¡¯s innocent voice snapped Damien out of this thoughts.


    The man smiled softly. ¡°Yes, every day.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Do you want toe and eat strawberries every day?¡±


    ¡°That might be a bit difficult.¡±


    The little girl frowned


    She pondered for a moment, feeling distressed. ¡°Mommy was distracted today, so I managed to sneak


    out unnoticed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about next time.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked at Damien earnestly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, mister. If I have time, I¡¯ll definitely


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Damien smiled, raising his hand to wipe off the red stains from the little girl¡¯s face with a napkin.


    A message from ke shed on his phone. ¡®He¡¯s back.


    |||


    1/2


    At this moment, the man reluctantly looked at the little girl on the sofa. ¡°Your brother ising back.


    You should go to the elevator and wait for him.¡±


    After that, he handed the little girl a card. ¡°This is the card to my house. There¡¯ll be strawberries here


    every day in the future. You can sneak over and eat them whenever you have time.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The child epted the card gleefully. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, mister!¡±


    She tucked the card into her pocket, left reluctantly, and stood beside the elevator.


    The elevator arrived shortly.


    Soren emerged from the elevator carrying two jars of salt and two ice creams. He coolly handed both


    ice creams to his sister. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay home and not wander off?¡±


    ¡°I was worried!¡±


    Serafina turned away guiltily and followed Soren home.


    Damien sat at home and watched the two children enter the house one after the other through the


    surveince camera in the corridor. A faint smile appeared on the corners of his lips.


    ¡°We can eat after you finish your ice creams!¡±


    Cherise hadn¡¯t noticed that her daughter had snuck out. She cheerfully instructed her children while.


    cing food on the table.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Serafina sat on the sofa, licking her ice cream, secretly sighing sorrowfully.


    Strawberry ice cream isn¡¯t as good as fresh strawberries!


    As Serafina slowly finished her ice cream, Cherise¡¯s food had cooled.


    Soren walked over when he saw his sister taking her time. He wiped ice cream stains from the corners


    of her mouth. ¡°Go wash your hands. It¡¯s time for dinner!¡±


    Serafina frowned. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    She had eaten an ice cream and many strawberries at Damien¡¯s house. She was already full and


    couldn¡¯t cat anything else.


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re eating?¡±


    Soren hadn¡¯t bought arge ice cream for Serafina. It was probably only three to four ounces. Although


    ice cream is high in calories, it shouldn¡¯t be enough to fill her up, right?

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572


    Chapter 572 I¡¯m Not Feeling Well


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Serafina patted her belly, feeling slightly embarrassed. ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore!¡±.


    ¡°Mommy, Ren, eat slowly. I¡¯m going to watch cartoons over here!¡±


    Cherise returned to the dining table, casting a suspicious nce at Soren. She lowered her voice,


    ¡°What did you give her to eat?¡±


    Soren looked perplexed, ¡°I only bought her ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Soren was equally puzzled, ¡°She usually eats more than me every day. But tonight¡­


    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s not feeling well.¡±


    Cherise sighed faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll leave work early tomorrow and take her to the hospital.¡±


    Soren nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Serafina, who was watching her cartoons from a distance, was oblivious to the seriousness of the


    situation.


    She was secretly nning how to sneak over to Damien¡¯s house to eat strawberries again tomorrow¡­


    After Cherise bathed the two children and tucked them into bed at night, she couldn¡¯t sleep. She went


    to the balcony to look at the stars.


    There was no news from Damien at all.


    She held her phone, repeatedly reying the video Syatt had sent her.


    Was I really that bad-tempered this afternoon?


    Was my temper so bad that¡­ it made Damien give up even though he had been searching for me for


    five years? Does he not want to approach me anymore?


    She sighed and deleted the video from her phone, feeling the cool night breeze,


    Forget it.


    So be it if he doesn¡¯t want to approach me again.


    After all, she had survived the past five years without him.


    The next afternoon, Cherise left work early and picked up the two children from kindergarten.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well!¡±


    Serafina cried on the way to the hospital. With tears streaming down her face, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to


    go to the hospital!¡±


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    O


    1/2


    ¡°Dr. Lovell is so scary!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll give me an injection!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want an injection!¡±


    Soren rolled his eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯re not eating properly and yet you im you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Mommy is doing this for your own good.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well! Boohoo!¡±


    The little girl wailed. ¡°I¡¯ll eat well today!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see the doctor!¡±


    The little girl¡¯s cries tugged at Cherise¡¯s heartstrings.


    Her hands froze on the steering wheel. ¡°Do you promise you¡¯ll eat properly from now on?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡±


    The little girl wiped her tears, crying pitifully. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely eat well!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and turned the car around. ¡°You must see the doctor if you skip meals


    again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Soren leaned back in his seat. frustrated, and nced at Cherise, ¡°Ms. Cherise Shaw, shouldn¡¯t you be


    less


    soft-hearted as a doctor?¡±


    Cherise shrugged nonchntly. She nced at Serafina¡¯s flushed, tear-streaked face in the rearview.


    mirror. ¡°You do it since you¡¯re so aloof.¡±


    Soren was taken aback. He turned and looked at Serafina.


    Before him, the little girl¡¯s big ck eyes were still filled with tears. She looked at him pitifully, ¡°Ren,


    don¡¯t you love me?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s voice was soft and tearful, coupled with her usual innocent. gaze¡­


    Soren¡¯s body stiffened.


    A momentter, the little boy turned to look out the car window as heined to Cherise in a huff.


    ¡°You¡¯re our mommy. Why do I have to y the bad guy as her brother?¡±


    Cherise smiled exasperatedly.


    Between her two children, Soren was only five minutes older than Serafina. However, Cherise worried.


    about how mature he seemed.


    Although he seemed to treat his sister disdainfully on the surface, Cherise knew he actually cared for


    the little girl even more than she did.


    |||

 Chapter 573

    Chapter 573


    Chapter 573 Sour Strawberries


    As Cherise thought about it, she nced at Serafina in the rearview mirror, who was still wiping her


    tears. with her tiny hands miserably. ¡°Alright, stop crying.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to eat well tonight!¡±


    Serafina nodded furiously.


    She wasn¡¯t really sickst night¡­


    It was because¡­


    Since they still had plenty of time, Cherise decided to go straight to the supermarket to buy groceries.


    ¡°What would you like to have for dinner tonight, Serafina?¡±


    The woman parked the car smoothly and asked gently as she grabbed her handbag and stepped out.


    Serafina climbed out of the car with Soren¡¯s assistance. ¡°I¡¯ll eat anything.¡±


    Cherise chuckled. ¡°Remember what you said. You must eat whatever I make tonight.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to take you to the hospital again tomorrow!¡±


    The little girl pouted but still agreed softly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll eat whatever you make, Mommy.¡±


    Cherise noticed Serafina¡¯s slightly yellowish hair ends and led her two children to the fish and


    vegetable


    section.


    When they passed the fruit section, Cherise remembered Serafina¡¯s poor appetite for the past few


    days. She held the little girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Would you like some strawberries?¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡®strawberries, Serafina¡¯s eyes widened instantly. ¡°Where?!¡±


    Cherise pointed to the strawberries in the fruit section. After asking the staff for permission, she popped


    a strawberry into Serafina¡¯s mouth. ¡°How is it?¡±


    The sour taste filled Serafina¡¯s taste buds.


    Her small face instantly scrunched up. ¡°It¡¯s so sour.¡±


    Then, the girl looked up at the strawberries in front of her with her dark eyes. ¡°And they¡¯re not red


    enough.¡±


    Compared to the strawberries from Damien¡¯s house yesterday, these not only looked inferior, but they


    also weren¡¯t as delicious.


    Serafina shook her head. ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s not get these.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like these strawberries.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    This was the first time her daughter had turned down strawberries in five years.


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    1/2


    Hasn¡¯t she always enjoyed the strawberries here?


    As Cherise thought about it, she picked up a strawberry and tasted it.


    It was pretty sweet.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Hasn¡¯t Serafina always eaten the strawberries here?


    Why had she suddenly developed a dislike for them?


    The woman was perplexed.


    But since her daughter didn¡¯t want the strawberries, she didn¡¯t buy them.


    When they returned home in the evening, Cherise was surprised to discover that someone seemed to


    have moved into the house across from her that had been vacant for five years. There was even a pink


    rug


    at the door.


    The woman furrowed her brows slightly. Is the new neighbor a very feminine anddylike woman?


    I should find the time to get to know the new neighbor,


    She opened the door and ushered the two children into the house as she thought about it.


    As soon as Soren entered the house, he took out a puzzle from his bag and scattered it on the living


    room. carpet. ¡°Mommy, the teacher gave me this puzzle today as a reward!¡±


    Cherise nced at the puzzle on the floor.


    She recognized it.


    Soren had always been fond of such brain teasers. Zachary had once wanted to buy Soren a set while


    shopping with her, but Cherise had stopped him.


    Because¡­ it was too expensive.


    This set of puzzles cost thousands.


    Zachary had even teased her for being too stingy with her own children.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was stingy. She just felt it was unnecessary.


    Although she led a frugal life, she never treated Soren and Serafina poorly. She had always provided


    them with everything other children had.


    She had never wanted her two children to feel inferior forcking necessities.


    But when it came to toys¡­


    She felt that all toys were the same, regardless of the price.

 Chapter 574

    Chapter 574


    Chapter 574 A Well-earned Reward


    Therefore, toys were not necessary.


    Most importantly, she did not want to owe Zachary too many favors.


    Despite his constant insistence that it was alright because he was her brother, she still felt


    ufortable.


    ¡°Soren.¡±


    The woman furrowed her brows and stared at the puzzle on the floor. ¡°Are you certain this was a gift


    from your teacher?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Soren blinked. He looked at Cherise, puzzled. ¡°The teacher said it was my reward foring in first in


    today¡¯s test.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    The woman¡¯s doubtful expression caused Soren to frown as well. ¡°Mommy, is something wrong with


    this puzzle?¡±


    Cherise shook her head before entering her room, While changing her clothes, she texted the


    children¡¯s teacher. ¡°Hello. Soren brought home a puzzle today and imed it was a reward from you.


    I¡¯m curious where this puzzle came from¡­ After all, I¡¯ve seen this puzzle on disy, and it¡¯s more


    expensive than Soren and Serafina¡¯sbined school fees this term.


    After a long time, the children¡¯s teacher fesponded. ¡®Let me exin. This puzzle was donated by a


    generous individual who also donated all the books in our reading room.


    ¡°The puzzle was reportedly significantly discounted. I¡¯m not certain about the details, but when it was


    donated, it was intended to be given as a reward to the kindergarten¡¯s top-performing child.¡±


    ¡®Soren excels in every aspect, so I believe this puzzle is a well-deserved reward for him.¡±


    Cherise stood in the room and sighed deeply as she stared at the message on her phone.


    After changing her clothes and leaving her room, Soren and Serafina were still seated on the carpet,


    quietly assembling the puzzle.


    She remembered the teacher¡¯s words. ¡°This puzzle is a well-deserved reward for Soren.¡±


    Her heart instantly filled with warmth..


    Her son was indeed very thoughtful and intelligent.


    He was just like his father¡­ They were almost identical.


    Soren resembled Damien in appearance, intellect, and character.


    Soren was reserved with strangers, but at home, he was a warm-hearted boy who showered his little


    sister and mom with affection.


    |||


    1/2


    As she thought about it, the woman put on her apron and went to prepare dinner for her two children m


    the kitchen


    ¡°Ren. I¡¯m going to the restroom?¡±


    Upon sering Cherise enter the kitchen, Serafins quickly got up. ¡°Wait for me¡±


    Soren was still engrossed in assembling the puzzle ¡°Alright¡±


    Serafina tiptoed to the door and stepped into the corridor,


    Standing on the pink rug outside Damien¡¯s house, the little girl cautiously took the card from her pocket


    and lighth swiped it at the door


    The door swung open with a beep.


    The house was empty.


    But countlessrge and fresh strawberries were ced on the coffee table in front of the sofa, just like


    the previous day.


    Serafina¡¯s eyes mstantly lit up!


    I was right to tell Mommy not to buy strawberries at the supermarket!


    The strawberries at the supermarket are nowhere near as appealing as the ones in this handsome


    man¡¯s house!


    And they aren¡¯t as delicious either!


    Unable to resist her cravings, the little girl dashed excitedly towards the strawberries.


    She ate one strawberry after another¡­.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The tangy and sweet vor made Serafina grin from ear to ear.


    Serafina patted her belly and let out a satisfied burp when she was about seventy percent full.


    She had not forgotten her mom¡¯s warning about going to the hospital if she did not eat well tonight.


    She had to save room for dinner!


    But


    The little girl eyed the bright red strawberries before her longingly.


    Maybe just one thore?


    Just as the little girl¡¯s chubby hand reached for thest strawberry, a child¡¯s clear voice echoed at the


    door.


    ¡°You¡¯re still cating¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 575

    Chapter 575


    Chapter 575 Stealing Food


    ¡°You¡¯ve already eaten eighteen.¡±


    This voice¡­


    Serafina was startled and dropped the strawberry she was holding.


    The crimson fruit fell on the plush pink carpet, and the young girl looked up towards the voice.


    Soren stood at the doorway with crossed arms and looked at Serafina coldly with his dark eyes. ¡°No


    wonder you didn¡¯t want to eat dinnerst night and refused strawberries from the supermarket when


    Mommy offered to buy them. It turns out you¡¯ve been sneaking food here.¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened. She pouted, feeling unjustly used by Soren¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stealing food.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it considered stealing if youe into this house to eat when the owner isn¡¯t present?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    Serafina¡¯s face flushed.


    Even though she was only five years old, she understood that the word ¡®steal¡¯ had a negative meaning.


    Therefore, she defended herself vehemently. ¡°A handsome man invited me to eat the strawberries!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal food!¡±


    ¡°The handsome man said he doesn¡¯t like strawberries, but someone delivers them to him daily. I came


    to eat them because he has no other choice!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing him a favor!¡±


    Soren scoffed. He shut the door and slowly approached Serafina with his arms crossed. He scrutinized


    the strawberriesid out before him. ¡°Even the best strawberries Mommy can buy at the supermarket


    can¡¯tpare to these.¡±


    ¡°The strawberries here must cost more than the fish we cat.¡±


    ¡°How can someone casually offer you such expensive fruit?¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But the handsome man said¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps these strawberries are poisoned.¡±


    Soren intentionally frightened her. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mommy warn you against epting food from strangers?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Maybe you won¡¯t recognize me or Mommy after eating these strawberries.¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve seen it in many cartoons.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s tears began to flow at once, ¡°What should I do¡­¡±


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    1/2


    Soren scanned the room. ¡°You must tell me who the owner of this ce is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    As soon as Soren spoke, a deep masculine voice echoed from the direction of the bedroom.


    The bedroom door swung open simultaneously, and a tall man emerged.


    Soren¡¯s eyes widened.


    Serafina instinctively retreated. ¡°Ren, it¡¯s this handsome man.¡±


    Soren stared at the man who had appeared before him and was momentarily speechless.


    Is this man¡­ my dad?


    But didn¡¯t Mommy say that my dad passed away long ago?


    Then why does the man standing before me look like me?


    We don¡¯t just look alike. We¡¯re identical.


    He¡¯s like an adult version of myself.


    Damien smiled faintly. He strolled leisurely to the sofa and settled down.


    Perched at the other end of the sofa, Serafina instinctively recoiled due to Soren¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t


    dare to approach Damien.


    ¡°Are you shocked?¡±


    The man looked at his five-year-old son indifferently. ¡°Who¡¯s the winner now?¡±


    Shock flickered through Soren¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one I doused with water that day?¡±


    water that day?


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m the one who chatted with you on WhatsApp that day.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Soren nodded. ¡°You¡¯re worthless.¡±


    After that, he walked over to Serafina in a dignified manner and extended his hand to his sister. ¡°Let¡¯s


    go home. Pay no attention to this strange person.¡±


    Serafina nodded. She extended her tiny hand to grasp Soren¡¯s, and the two siblings hastily exited


    Damien¡¯s residence./


    r

 Chapter 576

    Chapter 576


    Chapter 576 It¡¯s My Duty


    ¡°Ren.¡±


    Serafina tried to exin herself as she closed the door to Damien¡¯s house. ¡°I know I¡¯m not supposed to


    talk to strangers.¡±


    ¡°But you saw him, Ren.¡±


    ¡°That man really resembles you.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person.¡±


    Soren furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°But he¡¯s not a good person either.¡±


    As it turned out, this man had recently moved into the house across from them.


    Does he expect me to call him Dad?


    No way!


    When Soren brought Serafina home, Cherise had already prepared dinner. She was seated at the


    dining table, ring at them indignantly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you went out to y?¡±


    ¡°And Soren, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that Uncle Zach gave you a phone.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t inform me, at least take your phone with you.¡±


    ¡°I was on the verge of contacting the police if you hadn¡¯t returned!¡±


    Soren held Serafina¡¯s hand and shielded her behind him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°I was frustrated because I couldn¡¯t solve the puzzle, so litook Sera out for some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake for not informing you, Mommy. I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    The boy spoke with his head down. ¡°I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, Mommy.¡±


    Cherise sternly gazed at the two children standing before her. She couldn¡¯t scold them any further.


    The woman sighed. ¡°Alright, go wash your hands. It¡¯s time for dinner!¡±


    After that, she nced at Serafina. ¡°You must finish your meal tonight.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital tomorrow!¡±


    Serafina nodded and hurried towards the washroom.


    ¡°Thank you, Ren.¡±


    Serafina whispered her gratitude as the two children huddled by the sink.


    Soren ttened his lips and said casually are you thanking me? It¡¯s my duty.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    ¡°But Serafina, in the future, keep your distance from the man in the house across from us. He¡¯s not a


    good person.¡±


    ¡°Mm! I understand!¡±


    Although Serafina didn¡¯t eat much for dinner, it was a significant improvement from the previous day.


    After Cherise had dinner with the two children, she helped themplete the puzzle before taking


    Serafina for her bath.


    Once Serafina was done, it was Soren¡¯s turn.


    Cherise tucked Serafina into bed as usual. Then, she got up and headed to theundry room.


    When she remembered that Soren and Serafina had gone out to y, the woman decided to wash the


    children¡¯s clothes.


    To her surprise, there was no dust on Serafina¡¯s clothes. Instead, there was a red stain.


    The red stain was on the front of Serafina¡¯s clothes. Cherise sniffed it, and it smelled like strawberries.


    The woman furrowed her brows in confusion. Strawberries?


    If I remember correctly, Serafina was wearing a different outfit when she ate strawberries at the


    supermarket today¡­


    Why would there be a strawberry stain on the clothes she wore at home?


    As the woman pondered, her hand brushed against the little girl¡¯s pocket. There was a hard, square


    object


    inside.


    Cherise took it out. Is this an ess card? And it¡¯s¡­ for the house across from us?


    The woman¡¯s brows furrowed tightly.


    Why would Serafina have an ess card for the house across from us in her pocket?


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    Lost in her thoughts, Cherise saw Soren standing at theundry room doorway, wrapped in a towel,


    looking at her. ¡°Mommy, can you tell me about my dad?¡±


    Cherise was slightly surprised. ¡°Why this sudden interest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Soren smiled at the woman. ¡°Our teacher asked us to share interesting stories about our dads today.¡±


    no


    |||

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577


    Chapter 577 Are You That Surprised?


    ¡°I mentioned that my father had passed away, and the teachersforted me and Serafina. They even


    gave us an extra apple.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s smile was slightly forced as she tossed Serafina¡¯s clothes into the washing machine. ¡°Isn¡¯t


    that


    nice?¡±


    ¡°Even though you don¡¯t have a dad, many people still care for you and Serafina¡­


    ¡°But Mommy.¡± Soren interrupted.


    He wasn¡¯t very tall but had an exceptionally mature expression as he stood at the doorway. ¡°I want to


    know. if my father has really passed away.¡±


    ¡°Or did you just say he passed away because you separated from him?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand froze as she was about to press the washing machine button.


    She frowned and turned to Soren. ¡°You¡¯re acting strangely today. Did someone say something to you?


    Why this sudden interest?¡±


    Soren pursed his lips. ¡°Mommy, do you still believe that Serafina and I are too young to know the


    truth?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and looked away. ¡°Soren, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you. It¡¯s just that the


    situation between your dad and me¡­ isplicated. Even if I exined, you might not understand.


    So, it¡¯s easier for you and Serafina to assume that he¡¯s no longer around and has passed away.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Soren took a deep breath. ¡°I understand.¡±


    After that, he nced at the card in Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Serafina didn¡¯t steal that, nor did she find it. Our


    neighbor gave it to her. She hasn¡¯t been feeling unwell for the past two days either. She doesn¡¯t have


    much, appetite for dinner because our neighbor has been treating her to delicious fruits.¡±


    He wrapped himself tightly in his bath towel and added, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed, Mommy. Good night.¡±


    Cherise looked at the ess card in her hand.


    Our neighbor has been giving Serafina fruits?


    She sighed. This silly girl.


    She didn¡¯t even tell me after epting food from someone else.


    I must thank the neighbor.


    Furthermore, Serafina can¡¯t keep our neighbor¡¯s ess card with her¡­


    Cherise took a deep breath. She rummaged through the fridge and found some pierogi dough and


    filling.


    She sat under the light and wrapped a batch of pierogis. After cooking them, she got up and left the


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    house with the pierogis.


    Her daughter had been staying at their neighbor¡¯s house for two days without her knowledge. Now that


    she knew, she needed to repay her neighbor¡¯s kindness.


    1/2


    Upon hearing the door close, Soren let out a light sigh as hey on the bed before closing his eyes.


    Cherise had brushed her hair and changed into casual clothes before she walked over with a te of


    steaming pierogis. She rang the doorbell of the house across from them.


    She had noticed that the lights in the house were still on, indicating that the owner was still awake.


    A man¡¯s voice quickly came from inside. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Damien deliberately lowered his voice..


    Cherise took a deep breath and cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m your neighbor from across the hallway. My


    daughter has been eating your strawberries for the past two days, so I¡¯ve made some pierogis for you


    in


    return.¡±


    The man inside chuckled lightly. ¡°That sounds good. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had your pierogis.¡±


    Cherise was startled. This voice, this tone¡­.


    Before she could process it, the door swung suddenly open. A tall man in light gray pajamas smiled at


    her from the inside.


    Cherise was so taken aback that she almost dropped the te. Thankfully, the man was quick to catch


    it. ¡°Are you that surprised?¡±


    111


    J

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578


    Chapter 578 Be Good


    Cherise snapped back to reality only after the man took the pierogis from her. ¡°Do you live here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man yawned and gestured for her toe inside. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside. It might get noisy if we talk in


    the hallway, and it could disturb the children.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and cautiously stepped inside.


    To her surprise, the interior decoration didn¡¯t match Damien¡¯s typical minimalist style.


    Instead¡­


    There were pink rabbits and light blue dolphins.


    The room was decorated in an adorable, childlike manner.


    She frowned and took a seat on the sofa with a stern expression. ¡°Is this how you enticed Serafina?¡±


    ¡°Essentially.¡±


    The man took a set of cutlery from the kitchen and began to eat the pierogis elegantly on the sofa.


    After eating two pierogis, he looked up at Cherise. ¡°Do you have sour cream and mustard?¡±


    ¡°They taste a bit nd.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips.


    These pierogis were made with the leftover filling she had prepared for the children a few days ago.


    Cherise liked to keep her children¡¯s food as organic as possible.


    The woman sighed and rose to walk towards the kitchen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything here.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Do you have any at your ce?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him. She wanted to leave.


    But¡­


    She nced at the strawberries on the coffee table.


    The strawberries wererge and a deep red. They must have been expensive, right?


    When she thought about how Serafina had eaten so many strawberries¡­.


    She sighed in resignation, turned around, and left. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Damien lounged on the sofa and watched the woman leave. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    When Cherise returned home, she prepared sour cream and mustard ording to Damien¡¯s previolls


    preferences and walked back.


    As she reached Damien¡¯s house, she heard his phone ring.


    The man set his utensils down gracefully and reached out to answer his phone.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Cherise heard the man¡¯s gentle voice through the door and abruptly halted in her tracks.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able toe back for a few days.¡±


    The man took a deep breath and frowned. A hint of impatience flickered in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve already told


    you I¡¯ll be back a bitter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡±


    ¡°What happens between me and my ex-wife won¡¯t affect our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Be good and don¡¯t overthink anything. You should be sleeping at this time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, be good.¡±


    Cherise stood frozen in her spot. She was so rmed as she listened to Damien¡¯s tender voice that


    she couldn¡¯t speak.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    This voice, this tone, this volume¡­


    She had only ever heard Damien speak to her in this manner.


    But now, he spoke affectionately to the person on the other end of the phone through the door.


    The woman¡¯s thin lips pursed tightly.


    She recalled what Lucy had told her three years ago. ¡°Damien met someone who pursued him the first


    year after you


    left. A year after that, he even went on a blind date. He recently went on another date with his previous


    blind date¡¯s sister. It¡¯s absolutely true!


    Cherise had already lost interest in Damien then, so she didn¡¯t take it seriously. She had responded to


    Lucy gently. ¡°Damien is a free man after we divorced and can be with whoever he likes. It has nothing


    to do with either of us. You don¡¯t have to feel so upset.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips as she reflected on what she had said then. Her heart tightened abruptly.


    Inside the room, Damien had already ended the call.


    The man put his phone down. He looked up indifferently and saw the woman outside the door. ¡°Come


    in.¡±


    |||


    ¡±

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579


    Chapter 579 I Did Nothing Wrong


    Cherise entered the room with a furrowed brow, cing the condiments she was carrying next to his


    te of pierogis. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I have work tomorrow, so I won¡¯t disturb you any longer!¡±


    With that, she turned and left.


    As she reached the door, something seemed to jog her memory. She spun around, took the ess


    card from her pocket, and threw it onto the coffee table with a loud thu


    ¡°Here¡¯s your card back. Please keep your distance from my children in the future. Thank you!¡±


    And with that, she swiftly exited.


    Damien watched her retreating figure, his brows wrinkling in confusion. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder,


    What upset her?


    Just moments ago, she had a pleasant demeanor and even personally prepared condiments for him.


    Why did her attitude suddenly change?


    He shook his head lightly. Women were unpredictable and difficult to understand.


    Cherise was just as erratic and mysterious as the woman who had just called him.


    Taking a deep breath, he looked down and continued eating his pierogis.


    Although the pierogis were slightly nd, there was no denying that her cooking skills remained


    unchanged after five years.


    These pierogis were just as delicious as the ones she handmade five years ago.


    Damien had missed her cooking so much that he polished off all the pierogis in front of him.


    The next morning, Serafina realized that her ess card was missing.


    The little girl cleverly deduced that her mother had confiscated it.


    Serafina sat quietly during breakfast and the car ride to kindergarten. She didn¡¯t utter a single word in


    the back seat.


    On the other hand, Soren was in high spirits.


    The boy beamed at Cherise, ¡°Mommy, did you sleep wellst night?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hands froze slightly on the steering wheel. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°I noticed you weren¡¯t home when I woke up to use the bathroomst night.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Soren blinked at Cherise through the rearview mirror. ¡°Where did you go, Mommy?¡±


    Her son¡¯s innocent and earnest expression caused Cherise¡¯s brows to furrow slightly.


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Serafina, do you know what you did wrong?¡±


    Serafina hesitated for a moment and shrunk back in her seat. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong?¡±


    {¡±


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°You haven¡¯t been eating at home for the past few days. Did you have nice


    treats at someone else¡¯s house instead? Have I ever told you not to simply ept food from others or


    enter other people¡¯s houses? Do you think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been sneaking over to someone


    else¡¯s house to eat strawberries for the past few days?!¡±


    Serafina pursed her lips and sat in the corner, looking wronged. ¡°I didn¡¯t sneak over. That man invited


    me.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever told you not to trust strangers easily or ept food from strangers?¡±


    Cherise spoke coldly and harshly, her expression stern.


    I¡¯ve spoiled my children. That¡¯s why Serafina would do such a thing


    Thankfully, it was Damien living across from us this time. What if it were someone else? What if it were


    someone with malicious intentions? What would have happened?


    I¡¯ve been too lenient as a mother!


    Serafina looked aggrieved. ¡°I don¡¯t think that man is a stranger.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    As the little girl spoke, she subconsciously nced at Soren¡¯s face. ¡°Because that man looks exactly


    like Ren. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person.¡±


    After that, Serafina blinked at Cherise. ¡°Mommy, have you seen that man¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°He looks exactly like Ren


    Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed deeply.


    ¡°Even if he looks exactly like your brother, he¡¯s still a stranger!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 580

    Chapter 580


    Chapter 580 He¡¯s Not Rted To You


    ¡°But Ren has always been kind to me. Anyone who looks exactly like him must also be a good person,¡±


    Serafina passionately defended herself. ¡°Mommy, is that man rted to us? Why does Ren look


    exactly like him?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows angrily. ¡°He¡¯s not your rtive!¡± Damien¡¯s deep, gentle voice from the


    previous night echoed in her mind once again.


    Cherise¡¯s gaze darkened significantly. ¡°Remember this. The man next door is not your family!¡± Cherise


    emphasized, her voice cold and firm. ¡°Keep your distance from him!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Afterwards, she sighed, ¡°I will consider it in theing days. We might have to move or relocate. Both


    of you need to behave and avoid interacting with strangers. Do you understand?¡±


    Serafina nced at Soren, feeling upset. She didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Meanwhile, Soren discreetly took out his phone to send a message to Damien. Look at the trouble


    you¡¯ve caused. My mom is thinking about moving us away! It¡¯s all your fault! You have to convince my


    mom to change her mind. I don¡¯t want to move. If not, forget about ever winning over Serafina in this


    lifetime!¡±


    After a long morning meeting, Cherise returned to her desk, clutching her notebook listlessly.


    Lucy waved her hand in front of Cherise. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cherise shook her head and started flipping through her notes.


    Numerous words were written in the notebook, but she couldn¡¯t process a single one.


    Eventually, she closed the notebook in frustration and tossed it aside dismissively.


    Seeing her like that, Lucy naturally didn¡¯t believe Cherise¡¯s im that nothing was wrong.


    ¡°Has Damien not contacted you yet?¡± She leaned across the table towards Cherise and asked


    curiously.


    ¡°He did.¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°He moved in across from me two days ago. He almost won Serafina


    over in the past few days. It took a lot of effort this morning to convince her that he¡¯s just a stranger


    who is not rted to us and she should keep her distance.¡±


    ¡°Well done!¡± Lucy gave her a thumbs up. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. Let him know he can¡¯t make up for his past


    mistakes with sweet talk!¡±


    Her good friend¡¯s words brought somefort to Cherise. She pursed her lips and looked up at Lucy.


    ¡°By the way. When you visited me three years ago, you mentioned that¡­ Damien went on a blind date,


    right? What happened after that?¡±


    Lucy was taken aback. She had almost forgotten about it if Cherise hadn¡¯t brought it up. Damien did


    indeed go on a blind date back then. But she knew that the blind date had actually been arranged by


    Maeve and Charles because they thought Damien was too lonely. However, Damien had no intention


    of meeting that woman again.


    After Lucy fell out with Lennon, she never heard anything about Damien again. When she came to


    Lermille to visit Cherise, she deliberately exaggerated and said Damien had gone on a blind date with


    someone else when she mentioned him, in order to make Cherisepletely give up on him. She was


    somewhat surprised that Cherise still remembered it.


    |||


    1/2


    The woman coughed lightly. ¡°After that¡­


    the subject. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about this?¡±


    ¡°No reason. It just came to mind.¡± The woman sighed nonchntly. She looked down, picked up her


    discarded notebook, and continued organizing the notes from the meeting.


    Afterwards, she visited her patients in the ward with her folder as usual.


    2/2

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581


    Chapter 581 Can¡¯t You Forgive Me?


    As Cherise approached Maeve¡¯s room, Charles was sharing a video of their premature newborn child


    with Maeve. Their daughter was still in an incubator, as she had been born prematurely.


    Maeve had recently recovered from a heart condition and was confined to her bed. Charles acted as


    her eyes and ears, capturing and sharing their child¡¯s moments with her.


    ¡°Look, Marcy is smiling!¡±


    Charles sat on the edge of the bed, with one arm around Macve¡¯s shoulders and the other holding the


    phone, showing Maeve the video.


    Their love for each other was evident.


    Standing at the doorway, Cherise hesitated to interrupt this tender scene.


    Her own experience with childbirth had been far from easy, and the man she had loved the most was


    thousands of miles away at the time. The one who had stayed by her side was Zachary


    Zachary had also recorded her two babies in a simr way to show her. However, at the end of the day,


    he wasn¡¯t the man she loved.


    Back then, she had felt incredibly lonely, while Maeve now seemedpletely content.


    Cherise forced a bitter smile. Five years ago, she never imagined seeing Maeve in a happy


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    rtionship.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡± Charles finally noticed Cherise first.


    He turned off his phone, somewhat flustered. He released Maeve, who was leaning against the head of


    the bed, and looked at Cherise with a hint of embarrassment. ¡°Have you been here long?¡±


    ¡°Not too long,¡± Cherise responded with a faint smile. She slowly entered the room, clutching a folder.


    ¡°How are you feeling today?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good.¡± Maeve¡¯s face was slightly flushed. ¡°Cherise, I found out from the nurses in the past few


    days that¡­ I was the first patient you operated on.¡±


    Maeve was aware of the incident where Mnie Fuoco stabbed Cherise¡¯s hand at her wedding. She


    had assumed it was a harmless hand injury. However, Maeve hadn¡¯t anticipated that it had severed a


    tendon in Cherise¡¯s hand, causing it to tremble whenever she held a scalpel.


    ¡°Mm. Faced with Maeve¡¯s flustered gaze, Cherise remainedposed. She scribbled indifferently on


    Maeve¡¯s medical record. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Maeve sat up, agitated. ¡°Cherise, actually¡­.. I have a lot to say to you. Back then¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past in the past.¡± Cherise flipped through the records of Maeve¡¯s blood tests and the


    morning temperature taken by the nurse. ¡°You¡¯re recovering well.¡±


    She had no desire to dwell on the past with Maeve.


    Even though she knew Maeve had changed significantly since then, it couldn¡¯t erase the damage


    Maeve had caused to her and her mom.


    If it weren¡¯t for Maeve¡­ her wedding with Damien wouldn¡¯t have be one of her most painful


    |||


    1/2

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582


    If there are noplications, you can be discharged in three days.¡± She smiled at Charles. ¡°Do you still


    remember the dietary restrictions I mentioned?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Charles quickly nodded. ¡°I prepare her meals every day ording to your guidelines.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Cherise smiled and nodded at him. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that,


    she


    turned to leave.


    ¡°Cherise.¡± Behind her, Maeve pursed her lips. ¡°Can¡¯t you¡­ forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Why should I forgive you?¡± Cherise sneered. She stopped in her tracks and spoke icily without turning.


    ¡°Forgive you for tarnishing what should have been my happiest memory? Or forgive you for everything


    you did to my mom?¡±


    |||


    2/2


    ¡°Maeve, you¡¯re a mother now, and you¡¯re battling a life-threatening disease. You should understand


    how much my mom wanted to see me happily married. She led a challenging life, and her final wish


    was to see me happy. But what happened?¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes, a bitter smile forming on the corners of her lips. ¡°When you stabbed her at me


    and Damien¡¯s wedding, it didn¡¯t physically harm my mom, but it made her realize that I would never be


    happy whether I married Damien or not.¡±


    Having said this, she turned and looked at Maeve coldly. ¡°You asked if I can forgive you, but how do


    you expect me to forgive you? My mother has been gone for nearly five years.


    Maeve opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything for a long time.


    Cherise took a deep breath and walked away.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡± As she left the ward, Charles caught up with her. ¡°Dr. Shaw, I understand I have no right to


    inquire about this, but I¡¯m curious. Since you still can¡¯t forgive Maeve, why were you willing to perform


    surgery on her?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a Lenoir. I keep my personal and professional issues separate.¡±


    Cherise smiled at Charles, her eyes glinting with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t overanalyze it. My decision to


    personally operate on her isn¡¯t an attempt to reconcile with the Lenoir family, nor is it an act of


    forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, I¡¯m a doctor, and she¡¯s a patient. As a doctor, I must treat every patient. Since you came to my


    hospital, I should give you my utmost attention. Secondly, her condition mirrors my mother¡¯s. I


    personally operated on her because this condition is rare. I¡¯ve researched theories of medical cases


    like these for nearly five years, and gaining hands-on experience is crucial.¡±


    Having said this, she looked up at Charles, ¡°Any further questions?¡±


    Charles¡¯ lips twitched, but he couldn¡¯t say anything.


    After a moment, he took a deep breath. ¡°Dr. Shaw, since my wife¡¯s condition resembles your mom¡¯s,


    what will happen to her in the future¡­¡±


    Cherise frowned, ¡°Do you want the truth?¡±


    Charles nodded.


    ¡°You chose Marcy as your daughter¡¯s name, right? Spend more time together and value what you have


    now.¡± After that, Cherise turned and left.


    Charles stood in ce. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.


    From the beginning, he knew Maeve might not have many days left¡­ But he couldn¡¯t choose who he


    fell in love with.


    He couldn¡¯t help but get to know her, fall for her, and be with her. Therefore, he could only¡­ value what


    he had now.


    Watching the woman leave, Charles called out to her again. ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    1/2


    Cerise frowned and stopped again. ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    Di Shaw Charles took a deep breath. ¡°You mentioned that your mother¡¯s biggest regret before her


    death was not being able to see you happy. But if you find happiness in the future, she might sense it.¡±


    Cherise stood still and smiled. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true.¡±


    Dr. Shaw, you advised me to value what I have now. You should take your own advice. Few men would


    spend five years searching for you and rejecting all other women.¡±


    Cherise scoffed and walked into her office.


    Spending five years looking for me and rejecting all other women?


    I wasn¡¯t aware that Damien was so noble.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    If he had rejected all other women, who was the woman he spoke so tenderly tost night?


    He even dered, ¡°No matter what happens between me and my ex-wife, it won¡¯t affect our


    rtionship.¡±


    TIT


    22

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583


    Chapter 583 Please Help Us


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Upon returning to her office, Cherise had barely settled into her chair when a young nurse timidly


    knocked on her office door.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Cherise took a deep breath, trying topose herself and not reveal her bad


    mood.


    The nurses in the inpatient department were notorious for gossiping during their downtime.


    On one asion, Cherise had been in a foul mood due to her children¡¯s disobedience. The nurses had


    witnessed this and concocted a tale that she and Zachary were experiencing marital problems. She


    was at a loss on how to refute such ims.


    Eventually. Lucy told Zachary about it. He went to the hospital to pick her up and even brought coffee


    for the nurses. Only then did they ept that Cherise and Zachary were in a happy and stable


    marriage.


    With the nurses congregating in her office, Cherise could only greet them with a smile. She had no


    desire to continually burden Zachary with these petty issues.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw,¡± one of the nurses spoke up hesitantly, ¡°Um, do you happen to have the contact details for


    the family of that patient, Maeve Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s brow furrowed. Maeve¡¯s family?


    ¡°Do you mean Charles Luther?¡± She frowned, instinctively reaching for Maeve¡¯s hospitalization records.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you need to get in touch with her family about the payment? Why not approach her


    directly in her ward?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that!¡± The nurse¡¯s face flushed with panic.


    Another nurse smiled at Cherise. ¡°We¡¯re not referring to Maeve¡¯s husband! It¡¯s her¡­ younger brother.


    Rumor has it he¡¯s still single.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback, ¡°Her younger brother?¡±


    Damien?


    ¡°Yes.¡± The nurses giggled and blushed, ¡°He¡¯s incredibly handsome.¡±


    ¡°And reportedly very wealthy.¡±


    ¡°His wealth is secondary. It¡¯s mainly because his good looks and charming demeanor are truly


    captivating¡­ The nurses chattered excitedly and turned to Cherise expectantly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯re a


    married woman. You wouldn¡¯t understand the thrill we feel as single women when encountering such


    an eligible bachelor¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve deliberated extensively and decided to ask for your help in obtaining the contact details of


    Maeve¡¯s younger brother¡­ We¡¯ll take care of everything else¡­¡±


    ¡°If any of us are lucky enough to enter into a rtionship with him, we¡¯ll treat everyone to a meal!¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. She frowned at the nurses before her, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


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    1/2


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve given this considerable thought!¡±


    The woman scoffed.


    Damien had an extraordinary appeal. These nurses were already swooning over him even though he


    had only made a few brief appearances at the hospital.


    What about the five years I haven¡¯t seen him?


    Has he really remained single during those five years?


    Judging from the phone callst night¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem likely, does it?


    ¡°Dr. Shaw?¡± The nurses noticed Cherise lost in thought and softly called out to her, ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Please help us¡­¡± The nurses began to plead. ¡°We¡¯ve approached Maeve, but she insisted that her


    brother was waiting for his wife to return, so she refused to divulge any information. We heard that her


    brother and his ex-wife divorced five years ago. If they were to reconcile, they would have done so long


    ago. Why wait until now?¡±


    ¡°Exactly¡­¡±


    Surrounded by the incessant chatter of the women, Cherise felt a headache forming.


    She finally conceded, unable to tolerate their endless babble. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    .


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584


    Chapter 584 Red Roses


    ¡°All the best, Dr. Shaw!¡± After agreeing, the nurses left with satisfied expressions.


    Cherise sank into her chair, feelingpletely drained.


    Lucy entered as the nurses departed, looking perplexed and furrowing her brow at the sight of the


    women leaving with mischievous grins.


    Cherise simply shrugged and offered a wry smile. ¡°Believe it or not, they came to request my ex-


    husband¡¯s contact details.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°They want Damien¡¯s contact information?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Cherise replied, unclenching her fists. ¡°They¡¯re under the impression that Damien is still single


    and that they stand a chance.¡±


    Lucy burst intoughter. ¡°Well, give it to them. It¡¯ll make them happy and keep Damien preupied.


    Isn¡¯t that a win-win situation?¡±


    Cherise pondered briefly. ¡°You¡¯re right, but there¡¯s a problem.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have Damien¡¯s contact information either.¡±


    Lucy was dumbfounded.


    In the afternoon, Cherise was scheduled to conduct a public lecture at Lermille Medical University.


    As the top heart surgeon in Lermille, Cherise was confident in delivering an engaging lecture, tailoring


    her ss to her students¡¯ learning styles. Her lecture began promptly at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    However, she encountered a particrly challenging female student durin


    ss.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw,¡± the female student stood up and addressed Cherise as the students asked questions. ¡°Can


    all heart diseases be cured?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes, in theory. A heart can be treated with contemporary medical techniques if it isn¡¯t.


    riddled with holes.¡±


    The female student scrutinized Cherise. ¡°But if a heart is already corrupted, can it be cured under your


    skilled hands?¡±


    Cherise instantly realized that the female student wasn¡¯t referring to the same physical heart she


    discussed


    in her lecture


    However, she responded with a smile, ¡°No one is born that way. There¡¯s always a reason behind


    someone¡¯s behavior. Perhaps they¡¯ve endured some trauma. You never know. But it¡¯s best to maintain


    your distance if you think someone has malicious intentions.¡±


    The female student attempted to interject, but her ssmates intervened. ¡°Quit stirring up trouble,


    Jordyn! Dr. Shaw¡¯s lecture is about medical theory!¡±


    Jordyn Holden, the girl who had spoken, nced at Cherise slightly resentfully but refrained from


    further


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    1/2


    Focusing the phinor disruption the lecture proceeded without a hitch


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The adortum eru, ted in a thunderoun round of apuse at the end of the lecture. Thank you De


    Clicrise smiled and nodded at her students. She was about to leave when a courier appeared at the


    doct boltingvish bouquet of radiant red roses


    A collective gasp echoed throughout the ssroom


    What an enormous bouquet of roses


    ¡°Wow, who are these flowers for?¡±


    ¡°How romantic


    Cherise smiled and stepped aside for the courier Whose boyfriend sent these flowers?¡±


    College students liked to make grand romantic gestures when they were dating Cherise had witnessed


    numerous instances of flowers being publicly delivered to girls in front of their entire ss


    She asionally wondered why she hadn¡¯t experienced such a passionate romance during college


    ¡°These flowers are for M. Cherise Shaw¡¯ The courier nced at the slip and scanned the ssroom


    ¡°Which one of you is Cherise Shaw?¡±


    27

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585


    Chapter 585 A Hypocrite


    Cherise was taken aback. Are the flowers meant for me?


    ¡°Behind you!¡±


    Upon realizing that the flowers were intended for their lecturer, the students in the ssroom


    eximed, ¡°That¡¯s our lecturer! She¡¯s behind you!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, these flowers are for you.¡± The courier handed Cherise arge bouquet of roses. ¡°The


    sender wanted me to convey that you are the light of his life, and his love for you has never


    diminished.¡±


    Cherise was speechless and stared nkly at the bouquet in her hands. Who could have sent these?


    The first person that came to mind was Zachary..


    She was extremely nervous when she first started teaching at the university.


    Not only did she prepare for her sses three days in advance, but she also had Zachary act as her


    student. and listen to her rehearse her lectures repeatedly.


    After her first public lecture, Zachary gave her arge bouquet of lilies as encouragement. After that, he


    continued to send her flowers after every ss for several weeks.


    Sometimes, he sent her lilies, and sometimes he sent hervender flowers. But he had never sent her


    roses, let alone such arge bouquet. Moreover, Zachary hadn¡¯t sent her flowers for over a year since


    she had asked him to stop.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, did your husband send these?¡±


    A girl sitting in the front row smiled at Cherise. ¡°You¡¯re so fortunate, Dr. Shaw!¡±


    Cheriseughed awkwardly. Others have always been curious about her husband since she had two


    children.


    She eventually made an agreement with Zachary. They would pretend to be married and that he was


    her husband. This deterred the men who pursued her and saved her the trouble of exining why she


    was a single mom every time.


    Therefore, many thought Zachary was her husband. Few knew that he was actually more like a brother


    to


    her.


    ¡°Pift¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Jordyn sneered. She was the student who had questioned Cherise earlier. Amidst the envious and


    admiringments regarding Cherise, she coldly remarked, ¡°She may be fortunate, but what about the


    people she hurt?¡±


    ¡°What a hypocrite.¡± Jordyn wasn¡¯t speaking loudly, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.


    As a result, the ssroom fell silent, and all eyes were on her. ¡°Why are you all looking at me? I didn¡¯t


    say anything wrong!¡±


    She rolled her eyes and nced at Cherise coldly, ¡°Dr. Shaw, you should remember what you¡¯ve done,


    right?¡±


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    1/2


    ed don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± She had always been disgent and coes the rears he dados:


    believe that the had hurt antone


    You have a short memory Jordyn soerred. You really are a hypocrine Wash that she stood up ant


    turned to leave


    Jordyn


    ic explem yourself¡±. The student next to her held her back. What did Dr. Shaw do to you¡¯ Why are ana


    b?cintbrug bert


    the kroner what she¡¯s done¡± Jordyn coldly shrugged off the person¡¯s hand. After that, she slowly


    walkest to


    the door


    As Jordyn walked past Cherise, she sneered and pulled something out of her pocket. Cherise felt


    something cold brush against her


    In the next moment a dark figure rushed over and shielded her.


    ng The knife in Jordyn¡¯s hand fell to the ground


    Cherise was still shocked but instantly calmed down when she saw the man¡¯s figure


    ¡°Why are you here?


    Damien skillfully grabbed Jordyn¡¯s hands and handed her over to the campus security as he smiles


    lightly ¡°I sent the flowers, so I naturally wanted to see the recipient¡¯s expression when she received


    them¡¯

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586


    Chapter 586 You¡¯re A Vixen


    Cherise was speechless. How could I have forgotten?


    The bouquet of red roses in her hands resembled the one he had given her that day in the hospital.


    Jordyn was held back by a security guard.


    ¡°You certainly have many admirers!¡± She red coldly at Cherise with bloodshot eyes. ¡°A different man


    sent you flowers this time!¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Although Zachary often sent her flowers, he had always used a courier service and never appeared in


    person.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Of course I do!¡± Jordyn scoffed. ¡°Your heart is corrupted! You¡¯ve been ying with people¡¯s emotions.


    from the beginning!¡±


    Cherise sneered when faced with Jordyn¡¯s baseless usations. She no longer regarded Jordyn


    warmly. Cherise had long realized that unnecessary kindness would only be taken advantage of.


    I¡¯ve been ying with people¡¯s emotions?¡± She looked at Jordyn coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever ying with


    you, girly. Do I need to remind you that I¡¯ve given birth? I¡¯m straight!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s words left the entire ssroom in stunned silence. After a moment, everyone burst into


    Jordyn was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected such a clevereback from Cherise. ¡°You¡¯ve finally


    shown. your true colors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve warned Isaac many times that you¡¯re a hypocrite, but he wouldn¡¯t listen!¡± She scoffed again and


    looked at Cherise icily. ¡°You¡¯ve finally revealed your trie self, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re not kind or charming


    at all. Instead, you¡¯re a seductive woman who ys with multiple men!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyebrows furrowed fiercely when she heard the name Isaac¡¯ She narrowed her eyes and


    assessed Jordyn over Damien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You know Isaac Roebuck?


    ¡°I¡¯m his neighbor!¡± Jordyn clenched her teeth, her eyes filled with animosity. ¡°Do you finally remember.


    your ex-boyfriend now?¡±


    ¡°He was never my boyfriend.¡± Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡°I was just his mentor,¡±


    When Cherise first arrived in Lermille, she had gained recognition by sessfully guiding a novice


    doctor, Isaac Roebuck, through aplex surgery.


    At the time, Isaac was just starting out andcked confidence in his medical skills. Cherise¡¯s arrival at


    the hospital had helped him ovee his insecurities.


    Due to her hand injury, Cherise couldn¡¯t perform surgery, so Isaac became her apprentice. They


    formed. the perfect team, with one possessing exceptional theoretical knowledge and the other


    demonstrating excellent practical skills.


    What happened next was unfortunate.


    ¡°Just his mentor?¡± Jordyn scoffed, ¡°Would he have risked his medical career to take the me for you


    if you were only his mentor? He did so much for you back then, and you two were seen as the perfect


    couple


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    [1]


    O


    in the hospital, right?¡±


    ¡°But what happened after that? After the medical mishap, he took the me for you and became the


    scapegoat. What did you do? You merelyforted him and told him he would be hired by another


    hospital someday You gave him fifty thousand and never looked back!¡±


    ¡°Cherise Shaw, you¡¯re not as virtuous as you appear! Jordyn paused to catch her breath. She pulled


    out her phone and showed Cherise a picture of Isaac, looking utterly miserable in a small countryside


    clinic. He¡¯s struggling and getting pooret.¡±


    O


    2/2

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587


    Chapter 587 Jordyn¡¯s usations


    You must understand that his family was never wealthy, and his mother¡¯s medical expenses were a


    significant burden every year. But what have you done?! Years have passed. Have you ever


    considered his feelings? You¡¯re constantly giving speeches, delivering lectures, winning awards, and


    gaining more admirers Have youpletely forgotten about your ex-boyfriend who sacrificed his entire


    career for you?


    Jordyn grew increasingly angry and agitated as she spoke Eventually, tears started streaming down


    her


    face


    She shrugged off the security guard restraining her and fought back tears as she said, ¡°Cherise, don¡¯t


    think I¡¯m unaware of your secret! You have two children and a husband, yet the man next to you has


    been pursuing you for a long time! You never turned him down and even went to a hotel with him!¡±


    Afterward, she showed a photo on her phone. In the picture, Cherise was seen assisting Damien in a


    hotel. The photo was taken on the day when Damien fell ill after he and Cherise visited a Mexican


    restaurant. Due to the camera angle, Cherise appeared to be joyfully holding Damien¡¯s hand in the


    picture.


    Jordyn¡¯s usations and the photo caused amotion in the ssroom.


    Cherise¡¯s skills in cardiac surgery were unparalleled in Lermille and she was considered a leading


    authority in the field. With a respected cardiac surgeon like her involved in such a scandal, it piqued the


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    curiosity of everyone present.


    She was used of medical malpractice, ming someone else for her mistakes, neglecting her ex-


    boyfriend who took the me for her, and cheating on her husband.


    Each usation made by Jordyn was enough to shock the entire medicalmunity!


    Some students even took out their cell phones to inform the news media. A prominent female figure in


    the Lermille medicalmunity hasmitted a terrible act!¡¯


    However, Damien didn¡¯t believe a single word of Jordyn¡¯s allegations. He stood in front of Cherise,


    looking at Jordyn coldly. ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re trying to frame someone with your opinion and a few


    photos. You¡¯re just attempting to manipte public opinion. Isn¡¯t that a bit naive?¡±


    Jordyn scowled, ring coldly at Damien. ¡°Every word I said is true!¡±


    ¡°True?¡± Damien offered a faint smile. He looked up at the other students present. ¡°Do you believe her


    usations?¡±


    The entire ssroom fell silent. Everyone focused on Damien, and no one uttered a word.


    Damien smiled indifferently. He crossed his arms and surveyed everyone present. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve


    stumbled upon an exciting piece of gossip?¡±


    No one responded.


    The man¡¯s deep and cold voice echoed in every corner of the ssroom. ¡°I believe your dean and


    other lecturers know the kind of person Cherise is.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, if it were true that she made someone take the me for her, everyone would be aware of it.


    Lermille Hospital¡¯s director and investigation unit would undoubtedly have insider information. But to my


    knowledge, Lermille Hospital¡¯s director always brings Cherise along whenever he attends a meeting.


    He even treats her as Lermille Hospital¡¯s ambassador. Do you think he¡¯s foolish? Would he appoint


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    1/2


    someone with a dark past as the hospital¡¯s ambassador? What if someone uncovers her past?¡±


    Everyone remained silent.


    Jordyn gritted her teeth. ¡°He¡¯s not foolish. He¡¯s just confident that no one will be foolish enough toe


    forward and expose her!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡±

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588


    Chapter 588 I Won¡¯t Back Down


    Ant smile flickered across Damien¡¯s stern face. He turned to face Jordyn. ¡°Are you suggesting that


    you¡¯re unintelligent?¡±


    Jordyn was taken aback, realizing Damien was using her words against her. Her face instantly paled. ¡°I


    just


    couldn¡¯t bear it!¡±


    ¡°Then we have a problem.¡± Damien chuckled softly. ¡°You can¡¯t bear it? You¡¯re just a student who


    believes she knows the hidden truth that the entire Lermille medicalmunity is unaware of. Is it


    really up to a college student like yourself to fight for justice?¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s face turned ashen. She clenched her teeth and wanted to respond, but Cherise walked to the


    podium, her brows slightly furrowed.


    ¡°I rarely bring up the medical incident involving Isaac Roebuck from years ago because he was my first


    apprentice and once my closest coborator. His situation devastated me, and I don¡¯t want others to


    specte about him. I understand his intentions back then, but he made a mistake.¡±


    Tm not sure who encouraged you to insinuate that I had a role in that incident.¡± She cast a cold nce


    at Jordyn. ¡°But the truth is, I wasn¡¯t in Lermille when Isaac independently decided to take charge.¡±


    The investigation unit at that time had a clear record of where I was. I don¡¯t owe anyone an


    exnation.¡±


    ¡°As for my rtionship with Isaac, he did express his feelings for me back then, but I rejected him


    because I was already married with children.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, the rumor that I bribed him with fifty thousand to keep quiet ispletely absurd. He lost his job


    and couldn¡¯t make ends meet in Lermille anymore. His sick mother at home needed medical care, so I


    lent him fifty thousand in case of an emergency.¡±


    ¡°And when I gave him fifty thousand back then, it was a loan, not a gift.¡± Cherise nced at Jordyn.


    ¡°You have such a strong sense of justice, Ms. Holden. Since you are so eager to advocate for Isaac,


    please remind him that he still owes me money.¡± After that, Cherise gathered her belongings and left.


    The ssroom fell into a stunned silence. Everyone was looking at Cherise¡¯s departing figure in


    surprise.


    To Cherise¡¯s students, she had always been a gentle and kind lecturer. But today, shepletely


    shattered everyone¡¯s preconceived notions of her.


    As it turns out¡­ Dr. Shaw is also assertive and impressive!


    ¡°Take her to the police station.¡± Damien nced at Jordyn and was about to leave.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up! Restrained by two security guards on either side, Jordyn struggled and red at


    Damien¡¯s figure. ¡°Cherise orchestrated the incident back then! She manipted Isaac into performing


    the surgery and then denied it! I¡¯ll find the records from back then and prove Isaac¡¯s innocence!¡±


    Damien turned and nced at Jordyn indifferently. He smiled, ¡°Then I wish you luck.¡± With that, he


    walked away.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give in!¡± Jordyn continued to struggle. ¡°Isaac Roebuck is a good doctor. He doesn¡¯t deserve to


    be forgotten like this!¡±


    After leaving the academic building, Cherise got into her car, visibly agitated.


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    hond from behind


    Mic opened the car door and looked at the man outside. Thank you for what your det


    the waves for Damares intervention, she didn¡¯t know where Jordyn¡¯s knife would havended


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589


    Chapter 589 No Good Deed Goes Unpunished


    ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡±


    The man opened the door of the car¡¯s backseat and got in. ¡°If you want to show your gratitude, I would


    appreciate some homemade pierogis tonight.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    She was genuinely confused as to why someone would suddenlye to Isaac¡¯s defense as if she


    were the viin.


    Her hand injury had been so severe in the past that she had to seek treatment in Europe regrly.


    During one of these visits, the hospital admitted a patient withplicated symptoms while she was.


    away. Isaac assumed this case was simr to one where he had previously worked with Cherise and


    was eager to prove hispetence without informing her.


    So, he misrepresented the situation to the hospital and imed that Cherise had devised his surgical


    n. He requested to perform the surgery without Cherise¡¯s knowledge.


    The patient¡¯s condition was deteriorating, and the hospital couldn¡¯t reach Cherise. Therefore, they


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    trusted Isaac¡¯s words.


    This led to a significant medical mishap.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lucy¡¯s timely intervention in the operating theater, the patient would have died on


    the table.


    The incident caused a great uproar, but it also propelled Lucy to fame in Lermille¡¯s medicalmunity.


    However, Isaac¡¯s punishment was inevitable.


    At the time, Cherise believed that Isaac was still young and had been too impulsive to prove himself, so


    she had lent him fifty thousand to start over in His hometown.


    More than two years had passed since the incident. Before Jordyn suddenly stepped forward and


    imed that Isaac was Cherise¡¯s ex-boyfriend who had taken the me for her, Cherise had almost


    forgotten.


    about it.


    This revtion felt like being caught in a sudden and massive hailstorm. It left her both bewildered and


    infuriated.


    ¡°I can imagine how you must be feeling now. Does it feel like when you were deceived by Ian Philips?¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice made Cherise frown. The incident with Ian back then¡­


    Countless memories flooded her mind. The woman turned to look at the scenery outside the car


    window. ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    ¡°No good deed goes unpunished.¡±


    She had personally appealed to the hospital authorities on Isaac¡¯s behalf. If she hadn¡¯t done so,


    considering Isaac¡¯s actions, the hospital wouldn¡¯t have simply let him go.


    But now, Isaac¡¯s neighbor hade forward to cause amotion and tarnish her reputation in front


    of


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    1/2


    ¡°So why did you help him back then?¡± The man smiled faintly. He also turned to look at the scenery


    outside the car window, his voice indifferent and cold. ¡°You should know that someone capable of


    ¡°He did it for money and to umte more wealth. Those who are dishonest in their pursuit of wealth


    Cherise scoffed. ¡°Are you criticizing yourself, Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m dishonest, Damien responded with a faint smile. ¡°But your former apprentice clearly


    Cherise pursed her lips, feeling a pang of disappointment.


    She had be more cautious and was no longer as naive or trusting as before. But Isaac¡­


    She closed her eyes and let out a bitterugh. ¡°How can you be sure it¡¯s Isaac¡¯s fault, not mine?¡±


    ¡°Because I know you better than anyone else.¡±


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 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590


    Chapter 590 I Know You Better Than Anyone Else


    ¡°I know you better than anyone else,¡± Damien uttered in a low and indifferent voice.


    Cherise found it hard to remain unmoved. Her heart stirred slightly.


    Hearing Damien say those words to her now still warmed her heart and thrilled her, just like it did five


    years ago, especially in this moment.


    They had been apart for five full years. Many things could change in such a time span. It was even


    enough. for someone¡¯s character topletely transform..


    But even after their reunion, Damien still sat calmly in the back seat of her car and reassured her when


    she was being ndered. ¡°I know you better than anyone else.¡±


    His words and intentions deeply touched her.


    Cherise took a deep breath. A faint smile formed on the corners of her lips. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Dr. Shaw.¡± Damien leaned back, his arms folded behind his head. ¡°But I noticed a


    few students taking photos in the ssroom earlier. I suspect this won¡¯t be easy to resolve.¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    In this age of advanced technology, anyone could spread news or be a rumor-monger.


    The supposed scandalous deeds of a renowned female doctor would undoubtedly attract arge


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    audience.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± he asked nonchntly..


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it when the timees. Cherise smiled and started the car. ¡°After all, this matter is in the


    past. I don¡¯t believe one person like Jordyn can tarnish my reputation.¡±


    She had faced many challenges and much skepticism in her medical career but never backed down.


    ¡°I¡¯m rather intrigued by Isaac Roebuck¡± The man frowned slightly. ¡°Do you know where he lives? I¡¯d like


    to meet him.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows, ¡°Why do you want to meet him?¡±


    ¡°I intend to retrieve your fifty thousand dors.¡± The man smiled faintly. ¡°And perhaps exchange some


    insights on pursuing Dr. Shaw.¡±


    After that, he sighed, slightly distressed. ¡°I know you¡¯re an alluring woman, Dr. Shaw, but I didn¡¯t realize


    you have so many suitors.¡±


    ¡°Zachary, Syatt, and now, Isaac.¡± The man smiled faintly. His gaze fell on the back of the woman¡¯s head


    in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Are there more?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you countless men were after me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°After all, the woman I¡¯m attracted to is bound to be adored by many. But even if a million people stand


    in my way, I¡¯m confident I can win you back.¡±


    |||


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and she took a deep breath. ¡°Damien.¡±


    Damien nodded, ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°Who taught you these cheesy lines?¡±


    Even Soren wouldn¡¯t use such clich¨¦d phrases in kindergarten!


    Damien smiled faintly, ¡°I picked them up from your novels.¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°My novels?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The man continued smiling. ¡°I remember that you enjoyed reading novels.¡±


    ¡°I found and read a few of your favorite novels that I remembered. I also picked up a few lines from


    them. After that, the man looked at Cherise, very pleased with himself. ¡°Are you moved?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cherise stopped the car. ¡°I¡¯m so moved that I want to kick you out of the car.¡±


    Damien looked out the car window with a frown.


    They were outside Cherise¡¯s house, which was now also Damien¡¯s home.


    |||

 Chapter 591

    Chapter 591


    Chapter 591 You Can Boldly Pursue Damien


    ¡°Please step out of the car.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow slightly. ¡°It¡¯s three in the afternoon. I have to go to work, andter, I have to


    pick up my children from kindergarten.¡±


    However, Damien stubbornly pursed his lips and refused to leave. ¡°I want to protect you. So, wherever


    you go,


    I¡¯ll go too.¡±


    Cherise scoffed. ¡°Protect me? Is that a line you picked up from a romance novel?¡±


    She turned to Damien with a hint of disdain in her clear eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you act your age?¡±


    ¡°I used to enjoy romance novels five years ago, but now, I¡¯m only interested in medical journals.¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll look into medical journals next time.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    She took a deep breath and unlocked the car door. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you read, but I need you to leave


    this car now.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and looked at Cherise firmly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you should know that I have a


    peculiar quirk. I tend to be quite rebellious.¡±


    ¡°Your attempt to kick me out will only make me want to stay even more,¡± he added.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Cherise frowned. ¡°What if I don¡¯t tell you to leave?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll continue staying right here.¡±


    Cherise sneered, ncing at him contemptuously in the rearview mirror. ¡°This isn¡¯t defiance. It¡¯s


    shamelessness.¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Cherise was stumped.


    Then, she took a deep breath and looked at him resignedly. ¡°Give me your current mobile number.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m in danger, you¡¯ll be the first person I contact, okay?¡±


    ¡°All I ask is for you to stop staying in my car. Everyone in the hospital knows I¡¯m Mrs. Miles. I don¡¯t want


    to start a scandal, especially after Jordyn started a rumor to tarnish my reputation.¡±


    Only then did Damien reluctantly give her his mobile phone number.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ve saved it.¡±


    Cherise smiled and showed him the contact list on her phone. ¡°Can you please leave the car now?¡±


    Damien pondered solemnly. He understood why Cherise had to do this.


    After all, she was a renowned doctor with a reputation to uphold, and everyone knew she was


    Zachary¡¯s wife.


    Thus, Damien utched the car door and stepped out.


    Once he exited, Cherise promptly locked all the doors.


    Then, she casually lowered the window and dialed a number in front of Damien.


    ¡°Lana, didn¡¯t youe to the office today to ask for Maeve¡¯s brother¡¯s contact details?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cherise looked at Damien¡¯s stunned expression provocatively and recited his number digit by digit.


    ¡°Okay, Lana, I¡¯ve gotten the number for you. Maeve¡¯s brother has been divorced for five and has no


    connection with his ex-wife.¡±


    ¡°You and your interested friends can boldly pursue Mr. Lenoir without worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to attending Damien and your wedding.¡±


    Then, Cherise ended the call and turned to Damien daringly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you¡¯ll be busy


    soon.¡±


    Damien was left speechless.


    ¡°When did you be so cunning?¡±


    ¡°I merely employed what was necessary to deal with certain people.¡±


    She rolled up the window and drove away.


    years


    Damien Lenoir stood in the same spot. He narrowed his eyes and pulled out his phone. ¡°Mr. Kolson,


    follow her.¡±


    Cherise returned to the hospital and found Lucy waiting for her in the office with her arms crossed.

 Chapter 592

    Chapter 592


    Chapter 592 His Blind Date


    ¡°I heard the news on Twitter,¡± Lucy said, her voice filled with disdain.


    Lucy, standing tall in her pristine whiteb coat, crossed her arms and leaned casually against the chair


    while gazing coldly at Cherise. ¡°Who would have thought attending a ss would cause such a


    Cherise didn¡¯t need to think to understand what Lucy was implying.


    She calmly walked to her seat and sat down. ¡°The issue with Isaac was thoroughly investigated and


    rified two years ago. I¡¯ve done my part. A clear conscience fears no


    usation.¡±


    Lucy raised an eyebrow, her gaze remaining impassive. ¡°You think I was referring to Isaac?¡±


    ¡°The case with Isaac was concluded long ago, and the hospital¡¯s medical ident team conducted a


    thorough investigation back then. What could he possibly uncover now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about this!¡±


    Lucy took out her phone and showed Cherise a photograph.


    The photo showed Cherise holding arge bouquet of roses, with Damien shielding her behind him. At


    the same time, Damien was restraining Jordyn¡¯s arms, his eyes cold and intimidating.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes showed a hint of panic, but her trust in Damien overpowered it.


    Therge bouquet of red roses in her arms was especially eye-catching. The students¡¯ addition of


    photo filters made it appear even more vibrant.


    The onlinements for this photo transitioned from initial astonishment of ¡°Oh my God! How could


    this happen?¡± to ¡°This man is so handsome, and the roses are so exquisite. They are a perfect couple!¡±


    Cherise nced at the photo on Lucy¡¯s phone and read thements below. She fell into silence.


    This¡­


    She coughed softly. ¡°It was an ident.¡±


    ¡°Damien gave you the roses, right?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes and questioned coldly.


    Cherise nodded, ¡°Yes, they were from him.¡±


    ¡°At least he has some taste.¡±


    Lucy scoffed, examining the roses in the photo again. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find such beautiful roses in a


    ce like Lermille.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you once say you envied girls whose boyfriends waited outside their sses to give


    them roses?¡±


    ¡°Now, your dream hase true, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned. ¡°Did I


    say


    that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Lucy affirmed. ¡°Back then, you were obsessed with romance novels¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    Hearing the mention of ¡®romance novels¡¯ made Cherise remember Damien¡¯s cheesy lines in the car.


    Did I really love romance novels that much back then?


    Lucy observed her reaction and chuckled. ¡°Did you share Damien¡¯s contact details with Lana and the


    others?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was a way to punish Damien.


    Besides, she believed the number Damien gave her was not his usual business contact.


    She had no problem sharing it with Lana and the others.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    Lucy yawned. ¡°But when I came to see you three years ago, didn¡¯t you ask about Damien¡¯s blind date?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    She vividly recalled Damien speaking tenderly to someone on the phone that night.


    ¡°I asked my father to investigate it for you.¡±


    ¡°The woman he supposedly went on a blind date with three years ago imed he never showed up.¡±


    Her anxious heart gradually calmed down.


    But if the person on the phone wasn¡¯t his blind date¡­ who could it be?


    He would never speak like that to a man.


    Who could that woman be?


    Maeve was closest to him. She was still in Lermille Hospital then.


    Cherise scratched her head in frustration.

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593


    Chapter 593 nning To Collect The Debt


    Lucy nced at Cherise, appearing hesitant to speak.


    After a moment, she gently patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ve done some research for you. He


    hasn¡¯t been involved with any women in the past five years.¡±


    ¡°However¡­ there are quite a few women interested in him.¡±


    you don¡¯t have to worry about them.¡±


    ¡°But you


    Cherise nodded.


    However, she soon realized something was amiss.


    ¡°Why should I feel relieved?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t decided to reconcile with Damien yet.


    ¡°¡­


    ¡°It will happen eventually.¡± Lucy sighed. ¡°And¡­ once you two reconcile, there¡¯s another issue to deal


    with.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. ¡°What issue?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the timees.¡±


    Lucy took a deep breath and picked up the medical record from the table. Before leaving, she added,


    ¡°By the way, even though today¡¯s incident with Isaac didn¡¯t cause much of a stir online, you should still


    inform the hospital director about it. After all, your reputation now affects the hospital¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Cherise nodded. She would have informed the hospital director even if Lucy hadn¡¯t mentioned it.


    Afterpleting her tasks and before heading home, Cherise went to the hospital director¡¯s office and


    knocked on the door.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Seeing her, the hospital director put down the newspaper in his hand and smiled. ¡°What brings you


    here?¡±


    Cherise nodded and recounted the incident with Jordyn from the beginning.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°That Isaac!¡± The hospital director frowned deeply. ¡°He tried to frame you two years ago. Thankfully,


    Ms. Lane saw through his lies and exposed him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years. I can¡¯t believe he now sent his neighbor to frame you!¡±


    The hospital director took a deep breath and mmed his hand on the desk. ¡°Just a few days ago, he


    called, asking me to send him the license he left behind at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°With his current behavior, I don¡¯t even want to spend a single cent on postage for him!¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°What license?¡±


    ¡°Oh, when he left in a hurry two years ago, he only took his practitioner¡¯s license but left his


    pharmacist¡¯s license behind. The janitor found it and brought it to me, so I¡¯ve kept it for


    him.¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, he called and said he wanted this document. It seems he¡¯s not doing well and ns


    to use it to find a new job.¡±


    ¡°Can you give it to me?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Can you also give me his address? I¡¯ll send it to him myself.¡±


    The office fell silent for a few seconds.


    The hospital director looked at Cherise in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ want to give it to him


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    personally?¡±


    Cherise smiled and replied, ¡°Isaac still owes me fifty thousand. I n to collect the debt.¡±


    The hospital director was briefly stunned before understanding Cherise¡¯s intention.


    Then, he turned around and bent his bulky frame to rummage through his desk drawer. After a


    moment, he found Isaac¡¯s pharmacist license and handed it to Cherise. He then jotted down Isaac¡¯s


    address on a piece of paper. ¡°You can find him tomorrow. I¡¯ve approved your leave. People without a


    conscience should be held ountable for their actions!¡±


    Cherise nodded and epted the items from the hospital director before saying goodbye.


    As she turned to leave, the hospital director sighed. ¡°Ah, originally, Isaac was the most promising


    among the neers in our hospital. Who would have thought¡­¡±


    The following day, after dropping off her children at the kindergarten, Cherise followed the address


    given by the hospital director and drove towards the small town where Isaac resided.


    She traveled from the bustling city center with heavy traffic to the suburbs, onto the highway, and finally


    onto the secluded rural roads.


    Throughout the journey, a ck Land Rover trailed behind her car.


    Cherise could see the Land Rover in the rearview mirror. It had Adania¡¯s license te.

 Chapter 594

    Chapter 594


    Chapter 594 I¡¯m Happy For Her


    Cherise immediately recognized that it was someone from Adania who was following her. Unable to


    resist her curiosity, she put on her Bluetooth headset and dialed Damien¡¯s number. ¡°Are you following


    me?¡±


    There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before the man replied, ¡°You noticed?¡±


    Cherise was speechless.


    He followed me so tantly in such arge and conspicuous Land Rover. Did he want me to notice?


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to meet a friend,¡± she cleared her throat and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not in any danger.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Damien¡¯s deep voice carried a hint of amusement. ¡°I¡¯m not following you because I¡¯m worried


    about your safety.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you following me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m courting you.¡±


    Cherise was astounded. ¡°You¡¯re courting me with a car?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    She ended the call, took a deep breath, and had no choice but to elerate.


    However, the ck Land Rover matched her speed.


    Cherise nced at the car through the rearview mirror.


    It always maintained a safe distance between them.


    She could never lose sight of him, and he would never stray too far from her.


    It was somewhat like their current rtionship.


    Yet, she felt oddlyforted and a little¡­happy.


    A faint smile appeared on her lips.


    If he enjoys following me, then I¡¯ll let him.


    Isaac lived in a town not far from Lermille.


    It only took Cherise two hours to get there.


    She followed the address given by the hospital director and arrived at the edge of the town. Then, she


    parked her car in front of ¡®Isaac Clinic.¡¯


    She was surprised to find another car with a Lermille license te in front of Isaac Clinic.


    Furthermore, it was an expensive car.


    Cherise furrowed her brow and thought the car looked familiar.


    She looked at the license te closely.


    Isn¡¯t this Martha¡¯s car?


    Why is it here?


    Could Martha be here to question Isaac about Jordyn¡¯s incident yesterday?


    But Cherise felt something was amiss.


    Martha had never gotten along with her. She looked down on Cherise and publicly ridiculed her from


    the moment she joined the hospital. ¡°How can a person who can¡¯t even perform surgery dare to be an


    attending physician? What a joke!¡±


    Over the years, Martha had been resentful that Cherise was entrusted with significant responsibilities


    even though she could only guide but not perform surgeries.


    Why would Martha be here to question Isaac when the news about me broke out?


    Cherise took a deep breath and opened the car door. Just as she was about to get out, she realized it


    might not be appropriate to rush in.


    Suddenly, she nced in the rearview mirror and spotted a ck Land Rover parked a short distance


    behind her.


    Cherise had an idea and immediately dialed Damien¡¯s number. ¡°Can you do something for me?¡±


    A minuteter, Cherise started her red BMW and drove it to another street.


    Meanwhile, Damien¡¯s ck Land Rover stopped in front of Isaac Clinic. He got out of the car and


    entered the clinic, exuding an air of confidence as he walked.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    While at the entrance, Damien overheard a male voice speaking with a hint of helplessness. ¡°Dr. Shaw


    is a very talented and capable doctor. I¡¯m happy that she can now perform surgeries on patients


    herself.¡±


    Then, the man sighed and continued, ¡°Ms. Lane, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Damien saw a man in a white coat bowing humbly through a frosted ss door. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for what


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    happened to Jordyn. I¡¯ve never mentioned the medical incident to her. But over a month ago¡­ I got


    drunk¡­¡±


    THE

 Chapter 595

    Chapter 595


    Chapter 595 She Doesn¡¯t Deserve Your Kindness


    ¡°But the next day, I told her not to spread rumors everywhere. I had no idea she went to Lermille and¡­


    ndered Dr. Shaw before so many people.¡±


    ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re a good man.¡±


    The woman seated on the couch sighed softly. ¡°What happened back then wasn¡¯t your fault, yet you


    willingly take the me for everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise doesn¡¯t deserve your kindness. Whether it was two years ago or now, she never admitted that


    she instructed you with that n.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane.¡±


    Isaac smiled, ¡°This is not a matter of whether someone is deserving.¡±


    ¡°I am far inferior to Dr. Shaw in terms of medical skills and achievements.¡±


    ¡°If someone has to take the me, I¡¯ll step forward.¡±


    After saying this, he sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find Jordyn and educate her properly.¡±


    ¡°Please reassure Dr. Shaw that what happened back then will not affect her work.¡±


    Once Isaac finished speaking, the middle-aged woman seated on the couch sighed.


    After a while, she took a stack of money from her bag and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°I heard your


    mother¡¯s illness has worsened.¡±


    ¡°I am lending this to you. You must pay me backter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Lane.¡±¡±


    Isaac was somewhat touched. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly repay you first once I have the money.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Martha sighed and rose to leave.


    Damien waited for them to reach the door before finally opening the clinic¡¯s ss door.


    ¡°Isaac, since you have a patient, you don¡¯t need to see me off.¡±


    Martha sighed and left.


    Isaac stood at the door, watching her leave. After a moment, he turned to Damien and asked, ¡°Sir, is


    something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Damien sat down on the couch and pointed to his heart.


    Isaac pocketed the money on the table and smiled professionally at Damien. ¡°Please wait a moment.


    I¡¯ll give you a checkup.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Damien sat on the couch and surveyed the clinic¡¯s interior.


    It was simple and clean, with various anatomical charts adorning the walls and a price list.


    Meanwhile, Isaac carefully brought out his toolbox in the distance.


    He appeared to be in his early twenties with an innocent and earnest demeanor, much like Cherise


    back then.


    No matter how Damien looked at him, he could not associate him with the ungrateful man who had


    ndered Cherise.


    Moreover, judging from his conversation with that woman just now¡­


    If Isaac truly made a mistake back then, he would not have spoken in the tone he did.


    Furthermore, he would not have mentioned Cherise with such respect.


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°No need to rush. I¡¯m actually here to inquire about the medical incident


    involving you and Cherise back then.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s hand paused slightly.


    He turned and nced at Damien indifferently. ¡°You came from Lermille? That was quick.¡±


    ¡°But I must correct you. The medical incident back then was my case alone. It had nothing to do with


    Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Damien looked up and calmly observed Isaac¡¯s face. The man wore a white coat and had a slender


    figure. There was no hint of gloom on his face.


    He smiled at Damien. ¡°Are you a journalist?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°You can say


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    that.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Isaac smiled calmly. His clear eyes swept over Damien¡¯s stern face. ¡°A journalist wouldn¡¯t possess the


    demeanor you exude.¡±

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596


    Chapter 596 A Severe Burn


    Damien chuckled. ¡°What impression do you have of me?¡±


    ¡°Dignified, aloof, indifferent to everything, but clear about your goals and willing to give your all for


    them.¡±


    Isaac turned around to pour a ss of water for Damien and ced it in front of him. ¡°Am I correct,


    sir?¡±


    Damienughed again and looked at Isaac with a hint of approval. ¡°Since you¡¯ve guessed that I¡¯m not a


    journalist, why not ask me to leave?¡±


    ¡°Because I think you might be a friend of Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Isaac sat on the couch opposite Damien with a subtle smile on his lips.


    When Cherise¡¯s name was mentioned, Damien noticed a glimmer of admiration in Isaac¡¯s


    eyes.


    This admiration seemed even more fervent than Syatt¡¯s previous infatuation and respect for Cherise.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I am her friend.¡±


    Damien took a sip of water before continuing, ¡°But I know nothing about past events, which is why I


    came to inquire.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to say about what happened back then.¡±


    Isaac took a deep breath. ¡°In Dr. Shaw¡¯s absence, I took the liberty of operating on a patient. without


    considering their individual differences, resulting in a catastrophic incident on the operating table.¡±


    He looked down and continued, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Dr. Staber¡¯s timely intervention, the patient could have


    died¡­¡±


    The man sighed softly. ¡°Despite my mistake, Dr. Shaw advocated for me, and the hospital staff were


    lenient towards me.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, I might have had my medical license revoked, and I might not even have the means to


    earn a living now¡­¡±


    His eyes filled with gratitude towards Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw is an exceptional doctor. I¡¯m fortunate to have


    encountered her when I first joined the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also grateful for her guidance, which allowed a novice like me to participate in numerous renowned


    surgeries.¡±


    Then, he turned to Damien and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Jordyn. Please assure Dr. Shaw when you return.¡±


    ¡°This matter won¡¯t have any impact on her. It¡¯s just my neighbor¡¯s sister causing trouble.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened to Isaac. He was puzzled about something. ¡°I¡¯m not


    quite following. Why did you perform the surgery when Cherise wasn¡¯t around?¡±


    ¡°Where was she then?¡±


    Isaac sighed softly. ¡°Dr. Shaw¡¯s right hand suffered a severe injury and required regr rehabilitation


    treatment abroad.¡±


    Damien was shocked.


    Cherise¡¯s right hand.


    Her right hand¡­


    He remembered the incident at their wedding five years ago.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She had thrown herself in front of him, using her hand to deflect Mnie¡¯s knife.


    But¡­


    Even though he and Cherise were at odds then, he had closely monitored the treatment for her hand.


    At the time, the doctor had mentioned that, with proper care, her hand would recover within a year


    without affecting her future life.


    How could this be?


    Noticing Damien¡¯s silence, Isaac furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Damien nced at him. ¡°Regarding Dr. Shaw¡¯s hand¡­ was it a tendon or bone injury?¡±


    Isaac was surprised by the question.


    He recalled seeing Dr. Shaw¡¯s diagnosis on the table.


    ¡°Somewhat.¡±


    Isaac pursed his lips. ¡°But the main issue is that her hand suffered a severe burn.¡±


    Damien was stunned. ¡°A severe burn?¡±

 Chapter 597

    Chapter 597


    Chapter 597 The Truth


    The clinic door swung open just as Damien was about to inquire further about Cherise¡¯s injury.


    A woman wearing a red coat and ck boots entered the clinic.


    Isaac nearly dropped the ss of water he was holding.


    He stood up nervously and stared at Cherise in shock. ¡°Dr. Shaw, Dr. Shaw¡­¡±


    Cherise responded with a slight nod and walked in at a leisurely pace.


    She had noticed Martha lingering outside the clinic for quite some time before leaving.


    As soon as Martha was out of sight, Cherise immediately drove to the clinic.


    She was afraid that Damien might impulsively attack Isaac.


    Despite Isaac¡¯s questionable character, she would not allow Damien to resort to violence.


    After all, this was a small town, not the city he came from. His influence and power held no sway here.


    That was why she decided to intervene promptly.


    However, to her surprise, the two men in the clinic did not seem as hostile as she had expected.


    Instead, they appeared to be two old friends catching up.


    Cherise walked over to the couch and took a seat beside Damien. She observed Isaac¡¯s expression


    indifferently.


    Then, she pulled out the pharmacist certificate from her pocket and ced it on the coffee table in front


    of Isaac. ¡°The hospital director said he wanted to return this to you by courier.¡±


    ¡°But I told him it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years since you left Lermille Hospital. As your former mentor, I thought I should check on


    how you¡¯re doing on behalf of the hospital.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s words caused Isaac to look down in shame. ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well.¡±


    ¡°Quite well?¡±


    Cherise raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°Well enough to send a neighbor to Lermille and spread rumors about me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Even after two years, Isaac still behaved timidly in front of Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw, please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle Jordyn properly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll travel to Lermille tomorrow to bring her back and exin to everyone¡­ what happened back then


    was entirely my fault.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    The clinic fell into silence for a few seconds.


    Cherise stared at Isaac in disbelief.


    She looked at his face, which still bore a hint of youthfulness, and couldn¡¯t detect any signs of deceit or


    dishonesty.


    Furthermore, his eyes were sincere, and his words sounded genuine.


    He showed no hesitation in trying to fix the problem or any intention to ckmail or extort her.


    It was hard to believe that Isaac had colluded with Jordyn.


    However, the things Jordyn had said could only havee from him.


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Since you weren¡¯t involved in what Jordyn did, I¡¯d like to know how you


    exined the incident to her.¡±


    Isaac pursed his lips. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what nonsense I said when I was drunk¡­¡±


    He avoided her gaze as he spoke.


    Cherise Shaw frowned. ¡°You¡¯re lying. What did you tell her?¡±


    Isaac pursed his lips and nced at Cherise before turning to Damien. Then, he nervously rubbed his


    hands and sank into the couch. ¡°I¡­ I told her the truth when I was drunk.¡±


    Cherise immediately felt a surge of anger burning in her chest.


    ¡°The truth?¡±


    What a load of nonsense!


    Does his version of the truth mean telling Jordyn that he took the me for what happened back then?


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    When the surgery went wrong, I was undergoing intensive treatment in Europe and enduring the agony


    of being torn apart. Yet, he dares to im that I devised the surgical n.

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598


    Chapter 598 The Recording


    I was in agony at that moment. How could Ie up with a surgical n for him when I could barely


    take care of myself?


    However, he insists that he is telling the truth.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isaac let out a soft sigh and gazed into Cherise¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dr. Shaw, I don¡¯t want to hide anything from


    you.¡±


    ¡°I understand why you were hesitant to acknowledge what happened back then, but here¡­¡±


    He nced at Damien. ¡°This gentleman doesn¡¯t seem to be an outsider, so I¡¯ll be honest.¡±


    ¡°Regarding that surgery, you called me and instructed me to use the surgical n for a patient with a


    simr condition to operate on this patient.¡±


    ¡°I even questioned your decision and reminded you of the potential differences between individual


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    patients.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you dismissed my concerns. You insisted that their conditions were identical and using the same


    surgical n would be fine.¡±


    Isaac spoke earnestly, but Cherise couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    She only found out about the surgery when Lucy informed her after returning from


    treatment overseas.


    Yet, Isaac imed that she had contacted him back then.


    She had no recollection of ever calling him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Isaac took a deep breath, ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    He lowered his gaze. ¡°I felt the treatment was inappropriate at the time, but you insisted there would be


    no issues. So, I recorded our conversation for my own protection.¡±


    Cherise was stunned and stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You recorded it?¡±


    She had no idea Isaac would resort to recording their alleged phone conversation to safeguard himself.


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    Isaac bowed his head. ¡°I was immature back then and feared that the treatment would jeopardize my


    future career, so¡­


    ¡°But rest assured, Dr. Shaw, no one heard that recording except for me.¡±


    ¡°You were concerned about self-preservation and even went as far as recording the conversation.¡±


    Damien Lenoir frowned and asked calmly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you present it during the hospital investigation?


    Why did you choose to shoulder all the me instead?¡±


    Isaac quietly gripped the armrest of the couch. ¡°I changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°I felt that I shouldn¡¯t hinder the career of the mentor who guided me for the sake of advancement.¡±


    my own


    ¡°Dr. Shaw was my first mentor after graduation. All my achievements at that time were attributed to


    her.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I am fully aware that despite Dr. Shaw being only three or four years older than me, her


    aplishments indicate that she is more intelligent, skilled, and talented than I am.¡±


    ¡°If someone has to take responsibility for this matter, let it be me.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw still has countless more patients to save in the future.¡±


    Cherise fell silent.


    She pursed her lips and looked at Isaac. Suddenly, she realized that she had overanalyzed things.


    Isaac had been by her side since he joined the hospital.


    She knew better than anyone the kind of person he was and his character.


    When he got into trouble, she felt it was a shame that such a well-mannered young man could be so


    desperate for recognition and sess that he secretly performed surgery to prove his worth.


    Looking into Isaac¡¯s sincere eyes and listening to his words, Cherise realized that she had misjudged


    him.


    He was still the same honest and sincere young man as when they first met.


    ¡°Can we listen to the recording?¡±


    Damien stood up. He pulled down the clinic¡¯s roller shutter, drew the curtains, and enclosed the clinic in


    <pplete privacy.

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599


    Chapter 599 Indistinguishable From Hers


    Once everything waspleted, he casually walked towards Isaac, ¡°It¡¯s just the three of us here now.¡±


    Isaac still appeared hesitant.


    Cherise pressed her lips together. She understood what Damien meant.


    The woman¡¯s expression softened as she gazed up at the man in front of her.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Isaac. I¡¯m certain I didn¡¯t make that call to you, yet you insist you received a call from


    me and even have a recording. I would like to hear what the voice in this recording sounds like.


    Perhaps it can dispel any doubts I have.¡±


    Observing Cherise¡¯s sincere eyes, Isaac hesitated for a brief moment. He sighed and turned to retrieve


    something from the cubicle.


    He took out a hard drive, connected it to theputer, and located the recording.


    ¡°Isaac, trust me. When I say it¡¯s fine, it is. You can¡¯t always ount for every single person. These


    cases are all more or less the same. This patient¡¯s symptoms and diagnosis results are nearly identical


    to the previous ones. Trust me, there won¡¯t be any issues. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything


    goes wrong.¡±


    A voice identical to Cherise¡¯s yed from the recording.


    Cherise stared at Damien, bewildered.


    Damien¡¯s eyes were fixed on her.


    The voice¡­


    It was indistinguishable from hers.


    Cherise started to panic.


    If Isaac had used this as evidence back then, she would not have been able to clear her name even if


    she had given up her life!


    The tone and the way the voice spoke were exactly like hers.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had never uttered such words before, she would have even doubted if


    she actually said them herself!


    Unlike Cherise, Damien remainedposed as his brows furrowed.


    He nced at Isaac. ¡°Was this call made from Cherise¡¯s number?¡±


    Isaac shook his head.


    ¡°No. Dr. Shaw mentioned that her phone was dead that day. This call was from a European number.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Damien nced at her. ¡°Do you remember the number?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    Isaac sighed, ¡°I was certain the voice belonged to Dr. Shaw and didn¡¯t suspect anything else. That¡¯s


    why I didn¡¯t take note of the number.¡±


    After saying that, he looked at Damien. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien smiled.


    ¡°You would know better than I do what kind of doctor Cherise is. She deeply cares for her patients. She


    would never say such things. It¡¯s not difficult to imitate someone¡¯s voice. But to replicate the exact tone


    and phrasing¡­ that¡¯s a challenge. They would need someone with a simr voice, practicing for a long


    time.¡±


    Isaac was taken aback. ¡°Are you suggesting¡­ someone is framing Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no other usible exnation.¡±,


    Damien¡¯s frown deepened. He looked up at Cherise. ¡°Do you have any enemies or people who hold


    grudges against you in the hospital?¡±


    Cherise was still recovering from the shock of hearing the recording.


    Damien repeated his question, and she snapped back to reality.


    In truth, her reputation in the hospital had always been positive over the


    years.


    Although she no longer acted warmly towards everyone as she used to, her exceptional skills and


    friendly demeanor earned her the respect and favor of her colleagues.


    She pondered for a long time but couldn¡¯t recall offending anyone, especially to the extent that they


    would frame her with such an borate method.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw is usually quite approachable. Although she is exceptionally skilled, she¡¯s never


    arrogant about it. I doubt there¡¯s anyone who would want to frame Dr. Shaw.¡±¡±

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600


    Chapter 600 The Most Beloved Student


    Isaac let out a sigh as he leaned against the door, his slender frame trembling. ¡°When Dr. Lane visited,


    she spoke highly of Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow at those words.


    The conversation between Martha and Isaac yed over and over in his mind.


    ¡°You were not to me back then, yet you willingly took all the me upon yourself¡­ Cherise doesn¡¯t


    deserve your kindness. Whether it was two years ago or now, she never admitted that she personally


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    instructed you about that n.¡±


    A cold smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips.


    He had noticed it earlier.


    Martha may have seemedforting Isaac, but in reality, she was implying that Cherise was solely


    responsible for Isaac¡¯s current situation.


    She kept repeating the phrase ¡®isn¡¯t worth it.


    Cherise was not worthy.


    The hidden message behind her words was not so hidden after all.


    Yet, Isaac seemed oblivious to this as he continued to sing Cherise¡¯s praises.


    Damien raised an eyebrow, turned to Cherise, and asked, ¡°Is Ms. Lane usually friendly towards you?¡±


    Cherise shook her head.


    ¡°But even if Ms. Lane dislikes Dr. Shaw, she wouldn¡¯t conspire against her.¡±


    Isaac immediately refuted as soon as Damien finished speaking. ¡°Ms. Lane talks tough, but she has


    traditional views. It¡¯s normal for her to have disagreements with Dr. Shaw¡­¡±


    Cherise nodded in agreement.


    ¡°And Isaac was Ms. Lane¡¯s favorite student during his school years. Even if she dislikes me and wants


    me to leave the hospital, she wouldn¡¯t stoop to such measures. Because even if this was my n, it


    was Isaac who executed it. He won¡¯t be able to escape the consequences. Even if Ms. Lane holds a


    grudge against me, she wouldn¡¯t involve her favorite student.¡±


    After Isaac resigned, Martha was devastated for a long time.


    She started skipping numerous conferences and turned down promotion opportunities, iming she


    was not ready.


    She cared deeply for Isaac and would never involve him in such an issue.


    Upon hearing this, Isaac quickly nodded in agreement.


    ¡°These past two years, my mother has been seriously ill, and Ms. Lane asionally sends me money.


    She genuinely cares for me, so she wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Seeing that both of them were certain that Martha had no involvement, Damien did not press the issue


    further.


    His well-sculpted hand tapped on the table. ¡°Send me the recording.¡±


    Isaac nced at Cherise.


    After receiving Cherise¡¯s approval, he sent the audio to Damien¡¯s email. ¡°What do you n to do?¡±


    ¡°Since we can¡¯t determine the motive behind this incident, we¡¯ll start with this recording. The person


    who can imitate Cherise¡¯s voice with such uracy in such a short time won¡¯t be an ordinary person.


    They must be a professional voice actor at the very least.¡±


    Isaac pped his forehead. ¡°Right.¡±


    He gave Damien a thumbs up. ¡°That¡¯s clever of you.¡±


    Damien offered a faint smile. His tall and upright figure rose from the sofa. ¡°Then Cherise and I will take


    our leave. Call me if anythinges up.¡±


    He turned around, walked over to Cherise¡¯s side, and extended his hand to her. ¡°We¡¯ve stayed here for


    too long. It¡¯s time to go.¡±


    Cherise looked bewildered, stunned by the situation.

 Chapter 601

    Chapter 601


    Chapter 601 Not As Simple As They Seem


    Noticing Damien¡¯s outstretched hand, Cherise instinctively grasped it before her mind could process


    what was happening.


    Their palms met.


    The warm sensation brought her back to reality, and she realized she had unknowingly held his hand.


    A blush crept across her face, and she subconsciously tried to pull her hand away.


    But would Damien let go so easily now that he had finally seeded in holding her hand?


    His grip on her hand remained firm. ¡°Dr. Roebuck, it¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±


    With that, he led Cherise by the hand and walked out.


    Cherise felt annoyed and anxious, but she needed to maintainposure in front of Isaac until the


    situation was resolved. She couldn¡¯t push Damien away.


    All she could do was fidget her fingers in his palm while shooting him a re.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Isaac interrupted as they were about to leave. He quickly took off his white coat and grabbed his jacket


    by the door.


    ¡°If you two are heading back to Lermille, can I catch a ride with you? I need to bring that troublemaker


    Jordyn back.¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Even if Isaac hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he had intended to have a meaningful conversation with the


    ¡®righteous¡¯ young woman after they returned to Lermille.


    Once they left the clinic, Cherise forcefully shook off Damien¡¯s hand. She took out her car keys and got


    into her vehicle.


    Damien turned to Isaac. ¡°You can ride with me.¡±


    Isaac was taken aback.


    He voiced his confusion only after settling into the back seat of Damien¡¯s car. ¡°I thought you two came


    together.¡±


    Damien offered a faint smile. ¡°Well, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He had clearly seen Mr. Lenoir holding Dr. Shaw¡¯s hand.


    And she didn¡¯t resist.


    Clearly, their rtionship wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    After all, many people at the hospital were vying for Dr. Shaw¡¯s attention, but none could get close to


    her.


    Even he himself had only managed to get slightly closer to her during work.


    ¡°I¡¯m courting her.¡±


    The red BMW in front of them started moving.


    Damien started the car engine with a smile. His deep voice carried a hint of pride and amusement. ¡°Do


    you think I have a chance?¡±


    The red and ck cars sped along the highway.


    A couple of hourster, they arrived in Lermille.


    1


    Although it was her day off, Cherise couldn¡¯t neglect her patients. She made a U-turn and headed for


    the hospital when they reached the city.


    Damien drove Isaac to the police station.


    When Jordyn was escorted out by the police, her hair was disheveled, and her face was filled with


    indignation.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, no one can stop me. I¡¯m determined to expose that woman¡¯s true colors.¡±


    She spoke while being led out by the police.


    Isaac stood helplessly in the corridor with his arms crossed, watching her. ¡°What if I try to persuade


    you?¡±


    His voice was as clear as a mountain spring.


    Jordyn paused.


    The next moment, she lifted her head abruptly and looked in the direction of the voice.


    The young girl¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°Isaac?!¡±


    She wriggled free from the officers and ran excitedly toward him.


    The girl spread her arms wide open as she dashed in his direction.


    She wanted to embrace Isaac.


    But Isaac remained standing there with his arms crossed, showing no intention of returning the gesture.


    Excited, the girl reached Isaac¡¯s side. She reluctantly lowered her hands, realizing he wasn¡¯t


    responding to her hug. ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re here.¡±

 Chapter 602

    Chapter 602


    Chapter 602 Mr Lenoir, My Friend


    ¡°What other trouble would you stir up if I hadn¡¯t shown up?¡± Isaac furrowed his brow, his toneced with


    rebuke.


    ¡°Joy, haven¡¯t I warned you against discussing this matter carelessly? Didn¡¯t I make it clear that Dr.


    Shaw is a respected physician and we should not disturb her?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s gaze bore into Jordyn, visibly angered with fury in his eyes.


    ¡°But look at the mess you¡¯ve made, Joy! You¡¯ve told many others about the Dr. Shaw into a difficult


    situation!¡±


    Jordyn stood frozen in ce.


    past


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    and forced


    The afternoon breeze swept through the corridor, rustling the hair at her temples.


    She stared at Isaac, her eyes welling up with tears until they finally spilled over.


    ¡°All you care about is Dr. Shaw! She¡¯s the one at fault. Why are you taking the me for her? Why are


    you covering up for others when you can¡¯t even have a peaceful life yourself?¡±


    She sniffed, tears cascading down her face like a broken string of pearls.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your sake! You know that I¡¯ve always been timid. It took immense courage toe to


    Lermille and expose her in front of everyone! I was held in custody and endured such disgrace, yet you


    don¡¯t feel any pity. You don¡¯t care about me. All you care about is Dr. Shaw!¡±


    The young girl wiped away her tears.


    ¡°I did all this for you! But you don¡¯t appreciate what I¡¯ve done at all!¡±


    Isaacughed helplessly.


    ¡°Do I need you to go to such lengths for me? I¡¯ve repeatedly warned you not to say anything about


    this¡­¡±


    ¡°But someone said that you¡¯re not doing well now because of what happened in the past.¡±


    Observing the scene from the side, Damien picked up a key phrase from Jordyn. ¡®Someone.¡¯


    He yawned, throwing a casual nce at her. ¡°Someone said that he¡¯s not doing well now because of


    what happened in the past?¡±


    His dark eyes bore into Jordyn. ¡°Who is this person who suggested that his current situation


    is all because of the past?¡±


    She was taken aback, only then noticing the tall, imposing man behind Isaac.


    The man was striking to the eyes. The air around him was intimidating, and it was difficult to meet his


    gaze.


    The girl¡¯s pupils contracted!


    This man¡­


    Isn¡¯t he the one who¡­ the one who held the knife in front of Cherise Shaw that day, the man who


    protected her?


    Jordyn¡¯s mind was in turmoil.


    What is this man doing here?


    Why did he apany Isaac?


    The girl hastily stepped forward, positioning herself between Damien and Isaac. ¡°Did you threaten


    Isaac?¡±


    Otherwise, why would he keep singing praises of Cherise?


    With this thought, Jordyn gritted her teeth, looking up at Damien defiantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, themotion I caused in the ssroom that day was my doing. Isaac has nothing


    to do with it! Come for me if you have any problems with it!¡±


    Damien observed the girl before him with interest. ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t know. Thest person who


    dared to speak to me in this manner ended up as shark bait.¡±


    The man elegantly pulled a lighter from his pocket and toyed with it. ¡°I doubt you can handle what I¡¯ll


    do.¡±


    Isaac frowned, pulling Jordyn aside.


    ¡°What are you doing? Mr. Lenoir is my friend!¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡±


    She arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°Since when has someone like him be your friend? I¡¯m telling you, he¡­¡±


    Isaac frowned, raising his hand, and covered her mouth.


    Though he did not have much interaction with Damien, Damien¡¯s conduct and demeanor suggested


    that he was a man of considerable influence.

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603


    Chapter 603 Jordyn Came Clean


    The notion of Jordyn and Isaac daring to cross paths with someone like Damien was not onlyughable


    but also incredibly dangerous.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Isaac¡¯s voice boomed like thunder, silencing Jordyn¡¯s outburst. ¡°You im that someone told


    you


    I¡¯m in this predicament because of my time at Lermille Hospital? Tell me, who?¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s face turned pale. Had she identally revealed the truth? In a panic, she quickly covered her


    mouth with her hand. ¡°No one! I was just¡­talking nonsense.¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed, gleaming like sharpened steel. Jordyn¡¯s nervous nces and clumsy lies


    exposed her. This easily rattled Jordyn was undoubtedly a pawn, and now was the perfect opportunity


    for a power move.


    A wicked grin spread across his lips as he said, ¡°I brought Isaac here to find out the truth about you,


    Jordyn. So, if you reveal who¡¯s behind this drama, I might consider letting him go. Otherwise, his clinic


    will be shut down tomorrow, and his mother will be evicted from herfortable ward. Seems like a fair


    trade, don¡¯t you


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    think?¡±


    The air grew heavy, filled with the threat of severe consequences. Jordyn¡¯s breath caught in her throat.


    This was not a game of chance, but a matter of life and death.


    The man¡¯s tone and demeanor hinted at a chilling ruthlessness, leaving no room for doubt.


    Jordyn¡¯s hands clenched into fists, her voice trembling. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    The man¡¯s smile was chilling. ¡°Of course I would. With enough money, I could buy every hospital in the


    area and ensure that Isaac¡¯s mother never receives treatment.¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s eyes darted to Isaac¡¯s pale face, her anger rising. She stepped in front of him, ring at


    Damien. ¡°Don¡¯t take your anger out on him! I¡¯m the one who made the mistake!¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes glinted with malice. ¡°And what if I want to?¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s re intensified, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can intimidate me! Even if


    you buy every hospital in town, you can¡¯t buy Kelly¡¯s aunt¡¯s hospital! Her hospital would never turn


    away Isaac¡¯s mother!¡±


    ¡°Kelly¡¯s aunt is Isaac¡¯s former teacher, and she would never deny him or his mother medical care!¡±


    Isaac furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Kelly? Kelly Swigel??¡±


    The name struck a chord.


    Jordyn¡¯s lips tightened, realizing her slip-up. She decided toe clean. ¡°It was her¡­ It was Kelly who


    told me about Isaac¡¯s struggles, all stemming from a medical incident that happened years ago. She


    said that even though Isaac admitted to his mistakes, she always believed that a man of his character


    wouldn¡¯t make such a careless error. There must be more to the story.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°So, you came back to town to get me drunk and extract information


    from me when I¡¯m most vulnerable?¡±


    The reason for his trembling was not just surprise; it was because Kelly, despite being Dr. Lane¡¯s niece,


    had never shown any interest in medical matters.


    During the time of Isaac¡¯s incident, Kelly was studying abroad. She hadn¡¯t even expressed concern


    about her aunt, Dr. Lane¡¯s promotion, so why would she suddenly care about Isaac, someone


    insignificant to her and who had long been expelled from Lermille Hospital?

 Chapter 604

    Chapter 604


    Chapter 604 Isaac The Innocent


    Jordyn took a deep breath and realized that only one person could be responsible for this entire


    mess¡­ Dr. Lane herself!


    ¡°Yeah, Kelly told me she couldn¡¯t bear to see Isaac suffer like that,¡± Jordyn said.


    ¡°Remember when you got drunk and confessed about taking the me for him? I told Kelly everything


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    after that,¡± she continued, ¡°She suggested that I use a public event, like Cherise¡¯s lecture, to shame her


    and reveal the truth to everyone¡­¡±


    Jordyn locked eyes with Isaac and tightly squeezed his hand. ¡°Isaac, I did all of this for you!¡±


    He frowned. ¡°For me? If you truly cared, you wouldn¡¯t have done this!¡±


    Isaac pulled his hand away and turned to Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, this entire situation¡­¡±


    Damien rubbed his temples, wearing a tired smile on his face. ¡°Well, this is enough evidence to prove


    who has been manipting everything. Anyway, my driver will take you both home after this.¡±


    Just as Damien was about to leave, a thought stopped him in his tracks. He nced at Isaac and


    asked, ¡°Regarding that incident, what if you hadn¡¯t taken the me for Cherise back then? Do you


    think things would be different?¡±


    Isaac nodded curtly. ¡°Of course. If Dr. Shaw had epted responsibility, I would have faced a pay cut


    and a written apology at worst. But she¡­¡±


    Isaac lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with a hint of inferiority and mncholy. ¡°She¡¯s a superstar in the


    academic world, shining brightly. As for me? I make mistakes; nobody cares. Nobody would care if I


    were expelled from Lermille Hospital, perhaps. But her career would be ruined if she took responsibility


    for something this serious. Her career would be over¡­ No. more operating rooms, no second


    chances¡­¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes showed a flicker of understanding. ¡°I understand now. I might have a way to clear


    your name.¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. She jumped to her feet, her hand reaching out to grip Isaac¡¯s.


    ¡°Really? You can clear his name? Oh my God, that¡¯s incredible!¡±


    Her voice overflowed with excitement. ¡°Even though Isaac has been stuck in that rural clinic for two


    years, he has been devouring academic journals online! He still dreams of bing a top cardiac


    surgeon!¡±


    Damien raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, the timid little cat has finally grown some ws?¡±


    Jordyn¡¯s cheeks turned as red as a ripe tomato. ¡°Okay, maybe I was a bit excessive just now. But Mr.


    Lenoir, if you can make this happen, I¡¯ll even apologize on my hands and knees!¡±


    She attempted to kneel down, but Isaac caught her, his eyes pleading with Damien. ¡°Let it go, Mr.


    Lenoir,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s over. As long as you take care of Dr. Shaw, that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t


    need a hero¡¯s wee. I don¡¯t need aeback. I have a clinic here, and I¡¯m perfectly content.¡±


    Jordyn clenched her jaw. ¡°Content? You can¡¯t even afford your mother¡¯s medical bills¡­¡±

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605


    Chapter 605 Owe You A Thank You


    Before Jordyn could finish, Isaac covered her mouth with his hand. He gave Damien a reassuring


    smile. ¡°Please disregard her, Mr. Lenoir. I am satisfied with my life. Lermille is in the past. Has your


    driver arrived? We should leave now.¡±


    Damien noticed the determined look in Isaac¡¯s eyes and decided not to push further. He reached for his


    phone, calling Mr. Kolson to arrange their departure.


    As Isaac and Jordyn walked by, Damien discreetly slipped a card with his contact information into


    Jordyn¡¯s pocket.


    Later that night, after putting the children to bed, Cherise found Damien in his study.


    She listened attentively as he recounted Jordyn¡¯s outburst, then sighed. ¡°Isaac¡¯s hesitation is


    understandable. He owes his career to Dr. Lane, remember? She was his college mentor. He¡¯s not


    unaware. He must have understood Jordyn¡¯s implication today. Perhaps Dr. Lane was the culprit all


    along.¡±


    Cherise leaned back, closing her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a loyal man, sometimes to a fault. He was willing to take


    the me for me two years ago, and now he¡¯s protecting his mentor from the truth.¡±


    ¡°So much for loyalty blinding him to the bigger picture. If he had released that recording back then,


    ¡®loyalty be damned,¡¯ maybe this mess wouldn¡¯t exist.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Cherise shook her head, her voice filled with sadness and understanding. ¡°But if he had released it, my


    career would have been ruined.¡±


    She ran her hand through her hair, frustration evident on her face. ¡°We don¡¯t all have sharp mind,


    Damien. We wouldn¡¯t have considered the possibility of mimicry.¡±


    He


    gave her a slight smile, his eyes fixed on her. ¡°Is that apliment, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Caught off guard, Cherise blushed and looked away. ¡°Well, I suppose.¡±


    Perhaps he was an intellectual marvel, or maybe she was too immersed in academia to consider all


    perspectives.


    your


    Either way, her mind froze when she first heard that recording in Isaac¡¯s clinic today. She knew it wasn¡¯t


    her voice, yet the uncanny resemnce sent shivers down her spine. How could she defend herself?


    The thought of Isaac releasing that recording two years ago sent chills down Cherise¡¯s spine. How


    would she have defended herself then, without Damien¡¯s sharp mind and unwavering support? A


    warmth blossomed in her chest, a silent gratitude for his presence. He was her anchor, her shield


    against the storm.


    Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the starry sky and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Damien poked a pierogi and paused. His deep voice, tinged with yfulness, asked, ¡°Why are you


    thanking me, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s heart fluttered, and a blush crept up her neck. Even with her back turned to him, she could


    feel his gaze, intense and searching.


    ¡°I¡­ I think I owe you a thank you,¡± she whispered barely audibly.


    Damien chuckled, a deep and husky sound. ¡°Words are easy. A true thank you is shown through


    actions, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    He popped another pierogi into his mouth, his eyes gleaming with something she couldn¡¯t quite


    decipher.

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606


    Chapter 606 Mr Handsome Next Door?


    Cherise raised her eyebrows, meeting his gaze that held a mischievous sparkle. She caught a glimpse


    of her flushed reflection in his eyes, and warmth spread across her cheeks.


    Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she asked, ¡°What kind of thank you gift does Mr. Lenoir


    expect? Aren¡¯t these pierogis enough?¡±


    Her gaze shifted to the te of pierogis, evidence of her afternoon spent taking the children to the


    market.


    Just moments ago, Serafina hadined about the pierogis, but Soren, wise beyond his years,


    remarked, ¡°Sera, don¡¯t be silly. I don¡¯t think Mom made them for us.¡±


    Serafina furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°But Mommy doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend, it¡¯s just us. Who are


    they for? Is it for Grandpa? Or that attractive man next door?¡±


    With a conspiratorial grin, Soren leaned in and whispered, ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have a daddy soon¡­¡±


    Cherise found herself haunted by her son¡¯s words as Serafina¡¯s persistent questions about having a


    father on the way home tested Cherise¡¯s patience and wit. ¡°When will I have a daddy, Mommy? Will he


    be handsome? Will he give me strawberries like the man next door?¡±


    Exhausted from their relentless questioning, Cherise finally snapped, ¡°No daddy anytime. soon, okay?¡±


    Soren smirked. ¡°Gotcha! You said it yourself, and I recorded it.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s breath caught. Soren, with his uncanny intuition, must have sensed something¡­


    Her


    gaze shifted to Damien, a mischievous reflection of their son, although Soren melted her heart while


    Damien possessed a captivating allure that threatened to consume her.


    He smiled knowingly, his eyes narrowing dangerously. ¡°Pierogis? Just an appetizer. You know what I


    truly desire.¡±


    His gaze held her captive, making her squirm. ¡°We¡¯re not together anymore! We¡¯re neighbors now,


    alright? Good neighbors,¡± she trailed off, her voice barely a whisper, ¡°I just¡­ see you as a friend. Don¡¯t


    push this.¡±


    The man chuckled, his eyes twinkling with an enigmatic expression. ¡°Push what? Is your imagination


    running wild, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    He pushed his te away, wiped his mouth, and stood up, gradually closing the distance between


    them. His voice, low and seductive, sent a shiver down Cherise¡¯s spine. ¡°Am I


    overthinking, or are you the one misunderstanding, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    He set down his fork, casually wiped his mouth, and rose, slowly closing the gap between them. ¡°Or


    perhaps your desires are more intense than you care to admit? I simply mentione what I crave, that¡¯s


    all. What did your mind conjure?¡±


    Cherise clenched her teeth. Did he really ask what she thought? His suggestive remark was practically


    a shing neon sign!


    Besides, ever since they reconnected, they had already engaged in a passionate encounter in the


    hospital restroom. This man had no boundaries or shame!


    Nervously, she retreated, backing away¡­ until, with a soft ¡°thud,¡± she tumbled off the couch and onto


    the plush carpet.


    ¡°You silly girl,¡± he chuckled, reaching out to help her up.


    Cherise shot him a re, rubbing her sore bottom. I¡¯m not silly! I¡¯m a respected figure in the medical


    field. Thank you very much!¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Damien smiled dismissively, returning to his pierogi feast. ¡°A respected doctor


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    who just bruised her bottom falling off the couch.¡±


    Cherise blushed, unable to find words.

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607


    Chapter 607 You¡¯re Not The Same!


    ¡°Hey!¡± Cherise objected, ¡°Show some respect to the person who saved your sister!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I respect the person who saved my sister¡­ who just fell on her bottom.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s anger simmered. Damien always knew how to provoke her.


    Unable to restrain herself, she grabbed a throw pillow and threw it at him. He caught it with practiced


    grace, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re still the same silly, spirited gi I see.¡±


    Cherise had transformed from a neen-year-old college student to a distinguished figure in


    academia.


    But to him, she was still the same as before. Awkwardly charming. Witty with a touch of vulnerability.


    Cherise wouldn¡¯t realize that no matter how formidable or famous she was in the eyes of others, she


    would always be that silly girl to Damien.


    ¡°I¡¯m not silly. You are!¡± she shot back, puffing up like a ruffled kitten. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even my problem to


    begin with! You suddenly started making suggestive remarks and tried to¡­.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow and replied with augh, ¡°Me being suggestive about you? Goodness, no!¡±


    Cherise scoffed. ¡°Right. And who just wanted a ¡®more substantial¡¯ thank you? Who said I would know


    what he desired?¡±


    ¡°You were up to something!¡± she fumed. ¡°I simply reacted to your obvious advances and ended up


    falling because I wasn¡¯t paying attention. Silly? Not me!¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Dr. Shaw, overthinking is your superpower. I thought you were intelligent, so I assumed


    you knew what I wanted. But you¡¯re still a little silly in the most endearing way.¡±


    Cherise red. ¡°So, no inappropriate thoughts earlier?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Damien replied, his voice steady.


    ¡°Then what kind of thanks did you mean?¡±


    He looked


    kids.¡±


    up, his eyes holding a depth she hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°I want to spend time with the


    Cherise¡¯s voice cracked as she promptly said, ¡°No way!¡±


    The room absorbed the sound like a ck hole, leaving only the ticking clock forpany.


    After what felt like an eternity, Cherise blinked, turning her head away to hide the blush creeping up her


    neck. ¡°When I say no, I mean no,¡± she muttered, her voice barely audible.


    Soren and Serafina had just pleaded with her for an outing with their father. Cherise had gently


    exined that their daddy wasn¡¯t avable.


    Now Damien wanted to take the children out? Under what pretense? Their father? A friendly neighbor?


    Or worse, a friend? With their uncanny resemnce, that could be a disaster, especially with Soren,


    who practically looked like Damien¡¯s twin.


    ¡°Hey, Dr. Shaw,¡± Damien casually dropped his fork, leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs, ced


    his hands on his knees, and assumed a negotiating pose. ¡°Since you just said we¡¯re only friends and


    not that close, I think I should receive somepensation for helping you.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I mean, instead of helping you for free, you¡¯d probably prefer if I set some conditions so


    you don¡¯t owe me too much.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips; Damien had a point. She didn¡¯t want to umte too many favors owed to


    him, but the idea of him taking Soren and Serafina out¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ve been living here for a while, and I bet Zachary often takes the kids out. He¡¯s friend; he can do it,


    so why can¡¯t I?¡±


    your


    Cherise was caught off guard and quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re not the same as him!¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed yfully. ¡°Oh? How am I different from him? I thought you erased any


    lingering feelings for me from five years ago.¡±


    had


    He leaned back even further, a hint of challenge and mockery in his voice.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 608

    Chapter 608


    Chapter 608 My Charm Outshines Yours


    Cherise¡¯s knuckles turned white as she dered, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve sanitized and scrubbed our past


    more thoroughly than any instrument in the operating room.¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as he observed her. ¡°Are you certain, Dr. Shaw? Have you


    erased every lingering trace?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s voice, barely a whisper, confirmed, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± His smile deepened, sly and knowing. ¡°Since you¡¯ve forgotten everything, I¡¯m just an


    ordinary friend, correct?¡±


    Damien then began his questioning, ¡°Alright. Suppose this regr friend, Zachary, gets ydates with


    Soren and Serafina. Why can¡¯t I, another ordinary friend, receive the same treatment?¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement. ¡°Are you worried that my charm might outshine yours? Afraid


    they¡¯ll forget their mother after spending a day with their father?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and she retorted, ¡°Nonsense!¡± How could her meticulously raised


    children switch sides after one outing with him?


    She knew Damien was trying to provoke her, but his words still stung.


    Gritting her teeth, she conceded, ¡°Fine, I agree! Onest favor for the sake of the children, and you can


    have a day with them.¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile widened, a flicker of victory in his eyes. ¡°Deal. But if they choose me, Shaw, you must


    respect their decision.¡±


    Cherise was left speechless.


    Dr.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cherise shrugged, her smile tinged with mischief. ¡°But let¡¯s be clear: if the kids decide they¡¯d


    rather stay with me than you, there¡¯s no need for a bruised ego, right?


    She knew her children were not easily swayed.


    Serafina might have a weakness for sugary treats, but leaving her mommy, even for a Prince Charming


    impersonator, was out of the question. And Soren, sharp as a tack and fiercely loyal, wouldn¡¯t be


    influenced by promises and favors.


    Damien¡¯s smile softened at her words, a hint of admiration in his eyes. ¡°I understand your point. Now,


    let¡¯s address Dr. Lane¡¯s vendetta. To clear your name, I¡¯ll need your cooperation.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s yful facade faded away. ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    Damien met her gaze, a faint smile curving his lips. ¡°First, you need to eat some humble pie. You must


    confess your fault from two years ago to the director. No excuses, just the truth.¡±


    The morning light filtered through the office window as Cherise, havingpleted her duties,


    approached the director¡¯s door with determination.


    She found the director, Dr. Keeples, not alone but engaged in a jovial conversation with Dr.


    Lane.


    As Cherise entered, Dr. Lane¡¯s cheerful facade cracked, reced by a calcted briskness as she


    gathered her papers.


    ¡°It seems you have other matters demanding your attention, Dr. Lane,¡± Cherise stated, her voice a


    smooth blend of diplomacy and quiet authority. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to hinder your¡­ momentum.¡±


    The director, momentarily disoriented, began to protest Dr. Lane¡¯s departure, but she was already


    hurrying towards the door. With a final icy re directed at Cherise, she swept past, met with a resolute


    nod in return.


    The air crackled with unspoken tension left in her wake. Reiming the space, Cherise turned to the


    director, her demeanor now focused and unwavering. ¡°Director, regarding the incident involving Isaac


    two years ago¡­¡±


    Dr. Lane, hovering just outside earshot, held her breath. Cherise, fully aware of her captive audience,


    continued, her voiceced with quiet determination, ¡°After visiting Isaac yesterday, I¡¯m deeply


    concerned about his well-being. I¡¯m here to advocate for him and to rify the situation surrounding the


    incident¡­¡±

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609


    Chapter 609 I Won¡¯t Falsely use Dr Shaw


    Cherise sighed and exined, ¡°Regarding the medical mishap that urred two years ago, I devised


    the surgical n for Isaac. At that time, I was the only doctor with both theoretical and practical


    experience in this field. Isaac sessfully performed the surgery under my guidance.¡±


    ¡°So, when he discussed another patient¡¯s case with me, I immediately advised him to use the previous


    patient¡¯s surgical n.¡±


    ¡°Thus, the entire incident was my fault.¡±


    As she confessed, Cherise distinctly heard someone behind her sharply inhaling a breath.


    It was Martha. She probably never expected Cherise to admit her mistake to the hospital director.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± The director furrowed his brow, refusing to believe Cherise¡¯s confession. ¡°You¡¯ve been by


    my side all these years, and I know you better than anyone. Why would you do such a thing? I refuse


    to believe it!¡±


    The director dismissed her with a wave of his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t stand seeing Isaac not doing well. This


    must be why you¡¯re trying to clear his name by taking the me yourself?¡±


    With a hint of helplessness, Cherise pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to believe it!¡±


    Cherise was the face of Lermille Hospital, and the hospital director would not allow her to ruin herself. ¡°I


    won¡¯t believe it unless you have proof! Words alone are not enough!¡±


    Cherise pressed her lips together. ¡°Well¡­ there might be proof.¡±


    ¡°Isaac mentioned that he has a recording¡­¡± Cherise sighed. ¡°But he refuses to bring it out.¡±


    Martha stood at the doorway and immediately perked up at Cherise¡¯s revtion.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, I do have the recording.¡±


    After leaving the hospital director¡¯s office, Martha quickly returned to her own office, locked the door,


    and called Isaac.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Isaac sighed softly on the other end. ¡°I won¡¯t give it to you.¡±


    Isaac had always been gentle and humble. He unquestioningly showed kindness to everyone who had


    ever helped him. Therefore, he found it impossible to expose Martha¡¯s scheme.


    He could only faintly sigh and say, ¡°Ms. Lane, please let the matter rest.¡±


    ¡°Everything that happened two years ago is in the past. There¡¯s no need to reopen the case.¡±


    He did not understand why Cherise suddenly confessed to the hospital director and tried to help him


    clear his name. However, he didn¡¯t want Cherise to be implicated, nor did he want Martha¡¯s lifelong


    reputation to be ruined.


    ¡°Let it all end with me.¡±


    Martha was so furious that she stomped her foot. ¡°Isaac, how could you waste Dr. Shaw¡¯s efforts for


    you?¡±


    ¡°She said she wanted you to have a better life. That¡¯s why she¡¯s revealed the truth from back then! Do


    you understand what this means?¡±


    ¡°This means you¡¯ll be able to escape your current predicament soon and return to the job you love!¡±


    Martha grew increasingly agitated. Her voice grew louder as she urgently said, ¡°Isaac, think not only for


    yourself but also for your mother!¡±


    ¡°She is severely ill and needs money for treatment. Have you forgotten how you and your mother


    survived these past two years?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s by relying on my support and the assistance of everyone else in the hospital!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re indebted to so many people and owe so much money. Aren¡¯t you going to strive for a better


    life?¡±


    ¡°Back then, your mother willingly forwent her treatment to send you to medical school. She did not do


    this for you to umte debts and run a small rural clinic!¡±


    Isaac bit his lip hard and bowed his head.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, I understand and am fully aware of what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    There was a hint of sorrow and helplessness in the man¡¯s voice. ¡°I won¡¯t falsely use Dr. Shaw.¡±

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610


    Chapter 610 It¡¯s Absolutely True


    ¡°I have the audio recording you mentioned. However, I suspect that it¡¯s not Dr. Shaw¡¯s voice. Instead,


    someone imitated her.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I n to delete it from myputer tonight. I would appreciate it if you don¡¯t mention it


    again.¡±


    Isaac didn¡¯t give Martha a chance to respond and hung up immediately.


    Upon hearing the dial tone, Martha was so furious that she almost threw her phone to the ground!


    How did Cherise manage to charm Isaac into shouldering all the me himself two years ago?


    He went ahead with the surgery because he received a call from ¡®Cherise, yet he insisted on taking all


    the me and clearing Cherise of any wrongdoing!


    After two years, I thought he would have be wiser after experiencing life¡¯s hardships and changed


    his mind about sacrificing himself for Cherise. Yet, he is as obstinate as ever!


    Since he won¡¯t hand over the recording¡­


    Martha tightly clutched her phone and dialed a number she hadn¡¯t contacted in two years. ¡°Eirwen, are


    you avable?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I need you to record another voice message.¡±


    Despite being scolded by the hospital director for admitting her mistake the previous day, Cherise still


    knocked on his door as usual after the morning meeting.


    ¡°Cherise, have you lost your mind?¡±


    The director angrily dismissed her from his office. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about overturning Isaac¡¯s case


    unless you have concrete evidence!¡±


    ¡°I suspect you¡¯ve been too freetely. You must be bored out of your mind.¡±


    ¡°Go research the topic you mentioned a month ago! I expect to see your ideas for improvement in that


    area within a week!¡±


    Sir¡­¡±


    The hospital director mmed the door shut before Cherise could argue.


    1/2


    Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Seeing Cherise being scolded by the hospital director once again, Martha approached her with a smile


    and patted her shoulder. ¡°The director has been in a foul mood recently due to personal issues. You


    shouldn¡¯t provoke him.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, recalling the n Damien had shared earlier. Then, she sighed helplessly


    before ncing at Martha. ¡°You know, Isaac isn¡¯t doing well.¡±


    She shook her head and continued, ¡°Can Ie to your office and talk with you?¡±


    Ms. Lane was thrilled and eagerly nodded. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be more than happy to chat!¡±


    She gestured for Cherise to follow her and warmly invited her to her office. ¡°We¡¯ve had some


    misunderstandings in the past two years. We haven¡¯t had a chance to talk things through properly.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but smirk with disdain as she walked behind Martha.


    How dare she im that we¡¯ve had some misunderstandings in the past two years?


    Cherise had always believed that she never held a grudge against or wronged anyone.


    Yet, Martha openly antagonized her while secretly undermining her for years. And now, she had the


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    audacity to im that there were just some ¡®misunderstandings¡¯ between them.


    The two entered Martha¡¯s office.


    ¡°Lana, guess what I just saw?¡±


    A nurse rushed to the nurse¡¯s station, gossiping with the other nurses. ¡°I just saw Dr. Shaw and Ms.


    Laneughing and chatting as they entered Ms. Lane¡¯s office!¡±


    Those words caused a stir in the entire nurse station.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely true!¡±

 Chapter 611

    Chapter 611


    Chapter 611 Gossips


    A group of young nurses even knocked on the door to confirm what they heard. ¡°This has never


    happened before!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane has been at odds with Dr. Shaw ever since she joined our hospital. Are they finally getting


    along?¡±


    ¡°Are they getting along, or is there more to it? Ms. Lane has always been deceptive. Don¡¯t be fooled by


    her smiles. Once they¡¯re in the office, she might start scolding Dr. Shaw.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Really?¡±


    ¡°You girls don¡¯t know Ms. Lane well enough. She¡¯s capable of anything¡­¡±


    Charles, who went out to get fruits for Maeve, happened to overhear the nurses¡¯ animated


    conversation. He hurried back to the ward.


    Damien was peeling an apple for Maeve in the ward.


    ¡°Dame!¡±


    Charles rushed in anxiously. He grabbed the apple and fruit knife from Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°I overheard the


    nurses talking about someone being against Dr. Shaw! It seems to be Ms. Lane. Do you want to go


    check what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Damien nced at Charles calmly before taking the fruit knife and the half-peeled apple. ¡°It¡¯s a matter


    between them. Why should I get involved?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you make sure Cherise isn¡¯t being bullied?¡±


    Maeve leaned against the head of the bed and said anxiously, ¡°If you want to win her back, you should


    stand up for her in times like this and be her knight in shining armor!¡±


    Damien¡¯s hand, holding the apple, paused slightly.


    He looked at Maeve¡¯s worried expression and smiled. ¡°Do you think I should win Cherise back?¡±


    Of course!¡±


    Maeve rolled her eyes, ¡°She saved my daughter and my life. Of course, I hope you can get back


    together with her!¡±


    Damienughed. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that you think so.¡±


    +15 Free Coins


    Chapter 611 Gossips


    Maeve pouted. ¡°Your relief is useless! What you should do is win her back quickly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked to the nurses and heard a lot about what happened to her in the past two years. She has so


    many men vying for her attention. If you don¡¯t make an effort, your children. might call someone else


    ¡®Dad¡¯ soon!¡±


    Damien focused on the apple and peeled it elegantly. ¡°They won¡¯t have that chance.¡±


    Charles and Maeve exchanged nces.


    The next second, Charles snatched the apple and fruit knife from Damien¡¯s hand again. He pulled


    Damien from his seat and pushed him out of the ward. ¡°Stop wasting time here. Your sister has me to


    take care of her. Go see Dr. Shaw!¡±


    He mmed the door shut right after that.


    Damien stood outside and looked at the door before sighing softly.


    Love can truly change a person.


    If Maeve had met Charles five years ago¡­


    Would everything be different now?


    Damien sighed again.


    Even though he had been kicked out of the ward, he could not go to Martha¡¯s office and disturb her,


    causing trouble for Cherise. He also could not leave the hospital.


    So, he nced at the nurse¡¯s station, which was still buzzing with gossip, and walked there.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Maeve said she had heard a lot of gossip about Cherise from the nurses recently¡­


    Meanwhile, Cherise sat on a couch in Martha¡¯s office and sipped a cup of tea worriedly. ¡°Ms. Lane, I


    believe you know Isaac is not doing well nowadays¡­¡±


    She sighed softly before continuing, ¡°Although what happened two years ago wasn¡¯t something I


    instructed him to do, I still feel sorry seeing him like this.¡±


    Martha feigned a sigh. ¡°Yes, Isaac is very talented. I mentored him from medical school and recruited


    him into our hospital, hoping that he would achieve greatness and be the face of our hospital..

 Chapter 612

    Chapter 612


    Chapter 612 I¡¯m A Tanner


    Butter¡­ Martha, now in her middle age, had an imposing demeanor. She gently shook. her head


    ¡°Thankfully, we have you. Dr. Shaw. Otherwise, our hospital would not have any promising young talent


    after his incident.¡±


    Is this why you tried to frame me?


    Cherise silently scoffed in her heart.


    However, outwardly, she sighed, ¡°Ms. Lane, Isaac used to be your student, and the two of you were


    close. Can you try to persuade him?¡±


    Please urge him to produce the evidence from back then¡­ Even though I know the evidence. is fake,


    others aren¡¯t. If he brings it out, he can clear his name.¡±


    ¡°Seeing such a promising young talent go to waste is disheartening.¡±


    Martha furrowed her brows, ¡°But Cherise, if Isaac manages to clear his name, what about you?¡±


    Cherise smiled and replied, ¡°Martha, you probably don¡¯t know, but my father is at businessman. He has


    always hoped that I would take over his business.¡±


    Martha¡¯s hand, holding the teacup, paused abruptly.


    ¡°Do you mean¡­ your family¡­¡±


    ¡°My family is affluent.¡±


    Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°Martha, since we¡¯ve known each other for over two years, I see no reason to


    conceal this from you.¡±


    ¡°My surname is Shaw, solely because my adoptive father¡¯s surname is Shaw. But my actual surname is


    Tanner.¡±


    The office suddenly fell silent.


    Martha stared at Cherise for a long time.


    ¡°Do you mean¡­ the European Tanner family?¡±


    The surname Tanner was quite distinctive. Martha had encountered it during her studies in Europe and


    knew it belonged to a highly influential family.


    And now, Cherise imed her surname was Tanner.


    <


    1/3


    Martia knew no other family with that natin


    Yes Chense similed at Martha ¡®Are you familiar with our family


    I¡¯ve heard of it


    Martha mamtamed a smile on her face, bur wardly she scuffed


    The Tanner family! Don¡¯t make meugh¡¯


    The Tanner family is a noble family in Europe!


    Why would ady with such a noble lineagee to axmall town like Lermille to work at a humble


    doctor


    Does she think I¡¯m stupid?


    She resides in a modest apartment the hospital director arranged for her when she first arrived


    Yet, she dares to im to be a Tanner.


    She must think quite highly of herself!


    Martha maintained herposure while ridiculing Cherise in her mind. She sighed before. replying


    with a smile, ¡°I never knew youe from such a prestigious background!¡±


    ¡°Since you wish to return home and take over the family business, the medical profession is no longer


    good enough for you. In that case, you¡¯ll be doing a good deed in assisting Isaac to overturn the case


    and enable him to return to the hospital.¡±


    Cherise noticed the contempt and disdain in Martha¡¯s eyes.


    She responded with a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s why your assistance is crucial. I¡¯m not in the position to


    persuade Isaac.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I understand!¡± Martha nodded and grasped Cherise¡¯s hand excitedly. ¡°Ill persuade Isaac


    for you!¡±


    Cherise feigned a smile.


    The two women, who were once at odds, sat together and conversed for a while. Then, Cherise


    excused herself, saying she had to work on a proposal requested by the hospital.


    director.


    Martha sneered as she watched Cherise leave.


    She was not sure why Cherise suddenly boasted about being a Tanner. Still, since Cherise was


    23


    m


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    the baline for Isaad and allow to return to the hospital, Martha would


    not let her stupidity go to waste.


    III


    3/3

 Chapter 613

    Chapter 613


    Chapter 613 Jealousy


    Cherise let out a deep sigh as she left Ms. Lane¡¯s office.


    Despite the passage of time, she still found herself vulnerable to deceit.


    The unsettling memory of pretending to be pleasant and consoling with Mr. Lane made her stomach


    churn.


    Realizing that Ms. Lane had orchestrated the incident two years ago only made her difort worse.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you have quite a talent for humor!¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! I never thought Mr. Lenoir, who seems rather detached, could be so witty in conversation!¡±


    Cherise heard a man¡¯s voice and a few women¡¯s voices while still engrossed in the imaginary


    conversation.


    Furrowing her brows, Cherise instinctively nced in the direction of the voices.


    She saw Damien leaning casually against the nurse station counter, engaged in lively conversation with


    several nurses.


    And these nurses¡­


    They were the ones who had visited her office a few days ago, asking for Damien¡¯s contact. details.


    She remembered giving them his number during a heated exchange with Damien.


    So, were they flirting now?


    Her eyes shed, and anger prickled her skin.


    Just yesterday, he had dered, ¡°I¡¯m pursuing you.¡±


    And now he was entertaining these women?


    Cherise swallowed hard as a deep sense of uneasiness gripped her, and disappointment dulled her


    eyes.


    She strode to the nurse station and stopped abruptly.


    Damien remained oblivious, his back turned and unaware, until one nurse noticed the formidable


    woman behind him.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, Dr. Shaw¡­¡±


    Silence quickly fell upon the group.


    Damien casually turned his head to nce at Cherise, his eyes free of guilt. He greeted her with a


    gentle smile and said, ¡°Hi.¡±


    Despite the man¡¯s indifference, the surrounding nurses were anything butposed.


    All eyes cautiously fixed on Cherise.


    Why did it seem like Dr. Shaw was displeased?


    Did she face reprimand from Ms. Lane?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you all have duties to attend to?¡±


    Cherise approached the nurse station and heard the distinct, urgent summons of a patient call bell.


    What were these nurses doing?


    Were they engaging in idle chatter with Damien?


    This was absurd!


    Cherise¡¯s words prompted a swift dispersal of the nurses at the station.


    Soon, only Damien and Cherise remained.


    The man casually observed the nurses who had scurried off before turning to Cherise. ¡°Why is Dr.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Shaw so angry?¡± he asked defiantly.


    ¡°Did Dr. Shaw get upset because of my friendly conversation? Are you feeling jealous?¡±


    Jealous? In his wildest dreams!


    Cherise shot him a fierce re and retorted, ¡°Mr. Lenoir is reading too much into it.¡±


    ¡°These nurses are neglecting their responsibilities during work hours. My duty as a doctor is to remind


    them to fulfill their duties and provide proper patient care.¡±


    Damien apuded andughed, ¡°Well, Dr. Shaw does sound like a conscientious andmendable


    doctor.¡±


    2/3


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him, turned on her heel, and prepared to retreat to her office. She had no


    desire to engage further with this man.


    ¡°I heard you were summoned by Ms. Lane earlier?¡±


    As she turned to leave, the man¡¯s resonant voice echoed from behind her.


    Cherise paused, and her heart fluttered. ¡°How did you know?¡± she muttered.


    Damienughed. ¡°Did you really think I came to the nurse station to flirt with these young nurses?¡±


    3/3

 Chapter 614

    Chapter 614


    Chapter 614 The Fish On The Hook


    ¡°I know that Ms. Lane just called you away, and I¡¯m also aware that since you arrived at the hospital,


    there have been 18 patients seeking your attention and six doctors interested, including Isaac.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also aware that, in the eyes of others, Zachary is your husband.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Cherise turned with a flushed face and seethed, ¡°If you have something to say,


    say it in my office!¡±


    A group of patients and their families huddled around the nurse¡¯s station, straining to overhear the


    conversation.


    These gossipy nurses!


    Do they keep track of how many patients and doctors are seeking her attention?


    Don¡¯t they have anything better to do?


    Damien gracefully entered Cherise¡¯s office behind her, suppressing a chuckle.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Lucy was engrossed in a medical journal in the office.


    Lucy nearly whistled in surprise as Cherise and Damien walked into the office one after the other.


    The doctor beside her looked at Lucy confusedly and asked, ¡°Dr. Staber, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She stifled herughter.


    Lucy stood up and scanned the young doctors who had just started their internships. ¡°Who mentioned


    wanting to visit Maeye?¡±


    A row of young doctors raised their hands simultaneously.


    Maeve¡¯s condition was unique, and though no one openly admitted it, they were all intrigued by this


    patient.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll take you to see her!¡±.


    1/3


    Lucy gestured, and the group of young doctors, notebooks in hand, obediently followed her out the doo


    As she passed Damien, Lucy smiled and remarked, ¡°To ensure your privacy, I must sacrifice. your


    sister.¡±


    Damien chuckled sofily and responded, ¡°She would be more than happy.¡±


    Lucy scoffed and left with the group of young doctors.


    In an instant, the office was left with only Cherise and Damien.


    She closed the office door, turned, and looked at Damien, ¡°Were you just asking the nurses about me?¡±


    ¡°What else would there be?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    He raised a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in them.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s voice froze in her throat.


    Although she always believed there was no connection between them, hearing Damien say that


    invoked warmth in her heart.


    She pursed her lips and scoffed. ¡°What else did they tell you?¡±


    ¡°Quite a fair bit.¡±


    Damien settled into Cherise¡¯s chair, casually flipping through the files on her desk before ncing at


    herputer desktop.


    ¡°Runaway Hearts?¡±


    Damien looked at her and chuckled, ¡°Who said she doesn¡¯t read novels now?¡±


    Cherise was surprised as she remembered discovering an online novel during a boring night shift.


    She saved a bookmark on the desktop for easy essibility.


    Her face flushed as she hurriedly grabbed the mouse to delete the icon.


    Damien sat there leisurely, watching her, ¡°Right, it should be deleted.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, it might harm your image if people discovered that the usually serious and schrly Dr.


    Shaw reads romance novels during work hours.¡±


    2/3


    Cherise¡¯s words caught in her throat.


    Everyone knows that she loves romance novels. What¡¯s wrong with that?


    She took a deep breath and asserted, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I thought you came here to discuss serious. matters


    with me.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly, ¡°I want to discuss serious matters with you.¡±


    He nced at my phone, ¡°The fish is on the hook.¡±

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615


    Chapter 615 The Shopping Trip


    He raised his phone and showed it to Cherise.


    The screen disyed a map of Lermille with a dot constantly moving.


    Clearly, it was a GPS location.


    ¡°After you left Ms. Lane¡¯s office, she left as well.¡±


    ¡°I had Mr. Kolson follow her.¡±


    ¡°We should be able to locate the person who impersonated your voice that year soon.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Cherise nodded, her eyes following the moving dot. She sighed in relief, ¡°I was worried that after


    confronting her and revealing my connection to the Tanner family, she would be more cautious


    and stop provoking me.¡±


    Cherise shrugged and remarked, ¡°It seems my father¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t as influential as I thought.¡±


    Damien smiled sympathetically as disappointment masked her face.


    He instinctively reached out to ruffle her hair, only to realize she was out of his reach. It was a poignant


    reminder of their changed rtionship.


    The man paused with his hand suspended before reluctantly pulling it back.


    Nevertheless, he still smiled at her. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not that the Tanner family¡¯s reputation is ineffective,


    but that Ms. Lane simply doesn¡¯t believe you¡¯re the heiress of the Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she believe?¡± Cherise frowned, ncing at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°What about me


    doesn¡¯t seem fitting?¡± She whined.


    Damien had no words.


    ¡°You don¡¯t resemble one at all.¡±


    ¡°You even bargain when you buy groceries at the market.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for a mother to haggle over prices when grocery shopping at the market?¡±


    Cherise gave Damien a disapproving look, though her wordscked conviction.


    Upon arriving in Lermille, Cherise realized that her words and actions were not suitable for her status


    as the heiress of the Tanner family, despite her initial protest.


    1/3


    But that was who she was.


    Raised in the Shaw family vige, Cherise never grew ustomed to a luxurious lifestyle nor aspired


    to it.


    She was content with her current life and found fulfillment in simplicity.


    However, she had already spoken honestly to Ms. Lane as a reminder.


    If she didn¡¯t believe, it was simply due to her limited perspective.


    Cherise took a deep breath and turned to Damien, ¡°Should we just wait for the fish to take the bait


    now?¡±


    Damien nodded and grinned at her, ¡°You could also go shopping and rx with Lucy.¡±


    Cherise frowned and scoffed, ¡°rx?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A glint of mischief flickered in Damien¡¯s dark eyes as he asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t been to a luxury mall in


    quite some time, have you?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and instinctively nodded.


    It had indeed been a while since she visited those high-end malls.


    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t afford it; she simply didn¡¯t care for those expensive and impractical items.


    Lucy suggested wearing designerbels to enhance prestige while researching.


    But Cherise believed that instead of spending a fortune to impress others, it was better to invest in self-


    improvement.


    Respect is earned by those with wisdom and authenticity.


    She was determined not to be as vain as Gwen.


    Thest time she visited a luxury mall was five years ago in Europe when Damien took her to a mall


    owned by hispany.


    Time slipped away quickly.


    She was at the mall selecting cufflinks for Damien when she had an argument with Gwenn and Kareen.


    2/3


    Those events felt like they had happened just yesterday.


    Five years had passed.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll visit the malls with Lucy more often in theing days.¡±

 Chapter 616

    Chapter 616


    Chapter 616 Luxury Shopping Scheme


    Cherise furrowed her brow and scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of such things and certainly wouldn¡¯t spend my


    money on them.¡±


    Her current ie was enough to provide afortable life for her and her two children.


    Wouldn¡¯t indulging in luxury items leave her finances in a precarious state?


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not suggesting you should buy anything.¡±


    Damien lightly quirked his lips and smiled, ¡°But to let you enjoy the shopping experience.¡±


    ¡°During your conversation with Ms. Lane, you mentioned that you were the heiress of the Tanner family.


    However, she didn¡¯t believe you and assumed you were boasting.¡±


    ¡°To convincingly deceive her, indulge in luxury shopping and portray the image of a pampered heiress,¡±


    he continued.


    Cherise was momentarily taken aback, but then she realized what he meant.


    ¡°She would be even more suspicious if I wandered the shops without making any purchases. It


    would seem like I was pretending to be wealthy.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile grew wider as he suggested, ¡°You could have also bought a high-end scarf or lipstick


    when you had the chance. They weren¡¯t too expensive but could have given the impression that you


    were a luxury goods shopper


    ¡°This way, she will lower her guard around you.¡±


    Cherise nodded, picked up her phone, and dialed Lucy, ¡°Feel like going shopping?¡±


    Lucy was in Maeve¡¯s hospital room, talking to Charles, when Cherise¡¯s call caught her off guard.


    ¡°Cherise, are you suggesting we go shopping during work hours?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°I¡¯ve asked for leave from David.¡±


    Lucy raised an eyebrow and teased, ¡°What are you nning to buy?¡±


    ¡°Nothing specific; I¡¯m just feeling down and thought some retail therapy might help.¡±


    Lucy was puzzled by her response.


    Cherise was feeling down?


    Why did Cherise seem unusually happytely?


    Damien had been constantly by her side, and Lucy hadn¡¯t seen Cheriseugh so genuinely in a long


    time.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then! I¡¯ll request leave for you from David and Mr. Carlos right away!¡±


    Cherise happily ended the call.


    On the other end of the line, Maeve looked at Lucy in surprise and asked casually, ¡°Is Cherry nning


    to go shopping?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A frown briefly crossed Lucy¡¯s face.


    Lucy had always had a negative impression of Maeve because of Cherise.


    Maeve¡¯s enthusiasm made her somewhat ufortable.


    ¡°Charles!¡±


    Maeve called for Charles.


    Charles promptly retrieved a shiny ck card from his bag and dered, ¡°This card has no spending


    limit.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and buy anything that Cherry fancies.¡±


    Lucy stared at Maeve in disbelief and stammered, ¡°You¡¯re entrusting me with this kind of ck card¡­


    with no limit¡­ just like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Cherry¡¯s friend, so I trust there won¡¯t be any issues.¡±


    Maeve smiled at her and continued, ¡°After using this card, return it to Cherry.¡±


    ¡°Initially, this was the card Damien had prepared for her¡­ Maeve trailed off.


    Lucy hesitated before epting the ck card.


    But she couldn¡¯t help but look at Maeve with confusion, ¡°Why the sudden kindness towards. Cherry?¡±


    ¡°Because of past events¡­.


    Maeve shook her head and sighed softly, ¡°I made many mistakes back then.¡±


    ¡°The gravest mistake was refusing to acknowledge the genuine feelings between Damien and Cherry,¡±


    she said remorsefully.


    Guilt was evident on her face.


    In the past, Maeve had struggled with disfigurement, declining health, and years of resentment, making


    it difficult for her to understand the depth of love shared between Damien and Cherise.


    Her perspective changed when she met Charles at the stic surgery clinic three years ago.

 Chapter 617

    Chapter 617


    Chapter 617 True Love


    Both she and Charles had scars on their faces when they first met.


    They were both survivors of a devastating fire, seeking a second chance at life in the hospital.


    Their paths crossed, love blossomed, and she finally understood the true essence of love.


    ¡°True love does exist,¡± she dered.


    After sharing those words, Maeve looked at Lucy and whispered, ¡°Ms. Staber, Lenn has been


    searching for you all these years.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s grip on the ck card tightened.


    Lennon had been¡­ searching for her all these years? ¨C


    She was so busy that she could barely recall who Lennon was.


    She shook her head, ¡°Searching for what?¡±


    ¡°Even if he found me, there¡¯s no valid reason for us to reunite,¡± Lucy muttered, leaving immediately.


    As Lucy¡¯s hands brushed against the doorknob, Maeve sighed, ¡°Lenn hasn¡¯t been well these past few


    years.¡±


    ¡°How does it concern me?¡±


    Lucy scoffed and strode out of the ward.


    The breeze in the corridor left her feeling a bit chilly.


    She wrapped herself in her white coat as a cold shiver filled her heart.


    The haunting echoes of Lennon¡¯s anguished voice during their breakup reverberated in her


    cars.


    ¡°Lucy, I¡¯m not a substitute for the family love you¡¯re seeking!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to be with me just because your mother donated your kidney to me!¡±


    Lucy gave a bitter smile.


    He hadn¡¯t been doing well these years?


    He deserved it.


    Due to Cherry¡¯s recent unusual behavior, David couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was amiss with


    hertely.


    So when Cherry went to the director and dean to request leave for a shopping trip with Lucy, David


    exchanged a knowing nce with Mr. Carlos.¡±


    Mr. Carlos beamed, quickly approved the leave, and said, ¡°Cherry, if you¡¯re feeling down, go out and


    enjoy yourself, don¡¯t overthink!¡±


    ¡°Lulu is your best friend. Let her apany you


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    and open your heart!¡±


    ¡°Enjoy yourself for a few days, then return and focus on your work!¡±


    Cherise nodded with a smile and turned to leave.


    As she left Mr. Carlos¡¯ office, she noticed that the leave was for two days.


    She frowned as she had only requested one day.


    She quickly turned back and pushed open the office door.


    Mr. Carlos was on a call in his office.


    ¡°Lulu, yes,


    I¡¯ve approved the leave.¡±


    ¡°David mentioned Cherry¡¯s recent unusual behavior. She¡¯s trying to reopen Isaac¡¯s case from years


    ago. Do you think she¡¯s not thinking clearly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you should advise her not to do anything reckless¡­¡±


    ¡°I think she might be under immense pressuretely; could she be depressed?¡±


    ¡°If you an persuade her, that would be ideal. If not, we do have a psychiatric department¡­¡±


    Cherise was standing outside the door and felt numb.


    In David and Mr. Carlos¡¯ opinion, did Cherry¡¯s recent effort to reopen Isaac¡¯s case suggest mental


    instability?


    The woman discreetly sighed and closed the door, avoiding embarrassment.


    On the way to the mall, Cherise wasn¡¯t surprised to be teased by Lucy the entire way.


    ¡°What was Damien thinking, trying to reopen your case?¡±


    ¡°Why did he make you apologize to David?¡±


    ¡°This is outrageous!¡±


    ¡°Reopening a case involving apetitor from years ago, especially at the peak of one¡¯s career,


    seems counterproductive and self-sabotaging. Who would even consider such a move?¡±

 Chapter 618

    Chapter 618


    Chapter 618 The Beauty Store Buzz


    Cherise strolled through the mall, her gaze fixed on clothing with price tags far beyond her means.


    ¡°When did I be Isaac¡¯s rival?¡± she wondered.


    Hadn¡¯t they always been allies?


    Isaac had even once referred to her as his mentor!


    ¡°Since when were we not rivals?¡±


    Lucy alternated between selecting bracelets and giving Cherise a sympathetic look. ¡°You were so


    engrossed in your research that you didn¡¯t notice the rumors, right?¡±


    Cherise paused, then nodded.


    She had no idea how she and Isaac had be rivals.


    ¡°Isaac was once Ms. Lane¡¯s most promising prot¨¦g¨¦.¡±


    Lucy gestured toward the bracelets in the disy case, casually ncing at Cherise, who was


    scanning the surroundings. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who received the only chance for a study abroad


    program from our hospital?¡± Lucy confirmed.


    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you, Isaac would have had that opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Your emergence was unexpected, and the fact that you could guide Isaac in surgery sets you apart.


    You¡¯re not on the same level, so it was rightfully given to you.¡±


    Cherise paused.


    There had been quite amotion when she first arrived at Lermille Hospital.


    ¡°So we became rivals just like that?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes and scoffed, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°There are various factors at y. The young quota in our hospital¡¯s cardiac surgery department is


    yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Ms. Lane passionately advocating for Isaac, even shing with the Dean to secure him an


    opportunity!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane had a clear goal to mentor Isaac. If it weren¡¯t for your presence, Isaac might have been


    sessful by now¡­¡±


    Cherise paused.


    She had been oblivious to all these things Lucy mentioned.


    However, since she brought it up, Cherise did recall.


    She and Isaac had indeed been in apetitive position at certain times.


    But she hadn¡¯t felt it because they had always coborated and had a good rtionship.


    Now that Lucy mentioned it, it all came back to her quickly.


    So Ms. Lane had been harboring resentment against her for a long time.


    So she sighed. Since things hade to this point, she could only take it one step at a time.


    Lucy apanied Cherise to the mall for a while.


    Cherise had no interest in luxury goods, and Lucy didn¡¯t find anything she liked. Lucy grew weary after


    aimlessly meandering through the mall for a while.


    She looked at Cherise and pleaded, ¡°Shall we head back?¡±


    Cherise, who also felt exhausted, nodded in response.


    But she looked at their empty hands and remembered what Damien had suggested about buying a


    scarf or lipstick.


    It seemed¡­ she hadn¡¯t bought lipstick in a long time.


    Cherise maintained a diligent and conscientious approach to her work. She rarely wore makeup her


    daily routine included applying lotion before heading to work. As such, a tube of lipstick couldst her


    several years.


    ¨C


    She decided to buy lipstick afterparing the prices of scarves and lipsticks.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    It was within her budget for an international lipstick brand, which only cost a few hundred each.


    Lucy observed a woman enthusiastically entering the beauty store and remarked, ¡°Someone who


    hasn¡¯t worn makeup in centuries wouldn¡¯t be buying lipstick if not for Damien.¡±


    Cherise red at her, then turned and walked in to try on different shades.


    There was a dazzling array of brands and shades.


    Cherise was about to test the third shade when footsteps interrupted her.


    Then, the jubnt voices of the beauty store staff announced collectively, ¡°Ms. Miles,


    wee!

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619


    Chapter 619 Cherise¡¯s Unexpected Generosity


    Cherise furrowed her brow as she opened the tester and asked, ¡°Ms. Miles?¡±


    Ms. Miles was known for her extravagant lifestyle.


    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this my dear little sister, Cherry?¡±


    Before she could turn around, the woman behind her had already recognized Cherise.


    Cherise smirked, and it was indeed her.


    She took a deep breath, closed the trial pack, turned around, and nced at the woman. standing at


    the door.


    At that moment, Kareen leaned against the beauty shop door, arms crossed. Her deep brown eyes


    were coldly fixed on Cherise, and she quipped, ¡°Dame mentioned that you, Cherry, were a serious and


    responsible doctor with no interest in makeup.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Why are you here buying lipstick?¡±


    ¡°Cherise, did you suddenly notice that her face had aged after having a child and was trying to fix it?¡±


    ustomed to Kareen¡¯s sharp tongue and irrational behavior, Cherise had no intention of arguing with


    her. ¡°I was just buying lipstick, Ms. Miles; you¡¯re overthinking,¡± she asserted.


    ¡°Indeed, I rarely wear makeup. I looked better than Ms. Miles even without it.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s eyes zed, and anger heated her blood.


    ¡°What are you implying, Cherise?¡±


    She red at Cherise; she was about to explode with rage and seethed, ¡°Are you insinuating that I¡¯m


    ugly?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Cherise responded with a reticent smile, raised her hand, and handed the lipstick she had just tried to


    the receptionist, ¡°I¡¯ll take one in this color.¡±


    The receptionist took it and quickly walked away.


    Only then did Cherise nce at Kareen standing at the door. ¡°I was merely stating the truth,¡± Cherise


    said brazenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not wearing any makeup at the moment, Ms. Miles. You can tell the difference between you with


    makeup and me without it.¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t put words in my mouth. I never said you look ugly¡­ that¡¯s your assumption.¡±


    With that, the woman stifled a yawn, directed a casual gaze at Kareen, and chided, ¡°Usually, Ms. Miles


    would dramatically exit at this point.¡±


    ¡°She avoids stooping to my level butcks a convincing argument.¡±


    ¡°But now Ms. Miles is still here¡­ do you want me to buy you lipstick?¡±


    After saying that, she turned to the receptionist who was fetching her lipstick and said, ¡°Get me another


    one in that color; wrap it up for thisdy.¡±


    Kareen was red with rage, standing at the door as her hands clenched tightly.


    Cherise didn¡¯t know what was good for her!


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was Reba¡¯s biological daughter, she would have torn her apart


    today.


    ¡°Ms. Miles.¡±


    A clerk who knew Kareen well approached her slowly and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t let her get under your


    skin¡­¡±


    ¡°I can assure you, the lipstick she was eyeing is ourtest addition, and as for the price¡­¡±


    She appraised Cherise¡¯s appearance, noting her modest and slightly worn attire, ¡°In any case, it¡¯s


    definitely beyond the means of someone with her ie.¡±


    ¡°Let alone two; one could already bankrupt her!¡±


    Kareen¡¯s eyes shed.


    She knew that although Cherise was the daughter of Charisa and Beckham and came from a


    distinguished background, she was not one to rely on her family¡¯s wealth.


    In Lermille, nobody knew her true identity; they only saw her as a humble and ordinary doctor.


    Cherise never used the money from Miles¡¯s family and the Tanner family¡­


    Someone like Cherise wouldn¡¯t have enough money to buy these expensive luxuries.


    She had set herself up for embarrassment


    bying to this ce to shop.


    As Kareenzily stretched, she sneered and said sarcastically, ¡°If Ms. Shaw is enough to buy me


    lipstick, I¡¯ll graciously ept.¡±


    generous

 Chapter 620

    Chapter 620


    Chapter 620 Luxury Lipstick Feud


    After finishing her sentence, she smiled at Cherise and said, ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so could


    you please settle the bill promptly, Ms. Shaw? I want to leave with the lipstick you¡¯ve generously gifted


    me.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow slightly.


    Kareen, who had seemedpletely humiliated, was suddenly appeased by a few whispered words


    from the shop assistant. There must be more to this story.


    This was a surprise.


    Shortly after, the cashier brought over the bill for the two lipsticks, presented it to Cherise, and said,


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, if you would please.¡±


    Cherise nodded as she looked at the price column. She noticed that a single lipstick cost 250, and the


    total cost for two lipsticks was 500.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she held the bill.


    Two lipsticks amounted to 500?


    That was half a month¡¯s sry!


    ¡°Ms. Shaw?¡±


    The cashier noticed Cherise¡¯s stillness, and a trace of disdain flickered in her eyes. Nheless, she


    continued to smile and address her.


    ¡°Please make


    your payment here.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at Lucy helplessly.


    Initially, her n was simple: buying a single luxury lipstick to project the image of a wealthy Tanner


    family girl to Ms. Lane.


    Hence¡­ she hadn¡¯t brought that much money.


    She had thought a budget of 300 would suffice.


    However, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that two lipsticks would total 500.


    Kareen yawned nonchntly, ¡°Ms. Shaw, please hurry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for the lipstick you¡¯re gifting me!¡± She sneered.


    A subtle mockery gleamed in her indifferent eyes and ridiculed, ¡°Ms. Shaw, it seems you haven¡¯t


    brought enough money, have you?¡±


    ¡°Or is Ms. Shaw hesitant to spend her money and perhaps considering reneging on her promise?¡±


    The shop assistant beside Kareen shed a faint smile at Cherise, ¡°If this lipstick isn¡¯t to your liking, we


    have other price ranges avable in our shop.¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯ve set my heart on this color and style.¡±


    Kareen crossed her arms and was prepared to challenge Cherise to the end.


    Cherise pursed her lips,


    After a moment, Cherise took a deep breath, looked up at Lucy, and pleaded, ¡°Lulu, I didn¡¯t bring


    enough money. Could you lend me some?¡±


    Lucy was taken aback..


    She lowered her voice and leaned into Cherise, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you seriously buying


    lipstick for Kareen?¡±


    ¡°I can see ¨C she¡¯s just trying to ridicule you!¡±


    Cherise smiled, ¡°Lend me the money first.¡±


    ¡°I was overly confident, and I was the one who promised her a lipstick.¡±


    ¡°If I renege on my promise, she¡¯ll have more ammunition to humiliate me in the future.¡±


    Lucy pursed her lips, understanding Cherise Shaw¡¯s logic.


    But¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s half a month¡¯s sry!¡±


    ¡°If you spend it all, what will you and the kids eat and drink for the rest of the month!?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows and muttered, ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Worst case scenario, I¡¯ll have them stay and eat at Damien¡¯s ce.¡±


    Lucy was speechless.


    Despite her reluctance, Cherise¡¯s decision held firm, and as her friend, Lucy could only offer her


    support.


    As Lucy reached into her backpack for her bank card, her fingers brushed against the ¡°Lenoir¡± ck


    gold card.


    The cool, metallic texture brought back memories of the card Maeve had given her at the hospital.


    Lucy frowned, thinking that giving this card to Cherise was not appropriate.


    After all, even Maeve had said that this ck card was a gift from Damien to Cherise.

 Chapter 621

    Chapter 621


    Chapter 621 The Lenoir Family¡¯s Card


    Lucy used Cherise¡¯s card for the purchase, which was a suitable choice, right?


    With Lucy¡¯s card in hand, Cherise took the bill and confidently walked to the back to make the payment.


    When Cherise returned after settling the bill, Kareen, who was waiting at the door, appeared visibly


    surprised.


    Could Cherise afford the price of this high-end lipstick?


    The woman calmly walked over to Kareen and handed her the lipstick.


    ¡°I¡¯ve settled the bill. Didn¡¯t mention that you were in a hurry to leave?¡±


    You:


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t keep you any longer!¡±


    Kareen clenched her teeth and handed over the ck card in her hand.


    ¡°Lenoir?¡±


    Kareen stared at the ¡®Lenoir¡¯ imprint on the ck card, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    The Lenoir family¡¯s card!?


    Kareen¡¯s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in disbelief.


    She examined it closely, and indeed, it was the Lenoir imprint!


    Cherise¡¯s slight frown deepened as she addressed Kareen, ¡°Ms. Miles, this card belongs to my friend;


    please return it.¡±


    ¡°I agreed to buy you lipstick, not to give you my friend¡¯s card!¡±


    Kareen scoffed and returned the ck card to Cherise, ¡°Are you certain this card belongs to your friend


    and not you?¡±


    The woman smirked, ¡°The card is imprinted with Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, few people share the Lenoir surname, and even fewer can afford to customize a


    ck card.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, your friend doesn¡¯t seem to have any special ties with the Lenoir family.¡±


    She shot a piercing gaze andmented, ¡°No wonder you shoppedfortably at luxury


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    stores and bought such expensive lipstick. Are you reconnecting with the Lenoir family?¡±


    Lucy frowned deeply. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°Am I making things up?¡±


    Kareen guffawed, ¡°Ms, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you are Lucy, correct?¡±


    ¡°My Dame often mentioned you when talking about Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Your ex-boyfriend, Belcourt, was Damien¡¯s closest friend, right?¡±


    ¡°So, did he change his surname, or are you and your good friend Cherise sharing a husband?


    Lucy gritted her teeth, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.


    ¡°Lulu.


    Cherise took a deep breath, her eyes ring as she retorted, ¡°What I do for you is none of your


    concern.¡±


    ¡°While


    you might have issues with me and harbor resentment, involving my friend is going too far.¡±


    ¡°If you need an outlet for your frustration, direct it towards me.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes at Kareen, and a sneer yed on her lips. ¡°You do know my mom transferred


    all the Miles family assets to me before she passed away, right?¡±


    ¡°You might not know, but despite Zachary appearing in the Miles family, he was actually for


    me.¡±


    ¡°I


    suggest you tread carefully, Kareen. My rtionship with the Miles family runs deeper than meets the


    eye.¡±


    ¡°Exercise caution, and we won¡¯t have any conflicts. However, if you persist in reckless behavior,


    tarnishing my reputation and attempting to nder my friend.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry, I will cut off your financial support from the Miles family.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t doubt it; I can do it.¡±


    Kareen was full of icy fury as she looked at Cherise and seethed.


    You¡­


    It¡¯s been two years since theyst met, and Cherise¡¯s tongue had only be sharper.


    Historically, when they argued, the verbal sparring wouldn¡¯t end until they had battled it out. for


    hundreds of rounds.

 Chapter 622

    Chapter 622


    Chapter 622 Cherise¡¯s Lipstick Purchase


    Today, Cherise appeared noticeably moreposed in both her speech and actions.


    She had to find a way to navigate around Kareen.


    Kareen scoffed, picked up the lipstick Cherise had given her, strutted in her seven-inch heels, and


    exited with a flourish.


    After Kareen left, Lucy appeared shocked but gave Cherise an enthusiastic thumbs-up.


    Three years ago, when she first arrived in Lermille to search for Cherise, she witnessed a heated


    argument between Cherise and Kareen.


    Cherise used to struggle to express herself, often suppressing her frustration during arguments with


    Kareen.


    Now¡­


    Cherise was articte, and Kareen was left speechless.


    Cherise gave her friend a thumbs-up, handed Lucy the ck card, and said, ¡°I owe it all to your


    excellent guidance.¡±


    She then looked at the card, which Kareen had linked to Damien.


    This ck card was unmistakably a symbol of the Lenoir family.


    And among these business cards, the ¡®Lenoir¡¯ ck card was the highest tier.


    It could even be inferred that only individuals like Damien and Maeve could use it.


    The woman waved the card in her hand, looked at Lucy, and asked, ¡°Is this card yours?¡±


    Lucy avoided making eye contact with Cherise and chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s a card from a friend,¡± she


    exined.


    ¡°He said he wanted to lend it to me so I could buy some nice clothes.¡±


    Cherise didn¡¯t believe a word of it.


    Her friend thought her clothes were ugly, so he gave her a ck card to buy clothes.


    Lucy would have gone on a shopping spree by now if she were really like that.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    During the shopping trip, Lucy refrained from making any purchases. It wasn¡¯t until Cherise


    needed help paying for a lipstick that Lucy pulled out her ck card.


    This card was either given to her by Damien or Maeve.


    Under Cherise¡¯s piercing gaze, Lucy didn¡¯t know how to evade, so she had to reluctantly nod and


    admit. ¡°This card is indeed from the Lenoir family.¡±


    ¡°It was given to me by Maeve.¡±


    Lucy and Cherise walked side by side out of the mall, and Lucy nced at Cherise and said casually, ¡°I


    didn¡¯t expect Maeve to apologize.¡±


    Cherise scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t care if she apologizes.¡±


    ¡°She hurt my mom, and I can¡¯t forgive her on behalf of my mom.¡±


    Lucy sighed, ¡°What about Damien?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that when the timees.


    ¡°And this card¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold onto it for now.¡±


    Cherise sighed deeply and put the ck card in her wallet, ¡°I¡¯ll return it to him when the timing is right.¡±


    ¡°For now, I might need to borrow it.


    After spending over three thousand dors on two lipsticks and with Sera¡¯s tuition due in a few days,


    she couldn¡¯t repay the money to him so quickly.


    If she couldn¡¯t repay the money, she wouldn¡¯t be able to return the card to him.


    Damien would surely not pursue her for the over three thousand.


    She couldn¡¯t spend his money as freely as before in their current rtionship.


    After they left the mall, they drove directly back to the hospital.


    Cherise had mainly carried the bag with the new lipstick in it.


    This lipstick was thetest model of a significant European brand.


    The nurse¡¯s station was abuzz when Cherise returned to the hospital with this bag.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw bought that lipstick!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw doesn¡¯t wear makeup. Why did she buy that expensive lipstick?¡±

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623


    Chapter 623 Has She Lost Her Mind


    ¡°Dr. Shaw seems rather affluent¡­ The nurses kept discussing it all afternoon.


    Martha had just returned from Eirwen¡¯s residence when she overheard the nurses at the station


    gossiping about Cherise. She frowned and reprimanded them coldly. ¡°What are you chattering about


    during working hours?¡±


    The nurses were startled and immediately scattered.


    ¡°Lana,¡± Martha called out with a frown, ¡°I heard you were discussing Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lana lowered her gaze. ¡°Dr. Shaw purchased a lipstick today that amounts to almost tw


    thousand¡­¡±


    The office instantly fell into a stunned silence. Martha was taken aback.


    Cherise spent almost two thousand on lipstick today?Has she lost her mind?!


    ¡°We also found it quite astonishing.¡± Lana pursed her lips and murmured, ¡°Ms. Lane, as you know, Dr.


    Shaw has rarely applied makeup since joining our hospital, but she bought such a costly lipstick.


    Everyone is specting if something happened to her. She¡¯s either attracted tc someone and wants to


    cheat on her husband, or¡­ she¡¯s secretly wealthy.¡±


    Martha scoffed, a smirk forming on her lips, ¡°You may leave.¡±


    Lana exited the office, trembling slightly.


    Martha reclined in her chair, sneering. It seemed she had indeed overestimated Cherise.


    Martha had always believed the rumors about Cherise, which said she was a humble doctor dedicated


    to her skills and career.


    But Martha felt that Cherise had lied to her by iming to be the Tanner family¡¯s daughter in the


    morning while purchasing an exorbitantly priced lipstick in the afternoon.


    Did she do it to prove she¡¯s wealthy?!She¡¯s spending beyond her means just to appear rich!


    A lipstick that costs two thousand might seem extravagant¡­ but everyone would have at least two


    thousand in their bank ount, right?


    It¡¯s so ignorant of her to try and unt her wealth in this manner!


    But this was advantageous to Martha, too.


    She turned on herputer, humming cheerfully while sorting the audio files Eirwen had


    sent her.


    Since Cherise is courting disaster by trying to exonerate Isaac, I can¡¯t ignore her noble intentions,


    right?


    She arranged the audio files and reyed them repeatedly to ensure there were no errors. Then, she


    sent them to the hospital director and numerous media outlets from an anonymous email ount with


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    the subject, ¡®A righteous individual exposes a scandal concealed for many years.


    Although Jordyn¡¯s previous incident in Cherise¡¯s ss hadn¡¯t caused a significantmotion, it did


    pique some media interest.


    With such explicit and astonishing evidence, Martha was confident that this news would soon trend on


    Twitter. The public would be shocked that an academic prodigy had made someone take the fall for her.


    After sending out the emails, Martha twirled joyfully in her office.


    Just then, Lucy entered with some documents for Matha to sign and saw Martha¡¯s plump figure


    dancing¡­


    It was quite a spectacle to witness. Lucy cleared her throat. ¡°Ms. Lane¡­¡±


    The middle-aged woman finally snapped back to reality and turned to look at the door.


    Martha was initially beaming, but her expression instantly soured when she saw Lucy. ¡°Do you have a


    reason to be here?¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. Would Ie to chat with you if I don¡¯t have a reason to be here, old woman?!

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624


    Chapter 624 It¡¯s Too Late


    Despite Lucy¡¯s inner thoughts, she maintained a faint smile. ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    The womanid the document in her hands on the desk. ¡°Ms. Lane, I need your signature on this


    document so I can submit these expenses to the finance department for reimbursement.¡±


    Martha nced at Lucy coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Review it, fill in any missing details, ande back to


    me in two days.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane, here¡¯s the thing.¡± Lucy pouted but responded respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ve organized it meticulously


    and need your signature here. If anything is missing, I¡¯ll bring it to your attention next time. Could you


    please sign this for me first?¡±


    ¡°What if there¡¯s no next time?¡± Martha stared at Lucy coldly, her smile turning malicious. ¡°Perhaps this


    is your final reimbursement application in our hospital¡­


    Lucy was taken aback. She gazed at Martha in shock, taking a moment toe to her senses.


    However, she feigned ignorance on the surface. ¡°Why is that? Are you nning to dismiss


    Ms. Lane?¡±


    me,


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Martha sneered but refrained from furtherment.


    Lucy is Cherise¡¯s closest friend and secured a position at Lermille Hospital through Cherise¡¯s influence.


    Now that Cherise will be in hot water, it¡¯s hard for Lucy to remain unscathed.


    When Cherise gets ousted, perhaps Lucy will also be implicated and have to leave¡­


    Upon seeing that the older woman remained unmoved, Lucy smirked. She picked up the documents on


    the desk and held them to her chest. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Lane. I¡¯ll review it again. Perhaps I won¡¯t need


    your signature next time. I should hope our new deputy hospital director will be friendlier.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s words caused Martha to raise her brows abruptly. Martha red at Lucy icily. ¡°What did you just


    say?!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re on the verge of being dismissed too.¡±


    The atmosphere in the office suddenly grew tense.


    Martha¡¯s eyes widened, and she red fiercely at Lucy. ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat.¡± Lucy continued smiling at Martha. ¡°Ms. Lane, didn¡¯t you just insinuate that I


    would be dismissed? If you can make such jokes with me, why can¡¯t I do the same with you? We


    should be treated equally. I believe that no one enjoys being the butt of a


    cruel joke, including you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform Dr. Keeples that you didn¡¯t approve.¡± Lucy continued smiling and held the documents close.


    ¡°He told me to look for you to expedite the approval of this document for reimbursement because it


    involves his personal funds.¡±


    She yawned lightly and had just walked away when she heard Martha¡¯s somewhat resentful voice from


    behind, ¡°Come back. I¡¯ll approve it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Lucy yawned again. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Mrs. Keeples.¡±


    Lermille Hospital had a hospital director and two deputy directors. One was Martha, and the other was


    Mrs. Keeples, Dr. Keeples¡¯ wife.


    Anything rted to Dr. Keeples¡¯ personal funds was usually approved by Martha, as it could potentially


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    cause conflicts if Mrs. Keeples were to sign off on it. But now, Lucy was determined to get Mrs.


    Keeples¡¯ approval instead.


    If Dr. Keeples wanted to hold someone ountable, all me could be pointed to Martha!


    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless!¡± Martha clenched her fists tightly as she watched Lucy leave determinedly.

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625


    Chapter 625 Is It Costly?


    Since Lucy chooses to be so foolish¡­ she can leave with Cherise!


    After all, if Cherise leaves, Isaac will never be the top doctor here with Lucy around.


    When Cherise went to pick Soren and Serafina up from kindergarten, she saw a familiar face at the


    gate. It was Zachary.


    At that moment, Zachary was seated on a bench at the entrance, meticulously plucking off strawberry


    seeds and feeding the little girl beside him. Serafina¡¯s rosy lips smacked as she munched on the


    strawberries. On his other side, Soren was controlling a small toy helicopter that buzzed overhead with


    a remote control.


    Upon seeing Cherise, Zachary rose to his feet and greeted her with a warm smile.


    ¡°Mommy,e here!¡± Soren called out to her excitedly, ¡°Look! This is a remote-control helicopter Uncle


    Zach got for me. Isn¡¯t it awesome?


    Cherise stared nkly at the toy helicopter hovering in the sky.


    The stylish, beautifully designed, first-rate toy helicopter seemed to be made of alloy. With one nce,


    Cherise knew it was expensive.


    Cherise furrowed her brows and quickly approached Zachary. She looked at him gratefully. ¡°I¡¯ve told


    you there¡¯s no need to buy him such costly toys¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it costly?¡± Zachary responded with a faint smile, ¡°I managed to get a good deal on this toy


    helicopter. It¡¯s only one thousand eight hundred.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback when she heard the figure. She smiled, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°You found


    out?¡±


    The lipstick Cherise had purchased for Kareen with her own money at the makeup store earlier also


    cost one thousand eight hundred.


    Showing up at the kindergarten and buying a toy for Soren that cost the same as the lipstick clearly


    indicated that Zachary knew about the afternoon¡¯s events.


    Zachary nodded indifferently. /¡¯Kareen has always caused problems. I¡¯ve reprimanded her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just in her nature.¡± Cherise shook her head, looking slightly embarrassed. ¡°Given her personality,


    I¡¯m not surprised she would do something like that.¡±


    ¡°As for you.¡± The man sat on the bench and continued to meticulously scrape away strawberry seeds


    for Serafina before gently cing them in her tiny hand. ¡°Despite your


    constant disagreements and arguments with her, why would you buy her lipstick out of spite?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Because she¡¯s your sister¡­¡±


    It was mainly because she had been too slow to respond today.


    Kareen had abruptly changed the topic as they spoke and wanted Cherise to buy her lipstick. Cherise


    had felt cornered.


    ¡°Care to sit and chat for a bit?¡± Zachary moved aside for Cherise, gesturing for her to sit beside him.


    Cherise pursed her lips. She scanned the deserted kindergarten, ensured no one was watching, and


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    cautiously sat beside him.


    ¡°Other than telling me about your encounter at the makeup store this afternoon, Kareen also mentioned


    something else¡­¡±


    Cherise gazed at the golden sun slowly setting in the distance, feeling a pang of guilt. She had a


    hunch¡­ about what he was going to say.


    ¡°How long has Damien been in Lermille?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°Not¡­ not very long.¡±


    For some reason, she felt guilty when Zachary calmly inquired about Damien, as if she was cheating


    on Zachary. But she clearly didn¡¯t have that kind of rtionship with Zachary or Damien¡­


    Taking a deep breath, the woman attempted topose herself. ¡°Do you recall the day I had a


    thirteen-hour surgery and asked you to pick up the kids?¡±

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626


    Chapter 626 A Solitary Life


    Zachary nodded.


    ¡°The patient I performed surgery on that day¡­ was Damien¡¯s sister.¡±


    Zachary nodded again. ¡°Was that how you got involved with him again?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly describe it as getting involved.¡± Cherise sighed lightly. ¡°But it does seem like he


    wants to reconcile with me.¡±


    She continued narrating her recent encounters with Damien to Zachary. Naturally, she omitted the part


    about a certain¡­ incident with Damien that had transpired in the hospital staff dormitory¡­


    ¡°It appears he still harbors feelings for you.¡± Zachary looked at sunset on the horizon before turning to


    look at Soren, ying with the remote-controlled toy helicopter on the grass before him. ¡°Sometimes I


    find myself envying Damien.¡±


    ¡°The person he loves also reciprocates his feelings. He has a family and a woman who loves him


    wholeheartedly.¡±


    His dark eyes were as clear as ever, but there was a hint of anguish that Cherise couldn¡¯t quite exin


    orprehend.


    Upon looking at his side profile, she felt an odd sense of guilt. ¡°You¡¯ll find someone like that eventually.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± After a moment, Zachary turned to look at her and chuckled at himself. ¡°You don¡¯t


    need to console me.¡±


    ¡°As for me¡­¡± He nced at Cherise indifferently, a flicker of exasperation in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll live


    a solitary life.¡±


    Serafina blinked as she was eating strawberries at the side. ¡°Mommy, what does that mean?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Cherise was taken aback and was unsure how to exin it to the little girl. But Zachary reached out


    and gently tousled the child¡¯s hair. ¡°Living a solitary life¡­ means that nobody likes Uncle Zach.¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡± Serafina¡¯s eyes instantly widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Uncle Zach. Many


    people like you! I really like you, Uncle Zach!¡±


    Zachary was amused by the little girl¡¯s innocent response. ¡°How much do you like me?¡±


    ¡°I really like you! I like you a lot!¡±


    ¡°Do you like me more than strawberries?¡±


    The little girl pursed her lips, pondering for a moment. ¡°I like you as much as I like eating strawberries!¡±


    ¡°Greedy girl.¡± The man shook his head, ¡°You¡¯ve inherited your mom¡¯s love of food. How about this? I¡¯ll


    visit your house tomorrow and bring you lots of strawberries, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little girl extended her hand to the man. ¡°Pinky promise!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Cherise watched Zachary patiently coaxing the little girl as they sat on the bench and felt a warmth in


    her heart.


    When she closed her eyes, she could still recall the promise Zachary had made at her mother¡¯s


    hospital bed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Charisa. I¡¯ll take care of Cherise and her baby. I¡¯ll stay


    with them until she finds true love again.¡±


    At the time, Charisa had held Zachary¡¯s hand with a pained expression. ¡°Zachary, I don¡¯t want you to


    treat Cherise as your younger sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt Charisa, I understand, but¡­ let¡¯s not force anything on her, alright?¡±


    That day, Cherise stood outside the door and heard Zachary repeatedly persuade Charisa not to


    pressure or stress her¡­


    She was very moved but also felt distressed for him. She was so saddened that¡­ she almost burst in


    impulsively to tell him to consider his own needs instead.


    She would feel less guilty if he acted like a jerk and tried to control her by restricting her freedom.

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627


    Chapter 627 Cherise¡¯s Reckless Purchase


    Cherise and Zachary talked on thewn in front of the kindergarten for a long time.


    Their conversation was so lengthy that Serafina had managed to eat an entire te of strawberries and


    was now frolicking around thewn with Soren. Theirughter echoed as they yed with the remote-


    controlled toy helicopter.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry!¡± As dusk began to settle, Serafina¡¯s energy finally depleted. She ran towards


    Cherise while blinking pitifully. ¡°Mommy, I want to go home and eat pierogis!¡±


    ¡°You should head home.¡± Zachary looked down at his expensive steel watch. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and the


    kids have school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°And we haven¡¯t eaten yet!¡± Serafina chimed in with a pleading expression.


    Cherise gave her a knowing look. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just devour a whole te of strawberries from Uncle


    Zach? Are you hungry already?¡±


    Serafina pouted. ¡°Eating fruit isn¡¯t enough. It¡¯s not filling!¡±


    ¡°You have a bottomless stomach!¡± Soren teased his sister mercilessly. ¡°Why am I full?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a dummy!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the dummy!¡±


    ¡°You are!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a dummy. You¡¯re a little glutton!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the glutton!¡±


    ¡°You are!¡±


    ¡°Boo-hoo! Mommy! Ren is bullying me!¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. She sighed in resignation and carried Serafina.


    She waited for Zachary and Soren to pack the remote-controlled toy helicopter and stow it in the car


    before settling Serafina in the back seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and eat pierogis!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes curved in delight as she beamed.


    On the drive home from the kindergarten, Serafina sat in the back seat. She counted on her fingers the


    different types of pierogis she wanted and how many she wanted to eat.


    Soren also sat in the back seat and rummaged through the lipstick bag left on the back seat. He took


    out the receipt and counted the zeros on it.


    One, two¡­ One thousand eight hundred?!


    He stared in disbelief at the beautifully packaged little box. This lipstick cost one thousand eight


    hundred!


    When did Mommy be so reckless!?


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my things!¡± Cherise frowned and reminded him sternly.


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s so expensive.¡± Soren nodded. He didn¡¯t put the lipstick down but sighed lightly. ¡°Why did


    you buy this?¡±


    Cherise ttened her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to buy it either.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    It was necessary bait. However, it was tooplicated to exin to a child.


    The woman cleared her throat. ¡°I want to learn how to apply makeup properly, so I bought this lipstick


    to practice and see if I can master it.¡±


    ¡°Return it tomorrow.¡± The boy sighed lightly. ¡°Ms. Cherise Shaw, you should be realistic about your


    abilities and know your limitations. You won¡¯t be able to master how to do makeup. Give up.


    Cherise was dumbfounded. She cleared her throat. ¡°Soren, you should have faith in me!¡±


    Soren rolled his eyes. ¡°Ms. Cherise Shaw, do you have faith in yourself?¡±


    Cherise was stunned. Fair enough.


    She rarely wore makeup over the years because of herck of skill. She initially thought it was due to


    her hand injury, which hindered her makeup application.


    After her hand recovered fully, she realized¡­ her injury wasn¡¯t the problem. She was the problem.


    As the mother and son teased each other, the car pulled up to their apartment building.


    Cherise opened the car door while juggling a handful of items. As she entered the building with the two


    boisterous children, a shadowy figure slipped behind them.

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628


    Chapter 628 How Do You Know?


    The sky was dark, and the hallway lights were dim. Cherise was oblivious to the person trailing behind


    her.


    ¡®Ding.¡¯ The elevator doors slid open. Soren and Serafina entered the elevator first, and Cherise


    followed suit. After that, the figure stealthily trailing them also stepped in.


    The elevator was brightly lit, and Cherise instinctively nced at the man.


    ¡°Wow, are you just getting home too, Mr. Handsome?¡± Serafina¡¯s innocent voice echoed within the


    elevator.


    Damien smiled faintly in response. He crouched down to meet Serafina¡¯s eye level. ¡°How were the


    strawberries?¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted.


    Under the bright elevator light, Cherise could clearly see that Serafina was spotless. Serafina hadn¡¯t


    been stained by any strawberries. The little girl had just yed on thewn and smelled only of grass.


    How can Damien possibly know that Serafina had just eaten strawberries? Unless¡­


    A sense of foreboding slowly crept into Cherise¡¯s heart¡­


    ¡°Mr. Handsome, how do you know I ate strawberries?¡± Serafina looked at Damien with a radiant smile.


    Her cheeks were flushed. ¡°I just yed with Ren!¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, did you y with a toy helicopter?¡± Serafina¡¯s eyes widened as she gazed at Damien.


    After a moment, the little girl pped her chubby hands. ¡°You¡¯re so smart, Mr. Handsome. You know


    everything!¡±


    Damien responded with a faint smile, ¡°Did you enjoy ying with the toy helicopter?¡±


    ¡°It was so much fun! Uncle Zach bought it for us!¡±


    ¡°Is Uncle Zach nice to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is. He¡¯s very nice.¡± The little girl scratched her head in confusion and continued, ¡°But Uncle


    Zach said no one likes him. He seems very sad.¡±


    Damien responded with an aloof smile and tousled the little girl¡¯s hair. ¡°He¡­ deserves it.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. Even if she were utterly clueless, she understood what had transpired. The


    woman¡¯s brows wrinkled fiercely. ¡°Did you follow me?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested in you.¡± The man patted Serafina¡¯s head. He stood up and looked at Cherise


    indifferently. ¡°I just wanted to see them when they got off school.¡±


    ¡°The kids have grown so much, but I¡¯ve never picked them up from school. Who knew¡­ another man


    would beat me to it.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips as her heart constricted slightly. ¡°He came to see me today for a


    reason!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Serafina chimed in. ¡°Uncle Zach came to give us presents today! By the way, Mommy


    bought a very expensive lipstick today!¡±


    After Serafina spoke, Soren leaned back in the corner with his arms crossed and said nonchntly,


    ¡°Maybe Mommy bought that lipstick because she wants to dress up to impress Uncle Zach.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded. When did I ever imply that the lipstick was for Zachary!?


    Serafina might have misunderstood, but Soren is so sensible. How can he misconstrue my intentions?!


    The woman subconsciously turned to look at the boy in the corner.


    He shed her a mischievous smile and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mommy really values Uncle Zach.¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. Why do I suddenly feel a chill in the elevator?


    ¡°Mr. Handsome, why do you look so unhappy?¡± After a prolonged silence, Serafina¡¯s innocent. voice


    echoed in the elevator. ¡°Mr. Handsome, are you troubled because you have too many admirers like


    Mommy?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629


    Chapter 629 Let¡¯s Eat Together


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    Damien raised his brows indifferently, and his gaze swept past Cherise mischievously. He crouched


    down to address Serafina gently. ¡°Indeed. A bad woman gave my phone number to another woman


    interested in me, so I¡¯m quite troubled now.¡±


    Serafina blinked and tilted her head as she studied Damien briefly. ¡°Oh, I understand! Mommy also felt


    troubled when she used to gette-night calls from people asking her out. It¡¯s the same, right?!¡±


    Damien offered a faint smile. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°That woman is so nasty!¡± Serafina¡¯s tiny hands clenched into fists. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Mr. Handsome. I¡¯ll


    treat you to pierogis, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I adore pierogis.¡±


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s settled!¡± Having said that, the little girl gazed up at Cherise pleadingly. ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    Cherise put her hand on her forehead. What can I do after she¡¯s already invited him?


    I can¡¯t really refuse her in front of Damien, right?


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± The woman shook her head in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s just an extra set of utensils.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Serafina pped her hands in excitement. ¡°Mommy has agreed! You cane have dinner with


    us, Mr. Handsome!¡±


    ¡°Ren, you must take a picture of me and Mr. Handsometer and send it to our kindergarten teacher so


    she knows I can also date a handsome man!¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. Sera is only five years old! Why is she thinking of such a thing?!


    Just as Cherise nned to give Serafina a proper talking to at night, the elevator doors. opened.


    Soren was the first to leave the elevator. He took out his keys from his pocket nonchntly and


    unlocked the door. Cherise ushered Serafina inside.


    Damien had exited the elevator and was about to enter Cherise¡¯s apartment when Soren stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can rest easy just because you¡¯ve won over Sera!¡± The boy leaned against the


    door with his arms crossed and red at Damien. ¡°You can¡¯t win over my mommy that easily!¡±


    Damien smiled indifferently. He crouched down as his gaze lightly swept over the tiny face identical to


    his. ¡°You seem to be very hostile towards me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hostile. I just don¡¯t like you.¡± The boy nced at Cherise, who was helping Serafina remove her


    coat. ¡°Mommy, I have something to discuss with him. I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    Having said that, Soren closed the door, turned around, and walked to Damien¡¯s house. ¡°Open the


    door. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± He was acting like an adult.


    Damien smiled lightly and opened the door. Soren walked in seriously with his little backpack.


    The boy sat on the sofa, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, do you know how my mommy has been living for the past five


    years?¡±


    Damien frowned slightly. He sat opposite Soren, reached out to pour a ss of water for the boy, and


    ced it on the coffee table. ¡°I want to know how she¡¯s been for the past few years.¡±


    Since reuniting, Cherise had never mentioned anything about the past. He didn¡¯t know¡­ how she had


    lived for the past five


    years.


    ¡°My mommy raised both of us alone. She¡¯s really had a tough time.¡± Soren sighed, slightly distressed.


    ¡°She yed the roles of both parents and raised us. She was exhausted when we first came to Lermille


    and had to take care of me and Sera while dealing with work at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I often saw her crying at night while holding a picture. In that picture¡­

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630


    Chapter 630 I Won¡¯t Let Her Get Hurt Again


    The little boy pursed his lips. ¡°My mom is dressed in a pink bunny costume in that photograph, and


    you¡¯re standing beside her. She looks so radiant when she smiles, but I¡¯ve never seen her smile like


    that.¡±


    Damien was taken aback and fell silent.


    He did recall the photograph Soren was referring to. It was taken after Cherise had performed a dance


    for Mr. Tanner the first time he brought her to the Tanner family.


    Even though five years had passed¡­ he still remembered that moment vividly. It was his most joyful


    and carefree memories with Cherise. But¡­ they never experienced such blissful moments again.


    The intricate rtionships andplex ties between the Tanner, Miles, and Lenoir families made it


    impossible to sustain the rtionship they had fought for¡­


    His eyes were filled with anguish.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir.¡± Soren looked up, ¡°I understand you might still have feelings for my mommy, and you may


    want Serafina and me to call you ¡®dad.¡±¡±


    ¡°But Mr. Lenoir, even though I¡¯m young and unaware of what transpired back then, I¡¯ve overheard


    Uncle Zach and Mommy discussing¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle Zach mentioned that you abandoned my mommy of your own ord back then, right?¡±


    Damien looked up somewhat incredulously at Soren. Perhaps he never expected a five-year- old child


    to discuss the past with him so logically and rationally.


    But upon reflection, he felt relieved. After all, Soren was his son.


    Back then, the nine-year-old Damien could discern his Uncle Raymond¡¯s schemes from his parents¡¯ car


    ident, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that the five-year-old Soren could articte such thoughts.


    Upon seeing Damien silent, Soren frowned. ¡°Mr. Lenoir. You abandoned my mommy back then, right?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So why do you wish to win my mom back now?¡± Soren looked at him. A rare, mature expression


    flickered across his innocent face. ¡°I want Mommy to be happy, and I hope she can smile like she used


    to.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The little boy looked at Damien earnestly and stubbornly. ¡°You abandoned my mommy five


    years ago, Mr. Lenoir. What will happen in the future? I don¡¯t want her to be hurt again.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°I won¡¯t let her get hurt again.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°How can you be sure of that?¡± Soren pursed his lips, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, I know my mom still has feelings for


    you. She¡¯s actually very sentimental. If you treat her well, she¡¯ll forgive you soon.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ until you and Mommy get married, Serafina and I won¡¯t call you ¡®dad.¡±¡±


    With that, the boy picked up his bag and turned to leave.


    Damien narrowed his eyes. This little boy was indeed like him. The man sighed, ¡°Do you believe


    marriage is an affirmation of love?¡±


    Soren paused and didn¡¯t say anything.


    The man behind him chuckled lightly. ¡°Since you believe so, don¡¯t regret what you¡¯ve said.¡± If Damien


    remembered correctly, he never signed the divorce agreement.


    ¡°Ren! Mr. Handsome! Come help!¡± Just as Soren and Damien were about to continue their


    conversation, a childish voice rang outside the door. ¡°Mommy is so busy by herself!¡±


    The little girl, shorter than the doorknob, stood outside the door in a pink outfit and knocked on the door


    as hard as she could. ¡°You two need toe and help! If you don¡¯t help, you¡¯re not real men!¡±

 Chapter 631

    Chapter 631


    Chapter 631 You¡¯re So Devious.


    Both Soren and Damien stood silently at the doorway.


    The door swung open, and two identical figures emerged, the only difference being their height.


    ¡°I really suspect that Mr. Handsome is Ren¡¯s father,¡± Serafina stood still and murmured as she watched


    the tall man and short boy enter her home with the same gait.


    But Mommy told me that Ren and I have the same father. So¡­


    The little girl shook her head. What a shame!


    If Mr. Handsome is Ren¡¯s father, I can see him and enjoy the strawberries he brings daily!


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Upon returning home, Soren quickly changed his outfit and went to the dining table.


    At the table, Cherise was busy rolling out pierogi dough. The boy took a seat in front of her. ¡°Let me


    help.¡± Cherise nced at Soren and handed him the rolling pin before the five-year- old boy began to


    roll out pierogi dough.


    Damien stood to the side, observing the little boy¡¯s swift movements. His heart warmed as he watched


    Soren roll out perfect circles of dough.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Although the boy resembled him in appearance and character, Soren had inherited Cherise¡¯s diligence


    and resilience.


    Damien was reluctant to admit it, but he was confident that their son had undoubtedly be a


    reliable support and pir for Cherise over the years.


    ¡°Mr. Handsome, what are you thinking about?¡± Serafina, whose head barely reached Damien¡¯s calf,


    nudged his leg. ¡°Go and help!¡±


    Snapping back to reality, Damien slowly approached the dining table. Cherise frowned and nced at


    the man¡¯s suit. ¡°Wash your hands and change your clothes.¡±


    Damien removed his coat, revealing his ck shirt. He strolled over shortly after washing his hands


    and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscr forearms. Under the light, he looked extraordinarily


    handsone and impressive.


    ¡°Let me help. The man reached out to take the rolling pin from Soren. Cherise wrinkled her brow again


    and looked at Damien, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to change?¡±


    Making pierogis was messy, and flour could get on his clothes His outfit looked expensive.


    12


    and dry cleaning would be


    The man nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Cherise furrowed her brow, ¡°Change your clothes ande back.


    The man firmly seated himself at the dining table, ¡°Never mind, this will do.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded. She took a deep breath and turned to Damien. ¡°Give me your ess


    card.¡±


    She would get an outfit for him since he was toozy to move. Damien was taken aback, but he


    handed her his card.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move an inch until Ie back.¡± The woman sighed and stood up. ¡°And don¡¯t get flour on you!¡±


    After that, Cherise looked down at Serafina, who was clutching a fluffy rabbit plush toy. ¡°Keep an eye


    on him!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Don¡¯t worry, Mommy!¡±


    Cherise got up and left after instructing her daughter.


    As Damien sat in the chair, a faint smile formed on his lips as he watched the woman¡¯s retreating


    figure.


    Soren rolled his eyes. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡±


    Damien looked at him. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re so devious!¡±


    Cherise entered Damien¡¯s house with his ess card. His house was immacte and orderly, very


    much reflecting his personality.


    The woman changed her shoes and entered the bedroom.


    This was her first time in his spotless bedroom. It was decorated in a ck-and-white color scheme,


    very much in line with his past style.


    Theputer on his desk next to his bedroom was still on. His work files were still open on


    the screen.

 Chapter 632

    Chapter 632


    Chapter 632 Come Back Soon


    Cherise furrowed her brows as she reached out to touch the overheatingputer. She checked when


    the files hadst been saved. He had stayed up working until half past four in the morning.


    Has theputer been running for that long?


    She sighed and saved all the open documents before powering theputer down. It was easy to run


    up a hefty electricity bill like this.


    However¡­ just as she was about to turn off theputer, her gaze subconsciously drifted to the


    desktop.


    The wallpaper was a wedding photo of them taken five years ago during their wedding. preparations.


    d in a spotless white wedding dress, Cherise was happily nestled in Damien¡¯s arms and smiled


    radiantly in the picture..


    As she gazed at the desktop, Cherise¡¯s hand tightened around the mouse. Countless. memories


    flooded her heart, bringing her to the brink of tears.


    They had only spent a brief time together, a mere three months. It was less than half a year.


    She questioned herself at times. Are those few months really so significant to me?Is it really something


    I can¡¯t forget?


    But her lingering memories and feelings clearly demonstrated that she couldn¡¯t forget Damien. His brief


    presence in her life was enough to leave asting impression on her.


    Even after spending the past five years with Zachary, she only felt guilty towards him. She had no


    romantic feelings for him..


    My feelings are truly puzzling. Cherise let out a bitterugh and powered down theputer before


    opening Damien¡¯s wardrobe to look for a suitable outfit.


    His wardrobe was impably organized, housing only a few suits. After rummaging, Cherise found a


    set of light gray pajamas.


    A photo fell from one of the pockets as she picked up the outfit. Cherise bent down to retrieve it.


    In the photo, Damien was unconscious and covered in dirt and grime. His clothes showed signs of


    being scorched, but he was clutching a jewelry box in his hand.


    That jewelry bar¡­ Cherise recognized it. It housed the rings they had exchanged before the priest at


    their wedding five years ago. When she left, she had asked Lucy to return her ring to


    1/2


    him.


    Pain surged in her heart. She took a deep breath, feeling a mix of warmth and sorrow, Perhaps he had


    also been suffering just as much as her over the past five years.


    A tear trickled out of the corner of her eye as she ced the photo back in his wardrobe.


    When she flipped the photo, she saw three words written on the back. ¡®Come back soon. It didn¡¯t seem


    to be his handwriting. But five years had passed, and she had almost forgotten what his writing looked


    like.


    She wiped the tears from the corners of her


    ¡®Come back soon.


    eyes.


    They had finally reunited and were able to get along peacefully. Perhaps everything could go back to


    how it was in the past.


    When Cherise returned home with an outfit for Damien, she found Soren impatiently instructing Damien


    on how to roll out dough.


    ¡°Like this. This way.¡± Soren¡¯s small hands were working the dough, guiding Damien step by step, just


    as Cherise had once taught Soren.


    Standing at the doorway, Cherise felt warmth spread through her heart. Her son had only learned this


    half a year ago.


    There was a simple reason why Soren had learned how to do it. His younger sister loved pierogis, and


    it was exhausting for Cherise to do everything herself. Therefore, he had insisted on Cherise teaching


    him how to do it in a bid to ease her burden.


    She never expected him to be good enough to teach his dad in such a short time!


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ah, how can you be so clumsy?!¡±

 Chapter 633

    Chapter 633


    Chapter 633 Mr. Lenoir¡¯s Handiwork


    Lost in thought, Cherise was suddenly interrupted by the impatient voice of a child. She instinctively


    looked up and saw Damien, perspiring heavily, clumsily handling a rolling pin with hisrge hands.


    Standing next to him, Serafina had her hands on her hips. ¡°Mr. Handsome, be careful. You¡¯re getting


    flour all over yourself!¡±


    Caught in an awkward posture, Damien turned to Soren and asked sheepishly. ¡°Is this alright?¡±


    The scene before her made Cherise giggle. No one would have expected that Damien, who appeared


    stern and dignified to outsiders, would be awkwardly learning to roll pierogi dough under the watchful


    eyes of his two children.


    The trio was so engrossed in their tasks that they didn¡¯t notice Cherise¡¯s return.


    Unable to contain herself, Cherise burst intoughter at the sight of the misshapen dough. that Damien


    had rolled out.


    If her rtionship with Damien wasn¡¯t so tense, she would have captured this moment and unted it to


    show everyone that the imposing and unapproachable Damien was quite inept at cooking.


    Soren, Serafina, and Damien looked up simultaneously upon hearing Cherise¡¯sughter.


    Soren nced at the clothes in Cherise¡¯s hand and shrugged indifferently at Damien. ¡°Go change, Mr.


    Lenoir.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m free now!¡± Serafina eximed, letting out a breath. She tightly clutched her doll, ran to the


    television, switched it on, and started watching cartoons.


    Damien looked at Cherise somewhat sheepishly. She smiled at the oddly shaped dough on the table. ¡°I


    can see that you tried.¡±


    Damien was taken aback. He cleared his throat. ¡°Practice makes perfect. This was only my first


    attempt. I¡¯ll get better.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Soren dusted the flour off his hands. ¡°I¡¯m off to watch cartoons too, Mr. Lenoir. Be a good assistant to


    Mommy!¡± The boy hopped off the chair and scampered towards the sofa.


    Damien was stunned, while Cherise smiled helplessly. These two little rascals,


    1


    12


    Closing the door, Cherise walked slowly towards Damien and handed him the clothes. ¡°Go change and


    Damien pursed his lips, wiped his hands, took the outfit from her, and went to the bathroom.


    Cherise sat at the dining table, looking at the misshapen dough. She couldn¡¯t resist taking at picture


    and sending it to Lucy with a message, ¡®Mr. Lenoir¡¯s handiwork.


    Lucy quickly responded. ¡®Haha!¡± A momentter, Lucy seemed to sense something was amiss. on the


    other end of the phone.


    ¡°Is Damien at your house?¡± she quickly sent another message. ¡°And is he learning this from you?¡±


    Cherise was startled but replied with an exasperated emoticon. ¡°Serafina invited him over for pierogis.¡±


    Lucy was bbergasted. ¡°It seems your daughter is as infatuated as you!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Not at all. She just wants to eat his strawberries again.¡±


    ¡°Haha. But it¡¯s quite impressive that a man like Damien is willing to learn these things from you and


    participate in household chores. For someone who never lifts a finger, it¡¯s already at significant


    change.¡±


    ¡°Cherry, you might as well take him back!¡±


    Cherise pouted. ¡°Who was it that previously told me not to forgive him easily?¡±


    ¡°That was in the past, now it¡¯s different! If a man is willing to make such changes for me, I would marry


    him!¡±

 Chapter 634

    Chapter 634


    Chapter 634 Cherise¡¯s Smile.


    Cherise responded, ¡°I¡¯ve taken a screenshot. I¡¯ll send it to Lennon Belcourt.¡± Lucy was speechless


    when she read it.


    ¡°Who are you chatting with?¡± The man¡¯s deep, maic voice suddenly echoed in her ears.


    Cherise¡¯s hand trembled, and she nearly dropped her phone. She took a deep breath, quickly locked


    her phone, set it aside, and looked


    1.


    Before her stood a man dressed in light gray loungewear, grinning at her. Cherise had instantly fallen


    for his chiseled, attractive face.


    In that moment, his smile brought back memories of their wedding night. He was known as ¡®the blind


    man¡¯ back then, and despite her trepidation, she had boldly married him.


    His smile at that time had gradually eased her anxious heart. It felt like a dream to see that same smile


    again.


    ¡°Shall we begin?¡± Damien cleared his throat and softly asked when he noticed her silently staring at


    him.


    Cherise snapped back to reality. She nced at the rolling pin and dough in front of her and started


    instructing Damien on how to roll the dough.


    ¡°First, do this, then this¡­¡± Cherise earnestly taught Damien, and he listened attentively.


    As they sat at the dining table, Cherise yfully teased Damien while he humbly asked her for help.


    ¡°Ren.¡± Serafina sat on the sofa, clutching her plush toy, and asionally nced from the television to


    the two people at the dining table. ¡°Ren, do you think Mommy will marry Mr. Handsome?¡±


    Soren was startled and nearly dropped the ss he was holding. He furrowed his brow and asked his


    sister in his serious yet childlike tone, ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because I think Mommy seems very happy.¡± Serafina wrinkled her brow as she turned and looked at


    Soren. ¡°Look. Mominy hasn¡¯tughed like this in a long time.¡±


    Soren nced at the dining table. In that moment, themp above the table illuminated Cherise¡¯s face,


    making her smile appear even more vibrant.


    Her smile¡­.


    Soren pursed his lips, and the picture that Cherise cherished appeared in his mind¡­


    12


    Mommy¡¯s current smile seems identical to the one in the picture¡­


    So Mommy hasn¡¯t smiled like that, not because she¡¯s sad, but because¡­ the person beside her isn¡¯t


    right?


    Soren lightly pursed his lips and looked down at Serafina. ¡°Do you want him to be our dad?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°He¡¯s so handsome, and he really looks like you, Ren! He


    can also feed me lots of strawberries!¡±


    After an hour of effort, Damien¡¯s dough was finally satisfactory. The man looked excitedly at the small


    pile of round dough on the table. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite talented.¡±


    Cherise scoffed. ¡°You call this talent?¡±


    However¡­ the woman¡¯s gazended on hisrge hands.


    It must have been quite a challenge for him to roll out small pieces of dough with suchrge hands.


    Once all the pierogis were wrapped, Cherise headed to the kitchen to boil water. Damien. followed her,


    carefully transporting all the pierogis into the kitchen. He stood behind. Cherise, and they watched as


    the water in the pot softly bubbled and slowly came to a boil.


    Cherise¡¯s house was small, so the kitchen was naturally narrow. She was usually the only one. bustling


    about in the kitchen, so she didn¡¯t find it cramped.


    But with Damien in it, his tall andnky figure blocked the light in the kitchen. The seemed very


    confined and tight..


    space

 Chapter 635

    Chapter 635


    Chapter 635 A Scoundrel Like Me


    Cherise furrowed her brow and looked up at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,¡± she began, ¡°I understand your


    eagerness and fondness for pierogis, but could you please wait outside? This kitchen is quite cramped


    with you around.¡±


    Damien responded with a frown and quietly retreated to a corner. ¡°I¡¯ll stand over here then.¡±


    Cherise sighed. ¡°When I said that, I meant for you to leave. It¡¯s still very cramped with you. standing


    there.¡±


    Despite her words, the man shook his head. ¡°I want to stay.¡±


    ¡°Are there wild animals in my living room?¡± Cherise asked in exasperation. ¡°Can¡¯t you wait there?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Damien pursed his lips. ¡°I want to learn how to make pierogis.¡±


    Cherise was at a loss for words. What¡¯s soplicated about making pierogis?!


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, there¡¯s no secret to making pierogis.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Moreover, considering your


    status, countless individuals would dly prepare pierogis for you if you wish to eat them. There¡¯s no


    need for you to learn.¡±


    And you certainly don¡¯t need to be causing amotion here!


    Damien shook his head, ¡°I want to learn to make them myself. I enjoy eating pierogis prepared by the


    woman I love. Therefore, I believe she would also enjoy the pierogis I¡¯ve


    made.¡±


    Cherise was growing increasingly frustrated. ¡°I won¡¯t enjoy them.¡± As she dropped the pierogis into the


    pot, she responded without thinking, ¡°I don¡¯t like pierogis, let alone the ones. you¡­.¡±


    Halfway through her sentence, she abruptly realized she might have misspoken. Hence, she quickly


    cleared her throat as her face flushed. ¡°In any case, just leave!¡±


    A faint smile curved on the corners of Damien¡¯s lips. The man gazed at her back, and his voice was


    inexplicably tender. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face felt hotter than the boiling water before her! She dared not turn around and was afraid


    he would see her flushed face. She lowered her voice. ¡°Get out!¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. He didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he moved even closer to her.


    The man¡¯s thin lips moved to her ears, and his voice was low and suggestive. ¡°Do you recall


    12


    you asked me to leave?


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Cherise was dumbstruck. Thest time¡­


    Thest time I told him to leave¡­ was at the hospital lounge¡­


    She bit her lip. ¡°You scoundrel!¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°I am a scoundrel.¡± The man¡¯s hand subtly moved to her waist as he attempted


    to pull her into an embrace. ¡°Only a scoundrel like me would have lost you for five years.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded as she stood before the hot stove. She didn¡¯t want him to see her blushing


    or make too much noise for the children to hear. She could only bite her lips. ¡°Damien Lenoir! Let go!¡±


    ¡°Let go of my mommy.¡± A child¡¯s crisp voice rang from the direction of the kitchen door.


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly burned. She quickly reached out to push Damien¡¯s hand away. ¡°Get


    out!¡±


    Damien frowned. He looked very displeased as he nced at the little boy who had. damper on the


    situation. Damien walked around Soren and left the kitchen.


    put a


    Soren pouted. He shut the kitchen door, turned around with his hands on his hips, and red at


    Damien furiously. ¡°You were trying to take advantage of Mommy!¡±


    Damien frowned, ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? You clearly were!¡±


    The man smiled faintly and crouched down. ¡°I would only be taking advantage of her if not feelings


    were involved. His dark eyes were fixed on the boy in front of him. ¡°But your mom. and I¡­ have


    feelings for each other.¡±


    Soren was stunned.

 Chapter 636

    Chapter 636


    Chapter 636 Keeping Your Promise


    At the tender age of five, Soren was already more mature than his peers. However, despite his


    advanced maturity, he was still just a child.


    His understanding of emotions and maniption was limited, and he couldn¡¯t quite differentiate


    between the two.


    ¡°In any case, you¡­ you can¡¯t just touch my mommy!¡± It was unusual for the boy to stutter. ¡°You two


    aren¡¯t even married yet!¡±


    Damien chuckled in response. ¡°So, can I touch her freely if we¡¯re married?¡±


    Soren was dumbfounded and bit his lip. ¡°No, you still can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The man smiled lightly and stopped teasing the child. ¡°I understand that cherish


    your mommy very much. Actually, I feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡± Damien sighed. ¡°All I wanted was to hold her.¡±


    you


    After being separated from his beloved for so long, even a simple hug felt like a luxury to Damien. He


    was well aware that this was a consequence of his past mistakes.


    Raising one hand and cing the other over his heart, Damien made an oath. ¡°I swear that I¡¯ll never


    force her if she doesn¡¯t give her consent in the future. Is that better?¡±


    Soren pursed his lips and slightly lowered his guard against Damien. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your promise!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Damien smiled and ruffled Soren¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word.¡±


    ¡°But you promised Sera to give her strawberries every day.¡± Soren reminded him coldly.


    Damien was taken aback. He had indeed made that promise to Serafina and wouldn¡¯t have broken it if


    not for Cherise¡¯s warning.


    Leaning close to Soren¡¯s ear, Damien whispered, ¡°How about this¡­¡±


    Upon hearing what the man said, Soren pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°Keep your promise!¡±


    With that, the little boy turned around, ready to share the good news with his sister.


    But as he walked away, he seemed to recall something and turned to look at Damien. ¡°You¡¯re from


    Adania, right?¡±


    Damien nodded.


    |||


    1/2


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It makes sense. Soren pursed his lips, recalling the puzzle his teacher had rewarded him with He had


    seen a car with an Adania license te parked outside the kindergarten that day.


    Later, his teacher mentioned that the puzzle was donated. So the donor was¡­


    Taking a deep breath, the little boy looked up at Damien carnestly. ¡°I really like the puzzle. Could you


    get a more challenging one next time?¡±


    Damien responded with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll send you the link to the website next time. You can choose for


    yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The little boy nodded and looked at Damien solemnly. ¡°Then, you¡¯re allowed toe over and


    eat tomorrow!¡±


    Amidst the humid, steam-filled kitchen, Cherise¡¯s heart felt warm.


    Unbeknownst to Cherise, who was busy cooking in the kitchen, her son had been swayed by Damien¡¯s


    puzzle. He had even assured Damien of the chance to join them for dinner the following night.


    When the pierogis were finally ready, she ced them on the dining table and announced, ¡°Dinner¡¯s


    ready!¡± Soren promptly turned off the television and rushed to the table.


    However, Serafina pouted haughtily and nced at Damien next to her. ¡°Mr. Handsome, I don¡¯t want to


    walk over. Understanding her request, Damien reached out to carry the little. girl as he stood and


    walked towards the dining table.


    ¡°Whee!¡± Serafinay in Damien¡¯s arms, ¡°You¡¯re so tall, Mr. Handsome! I can even see the top. of


    Mommy¡¯s head!¡±


    Cherise was stunned. She looked at her daughter in exasperation. ¡°Serafina, stop acting spoiled. Come


    down.¡±


    The little girl instinctively snuggled into Damien¡¯s chest. ¡°Mr. Handsome, look at how fierce. Mommy is!¡±

 Chapter 637

    Chapter 637


    Chapter 637 You Do Care About Me


    Damien offered a faint smile. ¡°Your mother isn¡¯t fierce. She¡¯s just concerned about your well- being.¡± He


    tousled Serafina¡¯s hair and gently ced her on the chair. ¡°If you want me to carry you next time, make


    sure your mother doesn¡¯t see it, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Cherise was astonished.


    Does he have the audacity to openly say such things in front of me?


    Does he think I¡¯m a pushover when ites to my children?!


    ¡°Dinner time!¡±


    Soren had already started eating. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°When I made pierogis with Mommy, we were never this slow.¡± He even gave Damien a somewhat


    disapproving look. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, you need to step up your game!¡±


    Damien smiled lightly. ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat, Mr. Handsome!¡± Serafina also started eating. ¡°My mommy¡¯s pierogis are amazing!¡±


    Damien smiled tenderly and nced at Cherise. ¡°They truly are amazing.¡±


    Cherise was speechless. This man had be somewhat endearing in the presence of the children.


    After dinner, Soren suggested that Damien should wash the dishes. Before Cherise could object, the


    man offered a casual smile. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cherise was stunned. Her children weren¡¯t polite to Damien, a supposed ¡®stranger.¡±


    Damien had already carried the dishes to the kitchen in the blink of an eye. Cherise. reluctantly


    followed him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Regardless of her rtionship with Damien, he was still her guest. It wasn¡¯t very nice to have him wash


    the dishes.


    ¡°I promise not to damage your dishes.¡± The man grinned nonchntly. He turned on the faucet and


    squirted dishwashing liquid onto a te.


    As if to prove his words, he lifted the soapy te and was about to demonstrate scrubbing it when the


    te slipped from his grasp and shattered with a crash.


    |||


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    12


    Cherise and Damien were astonished. The man¡¯s expression turned slightly awkward.


    He coughed lightly and crouched down to pick up the shards. ¡°This was an ident¡­¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡±


    But the man had already touched the broken porcin shards on the floor.


    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± She frowned as she rushed over and hurriedly grabbed his hand. She


    turned it over as she examined it. ¡°The shards can easily cut your skin¡­¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips as she examined his hand meticulously. Fortunately, she had intervened in


    time, and his fingers were unharmed.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not capable of washing dishes, don¡¯t do it.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief and looked up at


    Damien with a slightly stern expression. ¡°What if you injure yourself?¡± Her reproachful tone was mixed


    with concern. ¡°Besides, you shouldn¡¯t touch these shards with your bare hands. Isn¡¯t there a broom


    nearby?¡±


    Damien remained silent. She looked up and subconsciously nced at him. The man¡¯s eyes were filled


    with tender affection. ¡°So you do care about me.¡±


    Cherise was startled, and her face turned red under his gaze. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I


    care about you?!¡± She suddenly felt her words were too suggestive, so she continued, ¡°You¡¯re in my


    house. I¡¯m responsible for you if anything happens!¡±


    Damien smiled, his gaze yful as he observed her, ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Of¡­ of course. What¡­ what else do you want?¡±


    ¡°You know what I want.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She rolled her eyes at him and started washing the dishes in the sink.


    Damien smiled nonchntly as he stood by her side and handed her the dishes one by one.

 Chapter 638

    Chapter 638


    Chapter 638 What Are Your ns?


    ¡°Today, Mr. Kolson found the voice actress. Her name is Eirwen, and she also recorded the audio from


    two years ago.¡±


    ¡°She is a well-known figure in Lermille¡¯s voice acting industry. She has likely mastered some. unique


    vocal techniques, allowing her to mimic many voices as long as she is well-paid. Her mimicry is so


    effortless and natural that it surpassesputer programs.¡±


    ¡°However, she rarely epts work outside of her industry. Martha was her doctor in the past, which


    made it easy for Martha to seek her assistance.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand trembled slightly.


    Damien was right. Martha had indeed hired someone to mimic her voice¡­


    But there were aspects she still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°If Martha wanted to frame me, why did she


    involve Isaac from the beginning?¡±


    After all, Martha favored Isaac the most. Lucy also mentioned that Martha had numerous disputes with


    the hospital director over Isaac. Martha should have cleared Isaac of any responsibility when plotting


    against her. Even if the fabricated phone call ruined Cherise¡¯s reputation, Isaac wouldn¡¯t escape


    unscathed!


    ¡°Perhaps her initial intention wasn¡¯t to frame you.¡± Damien furrowed his brows slightly as he handed


    tes to Cherise. ¡°When Mr. Kolson questioned Eirwen, she stated that Martha didn¡¯t mention harming


    anyone when she approached her. Martha just wanted to promote a young man she liked.¡±


    ¡°Promote Isaac?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Martha¡¯s initial motive behind this recording might not have been to


    frame you. Consider this. If Isaac had sessfully performed such aplex surgery independently


    without your guidance, wouldn¡¯t his status have been elevated?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If Isaac had managed toplete the surgery independently without my guidance¡­¡± Cherise¡¯s


    hand froze as she held a te. ¡°He would have been considered my equal.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Damien offered a faint smile. ¡°Martha might have just been overly eager to seed at first.


    She wanted to elevate her favored apprentice to your level but didn¡¯t anticipate the bacsh.¡±


    ¡°Even if her true intention was to promote Isaac, her actions deceived him, harmed me, and vited


    the fundamental principles of medical ethics.¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°If it weren¡¯t. for Lucy¡¯s


    intervention, the patient wouldn¡¯t have survived¡­¡±


    12


    This is where Martha made a mistake. Damien gracefully picked up the dishes Cherise had washed


    and dried them before cing them into the cupboard. His voice was soft. ¡°And even if her actions


    back then weren¡¯t intended to harm you two years ago, her recent attempt to reconstruct the past by


    having Eirwen mimic your voice again clearly indicates her intention


    to target you.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you nning to do, Dr. Shaw?¡± The man turned and looked at Cherise carnestly. ¡°She


    has already sent the re-recorded audio by Eirwen to the hospital director and numerous journalists,


    academic figures, and media outlets.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°I asked Syatt to intercept, but we can¡¯t predict the full list of who


    she sent this so-called evidence to.¡±


    Since the matter concerned Cherise¡¯s academic integrity, Damien didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of


    it.


    ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done.¡± Cherise sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with Dr. Keeples tomorrow


    morning to exin.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mm.¡± The man ced thest te into the cupboard and closed the doors. ¡°Put the kids to bed and


    get a good night¡¯s sleep. I have some work to attend to tonight.¡±


    111


    <

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639


    Chapter 639 He¡¯s Quite Nic


    Cherise nodded in agreement.


    As Damien turned away, she pressed her lips together, hesitated momentarily, and finally. whispered,


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± he asked, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you promised me that if I help you sort out this issue, you¡¯ll


    let me take the kids out for a day.¡±


    Cherise nodded emphatically as she watched the man¡¯s tall,nky figure disappear from sight.


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Soren¡¯s slightly disgruntled voice rang out. ¡°He¡¯s long gone. Is he really that handsome?¡±


    Cherise snapped back to reality. ¡°Of course, he is.¡± She crouched down to embrace Soren. ¡°Because


    he looks a lot like you.¡±


    The boy¡¯s stern expression gradually softened..


    ¡°Mommy, do you want to reconcile with him?¡± Soren, dressed in light blue pajamas, asked tentatively.


    He had carefully crawled into Cherise¡¯s bed after Serafina had fallen asleep and was nestled in


    Cherise¡¯s arms.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Cherise bit her lip, feeling a pang of sadness. ¡°Do you want to acknowledge him


    as your dad?¡±


    Soreny in Cherise¡¯s embrace and hugged her arm. He was momentarily silent. ¡°It¡¯s up to you,


    Mommy. I¡¯ll ept him if you think he¡¯s good enough, and I¡¯ll resist him if you think he


    isn¡¯t.¡±


    Cherise smiled wistfully, raising her hand to stroke her son¡¯s head. ¡°But if you had to decide. what


    would you choose?¡±


    ¡°I might ept him.¡± The little boy bit his lip. He lowered his head and spoke somewhat shyly. ¡°I think¡­


    he¡¯s quite nice.¡± As long as he doesn¡¯t hurt you, Mommy.


    The next day, Cherise dropped the two children off at kindergarten as usual and drove straight to the


    hospital.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw. When she entered the hospital, her colleagues, who used to greet her warmly, seemed to


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    look at her strangely. The young nurses and doctors who always liked to gather around Cherise began


    to look at her with contempt and malice. Even the janitor stuttered. when greeting her.


    TH


    12


    These stares made Cherise feel extremely ufortable.


    She had a hunch. The worst-case scenario that Damien had mentioned the previous night seemed to


    havee true.


    ¡°Cherise!¡± When Cherise arrived at her office, Lucy rushed over and pulled her into a


    storeroom.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lucy took out her phone and showed her a report, ¡°Last night, the mastermind behind. the


    scenes sent this article to international media outlets that focus on medical academia.¡±


    ¡°At four this morning, Lermille¡¯s executives woke Dr. Keeples up from his sleep and demanded an


    investigation into the incident from two years ago. It¡¯s already causing a lot of


    trouble!¡±


    Cherise frowned. She took the phone from Lucy and read the report from start to finish. It detailed the


    medical mishap two years ago and even specifically named her and Isaac. A clip of her voice was also


    included andpared with the recording.


    Thements below were unbearable. Almost everyone was condemning Cherise.


    And the author of this article¡­ was named Gwenn.


    Cherise closed her eyes andughed bitterly. Gwenn.


    When Beckham had previouslye to visit her, he had casually mentioned that Gwenn was now a


    journalist. But Cherise hadn¡¯t expected Gwenn to be lying in wait for her.

 Chapter 640

    Chapter 640


    Chapter 640 Someone Is Framing Me


    For the past five years, Cherise had distanced herself from the Tanner family. She had never tried to


    take Gwenn¡¯s ce in the family, yet her foster sister harbored an unexinable resentment towards


    her.


    As a result, Gwenn took every opportunity to tarnish Cherise¡¯s reputation online. This was an


    unexpected oue that Damien hadn¡¯t anticipated.


    Being an outsider in Lermille, Damien already found it difficult to manipte the local media. He never


    could have predicted that Gwenn would intervene, even from thousands of


    miles away.


    However, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but think about her encounter with Kareen the previous day¡­ It all


    made sense now.


    Over the years, Kareen and Gwenn had grown closer. Gwenn would undoubtedly be aware of any


    news concerning Cherise in Lermille.


    ¡°Dr. Keeples was rudely awakened by important figures early this morning and was extremely irritated.


    He was furious and instructed you to visit his office once you arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise, what should we do?¡± Lucy was restless and anxious. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know you so well and knew


    you wouldn¡¯t say such things, I would have believed this recording! It sounds exactly like you!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Damien found a voice actor who imitated my voice.¡± The woman frowned


    slightly. ¡°It¡¯s not that this issue can¡¯t be resolved¡­ It¡¯s just a bitplicated.


    Lucy pursed her lips and was about to say something when a nurse¡¯s knock at the door interrupted her.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, Dr. Keeples is summoning you to his office now. If you don¡¯t go, there will be


    consequences.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows slightly. She gently removed Lucy¡¯s tightly gripping hand from hers. ¡°I¡¯ll go


    speak with Dr. Keeples.¡± With that, she turned and left, ignoring whatever Lucy wanted to say.


    ¡°Dr. Keeples. The woman had just knocked on the hospital director¡¯s office door when an ashtray was


    thrown towards the door. Cherise skillfully dodged the ashtray, which crashed. onto the marble floor.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Cherise walked in slowly with a frown.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡± The hospital director scratched his head and red at her. ¡°Close the door!¡±


    12


    Cherise obediently did as she was told.


    ¡°What were you thinking!?¡± Dr. Keeples scratched his head in confusion and looked at Cherise


    helplessly. ¡°Even if you want to save Isaac Roebuck, you don¡¯t have to sacrifice yourself! Now that


    you¡¯ve sent the recording to the international media, this matter can¡¯t be ignored!¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. She realized that Dr. Keeples had misunderstood. He still believed. that


    Cherise had orchestrated the international articles to save Isaac.


    ¡°Dr. Keeples, I¡¯m not that selfless.¡± The woman smiled faintly at him. He never imagined what she


    would say next. ¡°I didn¡¯t record this audio or send it to the media. Someone is framing


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    me.¡±


    ¡°Who is framing you?!¡± Dr. Keeples¡¯ brows furrowed deeply. ¡°Isaac?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cherise took a deep breath. She walked over and sat down in a chair before Dr. Keep looking at


    him steadily. ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Lane.¡±


    Dr. Keeples almost choked on his drink. ¡°Cherise, don¡¯t make baseless usations! Although Martha


    has always had some reservations about you, she was concerned about you when she asked me


    about it. She asked if we could be lenient with you since the incident happened so long ago¡­¡±

 Chapter 641

    Chapter 641


    Chapter 641 I Have Other Evidence


    Cherise chuckled. ¡°Did she kindly ask for leniency on my behalf?¡± She reached for the teapot. in front


    of her and poured tea for Dr. Keeples with a faint smile. ¡°Dr. Keeples, consider this. Weren¡¯t you in


    disbelief and shock when you first heard the news?¡±


    The hospital director nodded. ¡°I refuse to believe that this recording urately reflects the past!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. When you heard this recording and read the report, your initial reaction was disbelief. So why


    did Martha immediately ask for leniency on my behalf?¡±


    The office suddenly fell silent. The hospital director stared at Cherise in astonishment. He was


    momentarily speechless.


    That¡­ That¡¯s true¡­.


    Why was Martha so convinced when faced with international articles defaming a doctor from our


    hospital? Why did she immediately ask for leniency on Cherise¡¯s behalf?


    ¡°Perhaps Martha has always been at odds with you, so¡­¡± Dr. Keeples sipped his tea. ¡°This can¡¯t serve


    as evidence for you to question Martha.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°This can¡¯t be considered proof, but I have other evidence.¡±


    After that, she took a deep breath. ¡°Dr. Keeples, since this issue has already caught the attention of the


    city¡¯s leaders, I believe you should invite them over so Martha and I can rify this matter in their


    presence.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Dr. Keeples was taken aback and looked at Cherise. ¡°Do you realize that if Martha has


    He didn¡¯tplete his sentence, but Cherise understood what he meant. ¡°I¡¯m prepared.¡± The woman


    smiled. ¡°However, I have a request.¡±


    Dr. Keeples furrowed his brow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want Isaac to be present.¡±


    Dr. Keeples was taken aback. He hesitated for a moment and finally nodded. ¡°That¡¯s eptable.


    Regardless of what initially transpired, Isaac is involved and needs to be here.¡±


    ¡°However.¡± Dr. Keeples pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he might not agree.¡±


    ¡°You know Isaac¡¯s character. Martha was his mentor while he was in school, and you took the best care


    of him after he started working. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯d befortable witnessing a


    111


    1/2


    confrontation between you and Martha.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She had also thought about this. ¡°I¡¯ll try to convince him.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Dr. Keeples sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll notify everyer, including the city¡¯s leaders.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold a press conference on behalf of our hospital tomorrow. Lermille¡¯s leaders and media will attend


    to witness it firsthand.¡± Dr. Keeples looked at Cherise slightly regretfully. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯re an excellent


    doctor. I must admit¡­ I¡¯m rather reluctant to see you leave.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. After a moment, she realized that Dr. Keeples still didn¡¯t trust her. He


    believed that she would inevitably lose tomorrow.


    The woman shrugged nonchntly, ¡°Save those words for Martha.¡±


    After leaving Dr. Keeples¡¯ office, Cherise changed her outfit and diligently made her rounds.


    When she arrived at Maeve¡¯s ward, she was surprised to find that Charles wasn¡¯t taking care of Maeve.


    Instead, it was a man with the same ck silk blindfold as Damien.


    The man sat by Maeve¡¯s bed, listening to her words attentively and nodding in agreement. Cherise¡¯s


    brows furrowed as she gently knocked on the door.


    09

 Chapter 642

    Chapter 642


    Chapter 642 Tristan¡¯s Appearance


    It was at that moment that Maeve noticed Cherise standing at the doorway.


    She smiled lightly at Cherise before turning her attention to the man with a ck silk cloth covering his


    eyes. ¡°Tristan, could you please pour some water?¡±


    The man promptly rose from his seat and carefully held a ss as he walked to the water dispenser to


    get water for Cherise.


    Cherise watched the man¡¯s figure, her eyes widening in surprise. Tristan¡­?!


    ¡°Have some water, Cherise.¡±


    While Cherise was still in shock, the man had already extended a ss of warm water towards her,


    Cherise epted the water in disbelief, her gaze fixed on the man.


    Could this man really be Tristan Lenoir?


    The infamous Tristan Lenoir, known for his promiscuity and ultimately blinded by his own father?


    ¡°Cherise, please have a seat.¡± Maeve smiled gently at Cherise, a flicker of unease in her eyes. ¡°You


    must be wondering why Tristan is here, right? He was overseas for a while but hurried back when he


    heard that I was giving birth.¡±


    Cherise had a negative impression of Tristan Lenoir.


    She pursed her lips and looked up at Maeve. ¡°Where are Charles and Damien?¡± Maeve was alone in


    the hospital room. Why would they leave her alone in the room with a man like Tristan?


    ¡°They went out together.¡± Maeve offered a faint smile. ¡°They said they were looking for at doctor named


    Isaac Roebuck.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s grip on her ss tightened abruptly. They went to look for Isaac?


    She had initially nned to seek him out herself after finishing her rounds¡­.


    Considering all the recent troubles she had been dealing with, her supervisor wouldn¡¯t assign her any


    work.


    She hadn¡¯t anticipated Damien being one step ahead, and she wanted to catch up with him and


    Charles. After all, they didn¡¯t know Isaac well.


    very


    She looked up and nced at Tristan sitting next to Maeve. Despite his gentle and docile demeanor


    towards Maeve, she knew his true character.


    J


    1/2


    Tristan and his father were cut from the same cloth. They prioritized their own interests and didn¡¯t care


    about the rest of their family. Raymond blinding Tristan¡¯s eye back then was proof of this.


    Having a man like him in Maeve¡¯s ward was like having a ticking time bomb! Maeve was so frail that


    she wouldn¡¯t even have time to call for help if he decided to harm her!


    She took a deep breath and addressed Tristan coldly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Mrs. Luther needs her rest. If there¡¯s


    nothing else, you should leave.¡±


    Tristan raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why are you so eager to send me away, Cherise? Are you afraid I¡¯ll harm


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Maeve?¡± Part of his mocking expression was hidden behind the ck silk covering his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re


    overthinking it. Maeve and I have been getting along just fine for the past few years!¡±


    Cherise clearly didn¡¯t believe him, but she couldn¡¯t stay here all day to keep an eye on Tristan.


    She looked at Maeve, who smiled gently at her. ¡°Cherise, I know you have misconceptions. about


    Tristan.¡±


    ¡°But he has gone through a lot in the past few years and has turned over a new leaf. Maeve addressed


    Cherise¡¯s concerns directly. ¡°He¡¯s not the same person he used to be. You can go about your business.


    I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She nced at Maeve and Tristan with a sigh and left. She had not reason to


    stay after what Maeve said.

 Chapter 643

    Chapter 643


    Chapter 643 Because Of You


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Cherise in a few years. She has be even more beautiful.¡± Once Cherise had left,


    Tristan let out a soft sigh. He sank into his chair and continued to peel an apple for Maeve. ¡°It seems


    that the Lenoir family is not fortunate enough to have her as part family.¡±


    of our


    Maeve shook her head and turned to face Tristan. ¡°You mentioned on the phone this. morning that you


    had something important to discuss. What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ about my father,¡± Tristan sighed.


    The past five years had left significant marks on his face. Besides a blind eye, his face had numerous


    scars of varying sizes. These were the wounds inflicted by Raymond¡¯s whip when Tristan was banished


    from home.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Uncle Raymond?¡± Maeve furrowed her brow. ¡°What about Uncle Raymond? I thought things


    were quiet on his end.¡±


    Tristan quickly waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not referring to his current state, but his past. I recently visited


    Europe, and a few associates mentioned that they knew Uncle Hansen when he was young and


    showed me some photographs. The man in them is my father, not Uncle Hansen.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was something more serious.¡± Maeve closed her eyes wearily. ¡°Uncle Raymond used my


    father¡¯s name to deceive many people when he was young. This is hardly at revtion.¡±


    Tristan pursed his lips. ¡°I fear my father may have tarnished Uncle Hansen¡¯s reputation when he was


    young.


    ¡°Therefore¡­¡± Tristan cleared his throat, ¡°Maeve, I wanted to inform you that Damien¡¯spany has


    been aggressively prating the European market recently¡­¡±


    ¡°If my father¡¯s past actions in his youth tarnished Uncle Hansen¡¯s reputation and consequently affected


    Damien¡¯s current business¡­ I hope you and Damien won¡¯t be too upset, Maeve.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Maeve shook her head. ¡°Damien will undoubtedly be furious if he discovers this.¡±


    ¡°He thinks of our parents as divine, infallible beings.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Alright, I


    understand your concern. I¡¯ll inform Damien when the time is right.¡±


    Tristan lowered his gaze. He wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    If his memory served him right¡­ he had once overheard Raymond¡¯s drunken promation before he


    was chased out of the house¡­


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    1/22


    most esteemed expert in our hospital, and ouang


    nothing more than a disgrace. Our hospital has lost many people because of you.¡±

 Chapter 644

    Chapter 644


    ¡°Our hospital used to be a beacon of hope that solved all kinds ofplex and challenging diseases.


    We always made headlines for the right reasons, but our hospital has been severely criticized today


    because of you!¡±


    Every word from the nurse was filled with scorn.


    says, I will not tolerate anyone tarnishing Dr. Shaw¡¯s reputation in our hospital!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw has been with our hospital for three years, earning us numerous des. We cannot


    dismiss all of her aplishments because of one mistake, understood?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes narrowed. A frosty smile formed on the corners of her lips. With such cunning tactics, it


    was no wonder Martha had been promoted to deputy hospital director.


    On the surface, her words seemed to chastise these people for undermining Cherise¡¯s talent. But in


    reality, she was subtly insinuating that Cherise was at fault. Only a devious person like Martha was


    capable of such sly tricks.


    ¡°Thank you for defending me, Dr. Lane.¡± Cherise smiled faintly and looked up at Martha. ¡°But, Dr. Lane,


    you¡¯ve misunderstood one thing.¡±


    ¡°I have indeed brought disgrace to the hospital. After all, I could have exposed the person who


    conspired against me much earlier, but I didn¡¯t. I gave her the chance to tarnish our. hospital¡¯s


    reputation. Don¡¯t you think I deserve to be punished, Dr. Lane?¡±


    Martha¡¯s white hair glinted under the lights. She squinted and instinctively turned to look at Cherise,


    who was also looking at her. One woman had a frosty gaze, while the other had an indifferent one.


    As their eyes met, Cherise smiled gently at Martha. ¡°Dr. Lane, you¡¯re in


    my way.¡±


    Martha was startled. Only then did she realize her figure had instinctively tensed up and blocked


    Cherise¡¯s path when she heard Cherise talk about someone conspiring against her.


    Martha stepped aside almost reflexively. The young doctors surrounding her also made way


    for Cherise.


    1/2


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Cherise smiled and turned to leave.


    She had just walked away when Martha suddenly came to her senses and called out, ¡°Dr.


    Shaw!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s steps faltered, and she turned around with a smile. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    Martha looked in the direction Cherise was heading. Dr. Shaw, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re heading towards the hospital¡¯s main entrance.¡± Martha crossed her arms and looked at Cherise


    coldly. ¡°It¡¯s still working hours. Where are you nning to go, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you trying to control my personal freedom, too, Dr. Lane?¡±


    Im just concerned about your safety, Dr. Shaw.¡± Martha smiled indifferently and pretended to be


    concerned for Cherise. ¡°Many people outside are aware of your past and might want to harm you.


    You¡¯d be safer staying in the hospital. We will protect you!¡±


    A young doctor next to Martha scoffed. ¡°Who would want to protect a doctor without medical ethics?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes narrowed. A sneer formed on her lips.


    However, Martha scolded the young doctor loudly, ¡°How can you say such a thing?¡±


    22

 Chapter 645

    Chapter 645


    Chapter 645 Adding Fuel To The Fire


    ¡°When did Dr. Shaw abandon her medical ethics? Are you blind to all her aplishments?! You can¡¯t


    nder her like that just because she made a minor mistake!¡±


    On the surface, she seemed to be defending Cherise. However, her words were only adding fuel to the


    fire, causing everyone to resent Cherise even more.


    The junior doctors and nurses surrounding them started to jeer and mock.


    ¡°Do her aplishments make her superior? Does that justify protecting her?¡±


    ¡°When we were in college, our professors taught us that those whock medical ethics should be


    condemned. Why doesn¡¯t that apply to Dr. Shaw now?¡±


    ¡°I heard Dr. Shaw visited Dr. Keeples¡¯ office early this morning, but Dr. Keeples didn¡¯t reprimand her at


    all¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, and she still has the audacity to take a day off and go out in public after such an


    incident. She¡¯s truly shameless!¡±


    ¡°How could I have admired someone so hical andzy¡­¡±


    One after another, everyone criticized Cherise, and her smile. colder.


    grew


    ¡°Everyone,¡± she raised her voice, ¡°Firstly, having aplishments does give me more influence than


    you. If you¡¯re unconvinced, you can pursue academia like me. When your aplishments surpass


    mine, then you too can earn Dr. Keeples¡¯ high regard.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s too early for you tobel me ascking medical ethics. You¡¯re jumping to conclusions,


    iming that Ick medical ethics and deducing that the incident two years ago


    fault based on a recording. You¡¯re better than the police.¡±


    was my


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Lastly, I¡¯ve already applied for leave. Dr. Keeples and my supervisor have approved it. I don¡¯t have to


    justify myself to anyone else.¡± With that, she turned and walked through the crowd, leaving the hospital.


    ¡°She¡¯s so arrogant!¡±


    ¡°Exactly¡¯ She remains so confident even after making a mistake¡±


    ¡°She thinks she¡¯s superior just because she has aplishments!¡±


    The junior doctors around Martha continued to criticize Cherise.


    However, Martha frowned deeply. Her eyes narrowed sharply as she watched Cherise leave.


    12


    Maeve was 1!!


    situation. However, these men were leisurely


    Cherise¡¯s anger surged. She didn¡¯t even have time to take off her white coat before she walked over,


    barely concealing her fury. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Isaac looked up in surprise when he heard her voice. When he saw Cherise, he excitedly pulled her to


    sit beside Damien. ¡°Have you eaten, Dr. Shaw? Join us!¡±


    Cherise frowned. She turned and looked at Charles, who was sweating while eating. ¡°You left


    wife in the hospital and came here to have a barbecue?¡±


    your


    Charles was taken aback. ¡°This must be a surprising sight for you, Dr. Shaw.¡± He smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Maeve asked me toe and eat to my heart¡¯s content¡­ I¡¯ve been eating healthily with her these


    days, so¡­¡±

 Chapter 646

    Chapter 646


    Chapter 646 The Patient From The Past


    Cherise took a sharp breath.


    ¡°Are you okay with leaving Maeve alone with Tristan?¡±


    Charles was surprised. He looked at Cherise in confusion and nced at Damien. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I


    be¡­¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Charles and Maeve had recently met. At that time, Tristan had already cut ties with Raymond. After


    enduring numerousshings from Raymond, he was banished to Africa.


    Damien had rescued Tristan from Africa, and now Tristan waspletely submissive to Maeve and


    Damien after enduring great suffering.


    Therefore, Charles was unaware of the extent of Tristan¡¯s past wrongdoings.


    ¡°Tristan has changed.¡± Damien reassured Cherise calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll exin everythingter.


    Cherise pursed her lips, ¡°Fine. Even if Tristan won¡¯t harm the vulnerable Maeve, why are yo having a


    barbecue here?¡± She had rushed over, assuming that Damien and Charles were here. to convince


    Isaac to attend tomorrow¡¯s press conference!


    ¡°Let me introduce Mr. Stein first.¡± Damien smiled casually, instantly understanding the woman¡¯s


    thoughts. ¡°You can voice your disapproval after you learn who he is.¡±


    Cherise remained silent and waited for the man to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Stein, and I was the patient involved in the so-called medical mishap two years ago. The man


    Cherise didn¡¯t recognize smiled faintly and began to introduce himself. ¡°I was quite surprised when I


    saw the news today. Mr. Lenoir asked me to help Dr. Roebuck, so here I


    am.¡±


    Cherise was so stunned that she couldn¡¯t speak for a while.


    Did Damien actually find the patient from the past?


    ¡°I was just as surprised as you are.¡± Mr. Stein was moved when he saw Cherise¡¯s astonished gaze. ¡°I


    always believed that the surgery back then was sessful, and I was unaware of the subsequent


    drama.¡±


    ¡°After the surgery two years ago, I moved to Australia. I had no idea about the events. unfolding here.


    But Mr. Lenoir contacted me two days ago and asked me to help the doctor who operated on me back


    then.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, I agreed. Moreover, Mr. Lenoir gave me a generous gift to persuade me toe¡±


    12


    Cherise was speechless. On the way here, she had been thinking about how to encourage Isaac. She


    had been pondering how to convince him to break ties with Martha and step forward at the press


    conference.


    As it turned out, Damien had already resolved another major issue she had been struggling with two


    days ago: finding the patient from the past surgery.


    ¡°Mr. Stein hasn¡¯t been home for a long time. I asked him what he missed the most, and he said he


    longed for local barbecue. I asked Isaac to prepare it and invited Isaac over for a small cookout.¡±


    Damien¡¯s deep voice remained calm but stirred a wave of emotions in Cherise¡¯s heart.


    Damien¡­ was still the same. He was considerate, decisive, strategic, and capable of turning the


    situation around. He¡­ was still the same man who stood by her side and smoothed everything out for


    her.


    Seeing the woman staring at him nkly, Damien smiled indifferently. He ced the food he had


    prepared on the te in front of Cherise, ¡°Why are you staring at me? Dig in.¡±


    Cherise snapped back to reality.

 Chapter 647

    Chapter 647


    Chapter 647 Cherise¡¯s Beloved Chicken Legs.


    Cherise nced down at her te and discovered a golden-brown chicken leg. It had a crispy exterior


    and a tender interior.


    Her heart instantly warmed.


    So¡­ he was expecting me and specifically prepared this for me?


    He still remembers my love for chicken legs after all these years¡­


    She was deeply moved and sniffled as she lifted the te before her and began to eat. As she took a


    bite of the chicken leg, the vors created a delightful symphony in her mouth. Cherise¡¯s eyes widened


    in surprise, and she was too overwhelmed to speak. This taste¡­


    ¡°I invited the chef from New World Restaurant to our home and learned from him for over half a year


    before finally perfecting it.¡±


    Upon seeing the tears glistening in her eyes, a trace of helplessness flickered across the man¡¯s


    chiseled face. He reached out, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Is it so good


    that it brought you to tears?¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t respond. She was still savoring the chicken leg and could only nod fervently. ¡°Mm-


    hmm!¡± She had missed this taste so much!


    When she first visited Lennon¡¯s New World Restaurant, she was captivated by the chef¡¯s mastery over


    chicken legs¡­ She had fallen in love with those chicken legs at first bite.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Now, five yearster, as she relished this vor again, she felt thrilled, as if she were reuniting with a


    long-lost lover.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Damien chuckled softly. He nced at Charles, slightly exasperated. ¡°She didn¡¯t even react like


    this when she saw me again after a long time.¡±


    Charlesughed. ¡°Dr. Shaw values chicken legs more than she values you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Damien chuckled again. He ced another freshly grilled chicken leg on Cherise¡¯s te.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to win her heart through her stomach.¡±


    The heavens knew how challenging it was for him to learn from a chef how to make chicken. legs! After


    all, he was a man who had never cooked before, and Damien was incredibly humbled¡­ But it seemed


    worth it after seeing her ecstatic reaction.


    She quickly finished the chicken leg.


    Under the spell of the long-lost chicken leg, Cherisepletely reverted to her food-loving


    111


    <


    12


    nature from five years ago.


    1/2


    2/2

 Chapter 648

    Chapter 648


    Isaac sat across from Cherise, dumbstruck. His eyes widened in astonishment.


    Is this the same reserved, aloof, and unapproachable Dr. Shaw I used to know?


    From what he could remember, Dr. Shaw seldom ate with colleagues. Even when she did, she only


    nibbled a few bites before finding an excuse to leave. She always ate the slowest and showed the least


    interest in food during lunch at the hospital.


    He never knew Dr. Shaw could enjoy food with such excitement and joy¡­


    Cherise sat in her chair under the midday sun, perspiring profusely as she devoured the chicken leg.


    Damien sat beside her, smiling as he wiped her mouth, dabbed her sweat, grilled chicken legs for her,


    and cleared away her gnawed chicken bones¡­.


    Isaac watched this scene in a daze. He felt slightly regretful but mostly envious.


    As it turns out, Dr. Shaw isn¡¯t naturally cold. She just doesn¡¯t let her guard down around others.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    This medical expert appears aloof, elegant, and indifferent to others but is charming and docile around


    her loved ones¡­


    He finally understood why Cherise had rejected all the men who had pursued her over the


    years.


    With such a handsome, wealthy, and outstanding man who spoils her rotten¡­ How can she settle for


    ordinary men like me?


    After lunch, Cherise reclined on the sofa in Isaac¡¯s clinic, patting her satisfied belly. ¡°I¡¯m not having


    dinner tonight. I need to lose weight.¡±


    Damien, who was cleaning up with Isaac, chuckled lightly. ¡°But I¡¯m making chicken legs tonight.¡±


    22


    Her current demeanor had been shaped over the past five years, and her appearance still retained the


    charm she had five years ago.


    ¡°She was more adorable back then.¡± Observing her from a distance, Damienmented casually. ¡°Her


    face used to be fuller, and she looked like a doll.¡± Her face was more defined now. Although she


    appeared morepetent and mature, she wasn¡¯t as delicate as before.


    He used to love pinching her chubby cheeks in the past. If he were to squeeze them now, he would


    probably only feel her prominent cheekbones.


    The man sighed. It seems like¡­ I need to help her gain some weight.


    After the delightful lunch, Cherise chatted with Mr. Stein and Isaac for a while before they set. off on


    their journey to Lermille.


    Mr. Stein went in Charles¡¯s car. Isaac initially wanted to follow them because he didn¡¯t want to be a third


    wheel to Cherise and Damien. However, Damien insisted that he sit in the passenger¡¯s seat as Cherise


    drove. ¡°We¡¯re used to having people third-wheel us. This won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes at Damien. She silently went to the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. Damien


    settled in the back seat, leaned back, and drifted off to sleep as the vehicle started moving.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir didn¡¯t get much sleepst night.¡± Isaac sighed softly as he observed the man¡¯s peaceful


    sleeping face in the rearview mirror. ¡°Dr. Shaw, Mr. Luther asked Mr. Lenoir if he wanted to rest before


    you arrived. From their conversation, I gathered that Mr. Lenoir had stayed up all night trying to


    minimize the impact of this situation on you.¡±


    ¡°But even so, he still feels he didn¡¯t do enough. He believes the report wouldn¡¯t have surfaced on the


    inte if he had been more thorough.¡±


    O

 Chapter 649

    Chapter 649


    Cherise¡¯s heart twinged slightly.


    At the traffic light, she took the opportunity to nce at Damien in the back seat through the rearview


    mirror. The man¡¯s eyes were closed, and his longshes softened his stern expression. He seemed


    unapproachable yet vulnerable.


    She remembered that the files on hisputer hadst been saved at four-thirty in the morning when


    she went to his room to fetch his clothes.


    Does he¡­ often stay upte? He must not have taken good care of himself for the past few years while


    I wasn¡¯t by his side.


    This man always prioritizes his work and my affairs. He never considers his own well-being¡­


    She took a deep breath and turned away. ¡°He does work hard.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, Mr. Lenoir¡¯s feelings for you¡­ are genuine. As someone who once pursued you, I feel


    inadequate. Compared to Mr. Lenoir, my slight affection for you is nothing. It was merely puppy love.¡±


    ¡°You still remember?¡± Cherise was amused by Isaac¡¯s words. ¡°I almost forgot. You wanted to pursue


    me in the past.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to pursue you anymore.¡± Isaac turned away and looked at the scenery outside. the car


    window. ¡°Now I know I don¡¯t stand a chance at all.¡±


    +


    22


    as dedicated as you.¡±


    Cherise sighed. ¡°Once this matter is resolved,e back to work at the hospital.¡±


    Isaac clenched his fists at his sides, pursing his lips. ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡± After a brief pause, he hesitated


    before turning to face Cherise. ¡°What¡­ what will happen to Ms. Lane if I expose her at the press


    conference tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question.¡± Cherise shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m unsure because I¡¯ve been immersed in


    academic research for the past few years. We may have to wait for the hospital director and other


    higher-ups to decide how to penalize those who make such mistakes¡­.


    Having said this, she nced at Isaac again. ¡°Have you decided to step forward and expose


    Ms. Lane tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± The man nodded solemnly. His gaze was determined and sincere as he stared into the distance.


    ¡°Before meeting Mr. Stein today, I never would have considered doing such an ungrateful act. After all,


    Ms. Lane was the one who helped me advance singlehandedly.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to harm her, but Mr. Stein¡¯s appearance today made me realize that¡­. human life is


    more important than my affection for Ms. Lane.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand on the steering wheel paused for a moment.


    Isaac continued to look out the car window, his gaze unfocused, not paying attention to the scenery


    outside. ¡°Mr. Lenoir also told me that Ms. Lane might not have intended to frame you, Dr. Shaw. She


    might have only wanted to seek revenge on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°She was considerate, but she overlooked human lives. If Dr. Staber hadn¡¯t intervened, we wouldn¡¯t


    see Mr. Stein today. When Mr. Stein told me about his family and his child¡­ I felt incredibly grateful


    that the surgery back then was sessful.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Ms. Lane has done something wrong. If I don¡¯te forward to rectify it, she might¡­ do something


    even more unthinkable in the future.¡±


    Everything Isaac said deeply resonated with Cherise.


    She knew that Isaac had understood these principles long ago, but he still believed that his


    0


    12


    rtionship with his mentor was more important until Mr. Stein himself appeared.


    Damien was incredibly wise in this regard. He knew that Isaac was overly sentimental and that


    sentimental people werepassionate.


    Damien was undoubtedly the winner in this battle of wits. His victory was truly remarkable.


    Upon arriving in Lermille, Cherise initially thought that Damien would send Isaac and Mr. Stein to a


    hotel. However, to her surprise, Damien took Isaac and Mr. Stein to his home. His house, conveniently


    located opposite Cherise¡¯s, had two bedrooms, perfect for Mr. Stein and


    Isaac.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Cherise asked, furrowing her brows as she watched Damien escort the t men home.


    ¡°Someone who will take me in.¡± Damien casually smiled at Cherise. He leaned in closer to her. ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong? Are you worried that I¡¯ll be homeless, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice and warm breath tickled Cherise¡¯s ears. She recoiled and quickly. moved away,


    ring at him warily. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you. I was just asking!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 650

    Chapter 650


    Chapter 650 Sharing A Bed


    ¡°What a pity.¡± Damien¡¯s dark eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment as he looked at Cherise. ¡°I


    had hoped you would invite me to stay, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes dismissively. ¡°How could that ever happen?¡±


    Her modest home only had two bedrooms. One for her and Serafina, and the other for


    Soren


    If she were to invite Damien to stay for the night, he would have to sleep on the couch. How can the


    president of Lenoir Group be expected to sleep on a sofa?


    Therefore, she decided not to extend him an invitation.


    After all, he had plenty of other options. Doesn¡¯t he still have a suite at Syatt¡¯s hotel?


    Damien smiled in exasperation and pulled out his phone. He scrolled to his conversati with Soren.


    Damien: ¡®We agreed to share a bed tonight, right?¡±


    Soren: ¡®Alright, alright!¡±


    As Cherise picked up the two children in the evening, Soren whined and insisted on having chicken


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    legs for dinner.


    Unlike Serafina, who frequently expressed her preferences, Soren rarely voiced his desires to Cherise.


    It was umon for her son to ask for something, so Cherise naturally wanted to fulfill his wishes.


    After leaving the kindergarten, Cherise went straight to the supermarket. While buying chicken legs,


    she found herself reminiscing about the ones Damien had grilled for her at Isaac¡¯s clinic earlier that


    day.


    It was the taste she had been longing for in the past five years.


    She hadn¡¯t returned to Adania or savored that taste in five years. Her two children had never


    experienced it either.


    She thought for a moment and eventually decided to use the same seasonings that Damien had used


    for the chicken legs in the afternoon.


    ¡°Mommy, are we having grilled chicken legs for dinner?¡± Serafina asked. Her eyes widened with


    anticipation as she looked at the groceries Cherise had bought.


    [!!


    1/2


    Cherise nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes.¡±


    However, Soren seemed skeptical. ¡°Ms. Cherise Shaw, are you sure you can properly grill the chicken


    legs tonight?¡±


    Why do all my memories of Mommy using the oven end in disaster?


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Of course!¡±


    Despite her confident response, Cherise guiltily bought additional vegetables before leaving the


    supermarket. She needed a backup n in case things didn¡¯t go as nned.


    Soren had already seen through her intentions and snorted as he helped Cherise bag of vegetables.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not confident.¡±


    carry the


    Cherise rolled her eyes at him and picked up Serafina. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and enjoy some chicken legs!¡±


    But when she arrived home and faced the various seasonings and chicken legs, she felt lost again.


    She had only briefly nced at the herbs and condiments that Damien had used. earlier in the


    afternoon. She didn¡¯t know the proportions of each seasoning or how long to marinate the chicken


    legs¡­ She was genuinely clueless.


    Just as she was feeling overwhelmed, the doorbell unexpectedly rang.


    Who could be visiting me at this hour?


    Before she could leave the kitchen, Serafina hopped off the couch and hurried to the door. with her tiny


    legs, ¡°Who is it?¡± The little girl¡¯s voice rang out clearly.


    A man¡¯s gentle voice echoed from outside the door, ¡°Serafina, open the door.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Handsome!¡± Serafina¡¯s voice suddenly rose, and she quickly opened the door, ¡°You¡¯re here, Mr.


    Handsome!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Damien handed Serafina arge box of strawberries. ¡°Would you like these?¡±

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651


    ¡°Yes!¡± The little girl took the strawberries from him and was about to turn around and leave when she


    suddenly seemed to remember something. She ced the strawberries on a nearby chair.


    ¡°Mr. Handsome.¡± The little girl blushed and extended her tender little hand, gesturing for


    Damien to bend down.


    111


    29


    Really Like You


    The man knelt down and smiled.


    ¡°Mwah!¡± As he bent down, the little girl puckered her pink lips and kissed his left cheek. ¡°I really like


    you, Mr. Handsome!¡±


    With that, she grabbed the box of strawberries from the chair and hurried back to the sofa without


    looking back.


    On the sofa, Soren looked at his sister with disdain. ¡°You were won over by mere. strawberries.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the strawberries!¡± The little girl snuggled closer to Soren. ¡°Don¡¯t Handsome is attractive?¡±


    Soren frowned at her. ¡°Are youplimenting me?¡±


    Serafina blinked in confusion.


    you


    think Mr.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look exactly like me?¡± Soren tapped her on the forehead. ¡°If you say he¡¯s handsome,


    you¡¯replimenting me.¡±


    Serafina was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re shameless, Ren!¡±


    But after saying that, Serafina pouted and whispered into Soren¡¯s ear, ¡°Ren, I really want Mr.


    Handsome to be my daddy. He¡¯s the most attractive man I¡¯ve ever seen. It would be wonderful for


    Mommy to marry the most handsome man in the world!¡±


    Soren¡¯s lips twitched. He nced at the man standing at the door, about to enter the kitchen. The boy


    snorted contemptuously. ¡°That depends on him. Not just anyone can be our daddy.¡±


    When Cherise heard that Damien had arrived, she immediately hid the chicken leg and the seasonings


    in the kitchen.


    any sudden


    The kitchen was cramped and close to the entrance of her house. She feared. movement would draw


    attention, so she concealed the chicken leg with a pot lid.


    After that, she took a deep breath before walking to the kitchen door and looking at Damien. icily. ¡°Why


    are you here?¡±


    The man smiled faintly and pointed to Serafina munching on strawberries on the sofa. ¡°I always keep


    my promises to my daughter.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°At least you have some decency.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    1/2


    She tried to get rid of him. ¡°Do you need anything else, Mr. Lenoir?¡± She hadn¡¯t forgotten hist carlier


    suggestion of staying over. If she wasn¡¯t firm enough, he might actually spend the night¡­.


    Their current rtionship was somewhat ambiguous and awkward, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to let


    him stay the night.


    ¡°Yes. The man smiled at Cherise, ¡°I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    ¡°Ive been attending to you all afternoon, Dr. Shaw. It¡¯s not too much to ask you to treat me to dinner,


    right. Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess not.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll shamelessly stay for dinner.¡± The man smiled and set down his belongings before gracefully


    removing his shoes.


    Cherise frowned. She subconsciously nced at Damien¡¯s items at the entrance.


    ¡­.Are those his pajamas and toiletries?! Why would he bring his pajamas and toiletries for a meal!?


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Upon seeing Cherise stare at his pajamas, Damien smiled


    nonchntly. ¡°Since I gave up my house to Isaac and Mr. Stein for the night, I grabbed a few things


    from home. I¡¯m nning to take them with me to the hotel.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded. I don¡¯t believe you!Don¡¯t hotels provide toiletries!?


    Does he think I¡¯ve forgotten? He always used hotel toiletries when we stayed at hotels in the past!


    He actually takes his toiletries with him to the hotel? He most likely brought them over to eat and spend


    the night here!


    But even though she had guessed his intentions, what he said was usible, so Cherise couldn¡¯t call


    him out directly.

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652


    Chapter 652 I Didn¡¯t Know You Had Abs


    She could only sneer. ¡°Perhaps I should remind Syatt to stock up on toiletries for his hotel next time.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Damien ignored her sarcasm. He gracefully strolled into the house with his belongings, casually


    ncing at Soren on the sofa. ¡°Which room is yours?¡±


    Soren pouted, looking disgruntled as he hopped off the sofa. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    This was Damien¡¯s first visit to Soren¡¯s immacte and orderly room. His wardrobe and bed sheets


    were both navy blue. Besides a jigsaw puzzle hanging on the wall and an action figure. on the desk, it


    didn¡¯t resemble a typical five-year-old boy¡¯s room.


    ¡°Put your stuff here,¡± Soren instructed Damien impatiently. ¡°If you need to change, do it here.¡±


    Damien nodded. He set down his belongings and began to change.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had abs.¡± Soren sat on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed as he watched


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Damien change. ¡°How do you manage to work out with your busy schedule?¡±


    Damien¡¯s hands froze. He nced at Soren indifferently. ¡°How do you know I have a busy schedule?¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Soren averted his gaze and spoke reluctantly. ¡°You¡¯re the president of the Lenoir Group, which


    controls four major financial conglomerates in Europe. You¡¯re also the head of a renowned international


    old European aristocratic Tanner family¡­¡± Soren recited the media¡¯s description of Damien verbatim in


    his boyish voice. ¡°With such a status, how could you not be busy?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± The man elegantly buttoned up his shirt with his slender fingers. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to pay such


    close attention to me. You even went out of your way to research my background.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I would look into my own father.¡± Soren pouted. ¡°If he turned out to be a worthless drunk, I


    certainly wouldn¡¯t acknowledge him.¡±


    Damien¡¯s gaze softened at the little boy¡¯s voice. ¡°You¡¯re a clever little fellow.¡±


    On the surface, Soren was cold and disdainful towards Damien, but in reality¡­ If Sorent hadn¡¯t


    acknowledged Damien as his dad, Soren wouldn¡¯t have researched Damien and memorized what the


    news reports said about him.


    ¡°Pift¡­¡± Soren pouted. He turned to look at Damien. ¡°Hey, you still haven¡¯t told me how you


    111


    12


    work out.¡±


    Despite being more mature than his peers, Soren was still a five-year-old child at the end of the day.


    Influenced by superhero movies and cartoons, he was highly fascinated by the idea of strong men.


    Damien smiled faintly and deliberately teased him. ¡°If you let me sleep with you for a few more nights,


    I¡¯ll take you to my home gym.¡±


    Soren¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You have a gym at home?¡±


    Damien nodded, ¡°Mm.¡±


    That¡¯s so cool¡­ ¡°Hmph, we¡¯ll see!¡± The little boy was astounded, but he tried to suppress. excitement.


    ¡°It depends on your performance whether you can continue to sleep here!¡± With that, Soren turned and


    left the room. ¡°Quickly go help in the kitchen. Otherwise Cherise Shaw will ruin all the chicken legs!¡±


    Damien smiled helplessly and headed to the kitchen in his pajamas.


    In the kitchen, Cherise was still struggling with the recipe for the chicken legs and inces. checking her


    phone.


    ¡®How to roast delicious chicken legs?¡±


    ¡°How to roast fragrant and vorful chicken legs?¡±

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653


    Chapter 653 I Need You To Leave


    ¡°Drumsticks¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me handle it.¡±


    As Cherise was overwhelmed by the information online, a deep, resonant male voice emerged from


    beside her.


    Her heart fluttered, and her immediate reaction was to grab the pot lid, intending to hide the drumsticks!


    She had just enjoyed the drumsticks that Damien had grilled for her at lunch, and now she was back in


    the kitchen, attempting to recreate them for dinner. If he found out, he would surely tease her for her


    insatiable appetite!


    ¡°I saw that¡±


    The man¡¯srge hand enveloped hers, gently removing the pot lid from her grasp and setting it aside.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, just ask me. The recipes you find online are not as reliable as


    mine.¡±


    Cherise was speechless. Blushing, she stepped aside and said, ¡°Alright¡­ Thank you, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Damien rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscr forearms. ¡°Can you bring me the soy sauce,


    please?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and cautiously handed him the soy sauce.


    ¡°Do we have honey at home?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    She obediently fetched the honey


    Do you have an extra apron


    Chere was startled


    An catre upton


    She didn¡¯t have we


    However, she took a deep breath and removed her apron ¡°This is the only on Your canine


    After all, he was the chef now, and she was just his assistant.


    Damien nced at the pink apron with bunny cars and raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°This will do.¡±


    He smiled resignedly, thinking he should bring his own apron next time.


    Looking at his hands, which were coated in soy sauce and starch, Damien asked. ¡°Can you help me?¡±


    Cherise nodded.


    The man extended his arms, and the woman, on her tiptoes, looped the apron around his


    neck.


    In contrast to Damien¡¯s height, Cherise was petite.


    As she reached up, her chest was right in front of Damien¡¯s face.


    Her unique, sweet fragrance wafted into his nose.


    Damien could feel his body tensing, and his private part began to react.


    ¡°Done¡±


    Cherise properly adjusted the apron on him, then moved behind him to tie the straps.


    Afterward, she drew closer and asked him, ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with?


    Her sweet voice caused Damien, who was already on edge, to lose hisposure.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He took a deep breath, turned his face away from her, and croaked in a deep, husky voice,


    Go and be with the children. I can manage on my own.¡±


    Cherise was perplexed.


    Sar didnt want to leave as she wanted to learn the dish from hum


    But the man was insistent. Go and stay with the children¡±


    Cherise prouted and gained at the two little ones washing cartoons on the couch ¡°They don Lured me.


    She shaled at Dattuen Id rather waste and at you


    Domen had been longing for her for far too long-so much so that her gentle touch just now had almost


    caused him to lose control.


    Now, her sweet voice and every word she spoke was tormenting him.


    He lowered his voice, ¡°Cherise.¡±


    The woman blinked at him. ¡°Yes? Do you need me to fetch anything or prepare anything?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice suddenly became raspy. ¡°I need you to leave.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to make out with you in front of the children, leave now!¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    Subconsciously, she nced towards his crotch.

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654


    Chapter 654 Call Me Cherise


    It was¡­ protruding¡­


    The woman¡¯s face flushed as she remembered the warm breath she felt on her chest while she was


    putting on Damien¡¯s apron¡­


    The next moment, she hurriedly left the kitchen and shouted, ¡°Let us know when it¡¯s ready!¡±


    Damien was left speechless.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    This woman doesn¡¯t care if I can¡¯t breathe!


    From then on, Damien worked alone in the kitchen for quite some time.


    Cherise sat on the couch, keeping the two childrenpany while cautiously observing th situation in


    the kitchen.


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten that five years ago, Damien had tried to cook for her.


    That time¡­


    He almost burned down the entire kitchen.


    Now, five yearster, even though she had confirmed that the drumsticks he cooked were delicious and


    worry.


    After all, this was their home for her and the two children. Given her current financial situation, she


    couldn¡¯t afford to renovate the kitchen again.


    However, it turned out that Cherise¡¯s worries were unnecessary.


    An hourter, a tall man wearing a pink bunny apron came out of the kitchen, carrying a te of


    steaming-hot roasted drumsticks.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Serafina jumped off the couch, looked up at Damien wearing her mother¡¯s apron, and burst into


    Damien instinctively nced at his reflection in the mirror.


    The man in the mirror stood tall and straight, but his pink bunny apron was a stark contrast to his


    physique and demeanor.


    111


    13


    The two long bunny ears on the apron swayed with his movements.


    Indeed, this sight was quiteical.


    Upon hearing Serafina¡¯sment, Cherise and Soren both looked up.


    When they saw Damien¡¯s serious expression, Cherise burst intoughter while Soren gave Damien a


    resigned look. ¡°Do you mind my mom¡¯s quirky taste?¡±


    A warm smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips as he ced the food on the table. ¡°She¡¯s the woman I


    chose. No matter how quirky her taste is, I¡¯ll tolerate it.¡±


    Soren sneered.


    Despite his response, Damien could sense from his eyes that the child seemed less guarded. towards


    him than before.


    Cherise walked over to the dining table while teasing Damien. ¡°Who are you calling your woman? And


    who are you calling quirky?¡±


    As she reached Damien, she yfully pinched the bunny ears on the apron. ¡°Isn¡¯t this adorable?¡±


    ¡°It is indeed adorable. It¡¯s just not suitable for a man as un-adorable as me.¡± Damien replied calmly.


    Cherise pouted. ¡°Fine. Since you made such delicious drumsticks, I¡¯ll buy you a more masculine apron


    when I go shopping with Lucy in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Cherise served Serafina some drumsticks and said, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Dr. Shaw at home. Just call me


    Cherise.¡±


    As she said that, she realized it might have sounded ambiguous.


    Taking a deep breath, she avoided Damien¡¯s intense gaze and coughed lightly. ¡°You calling me Dr.


    Shaw always makes me feel like I¡¯m still at the hospital; it¡¯s too formal.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Damien looked at her intently. ¡°I understand, Cherise.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t call me Mr. Lenoir either; call me Damien.¡±


    111


    {¡±


    2.3


    Damien¡¯s deep voice, filled with affection and joy, made Cherise¡¯s heart flutter.


    71

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655


    Chapter 655 A Bet


    Biting her lip, Cherise lowered her head and murmured, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Damian¡­¡±


    Using Damian¡¯s name felt awkward for her.


    When they were together five years ago, she rarely called him by his name and instead preferred the


    more intimate term, ¡°Hubby,¡±


    But now, ¡°Hubby¡± was no longer an option.


    Although she wasn¡¯t used to addressing Damian in this new way, it was the only way now.


    Listening to the conversation between the two adults, Serafina grinned at Soren.


    However, Soren maintained a stern expression and remained silent.


    After the meal, Cherise didn¡¯t ask Damian to leave, considering he had prepared dinner for them.


    From the toiletries and pajamas Damian brought, Cherise could tell that he hadn¡¯te just for dinner.


    ¡°Mommy, Mr. Lenoir can sleep with me tonight.¡± Soren reluctantly retrieved the spare quilt from


    Cherise¡¯s closet and announced.


    Cherise was surprised. As far as she knew, Soren didn¡¯t like Damian. Why would he suddenly suggest


    sharing a room with him?


    ¡°Because I lost a bet. Mommy, please don¡¯t ask any more questions. It¡¯s a bet between the men The


    little boy pouted and exined in resignation.


    Tept my defeat and will share my room with him tonight¡±


    Cherise looked at her little one in disbelief and was speechless.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Unable to sleep at night, she took out her phone and texted Damian Ren said he lost a bet to you, so


    he¡¯s sharing a room with you tonight. What did you guys bet on?¡±


    Daman responded promptly i won¡¯t tell you yet


    Chense frowned Just as she was about to reply her phone buzzed ag an


    It was another thestage from Damian Chur son is as adorable as you when he sleeps


    Rest well tonight. If you really can¡¯t sleep, you can start thinking about what to say at tomorrow¡¯s press


    conference.


    The man¡¯s words reminded Cherise. What should she say at the press conference? She had been so


    preupied with various issues that she hadpletely overlooked this important


    matter!


    Holding her phone, she pondered for a while before finally getting dressed and heading to the living


    room.


    Unlike Damian¡¯s vi in Adania, her modest 900-square-foot house didn¡¯t have a study. So, whenever


    Cherise needed to read or write at home, she would settle down at the coffee ta in the living room.


    Tonight was no different.


    She turned on the deskmp, took out her notebook, and began drafting her speech for


    tomorrow.


    Sometimes, when she needed to pause and think about her choice of words, she would nibble on the


    cap of her pen and gaze out the window, lost in thought.


    The door to the second bedroom creaked open.


    In the dim light, Damian stood at the doorway, observing the woman engrossed in her writing under the


    soft glow of themp.


    She was as she had always been-serious, endearing, and determined.


    He slowly approached her, took a seat beside her, and nced at the neat handwriting in her notebook.


    ¡°I told you to think about what to say tomorrow, not to stay upte writing.¡±


    Cherise froze when she heard the man¡¯s deep voice.


    She quickly closed the notebook and stammered, ¡°I¡­ I just couldn¡¯t sleep and was writing aimlessly!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Damian took the notebook from her hands and began flipping through it from the beginning. ¡°Hello,


    everyone. I am honored to represent Lermille Hospital at this conference.


    1¡­¡±


    Blushing from head to toe, Cherise quickly snatched the notebook back.


    She had always struggled with words. Every time she got into an argument, she would only realize how


    she could have effectively responded after the argument was over.


    22

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656


    Chapter 656 Am I Foolish?


    At every formal event, she appeared calm and indifferent on the surface, but behind the scenes, she


    meticulously prepared her speeches in advance.


    What others saw was merely an illusion. In reality, she was still the same endearing Cherise.


    Damien looked at her. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, all the content in this notebook is your preparation for


    speeches, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded awkwardly. I¡¯m not good with words¡­.


    Sighing softly, Damien gently rubbed her head. ¡°If you¡¯re not adept at it, why do you insist on speaking


    at these meetings?¡±


    He took another notebook from the table, which was filled with writings, and leafed through a few


    pages. ¡°You could have delegated the speaking to others.¡±


    ¡°I had no other choice. Cherise pouted. Now that she had been exposed, she didn¡¯t bother maintaining


    the facade.


    She grabbed a pillow and helplessly leaned against the sofa. ¡°Do you think I enjoy this?¡±


    She buried her small face in the pillow. When she looked up at Damien, her eyes were shimmering.


    The director is very proud of me. He brings me to every significant meeting and always requests that I


    greet people and deliver speeches¡­¡±


    The woman sighed in resignation, ¡°Actually, I just want to focus on academic research. Like during my


    school days, the monitor would manage his job scope while I focused on being a ss representative.¡±


    She hung her head in disappointment. ¡°Isn¡¯t that somewhat pathetic? Every time I share this with Lucy,


    she reminds me that a person who can only act but not articte will miss many opportunities. So, I


    taught myself to draft speeches, anticipate potential questions, and formte responses for each


    question.¡±


    Finally, in the presence of Damien, Cherise released her emotions suppressed over the years


    She opened a drawer full of notebooks.


    These are the notes I prepared for my university lectures over the past two years. Truth be toid, I don¡¯t


    particrly enjoy this


    Damien lowered his gaze and picked up a notebook from the pile in the drawer


    Within, she had meticulously written down what she wanted to teach in the ssroom


    12


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Damien caressed her hair in resignation. Cherise had thought about avoiding affectionate actions, but


    ultimately, she didn¡¯t.


    Holding the pillow, she leaned against him, allowing him to stroke her soft hair. ¡°Am I foolish?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Damien sighed softly, drawing her into his embrace. ¡°You¡¯re incredibly intelligent, having


    crafted a sophisticated andpetent facade for yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­mendable.¡±


    Even he was nearly deceived by her.


    Upon their initial reunion, he genuinely believed she was no longer the naive and clueless Cherise of


    the past.


    Now it seemed¡­


    She had merely discovered a means to conceal and safeguard herself. But at her core, she still


    preserved her inherent kindness and innocence.


    For the first time, Cherise didn¡¯t resist Damien¡¯s embrace.


    She rested on his shoulder, feeling his steady heartbeat. ¡°After this incident, I n to speak with the


    director so I won¡¯t continue monopolizing the hospital¡¯s resources. Other doctors. should be given an


    opportunity, too. Perhaps then, such incidents won¡¯t recur.¡±


    Regarding Issac¡¯s incident this time, while on the surface it was Martha being displeased with her, in


    fact¡­ It was also because she had taken up too many learning resources in the hospital, leaving other


    doctors devoid of opportunities for further study.

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657


    Chapter 657 She Is Happy


    Not all doctors were as indifferent as Lucy.


    Cherise had already experienced this firsthand, feeling the palpable hostility from her colleagues at the


    hospital today as if they wished they could trample her underfoot.


    Despite maintaining a low profile over the years, the director¡¯s favor and praise had thrust her into the


    limelight. This had sparked envy among her fellow doctors.


    A pang of bitterness tugged at Damien¡¯s heart when he noticed Cherise¡¯s gradually dimming


    eyes.


    He asked, ¡°Are you satisfied with your life now?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t


    say whether I¡¯m satisfied or not. Actually, aside from these unnecessary social events and meetings, I


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    quite enjoy my current job. It¡¯sfortable and fulfilling.¡±


    The man looked at her and smiled. ¡°Your personality might be better suited for behind-the- scenes


    academic research rather than making public appearances and delivering speeches.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    The emotions that had umted for a long time were finally released. Cherise let out a long sigh of


    relief, feeling much better.


    Momentster, she ced the pillow on the couch and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should back and


    rest.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡±


    She waved the notebook in her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll continue working on this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you,¡± Damien answered gently.


    go


    Sitting beside her, he carefully read her writings in the notebook and pointed to where she had just


    written. ¡°Here, people will question why you want to go abroad.¡±


    Cherise bit the end of her pen and pondered momentarily before writing in the notebook. ¡®I went to


    Europe to receive treatment for my right hand.


    Damien¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly.


    Five years ago, at their wedding, Cherise had indeed used her right hand to shield him from a knife


    attack by Mnie. At the time, he had consulted numerous doctors, and the consensus was that it


    wouldn¡¯t affect her daily life or her ability to perform surgeries.


    111


    12


    So why did she go to Europe for treatment? Moreover, she had undergone the treatment two years


    ago. If it were the injury from five years ago, she wouldn¡¯t have waited until threeter to treat it.


    Frowning, Damien nced at her right hand, which was holding the pen.


    years.


    The skin on her right hand was fair and delicate, but the scar from the stab wound on the back of her


    hand was clearly visible.


    ¡°Is your hand¡­ okay?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand holding the pen paused abruptly.


    The next second, she wore an awkward smile and covered the scar on the back of her hand with her


    sleeve. ¡°Yeah. It has fully healed.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the injury from five years ago would still affect you¡­¡±


    Stunned, Cherise coughed lightly in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. Perceiving her somewhat awkward gaze, he decided not to press further.


    And so, the man in the light gray pajamas and the woman in the pink home clothes sat on the living


    room floor and rehearsed repeatedly under the dim light of the tablemp for the various scenarios they


    might encounter at tomorrow¡¯s press conference.


    Unbeknownst to them, the door to Soren¡¯s room had been silently opened at some point. The little guy


    in the light blue pajamas stood at the door and observed the scene in the living room for a long time.


    Ultimately, Soren took out his phone and captured the scene before him.


    After returning to his room, Soren hesitated for quite a while before sending the picture to Zachary,


    ¡®Uncle Zach, is Mommy truly happy now?¡±


    Momentster, Zachary replied.


    ¡°Yes, she is.


    ¡°Congrattions to your family.¡±


    The next day, the press conference held by Lermilles Hospitalmenced at ten o¡¯clock in the


    morning.

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658


    Chapter 658 The Press Conference


    Cherise was one of the most promising doctors at Lermille Hospital and a renowned figure in the


    medicalmunity. Therefore, her involvement in a medical scandal attracted significant attention. It


    came as no surprise that a swarm of reporters gathered at the press


    conference.


    Representatives from practically every media outlet in Lermille were present, along with at few


    reporters from foreign media outlets.


    Upon entering the venue, Cherise immediately noticed a few foreign reporters, including a stunning


    woman with a cool, detached gaze. She possessed a tall, sensual figure and exuded. an air of icy


    elegance.


    At that moment, she sat with her legs crossed, engaging in conversation with a few foreign reporters


    around her, asionally emitting a hollowugh.


    Cherise instinctively clenched her fists at her sides.


    Gwenn is here. How long has it been since Ist saw her?


    She hadst seen Gwenn two years ago at their father¡¯s birthday celebration. Since then, Gwenn had


    started working as a journalist and had only sent gifts for their father¡¯s birthday the previous year.


    Therefore, Cherise was surprised that someone as busy as Gwenn would take time off from her


    international assignments to attend a press conference in the small city of Lermille, especially


    considering that Gwenn had always looked down on her for being from the countryside.


    Their eyes met as Cherise observed Gwenn. Cherise responded with a sneer while Gwenn shrugged


    nonchntly. She nced at Cherise with disdain before resuming her


    conversation.


    Soon, the press conferencemenced.


    Dr. Keeples, the hospital director, initiated the press conference by recounting the recent events before


    defending Cherise. ¡°Regarding the recording, we have substantial evidence to prove that it wasn¡¯t Dr.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Shaw¡¯s voice.¡±


    ¡°How can it not be her voice?¡± Martha interrupted, ¡°Dr. Keeples, I know you value talent, and Cherise is


    an excellent doctor, but the evidence against her is solid. You can¡¯t protect her from the consequences


    of her actions!¡±


    Dr. Keeples furrowed his brow and wanted to respond, but Cherise similed and calmly sand, ¡°Ms. Lane,


    shouldn¡¯t this question be posed by the reporters?¡±


    12


    Cherise paused before continuing, ¡°Regardless of whether I¡¯m innocent or guilty, you¡¯re my colleague,


    superior, and senior. Your eagerness to condemn me without concrete evidence seems suspicious,


    don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Martha was momentarily stunned and realized she had spoken too hastily.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just¡­ wish to cleanse the hospital of any malpractice. I¡­ I¡¯m


    concerned about the hospital¡¯s reputation!¡±


    ¡°If you genuinely care about the hospital¡¯s reputation, you wouldn¡¯t be so quick to judge Cherise as


    guilty.¡± Sitting in the front row, Damien casually chimed in when Martha finished. speaking. ¡°As a


    rational adult, if you truly care about the hospital¡¯s reputation¡­ shouldn¡¯t your be defending Cherise? It


    would be best if this medical incident had no connection to Lermille Hospital, thereby preserving its


    reputation to the fullest extent, correct? And yet¡­¡±


    His deep voice was filled with mockery and disdain as he continued, ¡°Your words and actions. suggest


    that you believe Lermille Hospital¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t declining rapidly enough.¡±


    Martha was left speechless.


    ¡°Furthermore, I heard that you and Cherise have never gotten along, and you¡¯re acquainted with a


    voice actor named Eirwen.¡±


    The press conference fell into silence.


    Martha visibly trembled at the mention of the name ¡®Eirwen. Her face drained of color.


    T


    22

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659


    Chapter 659 The Revtion


    Upon hearing Damien¡¯s words, Cherise, seated on the stage, immediately asked, ¡°May I ask


    who Eirwen is?¡±


    ¡°Eirwen is the most talented voice actress in Lermille. Her unique ability allows her to convincingly


    mimic a person¡¯s voice and tone in a remarkably short time.¡±


    Syatt, seated next to Damien Lenoir in the front row, smiled subtly and nced at his phone. He said,


    ¡°However, Eirwen rarely does voice recording outside of professional engagements. unless it¡¯s for


    someone she¡¯s close to.¡±


    After Syatt had spoken, Damien nced at Martha indifferently. ¡°I heard you recently visited Eirwen


    and went to her recording studio. May I ask if there was something important that prompted your visit?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Martha¡¯s usually stern face began to turn pale. She did not expect Damien and Syatt to inquire


    about her connection with Eirwen.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Martha had assumed that today¡¯s press conference was for the hospital director to publicly expel


    Cherise from Lermille Hospital and clear Isaac¡¯s name. However, she was mistaken. Judging from the


    present situation, the spotlight had been turned on her.


    She sighed before ring at Damien. ¡°Eirwen is my former patient. We found an instant. connection


    and became close friends. As friends, is it wrong for me to visit her recording studio? All I did was chat


    with her. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Cherise smiled calmly. ¡°But Ms. Lane, Eirwen informed us that apart from this recent interaction, you


    asked her to imitate my voice in an audio recording. Are you two truly friends?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s words sent shockwaves throughout the press conference.


    Every word she spoke carried significant weight.


    Martha and Eirwen were not friends. Moreover, she asked Earwen to make a recording imitating


    Cherise¡¯s voice


    A female reporter in the front row smacked her forehead ¡®So, the audio we heard


    Larwen recorded a Damen replied unpassively He signaled to ke to turn on the projector ¡°Eirwen


    cannot be present in person, but she¡¯s upset and regretful that Ms Fane exploited her voice to frame


    others


    Then, a prerecorded video of Eirwen yed on therge screen. ¡°Greetings everyone, I¡¯m Eirwen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tremendously shocked and deeply regretful about my involvement in Dr. Lane¡¯s matter. I confirm


    that I can urately imitate Dr. Shaw¡¯s voice.¡±


    After a brief pause, she spoke in Cherise¡¯s voice, ¡°Hello, everyone, I¡¯m Eirwen. Listen to this voice.


    Doesn¡¯t it sound exactly like Cherise¡¯s?¡±


    Everyone in the press conference was astounded.


    Even the hospital director, who took pride in being knowledgeable, widened his eyes in shock.


    This voice¡­ sounds exactly like Dr. Shaw!


    If he had not seen Eirwen¡¯s face in the video and watched her speak, he would have genuinely thought


    it was Cherise¡¯s voice.


    He and Cherise had frequently traveled together for seminars and conferences over the past two years.


    Thus, he thought he was familiar with Cherise¡¯s voice.


    Yet, even he did not realize the voice in the recording was an imitation.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to rify the rumor about Dr. Shaw. The audio clip circting online isn¡¯t from a recording two


    years ago but from my recording studio.¡±


    ¡°I stand by my words. If anyone doubts my sincerity, I can provide the original files of this recording.¡±


    Eirwen¡¯s words caused an uproar throughout the press conference.


    !!!

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660


    Chapter 660 She Was Prepared


    A few reporters even began capturing Martha¡¯s pictures with their cameras.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, did you intentionally orchestrate all of this out of jealousy towards the young Dr. Shaw? Is


    that why you attempted to frame her?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane, what is your response to the usations made by Ms. Eirwen?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane, since this matter was resolved two years ago, why are you suddenly reopening it? Are you


    not satisfied until you bring down Dr. Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lane¡­¡±


    The relentless questioning from the reporters instinctively made Martha step back.


    Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her hoarse voice was almost hysterical as she vehemently


    denied, ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t set up Cherise! She fabricated all of this! They¡¯re all colluding with Eirwen to


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    frame me!¡±


    She ran her fingers through her hair and grasped her head as she leaned against the wall. At the same


    time, she argued fervently, ¡°Do you all believe everything they say? Even if I did approach Eirwen to


    record the audio, it was only because the original audio was deleted! We can¡¯t let Cherise escape


    responsibility just because the original audio is missing!¡±


    Martha red fiercely at Cherise. ¡°She is the one who led the surgery back then! Yet, she¡¯s still denying


    it to this day!¡±


    Martha knew she was trapped.


    If they exposed her here, revealed her true intentions, and determined her as the one at fault, her


    lifetime of achievements would crumble to ashes instantly.


    She had never intended to frame Cherise. Before the surgery two years ago, she had carefully


    considered the pros and cons before allowing Isaac to prepare for it.


    Yet, Isaac said, ¡°Ms. Lane, Dr. Shaw is a specialist in this field. I¡¯ll wait for her instructions. I don¡¯t dare


    to proceed without her confirmation.¡±


    At that time, Martha patiently persuaded Isaac, ¡°There¡¯s no issue with this. You can¡¯t rely on Cherise for


    everything!¡±


    Martha firmly believed she was Isaac¡¯s true mentor and the only one who could guide hum and show


    him the path in the medical field. Even his admission to this hospital was arranged by her through a


    special rmendation to the hospital director


    12


    Isaac was her best student. She brought him close to her to shine brightly and to be. someone


    respected and a source of pride for the hospital. Most importantly, he would be her source of pride.


    However, as soon as Isaac joined the hospital, Cherise arrived. Then, all the attention shifted to


    Cherise.


    Cherise imed she couldn¡¯t perform surgery because her right hand was injured. Thus, the hospital


    director assigned Martha¡¯s most prized student as her assistant.


    Later, Cherise became a well-known and highly praised doctor, but Isaac quietly performed surgeries,


    never daring to take credit.


    Martha couldn¡¯t bear Isaac remaining in Cherise¡¯s shadow. While Cherise was on leave, she seized the


    opportunity and wanted Isaac to handle the surgery independently. That way, he could stand on equal


    footing with Cherise.


    Thus, she used Cherise¡¯s name and imitated her voice to get Isaac to take over the surgery.


    Originally, Martha nned to reveal the truth to Isaac after the surgery.


    Unfortunately, something went wrong. Martha immediately nned to let Cherise take the me.


    However, Isaac didn¡¯t use Cherise but took all the me upon himself.


    Martha was heartbroken and deste. She kept seeking an opportunity to clear Isaac¡¯s name and shift


    the me to Cherise instead.


    Now that an opportunity had finally arisen, she hadn¡¯t expected Cherise to be prepared.


    111

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661


    Chapter 661 Irrefutable Evidence


    ¡°I despise those who resort to deceitful tactics out of envy!¡± An enraged journalist in the front row stood


    up and hurled a cup towards Martha.


    ¡°Dr. Lane, watch out!¡± A figure dashed forward at the critical moment and intercepted the flying cup.


    The porcin cup hit the floor with a resounding crash and shattered into pieces.


    Isaac, the man who had prevented the cup from hitting Martha, was now drenched with water. He


    shielded Martha behind him. ¡°Dr. Lane, are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Martha patted her chest and appeared visibly shaken.


    Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Isaac! You¡¯re here!¡±


    Excitement, anticipation, and above all, astonishment flickered in her eyes.


    Isaac frowned slightly and nodded. ¡°Yes, I was backstage.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Martha still hoped to turn the situation around. She held Isaac¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Isaac, tell


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    everyone! You must tell them! Tell them that you received a call from Cherise two years ago! Don¡¯t stay


    silent! Say something!¡±


    Martha became even more agitated. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped Isaac¡¯s arm.


    Isaac frowned and looked at Martha with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Dr. Lane, no one knows. better than


    me whether the online recording is genuine. How could you stoop so low as to frame Dr. Shaw¡­ by


    creating a new recording?¡±


    ¡°I did it for your own good!¡± Martha¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of madness. ¡°Didn¡¯t you delete that


    recording? I simply recreated one! This is enough to bring down Cherise!¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t delete it.¡± Isaac sighed softly and nced at the podium, signaling someone.


    ke promptly yed the second audio clip.


    The pacing of this audio clip was slightly slower, and the voice did not resemble Cherise¡¯s as much as


    the first one. Furthermore, although the key points were simr, the tone and parts of the two


    recordings were different.


    Cherise suspected that Martha had lost the original script two years ago Thus, the wording in the new


    recording differed significantly from the one two years ago


    Still, Martha¡¯s ability to recall the original content vividly despite nearly three years showed


    12


    how meticulously she nned this scheme.


    Cherise could not believe Martha¡¯s im that she did it solely to advance Isaac¡¯s career.


    Martha must have thought that even if the surgery ultimately failed, Cherise would face punishment as


    long as Isaac spoke up.


    However, she did not anticipate Isaac stepping forward and shouldering the me himself.


    After Isaac¡¯s recording finished ying, the room erupted into chaos once again.


    The modification time disyed on theputer showed two years ago. In other words, this recording


    was the authentic one from two years ago. On the other hand, Martha¡¯s version was rerecorded to


    frame Cherise.


    Everyone at the press conference was stunned by the revtion.


    The hospital director stared at Martha in shock. ¡°You¡­¡±


    They had worked together for twenty years. Without irrefutable evidence, he would never believe


    Martha would stoop to such means.


    The reporters whispered amongst themselves.


    Beforeing here, these reporters only knew that Lermille Hospital would rify the medical incident


    from two years ago during this press conference.

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662


    Chapter 662 You¡¯re The Most Absurd


    No one expected the press conference to expose the internal power struggle at Lermille Hospital,


    revealing twists and turns that rivaled a prime-time TV drama.


    What was revealed was so bizarre that even a novelist would not dare to include it in their stories.


    People whispered among themselves. ¡°Who would have thought that Dr. Lane, with her poised


    demeanor, is someone who cannot tolerate neers?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s not because she has an issue with neers. She can¡¯t stand those who aren¡¯t


    under her control!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s terrifying¡­ This is a hospital! Doctors have a duty to save lives. If the doctors engage in such


    conflicts in the hospital, the patients will suffer¡­¡±


    The crowd continued to discuss amongst themselves.


    Martha gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Isaac¡¯s benefit and the good of the hospital!¡±


    Now that the truth had been exposed, she could no longer maintain the facade. She shrieked


    hysterically. Tears flowed down her face. ¡°Cherise is not as nice as you people think! She has trapped


    my most aplished student, Isaac, in her web! She knew I didn¡¯t like her, so she used this method


    to force me to ept her! In truth, she is the most malicious, the most despicable person in this


    hospital!¡±


    Cherise merelyughed. ¡°Dr. Lane, you might be overthinking things. I joined Lermille Hospital to be a


    good doctor, to treat patients properly, and to researchplex diseases. I honestly don¡¯t care whether


    you approve of me or not. Your feelings for me have no impact. on my work.¡±


    Those words reignited the fury in Martha¡¯s eyes, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t manipted Isaac, why would he heed


    your every word? He¡¯s my student. He should be following my instructions! I told him to perform the


    surgery ording to the initial n. He should have obeyed me!¡±


    ¡°But look at what happened. He insisted on bringing you in, iming you¡¯re the expert. He said he


    didn¡¯t dare to operate without your approval!¡±


    ¡°Even though Dr. Carlin and I confirmed the feasibility of the surgical n, he refused to proceed with


    the surgery without you!¡±


    She pointed at Cherise angrily. ¡°You have a way of manipting people¡¯s hearts!¡±


    ¡°A schemer like you ims not to care what others think about you. How absurd!¡±


    [11


    <


    1/2


    Martha had always appeared poised no matter the situation. Regardless of the duration of the


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    surgeries or meetings, or how much others sweated, she maintained her elegance. Moreover, her


    makeup was untouched, and her expression was the most amiable.


    But now, her hair was unkempt. Her eyes were filled with hatred and malice. She looked like a savage


    as she pointed at Cherise.


    Isaac instinctively recoiled. This was not the mentor he remembered. His mentor was never


    like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who are the most absurd here!¡± A stern male voice sounded after Martha finished speaking.


    Sitting next to Damien, Sven stood up and stared at Martha with a cold and piercing gaze. ¡°Do you


    recognize me?¡±


    Martha was startled and instinctively looked in the direction of the voice.


    Through her disheveled strands, she saw a slender man. He looked vaguely familiar, but she could not


    recall where she had seen him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sven Stein, the patient involved in the medical mishap two years ago.¡±


    Sven sneered at Martha. ¡°During the surgery, I truly had no idea that such an ident had urred on


    the operating table.¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, I saw the true report of my surgery from two years ago.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes, ¡°I recall when I first visited the hospital, I asked Ms. Lane, who was then


    an authoritative expert, whether my minor health issue would affect the surgery.


    ¡°At that time, you assured me there was no problem, and your n was foolproof.¡±

 Chapter 663

    Chapter 663


    Chapter 663 She Lost Her Mind


    ¡°But in reality¡­ the surgery went wrong due to the minor condition I had mentioned earlier.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Roebuck, who performed the surgery, was not informed about my unusual condition, which almost


    cost me my life on the operating table.¡±


    Sven¡¯s revtion sent shockwaves through the room.


    Martha stared at Sven in disbelief. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Dr. Lane.¡± Isaac looked at Ms. Lane with a sorrowful expression. ¡°During lectures, you taught us that a


    doctor must take responsibility for every patient we treat. So, did you fulfill your responsibility towards


    Mr. Stein two years ago?¡±


    Martha instinctively stepped back. ¡°I¡­¡±


    She had dismissed Sven¡¯s concern as a trivial matter.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t give it much thought or inform anyone about the unusual condition.


    Despite the mishap in the operating room two years ago, the patient remained unaware and emigrated


    soon after being discharged¡­


    She believed that no one would discover this and thought she could deceive everyone. However, to her


    surprise, Cherise and her team managed to bring Sven back.


    Confronted by Sven¡¯s scrutiny, Cherise¡¯s watchful gaze, and Isaac¡¯s pained expression, Martha shook


    her head. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to. I just¡­ I¡­


    She backed away from them. Her fingers anxiously gripped her hair as she repeated like a disturbed


    woman, ¡°I did it for the hospital¡­ I did it for the hospital¡­ I¡­¡±


    Her eyes and voice appeared frantic. It seemed as though she had lost her sanity.


    ¡°Isaac!¡± The hospital director frowned but still showed concern for his colleague of over twenty years.


    ¡°Dr. Lane is unwell. Please take her away.¡±


    Isaac pursed his lips and nodded firmly before walking over to support Martha. ¡°Dr. Lane, let¡¯s go


    backstage first¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Martha gritted her teeth and red at Isaac. ¡°You¡¯re not the Isaac I know! You¡¯re Cherise¡¯s


    puppet! Get lost! Leave me alone!¡±


    She forcefully pulled her hand from Isaac¡¯s grasp and retreated from hum


    J


    19


    However, she forgot that she was standing on a stage with a five-foot drop between the stage and the


    floor.


    With one misstep, Martha tumbled off the stage and lost consciousness.


    The press conference descended into chaos.


    Isaac quickly jumped off the stage and carried Martha in his arms. ¡°Dr. Keeples, please continue with


    the press conference. I¡¯ll take her back to the hospital!¡±


    Dr. Keeples watched Isaac walk away and let out a soft sigh.


    After a while, when the reporters below finally quieted down, Mr. Keeples took a deep breath and


    resumed the press conference.


    ¡°It is now evident that Dr. Lane framed Dr. Shaw. Our hospital still needs time to decide on the


    disciplinary action for Dr. Lane. If there are no further questions¡­¡±


    ¡°I have one.¡± A sharp female voice interrupted Dr. Keeples.


    Gwenn, dressed in ck, gracefully stood up from the back row. ¡°I have a few questions for Dr. Shaw.¡±


    All eyes turned to Gwenn at that moment.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Dr. Keeples looked at her in surprise. ¡°Miss, do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself first.¡± Gwenn smiled at Cherise, but her gaze remained cold.


    Cherise narrowed her eyes, fearlessly meeting her gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m Gwenn, a reporter from EuroXY Times.¡±


    r

 Chapter 664

    Chapter 664


    Chapter 664 Gwenn¡¯s usation


    Gwenn.


    The name immediately caught the attention of all the reporters present, astonished that she had the


    audacity to appear at this press conference. Her article published in the foreign. media had intensified


    the Cherise incident.


    In her article, Gwenn portrayed Cherise as a doctor motivated solely by fame and profit. Her writing set


    the tone, leading to a surge in publicints against Lermille Hospital.


    Logically, Gwenn should have avoided today¡¯s press conference, let alone drawing attention. to herself.


    After all, her role in instigating the situation was undeniable, and it remained to be seen if Lermille


    Hospital would retaliate.


    However, despite the evidence presented on stage contradicting her article, she confidently stepped


    forward.


    ¡°I have been closely following this matter.¡±


    Despite the numerous eyes fixed on her, Gwenn remainedposed, even elegantly smiling. ¡°I am


    curious about one thing. As a doctor who deeply cares about her patients, why couldn¡¯t Dr. Shaw


    perform the surgery herself? Why did she have to delegate it to Isaac?¡±


    Dr. Keeples frowned and picked up the microphone to exin. ¡°Dr. Shaw¡¯s right hand. suffered a


    severe injury, preventing her from wielding a scalpel or performing intricate medical procedures. She


    refrained from surgery out of responsibility for the patient¡¯s safety.¡±


    He took a deep breath and added, ¡°Furthermore, Dr. Shaw¡¯s hand has fully recovered. Not long ago,


    she sessfullypleted a twelve-hour surgery on her own. Dr. Shaw is a responsible doctor. Are


    there any other questions?¡±


    Dr. Keeples¡¯ words were resolute. They provided a clear defense of Cherise.


    However, Gwenn simply chuckled, ¡°Is that so? I have thoroughly examined Dr. Shaw¡¯s medical


    records.¡±


    Gwenn smiled at Cherise and continued, ¡°Dr. Shaw, your medical records only indicate at knife wound


    from five years ago. And this wound hadpletely healed three years ago.¡±


    ¡°To confirm your recovery, I even consulted several specialists in Europe. All of them unanimously


    confirmed that your injury from five years ago could have fully healed within a year and a half, and it


    would not have affected your ability to perform delicate tasks, such as surgery.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s revtions sent shockwaves through the crowd.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    12


    Cherise sat on the stage, her gaze fixed on Gwenn.


    So this is why she is here today.


    Only she and Zachary knew about her hand injury three years ago.


    Once, Kareen identally stumbled upon them when she went to see Zachary.


    At that time, Cherise instinctively hid her right hand, and Kareen did not notice anything.


    Therefore, Cherise thought the incident had been forgotten. But as it turned out, every action had


    consequences.


    Gwenn had chosen this moment to use this matter against her, especially with Damien in the audience.


    Cherise clenched her fists tightly.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Dr. Keeples had not anticipated Gwenn¡¯s preparedness. He hesitated before turning to


    Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw, this¡­¡±


    Dr. Keeples hadplete trust in Cherise. Over the years, whenever she mentioned seeking.


    treatment for her hand, he had given his approval without question.


    He had always believed that Cherise¡¯s hand injury stemmed from an incident five years ago. But now,


    he was perplexed by what Gwenn had brought up.


    111

 Chapter 665

    Chapter 665


    Chapter 665 Think Before You Speak


    The reporters below the stage were equally perplexed.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, could you respond to this directly?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, we hope you can address this matter¡­¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at Gwenn. ¡°So, what exactly is the point you¡¯re trying to make by


    bringing up all these issues?¡±


    ¡°I only want to confirm something.¡± Gwenn smiled faintly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, are you genuinely injured and


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    unable to perform surgery? Or do youck the mental fortitude to conduct surgery yourself? Perhaps


    youcked confidence in your medical skills and used Isaac as a scapegoat.


    Her smile gradually turned into a sinister grin, and her eyes gleamed triumphantly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, either


    way, it proves you¡¯re unqualified to be a doctor.¡±


    ¡°However, I wouldn¡¯t dare to specte about a doctor¡¯s character recklessly, so I hope you can


    respond directly.¡±


    ¡°If your hand is indeed injured, and you¡¯re unable to perform surgery, what type of injury was it, where


    did you get injured, and how did it happen?¡±


    ¡°If your hand is not injured, and you just found an excuse to avoid entering the operating


    room¡­¡±


    Before Gwenn could finish speaking, a reporter below the stage interjected agitatedly, ¡°If she¡¯s just


    making excuses to avoid performing surgery herself and let Dr. Roebuck bear the risk! Then she is unfit


    to be a doctor!¡±


    ¡°Lermille Hospital should kick her out!¡±


    Cherise sat on the stage and looked into Gwenn¡¯s triumphant eyes. Her mind buzzed with thoughts.


    My hand¡­ was indeed injured and prevented me from performing surgery.


    But¡­ it wasn¡¯t due to the knife wound I sustained five years ago.


    It was a burn¡­ from three years ago.


    She closed her eyes, finally grasping Gwenn¡¯s motive.


    Gwenn was forcing Cherise to choose between her identity as the daughter of the Lunner and


    12


    Miles family and her cherished profession as a doctor.


    If she admitted she was not injured but was simply reluctant to perform surgery or that she made Isaac


    take the risk for her, then her career as a doctor would likely be over.


    But if she publicly disclosed the reason for her injury three years ago¡­


    Not only would the Miles family be disappointed in her, but even her grandfather and father would be.


    She would be aughingstock.


    Even if they would not disown her, they would never be as close as before.


    Cherise reopened her eyes and saw two foreign men beside Gwenn. They had readied their cameras


    to capture her reaction.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡± Gwenn was still smiling. Her voice oozed triumph. ¡°We are journalists from Europe.


    Anything you say will be watched worldwide once we broadcast it. You better think carefully before you


    speak.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face instantly turned pale.


    Damien frowned and looked at Cherise with a conflicted gaze.


    He was also curious about what had happened to her.


    In his view, everything would be resolved once she exined how her hand was injured. But what


    nobody expected was¡­


    Cherise took a deep breath, looked up, and smiled at Gwenn. ¡°Sis, I had trauma due to my mother¡¯s


    death from heart disease and couldn¡¯t bring myself to perform surgery. Didn¡¯t you already know this?


    Why must you expose me before so many people?¡±


    ¡®p! A phone ttered to the ground.


    Not only the journalists but even Dr. Keeples was taken aback. His eyes were wide open with


    shock.


    What¡¯s going on?


    This journalist named Gwenn, who published the defamatory article about Dr. Shaw online, is


    actually¡­ Dr. Shaw¡¯s sister!?

 Chapter 666

    Chapter 666


    Chapter 666 Choose Your Words Wisely


    The journalists below the stage were shocked. They quickly prepared their devices to capture the


    contrast between Cherise¡¯s smile and Gwenn¡¯s pale expression.


    They were intrigued by the sibling rivalry.


    Gwenn had previously gone to great lengths to tarnish Cherise¡¯s reputation, and now she presented


    evidence to cast doubt on her hand injury.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It was hard to believe they were sisters.


    At this moment, Gwenn stood at the back row among the audience and narrowed her eyes. She


    gripped her microphone and hesitated.


    Cherise had sworn she would never call Gwenn ¡®Sis¡¯ after their intense fallout four years ago. Thus,


    Gwenn was taken aback.


    The word ¡®Sis¡¯ had an unexpectedly powerful impact on the reporters.


    Gwenn never imagined that Cherise would choose such a self-destructive method to end this. topic.


    ¡°Sis.¡± Cherise suppressed her disgust and smiled at Gwenn. ¡°I understand Dad and Grandpa¡¯s


    frustration with my prolonged absence from home because of my career as a doctor. However, I did not


    expect you to make me return in this manner.¡±


    Cherise stood up with a smile and turned to the hospital director. ¡°Dr. Keeples, I will submit my


    resignation to your office this afternoon. Everyone is right. I am not suited to be a doctor.¡±


    After saying this, she grinned at Gwenn. ¡°It seems my leisurely days are over. Sis, do you truly want me


    to return andpete with you for the family inheritance? I will grant you your


    wish.¡±


    Gwenn was left speechless.


    She had not anticipated that Cherise, who was cautious even during their arguments four years ago,


    would retaliate so swiftly. Cherise even openly acknowledged their rtionship before everyone,


    turning what was supposed to be an embarrassing press conference for her into a shared humiliation.


    Even Gwenn¡¯s colleagues looked at her in astonishment. ¡°Gwenn, is Dr. Shaw really your sister? Why


    are you forcing her to return home in this manner?¡±


    Gwenn clenched her fists at her sides. She scoffed, ¡°Sis, it has been a long time since west


    111


    1.2


    met. You have changed. I did not expect you to confess before everyone that you had Isaac perform


    the surgery for you due to your psychological issues.¡±


    Gwenn struggled to shift the me onto Cherise, but Cherise was not having it.


    Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°Sis, we are even. I did not expect you to be the one writing scathing articles


    about me abroad. Furthermore, I did not anticipate youing here to shatter my dream of being a


    doctor. Since I must give up my dream, I have no choice but topete with you.¡±


    Gwenn gritted her teeth. ¡°Cherise!¡±


    She was genuinely angry.


    How could Cherise drag me down like this?


    I only nned to make her confess how she was injured three years ago.


    Then, I would publish her words and reveal who she truly is. She cannot distinguish between right and


    wrong, love and hate!


    Then, Grandpa, Dad, and everyone in the Miles family will be disappointed in her and realize she is


    unfit to be Charisa¡¯s heir.


    However, I did not expect Cherise to promptly give up on her medical career and drag me down!


    ¡°Sis, choose your words wisely.¡±


    Cherise smiled at Gwenn. ¡°As you know, everything you say and do now is visible to the world.¡±


    111

 Chapter 667

    Chapter 667


    Chapter 667 You Did Your Best


    ¡°Of course, that includes Grandpa and Dad too.¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath before standing up from her seat and walking to the front of the stage.


    Then, she bowed to the reporters. ¡°I sincerely apologize.¡±


    ¡°I understand that all of you came here for some news, but unfortunately, it has turned into a family


    drama.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I allowed Isaac to perform surgery on me because Icked the mental fortitude. and was


    afraid of making mistakes on the operating table.¡±


    ¡°I acknowledge that this was highly unprofessional, but I have gradually ovee it. I am now capable


    of independently performing surgeries.¡±


    ¡°However, since the mistake has been revealed, I have nothing more to say. I will resign and leave


    Lermille Hospital.¡±


    The reporters exchanged uncertain nces, unsure of how to respond. Finally, a female reporter stood


    up. ¡°Dr. Shaw, will you continue practicing medicine in other hospitals?¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°This is a mistake that will stay with me for the rest of my


    life.¡±


    Then, she nced at Gwenn and continued, ¡°Besides, with a sister like mine, wherever I go,


    my


    dark history will be uncovered and used against me. So, for now, I will not be practicing as a doctor.¡±


    ¡°What a shame¡­¡± The female reporter sighed. ¡°You cured my father¡¯s illness.¡±


    ¡°Even though you were not the lead surgeon, you diligently visited my father every day after the


    surgery, providing him with postoperative psychological counseling.¡±


    ¡°I believe that someone like you does not deserve to bebeled as a failed doctor, even if you cannot


    perform surgery yourself.¡±


    The female reporter looked at Cherise and continued, ¡°Will you still pursue a career in


    medicine in the future?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Cherise responded with a smile. ¡°Take good care of your father.¡±


    With that, she turned to everyone below the stage and smiled at them, including Damien in the front


    row.


    ¡°Everyone, I am going to write my resignation letter. That is all for today. I apologize that you all had to


    witness this spectacle involving my family.¡±


    1/2


    After saying that, she turned around and left resolutely in her high heels.


    However, Damien noticed her back trembling severely as she turned around. She could not help but


    react like this whenever she cried..


    His brow furrowed deeply, and he swiftly stood up, striding to catch up with her.


    ¡°Ms. Gwenn, may I interview you?¡±


    ¡°What is your rtionship with Dr. Shaw? Are you real sisters, half-sisters from the same father, or half-


    sisters from the same mother?¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking when you criticized your sister online?¡±


    ¡°Can you shed light on the rivalry between you and your sister?¡±


    ¡°Is it because you envy Dr. Shaw¡¯s exceptional talent?¡±


    Gwenn narrowed her eyes vengefully as a swarm of reporters surrounded her. Cherise, you will pay for


    this!


    Upon reaching backstage. Cherise took a deep breath, held back her tears, and immediately began


    packing her belongings to leave.


    She reassured herself. You handled everything exceptionally well just now. You did your best.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Confronted with unexpected setbacks, she felt she had managed thingsmendably, making Gwenn


    even more humiliated than herself.


    But deep down, she could not help but feel a pang of sadness and regret.


    After all, being a doctor had been her dream and pursuit for many years. Letting it go felt like a piece of


    her was being torn away..


    However¡­


    She had made numerous mistakes and could not afford to make any more. If her grandfather, father, or


    the Miles family discovered what happened three years ago¡­.


    J

 Chapter 668

    Chapter 668


    Chapter 668 I Won¡¯t Judge You


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Just as Cherise¡¯s hand touched the car door handle, a deep male voice resonated from


    behind.


    She paused, but continued to open the door. ¡°I need to go home and rest. We can discuss everything


    elseter.¡±


    As she spoke, Damien firmly grasped the hand she was using to open the door.


    He furrowed his brow, gripping Cherise¡¯s hand with one hand while opening the back passenger seat


    door with the other. He immediately helped her into the car.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive. You¡¯re not in the right state of mind. It¡¯s safer if you don¡¯t.¡±


    He promptly settled into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car.


    Cherise pursed her lips in the back seat and watched his back. She tried to control her emotions. ¡°I¡¯m


    not upset.¡±


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re holding back your tears doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re fine.¡±


    Damien sighed softly. His knuckles were prominent as he gripped the steering wheel and set the car in


    motion. ¡°I remember that being a doctor has always been your dream. You should know that once what


    you said at the press conference gets out, you might never find a job as a doctor again.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Cherise sniffled, looking out of the car window. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of the consequences of my


    decision.¡±


    Damien¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°So why give up? Why won¡¯t you reveal how you injured your hand?¡±


    There was a tinge of tenderness and helplessness in Damien¡¯s deep voice. They had distant that they


    could no longer share secrets.


    ¡°Honestly, my hand wasn¡¯t severely injured.¡±


    grown so


    Cherise smiled as she gazed out the car window. She replied softly. ¡°I¡¯m just scared. My mom died of


    heart disease. My grandma, too, died of heart disease¡­


    ¡°The most important people in my life all sumbed to heart problems. I¡¯m afraid to step into the


    operating room, fearing I¡¯ll remember them and make a mistake I trulyck the mental fortitude for


    surgery. It has nothing to do with my injury.


    12


    Although she spoke calmly, Damien noticed a hint of panic in her eyes.


    It was the distinctive gaze she had after telling a lie. She was never good at lying, not five years ago


    and certainly not now.


    Damien pursed his lips, wanting to say something. Eventually, he chose to respect her decision. ¡°Since


    you don¡¯t want to talk¡­ so be it. But when you¡¯re ready to talk, remember to tell me first.¡±


    Damien did not take Cherise home but brought her to his presidential suite in the Syatt Hotel.


    Upon entering, he whispered a few words to the attendant.


    ¡°I thought you would be taking me home.¡±


    Once they entered the suite, Cherise slumped onto the couch as if all her strength had been drained.


    ¡°Your house is too small for you to hide your sadness. The kids will notice.¡±


    Damien sighed softly. He sat down next to her and drew her into his arms. ¡°Here, you don¡¯t have to


    pretend. You can grieve and cry freely. I¡¯m the only person who won¡¯t judge you, mock you, or force


    you to hold back your emotions.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She instinctively tried to wriggle free from his embrace. However, he held her


    even tighter.


    With no other option, she gave in and rested her face against his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not upset, 1¡­¡±


    A knock on the door interrupted her words.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, your wine has arrived.¡±


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    At his word, the attendant entered with several women carrying an assortment of red wines.


    2/2

 Chapter 669

    Chapter 669


    Chapter 669 Are You An Angel?


    An array of red wines and spirits adorned the coffee table.


    Once the hotel staff left, Damien finally released Cherise and asked, ¡°Which one would you like to


    drink?¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned, realizing that Damien wanted her to drown her sorrows in alcohol.


    She didn¡¯t object to the idea.


    Taking a deep breath, she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mind having a drink. But Damien, this doesn¡¯t mean my


    medical career is over. Instead¡­ I¡¯m embarking on a new journey!¡±


    Seeing her maintain a tough facade, Damien smiled and gently poured her a drink. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Cherise sat up straight on the couch and epted the red wine he offered before downing it in one


    gulp.


    Silently, Damien poured her a second ss, then a third, a fourth¡­


    Eventually, Cherise became so intoxicated that she slumped into Damien¡¯s arms, giggling. ¡°Tell me,


    what kind of job can I do? I¡¯m not very clever. What else can I do if I can¡¯t be a doctor?¡±


    ¡°I once considered bing awyer, but I¡¯m terrible at debating. Besides, I¡¯m not very intelligent.¡±


    ¡°What do you think I could do? Do you think I would make a decent nanny?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow at the sight of Cherise¡¯s drunken state.


    He tenderly pulled her into his arms. ¡°Work can wait. You should take a break first.¡±


    ¡°Remember? You promised that if I helped you resolve the issues with Martha and Isaac, you would let


    the two children apany me for a while.¡±


    Cherise gazed at him and nodded. ¡°Yes, I made that promise!¡±


    Damien smiled and continued, ¡°Are youfortable with the children traveling to Adania. with me?¡±


    Cherise pondered briefly before shaking her head firmly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    Damien sighed helplessly as he observed her. After all these years, Cherise only resembled the girl he


    had first met when she was drunk.


    19


    Over the years, she must have learned many ways to protect herself. But how could she have


    anticipated that Gwenn would follow her to Lermille?


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried¡­¡±


    Damien cunningly retrieved his phone and activated the recording function before asking gently,


    ¡°Cherise, if you¡¯re concerned about the children traveling long distances¡­ Why don¡¯t youe to


    Adania with us? You can join in the fun and keep an eye on us. How does that


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    sound?¡±


    Cherise held a bottle of wine, thought for a moment, and finally nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Damien¡­ you¡¯re a good man.¡±


    Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing Cherise¡¯s face in a warm glow. Under the radiant


    sunlight, her flushed face, due to alcohol, appeared exceptionally beautiful.


    Damien saved the recording on his phone with satisfaction and smiled at her. ¡°When you said I¡¯m a


    good man, are you putting me in the friend zone?¡±


    Cherise was startled and quickly shook her head. ¡°No¡­ I genuinely think you¡¯re a good person¡­ If it


    weren¡¯t for you¡­¡±


    She gazed at Damien¡¯s face in a daze, smiling innocently at him. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you today, I wouldn¡¯t


    know what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°And also¡­¡± Cherise picked up the bottle, poured herself a drink, and downed it in one gulp. ¡°Without


    you, I wouldn¡¯t have thought about so many things. I wouldn¡¯t have expected Dr. Lane to do such a


    thing¡­¡±


    Then, she looked at him dazedly before reaching out to touch the sharp contours of his face. ¡°Damien,


    are you an angel? Why is it that¡­ whenever you appear, many of my problems. seem to be solved¡­¡±

 Chapter 670

    Chapter 670


    Chapter 670 You¡¯re Worth It


    Damien couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and gently held Cherise¡¯s hand against his face. ¡°Cherry, is it only


    when you¡¯re drunk that you reveal your true feelings?¡±


    Heughed resignedly and leaned down to tenderly kiss her lips. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to frequently ply


    you with alcohol.¡±


    When Cherise was sober, she would never disclose so much of her innermost thoughts to him. She


    would also never take the initiative to caress his face and show such intimacy.


    Instead, she would hide her true self from him.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Cherise mumbled after Damien released her. Her face flushed as she affectionately gazed


    at Damien. ¡°You¡¯re worth it. I don¡¯t regret my decision at all¡­¡±


    She looked at him with a foolish grin. ¡°I don¡¯t regret giving up on my dreams because you are worth it.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Her words made Damien furrow his brow.


    She said she didn¡¯t regret her decision. Was it because it had something to do with him?


    Damien pressed his lips together, cradling her face. His eyes reflected a hint of nervousness and


    confusion as he closely examined her expression. ¡°What don¡¯t you regret? What makes me worth it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret¡­ my decision.¡± She pursed her lips, still gazing dreamily at him. ¡°You¡¯re worth it¡­¡±


    Cherise giggled as she fell into Damien¡¯s arms, nestling her head against his chest. ¡°You were worth


    what I did three years ago¡­¡±


    However, she tilted her head and fell asleep before she could finish speaking.


    Damien frowned and helplessly looked at the sleeping woman. ¡°Three years ago¡­¡±


    He wanted to ask her what exactly happened three years ago. But¡­


    Seeing her tired, sleeping face, he ultimately gave up. He couldn¡¯t force her if she didn¡¯t want


    to discuss it.


    Moreover, she was already exhausted from the day¡¯s events. Now that she was finally asleep. he


    couldn¡¯t bear to wake her up again.


    Damien sighed. He gently carried Cherise and ced her on the bed, tucking her in


    12


    carefully.


    After that, he nced at the time and realized it was already past four in the afternoon. It wast time to


    pick up the children from school.


    He was about to ask ke to keep an eye on Cherise when an unfamiliar ringtone echoed in the room.


    It was Cherise¡¯s phone.


    He gently took it out of her pocket and nced at the screen. It was a call from Zachary.


    He frowned and hesitated briefly before answering. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Upon hearing Damien¡¯s voice, the man on the other end fell silent for a moment. ¡°Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± Damien responded calmly. ¡°Mr. Miles, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me in a long time, but I¡¯ve seen you. I saw you on TV this morning.¡±


    Zachary sounded as mischievous and cheerful as he did five years ago. ¡°How¡¯s Cherry?¡±


    ¡°I gave her a few drinks. She¡¯s asleep now.¡±


    Zachary chuckled dryly. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best.


    ¡°What happened three years ago?¡± Damien took a deep breath and asked.


    Although he hadn¡¯t been in touch with Cherise for years, he knew Cherise and Zachary had always


    been close because of Charisa. Therefore, Zachary must have known what happened three years ago,


    even if no one else did.


    ¡°Cherry doesn¡¯t want me to tell anyone.¡±


    Zachary chuckled softly, ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d be more than willing to tell. you. But Cherry warned me


    that she would cut ties with me if I revealed it. I really like her. Of course, I can¡¯t bear to lose her.¡±

 Chapter 671

    Chapter 671


    Chapter 671 Future ns


    Damien was at a loss for words.


    Zachary remained the same as he was five years ago, always prone to uttering nonsensical


    words.


    ¡°Since she¡¯s asleep, take good care of her,¡± Zachary sighed and continued casually. ¡°I initially called to


    console her, but it seems that¡¯s unnecessary now.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll give you two some privacy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m currently at the kindergarten. I¡¯ll pick up the children and bring them to my ce tonight. You


    should take good care of her and help her calm down so the children don¡¯t worry about her.¡±


    Damien fell silent for a moment before finally agreeing, ¡°Sure.¡±


    As Damien was about to hang up, Zachary sighed again on the other end. ¡°What are your ns for the


    future?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back to Adania,¡± Damien answered without hesitation. ¡°I can provide for her. whether it¡¯s a


    job or her future.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zachary chuckled. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll consider returning to Ziphon and resuming my role as the head of


    the Miles family. I¡¯ve been with her for three years here. To be honest, it¡¯s quite exhausting.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. But if you don¡¯t take good care of her in the future, I¡¯ll be in a difficult


    situation.


    ¡°That will never happen.¡±


    Thope so


    In the end, both men shared augh before ending the call.


    Cherise slept soundly until the following morning


    She groggily rose from the bed and nced at the dun sky outside. Then, she turned b Damien, who


    was for used un om de uments beside her What tine ivit


    With that, she got out of bed, mumbling. ¡°The children must be worried?


    Damien gently pulled her back onto the bed. ¡°The children are with Zacraf


    After saying that, he nced at her teasingly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check the time? Still thinking about


    picking up the children?¡±


    Cherise frowned and checked the time.


    It¡¯s only a little past six.


    Wait, is it now six in the morning of the next day?


    She smacked her forehead. I slept that long?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Damien shrugged nonchntly and handed her something, ¡°What you should be doing now isn¡¯t


    picking up the children, but freshening up and heading to the hospital¡±


    Cherise frowned and looked down at the thing he gave her. It was the letter of resignation


    ¡°I typed it for you. You only have to sign it. Damien smiled and continued, ¡°No need to thank


    me.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and silently rolled her eyes.


    However, she couldn¡¯t deny that he had been helpful.


    If he hadn¡¯t prepared the letter for her, she would have had to draft it as soon as she woke up


    Cherise took a deep breath. She picked up a pen from the table and ugned her nam Jetter


    ¡°What are your ns for the future? Damien asked softly after she signed the letter


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and sighed helplessly ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll resign from the hospite bei Then I consider


    what I in suited for


    After saying that she tried to reassure him and similed. Didit you mention that i make a good teacher:


    Tian look into that um consider bing a teacher. Atera studying has always been my strong suit?


    Damien leaned against the head of the bed ha anna fucrung hac bicar


    option. But all of this will have to wall until you return to Audienta


    the


    Cherise put down the ballpoint pen and was stunned.


    Then, she looked at Damien, appearing confused. ¡°When did I agree to return to Adania with you?¡±

 Chapter 672

    Chapter 672


    Chapter 672 Give Him A Raise


    Damien smiled subtly and yed a voice recording on his phone. His deep and captivating voice


    resonated from the recording.


    ¡°Cherise, if you¡¯re concerned about the children traveling long distances, why don¡¯t youe to Adania


    with us? You can join in the fun and keep an eye on us. How does that sound?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, Cherise responded in a slightly intoxicated voice, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Damien¡­ you¡¯re a good man.¡±


    Once the recording ended, Damien turned to Cherise with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Are you going to


    deny it, Dr. Shaw?¡±


    Cherise was left speechless. She did not want to admit to the recording.


    Nevertheless, she sighed in resignation and red resentfully at Damien. ¡°You¡¯re too cunning.¡±


    When he invited her for a drink, she assumed he only wanted to console her and help her relieve


    stress. Little did she know he had schemed this.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this.¡±


    Damien smiled. His eyes crinkled with amusement as he looked at Cherise. ¡°You can try to deny it, but


    I believe you wouldn¡¯t want the children to discover that their mother doesn¡¯t honor her promises.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I suggest you go to Adania to look after the children. If you refuse, they might think don¡¯t


    want to go with them and heartlessly leave them in my care. Wouldn¡¯t they be upset?¡±


    you


    Cherise had no response.


    This man is more cunning than a fox!


    He knows exactly what I care about and deliberately uses the children to manipte me!


    Her children were only five years old and were too young to understand whether she was drunk. They


    would notprehend the concept of being drunk. However, they would know she broke her promise.


    Observing the resentment on Cherise¡¯s face, Damien sighed helplessly ¡°If you truly don¡¯t want to fulfill


    what you promised, then I have no choice but to


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    After all, she had promised him earlier that if he helped her resolve this matter, she would let the


    children spend a day out with him.


    Her children had rarely been away from her since they were babies. They might find it unsettling to


    suddenly go out with Damien without her presence.


    She did not find it objectionable since she would be taking care of the children with him.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Damien smiled and dialed a number. ¡°Book the flight tickets.¡±


    Cherise red at him before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.


    ¡°Cherise, have you truly made up your mind?¡±


    Dr. Keeples, the hospital director, looked at Cherise regretfully when she met him in his office. ¡°You¡¯ve


    aplished so much for the hospital in the past. I can overlook what others. think and allow you to


    stay.¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°Forget it, Dr. Keeples. You¡¯ve always been fair and upright. It¡¯s bad. enough


    that Dr. Lane is corrupt. I don¡¯t want you to fall into the same trap.¡±


    Dr. Keeples fell silent. He looked at Cherise sadly. ¡°I suppose if you leave, Dr. Staber will leave as well.¡±


    Cherise smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why I rmend you to rehire Isaac. He¡¯s an exceptional doctor. After Lucy


    and I leave, you can focus on training him.¡±


    Her smile was genuine. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t judge him based on Dr. Lane¡¯s actions. He has nothing to do


    with all of that.¡±


    Then, she tapped her forehead and continued, ¡°I almost forgot, he owes me quite a bit of money. After


    you rehire him, remember to give him a raise so he can repay me sooner.¡±


    11

 Chapter 673

    Chapter 673


    Chapter 673 If Destiny Permits.


    Dr. Keeples was left speechless.


    He smiled resignedly and approved Cherise¡¯s resignation letter. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯re still as optimistic as


    ever.¡±


    ¡°However, after this incident, I¡¯m afraid other hospitals may not be as weing if you resign from


    Lermille Hospital.¡± After all, the consequences of this incident were severe.


    Cherise responded with a smile. ¡°Then perhaps I could consider a different career path. I¡¯m not bound


    to being a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Dr. Keeples took a deep breath and picked up his pen to write a letter of rmendation.


    ¡°I have a friend involved in medical research. His team is purely academic and doesn¡¯t engage in


    clinical work. They probably won¡¯t mind your past.¡±


    He took out an envelope and wrote down the contact information. ¡°You should reach out to him. I


    believe he would appreciate your talents.¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned. She epted the envelope and bowed in gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Dr. Keeples smiled sadly. ¡°Honestly, it pains me to see you leave. Remember to reach out to my friend


    so that I might see you again in the future.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    After some casual conversation with Dr. Keeples in his office, Cherise finally took her leave.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Isaac stood in a corner outside the office, dressed in a white coat. He seemed to have been waiting for


    quite some time.


    Cherise frowned and nced at his white coat. ¡°You¡¯ve returned to work already?¡±


    Isaac blushed and smiled shyly. ¡°Dr. Keeples told me toe back quickly to adapt


    Seeing Isaac¡¯s bashful expression, Cherise smiled at him. ¡°All the best¡±


    Dr. Shaw, I would like to talk to you¡±


    Isaac bit his hip and looked at Cherise because your right hand was agored


    Tknow you didnt perform the surgery yourschi


    secretly read your diagnosis betore


    He frowned at Cherise. ¡°Dr. Shaw, why didn¡¯t you reveal the burn you suffered three years ago? Why


    would you rather be misunderstood than speak about it?¡±


    Cherise turned to Isaac and smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s the same as how you were willing to shoulder the


    me for me and stop Dr. Lane from bringing up the past. I, too, have someone very important to


    protect.¡±


    The morning sun illuminated her face, casting her smile in a golden light. ¡°I trust you to keep my


    secret.¡±


    Isaac bit his lip. In truth, he did not want to keep Cherise¡¯s secret. He wanted to proim to everyone


    that they were mistaken about her. He wanted everyone to know she could not perform surgery


    because she was genuinely injured.


    However, he looked into Cherise¡¯s earnest gaze and sighed deeply. ¡°I will.¡±


    He could not go against Cherise¡¯s wishes even if he knew the truth. After all, it was her matter.


    Although he admired her and felt it was a shame, he could not reveal her secrets without her


    permission.


    He took a deep breath and looked at Cherise again. ¡°So, Dr. Shaw, what are your ns for the future?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Keeples suggested I pursue academic research, and I believe it¡¯s a good fit. However, before


    finding a new job, I want to take my children on a much-needed vacation to unwind.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isaac kept looking at Cherise and seemed reluctant to part with her. ¡°Dr. Shaw, will we meet again?¡±


    ¡°We probably will.¡±


    Cherise looked at him, her eyes crinkled as she smiled. ¡°If destiny permits, we will inevitably meet


    again.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 674

    Chapter 674


    Chapter 674 All Is Yours


    She waved at him, saying, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    The woman turned on her heels and walked


    away.


    Isaac stood in the corridor, his gaze fixed on Cherise as she left. A fleeting sadness passed through his


    eyes.


    Since arriving at the hospital, Dr. Shaw had been his mentor, and Ms. Lane had been his source of


    support.


    Now, both of them were gone.


    He would have to move forward alone from now on¡­.


    ¡°Zac, are you starting your shift?¡±


    Just as Isaac was feeling mncholy, a clear female voice echoed in his ear.


    He looked up in surprise. ¡°Dr. Staber!¡±


    He almost forgot!


    There was still Dr. Staber!


    When he was in a difficult situation in the operating room, Dr. Staber hade to his aid!


    Even though Ms. Lane and Dr. Shaw were no longer by his side, he still had the experienced Dr.


    Staber!


    Isaac looked at Lucy with visible excitement, ¡°Dr. Staber, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Lucy nodded lightly, confused as to why Isaac was looking at her as if she was his lifeline.


    The woman coughed awkwardly, ncing at the director¡¯s office. ¡°Is the director in?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Isaac nodded hastily.


    Dr. Shaw had just left the office. The director had to be around


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    111


    13


    Lucy yawned and strolled towards the director¡¯s office.


    Isaac noticed that Lucy was holding an envelope in her hand.


    A sense of foreboding washed over him.


    He asked cautiously with a trembling voice, ¡°Dr. Staber, what do you need from the director?¡±


    Lucy paused, looked back, and waved the envelope in her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m resigning! I came here for Cherise, but now that she¡¯s gone, there¡¯s no point in me staying in


    Lermille. I might as well return to Adania and be with my Dad.¡±


    Isaac: ¡°¡­¡±


    Despair overwhelmed his short-lived joy.


    After submitting her resignation at the hospital, Cherise received a call from Beckham.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    His voice on the other end of the call sounded serious.


    ¡°I saw the news about the press conference. Are you¡­ having a hard time?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. Her gaze drifted towards the sky.


    The sunlight was particrly bright today.


    Raising a hand, she shielded her eyes while heading towards the parking lot.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about me. You were always there for me when Mom passed away five years. ago.


    You would understand the immense psychological pressure I was under. I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have your


    and Mom¡¯s resilience. I¡¯m thinking of taking a break from this work. As for what¡¯s next¡­ we¡¯ll discuss it


    Beckham sighed.


    ¡°I had a talk with Gwenn earlier. I knew she was a journalist, but I never knew she was plotting against


    you¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m just relieved you¡¯re not angry at me for discussing our inheritance dispute in front of so many


    people.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to fight for it.¡±


    III


    23


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Beckham sighed softly.


    ¡°Everything in the Tanner family will be yours in the future. In any case, she¡­ is still an outsider.¡±


    The voice of the man in his fifties was somewhat hoarse.


    ¡°But Cherise, ourpany¡¯s shareholders saw Damien at the press conference. They¡¯re pressuring


    me, asking if you¡¯re back together with him. The animosity between Lenoir¡¯spany and ours runs


    deep¡­¡±


    He sighed, ¡°The shareholders still insist that if you and Damien cannot end your rtionship cleanly¡­


    then you¡¯re not qualified to be the heir of Tanner Group.¡±


    TI

 Chapter 675

    Chapter 675


    Chapter 675 Visiting My Dear Sister


    Cherise¡¯s hand trembled as she tightly held her phone.


    She wanted to express that she had no desire to be the sessor of the family¡¯spany.


    But¡­


    She couldn¡¯t say it. It was impossible for her.


    Before her mother passed away, she repeatedly told Cherise to never give up her position as the


    family¡¯s heir.


    Her grandfather had only one son, who was her father.


    And her father had only one daughter, Cherise.


    If she renounced the family¡¯s inheritance, everything would fall into the hands of Gwenn.


    Five years ago, Gwenn had started getting close to the group¡¯s secondrgest shareholder, a grandson


    of a Tanner from a branch family.


    If Cherise gave up her inheritance, Gwenn would quickly marry the grandson of the Tanner family


    branch. She would be the rightful heir as Beckham¡¯s adopted daughter and a legitimate daughter-


    inw of the family.


    ¡°Cherry, you must remember that the empire your father built, he built it with me. It cannot fall into the


    hands of outsiders. If you truly don¡¯t want to inherit it¡­ then find a husband who has a good sense for


    business.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Charisa¡¯sst words echoed incessantly in Cherise¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Actually, Damien would be the most suitable person, it¡¯s just a shame¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise held her phone tightly and gazed into the distance. Her voice was


    resolute and somber.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I know what I should and shouldn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The man on the other end sighed helplessly once again. If only Damien weren¡¯t Hansen¡¯s


    son¡­¡±


    When she returned from the hospital, Cherise began packing her bags


    12


    Although Damien had said he would take the children out for a day, considering his unpredictable


    nature, Cherise thought it would be better to prepare more clothes.


    By the time she finished packing for herself and the two children, it was already half in the afternoon.


    She took a deep breath and was about to lie down for a rest when there was a frantic knocking on the


    door.


    Thinking it was Damien, she frowned and opened the door, annoyed.


    past one


    After all, only a few people close to her knew her address. Zachary rarely visited, and Lucy always


    called her out for shopping and meals. The only person who woulde knocking without notice would


    be Damien.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    The door opened to reveal Gwenn, wearing a red dress, and a tall man.


    Seeing them outside the door, Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit my


    dear sister.¡±


    Gwenn smiled faintly, sidestepped Cherise, and confidently walked into the room.


    The two suitcases that Cherise had just packed were sitting in the center of the living room.


    ¡°So you¡¯re really giving up on being a doctor?¡±


    Gwenn raised an eyebrow and sat haughtily on the sofa. Her arms were stretched open, her hands


    resting on the back of the couch. A mocking smile hung on her lips.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re truly infatuated with Damien Lenoir. You¡¯d rather abandon your lifelong. dream to


    protect him.¡±


    Cherise frowned as her hands clenched into fists at her sides. ¡°Gwenn, you¡¯re not wee here!¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here, regardless of whether you wee me or not.


    Crossing her legs, Gwenn smiled and looked at the man at the door


    ¡°Evan,e in. You said you¡¯ve always wanted to see what life is like for the less fortunate right? Look,


    my sister¡¯s home is a perfect example of a poor person¡¯s home


    Gwenn¡¯s words made Cherise furrow her brow agam Are you Evan Lanner


    111

 Chapter 676

    Chapter 676


    Chapter 676 Thank You For Your Hard Work


    As the man stood at the entrance, his striking handsomeness was overshadowed by an air of malice.


    He bore a resemnce to Tristan from five years ago, butcked Tristan¡¯s crassness. It was evident


    that he was a sharp and critical individual.


    Cherise didn¡¯t recognize this man, but the name Evan rang a bell.


    He was the eldest son of a branch family of the Tanner family, whom Gwenn had sought out five years


    ago in her desperation to inherit the Tanner family fortune.


    Evan¡¯s grandfather and Cherise¡¯s grandfather were brothers. After her grandfather umted


    wealth, he frequently aided and supported Evan¡¯s grandfather, leading to the gradual prosperity of this


    branch of the Tanner family.


    After all, with the bloodline of the Tanner family, if Gwenn married Evan, she would be a legitimate


    member of the Tanner family.


    Furthermore, in the eyes of outsiders, she would be the rightful heiress of the Tanner family.


    ¡°I am Evan Tanner.¡±


    The man at the door squinted and smiled at Cherise. ¡°Gwenn always spoke highly of her sister¡¯s


    beauty. Indeed, nothingpares to seeing it in person.¡±


    He walked past Cherise into the room, scrutinizing the decor while shaking his head in disdain.


    ¡°I never expected that the biological daughter of Uncle Beckham would have such taste. Everything in


    this room reeks of cheapness.¡±


    He turned to Cherise. ¡°Gwenn mentioned that you¡¯re ustomed to a modest lifestyle and don¡¯t


    appreciate a life of wealth. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a crude habit?¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath and swung the door wide open.


    ¡°If all you two came here for is to insult me, I kindly ask you to leave. The life I lead and my choices are


    my own business, none of yours.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She smiled coldly. ¡°Or are you two desperate to have me return to the Tanner family and fight for the


    inheritance?¡±


    Gwennughed


    ¡°Cherise, listen to yourself. So if we hadn¡¯te, you would have renounced the inheritance Don¡¯t be


    ridiculous Why did you conceal the truth at yesterday¡¯s press


    erence il vou


    12


    Cherise retorted with augh.


    ¡°Since you know I won¡¯t renounce it, why bother with these futile tricks? Or do you believe I will


    renounce the inheritance if you threaten me with my career and dreams?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    Gwenn picked up the teapot on the coffee table and leisurely poured herself a cup. ¡°I know you can


    distinguish between what¡¯s important and what¡¯s not, and I know you won¡¯t easily renounce the


    inheritance and admit to the past.¡±


    She took a sip from her teacup.


    ¡°I just want to make you ufortable. Cherise, if you won¡¯t let me have my way, I won¡¯t let you have


    yours either!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Just as Gwenn finished speaking, a cold male voice echoed from the direction of the door.


    The man¡¯s voice was calm, but the chilling air emanating from him was so intense that the man


    standing behind Gwenn began to tremble slightly.


    Evan had seen Damien before. He had also been present at the press conference yesterday.


    However, Damien had been far away from him at that time. All he remembered was Damien¡¯s cold


    voice and piercing gaze.


    But it was not until Damien appeared up close that he realized¡­ The man was so overbearing that it


    made one¡¯s heart shudder!


    Compared to the inexperienced Evan, Gwenn appearedposed. She smiled at Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,


    your timing is impable.¡±

 Chapter 677

    Chapter 677


    Chapter 677 Gwenn And Evan¡¯s Unexpected Visit To Cherise¡¯s


    ¡°What a fortunate arrival, Mr. Lenoir We¡¯ve barely had a chance to secule in Gwenmented with a


    hint of sarcasm.


    Damien¡¯s eyes narrowed, a cold mix of hostility and contempt. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m three minuteste, or I


    could have greeted you both at the door and shown you the way out¡±


    The man walked in, his arm casually draped around Cherise¡¯s shoulder with a smile He directed


    Gwenn, ¡°Ms. Tanner, I believe you¡¯re aware that your presence here is unwee You intrude into


    Cherry¡¯s ce unannounced at this early hour, then I can certainly return the favor and pay you and Mr.


    Tanner a visit in the early hours of the night¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s eyebrows furrowed into a tight frown. ¡°You¡­¡±


    The man shed Gwenn a menacing smile. ¡°You know I¡¯m capable of it. I have ways of finding out


    where you¡¯re staying, sending someone over in the dead of night, perhaps even taking a few intriguing


    photographs¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s face paled instantly; she couldn¡¯t believe Damien dared to threaten her!


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m threatening you,¡± Damien affirmed, his gaze unwavering ¡°So, you have two options. Take your


    little boyfriend and disappear within a minute. Or, prepare yourself for your intimate photos to be spread


    far and wide across the inte. You choose?


    ¡°Damn you, Damien!¡± With that, Gwenn grabbed Evan¡¯s hand and stormed off, her high heels clicking


    angrily against the floor.


    Watching Gwenn storm off, Cherise felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her. She turned to Damien


    and shed a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks necessary,¡± the man replied nonchntly as he strolled in and closed the door, his eyes


    twinkling mischievously. ¡°I believe I mentioned that verbal gratitude isn¡¯t my preference¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, and in a spontaneous moment, she leaned in, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his


    lips.


    The moment their lips touched, an electric jolt surged through their bodies, causing them to freeze in


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ce. Their hearts pounded in unison, their cheeks flushed with sudden heat


    Caught up in the moment, Chense realized she might have crossed a line Instinctively the tried to pull


    away, but her wrist was firmly held by the man¡¯s grasp


    Damien¡¯s eyes, filled with intensity, beld Cherie¡¯sgan The kiss thingh brief had reminds spark within


    hum


    Years ago, when they were still together, she had showered him with light kisses like this one. But now,


    five years had passed, and neither was the same person they once were. The sudden familiarity of her


    touch, the lingering memory of those past affections, sent a surge of heat coursing through Damien¡¯s


    veins.


    ¡°Cherry,¡± he murmured, his voice husky with desire.


    Already flustered by the unexpected kiss, Cherise found herself further flustered under his smoldering


    gaze. Biting her lip, she stammered, ¡°That¡­ just forget it¡­ as if nothing. happened.¡±


    Before she could react, the man swept her onto the sofa, his hand reaching up to gently trace her


    glossy lips with his rough fingers. ¡°How could I possibly pretend that nothing happened?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s mind spun under the man¡¯s intoxicating warmth. She looked at him, her eyes clouded with


    desire. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± he whispered, leaning in to gently kiss her earlobe. He could feel her body tense beneath him.


    ¡°All you have to do is kiss me, excite me, and the rest¡­¡±

 Chapter 678

    Chapter 678


    Chapter 678 Can We Still Make It Work?


    A soft chuckle escaped from his lips, his breath tickling her ear. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± he


    whispered.


    Cherise was taken aback. This was not what she had intended when she kissed him!


    Damien had made it clear that he didn¡¯t like verbal gratitude, so in a moment of impulsiveness, she


    tiptoed and kissed his lips.


    But this sudden turn of events was beyond anything she could have expected.


    Cherise struggled to express her thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± the man chuckled lightly, his tongue tracing a delicate path along her earlobe. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Did he really understand? No, clearly he didn¡¯t!


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise carefully chose her words, ready to continue her exnation, but then-


    ¡°Uh-!¡± A sensual moan escaped her lips.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re in, there¡¯s no way out,¡± he dered, his voiceced with a hint of yful dominance.


    The curtains in the house were drawn, casting a suggestive glow in the dim room as slivers of sunlight


    streamed through the gaps.


    The light, the moment, the man himself all of it reminded Cherise of the time five years ago at Lenoir


    Manor. He was always so unpredictable.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he had spent those five


    years. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Wrapping her arms around Damien¡¯s neck, Cherise whispered, ¡°Were there any other women in your


    life during thest five years?¡±


    Her sudden question caught him off guard. A faint sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead as he


    dismissed it, saying, ¡°Other women? Seriously? I¡¯ve been saving all the good stuff just for you. Can¡¯t


    you feel it?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s initial surprise turned into a subtle blush as she realized her question hadn¡¯tnded as


    expected. Closing her eyes, she felt an unexpected sweetness blossoming in her chest


    It was astonishing that his desire for her remained so intense even after five years had passed.


    13


    it was almost unbelievable that he had managed to restrain himself for her¡­


    If this were someone else¡¯s story, she would wholeheartedly cheer them on, urging them to pursue true


    love and marriage. But the rtionship between her and Damien¡­


    Taking a deep breath, she held him close, whispering, ¡°Hey, do you think¡­ do you think we could still


    make it work?¡±


    He met her lips with a gentle kiss. ¡°As long as you¡¯re open to it,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m not?¡± she asked, her voice tinged with doubt.


    Damien¡¯s gaze held hers, unwavering. ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you, step by step, why we¡¯re worth it.¡±


    As the sun began to set, Damien joined Cherise at the kindergarten gate, ready to pick up Serafina


    together.


    Damien parked the car, surrounded by the excited chatter of children. He patiently waited at the gate


    while Cherise entered the kindergarten to pick up their children.


    As she stepped inside, she was greeted by a wave of excited parents, their curiosity piqued by her


    arrival.


    One young mother eximed, her voice filled with awe, ¡°Wow, Ms. Shaw, is that husband? He¡¯s


    incredibly handsome!¡±


    Another said, ¡°But you always told us you were a single mother, right?¡±


    your


    ¡°I really thought you were raising Soren on your own!¡± said another, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡°But


    your husband¡­ he¡¯s undeniably handsome!¡±


    ¡°No wonder Soren is such a charmer! He looks just like his father!¡± added a third.


    Another mother joined in, ¡°Indeed. And Ms. Shaw, you¡¯ve been so secretive all this time. Your husband


    is not only handsome, but he looks healthy too. Why did you tell us he was gone?¡±


    A single mother piped up, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, ¡°Ms. Shaw, where did you find such a


    handsome man to be your husband? Teach me your ways!¡±


    ¡°Damn! He¡¯s not just handsome, but rich too! Look at that car it must be worth at least five or six


    million!¡± eximed another, her voice filled with excitement


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Caught off guard by the sudden barrage of questions. Cherise managed a smile. She joined the group,


    asionally chuckling and offering polite, somewhat awkward responses


    2


    These mothers, whose children were the same age as Serafina, with a few exceptions of those with


    second-borns, were mostly around Cherise¡¯s age. Their natural curiosity and yful inclination towards


    gossip couldn¡¯t resist the intrigue of seeing Cherise and Damien together.


    After picking up their two children, Cherise quickly made their escape, the two little ones in


    tow.


    As they walked down the hallway, Soren held Cherise¡¯s hand with one hand, his other hand tucked into


    his pocket, and asked, ¡°Did hee with you?¡±


    Cherise paused, realizing that Soren was most likely referring to Damien.


    EE

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679


    Chapter 679 Soren¡¯s Ufortable Hugs


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed, a faint blush warming her cheeks.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Soren eximed, strutting forward with a puffed-out chest and a mischievous glint in his


    eyes. ¡°My irresistible charm simply cannot be resisted.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her son¡¯s newfound confidence. However, thedies. were


    admiring his father¡¯s handsome features, not his own.


    ¡°When did you be so close to him?¡± Soren inquired, his lips pursed in yful suspicion.


    Cherise mirrored his expression, her mind racing.


    Could she tell him¡­ it had been after a whirlwind afternoon today?


    Of course, she had to maintain her image as a responsible parent. ¡°We¡¯re not close,¡± she said with a


    slight smile, ¡°he just insisted oning.¡±


    Soren snorted, clearly unconvinced.


    Cherise cleared her throat. ¡°By the way, Soren, I have something to tell you.¡±


    Soren raised an eyebrow, ¡°What is it? Did you lose your job?¡±


    Cherise was surprised by his question. She couldn¡¯t believe how wise he was, as if he knew


    everything!


    Taking a deep breath, she pursed her lips and announced, ¡°Not exactly. I¡¯m taking us to Adania for a


    few days!¡±


    Soren¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°Oh, okay. A free trip is always wee, especially if


    someone else pays.¡±


    Her eyes widened with excitement, Serafina chimed in, ¡°Does Adania have Disnend?¡±


    Does it have an amusement park?¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Are there lots of little pigeons?¡±


    Cherise smiled fondly at her daughter. ¡°Sera dear, there¡¯s more to life than just amusement parks and


    pigeons. Adania has a lot of delicious food, Cherise said gently


    Her eyes sparkling with delight, Serafina jumped up and down. Yay¡¯ Delicious food¡±


    Soren cast her a sidelong nce and muttered You¡¯re so easily swayed¡±


    12


    The mother and children walked out of the kindergarten,ughter filling the air.


    Damien sat in the car. watching quietly through the lowered window as Cherise emerged, a child on


    each side. A warm feeling of happiness and pride slowly spread through him.


    His Cherry had grown into such a capable woman, nurturing the hopes of their joint creation ¨C their


    children.


    Unable to contain his excitement, the man walked over to hug Cherise, but Soren quickly stepped


    between them. ¡°Hold on,¡± he dered, ¡°you can¡¯t hug my Mommy yet, Mr. Lenoir.


    I¡­¡±


    Before the boy could finish his sentence, Damien knelt down and hugged him. ¡°I know. To hug your


    Mommy, I have to hug you first.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice and warm embrace left Soren speechless, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.


    After a moment, the little boy protested, ¡°Let go of me! I don¡¯t want your hug! I¡¯m a boy, I can¡¯t be


    pampered, I can¡¯t let Daddy hug me!¡±


    Damien chuckled, tightening his embrace slightly. ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting I¡¯m your Daddy?¡±


    Soren was speechless. He turned his face away, muttering. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t! I never said that! Don¡¯t put


    words in my mouth!¡±


    But then he saw his motherughing at him, her amusement evident. His face burned red as he buried


    his head in Damien¡¯s chest, unintentionally making it seem like he relished the embrace.


    A yful tug-of-war ensued, with Soren demanding to be released and Damien refusing. each


    demanding the other¡¯s surrender.


    Finally, Damien offered a challenge, ¡°Call me Daddy, and I¡¯ll let go.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± Soren retorted.


    ¡°Then be good and let me hold you.¡±


    Soren was speechless at his father¡¯s yful persistence. Turning to the online world for help. he typed,


    ¡®What should I do if Dad is an unreasonable old rogue?¡±


    With Cherise having already packed their bags, the family of four set off for the airport carly the


    following day, excited for their adventure in Adania


    22

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680


    Chapter 680 The Shaw¡¯s Littles¡¯ First Time In Adania


    Glued to the window, Serafina eagerly watched the world fly by. Soren, however, sat aloof with his arms


    crossed, still simmering over Damien¡¯s forceful hug from the previous day.


    While tasked with managing the two children, Cherise gazed out of the car window with a sigh.


    Three years had passed since herst visit to Adania. Although it wasn¡¯t her birthce and only her


    home for two short years, Adania held a profound ce in her heart.


    Almost every pivotal moment of her twenty-four years had unfolded within its boundaries. Adania had


    irrevocably altered her destiny, for better or worse.


    However, Cherise never anticipated sharing the return flight with Maeve and her family.


    Upon arrival at the airport, the director of Lermille Hospital and a team of medical staff bid farewell to


    their departing guests.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw!¡± Isaac, the first to spot Cherise, rushed towards her, his gaze darting between the two


    children at her side and the suitcase Mr. Kolson carried behind Damien.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, your children¡­¡± he stammered, realization dawning upon him.


    The little girl was the spitting image of Cherise, and the boy¡­ an undeniable reflection of Damien!


    Isaac had always known Cherise had twins, a boy and a girl, but he had always assumed they were


    Cherise and Zachary¡¯s children.


    He pped his forehead, ¡°I should have known!¡±


    Damien¡¯s tant affection for Cherise and her reciprocation of his feelings were clear as day. He


    should have deduced their rtionship.


    Seeing Isaac¡¯s sudden enlightenment, Cherise offered a faint smile and patted his shoulder. ¡°Stop


    filling your head with unfounded spections. You¡¯re finally back to work, so focus. And while you¡¯re at


    it, maybe find a way to repay that fifty thousand you owe me.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s face fell instantly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯re still concerned about that money?¡±


    Cherise responded earnestly, ¡°Of course I am. That was fifty thousand dors of my hard-


    earned sweat and blood.¡±


    Isaac chuckled, ¡°Mr. Lenoir is incredibly wealthy. Dr. Shaw. Why are you content to remain a humble


    doctor at Lermille? Being a single mother is no small feat.


    111


    12


    Cherise sighed. ¡°His money is his. I want to live my life on my own terms.¡±


    Turning her attention to Maeve, a thoughtful expression crossed her face.


    Damien hadn¡¯t mentioned apanying Maeve¡¯s family on their return trip, but Cherise understood his


    decision. After all, Maeve had been under her primary care, and her presence would ensure immediate


    medical attention should any adverse reactions ur to Maeve during the journey home.


    Observing Cherise check on Maeve, Isaac took a deep breath and approached Damien. ¡°Mr. Lenoir,


    please don¡¯t misunderstand Dr. Shaw¡¯s decision. Her reluctance to perform surgery doesn¡¯t indicate a


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°And how can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve reviewed her medical records,¡± Isaac exined. ¡°Her right hand suffered a severe burn.¡±


    Damien¡¯s body involuntarily tensed. ¡°A burn?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a burn,¡± Isaac confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics of Dr. Shaw¡¯s experiences or why she avoids


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    discussing them¡­ but please don¡¯t judge her as someone despicable or selfish. She¡¯s an incredibly


    good person. A genuine and kind person.¡±

 Chapter 681

    Chapter 681


    Chapter 681 Maeve Meeting The Nephew And Niece


    Damien¡¯s lips remained pressed together for a moment before he finally ced a hand on Isaac¡¯s


    shoulder with a helpless sigh. ¡°I understand. Others might misinterpret her actions, but I never will.¡±


    He had witnessed Cherise in her most vulnerable and radiant moments. He knew the purity of her heart


    and would never misinterpret her intentions, not now, not ever.


    However, her trust in him had undoubtedly diminished. But he understood, and he could afford to wait.


    He would take things slow and gradually work to mend past mistakes.


    Meanwhile, as the ne soared through the clouds, Maeve, who should have been resting, sat


    propped up against her pillows, her eyes filled with warmth as she watched the little boy in front of her


    manipting a Rubik¡¯s cube.


    ¡°You¡¯re Ren? But what¡¯s your real name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Soren,¡± the little boy replied, reclining in his seat with a hint of annoyance. This woman had been


    bombarding him with questions since they boarded the ne, and it was starting to wear on him.


    ¡°Soren¡­¡± Maeve echoed the name, pping her hands in delight. ¡°What a lovely name! And what


    about your sister?¡±


    Serafina, a lollipop in her mouth, replied with a grin, ¡°My name is Serafina.¡±


    Maeve furrowed her brows. ¡°Why do both kids have their mother¡¯sst name¡­¡±


    Turning to Damien, her toneced with displeasure, she said, ¡°Dame, wouldn¡¯t it bet reasonable for at


    least one of the children to bear your name?¡±


    ¡°Why should they take the Lenoir name?¡± Cherise, seated nearby, shot her an indifferent nce. ¡°From


    the moment they were born, they have been Shaws.¡±


    Cherise had never hidden the true identity of the children. After all, with Soren¡¯s striking resemnce to


    Damien, any other im wouldn¡¯t hold water.


    However, these two children were solely raised by her, and her rtionship with Damien was nothing


    more than a close friendship. The suggestion that they adopt the Lenoir name struck


    her as absurd.


    Did Maeve honestly believe her good intentions could sway the children towards the lenoir family


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s growing irritation, Damien frowned and gently sand to Maeve. ¡°Maeve, these


    12


    children are Cherry¡¯s. For the past five years, she has raised them single-handedly. Their names and


    surnames are entirely her choice.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s brow furrowed further. She meant no disrespect to Cherise¡¯s efforts, nor did she wish to create


    discord. However, she couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°These children share the Lenoir bloodline, after all.¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she subconsciously pinched her arm. ¡°Mommy, isn¡¯t the blood in


    my body my own? Am I some kind of doll who became a person after a blood transfusion?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s mind conjured up images fueled by whimsical ideas from her cartoons. ¡°Wuuu¡­


    Serafina is a toy person¡­¡± she mumbled in tears.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as she lifted the little girl into her arms. ¡°You¡¯re not a toy person, my


    darling. Toy people don¡¯t feel pain.¡±


    With that, she gently pinched her daughter¡¯s bottom. ¡°Does that hurt?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°It hurts!¡±


    ¡°Do you still think you¡¯re a toy person?¡± Cherise asked.


    ¡°Wuuu-No! Serafina is not a toy person because my bottom hurts! Now I need two lollipops. to make


    the pain go away!¡±


    Cherise shook her head, amusement ying on her lips. ¡°Little opportunist.¡±


    But even as she said this, she handed her another lollipop. ¡°Those are thest two for today; no more


    candy, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little girl excitedly hopped out of Cherise¡¯s arms, continuing to gaze at the clouds outside


    while enjoying her treat.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    On the other side, Soren looked up at Maeve seriously. ¡°Excuse me, Auntie Maeve.¡±


    !!!

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682


    Chapter 682 Bearing The Lenoir Or Shaw¡¯s Name?


    ¡°Just so you know, my Mommy isn¡¯t married to Mr. Lenoir yet,¡± Soren dered firmly. ¡°Since that¡¯s the


    case, we can only use our mother¡¯s surname. Even if they get married, changing our names isn¡¯t


    mandatory!¡±


    A slight scoff escaped his lips. ¡°I haven¡¯t known anyone but my mother since I was born. I¡¯ve only


    known Mr. Lenoir for less than a month and refuse to change my name for a man I barely know! Let¡¯s


    put this discussion to rest.¡±


    Maeve was caught off guard, unsure of how to respond. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°If you insist on bringing this up again, we might have to consider jumping off the ne!¡± Soren


    threatened, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.


    Maeve was surprised by his strong reaction.


    Observing the two children, Damien exhaled a sigh of resignation. ¡°Maeve, please stop bringing this up


    again.¡±


    With that, he moved to Serafina¡¯s side and joined her in watching the clouds drift by.


    Maeve felt a pang of disappointment. Her suggestion was solely intended for Damien¡¯s benefit. Ideally,


    if Soren and Serafina had reconciled with their own biological father, they should have recognized their


    lineage and at least allowed people to know that they belonged to the Lenoir family.


    However, not only did Cherise and the children reject her proposal, but even Damien. declined!


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Charles said, taking her hand. ¡°Damien and Cherise have their own reasons. They have


    their own lives, and we shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±


    Maeve pursed her lips, leaning against Charles¡¯s chest in disappointment. ¡°If Dad and Mom were here,


    they would have said the same thing.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shh, Charles said gently, covering her mouth. ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°The longstanding resentment between Cherise and Damien stems from the previous generation. Why


    bring them up?¡±


    Maeve pouted, finally falling silent.


    The ne continued for five hours, finally touching down at the Adania airport at two o¡¯clock in the


    afternoon.


    111


    13


    Tristan and a young girl dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt were there to greet them.


    d in a ck suit, Tristan stood at the exit with several bodyguards.


    As Damien and the others emerged, he quickly directed the bodyguards forward.


    Some pushed the bed while others handled the luggage.


    Another bodyguard knelt down and asked Serafina, ¡°Little princess, would you like a ride?¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes lit up as she gazed at Cherise. ¡°Mommy, that uncle is so tall! I want to¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cherise replied with a frown.


    Disappointment clouded the little one¡¯s face. ¡°But Mommy¡­¡±


    Damien, unable to resist her pleading eyes, finally relented. He turned to Cherise with a reassuring


    smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can trust him.¡±


    As soon as his words left his lips, Serafina was already perched upon the burly bodyguard¡¯s shoulders.


    Standing nearly two meters tall, the man carefully steadied himself, his hands firmly supporting


    Serafina¡¯s back. ¡°Hold on tight, little princess!¡± he said loudly.


    ¡°Wheeee! I¡¯m flying!¡± the little girl¡¯s joyousughter echoed throughout the airport, spreading


    contagious cheer.


    Soren watched with his arms crossed. After a while, he turned to Damien and said, ¡°I want to


    do that too.¡±


    Damien was momentarily surprised. He quickly waved his hand to call another bodyguard


    over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want them,¡± the little boy pouted. ¡°I want you. Squat down!¡±


    Damien, taken aback by the unexpected request, hesitated. He hadn¡¯t expected Soren not to despise


    him.


    After a moment, he regained hisposure and walked over to his son, squatting before him.


    Soren climbed onto his father¡¯s neck, holding his head, and said coolly. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    While Soren tried to suppress his emotions, Damien could still hear the excitement in his


    Voice.


    TIT


    23


    He remembered his childhood when he enjoyed riding. on his father¡¯s shoulders.


    33

 Chapter 683

    Chapter 683


    Chapter 683 Soren¡¯s First Horseback Ride With Daddy


    Soren, now a precocious five-year-old, was experiencing the unfamiliar sensation of being in close


    physical contact with his father for the first time.


    His father¡¯s heart overflowed with warmth and sympathy as he securely ced Soren on his shoulders


    and walked forward with newfound purpose.


    ¡°Wow, Ren, you¡¯re riding a big horse too!¡± Serafina eximed with unbridled excitement as she


    watched Soren and Damien. ¡°Next time, we should switch because I also like Mr. Handsome!¡±


    Cherise and Charles walked behind, their faces shaking with amusement as they observed the


    children.


    ¡°So, Dr. Shaw,¡± Charles began, ncing at Marcy who was being held by the nanny nearby, ¡°when do


    you n to let the kids know that Damien is their father? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll wait. until my


    child calls me Daddy while these two still don¡¯t know who their own father is.¡±


    A smug smile yed on Cherise¡¯s lips as she looked ahead. ¡°Do you honestly believe they don¡¯t know


    who their father is? They are much brighter than you give them credit for.¡±


    Charles sighed and continued walking. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Suddenly, Cherise¡¯s gaze shifted towards the exit. ¡°Look, who¡¯s that girl? Tristan¡¯s girlfriend?¡± she


    inquired, her voice tinged with a frown.


    Charles furrowed his brow as he followed Cherise¡¯s gaze, his expression changing dramatically. ¡°Why


    is she here?¡± he uttered, his voice betraying a hint of rm.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but wonder when she saw the girl in jeans and a white T-shirt standing beside


    Tristan. If she wasn¡¯t Tristan¡¯s girlfriend, then who could she be? After all, someone who had the honor


    of picking up the Lenoir siblings with Tristan couldn¡¯t just be a random person, right?


    In the blink of an eye, the tall bodyguard carrying Serafina had already reached the exit.


    ¡°Brock, where did this little girle from? What a pretty and sweet child!¡±


    Brock, the bodyguard, smiled faintly, squatted down, and gently ced Serafina on the ground. ¡°Here


    you go, Little Princess. This is your stop. I¡¯ll let you off here.¡±


    ¡°Aye-aye, Captain!¡± Serafina eximed, jumping down with a mischievous grin. Not forgetting her


    newfound friend, she yfully patted Brock¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re like a giant! Can I ride with you again


    sometime?¡±


    |||


    12


    Brock chuckled and nodded. ¡°Of course, little princess.¡±


    The girl, struck by the repeated use of the ¡°little princess¡± endearment for Serafina, frowned. ¡°Why do


    you keep calling her that? Whose child is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± came a deep, masculine voice behind her.


    The girl turned around, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Damien and his mini-me, Soren,


    slowly approaching on Damien¡¯s shoulders.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she gasped, her eyes wide with astonishment. Her voice rose involuntarily, ¡°Your child?!


    Damien, did your ex-wife have two children with you?¡±


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed as he crouched down and helped Soren off his shoulders. ¡°Take your sister to


    Mommy,¡± he instructed.


    Soren hesitated, wanting to stay and listen, but ultimatelyplied. He walked over to his sister, took


    her hand, and urged her toe along. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go, Sera!¡±


    Once the two children were out of earshot, Damien offered a faint smile, one hand casually slipped into


    his pocket. ¡°Yes. Cherry and I have two children together.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened further, her tone shifting dramatically. ¡°Then what about Weena!¡± she


    eximed.


    Damien responded indifferently, ¡°What will happen, will happen.¡±


    The woman pursed her lips, about to retort, but then witnessed the little boy who had just led his sister


    away run towards a woman and raise his head to greet her with a sweet, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Her face contorted in disgust. ¡°You even brought your ex-wife here!?¡± she spat.


    Brock, the bodyguard, frowned slightly and offered a gentle reminder in a low voice, ¡°Please be mindful


    of your volume, Urs. Do you want everyone to hear you?¡±

 Chapter 684

    Chapter 684


    Chapter 684 Urs And Rowena


    Urs finally gathered the courage to confront Damien. Her voice, filled with tension, broke the silence.


    ¡°Damien,¡± she began, ¡°we need an exnation! Weena risked her life for you. She faced the mes


    alone, suffering burns in the process! She even donated blood, the very blood that kept you alive!¡±


    Urs tightened her fists and continued, ¡°You can¡¯t ignore her feelings for you! You imed to visit


    your sister in Lermille, and Weena, in her innocence, believed you. However, I suspected something


    was amiss and encouraged Weena to confront you. Even then, Weena was willing to step aside if you


    and your ex-wife were to reconcile.¡±


    ¡°Her love for you is deep, yet here you are, unting your ex-wife and children in her face?¡± Urs¡¯s


    voice rose with indignation.


    any


    Damien¡¯s stride faltered. A sneer formed on his lips as he looked down at Urs. ¡°Firstly, my


    rtionship with Rowena is none of your concern. Secondly, I have never made promises to her or


    considered her anything more than a sister. Thirdly, thepensation she has received from me over


    the years far exceeds what she has done for me. If you still think it¡¯s not enough, feel free to set me on


    fire again.¡±


    He continued, his voice devoid of emotion, ¡°If you expect me to abandon Cherry and the children for


    Rowena¡¯s sake, then I¡¯d say you¡¯re delusional.¡±


    With that, he dismissed Urs and turned his attention to Cherise.


    A tender gaze met Cherise¡¯s eyes as he engaged her in a gentle conversation, ignoring Urs as they


    exited the airport. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since you¡¯ve been back. Do you miss this ce?¡±


    Meanwhile, Urs remained rooted to the spot, her fists clenched, her lips pale from biting. Witnessing


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    her distress, Charles walked up to her.


    Looking up at Charles with resentment and confusion, Urs voiced her frustration. ¡°What¡¯s so special


    about his ex-wife?¡±


    She knew that Charles was acquainted with the Lenoir siblings. However, she was unaware that


    Cherise was the doctor from Lermille, the one Charles had sought for Maeve.


    Assuming Charles, like her, was unaware of this connection, she felt empowered to express her


    grievances freely ¡°Do you know my sister saved Damien¡­ and suffered burns on her feetes


    With tears welling in her eyes, Urs turned to Charles, her voice trembling with emotion


    If it weren¡¯t for my sister back then, Damien wouldn¡¯t be here today How can he just reconcile with his


    ex-wife and disregard Weena¡¯s sacrifice like that? What else is left for her it he walks away like that?


    [1]


    12


    Charles sighed, patting Urs¡¯s shoulderfortingly. ¡°I remember Weena being independent not too


    long ago. I have no doubt she will find true love one day.¡±


    Urs was taken aback, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°Charles, even you¡­ even you are charmed by


    Damien¡¯s ex-wife, thinking she¡¯s good?¡±


    Charles frowned, his annoyance bing evident. ¡°What are you implying? Dr. Shaw is an


    exceptional woman; she and Damien clearly have a strong connection. Even though Weena saved


    Damien¡¯s life, she can¡¯t force him to leave a happy family, can she?¡±


    Urs was somewhat surprised by Charles¡¯s reprimand. In her memory, Charles had always been kind


    and supportive towards her and Weena.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Urs stammered, attempting to defend her position.


    ¡°No ¡®buts¡±!¡± Charles interjected, taking a deep breath to control his emotions. ¡°Was it Weena¡¯s idea or


    yours for Damien to be with Weena?¡±


    Urs was startled by the direct question and quickly replied, ¡°It¡­ it was me. Even if Weena didn¡¯t say


    it, I¡¯m her sister; I know how much she likes him!¡±

 Chapter 685

    Chapter 685


    Chapter 685 Aggrieved Urs


    Urs persisted, her voice filled with anger, ¡°And why would Weena risk her life to save Damien if she


    didn¡¯t have any feelings for him?¡±


    As she spoke, a sense of injustice fueled her words. ¡°Weena saved him. He should be grateful to her!¡±


    Charles scoffed, his voice tinged with derision. ¡°Heh. Do you realize how many lives. Damien¡¯s ex-wife,


    Cherise, has saved as a doctor? If saving someone means being indebted to them for life, then who


    would dare seek medical help in the future? It would mean marrying the doctor every time!¡±


    Urs was speechless, momentarily struck by the harshness of Charles¡¯s words. She fought back


    tears, swallowing the bitter lump in her throat. ¡°I¡­ Fine!¡±


    With trembling fingers, Urs pulled out her phone. ¡°I will inform Weena that we have to leave


    immediately! Even with her injured foot, I¡¯ll wheel her out in a wheelchair and return. to our modest


    home in the city vige. I¡¯ll find any job I can and support her! And no matter what, we won¡¯t trouble the


    Lenoir family anymore! Because damn it, she was foolish to get herself injured and limp for saving this


    ungrateful person in the fire!¡±


    Charles, deeply perplexed by Urs¡¯s outburst, frowned and gently held her hand. ¡°Hey, did we ever


    say we wouldn¡¯t cover Rowena¡¯s medical expenses? Did we ever say we wouldn¡¯t help both of you?


    You need to understand that repaying a favor doesn¡¯t mean controlling. Damien¡¯s marital life.¡±


    He paused, his gaze unwavering yet kind. ¡°If you truly believe you¡¯re doing the right thing. then make


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    the call. But remember, sometimes the one who feels most embarrassed is the one who walks away.¡±


    He paused again, his voice taking on a sharper tone. ¡°And you n to solely support Rowena with your


    own earnings? Are you sure you can handle that?¡±


    Urs was left speechless. Of course, she didn¡¯t really want to call Rowena, but her emotions. had


    gotten the better of her.


    Just then, Cherise approached them, wearing a coat and pushing a suitcase. ¡°Damien, who is this


    young woman you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    ¡°A friend¡¯s sister,¡± Damien replied, walking alongside her without hesitation.


    Cherise raised an eyebrow. ¡°A friend¡¯s sister? What kind of friend? A girlfriend?¡±


    Damien¡¯s response was immediate and decisive. ¡°I only have an ex-wife, no gulfriend.¡±


    12


    Then, a wry smile appeared on his face as he looked at Cherise. ¡°But then again, an ex-wife can


    always be a girlfriend again; what do you say?¡±


    Cherise shot him a re and walked away, with Damien following closely behind.


    Behind them, Urs, observing Damien trailing after Cherise, angrily snapped a picture of their


    retreating figures and captioned it, ¡°Look at this! Damien doesn¡¯t deserve your time and affection,


    Weena!¡±


    Moments after sending the photo, Urs¡¯s phone rang. A weak and trembling voice.


    answered, ¡°L, how many times have I told you not to go to the airport and cause trouble? Why won¡¯t


    you listen? Damien and his ex-wife¡­¡±


    The voice on the other end trembled slightly,ced with a hint of both tears and helplessness. ¡°Damien


    can be with whoever he chooses. It has nothing to do with us¡­¡±


    Urs, fixated on Damien and Cherise¡¯s backs, grew angrier and more frustrated with each passing


    moment. ¡°No, Weena! This is absurd! You risked your life to save him three years ago because you


    cared for him! And he¡­ that man is just an ungrateful person!¡±


    Rowena¡¯s voice wavered between anger and helplessness. ¡°L! Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I saved him


    willingly. You should leave there ande home now. After all, if he reconciles with his ex-wife, I¡¯m


    happy for him, understand? Don¡¯t cause him any trouble, and¡­ Whatever you do, don¡¯t mention my


    recent illness to him.¡±


    The moment Rowena finished speaking, Urs pped her forehead in realization. ¡°Ah, right!¡±


    [11

 Chapter 686

    Chapter 686


    Chapter 686 ¡°More Drumsticks For Mommy; Fewer For Sera¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes narrowed with determination. ¡°Yes, I must confront him! You¡¯ve been feeling unwelltely,


    even rushing to the emergency room twice this week. Yet, he returns with his ex-wife,vishing her


    affectionately, without even a moment to spare for you! It¡¯s unthinkable!¡±


    ¡°No, L¡­¡± Rowena¡¯s voice trailed off as Urs abruptly ended the call and stormed off, intent on


    confronting Damien and Cherise.


    Back in her hospital ward, Rowena gazed at her heavily bandaged feet, a soft sigh escaping her lips.


    She had stood by Damien for three years, and now his ex-wife loomed as her first, perhaps herst,


    formidable opponent.


    Meanwhile, after instructing Mr. Hampson to take their luggage home, Damien escorted. Cherise and


    their children to the New World Restaurant.


    This marked Cherise¡¯s first visit to the restaurant in five years.


    As she


    surveyed the familiar surroundings, memories flooded back. She remembered when she had


    encountered Mandy while savoring chicken legs with Lucy. Back then, Mandy had been a pawn in


    Maeve¡¯s game.


    But the tables had turned. Now, Mandy held a prominent position within the Tanner family in Europe.


    In truth, Cherise owed her peaceful years to Mandy¡¯s unwavering support. Though technically younger,


    Mandy acted with the maturity and protectiveness of an elder sister.


    Alongside their grandfather Aaron, Mandy wlessly steered the Tanner Group¡¯s European operations.


    The skills instilled in her by Maeve blossomed into a confident leadership, making her the very


    embodiment of the Tanner family¡¯s strength and resilience.


    Yet, regardless of the asion, whether she was interacting with business partners or shareholders,


    her introduction remained humble: ¡°Hello, I am Ms. Charlotte Tanner¡¯s confidante and personal


    assistant at work, her trusted butler at home, and most importantly,


    her dear sister.¡±


    As she reminisced, a smile touched Cherise¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Wow, this chicken leg is delicious! Tastes just like Mr. Handsome¡¯s!¡± Serafina eximed. digging into


    her meal with gusto.


    Soren, ever the cool one, remarked, ¡°Perhaps Mr. Lenoir learned his culinary skills here¡±


    Damien chuckled, cing a chicken leg on Cherise¡¯s te ¡°Spot on. Ren You know I learned


    it to win your mother¡¯s heart.¡±


    Soren smirked, a hint of amusement in his eyes despite his feigned disapproval.


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Serafina protested as Damien ced one, two, and three chicken legs on Cherise¡¯s te.


    ¡°Mommy can¡¯t eat that much! Give some to Sera, please!¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Sera is a growing girl. You need to watch your figure, so there are fewer chicken


    drumsticks for you.¡±


    Serafina¡¯s pout deepened. ¡°But Mommy is a girl too!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But Mommy looks better with a little extra weight,¡± Damien exined, his mischievously. ¡°It keeps the


    other boys away, so she¡¯s all mine.¡±


    eyes winking


    Serafina¡¯s eyes widened, momentarily confused. Then, with a burst of anger, she dered, ¡°You¡¯re


    mean!¡±


    Cherise cast Damien a helpless look. ¡°Hey, you shouldn¡¯t say such things in front of the kids, alright?¡±


    Damien simply smiled. ¡°She¡¯ll understand when she¡¯s older.¡±


    However, their peaceful dinner was interrupted by the abrupt opening of the private room. door.


    Cherise immediately recognized the girl who stormed in, anger etched on her face the same girl from


    the airport.


    Still d in jeans and a white T-shirt, Urs seemed to have arrived in a hurry. Her locked on Damien


    as she dered, ¡°You have no idea how difficult it was to find you!¡±


    gaze

 Chapter 687

    Chapter 687


    Chapter 687 The Mortis Sisters Feud


    ¡°So, it was ke who prevented me from entering!¡±


    While seated, Damien casually raised an eyebrow and rified, ¡°I didn¡¯t specifically instruct ke to


    stop you; rather, I gave him a general order to prevent any interruptions.¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyebrows arched as she scoffed, ¡°Any interruptions?¡±


    ¡°Damien, are you suggesting that I¡¯m a nuisance?¡±


    Her icy gaze swept over Cherise and the two children in the room.


    ¡°Ah, I see. When your ex-wife and children are around, I¡¯m practically invisible.¡±


    Upon mentioning Cherise and the two children, Damien furrowed his brows and questioned, ¡°What is it


    that you want?¡±


    Urs smirked at Damien, ¡°Rowena is in the hospital fighting for her life. Are you nning to visit her?¡±


    Damien¡¯s face remained hardened as Urs confronted him, ¡°Hospital visits and Rowena, they seem


    to go hand in hand.¡±


    Urs¡¯s words caught in her throat.


    Right.


    She scoffed, ¡°So, you


    know?¡±


    ¡°Ever since Weena met you, the hospital seems to be her second home.¡±


    ¡°And you? You¡¯re here indulging yourself while she¡¯s alone in the hospital, struggling with her.


    illness!¡±


    Urs pointed at Cherise¡¯s nose, scoffing. ¡°You¡¯re Damien¡¯s ex-wife, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ignoring the two


    children nearby, she continued, ¡°Ever since Weena met you, she¡¯s been constantly in the hospital!¡±


    Im not interested in you and Damien¡¯s divorce, but the separation implies ack ofpatibility,


    doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°All of a sudden. Damien has my sister Rowena by his side, and you decide to make amends return to


    Adania with him, and bring along two children¡¯


    ¡°Oh, the prodigal ex-wife returns only when there¡¯spetition for what used to be hers


    111


    ()


    Cherise was utterly perplexed by Urs¡¯s tirade.


    She raised an eyebrow, ncing at Urs¡¯s flushed face, ¡°Perhaps taking a moment to collect your


    thoughts and having a sip of water might help. I¡¯m not following what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She really couldn¡¯t understand Urs¡¯s frustration.


    But to Rowena, these words were more than a challenge; they felt like a tant provocation.


    Urs pounded the table angrily, looked at Cherise with a piercing gaze, and asked furiously. ¡°What


    exactly are you insinuating?¡±


    ¡°Are you belittling me because of my age, suggesting Ick coherence?¡±


    Cherise frowned slightly and snapped, ¡°That¡¯s not what I was implying.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely what you were implying!¡±


    Urs turned her head, her gaze filled with disdain as she snarled at Damien, ¡°Are you going to allow


    your ex-wife to insult the sister of the person who saved your life?¡±


    ¡°Remember, without Weena, you wouldn¡¯t even be alive now! Do you have the leisure and time to


    rekindle your past romance with your ex-wife?¡±


    Damien¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as he warned, ¡°Urs, keep it down, or you¡¯ll find yourself outside


    sooner than you think.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    Urs retorted boldly, ¡°This is the 5th floor; if you throw me down, I¡¯ll die!¡±


    ¡°Everyone will still see the real you, Damien!¡±


    ¡°My sister risked her life to save you, and you want to harm her sister for your ex-wife!¡±


    The man stood still, his hands clenched tightly.


    After a while, he took a deep breath and pulled out his phone; his voice was hoarse. ¡°ke,


    escort her out.¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes widened and she yelped. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡±


    Tm not leaving! I want to see what you¡¯ll say and do behind Weena¡¯s back with your ex-wife!¡±


    ¡°I


    Before she could fush her sentence, ke, dressed in dark blue, stormed in from the door


    111


    23


    and dragged her away.


    ¡°Damien! You¡¯ll pay for this! I¡¯m going to tell Weena!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Weena has been revived several times these past few days! And this is how you treat her¡­¡±


    TH

 Chapter 688

    Chapter 688


    Chapter 688 The Return Of The Prodigal Ex-wife


    Cherise stood still, her gaze fixed on the path Urs had angrily stormed away from-the echoes of


    Urs¡¯s enraged voice still ringing in her ears.


    She smiled gracefully, stood up, grabbed her coat, andmented, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, it seems you¡¯ve had a


    sessful five years.¡±


    ¡°Being both the family savior and the dear sister-inw. The kids and I will excuse ourselves then.¡±


    Cherise scolded and turned to the two children, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay in a hotel tonight.¡±


    Initially, Damien had nned for the children and Cherise to stay at Lenoir Manor.


    He justified his decision by citing safety concerns in the outside world and considering hotels too


    expensive.


    However, Cherise didn¡¯t find hotels expensive; she found them inconvenient.


    Damien insisted that if she took the children to a hotel, he would send ke, apanied by


    bodyguards, to secure the hotel entrance and conduct security checks on other guests, fearing


    potential harm to his children.


    Given Damien¡¯s prominent status in Adania, he undoubtedly had numerous enemies.


    Cherise found this arrangement troublesome, so she had agreed to stay at Lenoir Manor.


    But now it seemed¡­.


    Sera¡¯s eyes


    widened and eximed, ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t you say we would stay at handsome Uncle Shaw¡¯s house?¡±


    Cherise smiled faintly and lifted Sera, ¡°Uncle Shaw¡¯s girlfriend wouldn¡¯t approve.¡±


    She turned her smile to Soren.


    Soren understood and hopped off the chair, grabbing Cherise¡¯s bag as he eximed, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s


    go!¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and raised his hand to stop Cherise, ¡°Cherry, Rowena isn¡¯t my girlfriend,


    she¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Just someone who saved your life, right?


    111


    13


    Cherise smiled at Damien; her clear eyes were filled with resignation. ¡°Since she was injured saving


    you, you should take responsibility for her,¡± she stated.


    She paused for a moment, her eyes conveying a subtle meaning, and continued, ¡°But, Mr. Lenoir, you


    should also take care of your future.¡±


    ¡°Managing one lifesaver might be doable, but dealing with two might prove more. challenging.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow and protested, ¡°But Cherry, Rowena and I have never¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Cherise looked up at him and smiled, ¡°but she has feelings for you.¡±


    ¡°She saved your life just to be with you.


    H


    ¡°Your indecisiveness is making everything difficult for us. I hope you figure things out.¡±


    She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a hint of exasperation as she added, ¡°Take care of


    yourself,¡±


    ¡°As for taking the children out to y¡­ let¡¯s postpone that for now.¡±


    ¡°Before making any decisions, consider visiting the person who saved your life.¡±


    Cherise remarked, and she picked up Sera and left with Soren.


    Damien stood still, contemting whether to follow and provide an exnation.


    Yet, as he pondered.


    She didn¡¯t seem to require his rification.


    From her recent words, she understood the entire situation.


    She was a perceptive woman,


    She clearly expected the issues to be resolved before being contacted.


    The man took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number, saying. ¡°Help me take care of


    her.¡±


    The man on the other end of the line was silent for a moment and deflected, ¡°Damien, why should I


    babysit your precious children for you?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow as he thought of Lennon.


    111


    On the other end of the line, Lennon was silent for a moment, then his voice suddenly grew stern,


    ¡°Damien, do you even realize why you lost her for five years?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you failed to court her when it mattered and neglected to pursue her when you had the


    opportunity!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably upset now, and you just let her walk away?¡±


    43

 Chapter 689

    Chapter 689


    Chapter 689 Come Home


    ¡°Do you


    still expect me to look after them for you? If I take care of the children and Cherise, they will be


    mine!¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Damien¡¯s hand trembled as he held the phone. ¡°Then go check on Rowena.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going after my darling.¡±


    He ended the call and stormed out.


    As he reached the ground floor, he saw Cherise hailing a taxi with their two children.


    He pulled her into his arms and roared, ¡°Come home with me!¡±


    Cherise frowned and pulled away from his grip. ¡°Home?¡±


    In Adania, the concept of home had long eluded her.


    But her strength was no match for Damien¡¯s.


    He held her tightly and whispered, ¡°Cherry, you haven¡¯t been home for five years. Frances and the


    others miss you. Don¡¯t you want toe back?¡±


    ¡°And the tree you nted in the yard, and¡­¡±


    He looked at the two little ones beside him and said, ¡°They¡¯ve nevere back to see where we used


    to live.¡±


    Cherise struggled against his firm grip, ring at him hotly. ¡°I told you to settle things with


    savior beforeing to me!¡±


    your


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to settle.¡±


    Damien¡¯s piercing gaze bore into Cherise and asserted, ¡°I have nothing to hide from her; why should


    she affect our rtionship?¡±


    Cherise was surprised and a little confused by his firm and determined attitude.


    He had always been a sentimental man in her memory.


    It was surprising how coldly he treated his savior.


    111


    12


    Yet, to some extent, she had also saved his life once.


    While Cherise was momentarily distracted, Damien took the opportunity to gesture to Mr. Kolson, who


    was standing nearby.


    When Cherise regained consciousness, she found herself and the two children inside. Damien¡¯s car.


    The driver, Mr. Kolson, thoughtfully lowered the partition, separating the family of four from the driver.


    Cherise pursed her lips, looking at Damien helplessly, and admonished, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that your


    savior would be angry if you took us home?¡±


    Damien held her hand tightly, his voice low but gentle. ¡°She has no right to be angry.¡±


    ¡°She should be happy for me.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, and a warmth filled her heart.


    She knew Damien would never ignore Rowena and would always be grateful to his savior.


    However, at this moment, his willingness to prioritize her made her genuinely happy.


    ¡°But she wants to be with you.¡±


    She uttered the truth softly.


    ¡°Cherry.¡±


    He tightened his grip on her hand and said, ¡°You might find it disappointing if I imed not to care


    about her.¡±


    ¡°But the truth is¡­ even though she saved me, I won¡¯t be able to repay her with my body. I can offer her


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    everything I have except¡­ my feelings.¡±


    His dark eyes stared at her. ¡°Give me some time; I will take care of everything¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and eximed, ¡°That¡¯s what I meant just now, you handle things with her first,


    and then the children and I


    Managing your situation with her, spending time with the children and returning to Lenoir Manor aren¡¯t


    contradictory¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was low and gentle, and he added. ¡°Lennon was right?


    111

 Chapter 690

    Chapter 690


    Chapter 690 Emotionally Drained.


    ¡°Five years ago, I trusted your words, believed we needed a break, and let you slip out of my life for


    five years,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°I promise, no matter whates our way, I won¡¯t let go of your hand again.¡±


    Damien¡¯s intense and unwavering gaze mirrored Cherise¡¯s determination when she vowed to bear his


    child.


    Cherise felt her throat tighten as she looked at Damien¡¯s determined face.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Finally, she could only sigh softly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°But I hope you can sort things out with her soon.¡±


    ¡°I insist that we prevent a recurrence of disturbances like the intrusion by the Mortis sisters into our


    private space,¡± Cherise said sternly.


    Damien pressed his lips together and nodded emphatically, ¡°I promise.¡±


    Finding sce in his words, Cherise sighed heavily, leaning her weary head on his shoulder, and


    murmured, ¡°I¡¯m just so tired.¡±


    She was exhausted.


    After a long day¡¯s journey, she was not only physically tired but also emotionally drained.


    Every day spent with Damien was a test of endurance.


    As Mandy kept an eye on the Tanner family, the looming question persisted: What if shareholders


    discovered her amicable rtionship with Damien? How would they react?


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject Damien.


    The weight of pressure had led her here, convincing herself she was only taking the children


    for a short vacation.


    As she disembarked from the ne, she was immediately ambushed by the unexpected reappearance


    of his lifesaver.


    The heartbreak that had shattered her five years ago was still palpable


    But


    She closed her eyes and the indignant voice of Mandy duringst night phone call red


    ¡°Cherry, I heard it from Lucy!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t deceive yourself.¡±


    ¡°If you can find affection for someone new, you will have moved on over these five years.


    ¡°Even with someone as perfect as Zachary by your side, it appears there¡¯s still a lingering soft spot in


    your heart for Damien.¡±


    ¡°Why should we worry about the shareholders¡¯ opinions and actions? Even if Damien is considered as


    the Tanner and Miles families¡¯ enemy, think about the possibility of creating a crisis that only Damien


    can resolve.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t these profit-driven individuals thene to hold Damien in high esteem?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. If Damien is still worth your effort, give him another chance and, more importantly,


    give yourself another chance¡­¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes, feeling theforting warmth of the man beside her and his steady


    breath.


    She didn¡¯t decide toe to Adania with him lightly.


    Yet, she braced herself for the storm that awaited.


    She also hoped that he wouldn¡¯t make her regret she had the chance to confront those


    storms.


    ¡°Take a rest.¡±


    The man¡¯srge hand gently cradled her shoulder, allowing her body to restfortably against his.


    His voice, low and soothing, cooed, ¡°When we get home, I¡¯ll carry you inside


    Mm.


    His words held a captivating spell


    After hearing hisforting words Cherise soon fell asleep on his shoulder


    ¡°Hey


    Suren cradling his sleeping sisters shoulder eyed Damien wandy and sundhed, You


    pronused to make her sad


    in


    hurned hu hrad to lock


    tuled wryly

 Chapter 691

    Chapter 691


    Chapter 691 Peaceful Slumber


    The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Soren retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, if you upset her again, I won¡¯t call you Dad anymore!¡±


    Nothing had changed in Lenoir Manor.


    Mr. Kolson parked the car at the entrance of Lenoir Manor. Damien stepped out with. Cherise in his


    arms.


    Soren sat in the back seat, anxiously holding Sera, who was fast asleep and drooling on his shoulder.


    He wished to imitate Damien¡¯s approach and silently carried Sera out of the car without disturbing her


    peaceful slumber.


    But he was only five years old!


    His sister was also five!


    Although his sister was slightly shorter, he still couldn¡¯t lift her.


    After settling Cherise in her room, the little boy had expected Damien toe and carry him and his


    sister.


    After waiting for a long time, the man never returned. Soren realized that he and his sister weren¡¯t


    treated like their mother.


    Curse this man!


    Isn¡¯t it often said that men neglect their wives once they have children?


    Yet, why does their family defy thismon stereotype?


    And why are their children the ones bearing the brunt of this situation?


    Soren stirred the little girl who was drooling on his shoulder and said, ¡°We¡¯re home!¡±


    As the two little ones stepped out of the car, Frances hastily removed her apron and rushed from Lenoir


    Manor. ¡°Young master, little princess!¡± She greeted.


    ¡°Come here, little princess, into my arms!¡±


    THE


    D


    13


    Sera, still half-asleep, didn¡¯t bother to determine whether Frances was a friend or foe. She nestled into


    Frances¡¯s arms and drifted back to sleep.


    Soren trailed behind Frances, hands sped behind his back, and cautioned, ¡°Auntie, be careful; Sera


    is very delicate!¡±


    Frances smiled warmly, ¡°Alright, I understand!¡±


    After carefullyying Sera on the pink princess bed in the children¡¯s room on the second floor, Frances


    turned around and smiled warmly at Soren, ¡°Young master, your bed is over there.¡±


    Frances approached, opening a screen in the middle of the room.


    Behind the screen unveiled a secret haven ¨C a navy blue gxy adorned with shimmering stars, a


    stark contrast to the pinkce world on the other side.


    His navy blue bed on a carpet dominated this cosmdscape, cradling his favorite Rubik¡¯s cube,


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    puzzles, and Transformers.


    The usually calm Soren could not contain his excitement as he rushed towards the navy blue haven.


    Frances smiled and dered, ¡°Young master, this will be you and the little princess¡¯s room from now


    on.¡±


    ¡°You can pull up the screen when you go to sleep.¡±


    Frances didn¡¯t miss the chance tomend Damien in front of the child, ¡°This was personally


    designed by your Dad, Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°He said that you are a caring person. He arranged it to ensure your little sister¡¯sfort so you can


    easily take care of her.¡±


    ¡°It seems he does have some fatherly instincts.¡±


    Soren pursed his lips, looked at the peacefully sleeping Sera, and criticized, ¡°He might be her father,


    but he still doesn¡¯t know her well.¡±


    Sera seemed immune to sleep troubles, effortlessly slipping into a peaceful slumber


    The two women shared this familial trait of quickly transitioning into a peaceful slumber


    Speaking of the two women.


    The little guy frowned, looked up at Frances, and asked, ¡°Whach room is Mommy in


    23


    ¡°Thedy is in the master bedroom.¡±


    Frances responded tactfully, ¡°But young master. I think it¡¯s best not to disturb her¡­¡±

 Chapter 692

    Chapter 692


    Chapter 692 Soren¡¯s Skills In The Kitchen


    ¡°I¡¯m going there!¡±


    The young boy pouted, took off his coat, grabbed his slippers from the suitcase, and headed to the


    master bedroom.


    The door to the master suite was left slightly ajar.


    He could see Damien¡¯s upright posture, the gentle way he held her hand, and the tender manner he


    tucked her in.


    After that, he sat there motionless, silently observing her serene sleep.


    There wasplete stillness, and the room was enveloped in an absolute hush.


    He was like a child captivated by their favorite toy.


    As Soren watched, a sense of calm gradually settled over him.


    It appeared that only genuine affection could elicit such stillness.


    However, watching Sera for an extended period would inevitably annoy.


    The woman on the bed slept soundly. Even through the closed door, Soren could discern his mother¡¯s


    steady breathing.


    The young boy shook his head.


    Dr. Shaw projected an image of stern professionalism to the outside world.


    Yet, within the family, she transformed into a more rxed and asionally disheveled version of


    herself.


    These were her quirks, yet also her vulnerabilities, exposed only in the presence of those


    closest to her.


    Did her heart already belong to Damien? She slept soundly in his


    presence.


    What was the saying?


    When it rains, it pours; what¡¯s a five-year-old to do when Mom remarries?


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, there was only one thing-


    The young boy took a deep breath and ttered down the stairs


    13


    Frances was preparing soup in the kitchen downstairs.


    ¡°Young master, why are you out here?¡±


    Frances was surprised by Soren¡¯s sudden appearance in the kitchen, urging him to return upstairs.


    Despite her protests, the little boy eagerly retrieved onions, ginger, and garlic from the fridge. and


    offered to help peel the garlic out of boredom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll peel the onions for you, and I have nothing else to do.¡± He insisted.


    Frances couldn¡¯t dissuade Soren, so she allowed the five-year-old to assist her with various tasks.


    To her surprise, Soren, as a five-year-old, was adept in the kitchen.


    His speed in peeling garlic was so fast that even the new servants couldn¡¯t keep up with him!


    Frances gradually became intrigued by his skills and asked, ¡°Who taught you all this?¡±


    ¡°I learned it myself.¡±


    Soren grinned, leaned towards Frances, and asked, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m really curious about life in the past five


    years. Can you tell me?¡±


    my


    dad¡¯s


    Seeing the child¡¯s maturity, Frances was surprised but dismissed any reservations and assumed that


    he genuinely sought to understand Damien.


    As a result, she opened up and shared intricate details about Damien with Soren.


    Soren asked about Rowena when he felt it was an appropriate time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know Ms. Mortis very well¡­¡±


    Frances shook her head and said, ¡°All I know is that Mr. Lenoir had a fire incident when he stayed at a


    hotel. Ms. Mortis rescued him.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Although Ms. Mortis saved Mr. Lenoir¡¯s life, I still don¡¯t like her.. and detest her sister,


    Urs, even more!¡±


    Her sister likes to show off her designer bags and bracelets on social media. Is all that money from Mr.


    Lenoir?¡±


    ¡°It was Urs who saved Mr. Lenon, not her.


    Soren nodded and subconsciously sniffed. Is something burning?¡±


    111


    Frustrated, Frances pped her forehead and yelped, ¡°My soup!¡±

 Chapter 693

    Chapter 693


    Chapter 693 You Deserve Better


    When Frances left, Soren discreetly took her phone, quickly found Urs¡¯s WhatsApp contact, and


    added her to his device.


    The young man scoffed at the woman named Urs on WhatsApp, ¡°Humph!¡±


    ¡°Sis!¡±


    Urs stormed into the hospital room and sat beside Rowena¡¯s bed. ¡°I warned you about Damien, but


    you didn¡¯t listen!¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now look at what¡¯s happened! He not only brought his ex-wife back but also brought in two children!¡±


    She angrily gestured at the floor and eximed, ¡°These two kids are already this tall!¡±


    ¡°Even if you marry him in the future, you¡¯ll be forced to y the role of a stepmother!¡±


    ¡°You should have married him three years ago and had two kids with him, then no one would have to


    y the stepmother!¡±


    ¡°Now, see what¡¯s happened!¡±


    As she spoke, a deep sense of unease held her rigid as Damien¡¯s icy demeanor shed. She drew a


    sharp breath and uttered, ¡°Sis, now that his ex-wife is back, he won¡¯t be as generous to us anymore.


    He will not finance your medical bills, let alone my education.¡±


    ¡°It feels like such a waste when I think about it!¡±


    ¡°Sis, remember those three years you couldn¡¯t walk because of him? Look at what he¡¯s doing


    now!¡±


    Despite Urs¡¯s barrage of words, Rowena smiled faintly, ¡°L, why are you saying such things?¡±


    It¡¯s good that Dame can reconcile with his ex-wife.¡±


    ¡°I willingly saved him; demanding excessivepensation is unfair.¡±


    Rowena looked reproachfully at Urs and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything reckless, did you?¡±


    Rowena¡¯s gentle scrutiny weighed in Urs¡¯s eyes were anxious, and she spat. I didn¡¯t


    From how you¡¯re acting, seems like you¡¯ve done something


    Rowena quavered, ¡°What did you do? Tell me the truth.¡±


    Urs sat back, her body tense, her voice low. ¡°I followed him to the private room at New World


    Restaurant. I confronted him in front of his ex-wife and children.¡±


    She quickly defended herself and added, ¡°I did all this for you!¡±


    ¡°You just had an emergency operation a few days ago!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t visit you when he arrived but chose to have dinner with his ex-wife. This is an insult to


    everything you¡¯ve done for him, Rowena. You deserve better.¡±


    Rowena¡¯s anger escted as she spoke, and a wave of scalding heat ran through her. She clenched


    her fists tightly and raged, ¡°I caused a scene in the private room because I couldn¡¯t stand the injustice


    for you!¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    Rowena sighed faintly, ¡°When will you change this temper of yours?¡±


    ¡°Go and get the doctor to schedule another round of rehabilitation for me,¡± she urged Urs with a


    reproachful gaze.


    Urs frowned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The doctor said that I could walk with crutches after another round of rehabilitation.¡±


    The woman closed her eyes and continued, ¡°I need to regain my mobility as soon as possible and then


    talk to Dame¡¯s ex-wife.¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes lit up, and she smirked, ¡°To rify things with her, so she¡¯ll back off?¡±


    ¡°No, to apologize to her for having an impulsive sister.¡±


    Urs¡¯s heart dropped.


    ¡°Sis, I didn¡¯t embarrass you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made a fool of us and have no say in this.¡±


    The woman sighed, ¡°Go quickly,¡±


    Following yesterday¡¯s incident, Cherise felt apprehensive about going out with Damien Additionally, the


    cluidren needed time to adjust to their new surroundings.


    22

 Chapter 694

    Chapter 694


    Chapter 694 A Job At The Adania Medical Research Institute.


    Cherise and Damien decided to postpone their nned outing until the following week after the incident


    that urred yesterday.


    Damien would be upied with his business matters, while Cherise would be fully


    engrossed in her new job. Their children also expressed the need for some time to adjust to their new


    surroundings.


    On the second day in Adania, Cherise reached out to the doctor rmended by the director of


    Lermille Hospital.


    ¡°Are you Dr. Shaw?¡± she asked.


    The doctor on the other end responded eagerly, ¡°You¡¯ve finally contacted us!¡±


    We represent the Adania Medical Research Institute. We were thrilled when Dr. Keeples rmended


    you. We didn¡¯t expect you to reach out to us!¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and stammered, ¡°You mean¡­ your institute is in Adania?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed!¡±


    The doctor on the other end of the line responded amiably, ¡°Dr. Shaw, would you avable for an


    interview?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re out of town, we can certainly wait¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    Cherise hummed with excitement, ¡°I can make it this afternoon.¡±


    Cherise arrived promptly at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    be


    The institute¡¯s director, Dr. Penn, warmly greeted her, ¡°Dr. Shaw, Dr. Keeples has spoken highly of your


    aplishments and experience in the medical field¡­¡±


    ¡°Today, we have invited you here to familiarize yourself with our institute. If you have no objections, we


    can proceed with finalizing the contract,¡± Dr. Penn stated, catching Cherise off guard momentarily.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She was visibly excited butposed and asserted, ¡°You should review my records before making a


    decision to hire me.¡±


    13


    ¡°I am not a conventional doctor; my past may potentially causeplications in the future.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I understand!¡±


    Dr. Penn smiled gently, ¡°I¡¯m not concerned.¡±


    ¡°All I know is that Dr. Shaw¡¯s contributions to the medical field far surpass those of her peers, and that¡¯s


    what I value.¡±


    ¡°As for the past you mentioned, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s true; hence, it doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Cherise was initially taken aback, but eventually, she was persuaded by Dr. Penn and signed


    the contract.


    Finding a boss who appreciates and understands you is even rarer in a world where good job


    opportunities are scarce.


    Cherise felt this opportunity was too good to pass up, so she signed the contract.


    ¡°Dr. Penn.¡±


    The secretary rushed over as Cherise left, impressed, and eximed, ¡°You did an amazing job


    convincing her with just a few words!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform Mr. Lenoir right away! Our institute¡¯s funding will undoubtedly double next year!¡±


    Dr. Penn nodded and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°But Dr. Penn.¡±


    The secretary nced at Cherise again and fretted, ¡°A woman with no skills and a questionable


    history¡­¡±


    ¡°You went all out for the funding¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Dr. Penn red at the secretary and barked, ¡°If she¡¯s ipetent, then you are useless!¡±


    ¡°Go and assess her aplishments instead of daydreaming here!¡±


    Feeling chastised and confused, the secretary asked, ¡°If she ispetent and capable, why did Mr.


    Lenoir have to go to such lengths to rmend her to us?¡±


    Dr. Penn responded nonchntly, ¡°Maybe because our institute is closer to Mr. Lenoir s residence¡­¡±


    23


    As Cherise was about to hail a taxi to leave the institute, a red Porsche pulled up beside her.


    Urs¡¯s haughty face emerged from the car. ¡°Cherise Shaw, right?¡±


    33

 Chapter 695 The Meetup

    Chapter 695 The Meetup


    "Follow me; my sister wants to meet you."


    Cherise hesitated.


    She vividly remembered a girl named Urs.


    Urs''s memorable entrance into the private dining room was bold and domineering, leaving asting


    impression on Cherise and her children, who had dined there the previous day. Even their brief


    encounter at the airport had left asting impression on Cherise. Urs''s audacious behavior had


    undoubtedly made an impact.


    She looked up casually. Her clear eyes met Urs from the red Porsche and asked, "Who is your


    sister?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Urs scoffed, "You don''t know?"


    Cherise nodded, "No, I don''t."


    "Heh."


    Urs chuckled and spat, "My sister is the one who saved your ex-husband Damien''s life!"


    "If it weren''t for my sister risking her life for him, you wouldn''t have had the chance to see Damien now,


    let alone rekindle your past rtionship with him."


    Cherise hummed softly, "I see."


    "Very well, tell your sister I have no desire to meet her."


    She gracefully picked up her handbag and turned to leave.


    Urs''s eyes widened in surprise, and a slow fury consumed her.


    She quickly drove after her and yelled, "Cherise!"


    She honked incessantly and continued, "I told you, my sister is Damien''s savior. She wants to meet you


    now!"


    "But I have no desire to meet her."


    Cherise looked ahead and nonchntly strode forward.


    Her serene andposed face caught the sunbeam.


    Dressed in simple white without makeup, Cherise''s astuteness outshone Urs''s striking appearance


    andposed demeanor, exuding a subtle brilliance.


    Urs appeared visibly frustrated from a distance, but Cherise remainedposed, creating a clear


    contrast between the two.


    "Why don''t you want to meet my sister?"


    Urs was infuriated by Cherise''s calm demeanor, which seemed unperturbed by everything.


    She had always been pampered by her sister ever since she was young.


    After her sister rescued Damien, both sisters found refuge under Damien''s care, securing Urs''s


    untouchable life.


    Besides Damien and the loyal ke, no one dared to confront Urs in such a manner.


    "Why should I meet your sister?"


    Cherise raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "She is Damien''s savior, not mine."


    "Manipting the Lenoir family with the card of saving Damien''s life might work, but that won''t work


    with me."


    After uttering those words, she looked at Urs sternly as if addressing a fool. "As a doctor, I have


    saved more lives than your sister, and I have never epted any gratitude from my patients," she


    remarked.


    "Compared to your years of dependency on Damien, I consider my principles far more noble."


    The fuming redness from Urs''s face faded. Cherise smirked, turned around, and continued, "Young


    demands."


    "And really, what does your sister''s heroic act have to do with you?"


    The wind gushed and swiftly carried Cherise''s words away.


    Yet, they pierced Urs''s heart like heavy hammers.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Cherise agreed to start working the next day at Dr. Penn''s request. This led to postponing the n to


    take the children back to the Shaw family vige.


    Upon hearing that Cherise had returned with the children, Elvis warmly weed Sarah to Adania.


    Cherise nned to meet them outside, but Sera felt unwell, so Cherise weed them at Lenoir


    Manor.

 Hapter 696

    Hapter 696


    Chapter 696 The Guest


    ¡°So, this must be Auntie.¡±


    Soren and Sera affectionately clung to Elvis, persistently requesting stories from Cherise¡¯s childhood.


    Elvis held Sera in his arms and took Soren by the hand. He told them stories about Cherise¡¯s joyful


    childhood in the countryside, which he knew well.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw hasn¡¯t changed and hasn¡¯t aged a bit.¡±


    In the kitchen, Cherise, immersed in preparing dinner, couldn¡¯t help but interject.


    ¡°Really? Can¡¯t you see how much I¡¯ve aged?¡±


    Sarah chuckled as she sorted vegetables, ¡°Cherise, why don¡¯t you consider staying longer?¡±


    Cherise paused in her vegetable preparation; her hand lingered under the water. ¡°I¡¯m still unsure.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s holding you back?¡±


    Sarah nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, and your child is already grown. Stop


    hesitating.¡±


    ¡°Dame has been a good boy, taking excellent care of us over the years because of you. He¡¯s been


    searching for you for five long years¡­.¡±


    H


    ¡°Sometimes, he visits the house and spends the entire day in your room.¡±


    ¡°He spends a day immersed in your diary, another lost in the pages of your childhood photo album¡­¡±


    Sarah still vividly remembered what Damien was like back then.


    ¡°Even as the esteemed Mr. Lenoir, juggling numerous responsibilities, he manages to find time to


    revisit the countryside, immersing himself in the remnants of your past.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s hand, holding vegetables, paused. Her voice was hoarse, and she croaked, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Sarah sighed, ¡°Aunt Wanda wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    ¡°I once asked Dame why he would aimlessly sit in your room. Do you know what he said?¡±


    ¡°He said that with your prolonged absence, he might forget your face and scent, like many who lose the


    image of a loved one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he spends time looking at your photos and exploring your belongings, ensuring that he can


    recognize you instantly if hees across you in a crowd someday.¡±


    Sarah gazed into the distance, her white hair catching the light. ¡°You should appreciate a man who


    treats you well, Cherise, she remarked, reminiscing.


    3 know he¡¯s busy, sometimes, while sitting in your room, a long queue of employees is waiting outside


    to


    Chapter 696 The Guest


    report to him.¡±


    +15 Free ComS


    However, nobody dares to disturb him. Instead, they wait patiently for him to return to reality and leave-


    the room. Only after that do the employees approach him with official matters.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, visualizing the scene as she listened to Sarah¡¯s words.


    ¡°L¡­¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, ced the washed vegetables into the basin, and stated, ¡°I know he cares


    for me, and I know I¡¯m still in his heart.¡±


    ¡°But, Aunt Wanda, some things are not that simple.¡±


    Having shared her sentiments, Cherise smiled wryly and added, ¡°But, I believe challenges can be


    ovee.¡±


    Before they could finish their conversation, the doorbell rang outside the vi.


    Frances hurried to answer the door.


    Cherise heard Frances scream as the door swung open, ¡°Ms. Rowena Mortis? What brings you here?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. Was Rowena here?


    ¡°Why can¡¯t wee in?¡±


    Amanding and formidable voice echoed from the door, ¡°Where¡¯s Cherise?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t apany me to the hospital to visit my sister, so I brought my sister here to see her. Is


    that right?¡±


    ¡°L.¡±


    Following Urs¡¯s words, a gentle voice softly admonished, ¡°Behave yourself.¡±

 Hapter 696Chapter 696

    Hapter 696Chapter 696


    Chapter 696 The Guest


    ¡°So, this must be Auntie.¡±


    Soren and Sera affectionately clung to Elvis, persistently requesting stories from Cherise¡¯s childhood.


    Elvis held Sera in his arms and took Soren by the hand. He told them stories about Cherise¡¯s joyful


    childhood in the countryside, which he knew well.


    ¡°Uncle Shaw hasn¡¯t changed and hasn¡¯t aged a bit.¡±


    In the kitchen, Cherise, immersed in preparing dinner, couldn¡¯t help but interject.


    ¡°Really? Can¡¯t you see how much I¡¯ve aged?¡±


    Sarah chuckled as she sorted vegetables, ¡°Cherise, why don¡¯t you consider staying longer?¡±


    Cherise paused in her vegetable preparation; her hand lingered under the water. ¡°I¡¯m still unsure.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s holding you back?¡±


    Sarah nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, and your child is already grown. Stop


    hesitating.¡±


    ¡°Dame has been a good boy, taking excellent care of us over the years because of you. He¡¯s been


    searching for you for five long years¡­.¡±


    H


    ¡°Sometimes, he visits the house and spends the entire day in your room.¡±


    ¡°He spends a day immersed in your diary, another lost in the pages of your childhood photo album¡­¡±


    Sarah still vividly remembered what Damien was like back then.


    ¡°Even as the esteemed Mr. Lenoir, juggling numerous responsibilities, he manages to find time to


    revisit the countryside, immersing himself in the remnants of your past.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand, holding vegetables, paused. Her voice was hoarse, and she croaked, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Sarah sighed, ¡°Aunt Wanda wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    ¡°I once asked Dame why he would aimlessly sit in your room. Do you know what he said?¡±


    ¡°He said that with your prolonged absence, he might forget your face and scent, like many who lose the


    image of a loved one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he spends time looking at your photos and exploring your belongings, ensuring that he can


    recognize you instantly if hees across you in a crowd someday.¡±


    Sarah gazed into the distance, her white hair catching the light. ¡°You should appreciate a man who


    treats you well, Cherise, she remarked, reminiscing.


    3 know he¡¯s busy, sometimes, while sitting in your room, a long queue of employees is waiting outside


    to


    Chapter 696 The Guest


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    report to him.¡±


    +15 Free ComS


    However, nobody dares to disturb him. Instead, they wait patiently for him to return to reality and leave-


    the room. Only after that do the employees approach him with official matters.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, visualizing the scene as she listened to Sarah¡¯s words.


    ¡°L¡­¡±


    Cherise took a deep breath, ced the washed vegetables into the basin, and stated, ¡°I know he cares


    for me, and I know I¡¯m still in his heart.¡±


    ¡°But, Aunt Wanda, some things are not that simple.¡±


    Having shared her sentiments, Cherise smiled wryly and added, ¡°But, I believe challenges can be


    ovee.¡±


    Before they could finish their conversation, the doorbell rang outside the vi.


    Frances hurried to answer the door.


    Cherise heard Frances scream as the door swung open, ¡°Ms. Rowena Mortis? What brings you here?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows. Was Rowena here?


    ¡°Why can¡¯t wee in?¡±


    Amanding and formidable voice echoed from the door, ¡°Where¡¯s Cherise?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t apany me to the hospital to visit my sister, so I brought my sister here to see her. Is


    that right?¡±


    ¡°L.¡±


    Following Urs¡¯s words, a gentle voice softly admonished, ¡°Behave yourself.¡±

 Chapter 697 The Beauty

    Chapter 697 The Beauty


    After uttering those words, she turned her attention to Frances and asked, "Is Ms. Shaw here? I''ve


    "Um..."


    Frances was in a difficult position.


    Since Mrs. Shaw''s Uncle Shaw and Aunt Wanda were visiting today, it was somewhat inconvenient to


    wee Urs and Rowena.


    However¡­


    "I''m here," Cherise said confidently.


    Frances was taken aback. She observed Cherise as she calmly removed her apron and approached


    them. "You must be Rowena, right?" She asked politely.


    Raising her eyebrows, she coolly assessed the woman in front of her.


    The woman sat in a wheelchair, with casts on her feet visible under a thin nket.


    She wore a striped hospital gown and appeared fragile, with delicate features and a paleplexion.


    Despite this, her eyes emanated a softness that evokedpassion and vulnerability.


    In contrast to her sister, Rowena appeared more ordinary.


    Cherise watched Rowena while also being observed by her.


    Cherise appearedposed and refined, with a touch of aloofness. Yet, her face was as delicate as a


    porcin doll''s.


    This intriguing contrast emphasized her extraordinary charm and beauty.


    Rowena pressed her lips together and asked, "You must be Ms. Shaw, right?"


    "You look so young and stunning; it''s hard to believe you''re a mother of two."


    Cherise greeted them with a gentle smile and signaled Frances to let them through. "ording to Ms.


    Mortis," she chuckled softly, "I don''t quite fit the mold of a mother of two."


    "So, in your opinion, how should a mother of two look? Tired and aged?"


    "Have I failed to meet your expectations?"


    Rowena was taken aback; her face turned pale, and she stuttered, "Ms. Shaw, I didn''t mean that; I..."


    "Rx, I was just teasing you."


    She offered Rowena aforting smile and giggled, "After all, your sister is quite the joker herself."


    "I assumed Ms. Mortis could appreciate a joke, but it seems..."


    Cherise briefly nced at Rowena and considered, "Coincidentally, we have guests for dinner tonight.


    You''re wee to join if you two are interested."


    Urs rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Who would want to dine in this ce?"


    Urs gave a cold look to Elvis, who waszily sitting on the couch, and to Sarah, an elderlydy with


    white hair standing behind Cherise. "You used me of making unreasonable requests just because


    my sister saved Damien''s life."


    "In the end, you returned only to bring along your poor rtives for a free meal?"


    The term "poor rtives" struck a chord with Sarah.


    She pursed her lips, quickly removed her apron, and muttered, "Cherry, Uncle Shaw, and I should


    probably leave."


    "If you have guests here..."


    "You are the guests. Where are you going?"


    Cherise smiled, grabbed Sarah''s hand, and insisted, "I''ve insisted you stay tonight. Let''s see who dares


    to challenge."


    Feeling uncertain, Sarah put on her apron and busied herself in the kitchen.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Cherise sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and smiled faintly like a poised hostess.


    Elvis grunted and promptly escorted the two children away.


    Cherise and the Mortis sisters were left alone in the living room.


    "L, watch yournguage."


    Rowena pressed her lips together, helplessly looked at Cherise, and began earnestly, "Ms. Shaw, I


    apologize for my sister''s rude words. She''s been spoiled since she was young and often speaks


    without considering the consequences. Please don''t take it to heart."


    "And what if I do?"


    Cherise greeted Rowena with a cold smile and warned, "If your sister continues to misbehave, she may


    face consequences beyond my disciplinary measures."

 Chapter 698 The Slap

    Chapter 698 The p


    "I can do it too."


    Rowena''s face turned pale.


    She pressed her lips together and said, "Please don''t take it personally, Ms. Shaw..."


    "I admit that as an older sister, I have been neglectful. Over the past few years, I''ve been busy with


    treatments and constantly in the hospital. I haven''t dedicated much time to taking care of her."


    "Despite seeking Dame''s help in her care, he''s consistently busy. L, the sister of the man who saved


    his life, has never faced strictness; instead, she''s been spoiled¡­"


    Rowena avoided eye contact and spoke softly about her inability to discipline Urs. However, she


    hinted at being instrumental in saving Damien''s life and emphasized his exceptional kindness towards


    her and Urs. She also mentioned the severe injuries she sustained while rescuing Damien.


    Cherise had grown tired of hearing such statements.


    During her years in the hospital, she had heard more than enough of these covert remarks.


    She offered a faint smile, her hands tucked into her pockets, and murmured, "Indeed."


    "I trust, Rowena, that you won''t dwell on matters beyond your control in the future. Your main


    responsibility should be guiding your sister."


    Rowena''s face hardened and turned pale.


    She probably didn''t expect Damien''s ex-wife to respond with distress or anger to her words. Instead,


    she was being sarcastic?


    "What do you mean?"


    Urs lunged forward, aggressively pointing a finger at Cherise''s face, and seethed, "Who do you think


    you are to pass judgment on me?"


    "I know better than anyone how my sister treats me!"


    "You said it''s about my behavior, but in truth, you''re attacking my sister!"


    Cherise shrugged nonchntly, retrieved her phone, and dialed a number, "ke,e now."


    A young man in dark blue attire descended from the railing on the second floor.


    He straightened his clothes and swiftly made his way to Cherise.


    Cherise looked at Urs stoically, "Ms. Mortis, has anyone ever told you that pointing your finger at


    someone''s face is rude?"


    Urs was taken aback and stammered, "I..."


    As Cherise''s intense gaze weighed on her, Rowena, seated in her wheelchair, promptly interjected,


    "Ms. Shaw is indeed correct."


    "I will ensure that L is guided appropriately in the future."


    "I''m truly sorry..."


    "There''s no need for apologies."


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Cherise sipped her tea and casually asked Rowena, "How about I help you with your sister since ke


    has some free time, and I''m feeling generous today?"


    With a chilling sparkle in her eyes, shemanded, "ke, teach her a lesson!"


    "Yes!"


    In response, the young man promptly positioned himself in front of Urs.


    ''Smack¡ª¡ª''


    ke, a man of brute force, left a scorching mark on Urs''s face with a single, powerful p.


    "Sister¡ª¡ª!!!"


    Urs''s heart-wrenching sobs filled the air, and she copsed into Rowena''s arms.


    Cherise looked disapprovingly at ke and said, "You hit her too hard."


    She had initially intended for ke to p her a few more times as a lesson.


    But now?


    This brutal man inflicted the force of five ps in just one blow.


    How could he have continued to hit her?


    If he had persisted, the consequences could have been severe, even lethal!


    ke muttered innocently, "You didn''t ask me to be gentle."


    Cherise was speechless.


    "When interacting physically with a girl, it is important to be gentle and respectful. This is a basic rule of


    etiquette that should never be ignored."

 Chapter 699 Blake The Monkey

    Chapter 699 ke The Monkey


    "Haven''t you been taught anymon courtesy and chivalry by Dame?" Cherise asked, surprised by


    ke''sck of understanding.


    ke shook his head earnestly. "Dame never taught me these things because he spends all his time


    missing you and thinking about you only."


    Cherise was left speechless by the unexpected revtion.


    She noticed that as ke mentioned Damien''s affection and preupation with her, Rowena subtly


    stiffened, a flicker of emotion crossing her face.


    With a resigned sigh, Cherise waved at ke. "You should go upstairs first. Take a moment to calm


    down, and remember to always be gentle with girls in the future."


    ke nodded solemnly, then sprang up with impressive agility, grabbing the rope hanging from the


    second-floor railing and swiftly ascending.


    Cherise watched him go with a resigned smile. Such a mischievous little monkey!


    Meanwhile, Urs continued to sob uncontrobly in Rowena''s arms, her cries increasing in volume


    and bing increasingly disruptive.


    Cherise was on the verge of reaching into her bag for earplugs. Even if she shielded her ears from the


    noise, Aunt Sarah in the kitchen would still be disturbed, wouldn''t she?


    Finally, sighing softly, Cherise spoke gently but firmly. "Are you aware that your sister is still unwell? If


    you keep wailing like this, it might send her back to the emergency room in no time."


    Urs''s sobs finally subsided at Cherise''s words. She whimpered in Rowena''s arms, "Sis, she had the


    boy attack me!"


    Rowena, her brow furrowed, turned to Cherise with a look of disapproval. "Ms. Shaw, my sister was


    merely pointing at your nose. Was it really necessary for you to instruct ke to handle her so


    roughly?"


    Cherise met her gaze unwaveringly. "I believe I made my point clear, Ms. Mortis. If you don''t discipline


    her, I will."


    A smile emerged on Cherise''s face, but it failed to reach her eyes. "Speaking of which, Ms. Mortis,


    what brings you to my home at this unexpected hour? Can I offer you any assistance?"


    Rowena''s lips pursed, and a hint of defiance flickered in her eyes. "Actually, I came to apologize. I


    understand my sister has been behaving poorly, trying to match me with Dame, which may have led


    to...misunderstandings."


    She paused, sniffing as if making a difficult decision. "I also wanted to rify that there''s nothing


    romantic between Dame and me. Everything L imed is entirely unfounded, and I implore you not


    to believe her words."


    Before Rowena could finish, Urs, who had momentarily forgotten her tears, sprang to her feet.


    "What utter nonsense, Weena! How can you im there is nothing between you and Damien? If your


    feelings are not mutual, why did he treat you with such affection? Fireworks for your birthday? And


    have you forgotten his vow to take care of you forever? You dare deny it?"


    Rowena averted her gaze, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Dame was... simply trying to lift my


    spirits. I was feeling down at the time due to my illness and inability to walk. He... he was trying to


    cheer me up and nothing more."


    Cherise''s patience began to wear thin, and she frowned. "While I appreciate your visit and attempt to


    exin, Ms. Mortis, I have pressing matters to attend to. Please excuse me, as I am unable to see you


    out."


    With that, she rose and walked towards the kitchen, confident she had made her point.


    However, as she reached the doorway, a faint voice stopped her.


    Turning, Cherise saw Rowena standing, desperation welling in her eyes, and whispered," Ms. Shaw,


    I¡­ I believe you may have lingering misunderstandings about me. Uh¡­ Did you not just invite me to


    stay for dinner?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 700 Sarahs Compassion

    Chapter 700 Sarah''s Compassion


    "May... may I stay?" Urs echoed behind her, her voice fragile with hope and sadness.


    Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Urs''s cries, though muffled by the walls, had reached Sarah''s ears. She


    saw the tear-streaked face and heard the frail voice of Rowena. Sarah''s impression of Urs wasn''t


    favorable, but the girl in the wheelchair tugged at her heartstrings. Compassion stirred within her.


    Biting her lip, Sarah tugged at Cherise''s sleeve and said, "She seems pitiful. Why don''t we let them


    stay for dinner? We have plenty of food; it''s no big deal."


    Cherise pondered for a moment. Knowing Sarah''s kindness and the time it would take to exin,


    Cherise agreed to let them stay and observe their actions further. However, she didn''t feel like


    continuing the conversation.


    "Aunt Sarah, since you offered, why don''t you tell them?"


    "Ah, alright!" Sarah cheerfully walked out of the kitchen.


    Cherise heard Sarah''s warm voice from the kitchen, "Girls, Cherry agrees! Let''s have dinner at home


    tonight! The more, the merrier, wouldn''t you say?"


    "Thank you, Ma''am," Rowena replied gently. "We can''t just eat and do nothing. Can L help? She


    may be clumsy, but she can assist with peeling potatoes or something."


    "Alright, youngdy, follow me to the kitchen..."


    Cherise stood in the kitchen, listening to Sarah''s voice, a smile on her lips. Her thoughts drifted back to


    her childhood in Shaw''s vige, where Sarah had always been kind and genuine to the vigers.


    This false impression had led Cherise to believe the world was kind. Sometimes, she envied Sarah,


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    who, living in the mountains, had never witnessed the darker sides of humanity.


    A frustrated sigh escaped Cherise''s lips as she came to her senses and found Urs beside her at the


    sink, clumsily peeling potatoes. After watching for a moment, Urs finally noticed Cherise''s gaze and


    blurted out, "What are you looking at?"


    Despite Cherise''s initial doubts, Urs''s expertise was evident. After a beat of silent observation, she


    remarked, "You seem to have weathered your fair share of storms, haven''t you?"


    Urs rolled her eyes, a fleeting vulnerability in her gaze. "Of course I have," she conceded, her voice


    softer than usual. "Six years ago, our parents died in a car ident, leaving us with nothing. Weena


    and I had no choice but to live in a slum after that."


    With a dismissive snort, she tossed the peeled potatoes into the kitchen. "You wouldn''t understand how


    difficult it was for Rowena and me back then."


    Cherise offered a slight nod. "I can imagine. Otherwise, your attitude wouldn''t be so... ostentatious.


    Just three years ago, you were living in poverty, and now you find it eptable to mock Uncle Shaw


    and Aunt Sarah as country bumpkins."


    Cherise sighed softly. "It seems Dame is indeed quite invested in your well-being. From two sisters


    living in a slum to enjoying a life of luxury and driving a Porsche, Dame is certainly generous to his


    lifesavers."

 Chapter 701 Unveiling The Truth

    Chapter 701 Unveiling The Truth


    "Damien is quite a catch, isn''t he? He was the heir to the Lenoir empire, with seemingly endless wealth


    and power at his disposal. If I were in your sister''s shoes, I wouldn''t let such an opportunity slip away


    either. Marriage certainly seems like the most logical course of action, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Cherise''s eyes sparkled with amusement, but her smile sent a chilling vibe, causing Urs to


    instinctively recoil.


    Urs stammered, her face turning crimson, and retorted, "You... what nonsense is this?! Weena is not


    the woman you im her to be; she''s definitely not some gold-digging opportunist! When she rescued


    Damien, she had no knowledge of his wealth or position. If it weren''t for his public plea to find the girl


    who saved him, she would have never sought any recognition orpensation!"


    Urs paused before dering indignantly, her voice filled with righteous anger, "And who are you to


    use my sister with such audacity? Three years ago, Damien was trapped in a fire. My sister,


    Weena, bravely risked her own life to save him. Her feet were severely burned in the process, and she


    still struggles to walk today. This is a debt Damien undeniably owes her!"


    This was Urs''s default counterargument, a defense mechanism honed to deflect criticism towards


    her sister. However, this time, its impact on Cherise was far more profound than intended. While


    Cherise was aware that Rowena had saved Damien, she didn''t know that she was the one who had


    rescued him from the fire.


    Despite their five-year estrangement, Cherise still held a flicker of affection for Damien. She had


    entrusted Zachary with keeping her informed about his life. From his reports, Cherise understood that


    the only major incident involving Damien was the fire three years ago. Yet, the one who pulled him from


    the mes was not Rowena but Cherise herself.


    The fire-resistant scrapbook, a tangible symbol of their enduring bond, had been rescued from the


    mes, only to be a painful reminder of their past.


    Cherise had inadvertently grabbed the scrapbook in the urgency of saving Damien, unaware of the


    potential danger. It was only after Damien''s ambnce had departed that she realized the severity of


    the burns on her right hand.


    This secret she had closely guarded for years, for in the eyes of the world, Damien was her enemy. But


    only Cherise knew that he would forever remain her beloved deep within her heart.


    Tucked away in the hidden corners of her studyy a metal scrapbook, its weathered surface a


    testament to the passage of time.


    In the quietest hours of the night, when sleep eluded her, Cherise would reach for it. It was a portal to a


    past filled with sharedughter and whispered secrets.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    In hindsight, she realized that she and Damien had a deeper connection than she had ever


    acknowledged. He took pleasure in exploring Shaw Vige, her hometown, flipping through her photo


    albums and diaries, trying to etch every smile and moment of hers in his mind and heart. And she, in


    turn, found sce in those scrapbooks, clinging to the joy andughter they had once shared.


    Suddenly, Urs''s voice broke the silence, its smugness unmistakable in her remark, "Humph! Are you


    mesmerized? Impressed by my sister''s heroic actions, huh?"


    She interpreted Cherise''s contemtive gaze as admiration for Rowena''s bravery and continued,


    "Damien was a guest at the hotel where Weena worked when the fire broke out. Unaware of his


    identity, she selflessly rushed into the ze to save him. Her heroic act deserves all thefort and


    material rewards she has received."


    Urs''s words sharply contrasted with the cherished memories Cherise held.


    Cherise replied with a measured smile, concealing the storm brewing within her. "I see. Your sister is


    truly selfless andpassionate."


    Selfless andpassionate enough to im credit for someone else''s deeds, to revel in Damien''s


    gratitude, and to ept hispensation without a burdened conscience.

 Chapter 702 Cherise Harnessing Her Power

    Chapter 702 Cherise Harnessing Her Power


    "Tell me about it," Urs replied, oblivious to the sarcasmced in Cherise''s words.


    "So, my advice is: back off. Damien and my sister have a bond that surpasses time, a connection you


    could never replicate. Even if you reconcile, jealousy will poison your rtionship, leading to constant


    conflict. So, why subject yourself to such misery? Wouldn''t it be easier for everyone if you just let them


    be?"


    Unaware of the sting, Urs pressed on, "Speaking of which, I heard that Damien never even bought


    you a house or a car during your time together, right? How fortunate for my sister and me! He bought


    her a house three years ago, and I just received a brand-new car this year!"


    Urs''s gloating peaked as she dered, "I think it''s pretty clear who Damien truly values, right?"


    Cherise smiled back, "Confidence is certainly admirable. However, I believe you''ve misunderstood. Not


    everyone is as desperate andcking self-respect as you and your sister."


    Urs''s smug grin faltered. "¡­ What did you say?" she demanded, her voice rising. "Say that again!"


    Unfazed, Cherise maintained her gentle smile. "I believe I have made myself perfectly clear. I have no


    need for Damien to buy me a house or a car. If I desired such things, my parents could easily provide


    them, but I declined their offers."


    "Everything I had beforeing here, the house in Lermille, the car, I built it all myself," Cherise


    dered, her voice resonating with confidence. "A woman of substance doesn''t rely on her parents or a


    man. She earns her own way, and that''s where true self-respect and confidence are born."


    She continued, her gaze unwavering, "Especially not from a stranger, someone whose kindness is


    motivated by mere gratitude."


    "In my eyes," she dered, her voice now icy, "you and your sister, Rowena, are nothing more than


    parasites, invertebrates clinging to others for survival."


    Urs, who had been reveling in the glory of Rowena''s aplishments, bristled like a cornered


    animal. "You!" she spat, dropping whatever she held and lunging at Cherise. "How dare you speak of


    my sister and me in such a way! Even Damien wouldn''t stoop so low!"


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise''s lips curled into a mocking smirk as she effortlessly evaded Urs''s attack, "Damien, bless


    his sentimental heart, would never utter such harsh truths about his ''savior,''" she said, her voice


    dripping with disdain. "But I do."


    Dodging Urs''s next wild lunge with the grace of a matador, Cherise continued, "And let''s be perfectly


    clear, you and your sister, Rowena, are beneath my contempt. You''re mere specks in my eyes,


    unworthy of my attention. Have I made myself sufficiently clear?"


    Cherise''s voice rang with authority.


    "You¡ª!"


    Ursunched a series of futile attacks, each effortlessly countered by Cherise. Frustrated and


    flustered, Urs could only point childishly at Cherise''s nose while spewing insults. "How dare you


    speak to me and my sister like that!" she raged.


    "You pretend to be so high and mighty, so pure and untouched. You boast about owning your own car


    and house, yet here you are, living off Damien''s wealth! Exin yourself!"


    She pressed, "This is Damien''s property. And those two country bumpkins clearly are your


    impoverished rtives you''ve dragged along, aren''t they? Then, you''re just another leech, using


    Damien''s possessions to support your impoverished family!"


    Cherise sneered. "Ms. Urs, my advice for you is to spend less time throwing tantrums and more time


    expanding your knowledge base before you even try to bark at me."

 Chapter 703

    Chapter 703


    Chapter 703 A New Discovery About Cherise.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Three years with Damien, yet you haven¡¯t even scratched the surface. If you had done your due


    diligence, you would know that he is not only the heir to Lenoir Group, but he is also currently


    managing Shaw Group. Just so you know, Shaw Group¡¯s sess in Adania is second only to Lenoir


    Group itself.¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. ¡°Shaw Group¡­¡± she muttered, the name


    echoing in the room.


    Although she had been aware of Damien¡¯s control over Shaw Group, realizing its significance hit her


    like sudden shock. She vaguely recalled past discussions with Rowena, specting about the origin of


    the name ¡°Shaw.¡± At the time, unaware of Cherise¡¯s existence, they had naively assumed it was


    Damien¡¯s mother¡¯s maiden name.


    Returning to the present, with Cherise standing before her, her words resonated with a newfound


    rity. The ¡®Shaw¡¯ in Shaw Group¡­ it was Cherise¡¯s ¡®Shaw?


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Cherise confirmed, a faint smile ying on her lips as she observed Urs¡¯s dawning


    understanding. ¡°Not only am I the chairwoman of Shaw Group, which falls under Damien¡¯s control, but I


    also own a quarter of his assets. Additionally, my children are Damien¡¯s legitimate children, entitled to


    their share of his wealth.¡±


    ¡°So, legally, if anything were to happen to Damien, as he remains unmarried, all his assets will be


    inherited by my children.¡±


    With this, the woman nced at Urs with a subtle smile. ¡°The children I brought here reside in a


    house where I own over a quarter of the shares. They have every right to utilize its amenities and


    resources; what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Urs, I would advise you to pray for Damien¡¯s continued well-being. If anything were to happen


    to him, everything you possess will rightfully be my children¡¯s inheritance. By then, forget about


    cars and houses; I won¡¯t even spare a dime for your Hospital bills.¡±


    ¡°You-!¡± Urs gritted her teeth, ready to retort, but her eyes caught on the man leaning against the


    entrance pir. She fell silent abruptly.


    Biting her lip, she took a deep breath. While Cherise remained oblivious to Damien¡¯s presence, Urs


    hastily tried to twist her words. ¡°So, Ms. Shaw, you¡¯re quite eager for something to happen to Damien,


    aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Cherise replied with a faint smile. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be interesting if he encountered a minor


    setback, nothing too serious, just enough for me to swoop in and save the day? Then, I could finally


    live a life of carefree bliss, just like Ms. Rowena, with someone catering to my every whim, even my


    sister¡¯s. I could be as audacious and demanding as I pleased.¡±


    She looked at Urs, her smile a mixture of seven parts mockery and three parts disdain. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that


    sound appealing?¡±


    Urs¡¯s face turned ashen. She quickly clenched her teeth and turned to Damien in the distance. ¡°Mr.


    Lenoir¡­ I¡­ Rowena is not that kind of person¡­. She wouldn¡¯t even dream of such things¡­¡±


    Her frantic eyes and voice caused Cherise to furrow her brow and instinctively nce back.


    |||


    r


    1/2


    In the distance, a man in a sleek ck suit stood gracefully, leaning against a carved pir with one


    hand, fait smile ying on his lips.


    Seeing Cherise turn, the man who had been observing the drama could no longer remain a spectator.


    He stood up, nced at Urs, and said, ¡°You go attend to your sister. I need to have a word with


    Cherry¡±


    Urs pursed her lips. With Damien present, she didn¡¯t dare to be defiant anymore. She could only


    obediently ascend the stairs, but not before casting a hostile re at Cherise.


    Only when the sound of Urs shutting the door upstairs reached them did Damien shrug casually and


    slowly approach Cherise.


    He gazed at her affectionately and leaned in gradually, saying. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve just overheard a rather


    intriguing version of Mrs. Lenoir.¡±


    22

 Chapter 704

    Chapter 704


    Chapter 704 Won¡¯t You Get Jealous?


    Cherise bit her lip and instinctively stepped back. Although she had a clear conscience, it was


    somewhat embarrassing and ufortable to be caught wishing for Damien to have an ident.


    She was so nervous that she didn¡¯t even notice Damien referring to her as ¡°Mrs. Lenoir¡± instead of the


    initial ¡°Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Damien cornered her, pressing one hand against the wall and gripping her chin with the other, forcing


    her to look into his eyes. ¡°Did I just hear you express a wish for me to have an ident, Mrs. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and guiltily looked away. ¡°You must have misheard.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°What kind of ident do you wish upon me, Mrs. Lenoir? A car crash? A


    fire? A flood? Or¡­¡±


    He leaned in close to her ear, his voice low and seductive. ¡°Or should I ¡®identally¡¯ give in to pleasure


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    with you right here?¡±


    Cherise was speechless. How could this man let his carnal desires dictate his thoughts all the time?


    But his words helped ease her tension. If he could joke at a time like this, it meant he wasn¡¯t angry¡­


    Cherise took a deep breath and looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯m just frustrated that the two sisters are


    freeloading here. Furthermore¡­


    Rowena didn¡¯t save you three years ago! It was me!


    Cherise couldn¡¯t get the words out because just as she was about to speak, Urs¡¯s blood-curdling


    scream echoed from upstairs. ¡°Weena!¡±


    Both Cherise and Damien furrowed their brows downstairs.


    ¡°Go and investigate.¡± Cherise had no desire to see those two-faced sisters. However, they were in


    Lenoir Manor, and Damien would be held responsible if something happened to them.


    Damien held her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± She tried to shake off his hand. ¡°They¡¯re your guests. They have nothing to do with


    me.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re a doctor.¡± Damien sighed in exasperation. He embraced her forcefully, gently stroking her


    head. ¡°Besides, if I go alone¡­¡± He tilted her chin, making her meet his gaze. ¡°Won¡¯t you get jealous?¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    If this had happened before her conversation with Urs, Cherise might have been jealous watching


    Damien take care of Rowena. But she couldn¡¯t be bothered to feel jealous after discovering the truth


    about Rowena ¡°saving¡± Damien back then.


    She felt both indignant and amused. How naive could this man be?


    ¡°You still have toe with me.¡± He smiled, kissing her forehead. ¡°You shoulde and assert your


    dominance over me, right?¡±


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    ¡°Why should I?¡± Cherise pouted. Although she secretly felt pleased, she maintained an indifferent.


    expression. ¡°You don¡¯t belong to me. You¡¯re just my ex-husband,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your ex and current husband.¡± Damienpletely ignored what she said. He took her hand and


    led her upstairs.


    ¡°Weena!¡± Urs sobbed in the guest room upstairs, clutching Rowena¡¯s knees.


    At that moment, Rowena had a paleplexion as she slumped in the wheelchair, seemingly


    unconscious.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve always favored Cherise. You¡¯ve never cared for my sister!¡± Urs cried and angrily


    berated Frances, who stood at one side. ¡°My sister has poor health, and you actually resorted to


    drugging her to prove your loyalty to Cherise!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 705

    Chapter 705


    Chapter 705 A Second-hand Car


    ¡°I despise you! If anything happens to my sister or if something goes wrong, I will hold you


    ountable!¡± Urs¡¯s arrogant voice echoed loudly in the corridor. ¡°Furthermore, my sister is Damien¡¯s


    savior! If anything were to happen to her, don¡¯t even think about continuing to work in this house!¡±


    Cherise overheard everything clearly.


    ¡°Your savior¡¯s sister is quite unpredictable, Mr. Lenoir.¡± She smiled and nced at Damien. ¡°How do


    you usually tolerate her?¡±


    Damien frowned, clearly reluctant to discuss Urs. ¡°I rarely interfere with the affairs of the two sisters,


    and I can¡¯t be bothered to deal with Urs. I only engage with them when Rowena initiates contact.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°So why did you buy houses and cars for them?¡±


    Damien frowned, realizing that Urs must have bragged in front of Cherise.


    The man sighed in frustration. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. The two sisters used to live in the slums. After


    Rowenal saved me and got injured, it was impractical for her to return to such conditions, so I bought


    them a house. simr to the ones I had purchased for Mr. Kolson and Frances.¡±


    ¡°As for the car¡­¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Rowena informed me earlier this year that Urs had just


    obtained. her driver¡¯s license and wanted to take her out for a drive since she hadn¡¯t left the hospital for


    over two


    years.¡±


    ¡°Lennon¡¯s sister, Violet, happened to have a Porsche she no longer wanted, so I gave it to them¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s exnation greatly amused Cherise.


    Urs was so proud of the house Damien had gifted her sister. How will she react if she finds out it¡¯s a


    standard employee benefit in the Lenoir household?


    As for the car Damien gave Urs, it was simply a second-hand car that Violet didn¡¯t want. Would she


    still be so arrogant if she knew?


    ¡°I want a new car too,¡± Cherise said with a frown.


    The man was slightly surprised but immediately understood. He draped his arm over her shoulder. ¡°Ask


    Mr. Kolson to take you to my garageter. You can see which car you fancy.¡±


    Cherise looked at him. ¡°Do you want me to a second-hand car as well?¡±


    Five


    ¡°How can my cars be considered second-hand?¡± The manughed. ¡°You can also look around and see


    what car you desire. I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± He looked at Cherise helplessly. ¡°But even if I buy you a new


    car, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t drive it.¡±


    Cherise was speechless. Damien is right. He knows me too well.


    Even if Damien bought her a luxury car, she would find it too conspicuous and wouldn¡¯t drive it.


    However, she felt gratified when he readily distinguished her from the Mortis sisters.


    As they spoke, they arrived at Rowena¡¯s guest room. Rowena was still unconscious, and Urs was


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    harshly berating Frances.


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    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Damien asked with a frown as he entered through the doors.


    Urs was in tears. She turned and looked at Damien sorrowfully. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, your servant drugged


    my sister and she fainted¡­¡±


    ¡°My sister has always been fragile, and she was gravely injured three years ago while saving you¡­.¡±


    Her voice was full of grief, anger, and usation. ¡°I warned her that the people in your house don¡¯t


    wee her and told her she shouldn¡¯te here! But she insisted oning to apologize and


    exin to Ms. Shaw in person¡­


    |||


    O

 Chapter 706

    Chapter 706


    Chapter 706 Soren Did This?


    After her results were revealed, she wept uncontrobly, fearing for her sister¡¯s safety and feeling


    helpless. However, Damien remained unmoved, ncing at Rowena indifferently before turning to


    Cherise. ¡°Can you please take a look?¡±


    Furrowing her brows, Cherise walked slowly to the table where a half-filled ss of water sat. Urs,


    furious, eximed, ¡°My sister is too trusting! Look at this ss of water. It has particles of medicine


    floating in it!¡±


    Cherise picked up the ss, held it against the light, and scrutinized it. Indeed, there were tiny white.


    medicine particles floating in it. Rowena should not have overlooked such tant evidence that her


    drink had been tampered with.


    Pursing her lips, Rowena turned to Frances and asked, ¡°Frances, did you do this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t!¡± Frances fell to her knees in fear. ¡°Actually¡­ Soren¡­ handed me this ss of water.¡±


    ¡°He said that¡­ that it was careless of me not to serve water to the guests at home, so he poured the


    water and asked me to bring it up¡­¡±


    The veins on Cherise¡¯s forehead twitched violently. Soren¡­ did this?


    Cherise left the guest room and opened the door to Soren and Serafina¡¯s room.


    At that moment, Soren and Serafina were lying on either side of Elvis, listening to him tell them a story.


    Upon seeing Cherise enter, Soren looked up at her guiltily. ¡°Mom¡­ Mommy, why are you here?¡±


    Cherise instantly knew from his guilty demeanor that he had done it.


    Although the boy was as clever and mature as his dad, he still inherited some of Cherise¡¯s traits, such


    as not being able to lie convincingly.


    Composing herself, Cherise looked at Soren with anger and frustration. ¡°You bettere here and


    exin what you put in the water you gave Frances before I lose my temper.¡±


    Elvis, basking in the admiration of the two children, frowned slightly. ¡°Cherise, why are you so angry?¡±


    He


    looked up at Cherise, somewhat a ¡°Soren is so well-behaved that he noticed Frances hadn¡¯t served


    the guests any drinks. He specifically went downstairs to pour water for them. Your son is so


    considerate. You shouldn¡¯t speak to him in such a tone. What if you frighten him?¡±


    Elvis¡¯s words made Cherise sigh in exasperation. She restrained herself from revealing the truth behind


    Soren¡¯s hospitable¡¯ act for Rowena.


    After all, as a mother, she also hoped that others would have a positive impression of her son.


    Therefore, she took a deep breath, smiled at Soren, and spoke gently, ¡°Come here. I have something


    to discuss with


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    you.¡±


    Realizing that the truth was about to be revealed, Soren shrank back. He carefully got up from Elvis¡¯


    side and followed Cherise to the corridor, feeling aggrieved.


    When they were in the corridor, Cherise pulled Soren into the study room and mmed the door shut


    with a bang. ¡°Tell me. What did you put in the water?¡±


    O


    r


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    +


    ¦°¦¥


    He broker) ar Chervar wody, fin dark


    a grant petwn. The defearly

 Chapter 707

    Chapter 707


    Chapter 707 Drugged With Laxatives.


    ¡°Remember, she¡¯s just a guest who has feelings for your dad. Even if she bes your stepmother


    and takes my ce, you can¡¯t drug people behind their backs!¡±


    ¡°This is not what an honest person would do!¡± Cherise scolded Soren sternly. It was clear that she was


    truly angry. What infuriated her was not her son¡¯s attempt to defend her, but rather his decision to drug


    Rowena.


    He was only five years old! She couldn¡¯t let him think it was eptable to use any means necessary


    when dealing with people he didn¡¯t like!


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Soren hung his head in shame, finally realizing his mistake. He pursed his lips, and his soft


    voice was filled with tears. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. She felt sympathy when she saw her son¡¯s disappointed expression. She walked


    over and embraced Soren. ¡°I know you had good intentions, but Soren, there are better ways to protect


    the people you care about. You can¡¯t recklessly use any means necessary. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Soren didn¡¯t fully understand, but he nodded. I will never secretly putxatives in other people¡¯s


    water again¡­¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Cherise sighed with relief and reached out to pat Soren¡¯s head, but her hand suddenly froze.


    ¡°Did you just say¡­ you put¡­xatives in that ss of water?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Soren pouted. ¡°Uncle Zach said he needed thexatives for his constipation, and you brought


    them back from the hospital for him. Then, Uncle Zach said they were really effective¡­ so I took a few


    secretly¡­¡±


    Cherise waspletely shocked. What kind of child was she raising? He even stole Zachary¡¯s


    ¡°Tell me honestly. What else have you taken from Uncle Zach behind my back?¡±


    ¡°A lot¡­¡± Soren pursed his lips. He looked up innocently and changed the subject. ¡°Mommy, has that


    diarrhea medicine for her?¡±


    Cherise snapped back to reality after her son¡¯s reminder. Laxatives didn¡¯t work immediately, so


    Rowena wouldn¡¯t have a reaction right after drinking the water. She nced at her watch. It was about


    time for the drug to take effect.


    She took a deep breath and let her son leave. Then, she retrieved a pack of anti-diarrhea medicine


    from the first-aid kit and slipped it into her pocket before entering the guest room.


    In the guest room, Rowena was still pretending to be unconscious in her wheelchair.


    It wasmon knowledge thatxatives only affected the digestive system. They caused diarrhea but


    did not affect the cranial nerves. In other words, no one would faint from takingxatives. Even if they


    did, it would only be due to exhaustion after experiencing diarrhea.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Therefore, Cherise knew that Rowena had seen the white particles in the transparent ss of water.


    Rowena had intentionally drunk it and was pretending to be unconscious.


    After all, she wanted to gain sympathy and make Damien believe that the people in his house were


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    61


    111


    maniptive. But she probably didn¡¯t expect¡­ to be drugged with a powerfulxative.


    As soon as Cherise entered the room, a loud gurgle echoed through the room.


    Urs furrowed her brow as she wiped away her tears. ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me Cherise quickly interjected. ¡°I didn¡¯t have lunch, and I¡¯m a bit hungry now, so my stomach


    growled. I hope you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Urs.¡±


    Upon hearing Cherise¡¯s exnation, Urs rolled her eyes in annoyance. ¡°All you can think about is


    food at a time like this!¡±

 Chapter 708

    Chapter 708


    Chapter 708 You¡¯re A Murderer


    ¡®Gurgle. The sound reverberated in the room once again.


    Cherise chuckled somewhat sheepishly. ¡°Ms. Urs, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m hungry. It¡¯s just a natural bodily


    response that I can¡¯t control.¡±


    Upon hearing Cherise¡¯s exnation, Damien furrowed his brows slightly and looked at her tenderly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go downstairs and grab something to cat? I¡¯ll ask Jacob toe and examine


    Rowena.¡±


    ¡°Are you allowing her to leave and cat?¡± Urs raised her brows furiously. ¡°She hasn¡¯t exined why


    she told her son to drug my sister!¡±


    Cherise found it amusing. She looked at Urs indifferently. ¡°I told him?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Urs retorted icily. ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡¯s son would never misbehave. You¡¯re his mother, and you


    must have influenced him! How could a five-year-old child think of drugging someone? An adult must


    have put this idea in his head!¡±


    Cherise raised her brows. She admired Urs¡¯s incredible ability to change her stance. Urs never


    spared Cherise¡¯s children and would berate and curse them in her presence. However, Urs was now


    iming that Cherise¡¯s son was innocent and it was all her fault in front of Damien.


    ¡°I simply asked my son some questions.¡± Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Her voice was calm and


    aloof. ¡°My son said he just crushed up an effervescent Vitamin C tablet that I usually give him and put it


    in Ms. Rowena¡¯s ss.¡±


    Urs was taken aback. ¡°Vitamin C tablets?!¡± She pointed at Cherise and started berating her. Then


    why did my sister faint after drinking the water? This is clearly poison!¡±


    ¡°Heh. Are you trying to cover up the crime you instructed your son tomit? You made him drug my


    sister, but now you¡¯re iming that the substance in the water was a Vitamin C tablet?!¡± Urs¡¯s voice


    was shrill and piercing. ¡°How dare you call yourself a proficient doctor? You¡¯re a murderer!¡±


    Cherise smiled serenely. ¡°You can decide whether I¡¯m a doctor or a murderer, Ms. Urs.¡± She walked


    ove leisurely and picked up the ss of water. ¡°Would you like to see if you¡¯ll faint after drinking this


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ss of water, Ms. Urs?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Urs rolled her eyes. ¡°My sister fainted after just one sip. If I take a sip and


    faint as well, you can basically do anything you want to us. Who will stand up for the two of us then?!¡±


    Cherise maintained her calm smile because she clearly saw that the ¡®unconscious¡¯ Rowena had a


    strange expression as shey in the wheelchair.


    It seemed that the drug was taking effect. It was¡­ very difficult to resist the effect of thexative. But


    since Rowena had chosen to put on such an act, she would simply watch Rowena continue to struggle.


    However, while Cherise was contemting how she could continue to stall, Damien extended hisrge


    hand. He picked up the ss of water and downed it in one gulp.


    The two women in the room were astonished.


    After finishing the water, Damien gracefully ced the ss back on the table. ¡°Rowena fainted after


    just


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    one sip, but I finished


    entire sS


    yel.


    The man yawned. He extended his slender fingers to gently rub his temples and smiled faintly. ¡°In fact,


    1- feel quite invigorated.¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded. You foolish man. You probably have no idea what¡¯s about to happen.


    Urs was utterly stupefied. ¡°I¡­ She¡­¡± She was still crying over Rowena, but Damien suddenly did


    such at thing.


    She took a deep breath and attempted another argument. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe it¡¯s because my sister has


    a unique constitution. Perhaps¡­¡±


    22

 Chapter 709

    Chapter 709


    Chapter 709 Vitamin C Or Laxative?


    A curious smile appeared on Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°I haven¡¯t reviewed your sister¡¯s medical file yet, but I¡¯m


    intrigued by her unique constitution. Does she have a vitamin C allergy? Or can she consume fruits and


    vegetables like regr people?¡±


    Urs sat frozen, unable to find words.


    The room became heavy with tension. Suddenly, Rowena, reclining quietly in her wheelchair, opened


    her


    eyes.


    ¡°L, why are you crying?¡± Rowena¡¯s voice was frantic as she looked at her tear-streaked sister.


    Feigning shock, Rowena turned to Urs. ¡°Who upset you? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile instantly disappeared. ¡°Rowena, your timing couldn¡¯t have been worse,¡± he said, his


    tone. icy.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    His words caused Rowena¡¯s hand, resting on the wheelchair, to clench into a tight fist. Nevertheless,


    she managed to turn to Damien with a look of surprise. ¡°Damien, when did you return? I thought you


    were buried in work again today.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to Cherise, who stood beside Damien with her arms crossed. ¡°Ms. Shaw, could you


    exin this situation? When did Damien arrive? And why is L crying?¡±


    Cherise scoffed, unfazed by Rowena¡¯s act. ¡°Ms. Mortis just fainted, which naturally upset your sister.


    Damien came to check on you.¡±


    ¡°Fainted?¡± Rowena feigned confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­ I drank some water from Frances, felt a


    little drowsy, and then I must have fallen asleep.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s lips twitched into a knowing smirk. ¡°So, Ms. Mortis, did you enjoy your little nap?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± Rowena replied, her voice slightly hesitant.


    Rowena returned an awkward smile and turned to Urs, scolding her in a hushed tone, ¡°I just dozed


    off! You tend to overreact. You must have rmed Damien and Dr. Shaw.¡±


    Urs pouted but remained silent.


    From the moment Rowena didn¡¯t faint after drinking the water, Damien knew she was ying a game,


    but he decided not to confront her right now. ¡°Alright, now that you¡¯re awake, let¡¯s go downstairs. I can


    overlook you falling asleep in my house this time, but I don¡¯t want it to happen again.¡±


    With that, Damien turned and left the room, his expression icy.


    Cherise followed him but suddenly remembered something and nced at Rowena and Urs. ¡°Oh,


    by the way, I almost forgot to tell you two, the toilet in this guest room is clogged. If you need to use it,


    you¡¯ll have to go downstairs. Don¡¯t use the one in the room. It wouldn¡¯t be verydylike to leave it


    smelling awful for others to find, right?¡±


    A chuckle escaped Cherise¡¯s lips as she turned and left. The door mmed shut behind her.


    <


    1.2


    ¡°Gurgle!¡± Another loud stomach rumble echoed through the room.


    Urs sniffed and curled her lip in disgust. ¡°Why can I still hear her stomach growling? She just left! So


    annoying!¡±


    Rowena, locking pale, clutched her stomach. ¡°Screw you! That¡¯s not her stomach; it¡¯s mine¡­¡±


    Had she not almost been exposed just now, she had no idea how long she could have endured it. Why


    did her stomach suddenly start aching so badly?


    She pursed her lips. ¡°L, help me to the bathroom.¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But Cherise just mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°Then wheel me to the bathroom downstairs!¡± Rowena¡¯s face was ashen, and she was clearly


    struggling to


    hold it in.


    Cherise was truly cunning, iming that her son gave her vitamins. It must have been axative!


    ¡°Come here.¡± When she exited the guest room, Cherise grabbed Damien¡¯s arm and pulled him into the


    study.


    Once they were inside and the door was shut, she quickly retrieved two pills from her pocket and


    picked up a ss of water. ¡°Take these.¡±


    |||


    2/0

 Chapter 710

    Chapter 710


    Chapter 710 Why The Rush?


    Damien furrowed his brow as he examined the two pills in Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°What are these for?¡±


    They¡¯re anti-diarrheal pills, Cherise sighed. ¡°Did you really think that water was infused with vitamins?


    Our mischievous son decided to swap Zac¡¯s constipation medication with the vitamins and have some


    fun at our expense! That rascal, I swear, he¡¯s always up to something.¡±


    Damien chuckled and leaned down, opening his mouth to take the pills. In the process, his lips brushed


    against Cherise¡¯s fingertips, surprising her. Her checks flushed as she quickly pulled her hand back and


    offered him a ss of water.


    He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, ¡°So, Zac is experiencing constipation too, huh?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and nodded. ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°Well, that just confirms that I have a healthier gut!¡± Damien dered with augh. He leaned closer to


    Cherise, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. Therefore, choosing me over him was the right decision.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face deepened in color. ¡°When did I choose you?¡± she stammered, quickly averting her gaze


    and stepping back.


    Damien closed the distance between them. From the moment you returned to Adania with me,¡± he


    said, his voice low and husky. ¡°In that moment, I knew you had chosen me, my Cherry.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    His gaze locked with hers, filled with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. ¡°I long for us to return


    to what we once shared. I¡¯ll call you Wifey, and you call me Hubby. What do you say?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding wildly. The suddenness and intensity of


    Damien¡¯s proposal left her speechless. She hadn¡¯t expected him to open up like this, and panic washed


    over her.


    ¡°Why the rush?¡± she stammered, her lips tightly pursed.


    Damien chuckled softly and pulled her into his embrace, cing a gentle kiss on her forehead. ¡°Am I


    rushing? Then tell me, what pace would you consider appropriate?¡±


    Cherise felt utterly lost.


    Her heart raced like a hummingbird¡¯s wings, and her cheeks burned with a blush she couldn¡¯t control.


    Everything was happening too fast; she couldn¡¯t allow herself to fall into this¡­ because she knew, with


    terrifying certainty, that she was falling for Damien.


    Just as she struggled to break free, her emotions threatening to overflow, Damien tightened his


    embrace as if trying to merge with her. They stood locked in this intimate dance, a battle of wills and


    desires.


    Suddenly, Damien¡¯s phone interrupted the tense atmosphere with its insistent ring. Seeing an


    opportunity to break free from the intensity of the moment, Cherise reached for the phone, her fingers


    trembling slightly.


    Without hesitation, she unlocked it and pressed the speaker button, hoping to inject a dose of reality


    into the situation. The person on the other end would hear every sound and word spoken now,


    hopefully forcing Damien to exercise some restraint.


    T


    However, to her surprise, the call was from their downstairs housekeeper, Frances.


    As soon as the call connected, Frances¡¯ voice filled the room, tinged with exasperation. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Ms.


    Rowena insists on wearing Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s clothes. She ims hers are dirty and wants to wear Mrs.


    Lenoir¡¯s


    instead¡­¡±


    Her voice now tinged with frustration. ¡°I tried to exin to Ms. Rowena that her size might not be


    entirelypatible with Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s and offered her the maid¡¯s clothes as an alternative.


    Unfortunately, she was offended by my suggestion. She used me of looking down on her and her


    sister, which is why I had not choice but to call you. After all, I¡¯m just a servant and shouldn¡¯t be making


    decisions on Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s behalf¡­


    Damien¡¯s expression hardened into a mask of displeasure as he listened to the conversation.


    Meanwhile, Cherise pursed her lips, her mind racing to piece together the situation.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 711

    Chapter 711


    Chapter 711 She¡¯s Almost Like Family


    Why did Rowena suddenly say her clothes were dirty? She most likely retreated to the bathroom


    downstairs¡­ and didn¡¯t have the time.


    ¡°Mr. Lensir?¡± Frances spoke tentatively when she heard silence on the other end.


    Damien coughed lightly and instinctively understood the situation. Just provide them with a clean set of


    servant¡¯s attire.¡±


    ¡°But¡­.


    ¡°If they continue causing a scene, inform them you¡¯ve consulted Cherise. Tell them Cherise wanted to


    personally bring them a new outfit, but you declined because you didn¡¯t want them to be embarrassed.


    If they insist on Cherise¡¯s help, you can tell Cherise to go down.¡±


    On the other end, Frances was perplexed but nodded earnestly. ¡°Alright, Mr. Lenoir. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    When the call ended, Cherise and Damien looked at each other. After a moment, they both abruptly


    burst intoughter simultaneously.


    ¡°Are you happy now?¡± The man reached out and pulled Cherise into his embrace. ¡°You¡¯re a scoundrel.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Cherise pouted. Shey in his arms and said coyly. ¡°I¡¯m much betterpared to your savior,


    who pretended to be unconscious after consuming axative.¡±


    Damien nodded, gently kissing her cheek. ¡°Indeed.¡± The man couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Rowena wasn¡¯t


    always. like this. She used to reprimand Urs sternly whenever her sister caused trouble. I had


    her.¡±


    ¡°I must bear responsibility for her sudden transformation. I treated her too nicely, and she¡¯s forgotten


    her ce.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s interest was piqued. She looked up, her clear eyes observing Damien quietly. ¡°So tell me,


    who is


    she?¡±


    ¡°A friend.¡± Damien didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Perhaps even closer than a friend. She¡¯s almost like family.¡±


    The man looked at Cherise earnestly. ¡°If Rowena hadn¡¯t intervened three years ago¡­ I might have


    long vanished from this world.¡± As he spoke, he reached out to caress Cherise¡¯s face. ¡°Without her, you


    might not have me in your life now.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s expression changed slightly when he mentioned the fire three years ago. She could still


    vividly remember the massive fire three years ago.


    She could still recall the sweltering heat in the room, the pungent smell permeating the air, and¡­ his


    unconscious face from that day. But even in his unconscious state, he still clung tightly to the small box


    containing their engagement rings.


    The scene that day had shocked Cherise. Unfortunately, she had sustained burns to her hand and had


    to be evacuated immediately.


    However, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Rowena would take all her credit. When she thought about it


    1/2


    Rowena was a waitress back then, and she wasn¡¯t disabled. During the fire, Cherise had called for


    Rowena¡¯s help, but Rowena fled hastily.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Cherise was amused as she revisited the circumstances of that day. How did Rowena have the


    audacity toter assert that she had saved Damien?


    But Cherise didn¡¯t want to expose Rowena yet. Now that Cherise had returned, she was curious to see


    what schemes this deceitful savior would concoct to get rid of her.


    ¡°I have a question. With that in mind, she looked up at Damien sincerely. ¡°If you were forced to choose


    between Rowena and me, who would you pick?¡±


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 Chapter 712

    Chapter 712


    Chapter 712 Don¡¯t Disturb Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah


    Damien frowned. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t pose such questions in the future.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m very thankful


    that Rowena saved my life.¡±


    ¡°But without you¡­.¡± He extended his arm and pulled Cherise into a tight embrace. ¡°Without you, my


    life. would be devoid of meaning.¡±


    ¡°In other words, Rowena saved my physical form, but you rescued my spirit.¡±


    ¡°So¡­.¡± He kissed Cherise¡¯s forehead tenderly. ¡°Who do you think I would choose?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, but Frances knocked before she could continue her yful banter with


    Damien. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir, dinner is ready.¡±


    Cherise slowly extricated herself from Damien¡¯s arms as if roused from a dream. They descended the


    staircase hand in hand.


    Elvis and Sarah were seated at the dining table downstairs with Soren and Serafina. Upon seeing


    Cherise and Damien walking down the stairs hand in hand, Elvis and Sarah exchanged knowing


    nces and smiled fondly.


    Soren crossed his arms, his small face clouded with slight discontent. On the other hand, Serafina


    pped excitedly. ¡°Congrattions on holding my beautiful mommy¡¯s hand, Mr. Handsome!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Serafina. The man smiled and led Cherise into the dining room before gantly pulling out


    a chair for her. After ensuring she wasfortably seated, the man elegantly took his seat across from


    her, and they started eating.


    ¡°By the way.¡± Sarah frowned and looked up at Cherise. ¡°Cherry, what happened to those two girls?


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Weren¡¯t they supposed to join us for dinner?¡±


    Cherise hesitated slightly and subconsciously turned to look at Frances.


    Frances cleared her throat. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s because one of the youngdies was experiencing stomach.


    difort today. She left in a rush after changing into a servant¡¯s attire.¡±


    Cherise noticed an unmistakable smirk on Soren¡¯s face as Frances spoke. She frowned slightly and


    said, ¡°Soren, take some food for your sister!¡±


    Caught off guard, Soren looked up and was met with Cherise¡¯s stern gaze. Soren immediately lowered


    his head timidly and didn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°Those two girls are really¡­¡± Oblivious to the silent exchange between mother and son, Sarah


    continuedmenting as she ate. ¡°They were so ill but still came here and left in servant¡¯s attire in the


    end¡­ Isn¡¯t that quite embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Cherise nodded in agreement. ¡°But they should have learned their lesson and won¡¯t do this


    again.¡±


    Although Sarah felt sorry for the Mortis sisters, they were mere strangers to her. She quickly redirected


    the conversation back to Soren and Serafina.


    Following a lively dinner, Cherise and Damien apanied Elvis and Sarah to the car. Cherise had


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    requested Mr. Kolson to drive her aunt and uncle home. ¡°Aunt Sarah. I¡¯ll be in Adania for a while. If you


    miss me and the kids, feel free to visit!¡± Cherise said with a smile as she stood at the door.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Sarah waved enthusiastically, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. It¡¯s good to have


    you


    back!¡±


    ¡°Get along with Damien so he won¡¯te to our house to mope every now and then!¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. ¡°Alright, I will.¡±


    Poor Aunt Sarah. It appeared Damien had frequently visited the Shaw¡¯s vige over the past five years


    and unintentionally stressed Sarah out.


    With this in mind, she nced at Damien. ¡°Did you hear that? You¡¯re not allowed to disturb Uncle Shaw


    and Aunt Sarah anymore!¡±

 Chapter 713

    Chapter 713


    Chapter 713 It Isn¡¯t the Right Time Yet


    Damien smiled faintly and drew her into his embrace. ¡°I won¡¯t need to go and mope in the Shaw¡¯s


    vige as long as you remain by my side!¡± He sighed. ¡°There was a time when I felt my frequent visits


    burdened Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah, so I created amemorative album filled with shared


    experiences and photographs.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°To ensure the album wouldst, I had it crafted from gilded metal¡­¡± Damien stared into the distance,


    hist voice trailing off. ¡°I did this hoping the album couldst for a long time, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be


    lost in the devastating fire three years ago.¡±


    He shook his head slightly regretfully. ¡°Lennon spected that someone took the album to extract the


    gold from its gilded exterior¡­¡±


    ¡°Although unfortunate, I¡¯m grateful you¡¯re back now.¡± The man looked down and gently squeezed


    Cherise¡¯s nose. ¡°In the future, we¡¯ll have many more moments tomemorate¡­¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. She held Damien¡¯s hand and remained silent. How can I tell him the album is still


    tucked away in my suitcase?


    The album wasn¡¯t stolen for its gold. Cherise had rescued it from the fire with her bare hands.


    Moreover¡­


    She nced at her healed right hand subconsciously. She could still remember how the heat from the


    album had seared her hand.


    The following day at noon, Cherise and Lucy were seated in a caf¨¦ near the research institute. ¡°You¡¯re


    saying Rowena imed she saved Damien from that fire three years ago?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s utterly shameless!¡± Lucy mmed the table, gritting her teeth. ¡°Back then, you traveled far from


    abroad to rescue Damien. You arrived just after the fire started and even injured one of your hands¡­


    but credit was given to that empty-headed Rowena in the end?!¡±


    Cherise held her coffee cup in one hand. Her right hand twirled the straw, and she nodded as she


    sipped. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so shameless!¡± Lucy still had a fiery temper. She huffed, ¡°You haven¡¯t told Damien you were the


    one who saved him three years ago?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t the right time yet.¡± Cherise shook her head. ¡°Ick sufficient evidence to prove that I was the


    one who saved him.¡±


    Lucy scoffed, ¡°Damien is so smitten with you. He¡¯d believe you if you told him you saved him three


    years ago without further proof. Besides, if he knew, he¡¯d be so touched he¡¯d whisk you off to remarry


    you at city hall tomorrow!¡±


    Cherise continued to shake her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± She looked at Lucy solemnly. ¡°You also


    need to keep this a secret for now.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, I want to see what Rowena¡¯s next move is and if I can make her back down without revealing


    that I was the one who saved Damien three years ago.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, the person who tried to harm Damien by starting the fire back then¡­ they¡¯re connected to


    my family. If this matter bes public knowledge, it¡¯d be difficult for me to exin to Damien and the


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    Tanner family.¡±


    ¡°Lastly¡­ The woman lowered her gaze. ¡°We¡¯ve just reconciled, and I was so distant towards him


    before¡­ If he knew I still cared about him and had feelings for him for the past five years, he would be


    overjoyed and tease me for putting on an act.¡±


    Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°But that¡¯s what you were doing.¡±


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 Chapter 714

    Chapter 714


    Chapter 714 Lucy¡¯s New Job


    Cherise coughed and sipped her coffee lightly. ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t want him to realize how deeply I


    care for him before we officially tie the knot again.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Lucy sighed. I¡¯ve kept numerous secrets for you. One more won¡¯t make much of a


    difference.¡± The woman picked up her coffee and took a delicate sip. ¡°How¡¯s the new job?¡±


    Cherise beamed. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good. No one at the institute is concerned about my troubled past, and


    everyone is amicable and supportive. I¡¯ve worked for less than a day, but it¡¯s been a positive


    experience.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡± Lucy nodded. ¡°Given your gentle nature, I was concerned you might be taken


    advantage of.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking!¡± Cherise chuckled as she picked up the coffee pot and refilled her and Lucy¡¯s


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    cups. ¡°What about you? What kind of a job are you considering after returning to Adania? Should I


    inquire if the director has an opening for you?¡±


    ¡°Forget it!¡± Lucy promptly waved her hand. ¡°I can¡¯t endure the monotony of sitting in an office all day at


    the institute.¡± She settled into afortable position in her seat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. An old friend.


    rmended me for a job as a private physician.


    Lucy felt somewhat pleased when she mentioned her new job. ¡°My friend said he¡¯s a wealthy bachelor


    with no severe illnesses. He just started smoking and drinking a few years ago as he workedte


    nights. Although thepany is performing well, his health has deteriorated.¡±


    ¡°He happened to be looking for a private physician and nutritionist, and my friend thought I was a good


    fit for the job, so she forwarded my resume to him. I was immediately hired.¡±


    Cherise widened her eyes, somewhat taken aback. ¡°Without even going for an interview?¡±


    ¡°He said it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡± Lucy sipped her coffee, ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter. Perhaps the man was


    captivated by my beauty when he saw how young and attractive I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so vain.¡± Cherise rolled her eyes at Lucy. But what if he¡¯s an elderly man captivated by your


    beauty? What will you do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. He can¡¯t hurt me. I can tolerate him looking at me.¡± Lucy said as she settled into a


    I must care for him for a year.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the lucrative pay, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed so readily. My dad is facing financial troubles.


    recently, and I¡¯m his only daughter. I can¡¯t just stand by and watch, right? I can earn over half a million


    by caring for this old grump for a year. I have no other choice.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me your family is having problems?¡± Cherise pursed her lips while tightly clutching


    the coffee cup. ¡°After all, I¡¯m also a part of the Tanner family¡­


    ¡°Enough.¡± Lucy waved her hand, ¡°You¡¯re reluctant to spend the Tanner and Miles family¡¯s money for


    yourself. Why should I burden you?¡± She nced at her watch. ¡°It¡¯s about time. I should go meet that


    old grump. Wish me luck!¡± The woman yawned, picked up her handbag, and left.


    Cherise stayed in her spot and watched Lucy leave as she sighed softly. As she sat in the coffee shop,


    she


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    grew more worried as she pondered, so she dialed Damien¡¯s number. ¡°Can you arrange for someone


    to safeguard Lucy?¡±


    ¡°She signed a one-year agreement with a wealthy man she hasn¡¯t met. I¡¯m afraid he might be someone


    with malicious intent¡­¡±


    There was a prolonged silence on the other end of the phone. After a while, Damien¡¯s deep voice rang.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    |||

 Chapter 715

    Chapter 715


    Chapter 715 What Took Him So Long?


    ¡°I know the person who signed a year-long contract with Lucy.¡±


    ¡°You do? Who is he?¡±


    A lengthy silence ensued on the other end of the line. After a long time, Damien¡¯s deep voice broke the


    silence again. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll stay calm when I tell you.¡±


    Cherise was baffled. ¡°It can¡¯t possibly be¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lennon.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± Cherise gripped her phone tightly in a fit of anger.


    ¡°What took him so long?¡±


    ¡°Lucy gave up everything to follow him back then, and he was the one who pushed her away. He even


    imed he never wanted to see her again. What is he ying at now?¡±


    ¡°Did he only realize his mistake after they parted ways?¡± Cherise grew angrier as she continued. ¡°He


    should never have let her go in the first ce if he knew he would regret it!¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Damien sighed lightly, ¡°Cherise.¡± His voice was deep and earnest. ¡°I consider myself fortunate


    that you¡¯re willing to give me another chance.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise¡¯s grip on the phone tightened. She was momentarily taken aback before she realized that it


    also applied to Damien.


    ¡°I regretted it on the third day after our breakup. Standing atop the towering Lenoir Group building,


    Damien gazed at the bustling cityscape beyond the full-length windows.


    ¡°But you had already left.¡± His voice was soft and wistful. I assumed you were deeply disappointed in


    me, and I thought our story had ended.¡±


    ¡°You were my first love and my first rtionship. I always heard people say that feelings fade and are


    forgotten over time. I thought I could eventually let go.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t realize how deeply you had taken root in my heart. On the third day after you left, my


    longing for you intensified every day to the point where I couldn¡¯t sleep at night. You were all I saw


    when I closed my eyes.¡±


    ¡°I began searching for you and scoured all the ces you might have gone¡­¡±


    The midday sun streamed in through the full-length windows. The sunlight reflected on Cherise¡¯s face,


    and its warmth made her sluggish. Leaning back in the genuine leather chair in the caf¨¦, she closed


    her eyes. She listened to the man on the other end of the phone speak passionately about his longing


    and yearning for her over the years.


    It was a pleasant feeling. The man¡¯s yearning on the phone stirred something within her.


    As it turned out, she wasn¡¯t the only one who had suffered over the past five years. Damien had also


    yearned and thought of her when she was missing him.


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    He had admited he was wrong about the breakup back then. Wasn¡¯t I at fault, too?


    If they hadmunicated openly back then, perhaps¡­ Perhaps they would have been in a much


    happier. ce now.


    ¡°Damien.¡± The woman smiled. She held the phone with one hand and stirred her coffee on the table


    before her with the other. ¡°You were also my first love and my first rtionship.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Damien held his breath, waiting for her to finish.


    Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°So we¡¯re both novices. Let¡¯s help each other out if we¡¯recking in anything.¡±


    She shut her eyes and basked in the sunlight from the window. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to appreciate the


    roses you gave me.¡±


    After that, Cherise ended the call. She put her phone on silent mode, settled the bill, and returned to


    the institute tomence work. Before leaving the research institute in the evening, she overheard a


    group of female employees gossiping next door as she washed her hands in the bathroom.


    ¡°Did you hear? The CEO of Lenoir Group. Damien Lenoir, bought all the roses in all the flower shops in


    the city!¡±


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 Chapter 716

    Chapter 716


    Chapter 716 Where Are You Off To?


    ¡°Good heavens! Is he going to dere his love?¡±


    ¡°How utterly romantic!¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. When she said she liked his roses in the afternoon, she merely


    acknowledged the roses he had previously gifted her


    Could this man possibly be¡­.


    ¡°Look! I see something! The entire street to the research institute is filled with trucks delivering roses!¡±


    ¡°Goodness me, it¡¯s true! All the city¡¯s roses are heading to our institute!¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise was bbergasted. He¡¯s here already?!¡­Can I y dead?


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m not seeing things. That lengthy procession is heading towards our institute!¡±


    ¡°Good heavens. Is someone proposing at the institute? This is sovish and romantic!¡±


    ¡°Goodness, I must capture this moment and share it online¡­¡±


    When Cherise emerged from the restroom, people lined the corridors as they stood by the windows.


    Her female colleagues sighed with envy, while her male colleagues observed with detached interest.


    Cherise wanted to disappear into thin air. It was only her first day at work, and she already left such a


    favorable impression on her colleagues. How am I supposed to face everyone in the future?!


    She initially wanted to slip out the back door and head there with her belongings. But by a stroke of


    luck, she encountered her supervisor, Mr. Whitlock, who greeted her with a warm smile. ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Others might have been oblivious to the roses outside, but not Mr. Whitlock! Damien made a grand


    gesture on Cherise¡¯s first day at the research institute. It sufficed to show that¡­ she held a special


    ce in his heart! Therefore, how could Mr. Whitlock let Cherise slip out the back door unnoticed?


    ¡°Cherise, what brings you here? Where are you off to?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip and pretended to be unaware of who the roses outside were for. She turned around


    awkwardly and lied. ¡°I noticed it was quite hectic outside. It¡¯s nearly time to clock out, and the main


    entrance must be congested, so I thought I¡¯d exit through the back door¡­¡±


    ¡°Cherise. Mr. Whitlock looked at Cherise warmly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join your colleagues and witness the


    significant event unfolding outside?¡±


    He spoke gently and kindly, but it made Cherise¡¯s legs go weak. Her smile was somewhat strained. ¡°Td


    rather not¡­ partake in thismotion.¡±


    ¡°But Cherise,¡± Mr. Whitlock continued, smiling gently. ¡°It¡¯s not advisable to stand out on your first day at


    work. You see, your colleagues are all quite intrigued by what¡¯s happening, but you seem indifferent.


    You¡¯re even attempting to sneak out the back door. Aren¡¯t you being too conspicuous?¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. Isn¡¯t it normal for a neer like me to be conspicuous?


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    But she didn¡¯t dare voice her thoughts and defended herself with a forced smile. ¡°Mr. Whitlock, it¡¯s not


    that I¡¯m uninterested in witnessing such a grand spectacle, but¡­ I really have some matters to attend


    to at home¡­¡±


    ¡°But you mentioned in the afternoon that you¡¯re free tonight and avable for dinner anytime.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. Alright, I did say that.


    But she was merely trying to bridge the gap with her colleagues when she uttered those words. Now


    that Mr. Whitlock had brought it up¡­ She could only chuckle awkwardly. ¡°It was inappropriate of me to


    want to exit through the back door.¡±


    She took a deep breath and gazed resolutely at the bustling main entrance in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ll head


    there now, Mr. Whitlock.¡±


    She could only imagine her future at the institute¡­.


    |||

 Chapter 717

    Chapter 717


    Chapter 717 Five Years Ago


    Cherise was destined to be an unapproachable entric at the institute. Few could stand a


    colleague with such an attractive, passionate, and affluent suitor¡­.


    Cherise sighed in resignation and helplessly made her way towards the entrance. There was no other


    alternative.


    She had chosen Damien as her partner. She had also expressed her fondness for his roses. Therefore,


    she couldn¡¯t fault him. She could only me herself for her poor taste and lousymunication skills!


    When Cherise reached the main entrance, the grand procession of roses had already arrived. Almost


    all the female employees of the institute had gathered at the door and harbored the same thought.


    What if this is for me?


    Even if they weren¡¯t the intended recipient, they were content to take a photo with such a grand


    spectacle of trucks delivering roses!


    A female employee near Cherise even began to engage her in conversation. ¡°Dr. Shaw, are you still


    single?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and carefully chose her words with a frown. ¡°My children are five years old.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. The female colleague sighed with a hint of disappointment. ¡°I thought someone had


    arranged this grand procession of cars on your first day at work to dere their love for you. She


    looked at Cherise slightly regretfully. ¡°Since your children are five, you and your husband must have


    been married for a long time, right? When was thest time he showed you any romantic gesture?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and pondered with furrowed brows. ¡°It must have been five years ago.¡±


    ¡°Five years ago¡­¡± Her female colleague covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°Your children are five years


    old, and hest showed you a romantic gesture five years ago¡­ Oh dear. Men really do be


    unreliable after marriage!¡±


    Cherise watched as the extended Lincoln in the distance came to a halt. A man in custom-made


    leather shoes stepped out elegantly. ¡°Yes. He is indeed quite unreliable.¡±


    He always presented her with ¡®surprises¡¯ that caught herpletely off guard.


    ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m still single. Cherise¡¯s female colleague sighed lightly. ¡°So I still have options¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s Damien Lenoir!¡± A chorus of exmations erupted among the surrounding female


    colleagues. ¡°Damien!¡±


    As it turned out, the man who could afford to buy all the roses in the city was Damien Lenoir, a man


    that all women in Adania yearned for!


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, you¡¯ve just arrived in Adania and might not understand why everyone is so excited.¡± The


    female colleague who had just been chatting with Cherise was also very enthusiastic. ¡°It¡¯s because this


    man named Damien Lenoir¡­ is a man that all women in Adania dream of marrying, regardless of how


    old they are!¡±


    Cherise instinctively stepped back when she saw the man in the distance step out of the car with roses,


    his dark eyes scanning the crowd. She continued the conversation with her colleague. ¡°Are you


    serious?¡±


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    All women want to marry him, regardless of how old they are?


    Cherise¡¯s female colleague nodded earnestly. ¡°Dr. Shaw, you haven¡¯t been in Adania for long. Once


    you¡¯ve been here longer, you¡¯ll understand how irresistible Damien is!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°His


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ex-wife is so ruthless. He¡¯s been searching for her for five years, and she hasn¡¯t returned.¡±


    ¡°But it seems that Damien has finallye to his senses and shifted his affections to a woman in our


    institute.¡± The woman sped her hands together and started to daydream again. ¡°I met Damien at a


    banquet not long ago. I wonder if he still remembers me¡­¡±


    Upon listening to her colleague¡¯s words, the veins on Cherise¡¯s forehead twitched incessantly.


    III

 Chapter 718

    Chapter 718


    Chapter 718 Marry Him


    How will my colleagues react if they discover I¡¯m Damien¡¯s ruthless ex-wife? Will they turn against me?


    Cherise was speaking with her female colleague when Damien caught sight of her petite silhouette


    from a distance. He strolled towards Cherise with a faint smile as he cradled arge bouquet of roses.


    Cherise could hear her female colleagues¡¯ audible gasps. She pursed her lips and stood at her spot,


    bracing herself for what was about to happen.


    But Damien halted unexpectedly when he was merely two steps away from her. He knelt on one knee


    while holding arge bouquet of roses and gazed at her delicate face.


    His usual stern expression was reced by an affectionate one as he said her name in a low, tender


    voice. ¡°Cherise.¡± His gentle and loving tone instantly soothed Cherise¡¯s anxious and exasperated


    feelings. She looked down at him. ¡°Mm.¡±


    Everyone around her gasped in session, and the institute¡¯s female employees started whispering as


    they discussed it among themselves.


    The female colleague who had conversed with Cherise was utterly taken aback at that moment. Is Dr.


    Shaw the other woman Damien fell for?


    ¡°Marry me.¡± Damien looked at Cherise with a warm smile. ¡°I want to start over with you as my fianc¨¦e.


    His dark eyes brimmed with deep affection. ¡°Will you marry me?¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. Her face was slightly flushed, and her heart was in turmoil. She had assumed¡­ that


    Damien was merely here as a romantic gesture. She hadn¡¯t expected that¡­ he was actually here to


    propose.


    ¡°Marry him!¡± A middle-aged man¡¯s enthusiastic voice rang in the crowd. ¡°Marry him!¡± Cherise was


    startled and instinctively looked up to see her supervisor, Mr. Whitlock, grinning amongst the crowd.


    Once Mr. Whitlock started to chant, everyone else around him followed suit. ¡°Marry him!¡± The research


    institute employees around them began pping, cheering, and hooting. ¡°Marry him!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face turned a crimson red, and she turned away in embarrassment. ¡°You expect me to ept


    your proposal with just roses? Are you even taking this seriously?¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows and gazed at her intently. ¡°Am I not taking this seriously?¡± Every word he


    uttered was heartfelt. He was earnest about his proposal.


    Cherise extended her hand while blushing. ¡°How can you propose without a ring?¡± Her voice was


    slightly shy.


    The people around them started chanting again. ¡°Ring! Ring! Ring!¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Damien understood, and he smiled at Cherise. ¡°You¡¯ll find out if you take the roses.¡±


    Cherise pouted and protested yfully, something she rarely did. ¡°You have to bring the roses to me.¡±


    The man smiled helplessly. He plucked the rose from the center of the bouquet and peeled back the


    petals, revealing a red velvet jewelry box.


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    Hisrge, slender hands opened the box, and insidey a pair of diamond engagement rings. He took


    out ating and knelt before Cherise again with a sincere and unwavering gaze Cherise, will you marry


    me?¡±


    Chense was taken aback and couldn¡¯t say anything for a long time


    |||

 Chapter 719

    Chapter 719


    Chapter 719 Why Are You Surprised?


    Around them, the crowd kept cheering, hooting, and taking photos


    Damien stood in the middle of the countless roses before Cherise and looked at her lovingly


    She felt that she and Damien had fully reconciled Still, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Damien would set up


    such a grand proposal to publicly dere their renewed rtionship


    She knew that news of such avish proposal would soon spread overseas. It wouldn¡¯t be long before


    the conservative Tanner family got wind of it. And perhaps Rowena and Urs would also seethe with


    rage


    But does it matter? Nothing was more significant to Cherise than the man standing before her


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The woman took a deep breath and smiled as she extended her hand. ¡°What do you think my anewer


    ju?¡° The coy smile on her face sand it all.


    Damien pursed his lips and dropped all pretenses. He reached out to slide the ring onto her finger 1


    believe you¡¯re more than ready to marry me.¡± With that, he swept Cherise into his arms.


    The crowd erupted into cheers and apuse.


    Cherise nestled into Damien¡¯s arms, feeling shy yet exhrated. Shey her head on his chest as he


    carried her through the crowd. They walked across the red carpet strewn with rose petals and into the


    extended Lincoln, also covered in roses.


    As the car door closed, thunderous apuse still echoed in her ears. Her heart was brimming with an


    indescribable sense of joy and excitement.


    Damien held her close to him. ¡°Cherise.¡± He rested his chin on her head. ¡°I must admit, I didn¡¯t expect


    you to agree so readily.¡±


    Cherisey in his arms and was momentarily at a loss for words. She could only look up at him and ask


    softly. ¡°Why are you surprised?¡±


    After all¡­ her heart had always belonged to him¡­ Her feelings had never strayed.


    ¡°Because I thought you would still want to test me. His deep voice carried a hint of apprehension. ¡°I


    was worried you wouldn¡¯t ept me and still wanted to be in a deadlock with me.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, her heart aching slightly. ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°Because I treated you unfairly in the past.¡± He pulled her closer. ¡°Cherise, I want to formally apologize


    to you for my actions five years ago.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback and suddenly understood what he was alluding to. She sniffled, ¡°That¡¯s in the


    past.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡± Damien held her hand and said solemnly, ¡°I can never make up for that for the rest of my


    life¡±


    ¡°It was my fault. I let you go. I made you walk away. His deep voice echoed in her car. Tve pondered a


    lot for the past five years. I may have misunderstood my father as well. I thought we could uncover the


    truth


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    <

 Chapter 720

    Chapter 720


    Chapter 720 Watch Your Step


    She didn¡¯t want to ask further questions. All she did was clutch Damien¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°That¡¯s more


    than enough for me.¡±


    A grand procession of trucks filled with roses journeyed across the city. Finally, it halted at the entrance


    of New World Restaurant.


    Lennon, the owner of New World Restaurant, had long been awaiting their arrival with a team of


    managers and chefs.


    Cherise felt inexplicably gratified when she saw the suave and impably dressed Lennon standing


    there and weing her as if he were a doorman, especially considering how Lennon had previously


    treated Lucy. She felt indescribably pleased as she saw him dutifully waiting for her under Damien¡¯s


    instructions.


    The car door swung open, and Cherise emerged from the car with the grace of a queen with Damien¡¯s


    assistance. As soon as she stepped out, she nonchntly nced at Lennon in the distance. ¡°You took


    the time to personally wee me, Mr. Belcourt?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious why I¡¯m here to personally greet you, Cherise?¡± Lennon offered her a strained smile.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of Damien¡¯s character? I fear he might demolish my restaurant if I weren¡¯t here to


    greet you!¡±


    Cherise smirked. She recalled what Lucy had told her and smiled faintly as she gazed intently at


    Lennon. ¡°You¡¯re a wealthy bachelor now, Mr. Belcourt. I heard you started smoking and drinking a few


    years ago as you workedte. Your health has taken a hit while thepany¡¯s performance has


    improved.¡± Cherise blinked and asked indifferently. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Lennon¡¯s face instantly paled. He frowned at Cherise, then turned to look at Damien. ¡°The room, chefs,


    and food you requested are ready. I have other matters, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± With that, the man


    nced deeply at Cherise and turned to leave.


    As Cherise watched his retreating figure, a sneer formed on her lips. Take care, Mr. Belcourt. Since you


    have frail health, watch your step!¡±


    The man snorted disdainfully and quickened his pace.


    Damien stood in his spot and shook his head in resignation. He could understand why Lucy was


    previously so distant towards him as he observed his wife¡¯s demeanor.


    Friendship between women was simple. They would only be rude and sarcastic to people who were


    nasty to their friends, like how Cherise was treating Lennon as she spoke to him sarcastically.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± While Damien observed Lennon¡¯s retreating figure, Cherise had already approached him.


    The woman nced at New World Restaurant¡¯s signboard as nostalgia washed over her. ¡°This is my


    second visit to New World Restaurant since my return, right?¡± Cherise could still remember the chaos


    Urs had caused on her first visit to New World Restaurant.


    She wondered how the Mortis sisters would react to the news on the Inte today. Given Rowena¡¯s


    temperament, Cherise probably wouldn¡¯t have a peaceful meal.


    Sure enough, Cherise and Damien¡¯s meal was interrupted. Damien¡¯s cell phone rang incessantly as


    they


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    were halfway through their meal,


    The call came from the hospital. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, Ms. Rowena is very agitated. She got out of bed alone and


    hurt her legs when she fell down the stairs. She¡¯s currently in critical condition¡­¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Damien¡¯s hand froze as he held the phone. ¡°Didn¡¯t I instruct you to watch her closely?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lenoir.¡± The person in charge at the hospital sighed apologetically. ¡°We intended to fully


    protect Ms. Rowena, but we were overwhelmed by Ms. Urs¡­¡±


    |||

 Chapter 721

    Chapter 721


    Chapter 721 Who¡¯s The Na?ve One?


    ¡°When Ms. Rowen got into the ident, Ms. Urs had pestered us to go downstairs to find roses for


    her sister¡­¡± The call was on loudspeaker, and Cherise could clearly hear every word.


    She sipped her red wine delicately as her right hand tapped on the table lightly. She could deduce what


    had transpired at the hospital from the man¡¯s words.


    Rowena and Urs had most likely seen the video on the Inte, and Rowena must havemented


    not having roses. This would have prompted Urs tomand the bodyguards to apany her in


    a quest for roses for her sister in a fit of indignation!


    Rowena must have known that Damien had purchased all the roses in the city. Yet, she still made her


    sister. and the bodyguards embark on this futile search for roses¡­


    The only usible exnation was that Rowena wanted to be left unattended so she could get injured.


    Rowena had devised an ingenious strategy to harm herself and garner sympathy.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise had to acknowledge that Rowena was a formidable character, Cherise prided herself on her


    strong willpower but would not resort to hurting herself to put on an act.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Damien took a deep breath and ended the call. He turned to Cherise, ¡°I¡¯ll have Mr.


    Kolson escort you home. I need to go to the hospital to see Rowena.¡± Damien quickly added to prevent


    any misunderstanding. ¡°After all, Rowena saved my life. She¡¯s in critical condition now, and I must head


    there. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll return home as soon as she¡¯s stable.¡±


    Cherise offered a faint smile. I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    Damien was taken aback and wrinkled his brows slightly. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t want to see her¡­.


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Cherise smiled at Damien. ¡°But she did save my husband¡¯s life. Even if I don¡¯t want to see her.


    I should ensure she¡¯s stable before I feel at ease. Besides, I¡¯m a doctor. If someone is ill, I might be


    able to


    assist.¡±


    Since Cherise had said as such, there was no reason for Damien not to take her along.


    The man sighed lightly. ¡°You really haven¡¯t changed at all He raised his hand to stroke Cherise¡¯s head.


    ¡°You¡¯re still the same kind and na?ve girl¡±


    Cherise looked up and red at him like she did five years ago. Im not na?ve at all!¡±


    You¡¯re the na?ve one! You don¡¯t even know that your wife was the one who saved you three years ago!


    When Cherise and Damien arrived at the hospital, Rowena was still in the emergency room.


    Upon seeing Cherise arrive with Damien, Urs sprang from her chair. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    She confronted Cherise angrily. ¡°My sister is still unconscious. If she sees you after gaining


    consciousness, she might faint again!¡±


    Cherise held Damien¡¯s arm with one hand and clutched her handbag with the other. ¡°Your sister might


    faint frequently in the future.¡± She smiled gently at Urs. ¡°Ms. Urs, have you seen the news and


    videos online? I¡¯m now Damien¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and your sister is Damien¡¯s savior. We¡¯ll be meeting each


    other a lot in


    the future.¡±


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    Perhaps Urs had not expected such a response from Cherise. She was momentarily stunned before


    regaining herposure. ¡°What do you mean, Cherise Shaw?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying? Cherise had a sneer in the corners of her mouth. ¡°Do you want


    me to repeat it in anothernguage? Ms Urs, you¡¯re just a junior high graduate. Do you even know


    anothernguage? You should read more if you¡¯re so dim-witted. Don¡¯t rely on your sister¡¯s merits to


    act like a bully. Are you even worthy


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 Chapter 722

    Chapter 722


    Chapter 722 A Warning for Urs


    Cherise¡¯s gaze was frosty, and her tone merciless.


    Urs was taken aback. She clenched her teeth. ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡± She was on the verge


    of lunging a Cherise.


    She hated people ridiculing her educational background! She wasn¡¯t a bad student!


    After her parents had tragically died in a car ident, she didn¡¯t want to impose on her sister, so she


    voluntarily dropped out of school! She did it to be considerate, yet many people enjoyed belittling her


    for


    this!


    ¡°I mean it literally. Cherise nced at her dismissively, then turned to the nurse at the emergency room


    entrance. ¡°May I enter?¡±


    The medical incident involving Cherise in Lermille had created quite a buzz. The nurse at the entrance.


    had seen the news and knew that Cherise was a highlypetent doctor. Moreover, Cherise was here


    with Damien¡­ The nurse frowned and pondered momentarily before turning and guiding Cherise to the


    washroom. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    ¡°Damien!¡± Urs watched Cherise¡¯s retreating figure furiously. ¡°You just let her insult me like this!¡±


    ¡°You should know that I only indulge you because of Rowena.¡± Damien frowned slightly and looked at


    Urs, slightly annoyed. ¡°But Rowena is merely a friend. My gratitude towards her and tolerance for


    you are limited.¡±


    ¡°You should know your ce. Do you think you are as important to me as Cherise? Should you have


    addressed my fianc¨¦e in such a manner before me? I hope you can reflect on this.¡± Damien¡¯s voice


    was low and chilly. ¡°This is a warning for you. I won¡¯t be so lenient next time.¡±


    Urs was rooted to the spot. After a while, she bit her lips in embarrassment and fell silent. This was


    the first time since she got to know Damien that he had addressed her so sternly and solemnly.


    To be honest, Urs was somewhat frightened. She took a step back and held her tongue, feeling


    aggrieved. She nned to share everything with Rowena once her sister woke up.


    As Urs was retreating, the nurse had already ushered Cherise into the emergency room, where the


    doctors were at their wits¡¯ end.


    ¡°Dr. Shaw, you have more expertise on cardiovascr and cerebrovascr diseases than me. I


    genuinely can¡¯t identify what¡¯s wrong with Ms. Rowena¡­ The leading doctor saw Cherise and quickly


    approached. her. ¡°I¡¯ve conducted all the necessary measures and tests, but Ms. Rowena just won¡¯t


    regain consciousness! It¡¯s been almost two hours! I¡¯ve never encountered such a condition before!¡±


    Cherise raised her brows indifferently. She nced at Rowena¡¯s ECG and other signs as a slight smile


    formed on her lips. ¡°You can leave now. Let me try to save her alone.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ The doctors who were bustling about frowned. They instinctively looked up at Cherise. ¡°Is this


    appropriate?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cherise smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor too. This person is my husband¡¯s lifesaver. I certainly


    won¡¯t harm her. Otherwise, how could I continue to practice medicine in the future?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    <


    1/2


    Cherise¡¯s words reassured the leading doctor. He sighed lightly, patted Cherise¡¯s shoulder, and


    instructed the surrounding doctors and nurses to leave.


    When everyone had left, Cherise, d in a whiteb coat, gracefully walked to the door and closed it.


    Then, she picked up her phone and casually fiddled with it, ncing coldly at the ¡®unconscious¡¯


    Rowena on


    the bed. ¡°Ms. Rowena, it¡¯s just the two of us. There¡¯s no need for you to feign unconsciousness.¡±


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    O

 Chapter 723

    Chapter 723


    Chapter 723 Sulfuric Acid


    The woman sprawled on the bed remained still. She actually seemed unconscious. However, Cherise


    was confident she was awake.


    When Cherise spoke, she clearly saw Rowena¡¯s ECG rhythm fluctuate erratically. This was an obvious.


    indication of surprise. Rowena likely hadn¡¯t anticipated Cherise to abruptly initiate a conversation,


    hence her evident guilty conscience.


    ¡°Your ECG has given you away.¡± Cherise yawned. Her gaze on Rowena remained indifferent. ¡°But Ms.


    Urs, I won¡¯t unmask you if you prefer to maintain your charade. After all, you¡¯ve been ying this


    role. for three years, right?¡±


    When Cherise spoke, she noticed an apparent spike in Rowena¡¯s heart rate again.


    ¡°Others may be unaware, but do you think I¡¯m clueless?¡± Cherise shrugged nonchntly. ¡°How did you


    rescue Damien three years ago, Ms. Rowena?¡±


    ¡°You hastily fled during the fire and ignored people calling for help. Did you think the woman with the


    severely burnt hand you saw that day had passed away? Was that why youfortably assumed her


    identity and imed to be Damien¡¯s savior?¡±


    ¡°By the way, you imed your feet were burnt in that fire, right? I¡¯ve reviewed your medical records and


    saw the photos from your treatment three years ago¡­ Your feet were indeed burnt.¡±


    ¡°Upon professional inspection, the burns on your feet don¡¯t appear to be from a fire, but rather¡­¡± The


    woman smirked. ¡°Sulfuric acid.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Rowena, you certainly went to great lengths to im to be Damien¡¯s savior. I was in such agony


    when my hand was burnt back then that I wished for death, yet you could withstand sulfuric acid


    burning your feet¡­ Was it truly worth it?¡±


    On the bed, the woman¡¯s eyes were closed, and she remained motionless, but her racing heartbeat


    had given her away.


    Cherise leaned against the table and observed Rowena for a considerable time. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    to face reality, I won¡¯t make things difficult. I know you¡¯ve heard every word I¡¯ve said.¡± Cherise sighed


    deeply. ¡°But merely hearing what I¡¯ve said isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°As a fellow woman, I¡¯ll spare you some dignity. I hope you understand what I mean. Take your sister


    away and distance yourselves from Damien. Otherwise, if I expose the truth, you and your sister won¡¯t


    have a chance to redeem yourselves.¡±


    With that, Cherise turned and left.


    If not for some personal matters, Cherise would have directly disclosed the truth about Rowena¡¯s


    actions to Damien. But the fire from that year was tooplex, so she resorted to intimidating Rowena


    to make


    her retreat.


    When the emergency room door shut, the woman on the bed clenched the sheets beneath her tightly


    and gritted her teeth.


    I always assumed the woman who was gravely injured in that fire had perished¡­ Is Cherise that


    woman?


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    Should I¡­ do as she says and retreat: Rowena instinctively nced at her feet, which had just begun


    regaining mobility. No¡­ Absolutely not.


    She had already inflicted such damage to her feet. Once she severed ties with Damien¡­ her life would


    be


    ruined!


    Cherise opened the door to the emergency room. Outside, Urs charged towards her and red at


    her fiercely. ¡°What did you do to my sister?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Cherise removed her white coat gracefully and ced it on a nearby chair. She turned.


    indifferently to the anxious doctors waiting outside. ¡°You may enter. She should regain consciousness


    soon.¡±

 Chapter 724

    Chapter 724


    Chapter 724 My Presence Is Unnecessary


    The doctors looked at each other before swiftly moving into the emergency room.


    Upon seeing the doctors enter. Urs quickly followed suit ¡°Weena! You¡¯re finally conscious¡± After a


    brief moment, Urs¡¯s ted voice echoed from within ¡°Boohoo! You gave me such a fright¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Damien smiled faintly at Cherise when he heard the woman¡¯s voice inside. ¡°How are you to amazing¡±


    ¡°Heart diseases require the proper medicine Cherise looked up and shed him a radiant smile. ¡®Are


    you


    going in**


    Damien narrowed his eyes as his lips curled into a sneer. ¡°If it¡¯s a heart ailment, my presence is


    unnecessary¡±


    He trusted this woman more than the Mortis sisters. She was the mother of his two children and his


    lifelongpanion.


    Furthermore, it seemed like Rowena and Urs were crossing more boundaries since Cherise¡¯s return.


    Damien had no tolerance for people like them who meddled in his professional or personal affairs


    without knowing their ce. Even if Rowena had once saved his life, it didn¡¯t justify her repeatedly and


    recklessly intruding into his life.


    Thus, the man whispered a few words to the people beside him before draping his arm around the


    woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s return and continue our meal.¡±


    Tve had enough. Cherise took a deep breath. ¡°Where are the children?¡±


    ¡°Frances took them home for dinner. Damien pulled out his phone and showed her a picture. In the


    photo, the two children slept peacefully on a pink bed.


    The man¡¯s deep voice was tender. ¡°Since neither of us was home, Serafina fussed for a while. As her


    older brother, Soren took the initiative to coax her to sleep.


    Cherise pursed her lips and carefully studied the two children in the picture as a wave of affection


    washed over her. Her son had always been thoughtful, and her daughter was always endearing.


    She took a deep breath and put down the cell phone. ¡°Since the kids are fine, take me back to the


    research.


    institute.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°The research institute?¡±


    ¡°Mm. I need to collect some things. Cherise shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I just started working today. I¡¯ve


    imed to have made significant contributions to cardiac surgery, and I¡¯m currently receiving such a


    generous sry. I must show everyone howpetent I am to silence those who might resent me.¡±


    Damien hugged her. ¡°You can do it tomorrow,¡±


    Cherise looked at him helplessly. ¡°Damien, after the scene you caused today, do you think I can have a


    peaceful day at work tomorrow?¡± She took a deep breath and looked at him. ¡°Are you taking me to the


    research institute or not?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not, I¡¯ll go by myself. The woman promptly left his arms and headed towards the door.


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    Damien frowned. Left with no other option, he could only follow her. ¡°Why can¡¯t you work tomorrow?¡±


    Cherise pouted and recalled what her female colleague had said to her at the research institute. ¡°It¡¯s


    Damien Lenoir! Do you know Damien Lenoir?!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the man that all women in Adania dream of marrying, regardless of how old they are!¡± The


    woman sighed, mimicking her colleague¡¯s admiring tone. ¡°I wonder who he fancies. If I knew who he


    was confessing his feelings to, I would definitely interrogate that woman to see how she snagged such


    an eligible bachelor like Damien!¡± Cherise¡¯s imitation was spot on. She even replicated her colleague¡¯s


    expression.


    Damien was dumbstruck. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not that popr with women, I¡­¡±


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 Chapter 725

    Chapter 725


    Chapter 725 Don¡¯t Go


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Cherise raised her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide if a woman is fond of you. It¡¯s up to


    the


    woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to take tomorrow off to focus on my academic research at home. Once things have died.


    down in a few days, I¡¯ll return to work at the institute and publish mytest thesis. That¡¯s the n. Now,


    drive me to the institute to collect some materials¡±


    Damien sighed and nodded in resignation. He retrieved the car keys from Mr. Kolson and drove


    Cherise to the research institute.


    It was already past eight in the evening when they reached the institute, and the building was shrouded


    in


    darkness.


    After exiting the car, Cherise took the shlight she always kept in her bag and the institute keys she


    had previously borrowed from her supervisor. She briskly unlocked the door and strode in.


    Damien frowned and shook his head lightly as he watched the petite woman¡¯s figure. Who said women


    fear the dark and need someone to apany them? Cherry isn¡¯t scared of the dark. He shrugged


    helplessly and followed Cherise into the building.


    Since Cherise held the shlight, Damien didn¡¯t bother illuminating his path. He just trailed behind her.


    ¡°Bang! A loud noise suddenly reverberated through the corridor.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The woman screamed and instantly leaped into Damien¡¯s arms, her small frame trembling


    slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Damien patted her back. He took the shlight from her and scanned their surroundings.


    They had bumped into an open door, and the wind mmed it shut. ¡°One of the doors just closed. It¡¯s


    okay.¡±


    ¡°A door¡­ closed?!¡± Laying in Damien¡¯s arms, Cherise stiffened. ¡°We¡¯re standing here, and neither of us


    shut the door¡­ So who closed it?¡± Fear was palpable in her clear voice.


    This was the first time Damien had seen Cherise so timid. ¡°The wind blew, and the door shut.¡± The man


    chuckled helplessly and pinched her nose. ¡°Aren¡¯t you doctors supposed to be brave?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. Her expression changed slightly, and she coughed as she left his embrace. ¡°I


    just¡­ just suspected someone was following us, that¡¯s all.¡±


    She let go of Damien, snatched the shlight from his hand, and continued to walk forward.


    ¡°Hold on. The man frowned slightly and grabbed the shlight back from her. ¡°Stay here and wait for


    me.¡± He turned around and was about to walk towards the entrance.


    If he remembered correctly, the institute¡¯s circuit breaker was in that direction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Damien had just walked away when a pair of delicate hands wrapped around his waist


    anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡± The woman¡¯s soft voice was like a drug, instantly making Damien¡¯s heart race.


    The man pursed his lips lightly. I¡¯m going to turn on the circuit breaker.¡± His voice was low but gentle as


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    the


    he reached out his slender hand to hold Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Everything will be fine once the lights are on


    Be good.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and responded softly, but her hands still didn¡¯t leave Damien¡¯s waist. She bit


    her lip Take me with you.¡±


    Damen chuckled in exasperation. I¡¯m just going down one floor. Wait for me here¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to Cherise rarely behaved so coyly towards him after they reconciled ¡°I want to go with


    you.¡±


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 Chapter 726

    Chapter 726


    Chapter 726 I¡¯m Your Hero


    1. In the darknew, the woman are started to flush at that moment, Cherise was grateful that they were


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    in the dark Otherwise, Damien would tease her if he saw her blushing cheeks


    The woman¡¯s cov voice brought a faint smile to Damien¡¯s face. He raised his hand to polit hers ¡°Are


    you scatol¡±


    ¡°Mm Cherise pursed her lips Actually. I¡¯m not afraid of the dark Her voice trembled slightly ¡°The sound


    carber just startled me¡±


    Damien chuckled softly. He let go of her hand and crouched down. Tll carry you¡¯


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed a crimson red. ¡°No need. Just hold my hand


    That¡¯s inconvenient¡± The man¡¯s deep voice was affectionate. It¡¯s easier for me to carry you


    Cherise stood rooted to the spot and didn¡¯t move.


    Cherise¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling shy?¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been married for a while. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve carried you. The man¡¯s soothing tone made


    Cherise sigh before she cautiously climbed onto his back.


    As Damien carried her, one hand supported her lower body while the other held a shlight. He went


    down the stairs carefully.


    ¡°Am I heavy?¡± Cherise asked tentatively with flushed cheeks upon hearing the man¡¯s slightlybored


    breathing.


    ¡°Yes¡± The man smiled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m carrying the entire world on my back. Of course, you¡¯re heavy¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded. ¡°Where did you pick up such corny lines?¡±


    ¡°From your favorite romance novels.¡±


    ¡­How many have you read?¡±


    ¡°Quite a few.¡±


    The man walked carefully.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t heavy at all. She was as light as a feather. He was even thinking about how to get her


    to cat more and put on some weight


    Hisbored breathing was due to his cautious and earnest steps, along with how exhrated he felt


    12


    She was finally willing to express her feelings and reveal her vulnerable side to him. This signified that


    she had genuinely epted him.


    It utterly thrilled him, and he took each step even more cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the dark.¡± Cherise quickly changed the topic as he stayed silent. ¡°I was genuinely


    startled by the sound of the door earlier.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± The man smiled nonchntly. ¡°But Cherise, you¡¯re with me now. What would you do if you


    encountered this situation alone with the kids?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s figure froze slightly. She had faced such a situation before¡­


    ¡°I would pretend not to be scared.¡± The woman curled her lips. Her clear voice was slightly helpless. ¡°I


    can¡¯t let the kids think I¡¯m scared, can I?¡±


    ¡°To them, their mom is strong and brave. Therefore, I¡¯ll pretend I¡¯m fine before them, even if I¡¯m


    scared.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was as resolute and earnest as ever. ¡°Because I¡¯m a hero to my kids.¡±


    Damien¡¯s hand froze as he was carrying her. He vividly imagined this petite and delicate woman putting


    on a brave face. It was a heart-wrenching sight.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to put on such a brave front with me in the future.¡± His deep voice was slightly


    emotional as he spoke earnestly. ¡°You¡¯re a hero to the kids, but I¡¯m your hero.¡±


    |||


    O

 Chapter 727

    Chapter 727


    Chapter 727 What Will Be of Us?


    Cherise burrowed her face into his back as she listened to the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat,


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Momentster, she took a deep breath. Her checks flushed as she murmured, ¡°Darling.¡±


    Damien nearly stumbled, and his figure instantly stiffened. After a moment, he gently put her down. He


    gazed at her intensely under the moonlight. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Darling.¡± Under the moonlight, Cherise¡¯s blush deepened as she met his gaze. ¡°I haven¡¯t uttered this


    word. in five years. It feels strange.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get the hang of it, Mrs. Lenoir. With that, he leaned in. One hand cradled Cherise¡¯s chin, and the


    other was braced against the wall as he kissed her passionately.


    When their lips met, a click was heard behind Cherise. The entire institute was suddenly bathed in light.


    As light flooded the room. Cherise instinctively shut her eyes. But with her eyes closed, her other


    senses heightened. She could feel every ounce of the man¡¯s tenderness and affection as he kissed


    her.


    She could even sense the intensity of his gaze as he watched her and looked into her eyes. She closed


    her eyes, took a deep breath, and put her arms around his neck. She stood on tiptoe and deepened the


    kiss¡­..


    She had decided to let go of her inhibitions. She put theplicated past between the Tanner, Miles,


    and Lenoir families behind her at that moment.


    It was because the man before her genuinely cared for her. He was also the person she cherished


    most in her life. Their elders and rtives would never understand her feelings for him.


    When she first saw him remove the ck silk from his eyes on their wedding night five years ago,


    destined to only have eyes for him for the rest of her life..


    she was


    ¡°Weena, Damien just left like that!¡± At Adania Hospital, Urs clenched her teeth angrily and flung the


    items in her hand to the ground. ¡°You were unconscious for so long, and he didn¡¯t even bother to visit


    you! He¡¯s really stopped caring for us!¡±


    ¡°He never had any obligation to us in the first ce.¡± Rowena stared into the distance vacantly. ¡°L,


    it¡¯s time for us to leave the Lenoir family¡¯s care.¡±


    ¡°After all¡­¡± Rowena¡¯s voice was weak and indifferent. ¡°After all, we¡¯re just strangers to Damien.¡±


    ¡°Regardless of what I¡¯ve sacrificed to save him, with Cherise around¡­ his heart will always belong to


    her.¡±


    Urs stared at Rowena in astonishment. Fear flickered through her eyes. ¡°But Weena, what will


    be of us without the Lenoir family¡¯s support?¡±


    Urs could only do menial jobs, and the money she could earn was insufficient to cover Rowena¡¯s


    medical expenses!


    ¡°It¡¯s all Cherise¡¯s fault!¡± Urs bit her lip. ¡°Weena, do you think Damien would treat us as kindly as


    before if Cherise left?¡±


    Rowena nodded. ¡°He probably would, but why would Cherise leave¡­¡± Rowena closed her eyes as she


    spoke.


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    1/2


    her than drath, nothing else can separate them now


    Urs narrowed her eyes. ¡°Death.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re famous now¡± Early the following morning. Cherise received a call from Lucy before she had


    even gotten out of bed. ¡°You¡¯re the talk of the town.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Lucy was doubled over fromughter. ¡°Some are even saying that


    Damien is disloyal because he only searched for his ex-wife for five years before he stopped.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 728

    Chapter 728


    Chapter 728 We Won¡¯t Reconcile


    ¡°Some are arguing that Damien wronged his ex-wife because he never publicly disyed his marriage


    five years ago, but he¡¯s now parading his affection for you unabashedly, so they¡¯re saying that it seems


    like second marnages are indeed more fulfilling


    Im so amused If you want to point fingers me Damien for his unassuming nature five years ago Still,


    you kept an equally low profile Everyone knew Damien had an ex-wife, but her name remained a


    inystery


    Cherise was half awake in bed as the listened to Lucy¡¯s voice. It was enough to make her heard whirl


    Onlookers do indeed have a boundless imagination.


    Arge hand suddenly snatched Cherise¡¯s phone away. I intend to continue showcasing my love for


    Cherise, my second wife. If anyone has any objections, they¡¯re wee to discuss it with me


    personally¡± Damien said with an icy voice as he held the phone.


    Lucy¡¯s voice on the other end of the line instantly trailed off Her astonished voice rang after a moment


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Cherise, did you spend the night with Damien3!¡±


    Cherise was briefly taken aback. She quickly snatched the phone from Damien¡¯s hand as she blushed.


    Well¡­ I¡­ Last night, I think.¡±


    She felt a headache forming, but she was confident she hadn¡¯t consumed any alcoholst night. Why


    did I allow Damien to carry me to his room? And¡­.


    She instinctively nced around, noticing the strewn clothes and disheveled bed¡­. Scenes from the


    previous night shed in her mind, and Cherise was so mortified she wished she could disappear.


    ¡°Cherise Shaw! Weren¡¯t you supposed to restrain yourself?!¡±


    ¡°Even though the roses yesterday were incredibly romantic, it was enough that you epted his


    proposal. Why did you¡­ On the other end of the line, Lucy was exasperated. ¡°Can¡¯t you exercise some


    restraint? AL least make Damien pine for you so he¡¯ll realize you¡¯re not a pushover!¡±


    Before Lucy could finish, the man had again seized the phone from Cherise with hisrge hand. T¡¯ll


    keep your advice in mind.¡± Damien yawned. He held the phone with one hand and draped his other


    arm around Cherise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Lucy Staber.¡±


    ¡°If Lennon pursues you, don¡¯t just give in.¡± A faint smile formed on his lips. ¡°If you do, I have ways to


    separate you.¡±


    On the other end of the line, Lucy was dumbfounded. ¡°Well¡­ Lennon and L.. won¡¯t reconcile.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Damien smiled nonchntly. ¡°You¡¯re bound to have a boyfriend in the future, right?¡±


    ¡°Since you gave such advice to Cherise today, I can¡¯t let your future boyfriend win you over too easily


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    After all, I¡¯m your best friend¡¯s husband. I¡¯m just doing you a small favor.¡±


    Lucy was dumbstruck Cherise, are you kidding me?


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir¡± On the other end of the line, Lucy took a deep breath and finally surrendered to the


    inevitable. I spoke out of turn and said something I shouldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s my fault


    r


    1/2


    By the way, tell Chriase not lo I wish you and Cherise a blissful marriage and a happy life Comdliye


    contact me for a while I¡¯m afraid 11l speak out of tum again. Thank you¡± Lucy ended the call swiftly


    Cherise was stupefied as she grabbed her phone back. She looked up at Damien, slightly furious ¡°Why


    did you say that!


    Why did she say that Damien pulled Cherise into his arms raking in the fragrance of her hair. It wasn¡¯t


    easy for us to reach this point 1 fully understand your worth You don¡¯t need to test me any further Ever


    if she had good intentions, it would hurt me even more if you followed her advice¡¯


    29

 Chapter 729

    Chapter 729


    Chapter 729 Mommy, Are You in There?


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for us to be together again. Please don¡¯t test me anymore, okay?¡± The man¡¯s deep


    voice instantly softened Cherise¡¯s heart.


    She pursed her lips and snuggled into his embrace. She felt his breath and the rhythm of his heartbeat.


    ¡°But Lucy was merely trying to protect me. You treated me poorly in the past, and she was just


    concerned that I might get hurt again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use Lucy of making things difficult for you. She wouldn¡¯t even try to help if she weren¡¯t my


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    friend.¡± She looked up. ¡°She was ultimately just trying to protect me. Just like me. I don¡¯t like Lennon


    when I see him now because he wasn¡¯t kind to Lucy.¡±


    Damien sighed nonchntly and nodded. ¡°So, should I join you in giving Lennon a hard time in the


    future?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. After a moment, she hugged and kissed him. ¡°Does it mean you¡¯re no longer


    upset with Lucy?¡±


    ¡°I was never upset with her to begin with.¡± The man ruffled Cherise¡¯s hair in exasperation. ¡°She¡¯s just a


    young girl. Why would I be upset with her?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the same age. Lucy is my ssmate and best friend. Cherise pouted. ¡°If she¡¯s a young girl,


    what does that make me?¡±


    ¡°Guess.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. In any case, I¡¯m Mrs. Lenoir, your wife.¡± Cherise pursed her lips and snuggled into his


    arms. ¡°If you think I¡¯m too young or immature, it reflects your bad taste!¡±


    Damien chuckled helplessly and stroked her hair. ¡°I have impable taste!¡±


    Theyy in the room for a long time until a child¡¯s clear voice rang from outside, ¡°Mommy, are you in


    there?¡±


    Cherise was startled. For a moment, she was unsure whether to respond or stay silent. Because the


    one outside the door¡­ was Soren.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t remain silent. I know you¡¯re in there. Outside, the impably dressed boy was


    knocking. on the door helplessly. ¡°Mommy, Frances has prepared breakfast. Would you like toe


    out and eat breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Also, I need your signature on yesterday¡¯s homework. We¡¯re both eager to get to kindergarten.


    Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. It wasn¡¯t always a blessing for her child to be so sensible¡­.


    She cleared her throat lightly. ¡°Alright, Soren. Wait for me downstairs. I¡¯ll be down shortly.¡±


    ¡°Ren, you¡¯re so clever!¡± As her voice trailed off, Serafina¡¯s squeal rang outside the door. ¡°How did you


    know Mommy was in Mr. Handsome¡¯s room? I¡¯ve been searching for Mommy for ages! You¡¯re amazing,


    Ren!¡±


    Soren¡¯s calm voice rang outside the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t even have to think about it.¡±


    |||


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    1/2


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Soren cleared his throat, ¡°Ahem. You¡¯ll understand when you grow up.¡±


    Cherise exited Damien¡¯s room with flushed cheeks. The two children outside were impably dressed.


    With their litle backpacks slung over their shoulders, it was as though they were waiting outside the


    principal¡¯s office as they leaned against the corridor wall.


    Upon seeing Cherise emerge, Soren pursed his lips and winked at Cherise. ¡°You have no self-restraint,


    Mommy. You were won over so easily.¡±


    Cherise blushed.


    Serafina quickly ran over and shielded Cherise behind her. ¡°Ren, you can¡¯t speak about Mommy like


    that. Mommy just likes Mr. Handsome, like me!¡±


    Soren rolled his eyes at Serafina in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re just as infatuated as Mommy.¡±


    Serafina retorted proudly, ¡°Hmph! Our teacher said it¡¯s endearing for girls to be a little infatuated!¡±


    The two children¡¯s innocent voices instantly lifted Cherise¡¯s spirits.


    O


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 Chapter 730

    Chapter 730


    Chapter 730 The Subject of The Children¡¯s Wager


    Cherise smiled faintly and crouched down to tousle Serafina¡¯s hair. ¡°Where¡¯s the homework I must sign


    my name on?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Actually, Mommy, there¡¯s no such thing!¡± Serafina pouted, standing on tiptoe to whisper into Cherise¡¯s


    ear. ¡°Ren said you stayed in Mr. Handsome¡¯s roomst night, but I didn¡¯t believe it, so we bet on it!¡±


    Cherise was stunned. Did the kids make me the subject of their wager first thing in the morning?


    ¡°We made a bet over an ice cream. I¡¯ve lost, so I must give Ren today¡¯s ice cream.¡± As Serafina spoke,


    her voice sank slightly. Momentster, Serafinaughed. ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Handsome¡¯s girlfriend now,


    Mommy, Can I ask Mr. Handsome for lots of ice cream in the future?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips and coughed lightly. ¡°Um¡­ Have you eaten breakfast yet?¡±


    Serafina nodded. ¡°Grandma Frances made us lots of delicious food!¡±


    At the side, Soren frowned. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s just Frances. It makes her seem younger. She¡¯ll be happy!¡±


    ¡°But Grandma Frances asked me to call her that¡­¡± Serafina looked aggrieved.


    Cherise looked at her two children helplessly and interrupted them so they wouldn¡¯t continue to argue.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you to kindergarten?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Serafina shook her head. ¡°I want you and Mr. Handsome to take me to kindergarten together!


    Then, our teachers will give me candy again when they ask for Mr. Handsome¡¯s contact information!¡±


    Cherise was floored. What happened to my innocent daughter?


    Is she using Damien to bribe the teachers for candy? How did she learn to do this?


    ¡°Alright.¡± Before Cherise could object, the door behind her opened. Damien walked out, fastening the


    top button of his shirt. ¡°Will you share the candy with me, Serafina?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Upon seeing Damien, the little girl smiled sweetly. Her smile seemed to light up the entire


    room.


    If Soren was a replica of Damien, Serafina was a replica of Cherise. The mother and daughter had the


    same oval face, round eyes, and radiant smile.


    Damien was in his thirties, but his heart melted at his daughter¡¯s smile. ¡°So it¡¯s settled then.¡± He


    crouched down and held Serafina in his arms. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll take you to school daily, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little girl pped her hands in joy. ¡°This way, I¡¯ll have lots of candy!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll also be chubby.¡± Soren pouted as he followed Damien.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, Ren! I won¡¯t be chubby!¡±


    ¡°You will!¡±


    Soren sighed. ¡°Mr. Lenoir can take us to school daily, but Mommy must alsoe.¡±


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    1/2


    Cherise was taken aback and instinctively asked, ¡°Why?¡± She was just thinking that if Damien took the


    kids. to school in the future, she couldze around at home¡­


    She had handled almost all the children¡¯s daily school runs by herself for the past few years except


    during particr circumstances. It was honestly quite tiring. My son won¡¯t let me ck off now that I


    have a chance to?


    ¡°You must assert your dominance.¡± Soren pouted and whispered. ¡°The teachers are eyeing Mr. Lenoir


    greedily. Hence, you must apany him whenever he goes to kindergarten, Mommy.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    |||


    <

 Chapter 731

    Chapter 731


    Chapter 731 Silly Mommy


    ¡°Otherwise, the kindergarten teachers will lose their minds.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck. Your dad can drive numerous women mad. Still, I couldn¡¯t care less!


    However, with Damien standing before her, she naturally dared not utter these words. She could only


    silently me Soren for not empathizing with her!


    Cherise leaned against the car window from Lenoir Manor to the kindergarten. She clutched the warm


    tumbler of milk that Frances had handed her, drifting in and out of sleep. She was simply too


    exhausted.


    Had it not been for Lucy¡¯s early morning call, she could have slept until noon! Because a particr


    insatiable man had kept her awake for hours the previous night¡­.


    She had long drunk the milk in the tumbler, yet she was nodding off while still clutching the tumbler.


    Damien shook his head in resignation, ¡°Soren, take the tumbler from your mom.¡±


    Soren came to his senses and found his mom dozing off while awkwardly holding an empty tumbler.


    The boy shook his head in exasperation. ¡°I always have to worry about you, Mommy.¡± He reached out


    and took the tumbler from Cherise¡¯s hand. He found the cap, screwed it on, and set it aside.


    Cherise had already shut her eyes and drifted back to sleep.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Damien.¡± After a prolonged silence, a child¡¯s distinct voice echoed in the car.


    ¡°Mm.¡± Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Actually, I¡¯d prefer if you called me ¡®daddy¡¯ or ¡®dad. I might be more


    inclined to converse with you and more likely to agree to your requests that way.¡±


    Soren pursed his lips. This man truly understands my personality. Perhaps it¡¯s because our characters


    are so simr. Gics are so strange¡­


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, let¡¯s reserve such titles for when you officially be our dad.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I


    want to say that I witnessed your heartfelt proposal yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I also hope you¡¯ll always treat my mommy this sincerely. She¡¯s a bit na?ve. If she falls for someone,


    she gives her all¡­ Serafina and I wouldn¡¯t have epted you so readily if she hadn¡¯t pined for you all


    these years.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me of this. I¡¯m well aware.¡±


    ¡°But I have a request.¡± The boy inhaled deeply, ¡°She¡¯s not in the best of health. She¡¯s suffered severe.


    injuries in the past. Hence, don¡¯t let her¡­ stay up sote in the future.¡±


    The car quickly pulled up at the kindergarten. Even though Damien was extremely cautious, the noise


    outside the vehicle still roused Cherise from her sleep when he stopped the car.


    The woman was still somewhat groggy as she woke up, but her gaze was sharp. She yawned and


    nced outside, ¡°We¡¯re here?¡± She reached out to open the car door, but Damien stopped her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get out of the car if you¡¯re still half-asleep. I¡¯ll take them in. The man smiled helplessly. ¡°Just wait


    |||


    1/2


    for me in the car.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cherise pursed her lips and instinctively turned to look at the two children beside her. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Soren sighed helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re so silly, Mommy. Just wait in the car. We¡¯re getting off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Mommy, rest a little longer!¡± Serafina also nodded with a smile.


    While Damien and the kids got out together, Cherise was alone in the car.


    Leaning back on the car¡¯s leather seat, Cherise yawned and watched Damien escort the two children


    into the kindergarten.


    |||

 Chapter 732

    Chapter 732


    Chapter 732 Good News


    A happy smile gently tugged at the corners of the woman¡¯s


    lips.


    She had once yearned for such a day when Damien and their two children were joyfully gathered


    around. her. It seemed that her dream had finallye to fruition!


    She yawned and was about to drift back to sleep when her phone rang at the side. It was a call from


    Zachary.


    ¡°I saw the news. Congrattions.¡± The man¡¯s voice on the other end of the line was slightly yful.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally happy again, Bunny. That makes me happy, too.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s checks flushed slightly, and sheughed shyly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the news to reach Ziphon so


    quickly¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Zachary chuckled, ¡°Because you and the kids are in Adania, I pay special attention to the news


    there. My fianc¨¦e knows I¡¯m interested in Adania¡¯s affairs, so she updates me on the daily news there.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Cherise was about to respond when she abruptly thought of something! ¡°Did you just say¡­


    your fianc¨¦e?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± On the other end of the line, Zachary¡¯s voice was slightly amused. ¡°Did I forget to mention I¡¯m


    engaged?¡±


    ¡°You never mentioned it!¡± Cherise¡¯s sleepy eyes instantly lit up. ¡°When did you even get engaged?!¡±


    Wasn¡¯t Zachary still single when I left Lermille? How did he get engaged so quickly!?


    ¡°It happened in thest couple of days,¡± Zachary spoke fondly about his fianc¨¦e. ¡°We fell in love at first


    sight and continued falling deeper in love. She¡¯s the first woman I spent the night with. Hence, I


    decided to spend the rest of my life with her and proposed.¡±


    ¡°I n to bring her to Adania soon to introduce her to you¡± He yawned. ¡°After all, besides Kareen,


    you¡¯re the only sister I have. I should bring her over to meet you.¡±


    Cherise was so taken aback that she was momentarily speechless. After a while, she finally managed


    to utter in astonishment, ¡°Is itmon for young people to date and get engaged so quickly these


    days¡­¡±


    It¡¯s been less than a week¡­ and they¡¯re¡­ engaged?


    ¡°Not as fast as you.¡± Zachary was stillughing, ¡°You¡¯ve been proposed to for the second time in the


    blink of an eye. I should also find the opportunity to propose to my fianc¨¦e again.¡±


    Cherise was dumbstruck andughed helplessly after a while. ¡°Is this apetition?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zachary was about to say something when a gentle female voice echoed from his end.


    ¡°Alright, Bunny, I won¡¯t keep you any longer. My fianc¨¦e needs me. See you in Adania in a few days!¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Zachary quickly ended the call.


    On the other end of the line, Cherise clutched her phone as an indescribable excitement surged.


    Zachary had finally found true love! This was fantastic news for her!


    |||


    1/2


    Zachary had always been by her side for the past five years, honoring his promise to her mom. She


    had been genuinely worried that Zachary would remain unmarried to take care of her for the rest of his


    life!


    She worried about leaving him behind if she reconciled with Damien before he found his true love. After


    all¡­ Zachary had cared for her meticulously over the past five years. He didn¡¯t even care for his


    biological sister, Kareen, as much as he cared for Cherise.


    She honestly didn¡¯t know how to repay him. But now that he had found true love, she could rest


    assured!


    Damien returned to the car shortly. Meanwhile, Cherise was too excited to sleep. She reclined in the


    car


    seat, smiling as she watched Damien enter the vehicle. ¡°I have some good news to share with you!¡±


    |||


    O

 Chapter 733

    Chapter 733


    Chapter 733 Zachary is Engaged


    Damien¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Good news?¡± His dark eyes settled on Cherise¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Are you


    expecting again?¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. She red at him fiercely. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of anything else?¡±


    With one hand gripping the steering wheel, Damien reclined in the driver¡¯s seat. He turned to look at


    her tenderly. ¡°We¡¯ve been intimate a few times in Lermille. Isn¡¯t it reasonable to suspect you might be


    pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s reasonable¡­ But that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± She red at him in exasperation. ¡°What I¡¯m


    trying to say is¡­ Zachary is engaged!¡±


    This news seemed to take Damien by surprise, ¡°He¡¯s engaged?¡±


    If his memory served him right, Zachary still had feelings for Cherise thest time they met in Lermille.


    Did he get engaged so quickly?


    ¡°Yeah, I was taken aback, too.¡± Cherise looked at Damien with a smile. ¡°But he said he fell head over


    heels. for his fianc¨¦e, so they quickly got engaged!¡±


    She was practically dancing with joy. ¡°He also mentioned he would bring his fianc¨¦e to Adania for a


    visit in a few days!¡± As she spoke, she started nning what delectable dishes to prepare for Zachary


    and his fianc¨¦e¡­


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Damien looked at the excited woman helplessly. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you this excited over our engagement?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re an old couple. What¡¯s there to be excited about?¡±


    After she said it, the car fell silent. Cherise finally sensed something was wrong and instinctively looked


    up. The man was leaning back in his seat and gazing at her intently. He didn¡¯t utter a word.


    Cherise felt a bit uneasy under his gaze. She pursed her lips, avoiding his gaze somewhat guiltily.


    ¡°Why are. you looking at me like that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pondering.¡± The man looked at her, his gaze intense. ¡°Since we¡¯re an old couple, how can I excite


    you?¡± His tone grew more solemn. ¡°Was everything I previously arranged for you not enough?¡±


    Cherise was bbergasted. Isn¡¯t this man reading too much into it?


    She pursed her lips. After a brief silence, she leaned closer to Damien and kissed his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m just


    d Zachary has found happiness, and I can finally wish him well. What you prepared was more than


    enough¡­ I appreciate everything you do for me.¡±


    The man smiled faintly, pulling her into his embrace. ¡°You appreciate everything?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Including what we didst night in bed?¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded.


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    1/2


    Zachary and his fianc¨¦e were due to arrive in Adania in three days. To have ample time to show


    Zachary¡¯s fianc¨¦e around Adania, Cherise even took a few days off from the research institute.


    The research institute was very understanding. Although Cherise had just started working there


    recently. her supervisor readily agreed to her asking for time off.


    ¡°But, Cherise.¡± On the other end of the phone, Mr. Whitlock cleared his throat. ¡°You promised me you


    would write the thesis we agreed upon at home.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Whitlock, rest assured!¡± Cherise quickly nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll submit the paper before I go on leave! Don¡¯t


    worry. I¡¯ll get it done!¡±


    The girl¡¯s resolute and earnest voice made Mr. Whitlock chuckle on the other end of the phone. ¡°Alright,


    remember to keep your word!¡±


    After exchanging pleasantries with Mr. Whitlock, Cherise began to badger Damien to take her home to


    write her paper. Although she promised to finish her thesis before she went on leave, she actually


    nned. toplete it in two days.


    |||


    O

 Chapter 734

    Chapter 734


    Chapter 734 It¡¯s Nice to Be Young


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Zachary and his fianc¨¦e would be visiting in just three days. She knew she would be preupied with


    getting to know Zachary¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so she wouldn¡¯t have the time toplete her thesis.


    ¡°Given how thrilled you are, it feels like she¡¯s your fianc¨¦e. Damien gently tapped the woman¡¯s nose


    with at helpless smile. ¡°You silly girl.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle. T¡¯m just excited.¡±


    After all, she hade to think of Zachary as a brother over the past five years. She was thrilled and


    overjoyed that Zachary was bringing his fianc¨¦e to visit her!


    For the next two days, Cherise was engrossed in nning where to take Zachary and his fianc¨¦e while.


    burying herself in academic research and writing her thesis.


    Two dayster, Cherise was heading to the research institute to submit her thesis under the zing


    afternoon sun.


    At that moment, Damien was negotiating a significant business deal with Lennon. ncing at the


    scorching sunlight outside, the man said, ¡°It¡¯s still early. I¡¯ll send you thereter.¡±


    As she put on her coat, Cherise smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Focus on your work. I can handle it myself. It¡¯s


    just a trip to the research institute. There¡¯s no danger.¡±


    But Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hold on. I¡¯ll send you.¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    ¡°Then ke can go with you.¡±


    Rolling her eyes at him, Cherise retorted. ¡°You know that ke is down with a cold and high fever.¡±


    ¡°Let Mr. Kolson send you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Cherise looked at Damien in exasperation. ¡°When will you realize that I¡¯m an adult?¡±


    ¡°Damien is just worried you¡¯ll disappear again.¡± Leaning on the sofa, Lennon chuckled. ¡°We truly


    cherish what we lost after regaining it. I¡¯ve never seen you so enthusiastic about Cherry before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always treated her this way.¡± Damien nced at him indifferently. ¡°If your vision is impaired, I don¡¯t


    mind sending you to Africa. You can enjoy the greenndscapes there. Perhaps your eyesight will


    improve


    as well.¡±


    Lennon was dumbstruck. His expression paled, and he fell silent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head there now, darling!¡± Thoroughly enjoying Lennon¡¯s deted expression, Cherise waved at


    Damien beamingly. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the farmer¡¯s marketter on the way back and get you some fish!¡±


    ¡°Stay safe.¡± Shaking his head lightly, the man picked up the phone to instruct Mr. Kolson to take good


    care of her. Then, he resumed his business discussion with Lennon.


    ¡°Cherise¡­ you wrote such aplex thesis in just two days?!¡±


    |||


    12


    <


    berse smiled at Mr. Whitlock in his office ¡°It¡¯s thanks to your excellent guidance Mr. Whitlock Your


    words the other day made me realize how much you value me, so I didn¡¯t dare ck and managed to


    Joy and envy flickered across Mr. Whitlock¡¯s eyes through his thick sses. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be young¡¯


    You¡¯re so energetic, exuberant, and capable¡±¡±


    Mr. Whitlock chatted enthusiastically with Cherise for a while until a knock on the door finally allowed


    Cherise to escape from her studious supervisor.


    It was already past three in the afternoon when Cherise left the research institute. The sun was low in


    the sky as it slowly inched towards sunset.


    Standing at the entrance of the research institute, Cherise stretched. She felt a huge burden lifted from


    her shoulders. She could focus on caring for Zachary and his fianc¨¦e for the next few days!

 Chapter 735

    Chapter 735


    Chapter 735 He¡¯ll Be Alright


    Cherise¡¯s phone suddenly buzzed. It was a call from Damien.


    She wrinkled her brows and answered the call while waiting to cross the road. ¡°Why are you calling at


    this


    hour?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west met. I¡¯m slightly concerned.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice on the other end of


    the line was slightly uneasy. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Cherise retorted, her lips forming a pout. ¡°Mr. Whitlock had some questions about my


    thesis, so I was exining it to him.¡±


    ¡°Alright,e home soon.¡± On the other end of the line, Damien took a deep breath. ¡°I have this


    strange feeling that something is about to happen. I regret not apanying you.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. As the traffic light before her turned green, she checked for oing traffic.


    She started crossing the road while continuing her conversation with Damien. ¡°Why are you suddenly


    being so timid and overcautious? I¡¯m working at the research institute, and I¡¯ll bemuting here daily.


    What could possibly go wrong?¡±


    A piercing horn immediately red after she finished speaking. As she held her cell phone, her hand


    froze. She turned towards the noise and saw a ck sedan honking and barreling towards her.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Damien¡¯s frantic voice echoed in her ear. Cherise frowned and instinctively turned around.


    Beyond the ck sedan speeding towards her, a red truck was heading directly for her.


    The man¡¯s familiar hand yanked her aside in the nick of time as he hugged her and rolled to the side of


    the road. There was a deafening crash behind her as the cars collided.


    Everything transpired so rapidly. Cherise was in a daze. She didn¡¯t know when Damien had arrived,


    and she was clueless as to why the two cars were hurtling towards her.


    But amidst her confusion, she spotted Ursjacross the street, d in white. The woman nonchntly


    put on her sunsses and slid into a red Porsche. Cherise suddenly realized that this incident had


    something to do with Urs.


    She took a deep breath and instinctively turned to look at the two cars, but Damien covered her eyes.


    ¡°Cherise, brace yourself. I have something to tell you.¡± The man enveloped her in his arms, his breath


    slightly ragged. ¡°Zachary was in the ck sedan and was trying to rescue you.¡±


    Behind them, screams erupted. Someone had called the police, and the sound of ambnce and


    police sirens filled the air.


    Cherise was nestled in Damien¡¯s arms, and his hands still covered her eyes. She leaned against him,


    resembling a lifeless puppet. ¡°Is Zachary¡­ alright?¡±


    ¡°He will be,¡± Damien reassured her. ¡°He¡¯s been transported to the ambnce for medical attention.


    Let¡¯s go with him.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cherise leaned into him, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Damien, are you sure it was him?


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He told me he was onlying with his fianc¨¦e tomorrow.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°How could¡­¡± Her hollow voice was filled with sorrow. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. He should still be abroad


    now¡­¡±


    Damien embraced her. ¡°Perhaps he wanted to surprise you. His deep voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°He


    just called me and inquired about your whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°After I informed him you were at the research institute, he abruptly ended the call. I thought he might


    have arrived early and intended to surprise you, so I rushed over. I didn¡¯t expect¡­..¡±


    |||

 Chapter 736

    Chapter 736


    Chapter 736 Meeting Zachary¡¯s Fianc¨¦e


    The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for him to regain consciousness, alright? I¡¯ve already requested


    Mr. Hampson to investigate.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to investigate. It was Urs.¡± Cherise shut her eyes, a bitter smile forming on her lips.


    Rowena hadn¡¯t done anything since Cherise had subtly warned her in the emergency room. Cherise


    had assumed Rowena was retreating and backing down. She hadn¡¯t anticipated the Mortis sisters to be


    scheming behind her back.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Damien and Zachary today, that truck would likely have already crushed her.


    The Mortis sisters were merciless. Cherise hadn¡¯t exposed Rowena before everyone, yet Rowena and


    Urs were plotting to kill her.


    The ambnce quickly arrived at the hospital. As Cherise disembarked from the vehicle, she caught


    sight. of medical personnel carrying Zachary through the gaps between Damien¡¯s fingers.


    Zachary¡¯s eyes were shut, and his face was bloody. The blood on his body had even stained the


    stretcher beneath him crimson. Cherise inexplicably felt a sharp pain in her heart.


    Cherise sat on the bench outside


    the emergency room. She silently stared at the red light outside the room that indicated the space was


    upied. This was her first time experiencing how tormenting that red light looked.


    She had enthusiastically nned where to take Zachary and his fianc¨¦e just a few hours ago, but this


    man was in the emergency room because of her a few hourster.


    A girl in a floral dress rushed over shortly. ¡°Excuse me, is Zachary Miles in this emergency room?¡±


    The girl had an oval face and round eyes. Her ck hair was tied into two ponytails, and a beige hair


    clip was on her head. She looked very young, like a well-mannered and adorable high school student.


    Cherise furrowed her brows and looked up subconsciously.


    ¡°Yes. Zachary is inside. Damien held Cherise¡¯s hand and spoke softly. ¡°And you are?¡±


    Im his fianc¨¦e. The girl pursed her lips and nced anxiously at the red light above the emergency


    room. ¡°Are you his friends? How long has he been in there?¡±


    Cherise, who had been silent since entering the hospital, spoke hoarsely. ¡°Half an hour.¡±


    She looked up and carefully sized up the girl who seemed significantly younger than herself. ¡°Are


    you¡­ the fianc¨¦e he mentioned on the phone?¡±


    The girl was taken aback. She quickly nodded and extended her hand politely. ¡°You must be Cherise


    Shaw. He talks about you often.¡±


    ¡°My name is Lyra Quinnell. You can call me Lyra.¡± The girl¡¯s fingers lightly squeezed her backpack¡¯s


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    straps, and she spoke somewhat nervously. ¡°He said he wasing ahead of time to give you a


    surprise. How did


    get into a car ident?¡±


    he


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    Cherise closed her eyes and was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Lyra, you¡­ need to be prepared.¡±


    She looked up at the girl before her. ¡°Zachary appears¡­ to be seriously injured.¡±


    The girl was stunned. She had just grasped the gravity of the situation. ¡°He¡­ won¡¯t be in danger, will


    he?¡± Her dark gaze dimmed. ¡°We just¡­ got engaged not long ago.¡±


    Once Lyra started speaking, Cherise¡¯s heart suddenly began to ache. It was her fault. The Mortis


    sisters had taken advantage of her kindness and used this opportunity to harm her.


    If she had told Damien about what had happened three years ago and exposed Rowena¡¯s lies from the


    start, Zachary, who hade to surprise her, wouldn¡¯t have been injured¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± The woman helplessly ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°I¡¯m the one to me¡­


    111

 Chapter 737

    Chapter 737


    Chapter 737 I Don¡¯t Need Your Mercy


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Lyra nced at Cherise, feeling at a loss. She didn¡¯t know what had happened and wasn¡¯t well


    acquainted with Cherise. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    After a long silence, a disturbance echoed in the corridor. Mr. Kolson was dragging Urs in.


    His demeanor towards Urs had changed drastically. He no longer treated her respectfully like he


    would other women. It was clear that Mr. Kolson was furious. Urs¡¯s face was bruised, and he had


    most likely pped her.


    ¡°Kneel down!¡± Mr. Kolson forced the petite Urs to kneel on the ground before turning to Cherise.


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir. I¡¯ve brought her here.¡±


    ¡°Pil!¡± Urs still remained defiant at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a bully!¡±


    Cherise scoffed. As she rose, her eyes were aze with fury as she red at Urs. ¡°You¡¯re behind


    today¡¯s incident, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± Urs looked away and denied it. ¡°Don¡¯t falsely use me. I don¡¯t know anything!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything?¡± Damien sneered. ¡°Do you want me to produce evidence of your meeting


    with the truck driver today?¡±


    ¡°I witnessed you at the scene.¡± Cherise looked at Urs. Her gaze was calm, but she was seething


    with suppressed rage as she addressed Urs. ¡°Urs Mortis, haven¡¯t I shown you and your sister


    great mercy? Why are you still scheming against me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your mercy!¡± Urs retorted with a sneer. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that it was wrong of me to conspire to


    run you over with a truck. I never expected anyone to sacrifice themselves for you when the truck was


    about to hit you. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the driver of that car was a man, right? Was he your former lover?¡±


    ¡°He really tried his best. He must have realized it was toote to honk, so he decided to elerate and


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    collide with the truck head-on to spare you. He must love you deeply, Cherise. How many lovers like


    these do you have outside? I¡­¡±


    ¡®Smack


    Before Urs couldplete her sentence, the seemingly gentle and demure Lyra had pped her


    harshly. The young girl¡¯s round eyes were wide open. ¡°You¡¯re a venomous snake! You¡¯re utterly


    wicked!¡±


    Urs¡¯s head tilted to one side from the force of the p. She licked the metallic taste of blood from


    the corner of her mouth and looked at Lyra with a sneer. ¡°Who the heck are you?¡±


    ¡°The man inside is my fianc¨¦!¡± Lyra stared at her coldly. ¡°My fianc¨¦ is in this state because of you! I


    won¡¯t forgive you if anything happens to him!¡±


    Urs looked at Lyra andughed after a moment. ¡°You¡¯re this man¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± She looked at Lyra with


    tauntingly. ¡°You¡¯re truly pitiful.¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t said anything, I would have assumed you were Cherise¡¯s sister. That man is with you he


    probably sees you as a substitute for Cherise, right?¡±


    because


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    ¡°What a pity. It¡¯s a shame.¡± As she spoke, she shook her head regretfully. ¡°It¡¯s a pity he can¡¯t let go of


    Cherise even with you as a substitute. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have driven his car towards that truck for


    Cherise¡¯s


    sake.¡±


    Lyra¡¯s hands at her sides clenched tightly. After a moment, she unclenched her fists and looked at


    Urs disdainfully. ¡°Are you trying to sow discord between us?¡±


    ¡°I never considered myself as anyone¡¯s substitute. Zachary liked Cherise in the past, and he likes me


    now. He¡¯s attracted to a certain type, not a specific person.¡±


    O

 Chapter 738

    Chapter 738


    Chapter 738 The Most Wonderful Person in The World


    ¡°Moreover, even if I were a substitute, I have the right to p you and hold you ountable for your


    actions!¡± The girl lifted her hand and pped Urs again.


    She still feit unsatisfied, so she kicked Urs firmly and mercilessly without hesitating. It sent Urs


    sprawling to the ground.


    Cherise watched the unfolding scene, slightly astonished. Lyra seemed demure, but she was


    unexpectedly adept at fighting!


    After hitting Urs, she turned to Cherise and Damien with a smile. ¡°What do you n to do with her?¡±


    ¡°Hand her over to the police.¡± Cherise¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°She and her sister must face the


    consequences of their actions.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    It wasn¡¯t just for the car ident. If she remembered correctly, impersonation and epting generous


    gifts and financial support under false pretenses were also considered fraud.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with my sister!¡± Urs scrambled up from the ground, her eyes aze with fury


    as she red at Cherise. ¡°Don¡¯t drag my sister into this. She¡¯s the most wonderful person in the world!¡±


    ¡°Heh. The most wonderful person?¡± Cherise found this im highly amusing.


    ¡°Do you


    still trust her wholeheartedly? Do you still consider her the kindest person even when she asked you to


    ¡°What do you know?!¡± Urs scoffed. ¡°I was an orphan taken in by the Mortis family, but Weena has


    always. treated me like I¡¯m her flesh and blood!¡±


    ¡°Our parents died in a car ident when I was in junior high. Others suggested that Weena send me


    back to the orphanage, but she insisted on caring for me!¡± As she spoke, she unexpectedly bowed her


    head to Cherise. ¡°This has nothing to do with my sister. The car ident was entirely my doing. My


    sister had no knowledge of it!¡±


    ¡°You can be prejudiced and hold biases against me, but you can¡¯t harm my sister!¡± She crawled over


    and grabbed Cherise¡¯s pant leg. ¡°I¡¯ll plead guilty and face legal punishment, but you can¡¯t hurt my


    sister. Don¡¯t involve her¡­ I beg you.¡±


    Cherise sneered. ¡°You think begging me will change anything?¡± She lifted her leg and shook off


    Urs¡¯s hand. ¡°Why did you do this if you knew such a day woulde? Weren¡¯t you aware that your


    actions would inevitably lead to legal repercussions?¡±


    Urs¡¯s face turned ashen. She had anticipated this and foreseen everything that was happening now.


    However, her sister had been troubled recently. Rowena said that with Cherise¡¯s return, she would


    have to leave Damien and depart Adania.


    Urs had seen how her sister had been livingfortably by Damien¡¯s side for the past three years.


    Once Rowena left Damien¡¯s care, she would no longer have ess to the best treatment, and her


    standard of living may also decline.


    Urs acknowledged that she couldn¡¯t earn enough money to provide the life her sister desired.


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    But¡­ Urs could eliminate Cherise! With Cherise out of the picture, Rowena would live afortable


    life by Damien¡¯s side for the rest of her days, even if Urs had to die alongside Cherise!


    However, Urs hadn¡¯t anticipated the sudden appearance of another car. She hadn¡¯t expected that


    someone would emerge and risk his life to save Cherise.


    ¡°You and your sister will face legal consequences. Cherise scoffed. ¡°You can go to jail first and wait for


    her.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Urs red at Cherise, seething with anger. ¡°If you dare toy a finger on my


    sister, I¡¯ll kill you! I told you that it was entirely my idea to stage a car ident to kill you! It has nothing


    to do with my sister!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 739

    Chapter 739


    Chapter 739 We¡¯ve Done All We Could


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Damien responded with a faint smile. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this would have crossed your mind.


    without Rowena instructing and inciting you. Even if your sister didn¡¯t move a muscle, she was the


    mastermind behind it. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Urs began resisting fiercely. When Mr. Kolson saw it, he stepped forward and shoved her to


    the ground with his knee.


    ¡°My sister has nothing to do with this!¡± Urs raised her head frantically. ¡°She¡¯s innocent! She¡¯s the


    kindest. person in the world!¡±


    Cherise scoffed, crouched down, and met Urs¡¯s defiant gaze. ¡°Well then, since you call her the best.


    person in the world, I¡¯ll show you her true colors.¡± Cherise nced at Mr. Kolson. ¡°Take her to the


    police station.¡± Mr. Kolson obeyed and departed with Urs.


    Shortly after Mr. Kolson¡¯s departure, the door to the emergency room swung open. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, we¡¯ve


    done all we could¡­¡± The doctor emerged, shaking his head. ¡°However, Mr. Miles suffered a


    concussion in the ident, resulting in an intracranial hematoma, so we can¡¯t predict when he¡¯ll regain


    consciousness.¡±


    At the side, Lyra¡¯s figure froze as she clutched her backpack. She murmured with a pale expression.


    ¡°You can¡¯t predict when he¡¯ll wake up¡­ What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means¡­¡± The doctor sighed, ¡°He could wake up tomorrow, or he might never regain consciousness


    for the rest of his life¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s essentially in a vegetative state now, but his chances of waking up are significantly higher than a


    typical vegetative patient. It¡¯s just¡­ There are exceptions to even the highest probability, so no one can


    guarantee when he¡¯ll regain consciousness¡­¡±


    Before the doctor could finish, Cherise¡¯s vision blurred, and she copsed. Cherise only regained


    consciousness the following morning.


    Lucy was beside Cherise, her eyes swollen and red. Upon seeing Cherise awaken, Lucy quickly helped


    her up. ¡°How are you feeling? Are you feeling any difort?¡±


    Cherise massaged her throbbing head, ¡°What happened to me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been neglecting your rest due to your thesis, and you were traumatized from shock at the


    research. institute¡¯s entrance. On top of that, you were overwhelmed with grief upon hearing about


    Zachary¡¯s condition, so you fainted.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re alright, it¡¯s just¡­ Lucy handed Cherise a ss of water while sighing faintly. ¡°Zachary¡¯s


    young fianc¨¦e hasn¡¯t slept all night. She¡¯s been sitting by Zachary¡¯s side, holding his hand, insisting


    he¡¯ll wake up within the hour.¡±


    ¡°Hours have passed¡­¡± Lucy furrowed her brows. ¡°She¡¯s maintained her unwavering belief that Zachary


    is about to wake up even after an entire night. She¡¯s determined to wait for him to gain consciousness.¡±


    Upon saying this, Lucy sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s evident that Zachary¡¯s young fianc¨¦e truly loves him deeply¡­


    Cherise leaned against the headboard, closing her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    111


    12


    Lyra and Zachary had just gotten engaged and were madly in love. This had happened because she


    had hesitated and didn¡¯t reveal the truth.


    ¡°How can you me yourself?¡± Lucy frowned andforted Cherise. ¡°You had your reasons for not


    revealing the truth about what happened three years ago¡­ What you need to do now is tell Damien


    about Rowena and ensure those two sisters receive the punishment they deserve!¡±


    ¡°As for Zachary¡­¡± Lucy took a deep breath, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a pretty good chance he¡¯ll wake up. We


    just don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll regain consciousness¡­¡±


    O


    <Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 740

    Chapter 740


    Chapter 740 Visiting Rowena


    ¡°Perhaps he¡¯ll awaken in high spirits once the situation with the Mortis sisters is settled. Who can say


    for sure?¡± Lucy¡¯s words finally soothed Cherise¡¯s heart a little.


    Cherise took a deep breath and turned to look outside the ward, ¡°Where is Damien?¡±


    ¡°Your children are still oblivious to the circumstances here. Damien wished to keep them in the dark, so


    he lied and said you were staying at my ce. He¡¯s probably having breakfast with them right now.¡±


    Cherise nodded. Her two children shared a profound bond with Zachary. If they learned of Zachary¡¯s


    condition, they would fuss and insist on visiting him¡­.


    Damien had made the right call. It was best to keep them in the dark for the time being. Perhaps


    Zachary might regain consciousness before they discovered the truth.


    She subconsciously nced at the hospital bracelet on her wrist as she thought about it. ¡°Are we at¡­


    Adania Hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lucy furrowed her brows, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Help me get out of bed to freshen up.¡±


    Rowena was also admitted to Adania Hospital if Cherise¡¯s memory served her right.


    With Damien¡¯s strong sense of responsibility, he felt obligated to Rowena. He thought that Rowena¡¯s


    feet were burned because of him, so he arranged a luxurious private room for her on the top floor of


    Adania Hospital. The amenities inside wereparable to a five-star presidential suite.


    Since Cherise and Rowena were in the same hospital, Cherise couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to visit.


    Rowena


    After washing up, Cherise savored the breakfast prepared by Lucy. Cherise felt rejuvenated and looked


    radiant as she gracefully ascended to the top floor and knocked on the door of Rowena¡¯s ward.


    At that moment, Rowena was engrossed in watching television, her eyes brimming with tears. Upon


    hearing the knock, she assumed the nurse was serving her breakfast and responded idly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to serve breakfast so early?¡± Rowena pursed her lips disdainfully. ¡°I¡¯ll get hungry


    before lunch if I eat breakfast too early.¡±


    Cherise had just entered the ward when she heard Rowena¡¯s remarks. ¡°It seems I¡¯m being rude.¡± An


    indifferent smile formed on her lips. ¡°Should I have brought breakfast while visiting you, Ms. Rowena?¡±


    Her voice was cold and slightly sarcastic.


    Rowena was taken aback. She quickly looked up and saw Cherise standing elegantly at the door. She


    frowned, picked up the remote control, and switched off the television. ¡°What brings you here. Ms.


    Shaw?¡±


    ¡°To visit you, of course,¡± Cherise/responded with a nonchnt smile. She walked in and settled on a


    sofa. ¡°Did you have a good night¡¯s sleep, Ms. Rowena? Your sister spent the night in jail¡±


    Rowena wrinkled her brows and feigned surprise. ¡°What happened to L?¡±


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 Chapter 741

    Chapter 741


    Chapter 741 I Know Gwenn Tanner


    ¡°Whether it was protesting at the airport, creating a scene at the restaurant, or causingmotion at


    my home, I believe none of these were Urs¡¯s initiatives.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Mortis, you significantly influence all this, correct? Urs always listens to you.¡±


    ¡°Now that you know, I suppose I have to admit it. Actually, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m particrly clever¡­¡± Rowena


    smirked. ¡°She¡¯s just foolish.¡±


    With that, she yawned and casually picked up a water ss from the table for a sip before stretching


    Rowena stared at Cherise coldly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you also have a sister who shares no


    blood rtion with you, right? You two don¡¯t exactly get along, do you?¡±


    Cherise narrowed her eyes but remained silent.


    ¡°There¡¯s no biological child who doesn¡¯t resent adopted one because the adopted child stole the


    affection. that their parents once solely bestowed upon them.¡±


    Rowena continued casually, ¡°I¡¯ve always questioned why my parents, who already had me, would bring


    this additional burden home.¡±


    ¡°After my parents died in a car ident, I finally understood. I realized this sister with no blood rtion


    could be useful to me!¡±


    ¡°You see, I told her Damien would stop chasing me away if you died, and she obediently schemed to


    harm you.¡±


    ¡°Cherise, I have never been involved in this from the start. Urs nned and carried out everything. It


    has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help butugh at Rowena¡¯s skillful me-shifting.


    She observed Rowena¡¯s indifferent expression. ¡°Urs has been your sister for over a decade. Don¡¯t


    you. feel the slightest remorse for exploiting her in this manner?¡±


    ¡°Why should I feel remorse?¡± Rowena scoffed. ¡°Since we were kids, she has beenpeting with me


    for everything at home. My parents even praised her academic achievements over mine, allowing her


    to continue her studies while denying me the same opportunity!¡±


    ¡°If my parents hadn¡¯t died in a car ident during her third year of middle school, I would have been.


    forced to work to support her through high school!¡±


    ¡°So why should I feel guilty? I am my parents¡¯ biological child. Everything should be mine and mine


    alone!¡±


    Rowena¡¯s eyes turned vengeful as she recalled memories. Her voice grew frenzied. ¡°Urs is not my


    sister! I¡¯ve never considered her as one! If she had no useable value, I would have kicked her out long


    ago!¡±


    Cherise smirked as Rowena revealed her true colors. ¡°Who knew the so-called benevolent and the


    kindest sister in the world whom Urs always defended in my presence is like this? It¡¯s truly eye-


    opening.¡±


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    of basury. Ten met sorget


    stay here soy longe that I have w


    ¡°Haha.¡± Rowena looked at Cherise with disdain. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feign surprise. You¡¯ve known my


    true nature for quite some time, right?¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°Three years ago, during the massive fire, you fled without a backward nce. Later, assuming I was


    dead, you took my identity and became Damien¡¯s savior to live a life of luxury. I¡¯m not surprised


    someone like you would treat Urs like this.¡±


    Rowena narrowed her eyes. ¡°Since Urs¡¯s n failed, I can¡¯t stay here any longer. But I have


    something to tell you before I leave.¡±


    Cherise frowned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Rowena looked into Cherise¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know Gwenn Tanner.¡±


    Cherise instinctively tensed at those words. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed tightly. ¡°What did you


    say?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 742

    Chapter 742


    Chapter 742 Do You Think I¡¯m Na?ve?


    ¡°I said I know Gwenn Tanner.


    Rowena smiled at Cherise. Three years ago, Gwenn informed me that the woman who saved Damien


    from the fire had passed away. That¡¯s why I took her ce.¡±


    She continued, ¡°At that point, I was unaware of your connection with Gwenn until¡­ I saw your press


    conference in Lermille.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Her expression turned earnestly. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know her well. I¡¯m just profoundly grateful that she


    shared information that changed my destiny.


    ¡°Butter, I discovered that you and I are alike. Our family harbored an impostor daughter at home.¡±


    Rowena¡¯s eyes softened with a touch of sympathy. ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat, so why hurt each other?¡±


    ¡°When you were in Lermille, you¡¯d rather admit to having psychological issues than reveal why your


    hand was injured. Is it because you can¡¯t let anyone know about the incident from three years ago?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow as she looked at Rowena.


    Despite her disdain for Rowena¡¯s maniptive nature, she could not deny that this woman was


    incredibly sharp. She had even dug up all these details..


    Cherise took a deep breath and maintained a firm gaze on Rowena. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± Rowena¡¯s eyes contained a hint of plea as she looked at Cherise. ¡°Since you can¡¯t


    reveal the past, and I can¡¯t give up the identity of Damien¡¯s savior¡­ why can¡¯t we coexist peacefully?¡±


    Her eyes glimmered with hope and desire. ¡°Why don¡¯t we help each other out? I promise not to have


    any improper intentions about Damien in the future, as long as you don¡¯t tell him the truth and don¡¯t kick


    me


    out!¡±


    Then, Rowena raised her hand and swore solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I swear I¡¯ll never entertain any


    improper thoughts about Damien in the future! Honestly. I never had feelings for him. I was only


    attracted to his status and position. There are plenty of other good men in this world, and I¡¯m not limited


    to him, so¡­


    Cherise yawned. She looked at her as if watching a clown. ¡°Rowena, do you realize how ridiculous you


    sound right now?¡±


    ¡°Damien and I aremitted to being together for a lifetime. As such, I will eventually have to tell him.


    about this matter. Since my past concealment has led to such a catastrophe, I won¡¯t continue hiding it


    from him.


    ¡°As for you¡­ we have no personal connection, so why should I make such a deal with you? Do you


    think I¡¯m as naive as Urs?¡±


    She pulled out her phone and casually dialed a number. ¡°Mr. Kolson, bring some people over.¡±


    Then, she ended the call and turned to Rowena. ¡°By the way, you might not know about this due to


    yourck of education, but impersonating someone to gain support and gifts is also a form of fraud.¡±


    With that, she turned around and left.


    |||


    1/2


    Rowena stood there with her mouth gaping in shock. However, before she had a chance to recover, the


    door swung open again.


    Mr. Kolson entered the ward with several police officers. ¡°Ms. Mortis, Ms. Shaw uses you of


    suspected. fraud. We hope you cane with us to assist with the investigation.


    Cherise drove straight to the detention center after leaving the hospital.


    Urs was already waiting for her in the visiting room. She looked disheveled and had bloodshot eyes


    from being up all night.


    At the moment, she was seated in a chair with her hands and feet shackled.


    Cherise gracefully sat down before her. ¡°Ms. Mortis, we meet again.¡±


    ¡°Cherise!¡± Urs red at her and uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°What brings you here? Have you


    decided not to trouble my sister anymore?¡±


    <


    2/2

 Chapter 743

    Chapter 743


    Chapter 743 Seizing the Opportunity


    ¡°Your sister?¡± Cherise arched an eyebrow. ¡°Do you think she sees you as her sister? You¡¯re loyal to


    Rowena, but sadly, she doesn¡¯t consider you her sibling.¡±


    Urs scowled and red at Cherise, ¡°What are you implying? You¡¯re talking nonsense! My sister has


    always been the best to me! Don¡¯t try to sow discord between us!¡±


    ¡°Why would I need to sow discord between you two?¡± Cherise smiled calmly. She ced her phone on


    the table and casually pressed the y button of a recording. ¡°I just left Rowena¡¯s hospital room. Want


    to hear what she thinks of you?¡±


    Urs narrowed her eyes and stared at Cherise fiercely. Still, she remained silent.


    After a moment, Rowena¡¯s voice sounded from the phone.


    ¡°Now that you know, I suppose I have to admit it. Actually, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m particrly clever¡­ She¡¯s


    just foolish.¡±


    In the recording, the usual warmth in Rowena¡¯s voice hadpletely disappeared and was reced


    with


    hatred.


    Urs¡¯s mind went nk as she listened to the conversation in the recording.


    Cherise¡¯s stern voice sounded, ¡°Urs has been your sister for over a decade. Don¡¯t you feel the


    slightest remorse for exploiting her in this manner?¡±


    Rowena¡¯s voice was harsh and resentful. ¡°Why should I feel remorse?¡±


    Urs¡¯s eyes gradually dulled.


    She slumped in her chair and shook her head vehemently. ¡°No¡­ This can¡¯t be real¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Damien sent the two children to kindergarterf


    ¡°Are you Soren and Serafina¡¯s father?¡± a kindergarten teacher asked warmly.


    Damien, holding a child in each hand, nodded subtly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You can leave the children with me.¡± The teacher took Soren and Serafina¡¯s hands with a smile before


    advising Damien, ¡°It¡¯s getting cold, and the weather forecast says it will rain today. Your children are


    slightly underdressed. Can you get them jackets from home?


    The teacher exined, ¡°Children have fragile immune systems. They can easily get sick if they aren¡¯t


    kept


    warm.¡±


    Damien hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Sure.¡±


    After returning home, he searched through the cab but found nothing suitable. Just as he was about


    to call Cherise, he noticed a suitcase under Soren¡¯s bed.


    He smacked his forehead.


    1/2


    71


    When Cherise came to Adania with him, she must have packed warm clothing for the children.


    However, the weather had been warm in the past few days, so she probably had not taken them out.


    He took a deep breath and pulled out the suitcase.


    ¡°Mr. Lenoir, leave the matter to me.¡±


    Frances stood at the door and persuaded him insistently, ¡°It¡¯s only to get jackets for Soren and


    Serafina. We can always buy new ones. Let me search the suitcase for you¡­¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Damien shook his head and frowned as he opened the suitcase. ¡°In the past five years, Cherise


    brought up the children single-handedly with no one to help her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything for my children. Now that I finally have the opportunity, I should seize it.¡±


    Frances stood at the door and seemed somewhat at a loss as she listened to Damien. She sighed


    softly. ¡°Mr. Lenoir, the children will understand how much you care about them.¡±


    Damien nodded quietly and continued searching through the suitcase.


    Seeing that her help was not needed, Frances sighed and left.


    Damien bent over the suitcase and searched for a long time before finally finding the children¡¯s jackets


    at the bottom.


    However, he also felt something concealed within the jackets.


    He frowned and lifted the top jacket, revealing a memory album with metal covers.


    J


    2/2

 Chapter 744

    Chapter 744


    Chapter 744 Perfect Timing


    The cover¡­


    Damien was stunned.


    After a moment, a sudden realization struck him, prompting him to flip open the memory album hastily.


    Every page recorded his past with Cherise, and each photo portrayed their most precious memories.


    together.


    A wave of emotion swelled within him. At the same time, numerous images shed through his mind.


    Hemissioned this memory album to be custom-made because he missed Cherise tremendously.


    Wanting to preserve it forever, he had it specially crafted from metal. He even inscribed a message at


    the back, saying he would await her return.


    A wave of excitement washed over him as he quickly turned to the album¡¯s final page. He saw a line of


    words he penned himself. I will wait for you toe back to me.


    Emotions surged in his heart, threatening to overwhelm him.


    He thought he had lost this album in the fire three years ago and had resigned himself to the belief that


    it had been melted down for gold.


    Yet, against all odds, this memory album was in Cherise¡¯s possession.


    Isaac¡¯s words at Lermille Airport echoed in his mind. ¡°Dr. Shaw really did injure her hand. It was a


    burn¡­¡±


    Damien¡¯s hands trembled involuntarily as he held the album


    During the fire three years ago, he vaguely sensed that Cherise was beside him. He remembered


    smelling her familiar scent and hearing her voice. Yet, he was all alone when he regained


    consciousness.


    Initially, he was convinced that he had met Cherise in the fire.


    However, Lennon and Jacob exined that people could experience hallucinations when on the brink


    of death. Over time, he dismissed his encounter with Cherise as mere hallucinations.


    Moreover, Rowena¡¯s


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    appearance further dispelled any doubt that Cherise had been in the fire.


    But now, recalling Isaac¡¯s words, Damien stared at the album in his hands. His heart was in turmoil.


    Could it be¡­


    The person who saved me three years ago was¡­


    A momentter, Frances picked up a mop downstairs and was about to start cleaning when Damien


    suddenly rushed down the stairs.


    He clutched the memory album firmly and dashed toward the door.


    O


    r


    1/2


    Frances was perplexed.


    Isn¡¯t Mr. Lenoir supposed to deliver jackets to his children? Why¡­


    ¡°Frances.¡± Damien¡¯s hand paused on the doorknob.


    ¡°Please go upstairs and fetch the jackets for Ren and Sera next to the suitcase. Please bring them to


    the kindergarten. Also, bring some treats for all the children in the kindergarten, saying they are from


    Ren


    and Sera¡¯s father.¡±


    With that, he hurried out of the house.


    Frances frowned and asked, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, didn¡¯t you say you would deliver them yourself?¡±


    ¡°I have more pressing matters to attend to!¡± Damien answered and rushed away like a gust of wind.


    Frances shook her head as she watched Damien leave.


    Cherise had just exited the police station when she received a call from Damien.


    His deep and masculine voice was tinged with excitement. ¡°Cherry! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m near the police station.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow and was somewhat puzzled by his excited tone. ¡°Is there a happy


    asion?¡±


    It had been so long since she heard him sound so cheerful.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Damien replied tenderly, ¡°I have something important to share with you.¡±


    ¡°What a perfect timing.¡± Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I also have something to tell you.¡±


    Even though shecked evidence to prove that she saved him in the fire three years ago, she felt it


    was time to reveal the truth.


    111

 Chapter 745

    Chapter 745


    Chapter 745 A Stark Difference


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly!¡± Damien answered before abruptly ending the call.


    Cherise was a little bewildered and frowned as she put her phone away.


    What¡¯s gotten into him? Why is he so upbeat this morning?


    However, a ck Cayenne suddenly pulled up beside her before she could begin to ponder further.


    Then, the car window was lowered, revealing a man with a stern and chiseled face. ¡°Get in!¡±


    Cherise was surprised. ¡°Were you nearby when you called me?¡±


    How did he arrive so soon?


    ¡°No,¡± Damien responded with a smile and held the steering wheel as he drove. ¡°I came from home.¡±


    Cherise was astonished and instinctively nced at the call log on her phone..


    Our call was only ten minutes ago. Did he cover a thirty-minute distance in just ten minutes?


    ¡°Slow down,¡± Cherise warned as she noticed the car speeding.


    Damien slowed down the car as she requested.


    He held the steering wheel, gazing ahead. Then, he nced affectionately at the woman in the


    backseat through the rearview mirror. ¡°Cherry.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. ¡°Why are you suddenly saying that?¡±


    ¡°I just felt like saying it.¡±


    ¡°For you to confess suddenly¡­ Did you do something that would anger me?¡±


    Damien¡¯s hand on the steering wheel tightened slightly. He looked at Cherise through the rearview


    mirror with amusement and exasperation in his eyes. ¡°I merely expressed my feelings. There¡¯s no need


    to overthink about it, right?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. She peered at him cautiously through the rearview mirror. ¡°I just find


    it strange¡­


    Her gentle voice wasced with a hint of warmth. ¡°Why did you say that out of the blue?¡±


    Damien¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened subtly.


    It wasn¡¯t out of the blue! I have a good reason for confessing my feelings!


    Emotions rolled in his heart as he gazed at Cherise in the back seat.


    |||


    O


    1/2


    He had been searching for her for five years. Even if he did not find her, she still risked her life to save


    him from a raging fire three years ago. Yet, she did not ask for anything in return but remained silent


    about what she did.


    This was a stark difference from Rowena, who abused her status as his savior to demand something


    from him over the past three years.


    Cherise was precious to him. She willingly braved that raging fire and burned herself to save him. Still,


    she never asked for his thanks or repayment. Aside from her profound love for him, there was no other


    way to exin it.


    Damien had wanted to express his gratitude many times. However, he knew that was not what she


    desired.


    They had been separated for five years. It was his mistake that led to their separation. Between him


    and her, there was also the burden of generational hatred. Yet, she loved him enough to disregard


    herself, hoping only he would survive.


    Damien sighed deeply and elerated the car.


    Cherise sat in the back seat, observing the increasingly unfamiliarndscape outside. She furrowed her


    brow. ¡°Damien, where are we going?¡±


    But Damien remained silent and continued driving,


    After a while, just as Cherise was about to inquire about their destination for the third time, the ck


    Cayenne finally came to a halt.


    Cherise instinctively nced out the window.


    An endless expanse of the sea outside made her mind momentarily go nk. The distant coastline was


    clear, and the sea and sky harmonized in a peaceful blug


    O

 Chapter 746

    Chapter 746


    Chapter 746 I Know Everything


    Being at the beach and feeling the gentle sea breeze against her skin gradually calmed her heart


    Cherise furrowed her brow as she gazed at the seaside. Suddenly, a lost memory surfaced, prompting


    her to smack her forehead.


    Five years ago, she fought with Damien after learning that her uncle was the culprit who set fire to


    Maeve. Damien then drove along the coastal road and brought her to this ce. He had purchased a


    seaside vi in her name, iming to use it to bind her to him.


    The memory prompted her to turn instinctively and look towards the vi.


    As expected, the seaside vi stood there quietly, untouched by the passage of five years.


    The ocean remained unchanged, the vi was untouched, and the people in her life¡­ were still the


    same.


    Damien opened the door with a smile and strode toward the backseat. He carried Cherise out of the


    car and cradled her in his arms, heading determinedly toward the vi.


    Cherise furrowed her brows and protested instinctively. ¡°I can walk by myself. Put me down¡­¡±


    But Damien ignored her and continued carrying her as he walked


    Eventually, heid her down gently on arge bed in the vi¡¯s bedroom.


    The bedroom was situated on the second floor. It had enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a


    panoramic view of the boundless sea. Sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing the room in at


    golden glow.


    Damien pinned her beneath him, gazing at her with eyes brimming with affection. ¡°Cherry.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cherise¡¯s heart fluttered nervously. She looked uneasily at the man looming over her.


    He had utterly devoured her thest time she found herself in this position. Finally, exhausted and


    devoid of strength, she even tasted his devilishly good cooking skills.


    Five yearster, Cherise could not help but feel a sense of panic upon finding herself in the same


    situation.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Damien¡¯s eyes focused intensely on hers. They were brimming with affection.


    ¡°Did you find it amusing to hide it from me?¡±


    Cherise was taken aback. ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I already know.¡± Damien leaned down, nting a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Cherry, I know everything. It


    wasn¡¯t Rowena who saved me three years ago. It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cherise was briefly stunned before nodding. Then, she pursed her lips, asking, ¡°How¡­ how did find


    out?¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t¡­¡± Damien traced her lips with his fingertips. ¡°When were you nning to tell me?¡±


    you


    Cherise felt a pang of guilt under his intense gaze. She bit her lip and turned her face away, unable to


    look


    182


    pr¨²eand her righete man has embrace befier riding chemiThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    diar you saved me brown the fire. Yet, I was to foolish and diede i dare no bacturer: 1) { couldn¡¯i


    t?rl?r?r that after leaving me for there years, you woulde to save me during du masat crea al


    Furthermoer. I was too tuhe, which malded Rowena to deceive me for three years. I thought she savior


    and a friend It was muchter that I realed my true savior never asked for anything from w the warded


    was for me to live well¡±


    Damien e vonce was deep and rent. Each word pared deeply into Cherise¡¯s heart.


    at him. I didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you¡­ I¡­ I was just too na?ve.¡±


    Damien pulled her tightly into his embrace before rolling them over to lie on the bed. ¡°How could I have


    mistaken you for a hallucination?¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling that you saved me from the fire. Yet, I was too foolish and didn¡¯t dare to believe it¡­ I


    couldn¡¯t believe that after leaving me for three years, you woulde to save me during the most


    critical


    moment.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I was too na?ve, which enabled Rowena to deceive me for three years. I thought she was


    my savior and a friend. It was muchter that I realized my true savior never asked for anything from


    me. All she wanted was for me to live well.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice was deep and resonant. Each word pierced deeply into Cherise¡¯s heart.


    22

 Chapter 747

    Chapter 747


    Chapter 747 What True Love Is


    Her heart melted into a puddle from his tenderness. She bit her lip. ¡°Damien¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. It¡¯s just, you know, we were still enemies. I would get in trouble if


    anyone discovered I had rushed to the scene to save you¡­¡±


    Then, she looked into his eyes and continued, ¡°It was never my intention to deceive you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hold it against you for keeping it from me.¡± Damien kissed her lips, holding her tight. ¡°It¡¯s my


    fault. I should have figured out it was you¡­¡±


    He looked down, observing her earnestly. ¡°Cherry, you have the right to punish me. Otherwise, I


    might¡­ not be able to forgive my foolishness.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s face flushed. She bit her lip and looked into his sincere gaze. After a moment, she smiled.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll think about how to punish you¡­¡±


    Damien held Cherise and patiently waited for her to issue his punishment. He had expected a severe


    punishment, judging from her prolonged silence.


    However, to his surprise, Cherise suddenly smiled. ¡°Your punishment is to send Ren and Sera to


    school from now on!¡±


    Damien was momentarily stunned. He gently kissed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    For most parents, sending their children to school early in the morning might seem like a chore. But for


    Damien, it was a delight. After all, he had unwittingly missed five years of his children¡¯s growth.


    He regretted not being more resolute back then. If only he had found her earlier¡­


    Unfortunately, no one can turn back time.¡±


    Therefore, when Cherise tasked him with sending the children to school, he smiled warmly. ¡°Leave it to


    me.¡±


    Cherise nestled in Damien¡¯s arms, basking in his warmth. Her lips unconsciously curved into a sweet


    smile.


    In truth, she felt what happened back then was her fault. Things would have been much different if she


    had not concealed the truth from Damien.


    Yet, Damien never held it against her. Instead, he imed he was at fault. He med himself for failing


    to think things through and not searching for her hard enough. In other words, he med himself for


    everything.


    But what did he do wrong?


    Cherise felt she was the one truly at fault.


    Damien was likely the only man in the world who would shoulder all the me himself out of love for


    her. He would never think it was her fault but regretted not discovering it sooner.


    |||


    1/2


    Moreover, he would never say her concealment of the matter led to their predicament. Instead, he only


    admitted his shorings and took responsibility for everything.


    Perhaps when a man loves you, he will overlook all the wrongs you¡¯ve done. Maybe this is what true


    love is.


    Shey in Damien¡¯s arms and closed her eyes. ¡°What should we do about Rowena?¡±


    ¡°Til handle it. As for you¡­¡± Damien sighed softly. ¡°I remember you participated in many medical


    seminars. You can try contacting the skilled doctors you know and see if they can improve Zachary¡¯s


    condition. He ended up like this to save you. Moreover, he¡¯s the head of the Miles family. If he remains


    unconscious for too long¡­ it might pose a problem.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cherise nodded and grunted softly in agreement..


    She bore the most significant responsibility for Zachary¡¯s condition. Thus, she would undoubtedly find a


    way to help him regain consciousness sooner.


    Cherise and Damien returned to Adania in the evening.


    After dropping Cherise off at Lenoir Manor, Damien immediately went to Adania Hospital.


    O

 Chapter 748

    Chapter 748


    Chapter 748 An Urgent Matter


    On the top floor of Adania Hospital, Rowena remained oblivious to her impending disaster and was


    engrossed in messaging Cherise.


    ¡°Ms. Shaw, I sincerely wish to coborate with you.


    I¡¯ll keep your secrets while you help me cover up mine. It¡¯s a win-win situation, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I¡¯ve never had many friends. I hope you can be my best friend.


    ¡®Cherise? Can you reply when you see this? You¡¯re my dear friend!¡±


    Cherise forwarded to Damien every message she received from Rowena via WhatsApp.


    Damien gripped his phone tightly while seated in the back of the car. At the same time, his murderous


    aura prompted Mr. Kolson, the driver, to shudder in fear and feel terrified of making mistakes.


    Damien¡¯s anger surged as he read all the messages Rowena had sent to Cherise.


    For the past three years, he believed Rowena had saved him. Hence, he had always granted her


    requests.


    When she wanted to stay in a private ward, he provided it. He alsoplied when she requested him


    to look after her sister.


    Moreover, he even purchased a car for her after she said she wished for one to explore the outside


    world.


    After all, he had always felt guilty that Rowena¡¯s legs became disabled in her effort to save him.


    Back then, someone had drugged his wine at the dining table, leaving him unable to escape on his


    own. When his life was hanging by a thread, a woman saved him. He felt indebted to her.


    He was moved that she saved him despite being strangers. Moreover, she had been unable to walk for


    three years because of him.


    However, little did Damien know that his profound gratitude would be perceived as a tool to be


    manipted at will by others.


    He never expected that such a vile heart lurked beneath Rowena¡¯s gentle and refined facade. Even


    now, she still tried to rope Cherise into deceiving him together.


    Soon, the car arrived at Adania Hospital.


    Damien exited the car, shrouded by a heavy and intimidating aura. At the same time, ke, wrapped in


    at thick navy blue coat, apanied him.


    Initially, Damien did not n to involve ke and believed he could handle Rowena alone..


    However, ke insisted on going with him after discovering the truth. He said he wanted to stand


    up


    for


    Cherise.


    The two men briskly ascended to the top floor. Then, ke forcefully kicked the door with Damien¡¯s


    permission, revealing Rowena leaning against the bed and texting Cherise incessantly.


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    1/2


    Rowena¡¯s face nched as the door flung open. She saw Damien¡¯s stern expression and immediately


    understood that Cherise had no intention of coborating with her and had even disclosed everything to


    Damien.


    She trembled, pocketed her phone, and forced herself to smile. ¡°Dame, you¡¯re here? What¡­ brings


    you


    here sote?¡±


    Why is he here at this hour?


    Damien smiled slightly and regarded Rowena coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to dy certain matters until


    tomorrow.¡±


    Rowena was taken aback. Suspicion grew within her..


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Still, she maintained a smile at Damien despite her fear and feigned ignorance. ¡°So, what¡¯s the urgent


    matter that needs to be dealt with tonight?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and turned away. In that instant, ke lunged forward and hoisted Rowena


    off the bed as if she weighed nothing.


    Then, the sound of a body hitting the floor echoed throughout the room, followed by loud punches and


    kicks. Rowena pleaded, ¡°Dame, please let me exin!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 749

    Chapter 749


    Chapter 749 Are You My Real Savior


    I haven¡¯t hidden anything from you. Cherise did save you three years ago, but I saved you too!


    ¡°At first, I thought you were looking for me. However, not long ago, Cherise came back and imed she


    was the one who saved you that day. That¡¯s when I realized I had made a mistake! I¡¯ve wanted to


    exin it, but you were always busy¡­¡±


    Rowena crafted a convincing lie. She pretended she misunderstood and was not deliberately


    impersonating someone else.


    ¡°Dame¡­¡± Rowena called from behind.


    Damien furrowed his brows. He turned around, squatted down, and gently tilted Rowena¡¯s chin. ¡°What


    did you call me?¡±


    Rowena thought she saw a glimmer of hope and quickly called his name, ¡°Dame! Please hear me out!¡±


    However, a cold smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips before she couldplete her sentence. ¡°Who


    permitted you to call me that? You are to call me Mr. Lenoir. Don¡¯t force my hands.¡±


    Rowena stared into Damien¡¯s ruthless gaze in shock. Despair gradually seeped into her heart.


    Previously, she thought Damien¡¯s kindness toward her was a sign of affection. She was even secretly


    d that the woman who saved him died. Otherwise, Damien would surely be indebted to her.


    Damien was tremendously kind to her, thinking that she saved his life. Rowena firmly believed she


    might be the only person he would marry if he failed to find his ex-wife.


    After all, having spent three years by Damien¡¯s side, she had witnessed him turn down numerous


    eligibledies and reject countless women who willingly approached him.


    Everyone envied her for having the chance to save Damien and be acknowledged by him.


    If Cherise had not returned, Rowena had nned to seduce Damien soon.


    After all, she was the only woman he was kind to. She mistook that kindness for affection until


    Cherise¡¯s return changed everything.


    Then, she noticed the look in his eyes when he gazed at Cherise. It was not only kindness but genuine


    affection. His eyes seemed to sparkle whenever he looked at Cherise.


    On the other hand, even the little kindness in his eyes when he used to look at herpletely


    vanished. upon Cherise¡¯s return.


    His


    gaze


    had turned so cold that she felt like she had plunged into a frozenke during a severe winter. She did


    not doubt that Damien meant it when he threatened to hit her.


    After a while, sheughed in despair. ¡°Damien, hit me if you dare! You might as well kill me. Then


    everyone will know how heartless you are to the person who saved you! Three years ago, I sacrificed


    my legs to save you. Is this how you repay me?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. His gaze was filled with indifference and mockery. ¡°How exactly did you


    injure


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    your legs? Do you want me to reenact it for you?¡±


    Rowena narrowed her eyes andughed bitterly. ¡°Are you sure you dare to treat me this way?


    Everyone knows I saved your life Have you considered what others would think if you mistreat me?¡±


    ¡°Imagine people found out the president of the prestigious Lenoir Group abusing his savior in such a


    manner? Since you dare to hurt your avior, what more would you do to future business partners? No


    one would dare to coborate with you in the future¡±


    Rowena¡¯s repeated reference to herself as his savior infuriated Damien. He despised it when Rowena


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    uttered that word because it reminded him of the three years of misced gratitude


    He sneered at Rowena. ¡°But, are you my real savior?¡±


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 Chapter 750

    Chapter 750


    Chapter 750 I Will Only Love Him


    ¡°You were the first to escape during the fire and scorched your feet with sulfuric acid, yet you expect


    me to take responsibility?¡±


    Rowena chuckled coldly. ¡°But no one knew these details. They only know that you publicly imed I


    saved you three years ago.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter that no one knows.¡± Damien released Rowena indifferently and nced at ke.


    ¡°Are you done hitting her?¡±


    ¡°Not yet!¡± ke grinned at Damien. ¡°I¡¯ve been fed up with her for quite some time. Can I give her a


    good. beating?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Damien turned away.


    ke resumed punching and kicking to his heart¡¯s content.


    For the past three years, Rowena and her sister abused Damien¡¯s protection of them and threw their


    weight around Damien. ke could not tolerate it anymore.


    ¡°Damien!¡± Rowena struggled incessantly behind Damien. She endured ke¡¯s punches while crawling


    over to Damien andtched onto his shoes. ¡°Please make him stop!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I will leave you, and I won¡¯t reveal how you treat your so-called savior. That way, your business


    partners sever ties with you¡­¡±


    Damien scoffed and shook off her hand before heading to the door. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about what


    others. think. My business partners won¡¯t sever ties with me over someone insignificant like you. You


    overestimated your importance.¡±


    After saying this, he nced at the terrified nurse at the door. ¡°You can leave now. Starting today, you


    don¡¯t. have to attend to this person anymore. Also, tell the hospital to cancel this room. I¡¯ll take care of


    my true savior myself. I don¡¯t need to keep her here.¡±


    Then, he nced at ke. ¡°Once you¡¯re done, contact Mr. Kolson and send her to the police station.


    She can reunite with her sister there.¡±


    With that, Damien left as Rowena¡¯s wails of agony reverberated throughout the hospital.


    ¡°Cherise.¡±


    Lyra sat by Zachary¡¯s bed and gazed at Cherise with her big eyes. ¡°I want to hold a wedding with


    Zachary to bring him happiness.¡±


    Her eyes were bloodshot as she had not slept for a day and night.


    Cherise sat on a chair, ncing at Zachary lying unconscious on the bed before turning to the double-


    ponytailed youngdy before her. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°As Zachary¡¯s friend and rtive, I feel it¡¯s necessary to remind you that he may take a long time to


    regain


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    consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll be all grown up when he wakes up. You might even have fallen for someone else.¡±


    Lyra shook her head vehemently. I¡¯ve liked him for ten years¡­¡±


    Realizing her slip of the tongue, the youngdy cleared her throat and looked at Cherise earnestly. ¡°I


    won¡¯t change my affections or develop feelings for someone else. Zachary will be the only one I¡¯ll ever


    love.¡±


    Her gaze was resolute and sincere. ¡°Back in my hometown, there¡¯s a saying that when someone


    encounters misfortune, they should do something joyful to dispel the bad luck. Maybe if we hold a


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    wedding, the joy will disperse the misfortune haunting him!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, after our wedding, the happiness will drive away his bad luck, and he¡¯ll wake up!¡±


    Lyra looked at Cherise hopefully. ¡°Cherise, will you help me? We have gotten engaged not long ago,


    and many of his family members don¡¯t know about me. I might need your help to mediate with his


    family if I were to hold a wedding¡­¡±


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 Chapter 751

    Chapter 751


    Chapter 751 I Won¡¯t Regret My Decision


    Lyra looked down sadly. ¡°After he proposed, he brought me here to meet you. Initially, he nned to


    introduce me to his parents and sister after we left here¡­¡±


    She looked at Cherise earnestly. ¡°Can you take me to meet his family? I¡¯ll convince them to let Zachary


    and I marry!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°Lyra, I suggest you take some time to think this through. You haven¡¯t


    known him for long. There¡¯s no need to rush¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve known him a long time!¡± Lyra quickly interjected, ¡°I¡¯ve liked him since we were in school!¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°You¡­. knew Zachary from before?¡±


    If her memory served her right, Cherise recalled Zachary mentioned that he met his fianc¨¦e only


    recently.


    Lyra realized she had misspoken. She quickly covered her mouth and cleared her throat. ¡°I¡­ I was his


    junior at school. He was popr, so everyone knew him. However, he didn¡¯t know me then. We only


    became acquainted recently.¡±


    Then, she blushed and looked down. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired him¡­ I¡¯m thrilled that our rtionship


    progressed this far.¡±


    She looked into Cherise¡¯s eyes and pleaded earnestly, ¡°Cherise, can you help me? I want to marry him,


    regardless of whether he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°He mentioned he doesn¡¯t have many friends, and his rtionship with his family is somewhat strained.


    Moreover, the only girl he ever truly liked has found her happiness.¡±


    Im genuinely worried that there will be no one to take care of him if he remains unconscious for a long


    time¡­


    Lyra raised her hand and promised solemnly, ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t regret my decision. I¡¯ll take good care


    of him! Please believe me!¡±


    Lyra¡¯s eyes brimmed with unwavering determination.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± A stern male voice sounded from the doorway before Cherise could respond. ¡°As long as


    you promise not to regret your decision.¡±


    Lyra was overjoyed. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked at Damien. ¡°Thank you! Thank


    you, Damien. Thank you, Cherise!¡±


    Cherise frowned and seemed somewhat displeased as she turned to Damien. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Damien smirked, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Cherise nced at him but said no more,


    Once they left the hospital and got into the car, Cherise sighed and asked, ¡°Damien, are you really


    going to help Lyra win over the Miles family and marry Zachary?¡±


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    Damien hummed softly as he started the car and drove toward the kindergarten.


    ¡°Why?¡± Cherise took a deep breath and was somewhat puzzled by Damien¡¯s offer.


    ¡°You know we are not sure when Zachary will wake up. If Zachary remains unconscious for a long time,


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Lyra would be throwing her future away if she were to marry him. If Zachary knows about this, I think.


    even he wouldn¡¯t want her to marry him.¡±


    After all, a woman¡¯s most precious time is in her twenties.


    Lyra is still so young. If she leaves Zachary, her world will be filled with endless possibilities.


    But if she stays by Zachary¡¯s side, her world will revolve around one thing: waiting for Zachary to wake


    up.


    What if Zachary never wakes up? Won¡¯t that ruin her life?


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 Chapter 752

    Chapter 752


    Chapter 752 They¡¯re Grateful to You


    Lyra¡¯s courageous affection touched Cherise, but she could not ignore the gravity of the situation. As


    Zachary¡¯s friend, she was reluctant to see Lyra sacrifice her future for him.


    ¡°But she is determined to be with Zachary.¡± Damien looked ahead. His voice was steady and


    unwavering. ¡°Do you know why I agreed to help her?¡±


    Cherise shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s because she reminded me of you.¡±


    Cherise clutched her phone and paused momentarily.


    She reminded him of me?


    ¡°She seems like you from five years ago.¡±


    Damien smiled as he recalled how they got married five years prior.


    Back then, a certain naive girl had looked at him with the same earnest, persistent, and stubborn gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to marry you, care for you for a lifetime, and bear your children. I¡¯ll never regret it for a


    moment!¡±


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s puzzled expression, Damien sighed. ¡°Five years ago, did you ever consider you


    might regret marrying a disabled man?¡±


    Cherise immediately shook her head. She had never thought about it.


    At that time, everyone told her that he was blind and confined to a wheelchair due to disability in both


    legs. However, she had fallen in love with him at first sight and did not care about such things.


    Thinking about this, Cherise quietly pursed her lips. I understand now.¡±


    Only the person in the rtionship understood what constituted happiness. Others¡¯ so-called ¡®for your


    own good¡¯ advice were futile.


    Since Lyra resolved to marry Zachary, the best she could do as Zachary¡¯s friend was to persuade the


    members of the Miles family with Damien and convince them to allow the wedding to proceed.


    Cherise sighed upon realizing this. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean I must take another leave to go to Miles Manor


    in Ziphon?¡±


    Sinceing to Adania, she had only worked for a day and had been on leave since. She worried


    what people at work would think now that she had to extend her leave.


    The following day, Cherise nervously requested leave from the institute.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± To her surprise, Mr. Whitlock, her supervisor, was very understanding.


    ¡°Cherise, feel free to extend your leave if you have matters to attend to. Just make sure to submit your


    papers punctually every month.¡±


    Mr. Whitlock continued, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve submitted yourst paper to a professional journal. I believe it


    will be published soon! This is our research institute¡¯s first paper in an international journal. You are


    truly


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    exceptional


    Caught off guard by Mr. Whitlock¡¯s kind gaze, Cherise was ttered and confused ¡°Won¡¯t the other


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    colleagues resent me for being on leave for so long


    Cherise sensed her colleagues scrutinizing her ever since the joined the institute. Their curious and


    probing looks made her ufortable However, this was not her first time being subjected to such


    attention


    ¡°No, not at all¡± Mr. Whitlock dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. He smiled and continued.


    ¡°They re grateful to you!


    ¡°Grateful¡±¡± Cherise furrowed her broW?


    I have only worked for a day before taking half a month off. Surely, my colleagues would be annoyed


    and envious. Home could they be thankful


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s puzzled expression, Mr. Whitlock chuckled and patted her shoulder. It seems you¡¯re


    unaware. Your fianc¨¦, Damien, sent invitations and gifts to every staff member in the institute early this


    morning. He is hosting a dinner and karaoke session on your behalf and has invited everyone to New


    World Restaurant tonight!¡±


    Mr. Whitlock¡¯s eyes sparkled as he continued, ¡°New World Restaurant has many of Adania¡¯s top chefs.


    It¡¯s a ce that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream of going to. Mr. Lenoir is truly generous.


    He invited everyone from the institute.¡±


    111

 Chapter 753

    Chapter 753


    Chapter 753 Repeat Those Words Again


    Mr. Whitlock looked at Cherise earnestly. ¡°Cherise, you frequently dine at New World Restaurant with


    Mr. Lenoir, right? How much does a meal usually cost?¡±


    Cherise chuckled awkwardly, momentarily unsure of how to respond. It was because she was never


    the one to foot the bill.


    Later, having finally escaped Mr. Whitlock, Cherise immediately called Damien when she left the office.


    ¡°You nned to treat all my colleagues to a meal behind my back?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. I nned to inform youst.¡± Damien chuckled softly on the phone. ¡°I


    remember you mentioned that your colleagues dislike you because I made such a grand gesture during


    the proposal.¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice was deep and tender. ¡°So, I consulted the female employees in mypany. They all


    agreed that people feel obliged to be nice to the people they receive gifts from. As long as I keep your


    colleagues well-fed and well-gifted, they won¡¯t give you a hard time.¡±


    Cherise gripped her phone and felt inexplicably warmed.


    She had long grown ustomed to how her colleagues perceived and gossiped about her. After all,


    people had regarded her with peculiar gazes during her three years in Lermille Hospital.


    However, she never expected Damien, who was always busy with work, to go out of his way to seek


    advice from others because of aint she had once mentioned to him.


    Moreover, he went to great lengths to shower everyone with gifts and treat them to meals, all to ensure


    that her colleagues treat her better in the future.


    His thoughtfulness touched her. ¡°Damien, thank you.¡±


    Damien responded affectionately. Take those words back. We are husband and wife. Those two words.


    should never be uttered between us.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Cherise leaned against a window along the corridor and gazed at the sky. Her lips curved into a


    smile. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Since he refused to ept ¡®thank you,¡¯ she said ¡®I love you¡¯ instead.


    There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then, Damien ordered sternly. ¡°Meeting adjourned!¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless. Her eyes widened with embarrassment and horror..


    Did he answer my call in a meeting?


    She desperately wished she could find a hole to crawl into.


    Cherise imagined a room full of staff silently observing Damien as he chatted with her.


    Then, sounds of rustling footsteps echoed from the other end. Judging from them, there must have


    been twenty to thirty people in the meeting room. The realization prompted her cheeks to burn.


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    After a long pause, Cherise heard someone closing the door.


    Then, Damien¡¯s deep voice sounded again. ¡°Cherry, what did you say?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Damien, did you answer my call in a meeting?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Damien seemed unconcerned. ¡°I was in a meeting just now. To avoid missing your call, I asked


    them to pause the meeting.¡±


    He sounded a bit regretful. ¡°If I had known you would confess, I would have adjourned the meeting as


    soon as you called.¡±


    Cherise was astounded. ¡°You can hang up my call if you¡¯re in a meeting next time. I don¡¯t have


    anything


    urgent.¡±


    ¡°Work is not as important as you.¡± Damien reclined in his armchair and tapped his fingers on the table.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Now, repeat what you said before.¡±


    Cherise remained silent.


    No! I¡¯m not saying it!


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to say. Since we¡¯re going to New World Restaurant for


    dinner tonight, remember to pick me up from the research institute.¡±


    r


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 Chapter 754

    Chapter 754


    Chapter 754 Is She Your Friend?


    ¡°Sure.¡± Damien chuckled wickedly on the other end. ¡°We have plenty of time. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll hear you utter


    those words again.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. She was no longer interested in chatting with him and hung up promptly.


    ¡°Cherise, were you talking to Mr. Lenoir, your fianc¨¦?¡±


    The female colleague previously engaged in a lengthy discussion about Damien with her. She now


    boldly approached Cherise. I¡¯m Heather Dupont, but you can call me Heather. You seem to have a


    good rtionship with Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    Cherise responded with an awkwardugh, ¡°It¡¯s all right¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than all right!¡± Heather immediately shook her head and showed Cherise the bag she was


    carrying. ¡°I did some research. This bag costs around seven thousand, even when directly purchased


    from the brand¡¯s boutique overseas! Yet, Mr. Lenoir gifted one to each of us. He¡¯s incredibly generous.¡±


    Cherise continued smiling awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    But deep down, she could not help but inwardly scold Damien for his extravagance.


    A bag worth seven thousand! Even my bag isn¡¯t that expensive! He¡¯s incredibly generous!


    However, when she considered all that money was spent for her sake, she realized she was the cause


    of this. wastefulness.


    Seeing that Cherise was approachable, Heather followed her into her office and chatted about various


    things. She even inquired about Damien and Lennon.


    ¡°Cherise, here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking.¡± Heather looked at Cherise earnestly. ¡°Aside from Mr. Lenoir,


    Lennon the most intriguing man in Adania. Moreover, he¡¯s still single. Since you¡¯re with Damien, I¡¯ll


    pursue Lennon instead. Also, Lennon and Damien are such close friends, so let¡¯s be best friends


    too.¡±


    Cherise listened in a daze, feeling ufortable with every passing moment.


    Even though she was not particrly fond of Lennon, she felt uneasy hearing another woman express


    her intention to pursue him. After all, Lucy still seemed to harbor feelings for him.


    For the whole afternoon, Cherise focused on dealing with paperwork while answering Heather¡¯s


    queries about Lennon absentmindedly.


    Finally, when Damien arrived to pick her up from the institute, Heather boldly followed Cherise into


    Damien¡¯s vehicle.


    ¡°Is she your friend?¡± Damien furrowed his brow as he nced at the woman in the back seat through


    the rearview mirror.


    ¡°She¡¯s a colleague,¡± Cherise responded with an awkwardugh.


    ¡°Since she¡¯s a colleague.¡± Damien urately discerned how Cherise felt about Heather from her


    expression. and tone. Thus, he said coldly, ¡°Miss, I suggest you find another ride at the back.¡±


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    Damien¡¯s stern tone sent a chill throughout the car. Even the outgoing Heather could not ignore his


    unweing demeanor. Terrified, she hurriedly exited the car and joined her other colleagues on the


    bus.


    The door closed with a thud.


    Damien withdrew his frosty demeanor. His eyes crinkled with amusement as he observed the helpless.


    woman in the rearview mirror. ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before and never learned to say no.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°She was friendly and chatted with me all afternoon. I couldn¡¯t kick her out.¡±


    It was not that she disliked Heather. Instead, she found her too noisy. Moreover, Cherise felt.


    ufortable listening to her constant chatter about her desire to pursue Lennon.


    III? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 755

    Chapter 755


    Chapter 755 A Shocking Revtion


    Cherise¡¯s phone rang as Damien started the car.


    It was a call from the detention center. ¡°Ms. Shaw, Urs attempted suicide in her cell, and we barely


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    saved her ife. She asked to see you. Will you be willing to meet her?¡±


    Cherise was astounded. Urs tried to take her own life?


    She frowned and asked, ¡°Are you sure it was Urs who attempted suicide and not Rowena?¡±


    ¡°It was Urs.¡± The police officer confirmed. ¡°Ms. Shaw, we wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake. The one


    who tried to end her life is the younger sister. The elder sister is in a different cell.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Even though she was not fond of Urs, it was still a life at stake. Furthermore, after Cherise yed


    Urs an audio recording that proved Rowena had been manipting her, Urs broke down in tears.


    It seemed unlikely that Urs would conspire against her with Rowena anymore.


    Thus, she turned to Damien, who was driving. ¡°We must go to the hospital. Urs tried to kill herself.¡±


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. His voice wasced with indifference. ¡°Are you still concerned about


    the Two sisters?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but Urs asked to see me.¡± Cherise took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Perhaps she has


    something important to tell me.¡±


    Damien fell silent for a moment. Eventually, he turned the car around. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Urs has


    always been hostile toward you.¡±


    Cherise and Damien arrived at the hospital half an hourter.


    The hospital room smelled strongly of disinfectant.


    Urs sat up, leaning against the headboard. Her face was ashen. Meanwhile, her left wrist was


    swathed in thick bandages, and crimson stains seeped through theyers.


    Her pale lips twisted into a sardonic smile when Cherise and Damien entered the room. ¡°Why? Are you


    still concerned that I might harm her in this condition?¡±


    Damien ignored her question. ¡°What do you want from Cherise?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± Urs looked at Cherise and smiled weakly. ¡°I wish to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, I will go to court and use Rowena of fraud and deceiving Mr. Lenoir¡¯s trust to extort


    valuables from him. However, I will likely be sentenced for attempting to run you over.¡±


    Her voice was as raspy as before but now devoid of arrogance. Moreover, every word she uttered was


    steeped in resignation and mncholy.


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    ¡°I should thank you. Without you, I would have been Rowena¡¯s puppet for the rest of my life. Do you


    know she still called me ¡®sis¡¯ when she arrived at the detention center? It disgusts me¡­¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°Urs, I understand that you feel despair from being betrayed by your loved


    ones. But¡­ you¡¯re still young, you can¡¯t give up on life yet¡­¡±


    Although Cherise felt no affection for Urs, she was still a doctor. It pained her to see someone


    attempting to take their life. Thus, she feltpelled to counsel Urs.


    ¡°Thank you for caring about me.¡± Urs smiled. Her eyes were filled with self-derision. ¡°I was foolish to


    plot against you and cause you trouble¡­¡±


    Then, she sighed and looked up at Cherise before continuing, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Before this¡­¡± Urs closed her eyes. ¡°I bribed one of your servants under Rowena¡¯s orders and stole


    Her revtion cast a momentary silence over the hospital room.


    Cherise frowned. ¡°You stole my research paper?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Urs smiled bitterly. ¡°Rowena said your non-biological sister wanted it.¡±


    your


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 Chapter 756

    Chapter 756


    Chapter 756 It¡¯s Too Late


    ¡°That day, a woman came to collect the research papers. I suspect your sister intends to use them


    against you in the future. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gone through so much trouble to have me steal


    them for


    her.¡±


    After saying that, she looked into Cherise¡¯s eyes and smiled sadly. ¡°I have nothing with which to repay


    you. I can only offer you this warning so you can be prepared.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow and sighed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Urs sighed. Her face was still pale. ¡°Previously, I could never


    understand. why Damien would reject Rowena¡¯s advances and go around the world looking for you.


    Now I finally understand¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kinder, more virtuous, and endearing than Rowena. If I hadn¡¯t tried to harm you on Rowena¡¯s


    behalf, I might have also desired to be friends with you.¡±


    After uttering these words, Urs closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve said all that I have to say. You can leave now.¡±


    Cherise looked at Urs¡¯s face, wanting to say something, but ultimately, she remained silent. She


    turned to Damien instinctively.


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°How did you know Gwenn?¡±


    ¡°We have known Gwenn from the beginning. That¡¯s how we were able to act as your saviors.¡±


    Urs smiled bitterly. ¡°Do you think Rowena could have tricked you all by herself, making you believe


    she was the one who rescued you? It was always Gwenn who controlled everything behind the


    scenes.¡±


    ¡°Gwenn knew what Cherise wore that day. She even knew when Cherise appeared and details about


    how she saved you. Those details were so numerous that it felt like she was right there at the scene of


    the fire. Perhaps the fire was orchestrated by her.¡±


    Then, Urs paused and looked at Damien: ¡°Didn¡¯t you also fall for her scheme?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. His gaze gradually turned cold.


    On the day of the massive fire three years ago, a business partner invited him for a drink. He kept.


    mentioning Cherise, causing Damien to drink more than usual.


    Moreover, Damien usually had good alcohol tolerance. Yet, he passed out after a few drinks that day


    and only regained consciousness after being rescued from the fire.


    Urs¡¯s words triggered his memory. The business partner who drank with him that day used to have


    frequent business dealings with the Tanner family.


    ¡°Dame?¡± Cherise voice awakened Damien from his reverie.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cherise held his hand before turning to Urs. ¡°Please take care.¡±


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    Then, she looked at Damien. ¡°My colleagues are still waiting for us.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes and gave Urs a final nce before leaving with Cherise.


    Cherise called her supervisor as they traveled to New World Restaurant. ¡°Mr. Whitlock, there might be


    at problem with my paper. Can you retract it from the academic journal?¡±


    Since Gwenn had gotten the research papers, Cherise suspected she might want to cause trouble with


    the copyright.


    Mr. Whitlock was enjoying a drink at the restaurant. ¡°Why do you want to retract it? Your paper is so


    well- written. What could be wrong? Besides, I submitted it several days ago. They¡¯ve probably


    finished. reviewing it by now. It¡¯s toote to retract it!¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. Her hand holding the phone trembled slightly. ¡°Can you tell me which journal


    submitted it to? I¡¯ll request them to retract it myself.¡±


    you


    ¡°I think it was the SumTimes.¡±

 Chapter 757

    Chapter 757


    Chapter 757 Zac and Lucy¡¯s Spat


    Mr. Carlos, probably a little tipsy, responded vaguely.


    Cherise¡¯s grip tightened around her phone at the mention of SumTimes, Gwenn¡¯s workce. The mere


    idea of Gwenn tampering with her academic paper sent a wave of nausea.


    For the past five years, Cherise had consciously avoided conflict with Gwenn. Engaging with someone


    like her held no appeal, and Cherise had her own life and responsibilities to prioritize. But the more she


    avoided, the brazen Gwenn became, especiallytely.


    Cherise closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, knowing the time for settling scores with Gwenn was


    However, the immediate concern was Zachary and Lyra¡¯s wedding. He had gotten injured shielding her,


    and she felt obligated to see the arrangements in his absence.


    With this thought in mind, they arrived at the New World Restaurant. Damien, everposed, opened


    her door and said, ¡°I have friends at SumTimes. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get them to look into this.¡±


    Cherise finally allowed her grip to rx, a wave of relief washing over her. She knew Gwenn wouldn¡¯t


    back down easily, but with Damien on her side, she had nothing to fear.


    Together, they walked hand-in-hand into the lively venue.


    Damien had reserved the entire third floor of the New World Restaurant for theb gathering. As


    Cherise and Damien walked up the stairs, the sounds ofughter and lively chatter reached their ears.


    A smile spread across Cherise¡¯s face; it had been long since she had attended such a vibrant event.


    Sometimes, when life throws you curveballs, seeing others reveling in joy can be just the antidote your


    spirit needs.


    Pushing open the door to the third floor, they were met with an eruption of cheers. Heather, beaming,


    instantly calling out, ¡°Hey, Cherry! Mr. Lenoir!¡±


    Mr. Carlos, brimming with excitement, approached Damien with a raised wine ss.


    Cherise smiled, her grip tightening on Damien¡¯s hand. Just as she was about to join the festivities, her


    eyes fell upon Lennon. Seated next to Heather, he was engaged in a lively conversation, asionally


    taking a sip from his drink..


    A sudden unease washed over Cherise, prompting a frown.


    She couldn¡¯t help but imagine how Lucy would react if she walked in on Damien sharing such intimacy.


    with another woman. It mirrored the same difort Cherise felt when she encountered Lucy¡¯s


    husband, intimately conversing and sharing drinks with another woman at a bar alone.


    With pursed lips, Cherise contemted whether to inform Lucy. As if summoned by her thoughts, the


    door swung open, revealing Lucy d in ck. She walked in with a purposeful stride, oblivious to


    Cherise and Damien standing by the entrance.


    Her eyes immediately found Lennon, and she marched towards him briskly, leaving no room for


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    ¡°Have you already forgotten what I told you? No drinking, remember? Is your liver on a suicide


    mission? And your stomach, is it looking forward to retirement?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice cut through the festive


    atmosphere.


    She snatched the ss from Heather¡¯s hand, which she had just filled for Lennon, and mmed it on


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    the floor. The shattering sound echoed through the room, abruptly silencing the festive crowd.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you wish to kill yourself, but before you do, please donate your kidneys to someone who


    actually wants to live!


    Lucy¡¯s words,ced with raw anger and fierce determination, silenced the entire third floor. Brimming


    with conversations andughter, the previously boisterous crowd froze.


    All eyes turned towards her, the once joyous atmosphere reced by a tense silence, broken only by


    hushed whispers.


    Heather felt her face burn with shame. The shattered ss on the floor served as a reminder of her


    actions. Despite knowing his health concerns, she invited Lennon, filled his ss, and encouraged him


    to drink. Now, she was forced to confront the consequences of her behavior.


    III

 Chapter 758

    Chapter 758


    Chapter 758 The Buzzkill


    Although intended for Lennon, Lucy¡¯s outburst ended up mortifying Heather.


    Her colleagues, aware of Heather¡¯s earlier actions, started casting her curious nces and murmuring.


    Lennon chuckled, lifting his gaze to meet Lucy¡¯s with indifference. ¡°Why should I give up something that


    belongs to me? My health is my own d@mn business; who are you to tell me what to do?¡±


    A hint of mockery yed on his chiseled face. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    Lucy¡¯s fists clenched tightly. Her gaze locked with his, anger sparking in her eyes. ¡°Who do I think I


    am? You tell me!¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your grandfather¡¯s constant reminders to look after you and the exploitative contract I


    signed with your family, do you think I¡¯d bother with you? No one would bat an eye if you died!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, aren¡¯t you being a bit of a buzzkill?¡± Heather, unable to tolerate it any longer, stood up.


    ¡°Lenn is perfectly healthy: I¡¯ve never heard of him being hospitalized! He knows his limits; he doesn¡¯t


    need your unwanted intervention. What a party pooper you are! We have a room full of medical


    professionals here. We don¡¯t need you to y the savior!¡±


    Desperate to save face, Heather deliberately portrayed her rtionship with Lennon as more intimate


    than it actually was.


    Lucy raised an eyebrow at Heather¡¯s words. Turning her head, she gave Heather a cial stare. ¡°And


    you are?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ Lenn¡¯s friend, of course!¡±


    Lucy¡¯s smile was faint, almost mocking. ¡°Lenn, you say? You two do seem quite close.¡±


    She turned to Lennon, still seated with a bored expression. ¡°Quite a hard worker, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Heather felt a pang of guilt, but the watchful eyes of her colleagues prevented her from backing down.


    Suddenly, she remembered Cherise, her new friend and the star of the evening and her lover, Damien.


    This realization rekindled Heather¡¯s confidence. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Cherise, ¡°Cherise,


    darling, could you have security remove this woman?¡±


    ¡°This dinner was arranged by you and Damien for our colleagues, and this intruder is causing a scene.


    you think you should do something about it?¡±


    Don¡¯t you


    As soon as Heather finished speaking, Lucy instinctively turned her head, meeting Cherise¡¯s gaze.


    Lucy smiled. ¡°So, she¡¯s your colleague?¡±


    Cherise coughed awkwardly. ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±


    Lucy yawned nonchntly. ¡°You have quite an interesting group of colleagues. This one seems eager


    to show me the door.¡±


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    r


    Cherise chuckled. ¡°Of course not. If anyone needs to be shown the door, it should be those who don¡¯t


    y by the rules.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to Heather, her voice thick with disapproval, ¡°C¡¯mon, Heather, you¡¯re being a bit too


    much here.¡±


    Gesturing towards Lucy, ¡°My friend is Lennon¡¯s physician entrusted with his health and well-being.


    Seeing him chugging down like this naturally upset her. As a fellow healthcare professional, wouldn¡¯t


    you understand such a concern? Why are you trying to create unnecessary drama? You should¡¯ve at


    least asked about his health restrictions before offering him alcohol, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Heather¡¯s face flushed scarlet at Cherise¡¯s words.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    2/2

 Chapter 759

    Chapter 759


    Chapter 759 Lucy¡¯s Stomach Doing Flips


    Never in a million years would Heather have guessed that this seemingly enraged woman, unleashing


    her fury on Lennon, was Cherise¡¯s close friend! It made Heather feel insignificant and a pang of hurt as


    a rtive neer to Cherise¡¯s circle.


    Taking a deep breath, she prepared to speak. However, Lennon, who had been observing the scene


    with a frosty demeanor, interjected with a scoff.


    ¡°Heather simply wasn¡¯t aware. I don¡¯t make a habit of broadcasting my medical history. Besides, you


    should know better than anyone whether I¡¯m ¡®fit¡¯ or ¡®capable¡¯ enough, I supposed?¡±


    He said, his eyes shing with a hint of insinuation and challenge.


    Lucy¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she quickly reced her anger with a smirk as she


    pulled up a chair beside Lennon. ¡°Fine. Whatever you drink, I¡¯ll match.¡±


    With that, she shot a frosty re across the table at Heather. ¡°How many drinks has he had?¡±


    Heather waspletely blindsided. This turn of events was unexpected. Hesitantly, she raised three


    fingers.


    ¡°Three, it is. Lucy grabbed the bottle, filled her ss, and downed it. Without pausing, she poured


    another and repeated the process several times.


    When she finished her third drink, the hand holding the ss was shaking slightly.


    She looked at Heather, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t smashed thatst drink on the floor, it would have been four, right?¡±


    Heather, speechless, could only manage a nod.


    Ignoring the tremor in her hand, Lucy poured herself another drink. Just as she raised the ss to her


    lip Lennon¡¯s face hardened. He snatched the ss from her grasp and hurled it against the floor, where


    ss. shards were scattered everywhere.


    He roared, ¡°Have you lost your mind?!¡±


    While Lucy had a high tolerance for alcohol, her stomach was less forgiving. Having consumed so


    much. on an empty stomach, she knew the consequences wouldn¡¯t be far behind.


    ¡°I was just being your drinking buddy. Now we both feel like death warmed over, so let¡¯s toast to that!


    Come! Toast to being partners in misery until the very end! Maybe even rivals in the next life!¡±


    She reached for another drink with a nonchnt shrug, but Lennon grabbed her wrist firmly.


    ¡°Enough, Lucy!¡± he eximed. His voice was a low growl, but his eyes held a concern that betrayed his


    anger.


    Heather, silent until now, finally understood. In fact, there was no way she could miss it; Lennon was


    clearly head over heels for Lucy.


    Feeling embarrassed, Heather turned away.


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    <


    Meanwhile, Lucy fiercely shook off Lennon¡¯s hand. ¡°Cut the act, Lenn! I¡¯m not falling for it anymore.


    Just,


    fu*k off!¡±


    With that, she stormed out. Then, she stopped dead in her tracks, turned away from Lennon, and


    shed Cherise a quick, discreet sign.


    One look at Lucy¡¯s pale face and urgent gesture was enough for Cherise to understand. This girl wast


    putting on a strong front, but her stomach was probably doing somersaults.


    Cherise bit her lip, wanting to intervene, but Lucy waved her off. Even in pain, she wouldn¡¯t let Lennon


    see her weakness.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    But just as she took another step, the world tilted on its axis, before Lucy could react, she was swept


    up in a warm, firm embrace.


    Lennon¡¯s voice, with a hint of teasing, came from above. ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed your stomach


    doing. flips. You¡¯re not very good at hiding it, you know.¡±


    He turned and walked out, carrying Lucy with ease, bridal style. Cherise, biting her lip, was about to


    follow them when Damien stepped in her path, blocking her way.


    O

 Chapter 760

    Chapter 760


    Chapter 760 Truth and Truth


    ¡°Lenn will take care of her, don¡¯t worry,¡± Damian reassured Cherise.


    Cherise scowled. ¡°No way! I don¡¯t trust him!¡±


    ¡°But think about it,¡± he continued. ¡°You only noticed Lucy¡¯s difort from her gestures, while Lennon


    could tell from her posture alone. That¡¯s the difference between you two. Do you still think he¡¯s


    incapable of caring for her?¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips, speechless for a moment.


    Noticing Cherise didn¡¯t chase after Lennon and Lucy, Heather rushed over, snuggled into her arms,


    whining. ¡°Cherise!! Waaaah, what should I do? Even Lennon has his princess charming now¡­ What


    am I supposed to do?¡±


    Cherise was dumbfounded by Heather¡¯s childish and flirty response. She rolled her eyes, pursed her


    lips. and thought, ¡°Duh, how would I know?¡±


    However, holding Heather in her arms, Cherise felt a sense of relief. Relief that Lennon wasn¡¯t the type


    to abandon Lucy for a new acquaintance. He still chose to stay with Lucy in the end!


    After a brief interruption, the banquet continued in full swing. Damien was right. This banquet had


    indeed. closed the gap between Cherise and her colleagues.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Initially, everyone was reserved, but as the night progressed, they even invited Cherise and Damien to


    y.


    Truth or Dare.


    While Cherise excelled in academic research, this type of game was unfamiliar territory. She


    consistently lost, so she cautiously opted for Truth each time.


    ¡°When did you start having feelings for Mr. Lenoir?¡± Heather asked excitedly, resting her chin on her


    hands.


    Seated on the sofa, Damien also observed her with a hint of interest.


    Cherise blushed but answered truthfully, ¡°I think it was about five years ago.¡±


    A collective gasp filled the room. ¡°Five years! That¡¯s a long time!¡±


    ¡°Cherise, you¡¯ve liked Mr. Lenoir for that long?¡±


    Cherise nodded, her face burning, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    The next round of Truth or Dare rolled around, and it was still Cherise¡¯s turn. Mr. Carlos, his curiosity


    piqued, asked, ¡°So, what do you find so appealing about Mr. Lenoir?¡±


    Cherise thought carefully for a moment, then blushed deeply as she confessed, ¡°Well, everything, I


    guess?¡±


    But the yful jabs didn¡¯t stop there. The group bombarded her with questions about her first kiss, their


    first night together, and their most recent encounter.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t exactly an open book. Discussing such intimate details, especially in front of her male


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    colleagues, waspletely out of herfort zone.


    Flustered, she lowered her head, stammering and unsure how to respond.


    Just then, Damien intervened, gently pulling her into his embrace and kissing her forehead. ¡°Alright,


    guys, give her a break. My Cherry gets shy easily. If you scare her away and she refuses to y with


    me, I¡¯ll hold you all personally responsible.¡±


    Their yful banter continued, the teasing veiled in ambiguity. Cherise¡¯s face burned even hotter. She


    nestled deeper into Damien¡¯s arms, too embarrassed to lift her head.


    ¡°You can ask me instead.¡± Damien offered, his voice deep and calming. Everyone exchanged nces,


    a little hesitant. Cherise was their colleague, so they could be informal. But Damien¡­.


    Finally, Heather braved a question, ¡°Mr. Lenoir, when did you start having feelings for Cherise?¡±


    Damien replied smoothly, ¡°The moment she started having feelings for me.¡±


    After a lively and entertaining evening with the bunch, Cherise hummed a happy tune on the way


    home.


    Damien watched her from the driver¡¯s seat, his gaze filled with love and admiration. ¡°Still floating on


    cloud. nine, I see?¡±

 Chapter 761

    Chapter 761


    Chapter 761 The Highlight of the Evening


    ¡°Mmmhmm!¡± Cherise turned towards him, a yful smile lighting up her eyes. ¡°You know, the highlight


    of the night wasn¡¯t just about bonding with my colleagues, but¡­¡±


    She trailed off, her gaze meeting Damien¡¯s yful eyes.


    He offered a knowing smile, one hand on the wheel guiding them homeward and the other resting


    Cherise bit her lip slightly, then finally finished her thought, ¡°Knowing you¡¯ve always cared for me.


    That¡¯s the true joy.


    Despite considering themselves practically an old married couple, Cherise¡¯s cheeks flushed as she


    confessed these words in his presence.


    Damien chuckled and continued driving. ¡°My dear, you know what? You haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡±


    His Cherry was still the same sweet girl who saw the beauty and happiness in the simplest things.


    Still immersed in the excitement from the previous night, Cherise arrived at theb the next day to


    prepare for her trip to Ziphon. To her surprise, instead of envy, her colleagues showered her with


    questions about the trip, eager to know when she¡¯d be back.


    ¡°Hey Cherise, when will you be back?¡±


    ¡°Mann..! I¡¯m so jealous you get to go to Ziphon! Heard Ziphon is famous for its minerals! Don¡¯t bother


    with souvenirs; just bring an Aetherionite back will do. We¡¯re dying to see them!¡±


    Their enthusiasm made it feel like they¡¯d known Cherise forever. She then headed to Mr. Carlos¡¯s office


    to formally request her leave.


    ¡°Cherise,¡± Mr. Carlos sighed with regret, ¡°there¡¯s been a snag. Your paper has been rejected.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Rejected?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Carlos sighed again, ¡°it seems it happened overnight. I was¡­ unwellst night and missed


    the notification until this morning. They sent the rejection email right after our banquet ended.¡±


    ¡°And the editor imed they didn¡¯t even have time to read it, but they simply didn¡¯t like the theme, so


    they rejected it outright.¡±


    Mr. Carlos looked helpless. ¡°Hey, do you want me to try submitting it to another journal for you?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Cherise smiled reassuringly at Mr. Carlos, ¡°let it go. I didn¡¯t intend to publish it in a


    prestigious journal anyway; it¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    She recalled Damien mentioning his connections at SumTimes on their way to the New World


    Restaurant the previous night.


    So¡­ did he pull some strings overnight? But she¡¯d been with him all night. When did he even find the


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    time?


    A warm feeling blossomed in her chest. Despite being even more tired than she had been the previous


    day, Damien had still carried her from the car to bed and tucked her in. And then, even after she fell


    asleep, he¡­ reached out to his friend about her paper?


    Filled with gratitude, Cherise returned to Lenoir Manor with her materials, only to find Soren and


    Serafina standing at the door, their expressions a mix of concern and sadness.


    ¡°Mommy, is Uncle Zac hurt?¡± Serafina sniffled, her eyes welling up. ¡°I¡¯m so worried about Uncle Zac!¡±


    Soren sniffled, too, trying to put on a brave face. ¡°Mommy, Mr. Lenoir said he¡¯d take you to drop Uncle


    Zac home. Sera and I have decided to stay back, and I already called Grandpa, and he¡¯s flying in today


    to pick us up.¡±


    Then, he looked up at Cherise with a pleading expression. ¡°Mommy, we hardly ever spend time apart,


    so don¡¯t be away too long!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    2/2

 Chapter 762

    Chapter 762


    Chapter 762 Second Time in Ziphon


    A warm wave washed over Cherise. She¡¯d considered bringing the kids but decided against it. Zachary


    was hurt because of her, and their visit to Miles Manor would likely be met with cold shoulders. She


    was prepared for that, knowing she was at fault.


    But Soren and Serafina were innocent, and she didn¡¯t want the Miles¡¯ judgment and potential


    mistreatment to taint their hearts.


    To her surprise, Soren had shown remarkable maturity by suggesting they visit their grandfather,


    Clinton.


    instead.


    Taking a deep breath, she walked forward and embraced the children. ¡°Remember, listen to your


    grandpa and great-grandpa while you¡¯re there. Be good, don¡¯t cause any trouble, and be nice to Aunt


    Mandy, okay?¡±


    Serafina wiped away a tear. ¡°Yes, Mommy! You have to make sure Uncle Zac gets better. Ren said


    Uncle Zac will be getting married soon. And he promised if he does, he wants Ren and me to be the


    flower boy and girl! Don¡¯t forget!¡±


    Cherise smiled and yfully pinched Serafina¡¯s cheek. ¡°Of course, sweetie!¡±


    Serafina nced at Soren, then tiptoed closer to whisper a secret in her mother¡¯s ear, ¡°Mommy, when


    are you going to marry Mr. Handsome? Then I get to call him Daddy!¡±


    Cherise blushed, momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Soon. As she scrambled for a reply, a deep voice echoed behind them.


    The next moment, a man¡¯s arms were around Serafina. ¡°Would you like to be the flower girl,


    Serafina?¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! Ren and I agreed that if Mr. Handsome and Mommy get married, we¡¯ll be


    the flower boy and girl!


    Soren¡¯s face turned beet red when he heard his sister¡¯s words.


    He shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to be cool, and looked away with a huff. ¡°Who wants to be


    a flower boy with you?! I don¡¯t even like the idea of them getting married!¡±


    Serafina¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Boo-hoo! Ren broke his promise! You were the one who told me


    to ask Mommy when will she get married! Ren was the one who said he wanted to be a flower boy, and


    I, a flower girl! And now you¡¯re saying you never said that?! You¡¯re a big liar, Ren!¡±


    The little girl wiped away her tears, her twin ponytails bobbing with her sobs, looking absolutely


    adorable.


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She knelt in front of Soren and teased him with a yful smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, my dear? You should never bluff your sister.¡±


    Soren turned away, his cheeks still rosy. ¡°I was just saying¡­ I don¡¯t care when you two get married, but


    I don¡¯t want to call that guy Daddy¡±


    After calming the children down, Damien swiftly arranged for a private jet to fly Lyra and the


    unconscious Zachary to Ziphon.


    This was Cherise¡¯s second time in Ziphon. Herst visit had been five years ago, after Charisa¡¯s


    passing. Time flew by. It was hard to believe it had been five years already. Yet, the city seemed frozen


    in time, unchanged.


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    Since Cherise had informed Zachary¡¯s father beforehand, representatives from Miles Manor were


    waiting for them at the airport.


    Zachary¡¯s stepmother, stepbrother, and a clearly upset Kareen were among them.


    Zachary¡¯s mother had passed away years ago, and his father had remarried. As the first wife¡¯s children,


    he and Kareen weren¡¯t the favorites at home, which exined their close bond with Charisa.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 763

    Chapter 763


    The first who emerged were Mr. Kolson and Mr. Hampson, pushing a gurney with Zachary lying on it.


    "Zac!" Kareen screamed, her eyes red and puffy. She lunged forward and threw herself onto the


    gurney. "Zac, wake up! Zac?!"


    Desperation filled her as she frantically shook his body. Memories of theirst conversation flooded


    back. He''d told her he was going to Adania, worried about Cherise and Damien after their


    reconciliation.


    "What does it matter if she''s doing well or not?" Kareen had snapped back then. "Enough about her!


    She''s not worth your time!"


    But for the first time ever, they''d argued. Having lost their mother young, they''d always been each


    other''s rock. Zachary never raised his voice to her, always indulging her every wish.


    "Hey, listen," he''d said sternly, "Even if you hate Cherise, she''s Aunt Charisa''s only daughter! Belittling


    her is belittling Aunt Charisa! She should have been there for Cherise, but she lost her. Instead, she


    raised us."


    "We wouldn''t have the life we have now without Aunt Charisa. We''d have been thrown out by that


    wicked woman, Patricia, and her son long ago! Aunt Charisa was our everything. She raised us. Now


    that she''s gone, can you honestly say Cherise''s fate doesn''t matter to us?"


    Kareen was rendered speechless. She hung up and felt guilt gnawing at her.


    Now, here was Zachary, the one who had argued with her and gone to see Cherise, lying injured after


    an ident in Adania.


    Seeing Kareen shaking him violently, Cherise frowned. "You could hurt him like that," she said gently.


    Kareen mmed to a halt, her eyes red and narrowed as she red at Cherise. "Don''t you tell me


    what to do! My brother went to Adania to see you; he was perfectly fine! Now he''s back like... a ghost


    of himself!"


    Grief finally spilling over, Kareen raised her head, her eyes locked on Cherise as she started towards


    her, her voice thick with anger and despair. "This is all your fault! Give me back my brother!"


    She looked like she might attack, but a dark figure stepped between them ¨C Damien.


    "Kareen, calm down," Damien said, his voice firm yet calm. "This isn''t Cherry''s fault. We''ve looked into


    what happened to Zac. It''s true; it''s connected to Cherry only because your brother chose to save her.


    He''s a hero, but you can''t me the person he rescued for needing rescuing."


    Kareen''s eyes remained red, but a flicker of understanding passed through them. "Even so, you both


    still have to take some responsibility! Zac was perfectly healthy when he went to see you, and now...


    look at him! Don''t you dare try to shrug this off!"


    Damien held his ground, neither retreating nor advancing, forming a protective barrier around Cherise.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Lyra, watching the tense scene unfold, hesitantly approached Cherise, tugging at her sleeve. "Is that


    Zac''s sister? She seems... quite intense."

 Chapter 764 Im His Fiancee

    Chapter 764 I''m His Fiancee


    "She''s not normally like this," Cherise said quietly, "but Zachary getting hurt has her all wound up."


    Despite their constant bickering, there was no denying Kareen''s princess-like fragility. Zachary treated


    her like a queen, and while she could be a bit high-maintenance at times, she was generally a gentle


    soul.


    "Well... this wasn''t exactly the picture-perfect wedding scene," Lyra admitted, her voiceced with worry


    about her future as Mrs. Zachary.


    Cherise couldn''t resist teasing her. "It''s not toote to jump ship, you know."


    Lyra shook her head resolutely. "No way! A promise is a promise. And I won''t regret it! Not for a


    second!"


    The stubborn set of her jaw reminded Cherise of her younger self. A faint smile touched her lips as she


    reached for Lyra''s hand. "Don''t worry."


    Meanwhile, Zachary''s stepmother spotted the tense standoff between Kareen and Damien and nudged


    her son.


    Chad cleared his throat and stepped forward, trying to calm Kareen down. "Hey, sis, rx. Isn''t this a


    little bit much for our guests?"


    Kareen red at him. "Get lost! It''s not your brother who''s lying there hurt!"


    Chad''s smile faltered momentarily but quickly returned. "But he needs to get to the hospital, no? If you


    keep arguing here, it could dy his treatment."


    Kareen froze, released her grip, and barked at the bodyguards behind her. "What are you guys


    standing around for, like a bunch of morons? Get my brother to the hospital now!"


    The bodyguards sprang into action, scooping up the gurney and whisking Zachary away.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Kareen turned back to Cherise, her voice icy. "This isn''t over!" With that, she stormed off.


    Lyra swiftly released Cherise''s hand and followed after Kareen. "Wait, I''lle too..."


    Kareen raised an eyebrow, giving Lyra a dismissive once-over. "Who are you?"


    "I... I''m his fianc¨¦e," Lyra stammered.


    Kareen frowned, pondered for a moment, then scoffed. "Fianc¨¦e, huh? So you''re the one my brother


    had a fling with and then had to marry, huh?"


    Lyra lowered her head, her fingers nervously picking at the straps of her backpack. "Yes, that''s me..."


    Kareen sneered. "Loyal, I''ll give you that. Fine,e with me."


    After Kareen left with Lyra and Zachary, Chad approached Damien. "Mr. Lenoir, my father was thrilled


    to hear you wereing. He''s prepared a feast at our home. Would you and your wife care to join us?"


    Damien nodded. Their primary reason for this visit was to apologize to the Miles family and discuss


    Zachary and Lyra''s wedding. A visit to the Miles Manor was definitely necessary.


    "Excellent! We''ll take you there now." Chad smiled and led the way.


    Zachary''s stepmother, Patricia, remained by Chad''s side, her gaze constantly drifting towards Damien.


    This behavior became even more pronounced once they were inside the car, a spacious Lincoln


    limousine.


    Cherise, Patricia, aka Mrs. Miles, sat on one side while Damien and Chad upied the other. As


    Cherise sank into the plush leather seat, she couldn''t shake the feeling that the middle-aged woman


    beside her, barely fifty years old, was fixated on Damien, her eyes following him as if he were the only


    man alive.

 Chapter 765

    Chapter 765


    Chapter 765 Auntie Pat Smitten with Dame


    Cherise couldn¡¯t help but recall Heather¡¯s words from their encounter at theb, ¡°Every woman in


    Adania, from teenagers to grannies, is crazy about Dainien!¡±


    Suddenly, the Truth of her statement dawned on Cherise. The middle-aged woman beside her,


    practically drooling over Damien, was a living testament to Heather¡¯s im.


    They soon arrived at the magnificent Miles Manor. Chad hopped out first, leading the way.


    Damien followed, instinctively reaching out to help Cherise down from the car. However, he didn¡¯t


    anticipate Patricia, from the same vehicle, extending her hand towards him as soon as Cherise was


    out. Damien was caught off guard.


    ¡°Let me help you.¡± Cherise, quick as a whip, stepped in front of Damien, taking Patricia¡¯s hand instead.


    Patricia¡¯s expression went from anticipation to disappointment. When she finally released Cherise¡¯s


    hand, her eyes held a hint of animosity.


    Cherise ignored it. Turning to Damien, she took his hand and linked their arms, walking casually


    towards the Miles Manor.


    She leaned in as they approached the entrance and whispered, ¡°Looks like Auntie Pat has fallen for


    you big time.¡±


    As Charisa¡¯s daughter and Zachary¡¯s adopted sister, Cherise referred to Patricia as ¡°Auntie Pat¡± as he


    and Kareen would.


    Damien¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Then you¡¯d better be my shield.¡±


    Women had been throwing themselves at him since he was old enough to notice and, even more, had


    given him flirtatious looks. But a woman of Patricia¡¯s age¡­ that was uncharted territory.


    And considering they needed something from the Miles family, offending her wasn¡¯t an option.


    Cherise yfully leaned against Damien¡¯s shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?


    Will the big bad Mr. Lenoir be left all helpless and pitiful?¡±


    ¡°Then, Ms. Shaw, I¡¯ll ensure you¡¯re the one feeling helpless and begging for mercy tonight,¡± Damien


    said with a smug smirk.


    Cherise wasn¡¯t amused. ¡°Hey, can you knock it off with the threats already? Can¡¯t we talk about this like


    normal people?¡±


    Damien smirked, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. ¡°Not possible. This is the only way to gain


    your cooperation. Besides,¡± he added with a wink, ¡°maybe if you were a bit more¡­skilled¡­in certain


    areas, you might actually have the upper hand for once.¡±


    Cherise rolled her eyes, sputtering. ¡°Who wants to be good at that anyway? Jerk.¡±


    At the Miles mansion, Walter, Zachary¡¯s father, greeted them with a beaming smile.


    Mr. Lenoir,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you. Never thought you¡¯d grace us with your presence!


    1.2


    What a pleasant surprise!¡±


    Patricia. Walter¡¯s wife, scurried over, pulling out chairs for them. As she did, her gaze lingered on


    Damien for a moment too long. Cherise, ever-observant, subtly positioned herself between them before


    taking her


    seat.


    The table was a feast for the eyes,den with enough food to feed an army. Chad, Zachary¡¯s brother,


    joined them, wearing a charming smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.


    However, despite the lively atmosphere, no one seemed concerned about Zachary¡¯s well-being.


    Except, of course, for Kareen.


    Despite the lively atmosphere and overflowing tes, the elephant in the room remained


    unacknowledged. Except for Kareen, nobody seemed the least bit concerned about Zachary¡¯s well-


    being.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cherise tried to bring him up several times, but each attempt was interrupted by a subject change.


    After a few rounds of drinks, it was Damien who finally addressed the elephant in the room.


    ¡°Mr. Miles, we¡¯re here to discuss your son, Zachary. He was injured while trying to save my wife in


    Adania, and we wanted to offer our sincerest apologies.¡±


    Walter waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Not an issue at all! He¡¯ll pull through thisa; just wait and see!


    No apologies necessary!¡±


    9:2

 Chapter 766

    Chapter 766


    Chapter 766 Not the Ideal Family


    Cherise was dumbfounded. Walter¡¯s words were like a p in the face; his response was not what she


    had expected from a concerned father.


    ¡°Uncle Walter,¡± she said, her voice low and dangerous, ¡°don¡¯t you have any concern for your own


    son?¡±


    Walter nonchntly took a sip of his wine, his smile never faltering. ¡°Concern? What¡¯s there to be


    concerned about? Didn¡¯t you all say he¡¯d wake up eventually?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s anger simmered just below the surface. ¡°Well, yes, we said that¡­¡±


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t that settled then?¡± Parcia interjected quickly. ¡°He¡¯s not in any immediate danger, he¡¯s not


    dying, he¡¯ll wake up eventually, it¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    Cherise stared at them, speechless.


    Walter continued, his smile undisturbed. ¡°While Zac¡¯s not dying, I understand Mr. Lenoir is principles.


    Since you¡¯vee to apologize, I won¡¯t hold a grudge.¡±


    He raised his ss. ¡°However, I have a business proposal for Mr. Lenoir.¡±


    ¡°Our demands are simple: thirty million inpensation, and we¡¯ll call it even. No one at Miles Manor


    will ever breathe a word about Zac being injured saving your wife or any debt you owe us. I¡¯ll even


    publicly dere that Zac¡¯s injury was his own fault and has nothing to do with the Lenoirs!¡±


    Walter leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at his lips. ¡°So, Damien, thirty million seems like a fair


    price, but I¡¯m always open to negotiation.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s jaw dropped. Zachary was fighting for his life in aa. Yet, his own father sat there


    bargaining like it was just another business deal. The audacity of it all was mind-boggling.


    Damien¡¯s smile remained unwavering. ¡°I think you misunderstood, Mr. Miles. We came to apologize,


    but coboration with Miles Group is off the table.¡±


    Walter¡¯s smirk faltered. ¡°No coboration? Sure, we have an alternate n for your consideration, too.¡±


    Chad, Water¡¯s son, chimed in. ¡°Well then, Mr. Lenoir can simply transfer twenty million to our ount.


    Same difference.¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°So, you expect us to apologize with a


    bribe?¡±


    Chad shook his head hastily. ¡°Oh, no! What a misunderstanding! We never demanded money. We¡¯re


    happy to ept whatever Mr. Lenoir decides to give us. I can personally collect the money at your


    convenience, no worries.¡±


    Cherise mmed her fists on the table. ¡°Finally, I understand why Zac and Kareen are so close to my


    mother and barely even acknowledge their own family.¡±


    She looked around the room with disgust. ¡°Who would want to stay in such a ce?¡±


    disgust. ¡°Who


    Suddenly,ng cucked into ce. Zachary¡¯s aversion to Miles Marior, his preference for Cherise¡¯s


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    mother¡¯s home since cl¡­dhood, his eagerness to follow her to Lermite it all mesense. This was not a


    1/9


    ce he belonged.


    Beforeing here, Cherise had considered asking Damien for help if he didn¡¯t mind. After all,


    Zachary was essentially running Miles Group now, and his injury would undoubtedly impact business.


    But Walter and Chad pped her good intentions in the face, extinguishing any possible assistance.


    They didn¡¯t deserve it anyway. Their concern wasn¡¯t for Zachary; it was for the profit they could


    squeeze from his misfortune.


    Taking a deep breath, Cherise turned to Walter. ¡°It baffles me that you are so indifferent to your son¡¯s


    condition yet so eager to exploit it for your own gain.¡±


    A


    ¡±

 Chapter 767

    Chapter 767


    Chapter 767 Business Deals


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that Zachary will be devastated when he wakes up?¡±


    Walter¡¯s face turned a shade paler.


    He cleared his throat and rified, ¡°How could I possibly be ignorant of Zachary¡¯s plight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one responsible for his medical expenses!¡±


    ¡°Besides, he¡¯s bound to wake up sooner orter, right?¡±


    ¡°I negotiated a business partnership with Mr. Lenoir to support Miles¡¯ family. Zachary will undoubtedly


    appreciate my efforts when he awakens. Why would he be devastated?¡±


    He gave Cherise a mildly displeased look and said, ¡°Cherry, if you had told me all this when you were


    still engaged to Zachary, I might have been more willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°But look at you now.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried that Mr. Lenoir may misinterpret your concern for Zachary now that you¡¯re marri


    Walter¡¯s words seemed to caution Cherise about Damien¡¯s feelings, but his underlying motive to


    instigate trouble was evident. He nced in Damien¡¯s direction, suggesting that he was bothered by


    Cherise and Zachary¡¯s rtionship.


    In reality, Damien was utterly unfazed.


    ¡°Uncle Walter, if you hadn¡¯t brought up the past, I might have nearly forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Zachary willingly proposed to Cherry during her darkest hour


    nd became her unwavering support. Now,


    he¡¯s risking his life to shield her in the face of dange


    ¡°Zachary is a lifelong friend and benefactor to both Cherry and myself.¡±


    His piercing gaze coldly swept Walter and Chad¡¯s faces as he spoke, ¡°But, it appears I¡¯ve made a


    mistake.¡±


    ¡°Zachary was the one who showed us kindness, not the Miles family.¡±


    he man snapped and stood up. He grabbed Cherise¡¯s hand and spat, ¡°I get Uncle Walter¡¯s proposal. I¡¯ll


    consider the coboration when I¡¯m d@mn well ready.¡±


    ¡°Forget this meal!¡±


    The pair left the ce in a huff, their faces contorted with fury and frustration.


    Walter sat at the dining tabie, biting his lip in frustration. He red in the direction where Damien had


    exited and muttered under his breath, ¡°What a show-off!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s simply a man who relies on his family¡¯s fortune!¡±


    ¡°Enough¡±


    Patricia looked helplessly at Walter, then at Chad, and sighed, ¡°Patience.¡±


    ¡°Have you not realized, given the close rtionship between Cherise and Zachary, Damien¡¯s


    rtionship with Zachary can¡¯t be strained?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even pretend to care for Zachary; you just jumped straight to financial matters. Now, you¡¯ve


    messed it up, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    After saying this, Patricia took a deep breath, hurried towards the exit, and huffed, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and check


    on


    them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m furious!¡±


    Cherise clenched her fists as she exited Miles Manor, and a wave of violent fury rose inside her.


    She had not expected Zachary and Kareen¡¯s familial ties to be so distanced and cold despite knowing


    they had a strained rtionship with their family.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Damien held andforted her, ¡°If dining with them makes you ufortable, we can go out for a


    meal alone.¡±


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Eat? I¡¯m too furious for a meal!¡±


    Cherise turned to Damien and barked, ¡°Do we need to consider a coboration with the Miles Family?¡±


    As he clenched her jaw and her eyes shed.


    ¡°Who would want to do business with such a person who treats their son inhumanely?¡±


    Damien ruffled her hair helplessly and cooed, ¡°You think your husband is cluciess.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback.


    She looked into Damien¡¯s eyes and stammered, ¡°What do you mean? Are you considering a


    coboration With them?¡±

 Chapter 768

    Chapter 768


    Chapter 768 Father¡¯s Grave


    Damien nodded, his deep voiceced with aforting undertone. ¡°I understand your disdain for them.


    However, they remain Zachary¡¯s true family, no matter how much you detest them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to apologize and arrange a wedding for Zachary and Lyra.¡±


    ¡°This wedding cannot take ce without their approval.¡±


    Cherise froze, and an icy cold tension gripped.


    She was consumed by anger that she had momentarily forgotten about the wedding.


    ¡°But we are being too kind to them!¡±


    ¡°We have no other choice; they are Zachary¡¯s family, after all.¡±


    Damien smiled and reassured, ¡°But don¡¯t fret; we will always have the upper hand.¡±


    ¡°I have the power to gain and make them lose everything.¡±


    His words caused Cherise to pause momentarily.


    She bit her lip and asked, ¡°Is that eptable?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Business coboration inherently involves risks.¡±


    ¡°If their venture fails to yield a profit, the responsibility lies not with me but their poor decision-making.¡±


    Cherise finally sighed in relief as the weight lifted from her heart.


    ¡°I am craving for seared trout.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Damien smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ll have Mr. Kolson find out where the best-seared trout is served nearby.¡±


    ¡°Do you two fancy seared trout?¡±


    As Damien finished speaking, the gentle voice of a middle-aged woman chimed in, ¡°I know a good


    restaurant nearby. Would you like me to bring you there?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cherise furrowed her brow, finding the voice vaguely familiar.


    Patricia stood nearby, beaming brightly, and her gaze instinctively shifted to the voice.


    As usual, Patricia¡¯s attention was fixed on Damien.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble Mrs, Miles.¡±


    Damien responded politely yet coolly to Patricia. He then turned around and prepared to depart with


    Cherise.


    1/2


    ¡°Damien!¡±


    As Damien left, Patricia felt her heart raced and her palms sweaty.


    She ran towards him and asserted, ¡°I need to speak with you.¡±


    Damien frowned, ¡°Mrs. Miles, I don¡¯t believe we have anything to discuss. Please have some self-


    respect.¡±


    Damien had noticed her uneasy gaze and refrained frommenting out of courtesy.


    When she initiated a conversation, he naturally declined.


    With that, he escorted Cherise towards the car.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong.¡±


    Patricia rushed over and blocked Damien¡¯s path, her eyes pleading. ¡°We need to talk about your father,


    Hansen,¡± she said.


    Damien felt his tall figure stiffen as his stomach churned.


    He turned his head, stared at Patricia, and sputtered, ¡°You¡­ You knew my father?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Patricia¡¯s eyes softened as the conversation turned to Hansen and muttered, ¡°Can I speak with you


    privately about your father?¡±


    ¡°I knew him a long time ago.¡±


    Damien frowned, perplexed, as he looked at Cherise in his arms.


    Cherise stepped out of his embrace and said sensibly, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    With that, she turned around and got into the car.


    Patricia led Damien to a small pavilion outside Miles Manor.


    There was a gentle breeze in the pavilion.


    Sitting across Damien, Patricia exuded radiance as she spoke, ¡°I heard your father passed away over


    twenty years ago. Is that correct?¡±


    Damien frowned and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°Where is his grave?¡± she asked, her eyes glinting with pleading and sorrow.


    2/2

 Chapter 769

    Chapter 769


    Chapter 769 The Lenoir Family Heirloom


    ¡°After all, we were in love. I want to pay my respects at his grave.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow. ¡°Are you saying¡­ you were in love with my father?¡±


    Although Damien¡¯s parents passed away when he was young, his sister would always tell him that his


    parents had been each other¡¯s first love. They had been together from their first date and throughout


    their marriage. It was a rtionship without infidelity.


    But now, Patricia imed that she and Damien¡¯s father had once been in love.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Patricia¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly. ¡°Now that I think about it, it was over twenty years


    ago. Your father and I met in a bar in Europe¡­¡±


    A hint of bashfulness swept across Patricia¡¯s face as she reminisced. ¡°He was charming, and I was in


    the prime of my youth, so¡­ I had a secret rtionship with him behind Walter¡¯s back.¡±


    Damien remained silent. His frown deepened.


    He regarded Patricia with a somewhat puzzled expression. ¡°Mrs. Miles, are you sure the man you were


    involved with was my father? Could you have mistaken him for someone else?


    Patricia immediately shook her head. ¡°How could I possibly confuse him? Is there another Hansen


    Lenoir in this world, a young, sessful man with numerous businesses under his control?¡±


    ¡°Besides¡­¡± She gazed at Damien dreamily. ¡°Your features bear a striking resemnce to your


    father¡¯s.¡±


    Damien was somewhat frustrated. ¡°All of us in the Lenoir family share simr physical traits.¡±


    He shook his head with conviction. ¡°Mrs. Miles, I believe you may have mistaken someone else for my


    father. My father was not that kind of man, and my parents had a loving marriage. Moreover, my father


    passed away many years ago. You shouldn¡¯t tarnish a deceased man¡¯s reputation without solid


    evidence.¡±


    Having said this, Damien stood up to leave.


    ¡°I¡­ I have proof!¡± Patricia urgently grabbed Damien¡¯s arm and produced a cufflink from her pocket.


    ¡°Look, doesn¡¯t this belong to the Lenoir family?¡±


    Damien frowned and nced at the cufflink. His pupils dted in shock.


    Patricia was not lying. The cufflink in her hand was indeed a Lenoir family heirloom. It was a specially


    crafted cufflink worn with custom-made suits during important ceremonies or meetings. There was


    even a small ¡®L¡¯ engraved on it.


    Damien took the cufflink and held it in his hand. ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something from the Lenoir family, right?¡± Patricia seemed a little smug. ¡°Damien, I understand you


    might find it difficult to ept this truth, but there was indeed something between your father and


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    me¡­¡±


    ¡°We even¡­¡±


    She left her sentence unfinished.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Patricia looked up at Damien, ¡°I only want to know where your father¡¯s grave is and visit


    him to pay my respects. It¡¯s been so many years. There¡¯s no point in dwelling on the past.¡±


    1/2


    She smiled and put the cufflink in her pocket. Then, she took a piece of paper and a pen from her pock


    You just need to give me the address of your father¡¯s grave.*


    Damien rubbed his aching forehead. Til send you the precise location of the graveter. Is there


    anything


    che


    ¡°Yes¡± Patricia pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s about the coboration between Lenoir Group and the Miles family. I


    hope you will consider my past rtionship with your father and agree to a joint venture.¡±


    22

 Chapter 770

    Chapter 770


    Chapter 770 The Real Culprit


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t want everyone to know about your father¡¯s past affairs,¡± Patricia said, meeting.


    Damien¡¯s gaze sincerely. ¡°My husband has always been aware of my infidelities. This is all he asks of


    you, so don¡¯t push him to expose the scandal to force your cooperation.¡±


    Damien sneered, ¡°I understand.¡±


    With that, he rose from his seat and walked away briskly.


    Patricia watched Damien¡¯s receding figure and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just like him, always walking with such


    strong strides.¡±


    Damien¡¯s steps faltered slightly. A glint of icy resolve shed in his eyes.


    Five minutester, Damien was back in his car.


    Cherise sat on the leather back seat, searching for the nearest restaurant with seared trout on her


    phone.


    She looked up casually upon noticing him. ¡°Why were you away for so long?¡±


    ¡°I had a rather insightful conversation,¡± Damien grinned as he sat down and drew Cherise into his


    embrace. ¡°I think I can clear my father¡¯s name.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the man who assaulted your mother back then wasn¡¯t my father at all.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±


    She immediately put down her phone and turned to him, giving him her full attention. ¡°What


    happened?¡±.


    Damien took a deep breath and held Cherise¡¯s hand before recounting everything Patricia had told


    him.


    Cherise frowned. ¡°How can you be sure that it was someone impersonating your father and not your


    father himself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the way he walked,¡± Damien smiled slightly. ¡°Mrs. Miles mentioned that I walked with


    strong strides like my father.¡±


    ¡°But in reality, my father injured his left foot in his youth, causing him to limp. He always walked slowly


    to conceal it. Even so, his limp was noticeable upon close observation. Thus, he couldn¡¯t possibly have


    walked briskly.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. This was the first time Damien shared details about his


    father.


    Now that I think about it, Mom had recounted the night of her assault before her passing. She even


    remembered the distinct features of the men who vited her, such as who had a beard and who had a


    scar on his face.


    If Damien¡¯s father had a limp and was present that night, Mom wouldn¡¯t have overlooked such a


    noticeable trait or forgotten about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I believe someone impersonated my father,¡± Damien narrowed his eyes. A cold smile


    formed on his lips. ¡°Mrs. Miles imed to have had many illicit affairs with my father. Yet she never


    mentioned


    |||


    <


    1/2


    his limp but asserted that my father walked briskly like me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite clear,¡± Damien took a deep breath and leaned down to kiss Cherise. ¡°If my father wasn¡¯t the


    one who assaulted your mother, I would hunt down the real perpetrator and bring him to justice.¡±


    Cherise rested in Damien¡¯s embrace and felt emotional. She even forgot about her craving for seared


    trout.


    She sighed. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    If Damien¡¯s father never assaulted her mother, there would be no more animosity between them.


    Moreover, once Damien finds the real culprit and brings him to justice, the Tanner family will have no


    reason to prevent them from being together.

 Chapter 771

    Chapter 771


    Chapter 771 Pierogi Or Yourself


    Cherise was filled with excitement as she nestled in Damien¡¯s arms, eager to inquire about his ns.


    Unbeknownst to her, the car hade to a stop.


    ¡°Alright, time to get out,¡± Damien said, amused by Cherise¡¯s enthusiasm. He yfully tweaked her


    nose. ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Surprised by his question, Cherise instinctively nced out of the car window, only to realize they had


    parked in front of a restaurant.


    The signboard read, ¡®Ziphon¡¯s Famous Seared Trout.¡¯


    Seared trout!


    Just the sight of those words sent her into a frenzy of excitement.


    Cherise passionately kissed Damien¡¯s cheek before hastily exiting the car. ¡°Seared trout, here Ie!¡±


    She was in high spirits and determined to indulge in a feast.


    However, Cherise did not anticipate that, apart from seared trout, every other dish in this restaurant


    was spicy. Damien couldn¡¯t handle spicy food. She vividly remembered how Damien had made himself


    ill by consuming spicy food when they were in Lermille.


    Cherise pursed her lips and hesitated. ¡°Shall we go somewhere else?¡±


    She recalled that neither she nor Damien ate much at Miles Manor. Damien only had a few bites.


    Although she loved seared trout, it didn¡¯t feel right to enjoy food while he could only watch.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Damien reassured her, ruffling her hair. He then ordered the food Cherise liked. ¡°Do you


    have a non-spicy side dish?¡±


    The waiter was surprised but quickly nodded. ¡°We do¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring me one of your non-spicy side dishes,¡± Damien said with a smile, returning the menu to the


    waiter. ¡°Please hurry. My wife is hungry.¡±


    The waiter had overheard Cherise¡¯s words and knew Damien couldn¡¯t handle spicy food. But since


    Cherise loved spicy food, he was willing to endure eating a nd side dish to keep her happy.


    Realizing this, the waiter sighed. ¡°What a fortunate wife.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up,¡± Damien said, waving his hand. ¡°If my wife changes her mind, you won¡¯t be able to earn my


    money.¡±


    The waiter immediately dashed off to prepare the food.


    Cherise pursed her lips and looked at Damien with a hint of helplessness. ¡°Why are you torturing


    yourself like this? We can go to another ce. This isn¡¯t the only ce that serves seared trout.¡±


    ¡°But this ce has the best seared trout in Ziphon,¡± Damien replied, smiling as he poured a ss of


    water for Cherise. We don¡¯te here often. I want you to taste the best.¡±


    Cherise blushed at his affectionate tone. She pursed her lips, epted the ss he offered, and


    smiled


    shyly. ¡°We¡¯ll eat what you like tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Damien said, smiling at her. ¡°But what I like to eat isn¡¯t found in a restaurant. I enjoyed your


    handmade pierogi.¡±


    ¡°Il make them for you often!¡± Cherise said, looking at him shyly. ¡°Let me know whenever you want


    them. I¡¯ll make them for you.¡±


    Damien nced at her body, his eyes gleaming with desire. ¡°Are you offering me pierogi¡­ or


    yourself?¡±


    Cherise was stunned. She blushed and red at him. ¡°You¡¯re not serious!¡±


    But cream cake is also an option,¡± Damien added.


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Memories of him licking frosting off her body reyed in her mind. Her cheeks turned even redder.


    Soon, the waiter served the food.


    Seeing Cherise¡¯s flushed face, the waiter suggested thoughtfully, ¡°Ma¡¯am, would you like me to turn on


    the air conditioning?¡±


    Cherise was stunned.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    What air conditioning?

 Chapter 772

    Chapter 772


    Chapter 772 I¡¯m Insignificant


    Have they never seen someone blush before?


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Cherise had just enjoyed a particrly delightful and satisfying meal,


    After dinner, she and Damien returned to their hotel when her phone rang. It was Lyra calling.


    ¡°Cherise, what should I do?¡± Lyra¡¯s voice was tearful on the other end of the line. ¡°Zachary¡¯s sister,


    Kareen, won¡¯t let me stay by his side to take care of him.¡±


    ¡°She called me clingy and told me to go away. She even said I¡¯m not good enough for her brother¡­¡±


    Lyra was on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡¯ve been the one taking care of Zachary since he got injured. It¡¯s been


    over an hour since Ist saw him, and I feel so lost¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that the caregiver his sister hired won¡¯t take proper care of him¡­ Cherise, what should I


    do¡­¡±


    ¡°Lyra, take a deep breath,¡± Cherise responded calmly. ¡°First, tell me, what is your exact rtionship


    with Zachary?¡±


    There was a pause on the other end of the line. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Are you two really engaged?¡± Cherise voiced the doubt she had been having for a while.


    Lyra constantly imed to be engaged to Zachary, and Zachary himself had said that he was bringing


    his fianc¨¦e to Adania. However, Lyra wasn¡¯t acting like his fianc¨¦e.


    For example, she didn¡¯t defend herself when Kareen made derogatory remarks about her at the airport.


    And now, she had been dismissed by Kareen.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lyra¡¯s voice was faint. ¡°Of course we are¡­¡±


    ¡°Lyra, I can only help you if you¡¯re honest with me.¡± Cherise spoke softly, ¡°If I find out that you¡¯re lying to


    me, I won¡¯t be able to help you properly.¡±


    There was a long silence on the other end of the line. After a while, Lyra finally sighed. ¡°Cherise, where


    are you? I¡¯lle to you.¡±


    In a coffee shop on the ground floor of the hotel, Lyra sat across from Cherise. ¡°Cherise, I didn¡¯t lie to


    you. We¡¯re really engaged¡­¡± Her body was tense, and she nervously held onto her coffee cup.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no love between us.¡± The young girl looked down, slightly distressed. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right.


    He doesn¡¯t have any feelings for me.¡±


    ¡°I was the only one who truly cared for him from the beginning.¡± The girl looked up at Cherise with her


    bright eyes. ¡°Cherise, do you know what it feels like to love someone who doesn¡¯t love you back?¡±


    ¡°I was afraid to approach him and get close to him. I also knew that he would never feel the same way


    about me. But I still wanted to watch him from a distance, secretlyfort him when he¡¯s hurt, take


    care of him when he¡¯s drunk, and leave before he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing all these years.¡± Lyra¡¯s delicate fingers were wrapped around the coffee


    cup,


    Zachary is my senior. I¡¯ve always admired him, but he¡¯s too remarkable. He shines wherever he goes.


    1.2


    ¡°And 1.. I¡¯m too insignificant.¡± The girl looked at Cherise with an empty gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve known for all these


    years that there¡¯s a girl he loves, and I know he traveled from Ziphon to Europe and Lermille for her.¡±


    Tve always followed and silently watched him from behind the scenes. He rarely drinks, but I always


    know when he does. He has been drinking a lot recently, and I went to take care of him¡­¡±

 Chapter 773

    Chapter 773


    Chapter 773 Cherise¡¯s Recording


    ¡°But then, he suddenly opened his eyes and asked me why I kept doing this. He admitted that he had


    known all along that I was secretly nurturing and caring for him.¡±


    ¡°He asked if I wanted to be with him¡­ I shook my head and tried to escape, but he pulled me back,¡±


    the girl narrated, her face slowly turning red. ¡°It was a first for both of us that night¡­¡±


    ¡°After he had sobered up from the alcohol the next day, he proposed to me and asked for my hand in


    marriage¡­¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if he just wanted to take responsibility for being the first man I slept with or¡­ if he saw


    me as your recement, but I epted.¡±


    ¡°After that¡­ the car ident happened.¡± Lyra looked up at Cherise sincerely. ¡°Cherise, I¡¯ve been


    honest with you. I haven¡¯t lied to you at all¡­ Can you help me¡­¡±


    Cherise was surprised. Everything Lyra had shared waspletely unexpected.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°So, are you still determined to marry Zachary?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The girl nodded earnestly. ¡°He was the one who proposed to me. I didn¡¯t force him to do it!


    I¡¯m prepared to marry him. I¡¯ll stay by his side even if he never wakes up.¡±


    ¡°I used to only be able to admire him from a distance, but now I can finally be close to him, even if he¡¯s


    unconscious. I don¡¯t want to miss this opportunity!¡±


    She took out her phone and yed an audio clip recording of her and Zachary.


    ¡°Zach! I¡¯m so happy! Can¡­ can I have you repeat it into my phone?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Zachary¡¯s voice in the recording was cold yet polite. ¡°Do I just speak normally?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright. Ms. Lyra Quinnell, I, Zachary Miles, am proposing to you today. I hope you will marry me and


    stay with me for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?¡±


    ¡°I will! I will¡­¡±


    The recording abruptly ended.


    After ying the recording, Lyra looked at Cherise hopefully. ¡°If I use this recording to register our


    marriage, will others think I¡¯m foolish?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Cherise smiled. ¡°You¡¯re incredible.¡± She had to admit that she was moved by Lyra¡¯s


    deep affection. So, this girl¡­ has silently loved Zachary for many years.


    Cherise had known Zachary for many years and knew he wasn¡¯t impulsive. Since he had proposed to


    Lyra, he must have thought it through.


    Taking a deep breath, she stood up, grabbed Lyra¡¯s hand, and pulled her towards the door.


    <


    1/2


    ¡°To the hospital!¡±


    ¡°To the hospital!?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She winked at Lyra casually. ¡°Didn¡¯t Kareen im that you¡¯re not worthy of taking care of


    Zachary? Let¡¯s go there now and y this recording for her. Show her who¡¯s really unworthy!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s very nice¡­¡± Lyra pursed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve yed this recording for,


    Cherise¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you afraid?¡± Cherise nced at her. ¡°If you want to marry Zachary, you must face these


    challenges.¡±


    ¡°Zachary¡¯s younger sister and family are like this. If you can¡¯t handle Kareen, how will you manage


    being in their family in the future? You¡¯ll be taking care of an unconscious husband while being


    tormented by your sister-inw. You¡¯ll be exhausted sooner orter!¡± As Cherise spoke, she had


    already guided Lyra into the car.

 Chapter 774

    Chapter 774


    Chapter 774 What Era Are We Living In?


    Damien casually nced at the assertive Cherise from the passenger seat of the car. ¡°Are you finished


    with your conversation?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cherise nodded. ¡°After our discussion, it¡¯s clear that Lyra is innocent!¡± She turned to Mr. Kolson.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Off to confront Kareen?¡± Damien interrupted nonchntly before Cherise could respond.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cherise nodded emphatically. ¡°I¡¯m going to help Zachary and Lyra get married!¡±


    Mr. Kolson drove swiftly, and they arrived at the hospital in no time. When the car stopped, Cherise


    promptly pulled Lyra out and rushed into the hospital.


    Zachary¡¯s hospital room was on the top floor, as Kareen had arranged. Although Kareen was


    somewhat bothersome, it was undeniable that she cared deeply for Zachary in the Miles family.


    However, if Lyra were to marry into the family, she would be the one who cared most about


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Zachary.


    As Cherise led Lyra to the top floor, Kareen was conversing with Zachary¡¯s attending physician in the


    corridor. She intermittently wiped away her tears throughout their conversation.


    Cherise noticed Kareen¡¯s tear-streaked face from a distance, and her resentment towards Kareen for


    driving Lyra away subsided slightly. After all, Kareen was much better than those money-minded


    individuals in the Miles family.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Kareen spotted Cherise leading Lyra towards the room before she could


    approach.


    ¡°You¡¯ve brought this troublesome woman back?¡± The worry and despair on Kareen¡¯s face instantly


    turned into annoyance. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that even though my brother is currently in aa, his


    marriage is noughing matter!¡±


    ¡°Is this woman my brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e just because she ims to be engaged to him?¡± She red at


    Cherise. ¡°Until I hear my brother acknowledge it, I won¡¯t let this woman anywhere near him!¡±


    Cherise frowned at Kareen coldly. ¡°Who gave you the authority to make decisions for your brother?¡±


    ¡°You should ask yourself that question.¡± Kareenughed in disbelief as her lips curled in scorn. ¡°If it


    weren¡¯t for you, my brother wouldn¡¯t be in this state, would he?¡±


    ¡°And this woman merely slept with my brother. What era are we living in? Is it mandated that a man


    and woman must marry each other if they sleep together?!¡±


    ¡°And look at this woman.¡± Kareen nced at Lyra coldly, her eyes filled with contempt. ¡°Can¡¯t you see


    how ordinary she is? How could she possibly be worthy of my brother?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to convince me further. I won¡¯t listen to anything you say.¡± Kareen turned on her heel,


    grabbed the doctor, and briskly walked towards the ward.


    Cherise furrowed her brows. She bit her lip, snatched the phone from the frightened Lyra beside her,


    and yed the audio that Lyra had previously recorded.


    ¡°Zach! Tin overjoyed! Can¡­ can I have you repeat it into my phone?


    1/2


    ¡°Sure.¡± Zachary¡¯s voice in the recording was cold yet polite. ¡°Do I just speak normally?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. Ms. Lyra Quinnell, I, Zachary Miles, am proposing to you today. I hope you will marry me and


    stay with me for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?¡±


    ¡°I will! I will¡­¡±


    When Cherise yed the recording, she distinctly saw Kareen freeze in ce.


    2/2

 Chapter 775

    Chapter 775


    Chapter 775 A Chance For Redemption


    ¡°Nice try to persuade me.


    ¡°Ortunately, it falls short.¡±


    Turning her head, she cast a challenging nce at Cherise. ¡°But I¡¯ll only believe it if you can prove that


    the recording is my brother¡¯s voice and not a fake or clever imitation.¡±


    Cherise felt anger coursing through her, causing her temples to throb. Taking a deep breath, she locked


    eyes with Kareen, ¡°You¡¯re making this much more difficult than necessary!¡±


    Kareen turned away, fatigue and sadness etching lines on her wless face. ¡°Well, who started this


    mess?¡±


    She looked back at Cherise and said defiantly. ¡°Whatever happens in the Miles family will be resolved


    among ourselves. We don¡¯t need outsiders to interfere. I can take care of my brother. So, keep your


    unsolicited advice to yourself. I¡¯m done with your nonsense!¡±


    eyes. ¡°I already told you


    that you


    will not


    Her gaze then swept across Lyra¡¯s face, a coldness settling in her eyes. see my brother again, and I


    stand by that.¡±


    Kareen stormed out, leaving an oppressive silence in the air.


    Biting her lips, Cherise grappled with a sense o


    gainst Kareen¡¯s stubborn determination.


    Cherise found herself faltering under Kareen¡¯s steady gaze and resolute demeanor. For a moment, she


    was unexpectedly unsure of what to do. She had always assumed that Lyra¡¯s struggles with Kareen


    stemmed from her timid nature. But now, faced with Kareen¡¯s unwavering resolve, Cherise felt a flicker


    of doubt.


    After all, Zachary and Kareen were siblings by blood, and an outsider couldn¡¯t easily rece the


    significance they held for each other.


    In a silent gesture of support, she squeezed Lyra¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t give up just yet. There¡¯s always a


    way.¡±


    Just as their hope seemed to fade, a chillingly familiar voice cut through the silence. ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    Damien stood behind her, arms folded, gaze fixed on Kareen¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°What if I could offer


    you and your brother a chance to regain the favor of the Miles family? A


    to tame your stepmother and half-brother? Would you be willing to listen to us?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Kareen¡¯s body stiffened before she turned, ¡°You? Solve our family¡¯s problems?¡± she scoffed.


    She and Zachary had been marginalized within the Miles family for far too long.


    Their mother¡¯s tragic death had barely been mourned before Walter married Patricia, who then gave


    birth to Chad within a mere six months. It further solidified Kareen and Zachary¡¯s exclusion from their


    rightful ce in the family.


    Since then, Zachary and Kareen, siblings by blood, fell out of favor within the Miles family.


    If it weren¡¯t for Charisa, whoter became the head of the family and took them under her wing, Kareen


    wouldn¡¯t be the woman she is today. But with Charisa gone, they were all alone, Zachary was Kareen¡¯s


    only pir of support, and now¡­


    ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Damien assured with a smile, ¡°Ms. Miles, how about we sit down and discuss this? I


    believe I


    |||


    1/2


    can help you resolve the issues within the Miles family and your stepmother. In return, I ask for your


    respect towards your brother and Lyra¡¯s choices.¡±


    Kareen pursed her lips, her mind racing. Finally, a slight frown appeared on her face. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m


    curious to hear how you, an outsider, n to solve theplex situation within the Miles family in such


    a short time.¡±


    Damien, a figure of quiet confidence, crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. A calm smile


    remained on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. I can make it happen if you agree to allow your brother and


    Lyra to have their wedding.¡±


    ¡°And if you fail?¡± Kareen challenged, her gaze unwavering.


    M


    O


    2/2

 Chapter 776

    Chapter 776


    Chapter 775 A Chance For Redemption


    Kareen chuckled dismissively. ¡°Nice try to persuade me. Unfortunately, it falls short.¡±


    Turning her bead, she cast a challenging nce at Cherise. ¡°But I¡¯ll only believe it if you can prove that


    the recording is my brother¡¯s voice and not a fake or clever imitation.


    Cherise felt anger coursing through her, causing her temples to throb. Taking a deep breath, she locked


    eyes with Kareen, ¡°You¡¯re making this much more difficult than necessary!¡±


    Kareen turned away, fatigue and sadness etching lines on her wless face. ¡°Well, who started this


    mess?¡±


    She looked back at Cherise and said defiantly. ¡°Whatever happens in the Miles family will be resolved


    among ourselves. We don¡¯t need outsiders to interfere. I can take care of my brother. So, keep your


    unsolicited advice to yourself. I¡¯m done with your nonsense!¡±


    Her gaze then swept across Lyra¡¯s face, a coldness settling in her eyes. ¡°I already told you that you will


    not see my brother again, and I stand by that.¡±


    Kareen stormed out, leaving an oppressive silence in the air.


    Biting her lips, Cherise grappled with a sense of helplessness against Kareen¡¯s stubborn


    determination.


    Cherise found herself faltering under Kareen¡¯s steady gaze and resolute demeanor. For a moment, she


    was unexpectedly unsure of what to do. She had always assumed that Lyra¡¯s struggles with Kareen


    stemmed from her timid nature. But now, faced with Kareen¡¯s unwavering resolve, Cherise felt a flicker


    of doubt.


    After all, Zachary and Kareen were siblings by blood, and an outsider couldn¡¯t easily rece the


    significance they held for each other.


    In a silent gesture of support, she squeezed Lyra¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t give up just yet. There¡¯s always a


    way.¡±


    Just as their hope seemed to fade, a chillingly familiar voice cut through the silence. ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    Damien stood behind her, arms folded, gaze fixed on Kareen¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°What if I could offer


    you and your brother a chance to regain the favor of the Miles family? A chance to tame your


    stepmother and half-brother? Would you be willing to listen to us?¡±


    Kareen¡¯s body stiffened before she turned, ¡°You? Solve our family¡¯s problems?¡± she scoffed.


    She and Zachary had been marginalized within the Miles family for far too long.


    Their mother¡¯s tragic death had barely been mourned before Walter married Patricia, who then gave


    birth to Chad within a mere six months. It further solidified Kareen and Zachary¡¯s exclusion from their


    rightful ce in the family.


    Since then, Zachary and Kareen, siblings by blood, fell out of favor within the Miles family.


    If it weren¡¯t for Charisa, whoter became the head of the family and took them under her wing, Kareen


    wouldn¡¯t be the woman she is today. But with Charisa gone, they were all alone, Zachary was Kareen¡¯s


    only pir of support, and now¡­


    ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Damien assured with a smile, ¡°Ms. Miles, how about we sit down and discuss this? I


    believe I


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    1/2


    S


    can help you resolve the issues within the Miles family and your stepmother. In return, I ask for your


    respect towards your brother and Lyra¡¯s choices.¡±


    Kareen pursed her lips, her mind racing. Finally, a slight frown appeared on her face. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m


    curious to hear how you, an outsider, n to solve theplex situation within the Miles family in such


    a short time.¡±


    Damien, a figure of quiet confidence, crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. A calm


    smile. remained on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. I can make it happen if you agree to allow your brother


    and Lyra to have their wedding.¡±


    ¡°And if you fail?¡± Kareen challenged, her gaze unwavering.


    2/2


    Chapter 776 Kareen Gets Evicted From Miles Manor


    ¡°You have quite the fire in you. If things go wrong, feel free to take it out on Lyra.¡±


    Kareen blinked, surprised. Then, she whispered something to the doctor, and he nodded before


    entering


    Zachary¡¯s room.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± the doctor coughed, leading Cherise, Damien, and Lyra to the adjacent room.


    The room, though small, was clean and tidy, reflecting the meticulous nature of its upant.


    Kareen settled onto the bed, her gaze coolly fixed on Damien and Cherise. ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t expect this,


    but I¡¯ve been staying here for the past few days. I n to make this my permanent residence while I


    take care of Zac.¡±


    As she mentioned Zachary, Kareen¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I never realized how bad things were when he


    was around. Now, it¡¯s all hitting me like a ton of bricks.¡±


    She took a deep breath, then looked up with a wistful smile, her gaze drifting past Cherise as if


    searching for something in the distance. ¡°After Aunt Charisa passed away, she left Zac in charge of the


    Miles family and gave him control of several businesses within the Miles Group. With all that power and


    responsibility, and with him always protecting me, I could do whatever I wanted in the Miles family. No


    one dared to oppose me.¡±


    ¡°I indulged in my whims and made unreasonable demands, but no one dared to stop me. But then, two


    days ago, Dad and Patricia found out about Zac¡¯s car ident and hisa¡­¡±


    Her eyes grew darker. ¡°They kicked me out of the house, saying I wasn¡¯t a threat anymore without Zac


    to shield me and that they were tired of my behavior.¡±


    Kareen looked at Damien, ¡°If you have a real n to get back at those greedy bastards, I¡¯m willing to


    give Lyra a chance.¡±


    Cherise was taken aback by Kareen¡¯s words.


    Looking at the broken woman in front of her, she blurted out, ¡°Your dad and stepmom¡­ they did this to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Kareen confirmed simply.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lyra stammered, ¡°This is the best hospital and ward in Ziphon. How are you paying for it after


    being kicked out of the Miles family?¡±


    Kareen sniffed, turning away, ¡°I sold all my fancy belongings. My brother is the best person ever. Even


    if I¡¯m broke and abandoned, I want him to receive the best care.¡±


    Lyra¡¯s lips tightened, a flicker of sadness crossing her clear eyes.


    In the next moment, she pulled out her wallet, flipped through it, and handed Kareen the only two cards


    inside. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve saved over the years. It¡¯s not much, but it should cover Zac¡¯s stay here for a


    while.¡±


    Kareen frowned, ¡°You¡­¡±


    1/2


    Tm his fiancee, and it¡¯s my responsibility.¡± Lyra met Kareen¡¯s gaze, her eyes filled with determination. ¡°I


    can¡¯t let you bear this burden alone. I have to contribute.¡±


    Lyra smiled and added, ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do. And hey, even if you don¡¯t agree to the whole marriage


    thing. I¡¯ll still help out.¡±


    After all, this wasn¡¯t the first time Lyra had gone above and beyond for Zac.


    Kareen stared at the cards in her hand, momentarily speechless. Eventually, she said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The truth was, she could see the depth of Lyra¡¯s love for Zac and the sincerity of her actions.


    2/2

 Chapter 777

    Chapter 777


    Chapter 777 Raymond¡¯s Previous Love Interest


    Despite being Zachary¡¯s sister, Kareen couldn¡¯t ept the idea of Zachary marrying Lyra.


    The doctor had informed her that Zachary might never wake up. So, marrying him would mean living as


    a widow, taking care of a man in a vegetative state with no guarantee of recovery.


    Lyra deserved better, which led Kareen to use sarcasm and harshness to push her away.


    To her annoyance, Lyra persisted. And now, she even brought Cherise and Damien along for Perhaps


    her feelings for Zachary were stronger than she initially thought.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    support.


    Realizing this, Kareen turned to Cherise and gave her a disapproving look. It was all Cherise¡¯s fault! If it


    weren¡¯t for her, my brother wouldn¡¯t be in this condition, I wouldn¡¯t be homeless, and Lyra wouldn¡¯t be


    caught up in this mess!


    Cherise was visibly affected by Kareen¡¯s re. Before she could say anything, Damien stepped in. His


    deep, cold voice sent shivers down Kareen¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Ms. Miles, respect is a two-way street, even between partners. I suggest you put aside your prejudice


    against my wife. Consider this your first and final warning.¡±


    Damien¡¯s threatening words made Kareen curse under her breath, ¡°How dare he threaten me just


    because I gave his wife a disapproving look!¡±


    Kareen couldn¡¯t resist aeback. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your approval, so I don¡¯t think you can set any rules


    for


    me!¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. It¡¯s too early to act so arrogantly. So, Mr. Lenoir, how do you


    propose we deal with my stepmother?¡±


    Kareen had reached her limit with Patricia and Chad. She had discussed removing them from the Miles


    family with Zachary, but he consistently advised against it.


    He argued that even without Patricia, Walter would always find other women. Their father never cared


    about Patricia and Chad, so their presence at home wouldn¡¯t make any difference. Thus, Zachary


    refused to waste his energy on them.


    However, now, with him in aa, they had the audacity to kick her out! Unbelievable!


    Damien spoke casually, ¡°It¡¯s very simple. All you need to do is send invitations to everyone connected


    to the Miles family, especially Nancy¡¯s ex-husband and Old Mr. Miles- Horace Miles¡¯work. Oh, and


    don¡¯t forget my uncle, Raymond Lenoir, under the pretense of a business proposal. Then, organize a


    wedding for Lyra and your brother at the New World Restaurant.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s luck had taken a turn for the worse in recent years. His son had disappeared, his business


    had failed, and he now survived on a small piece ofnd he had inherited from Peter


    In contrast, the Miles family was thriving. The idea of a business proposal from them would surely catch


    his attention.


    Kareen frowned. ¡°But why your uncle?¡±


    1/2


    Damien yawnedzily, his gaze scanning her face. ¡°To rekindle his past connection with a former love


    interest.


    Kareen was confused, ¡°Former love interest?¡±


    Though she didn¡¯t understand Damien¡¯s n, she still agreed, ¡°Fine. Deal! You help me with my


    stepmom, and I¡¯ll arrange their wedding.¡±


    9/0

 Chapter 778

    Chapter 778


    Chapter 778 Team Up


    Kareen finished venting her frustrations and returned the two bank cards that Lyra had offered. ¡°No,


    keep these. I can manage for now. Use that money for your wedding instead. Even if Zac is


    unconscious, his big day shouldn¡¯t be any less amazing!¡±


    Kareen climbed into bed, stubbornly turning her back to Damien and Cherise. ¡°Go away, both of you.


    I¡¯ve agreed to your n, so don¡¯t bother me unless it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    Lyra stood frozen, clutching the cards in her hand. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You stay and take care of youratose fianc¨¦!¡± Kareen¡¯s voice was cold, yet a hint of warmth


    peeked through. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one talking about taking care of him forever? Having second


    thoughts now? You might as well call off the whole thing.¡±


    Lyra remained rooted to the spot, unable to speak.


    Cherise sympathetically patted Lyra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kareen just means you can stay here and watch over


    Zac. She won¡¯t kick you out.¡±


    Lyra finally snapped out of her daze, ecstatic. ¡°I¡¯m going to his room right now!¡±/


    Without saying goodbye to Cherise or Damien, she rushed out of the room, excitement propelling her


    towards Zac¡¯s ward.


    ¡°Love is foolish,¡± Kareen muttered from the bed. ¡°My brother is practically unconscious, and she¡¯s still


    determined to marry him. Talk about hopeless!¡±


    Cherise shook her head. ¡°You just don¡¯t understand their love.¡±


    Kareen rolled her eyes. ¡°I hope I never will. You¡¯re all a bunch of crazy fools. Leave me out of it!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°A business tycoon interfering in someone else¡¯s life for a woman. A renowned doctor willing to


    sacrifice his career for a man. And my brother? He¡¯s pushing his sister aside to save a woman with two


    kids from another guy! And now I have another delusional woman as a sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done with all your drama and nonsense!¡± Kareen closed her eyes. ¡°Leave me alone. I need some


    peace.¡±


    Cherise bit her lip, ncing helplessly at Damien.


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Very wise words indeed. Speaking of which, you and Gwenn were quite close,


    weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kareen mumbled, her lips pursed.


    Unfortunately, the recent fallout between Zachary, Cherise, and Gwenn had strained Kareen¡¯s


    rtionship with Gwenn.


    ¡°Considering your close friendship,¡± Damien continued, ¡°you should invite her to your brother¡¯s


    wedding.¡±


    Kareen looked puzzled and asked, ¡°Are you sure? Given the drama between your girlfriend and her, I


    doubt she¡¯d want toe. Wouldn¡¯t it be awkward?¡±


    Damien waved it off. ¡°Nah, just ask her. If she¡¯s not up for it, no big deal.¡±


    1/2


    With that, he put his arm around Cherise, and they walked out of the ward together.


    Kareeny in bed, watching their reflection fade on the windowpane. A bitter smile crossed her lips.


    Kareen¡¯s resentment towards Cherise had grown deep, as Gwenn had always believed and told


    Kareen that Damien could have been hers or Kareen¡¯s husband if not for Cherise.


    However, her dear brother had willingly chosen to stay with Cherise for the past five years.


    Now, witnessing Damien¡¯s tenderness towards Cherise, Karcen couldn¡¯t help but wonder to herself. Is it


    Cherise¡¯s captivating charm, or is there simply something inherently likable about her?


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 779

    Chapter 779


    Chapter 779 Lyra Tries On Wedding Dresses


    To Kareen¡¯s surprise, she didn¡¯t feel annoyed when she saw Cherise walk in. Unexpectedly, she found


    herself agreeing with Cherise¡¯s question.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Cherise eximed as they left the hospital and got into the car. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with inviting


    Uncle Raymond?¡±


    Damien offered a warm smile, gently stroking her hair. ¡°As I mentioned before, I¡¯m hoping to reignite an


    old me of his.¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°Does he have a connection to someone in the Miles family?¡±


    Damien¡¯s smile remained steady. ¡°Exactly. Remember what Mrs. Miles mentioned earlier?¡±


    A wave of realization washed over Cherise as she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°You


    mean¡­ the man who pretended to be your father¡­?¡±


    Damien leaned back, resting his chin on Cherise¡¯s head, his voice low and firm. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the main


    suspect. He was always in a hurry; he looked like me and wore the Lenoir family¡¯s exclusive cufflinks.


    He used my father¡¯s identity to live a luxurious life. He was familiar with my father¡¯s business and its


    secrets.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one else. My father hade to Europe. It wasn¡¯t about causing trouble, but catching


    Uncle Raymond, who was living the high life here.¡±


    Cherise nodded, understanding washing over her. ¡°So, Uncle Raymond is indeed a main suspect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it was crucial for him to attend Zachary¡¯s wedding,¡± Damien exined, his fingers gently


    stroking her hair. ¡°Since Nick cut ties with him and left home years ago, he¡¯s be a recluse. He


    wouldn¡¯t travel to Ziphon unless something significant was at stake.¡±


    ¡°But Zachary¡¯s wedding, along with the possibility of a partnership with the Miles family, might be


    enough to lure him out.¡±


    With these words, he handed Cherise a new phone. ¡°Take this.¡±


    Cherise frowned, confusion clouding her features as she looked at the device. ¡°Why? My phone works


    perfectly fine.¡±


    What was the reason behind this sudden gift?


    ¡°This phone has a special mission. Once Uncle Raymond arrives in Ziphon, you¡¯ll use it to arrange a


    meeting with Mrs. Miles, pretending to be him. This task won¡¯t be too challenging for a skilled detective


    like yourself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the right person for this; online scams and con artists are way out of my league. You¡¯d be


    better off finding someone else,¡± Cherise said, pushing the phone back towards Damien.


    Damien pretended to be concerned. ¡°Do you know anyone who can work their magic on middle-aged


    women?¡±


    Cherise instinctively shook her head, but then a light bulb went off. ¡°Actually, yes, I do!¡±


    |||


    1/2


    She took out her phone. ¡°Syatt is our man!¡±


    Damien was momentarily speechless at Cherise¡¯s suggestion. He had explicitly asked for a man with


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    exceptional verbal and charming skills who could manipte Patricia into revealing crucial information.


    And here she was, proposing her suitor, Syatt, for the role! He asked with a hint of amusement in his


    voice, ¡°Are you suggesting I put your suitor to the test? Aren¡¯t you worried I might get a little jealous?¡±


    Cherise blinked innocently, her determination unwavering. ¡°Then let¡¯s be jealous together! Syatt is


    perfect for the role!¡±


    And as it turned out, Cherise¡¯s assessment of Syatt was urate. This man, well-versed in online


    romance, had quickly captivated Patricia within three days of texting her on WhatsApp. Syatt¡¯s charm


    and smooth- talking skills were undoubtedly effective.


    Patricia,pletely infatuated, even invited Syatt to her ¡°nephew¡¯s¡± wedding!


    Following Damien¡¯s instructions, Syatt dly epted the invitation and arranged a secret meeting


    with Patricia in the backyard of Miles Manor during the wedding reception.


    With Patricia out of the way, Cherise focused on helping Lyra prepare for the big day.


    Looking back, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had ever been this dedicated even when preparing


    for her wedding five years ago.


    |||


    O


    2/2

 Chapter 780

    Chapter 780


    Chapter 780 Is She Trying To tter Me?


    The bride-to-be, a lively young woman who reminded Cherise of her younger self, was the reason for


    Cherise¡¯s extra excitement. The wedding was a celebration of her closest friend of five years.


    Lyra stood in front of the mirror, twirling nervously, and scrutinizing her strapless wedding gown.


    ¡°Cherry, do you think this dress shows too much skin? Zac doesn¡¯t like this style. Maybe I should go for


    something more conservative?¡±


    Kareen lounged on the sofa with a bored expression and rolled her eyes. ¡°Why do you always care so


    much about what Zac thinks? Wear whatever makes you feel confident! He won¡¯t even be able to see


    it.¡±


    Lyra paused, determination shining in her eyes. ¡°Even if he can¡¯t see it, I want to present myself in a


    way that he would appreciate. That way, he¡¯ll be proud when he wakes up and sees the wedding


    photos!¡±


    Cherise, diligently writing invitations with her elegant script, smiled. ¡°Hmm, then maybe a more modest


    dress would be better. Zachary does prefer modesty.¡±


    Zachary used to be critical whenever she wore something a little too revealing. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re a


    mother of two now! You should dress more modestly.¡±


    Lyra knew Zachary well, perhaps better than his sister, Kareen.


    Lyra¡¯s face lit up. ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ll change my outfit!¡± With a lightheartedugh, she disappeared into the


    dressing room.


    Kareen rolled her eyes and settled back on the couch, observing Cherise meticulously write the


    invitations. Her handwriting was as elegant and delicate as she was, every letter perfectly formed.


    She disliked people like Cherise, and her handwriting was just another reason.


    But Kareen knew better than to say anything. Her handwriting was a disaster, a scrawled mess that


    looked. like a child had gotten hold of a pen.


    She had to admit, while she wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of Cherise¡¯s type, there was something strangely


    endearing about her.


    Just then, a memory flickered in Kareen¡¯s mind. When she struggled with the invitations earlier, Cherise


    had taken a pen and started writing, offering her help without a word.


    ¡°Hey, you,¡± Kareen began, a touch of awkwardness in her voice. ¡°Are you trying to win me over?¡±


    Cherise smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement, leaving Kareen to ponder the unexpected turn in


    their rtionship.


    Cherise¡¯s pen hovered above the paper, a yful smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Win me over?¡± she


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    echoed, her voiceced with amusement.


    Kareen¡¯s lips tightened into a thin line as she leaned forward, her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. ¡°Don¡¯t y


    coy with me, Cherise,¡± she said, her voice low and serious. ¡°If you¡¯re not trying to tter me, then why


    on earth are you doing my work? You practically jumped at the opportunity to write those invitations.¡±


    ¡®Is she trying to tter me to stay on my good side, knowing I¡¯m Zac¡¯s sister?¡¯ she thought.


    |||


    1/2


    Cherise met Kareen¡¯s gaze with a calm indifference, as if looking at a child. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I noticed the


    exorbitant fees of those ghostwriters you were considering. With your current financial situation, every


    penny saved is a penny earned. You should know you¡¯re not exactly sitting on a mountain of gold these


    days. Might as well save yourself some money.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s mouth opened and closed, searching for a retort. But before she could find her voice, Cherise


    continued, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll have enough expenses on your hands with Zac and Lyra to worry about.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s face contorted in surprise. She blurted out, ¡°Who said anything about supporting them?¡±


    Cherise smiled, her pen never leaving the paper. ¡°You did, just yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that the guest list is entirelyposed of your family and


    friends, as well as the Miles. What about Lyra¡¯s family?¡±


    Lyra emerged from the dressing room as if on cue, her new wedding dress cascading around her like a


    cloud. She stood hesitantly in the doorway, her eyes downcast. ¡°I¡­ maybe¡­ don¡¯t really have any


    family or friends anymore.¡±


    A flicker of sadness passed through Cherise¡¯s eyes, quickly reced by a determined glint.


    ¡°Who says you don¡¯t have friends?¡± she said, her voice ringing warmly and kindly. D


    2/2

 Chapter 781

    Chapter 781


    Chapter 781 The Unusually Anxious


    ¡°Damien, Ren, Sera, Syatt, and I. We¡¯re all your friends,¡± Cherise added.


    As she wrote Syatt¡¯s name on the invitation, Cherise remarked, ¡°There you go, already marked for you.


    Your friends are going to sit at a table at your wedding.¡±


    Lyra bit her lip, understanding that Cherise was doing this for her so that she wouldn¡¯t have to face the


    embarrassment of having no rtives or friends at her wedding.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    11


    The wedding was meant to have an auspicious atmosphere for the groom, Zachary, but no specific


    date had been chosen-it was set for the uing weekend in a rxed manner.


    On the day of the wedding, the venue was filled with guests.


    Kareen hadn¡¯t anticipated such a massive turnout. The crowd was more than twice the size she had


    imagined, with many uninvited attendees.


    Surveying the sea of faces, Kareen sighed with concern. She had assumed that inviting everyone


    Damien had rmended would be enough. She hadn¡¯t nned for the wedding to be avish


    event.


    Firstly, the fact that Zachary in aa wasn¡¯t exactly a reason to celebrate.


    as


    Secondly, after being expelled from the Miles family, she was working with limited funds. She needed to


    save as much as possible for Zachary¡¯s future medical expenses.


    But why were there so many unfamiliar faces?


    Syatt, yawning, offered a casual exnation, ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re just here for the spectacle. Your brother,


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    after all, is the bigwig of the Miles Group. These people might just be curious to see the esteemed


    Miles patriarch getting married whileatose.¡±


    Kareen clenched her fists. ¡°Damn them all,¡± she spat, a silent vow simmering in her eyes.


    Shooting Syatt a withering look, Cherise moved towards Kareen and said, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just


    concerned about your brother. Not all of them have bad intentions.¡±


    After saying that, she nced at Lyra, stunning in her white wedding gown but with a pale


    countenance. Cherise was concerned, ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    Lyra nervously watched people filing into the hall from the second floor. To her surprise, she spotted


    some familiar faces. Those were her older brothers-first, second, and third.


    The Quinell family had shown up! Were they here to drag her back home, mock her for marrying a


    Everything was ready, all that remained was the ceremony. Damien and Cherise had nned a post-


    wedding announcement. What if they ruined her wedding?


    1/2


    Lyra was so anxious that she didn¡¯t know what to do but didn¡¯t dare tell Cherise and Kareen that the


    unexpected guests were her family.


    ¡°Is that Patricia? She¡¯s quite attractive. Oblivious to Lyra¡¯s distress, Syatt leaned against the railing on


    the second floor, yawning as he checked out the middle-aged woman in a purple dress downstairs.


    Cherise teased. ¡°nning a secret rendezvous with her tonight?¡±


    Syart quickly shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? I¡¯m a hotshot in my twenties. Maybe in another thirty


    years. I might find her interesting But, seriously, who knows how she¡¯ll look in thirty years?¡±


    Cherise shook her head in exasperation. Turning, she noticed Lyra¡¯s hands tightly clutching the railing.


    her eyebrows furrowed in worry.


    Lyra¡¯s reaction was strangely intense. She should be excited today, not nervous. They had been


    preparing for a week, and Lyra had been enthusiastic the whole time.


    Why did she suddenly be nervous with only two hours until the wedding? Cherise asked, ¡°Still


    nervous?

 Chapter 782

    Chapter 782


    Chapter 782 The Quinell Had Come


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lyra responded half-heartedly, her expression somewhat awkward and restless.


    Take Lyra to the third floor,¡¯ Damien¡¯s message suddenly appeared on Cherise¡¯s phone.


    Cherise furrowed her brows, ¡®Why?¡¯


    Just half an hour ago, Damien had left to pick up Beckham, Soren, and Serafina from the airport, so he


    was likely still on the road. Why would he ask her to escort Lyra to the third floor in his absence?


    Someone wants to meet her. I¡¯ve convinced her family to attend her wedding,¡¯ Damien exined in his


    message.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. What? Lyra¡¯s family is here!!


    Who would have thought Damien would take the initiative to convince Lyra¡¯s family?


    While drafting the invitations earlier, she had asked Lyra if her family should be included, and thetter


    responded that she had grown distant from her family and they wouldn¡¯t be concerned about her, so


    Cherise didn¡¯t inquire further.


    Sciting down her phone, Cherise nced at the still pale Lyra, ¡°Come on, follow me.¡±


    Lyra nodded, gathered up her skirt, and trailed behind Cherise. She was so anxious that she forgot to


    ask Cherise about their destination. Cherise guided her to the door of the reception room on the third


    floor and swung it open.


    Inside the reception room, her parents, uncle, aunt, grandparents, and three brothers were all present.


    Lyra instantly spun around and attempted to flee.


    ¡°Hold on, Lyra!¡± A deep voice of a middle-aged man resonated from within the room, ¡°You¡¯re getting


    married today. Where do you think you¡¯re going? Cold feet at the altar, are you?


    Lyra¡¯s steps faltered.


    She turned around with a pale face to face her family members, ¡°I¡­ Zac and I are already married.


    Legally. Paperwork and everything. Even if this wedding falls apart, it doesn¡¯t change that. I¡¯m his wife.


    And I¡¯ll be there for him, whatever happens.¡±


    A tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. ¡°And¡­ if you think I¡¯m a disgrace, or this wedding is a


    mistake¡­you can disown me. I understand.¡±


    Mrs. Quinell¡¯s voice, filled with yful affection, cut through the wedding-day tension as she wiped


    away the tears from Lyra¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why the tears, on what should be the happiest day of your life? Only one wedding in a lifetime, my


    darling girl, and you¡¯re already turning the ceremony into a mascara parade? The photos will be a


    disaster, and your unconscious prince will probably find it hrious when he wakes up.¡±


    Lyra, still sobbing, managed a surprised snort. ¡°Mom? You¡­ you¡¯re not angry?¡±


    Mrs. Quinell shrugged, a knowing smile appearing at the corners of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve made your


    choice, and resenting you would just give me wrinkles. But speaking of choices, not informing us about


    the


    <


    1/2


    was


    wedding? That, my dear, was a bit inconsiderate. Your brothers are furious like bulls in tutus, and your


    father nearly choked on his cigar when Mr. Lenoir yed peacemaker.¡±


    Lyra¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Mr. Lenoir?¡±


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    She nced at Cherise, a wave of gratitude washing over her. ¡°Oh, no¡­ thank you, Mrs. Lenoir!¡±


    Cherise, equally surprised by the revtion, offered a sheepish smile. ¡°Uh¡­ no worries,¡± she


    mumbled, feeling the heat of unexpected attention.


    A soft, curious voice broke the silence. ¡°What did you call her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Lenoir¡¯s wife, so I called her Mrs. Lenoir¡­¡± Lyra mumbled.


    Mrs. Quinell¡¯s gaze lingered on Cherise for a moment, then shifted back to Lyra, a mischievous glint


    sparkling in her eyes. ¡°Well, sweetheart, forget the formalities. Mrs. Lenoir is actually your cousin.¡±


    The room erupted in a surprised gasp, leaving Lyra and Cherise speechless. In her pristine gown, Lyra


    looked like a picture of bewildered beauty.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.


    O


    2/2

 Chapter 783

    Chapter 783


    Chapter 783 Charisa Neller? Prisci Neller??


    Mrs. Quinell, known to many as Prisci Neller, announced with a gentle smile as she sped


    Cherise¡¯s hand, ¡°Cherry, your mother, Charisa¡­ she was my sister. She was s¨¦parated from us when


    she was young, a missing sister I¡¯ve been searching for years.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re my aunt?!¡±


    The revtion hit Cherise like a wave,, washing away years of unanswered questions. She stared at


    her aunt, seeing a reflection of her features, a family resemnce she hadn¡¯t known existed.


    Prisci continued, her voice cracking with a mix of joy and sadness. ¡°It was only recently, thanks to Mr.


    Lenoir, that I discovered her story and that she had changed her name to Charisa Miles. No wonder I


    couldn¡¯t find her all these years.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Your mother¡­ she loved you fiercely, that much I know. And while I can¡¯t rece her, I


    can offer you the same warmth and unwavering love. Don¡¯t let a difficult sister on your father¡¯s side


    cloud the warmth of your family.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Taking Cherise¡¯s hand, Prisci led her through introductions, ¡°This is your uncle, a towering man. He is


    your eldest cousin, a bit of a recluse, bless his quirky soul. The second cousin was a talented charmer,


    though prone to wandering. The third cousin is a ball of energy with a temper to match, so keep your


    distance if you know what I mean.¡±


    Her eyes twinkled as she reached thest one, she gestured towards Lyra, ¡°And this is the bride, our


    runaway princess! Five years chasing after Zachary, and here she is, finally tying the knot, without a


    word to the family! Though I must say, this silly girl has caused the family too much trouble!¡±


    Prisci darted a yful and resentful nce at Lyra. ¡°You ungrateful child! Your brother flew in medical


    experts to treat your husband, and you thought we were just here to disrupt the festivities? You deserve


    a good spanking, at least!¡±


    Tears glistening in her eyes, Lyra melted into Prisci¡¯s warm embrace.


    Meanwhile, Prisci squeezed Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯ve found yourself a keeper, Cherry. If it weren¡¯t for


    Damien, I wouldn¡¯t have known this little runaway was getting married here, let alone that you two had


    be friends by some twist of fate.¡±


    Cherise remained still, her heart fluttering with bursts of excitement and warmth.


    She had been busy helping Lyra with wedding preparations, thinking Damien was caught up in


    business


    matters.


    How could she have known that this quiet man was orchestrating a symphony of surprises behind the


    scenes, with each note a testament to his unwavering love?


    Now, the urge to find him, to melt into his embrace, was overwhelming, and Cherise, true to form,


    followed her heart¡¯s impulsive beat.


    After a tearful reunion with Lyra and her family on the third floor, Lyra took out her phone and called


    Damien directly, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Downstairs. Sera and Ren are here, posing with the balloons. I¡¯m here ying chaperohe to these


    two


    |||


    1/2


    troublemakers.¡±


    Serafina¡¯s indignant voice piped up. ¡°Daddy, who are you calling ¡®troublemakers¡¯?¡±


    Soren¡¯s serious tone followed. ¡°I said we only call him Daddy after they get married!¡±


    Serafina¡¯s protest was immediate. ¡°But Grandpa says it¡¯s a done deal! He told me to start now; get


    used to it!¡±


    Soren countered, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s just teasing you!¡±


    The little devil, however, wouldn¡¯t be swayed. ¡°No, no, no! I listen to Grandpa! Right, Daddy?¡±


    Cherise held the phone close, a smile tugging at her l*ps as the yful banter continued. She


    quickened her pace, eager to join the chaos downstairs.


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 784

    Chapter 784


    Chapter 784 Damien¡¯s Secretive Effort


    ¡°Why the sudden silence?¡± Damien held his phone with a knowing smile, watching the children bicker


    yfully, However, the question was quickly forgotten as a blur of motion dashed toward him.


    His teasing was abruptly interrupted by a whirlwind.


    Cherise, with her arms outstretched like a joyous bird, crashed into his embrace. He effortlessly caught


    her, his strong frame easily absorbing her momentum. So, what¡¯s got you buzzing like a hummingbird


    on sugar water? Something tells me your reunion with Aunt Prisci went well.¡±


    Cherise nestled in Damien¡¯s arms, findingfort in his familiar scent. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she confirmed, a


    contented sigh escaping her lips.


    ¡°Happy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Very,¡± she mumbled, her arms tightening around his waist. ¡°But how did you manage all this?¡±


    A hint of guilt colored his voice as he confessed, ¡°Because I wanted to give you another wedding. Five


    years ago, ours turned into a nightmare. I¡¯ve never forgiven myself for that.¡±


    He gently traced her arm with his fingers, sending shivers down her spine. ¡°Seeing you n Lyra¡¯s


    wedding with such joy, I realized maybe¡­ maybe we deserved another chance. Not as adversaries,


    but as husband and wife. A chance to clear my father¡¯s name, to set the record straight about your


    mother. A chance to finallyy all these troubles to rest.¡±


    ¡°And maybe,¡± he added with a yful wink, ¡°our two little ones could be the flower bearers.¡±


    He paused, a question lingering in his eyes. ¡°And by the way, I couldn¡¯t help but overhear you asking


    about Lyra¡¯s family the other day¡­¡±


    Damien¡¯s voice, filled with amusement, filled the air. So, under the alias of Charisa Neller, I tracked


    down your mom¡¯s lost rtives. And guess who I stumbled upon? The Quinells ¨C Lyra¡¯s own family,


    can you believe it?¡±


    He yfully pinched her nose, his eyes twinkling. ¡°No wonder you two hit it off all those years ago.


    Naive birds of a feather, always charging into things headfirst.


    Cherise¡¯s lips curved into a yful pout. ¡°Naive? Me?¡±


    Damien chuckled, a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Mm-hmm, hopelessly so.¡±


    But the teasing banter quickly melted away. ¡°No, you¡¯re the one!¡± she retorted, burying her face in his


    chest, her voice muffled withughter.


    ¡°You find a woman who needs your help with everything, drives you crazy with worry, and you just grin


    and bear it. Tell me, who¡¯s the naive one?¡±


    Despite the yful banter, her heart brimmed with gratitude. Damien had been her constant, her


    anchor in the storm. Five years ago, he had guided her to her parents; five yearster, he had gifted


    her Aunt Prisci and cousin Lyra.


    Without him, she shuddered to think where she would be-maybe trapped and vulnerable if she had


    1/2


    ended up with Isaac.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, her voice raw with emotion, clinging to him tighter.


    Damien¡¯sughter rumbled in his chest. ¡°We¡¯ve settled this, Cherry. Your thanks are unnecessary.¡±


    With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she surprised Damien by rising on her toes and peppering his lips


    with a kiss.


    Five years apart, the reunion had been bittersweet, a dance around memories and uncertainties.


    But today, surrounded by family and hearing Aunt Prisci¡¯s endless praise for him, her reservations


    melted away.


    He hadn¡¯t changed. Nothing had. He was still the Damien who offered her a slice of the sky, a sturdy


    shelter, and a love that promised forever.


    The kiss, unexpected but wee, caught Damien off guard. Then, a smile bloomed across his face.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    He cupped her head, deepening the kiss, theirughter mingling with the sweet taste of rediscovery.


    2

 Chapter 785

    Chapter 785


    +5 Free Coins


    Chapter 785 Gwenn, Again!


    Click!


    The sharp sound of the camera snapping broke the spell, followed by Serafina¡¯s eager voice. ¡°Ren, let


    me see! Did you get the picture?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s initial blush quickly turned into understanding. Their children must have captured the


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    lingering kiss between her and Damien. Flustered, she tried to pull away, but his arms remained firmly


    around her.


    Helplessly, she pleaded with her eyes ¨C the kids were still there!


    Unfazed, Damien leaned in and whispered, ¡°They know what¡¯s going on, sweetheart. And besides,


    getting used to such scenes wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing. I promised Sera she wouldn¡¯t be the baby for


    long.¡±


    A shiver of foreboding ran down Cherise¡¯s spine. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    His warm-hand settled gently on her abdomen. ¡°I n on nting some more seeds in this fertile


    garden.¡± Cherise¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Oh no! Objection!¡±


    ¡°Objection overruled!¡± Damien sputtered and shared another passionate kiss with her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± came a voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Haven¡¯t you two been married for, what, five years now?


    PDA at the entrance of someone else¡¯s wedding? Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would have thought


    you were the ones tying the knot.¡±


    Cherise finally managed to pull away from Damien. Her frown was etched deep.


    Dressed in revealing attire and wearing a smug smile, Gwenn stood before her, her eyes radiating


    disdain even through her sunsses.


    Cherise¡¯s face turned pale, her smile faltering as she gazed at Gwenn.


    Gwenn¡¯s dress was revealing, barely covering the essentials. Cherise couldn¡¯t help but express her


    disapproval, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would wear such a revealing dress to someone else¡¯s wedding. Even if


    I were thick-skinned, I wouldn¡¯t wear a bikini like you.¡±


    Turning to Beckham with a hopeful smile, Cherise sought support, ¡°Dad, can¡¯t you say something to


    Gwenn? It¡¯s a formal asion, not a beach vacation.¡±


    Beckham furrowed his brow, finally noticing the extent of Gwenn¡¯s revealing attire.


    Her dress exposed her upper chest, back, and long legs through a high slit. Despite their recent


    meeting, Beckham had grown ustomed to Gwenn¡¯s ¡®sexy¡¯ style and saw no issue with her choice of


    clothing.


    r


    1/1

 Chapter 786

    Chapter 786


    10:44 Sat, Jan


    Chapter 786 Cherise Teasing Gwenn


    Chapter 786 Cherise Teasing Gwenn


    +5 Free Coins


    Beckham sighed in frustration at Cherise¡¯s words, his hand hitting his forehead. Turning to Gwenn, his


    voice carried a hint of annoyance. ¡°Gwenn, you¡¯ve gone too far this time. This is Zac and Lyra¡¯s


    wedding, not a nightclub! Even if this is your usual style, an event like this requires more decorum. Your


    dress is¡­ inappropriate, to say the least. Please, go and change immediately.¡±


    Gwenn clenched her jaw. ¡°Dad,e on, it¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    She never adhered to dress codes, not even for funerals, let alone weddings. unting her assets was


    her personal style, and what was wrong with that?


    Always the epitome of angelic sweetness, Cherise chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Dad has a point. Maybe a


    wardrobe change is in order. Did you bring anything less, shall we say, ¡®eye-catching¡±?¡±


    Gwenn was about to retort, but Cherise interrupted her with the timing of a seasonededian. ¡°Oh,


    silly me! You wouldn¡¯t fit into my clothes anyway, not with your¡­ curves. But Aunt Prisci¡¯s ce isn¡¯t


    far. Her wardrobe, now that could work.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s cheeks turned emerald green. Men like Beckham and Damien wouldn¡¯t catch the veiled insult,


    but Gwenn understood it loud and clear.


    Fat Aunt Prisci, a middle-aged woman, was her body double? How audacious!


    The tension in the air was palpable, ready to explode. But Beckham¡¯s confused expression cut through


    the charged atmosphere. ¡°Aunt Prisci? Cherry, who are you talking about? Since when do you have


    an aunt?¡±,


    Charisa Neller, Cherise¡¯s mother, was believed to be an orphan.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°She¡¯s Mom¡¯s sister,¡± Cherise smiled at Beckham, softening her tone.


    ¡°Dame and I are usually very affectionate and mushy behind closed doors. But we make a point of


    maintaining decorum in public. I just got a little carried away; I couldn¡¯t help myself with the kiss and


    hug.¡±


    Her smile brightened as she continued, ¡°Turns out, Dame found a long-lost family for me. Mom isn¡¯t an


    orphan after all, and she has a whole family she got separated from when she was little. Dame tracked


    them down.¡±


    Beckham took a moment to process the information.


    He jumped up, eyes wide with excitement, and grabbed Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you serious? You found


    Ari¡¯s family?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Yep. And guess what? The one giving away the bride today is Auntie


    Prisci¡¯s daughter. Turns out, Aunt Prisci is Lyra¡¯s mom! So, Mom¡¯s niece and Zac, whom she


    practically raised, are getting married!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s voice trembled; she could almost imagine Mom looking down from heaven, so proud.


    Before Charisa passed away, Cherise, Beckham, and Zachary were her biggest concerns


    Now, even though Zachary was still recovering from hisa, Lyra, Mom¡¯s niece, was by his side,


    devoted


    1/2


    10:44 Sat, Jan 13 M.


    Chapter 786 Cherise Teasing Gwenn


    and loving. It would bring her mother joy; Cherise knew it.


    +5 Free Coins


    Beckham, mirroring Cherise¡¯s excitement, squeezed her hand. ¡°Where are they? Come on, take me! I


    spent years by Ari¡¯s side but never met her family!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Damien said, a small smile ying on his lips. He picked up Serafina and took Soren¡¯s


    hand.


    ¡°I promised Mrs. Quinell I would bring the little ones to meet her. Since Dad is eager too, we might as


    well make it a family affair.¡±


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 Chapter 787

    Chapter 787


    Chapter 787 Beckham Meeting His Sister-inw


    ¡°Brilliant!¡± Beckham eximed, his excitement palpable as he tightened his grip on Cherise¡¯s hand. ¡°Do


    I look alright? First impressions are important, especially when meeting your aunt, your mom¡¯s sister.¡±


    ¡°You look fantastic. Absolutely dashing,¡± Cherise assured him, a warm smile spreading across her


    face.


    Seeing Beckham like this, any flicker of resentment that Gwenn had ignited in Cherise¡¯s heart sputtered


    and died.


    No matter how he treated her, Cherise knew deep down that Beckham still held her mother dear. Her


    mother had passed away years ago, yet her father¡¯s anxiety about meeting her family was evident.


    Perhaps his awkward attentiveness was just anotheryer of grief.


    Beckham had barely taken a few steps when he abruptly stopped, spinning around as if he had


    remembered something. Gwenn remained rooted to the spot, her face unreadable.


    Beckham furrowed his brow, a hint of annoyance shing across his eyes. ¡°Gwenn,e on. Let¡¯s


    meet your mother¡¯s rtives.¡±


    Gwenn lifted her gaze, her voice monotone. ¡°She was your wife, not my mother.¡±


    With that, she shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I won¡¯t intrude on your family reunion. I promised the editor


    some interesting material, and the camera needs some action.¡±


    As Gwenn reached for the doorknob, Beckham¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Come with us.¡±


    He nced at her outfit, a glittering, barely-there ensemble, with distaste. ¡°Cherry said her aunt has a


    simr body type. Maybe you can borrow something from her.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s face drained of color. ¡°No way! I¡¯ll buy my own!¡±


    Being the practical person he was, Beckham gave her a firm nudge towards the stairs. In his mind,


    Gwenn¡¯s fashion sense was a ticking time bomb. What if she showed up in something even more¡­


    inappropriate? It would be safer to go upstairs with Gwenn.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Knowing that Cherise¡¯s sister was not known for being a party animal, Beckham assumed her


    wardrobe would be more subduedpared to Gwenn¡¯s sequin-filled chaos.


    Going upstairs to Prisci¡¯s closet seemed like a strategic move for damage control. With her middle-


    aged tastes, she wouldn¡¯t disappoint Beckham.


    But that was just an excuse.


    In his heart, Gwenn and Cherise were his daughters, deserving a ce at this family gathering.


    Ever since Cherise¡¯s return, Gwenn had been a distant presence. Beckham longed to bridge the gap,


    hoping this reunion would mend their fractured bond. He didn¡¯t realize that the divide ran deeper than


    any wardrobe choice.


    No matter how hard he pushed, Gwenn couldn¡¯t fill the void reserved for Cherise.


    |||


    1/2


    Upon reaching the third floor of the Quinell family¡¯s guest hall, Lyra soughtfort in Prisci¡¯s arms,


    sobbing uncontrobly.


    Upon seeing Damien and Cherise, apanied by two children and two strangers, Lyra quickly


    Cherise responded softly, then turned to Prisci and said, ¡°Aunt, let me introduce you. This is my


    husband, Damien. The two children beside him are ours. The older one is named Soren, and the


    younger one is Serafina.¡±


    ¡°Meet my dad, who was also myte mother Charisa Neller¡¯s husband, Beckham. And the woman next


    to him ¨C my adopted sister, Gwenn.¡±


    Gwenn maintained a smile on the surface, but inside, she was seething. Damn it!


    With her usual grace and a hint of a smirk, Cherise introduced Gwenn as ¡°curvaceous,¡± the word


    hanging heavy like an unwee guest.


    It was a subtle jab thatnded with a dull ache, a reminder of the insecurities Cherise always seemed


    to know how to exploit.


    |||

 Chapter 788

    Chapter 788


    Chapter 788 Meeting The ¡°Curvaceous¡± Gwenn


    Gwenn¡¯s inner fire crackled. ¡°What the hell! Is she blind or something? My body is a symphony of


    seduction, the kind that takes men¡¯s breath away. But in Cherise¡¯s eyes, this little viper, I¡¯m suddenly


    ¡®fat,¡¯ ¡®plump¡¯? Like some middle-aged frump?¡±


    ¡°So, this is your sister,¡± Prisci said, curling her lips into a cold smirk. Her gaze was icy as she studied


    Gwenn for a moment, then sheughed. ¡°This pretend niece, why not say hello to your Aunt Prisci?¡±


    Prisci had previously heard about Gwenn from Damien.


    When Damien found Prisci, he informed her that one of the main reasons Cherisa didn¡¯t return to the


    Tanner family after Charisa¡¯s death was because of Gwenn.


    Firstly, Gwenn and Cherise had always been at odds, so she didn¡¯t want to share a roof with Gwenn.


    Secondly, Beckham treated Gwenn, his adopted daughter, as equally important as Cherise, his


    biological daughter. She didn¡¯t want to stay in the Tanner family and constantly shed with Gwenn,


    causing disappointment and sorrow for Beckham.


    Prisci¡¯s brow furrowed with displeasure.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why Beckham, who had acknowledged Cherise as his own, would let such


    minor issues drive her away from the Tanner family.


    This lingering resentment had cast a long shadow, poisoning her perception of Gwenn even before


    they had met. Now, face-to-face, Prisci found her dislike solidifying, a distaste that permeated


    Gwenn¡¯s very being.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Gwenn offered, a strained smile gracing her lips. ¡°Look, you¡¯re Cherise¡¯s aunt, not mine. I¡¯m


    just Dad¡¯s adopted child. No need for all the aunt stuff, right?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Prisci countered, her eyes glinting with a challenge. ¡°Beckham is my sister¡¯s husband,


    and his children are obligated to address me properly, whether adopted or by blood.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Beckham¡¯s adopted daughter, remember? I don¡¯t understand why being adopted gives you the


    right to disrespect elders. If you want no part of me, it¡¯s easy. Just stop being Beckham¡¯s adopted


    daughter. Problem solved.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s brow furrowed at Prisci¡¯s barb. She was about to unleash a retort when Beckham¡¯s voice


    boomed, ¡°Gwenn, hurry up and greet your Aunt Prisci!¡±


    Gwenn wanted to argue, but the stern glint in Beckham¡¯s eyes stopped her cold. He rarely looked at


    her like that, and it was pure fire. She rolled her eyes internally but swallowed her pride. ¡°Aunt


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Prisci.¡±


    Prisci¡¯s smile was thin. ¡°Hmm, good girl.¡±


    She turned to Cherise. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sister a ray of sunshine? But why did Damien say she always goes


    after you?¡±


    Cherise wanted to respond, but Beckham cut her off with a frown. ¡°Gwenn targeting Cherry? What¡¯s


    going on? Maybe Damien¡¯s talking about that news article from before?¡±


    1/2


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Prisci scoffed. ¡°As a sister, Gwenn, you wrote an article about your sister¡¯s shady work


    ethics. I still remember it, and it makes me wonder, whocks ethics, the sister who exposes it, or the


    one who does it?¡±


    The room went ice cold.


    Even distant Quinell family members started whispering.


    ¡°She seems so put-together; wouldn¡¯t expect that from her¡­¡±


    Guess adopted siblings just never get along like the real ones.


    III


    2/2

 Chapter 789

    Chapter 789


    Chapter 789 The Adopted Child Refused Aunt Prisci


    ¡°Tsk tsk, Tanner¡¯s family took in a stray, now she bites the hand that feeds her. Shameful, really.¡±


    Beckham squirmed under the constant murmurs, his face etched with difort. He cleared his throat,


    ¡°Actually, the whole thing¡¯s blown out of proportion-


    Cherise stood stock-still, a bitter smile on her lips as she watched her father scramble to defend


    Gwenn. It all made sense now why Damien was determined to stir the pot.


    In Beckham¡¯s eyes, this was about protecting his family and Gwenn had been a part of it for over


    twenty years. Her connection, confirmed by a DNA test five years ago, couldn¡¯tpete with those


    shared years. Blood ties weren¡¯t everything, she understood.


    Gwenn met Prisci¡¯s gaze head-on, her voice firm. ¡°So that¡¯s what this is all about. The news article,


    yes, that was my work.¡±


    ¡°However, the details about Cherry¡¯s hical conduct were sent to our supervisor. I had to fulfill a


    professional obligation, or someone would have anyway.¡±


    Gwenn threw Cherise a side-eye, a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°Look, sis, don¡¯t hold a grudge against


    me. If I hadn¡¯t handled that news piece myself, who knows what kind of twisted mess it would¡¯ve been?


    I did what I could to soften the blow, you know?¡±


    She sighed, a flicker of regret crossing her face. ¡°But yeah, it still got out, and I¡¯m truly sorry for that. I


    didn¡¯t mean to air your dirtyundry to the whole world, even if I was trying to clean things up.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s eyes glinted with a hidden edge as she added, her voice soft but firm, ¡°It¡¯s been so long


    already. But if you¡¯re still upset with me, then I apologize again. I¡¯m truly sorry for what happened.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s words were a masterss in deflection. She yed the martyr, the regretful aplice, and


    even the concerned sister.


    It was enough to fool some, like Beckham, who cooed, ¡°Let bygones be bygones. Cherry would never


    hold a grudge against you, Gwenn.¡±


    But Damien saw through the charade. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t she hold grudges?¡± he scoffed, pulling Cherise


    close.


    ¡°If someone ndered my wife, I wouldn¡¯t rest until they faced the consequences.¡±


    His gaze, cold and unforgiving, met Gwenn¡¯s. ¡°You imed to care about Cherry,¡± he said, his words


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    dripping with ice.


    ¡°But did you even bother contacting her before writing that hatchet job? You had the Tanner family¡¯s


    information, for God¡¯s sake! Why didn¡¯t you give her a chance to defend herself?¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s mask slipped. The truth,id bare by Damien¡¯s unwavering gaze, was a damning indictment.


    Without a single conversation with Cherise, she had condemned her based on whispers and shadows.


    1/1

 Chapter 790

    Chapter 790


    Chapter 790 Damien Defended Cherise


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Damien¡¯s voice reverberated through the room, cutting through the tense silence like a sharp knife.


    ¡°So, this is Ms. Tanner¡¯s journalistic code? Expose, nder, and then im the moral high ground?¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s carefully constructed facade crumbled under his gaze. Damien was a man of quiet power, his


    words few but impactful.


    ¡°I¡­ I avoid my family to protect them,¡± she stammered, her voice feeble and unconvincing. ¡°As


    Cherise¡¯s sister, I only wanted what¡¯s best.¡± But the defiance in her eyes was a flickering me,


    extinguishing in the face of Damien¡¯s unwavering conviction.


    ¡°Best for her?¡± Damien¡¯s smile was a chilling thing, devoid of warmth.


    You dragged her through the mud, portrayed her as a viin, and then pretended to be her savior? I


    find such hypocrisy distasteful. And I spoke with a source at the SumTimes who presents a rather


    different ount of events.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s breath caught. The weight of his words pressed down on her, suffocating and damning.


    Damien had exposed the truth, the ugly truth thaty beneath her carefully crafted narrative.


    Damien¡¯s voice, a low rumble that resonated through the room, shattered the wedding¡¯s facade of


    merriment. ¡°My sources at the SumTimes informed me of a journalistic protocol. Before publishing any


    expos¨¦, the journalist must reach out to both parties involved. Even a single interview, a glimpse of the


    other side, is their minimum standard before unleashing such¡­ usations.¡±


    He paused, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. ¡°The funny thing is, my conversations with the


    individual who submitted the news draft to you, along with the esteemed Dean of Lermille Hospital,


    painted a rather distinct picture. On the night you received this information, you didn¡¯t bother to contact


    a single person, least of all Cherise. Instead, you rushed to your keyboard, words spilling like a burst


    dam.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s face twisted in shock.


    Attending this wedding had been a terrible mistake. Armed with meticulous research and unwavering


    resolve, Damien hade to expose her.


    He dissected her public image, revealing the shallowness beneath the carefully constructed facade.


    Every attempt to divert the conversation was met with his gentle, yet relentless, return to the truth.


    Damien was a predator, and Gwenn, his prey, was ensnared in the trap of his logic.


    Seeing the tension rise, Beckham furrowed his brow. He tried to steer the conversation away, but


    Prisci shot him a steely re. ¡°Let the kids settle their squabbles!¡± she snapped.


    Beckham, ustomed to deferring to thete Charisa, fell silent. Even with Charisa gone, facing her


    sister still triggered the old reflex. As Damien and Gwenn exchanged verbal jabs, whispers began to


    swirl around them.


    ¡°A foster child, always a foster child,¡± someone sighed.


    ¡°Raised by the Tanners, yet still possesses such a rotten character. It makes you think, doesn¡¯t it?


    Better stick to your own blood, I say¡­¡±


    III


    p


    1/2


    10:46 Wed, Jan


    Chapter 790 Damien Defended Cherise


    67%


    +5 Free Coins


    The gossip buzzed like a swarm of flies. The murmurs grew louder. Gwenn, scoffing, turned to Cherise


    and Damien. ¡°This is why you brought me up here, isn¡¯t it? Time for public humiliation?¡±


    Moments ago, she had been content to stay hidden away and have nothing to do with them. Now, they


    were dragging her into the depths of their past. She was certain it was intentional.


    Damien¡¯s smile, a flicker of amusement, softened the sharpness of his words. ¡°For me, perhaps,¡± he


    conceded. ¡°But not for Cherise.¡±


    He reached out, a hint of tenderness in his touch as he yfully pinched Cherise¡¯s nose. ¡°This silly one


    just wanted you to change into something morefortable.¡±


    |||


    2/2

 Chapter 791

    Chapter 791


    Chapter 791 Gwenn¡¯s Inappropriate Attire


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Lyra was puzzled by Damien¡¯s statement. ¡°Change? Change into what?¡±


    45 Free Coins


    Cherise offered a faint smile and gestured towards Gwenn. Standing behind Cherise, Gwenn looked


    pale after Damien scolded her. ¡°Despite her age, my sistercks basic judgment. She arrived at the


    wedding dressed quite scantily and inappropriately. She¡¯ll get cold, so I brought her here to change.


    Lyra instantly understood after Cherise exined. ¡°I did bring a lot of clothes¡­ The young girl in the


    wedding dress put her hand on her forehead and shook her head in frustration. ¡°But she¡¯s slightly


    plump. She probably won¡¯t fit into my clothes.


    Cherise dismissed the idea. ¡°She¡¯s not here for your clothes.¡± She cast a meaningful nce towards


    Prisci. ¡°Aunt Prisci, don¡¯t you think she has a figure simr to yours?¡±


    ¡°She could wear my clothes. Prisci looked disdainfully at the ashen Gwenn. ¡°However¡­ I suspect


    she probably doesn¡¯t want to.¡±


    Cherise stood up with a smile. ¡°Aunt Prisci, you¡¯ve misunderstood. She came here specifically to


    wear your clothes.¡±


    The atmosphere in the room grew tense, and everyone looked at Gwenn, shocked. Cherise¡¯s cousins


    stared in disbelief.


    Despite the warm weather in Ziphon, Gwenn¡¯s revealing party dress was inappropriate for the wedding.


    Moreover, everyone knew that today¡¯s wedding was unique, with the groom in aa.


    Gwenn¡¯s choice of attire was tasteless and unsuitable for the asion. If she wasn¡¯t Cherise¡¯s sister,


    they would undoubtedly assume this woman was here to cause a scene. Everyone started to discuss


    Gwenn¡¯s dress.


    Gwenn had always been treated as the Tanner family¡¯s beloved daughter. She had never been the


    subject of such gossip and wished she could disappear at that moment!


    She never expected Cherise¡¯s rtives to be as judgmental and traditional as Cherise! She had always


    dressed provocatively. Not only did they not understand it, but they also mocked her!


    Gwenn took a deep breath. ¡°I apologize for dressing too casually.¡± She red at Cherise. ¡°I¡¯ve always


    dressed this way and never thought it was disrespectful. But if my father and sister deem it


    inappropriate, then it must be unsuitable. Since I have such a strong personal style, perhaps I¡¯m not


    suited to attend amoner¡¯s wedding.¡±


    She turned to leave, but Lyra¡¯s older brother, Lambert, stopped her. ¡°Ms. Tanner, you need to


    understand where you are and who you¡¯re addressing.¡±


    ¡°Even a three-year-old knows not to wear pajamas to school. Didn¡¯t the Tanner family teach you this,


    Ms. Tanner?¡± He looked at Gwenn with a sneer. ¡°Even meremoners know how to dress


    appropriately for the asion. It¡¯s about showing respect for others.¡±


    ¡°If youck such basic respect, Ms. Tanner, I wonder why the Miles family invited you to the wedding.¡±


    Lambert forcefully pushed Gwenn¡¯s hand away. He turned and nced at the Miles fantily¡¯s servant.


    ¡°Tell the Miles family that the bride¡¯s brother doesn¡¯t wee Ms. Gwenn Tanner at the wedding.¡±


    O


    1/1

 Chapter 792

    Chapter 792


    Chapter 792 I¡¯m The Owner Of Your Company


    ¡°If the Miles family insists on her attending this wedding, I will promptly escort the bride and our family


    away.¡± He turned to Damien, ¡°Damien, is the private jet that brought us here still avable?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Cherise¡¯s family is my family.¡± Damien offered Lambert a kind smile while hugging Cherise.


    ¡°Feel free to use it. You can even have it if you want.¡±


    Lambert smiled lightly before turning to re at the Miles family¡¯s servant. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Upon seeing his stern demeanor, the servant hastily scurried off.


    Beckham initially intended to mediate, but Lambert¡¯s actions left him looking grim. He restrained his


    anger and turned to Prisci. ¡°Pris, we¡¯re family. Isn¡¯t this excessive?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t consider you family,¡± Prisci responded with a frosty smile. ¡°Instead of iming to be part of


    the same family, you should teach your daughter manners and respect.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at what your daughter is wearing? How is it different from lingerie?¡± Prisci turned


    and sat down. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. I¡¯ve overestimated her. She doesn¡¯t appear to be wearing any


    underwear at all.¡±


    Is it my fault that she¡¯s using my daughter¡¯s wedding as a tform to unt her body and entice men?


    She ims she¡¯s not in the wrong and has a strong personal style. She also called usmoners. Is


    that also our fault?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe my son is being unreasonable. If all the Miles family¡¯s friends are like this, I refuse to let


    my daughter marry a Miles.¡±


    ¡°Look,dy. Do you think I wanted toe?¡± Gwenn spat out these words viciously and turned to


    leave. ¡°If my friend wasn¡¯t hosting this wedding, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to attend!¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving already, Ms. Tanner?¡± Behind her, Damien spoke indifferently. ¡°I assumed you would


    attend the wedding and gather some material to write a news article for SumTimes.¡± He sighed lightly.


    ¡°Journalists these days are so emotional. They can even forsake their work for personal feelings.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides. After a moment, she gritted her teeth and red at


    Damien. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t write an article, the editor-in-chief can¡¯t do anything. Who do you think you


    are?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Damien released Cherise and nonchntly pulled out an acquisition contract from his pocket.


    ¡°I¡¯m the owner of yourpany.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s body stiffened. At the next moment, she snatched the document from Damien¡¯s hand. Her


    heart dropped, and she instinctively stepped back, swaying uncontrobly. What she held in her hands


    was a copy of the contract of Damien¡¯s acquisition of SumTimes.


    Unbeknownst to anyone, Damien had be herpany¡¯s owner three days ago. In other words,


    this detestable man before her was now her boss!


    ¡°As the owner of SumTimes, I require someone to cover the Miles family¡¯s splendid wedding.¡± As


    Gwenn gazed at him incredulously, Damien offered a faint smile. ¡°Therefore, I had your supervisor


    assign you here. If you leave now, you¡¯re neglecting your duties and disregarding a task assigned by


    thepany.¡±


    1/2


    10.22 Fri, Jan 19 G.


    80%


    Chapter 792 I¡¯m The Owner Of Your Company


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    After her initial shock, Gwenn lifted her head and red at Damien loathingly. ¡°If you¡¯re now the owner


    of SumTimes, there¡¯s no point in me working there anymore.¡±

 Chapter 793

    Chapter 793


    Chapter 793 Crossing The Line


    ¡°I¡¯ll resign.¡±


    9


    72%


    +5 Free Coins


    ¡°Resign?¡± Damien chuckled lightly. His arms were folded across his chest, and his dark eyes were


    coldly fixed on her. ¡°You¡¯re being overly optimistic.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t attend the wedding, your report will be nothing more than fabricated news. If you don¡¯t


    write anything, it indicates ack ofmitment to thepany. I¡¯ll dismiss you for yourck of


    professional ethics and simultaneously publish your hical conduct in SumTimes. Consequently, you


    may have to bid farewell to a career in journalism.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s face instantly drained of color. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately making things difficult for me!¡± Her hands


    balled into tight fists, and she red at Damien furiously. ¡°The Quinnell family said I¡¯m not wee.


    How can I possibly attend the wedding, let alone write a report?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple.¡± Damien shrugged. ¡°Apologize.¡±


    ¡°Apologize to Mrs. Quinnell, the Quinnell family, and Cherise, and admit your mistakes. If your apology


    is sincere, the Quinnell family will forgive you for their inw¡¯s sake.¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She looked up, her eyes seething with hatred.


    ¡°Damien, you¡¯re crossing the line!¡±


    She had been a journalist for a considerable time. She had long developed a deep affection and


    passion for this profession. She couldn¡¯t continue working in this field if dismissed forck of


    professional ethics!


    News in the media industry always spread much faster than in other sectors. Moreover, SumTimes


    held significant influence in the media world. If she was dismissed today, no publishingpany would


    hire her tomorrow!


    ¡°Am I crossing the line?¡± Damien sneered. His icy gaze was fixed on Gwenn. ¡°Didn¡¯t you do the same


    when you baselessly exposed my wife¡¯s affairs previously?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°You were well aware of how her hand was injured, and you knew she wouldn¡¯t admit the real cause of


    her injury, so you forced her to admit she was an hical doctor. Wasn¡¯t this part of your maniptive


    schemes?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The man¡¯s voice suddenly turned icy. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m crossing the line by


    treating you the same way you treated my wife? Wasn¡¯t what you did out of line?¡±


    Gwenn gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you aware of how Cherise injured her hand, Damien?¡± Sheughed when


    Damien brought up this matter. ¡°Since you know about it, why not rify the matter before Dad today?¡±


    She raised her brows and nced at Beckham behind her. ¡°Did Cherise get injured, or was she being


    unprofessional?¡±


    Gwenn was still as confident as before that Cherise and Damien wouldn¡¯t dare to reveal the past, so


    she deliberately provoked them in front of Beckham because she was aware of the irreconcble feud


    between the Tanner and Lenoir families.


    It didn¡¯t matter that Cherise had now reconciled with Damien or had once recklessly thwarted the


    Tanner family¡¯s arson n¡­ If any of the Tanner family¡¯s old fogeys found out about it, Cherise could


    no longer be the Tanner family¡¯s heir.


    1/2


    2014 Sat, Jan 20


    Chapter 793 Crossing The Line


    72


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    Then, Gwenn¡¯s fianc¨¦. Evan Tanner, would be next in line to inherit everything from the Tanner family.


    This was the oue Gwenn had always dreamed of.


    Now that Damien has personally brought up Cherise¡¯s injury from back then, Gwenn naturally wanted


    to seize the opportunity and let Beckham know what his biological daughter had done three years


    ago¡­


    ¡°I know how Cherise was injured.¡±


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    Chapter 794


    Chapter 794 Do You Want To Change?


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    ¡°Why are you bringing up the past? You¡¯re clearly in the wrong today.¡± Beckham¡¯s brows furrowed


    slightly as he nced at Gwenn. ¡°Apologize.¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡± Gwenn stared at Beckham in disbelief. ¡°You mean¡­ You already know about Cherise¡¯s injury


    from three years ago¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Beckham sighed softly. ¡°The grudges of the previous generation shouldn¡¯t affect them at the end


    of the day.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, even if Cherise was at fault three years ago, you must apologize now.¡± Beckham gave


    Gwenn a piercing stare. ¡°The past is the past. The present is more important.¡±


    ¡°I believe the Quinnell family has a point, and Damien has done nothing wrong.¡±


    Gwenn gazed at Beckham in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe he was the same man who had always loved


    and defended her since she was young.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, but Dad demands that I apologize.


    Cherise was clearly at fault three years ago, but he dismissed it and said it¡¯s in the past? He¡¯s iming


    that the Quinnell Family has a point and that Damien did nothing wrong?!


    So I¡¯m in the wrong? Pfft.


    When Cherise was revealed as Beckham¡¯s biological daughter, he solemnly assured Gwenn that he


    wouldn¡¯t treat her any differently from Cherise.


    I can now see what he means by his so-called equal treatment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you need more time to think, Ms. Tanner?¡± Lambert sneered. He casually nced


    towards the door. ¡°Why are the folks from the Miles family sote?¡±


    Lyra sat dressed in a wedding gown to one side, genuinely fearing her brother would take her away.


    She kept making excuses. ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re too busy¡­¡±


    After that, the door to the room was pushed open from the outside. Dressed in a light yellow dress,


    Kareen rushed in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She was thrown out of the house on the day that Zachary returned to Ziphon. She had singlehandedly


    taken charge of Zachary¡¯s wedding, so she held the most influence at the entire event.


    At that moment, she smiled at everyone in the room. ¡°The servant was in a panic earlier and was all


    over the ce, so all I gathered was that the Quinnell family wanted to take Lyra away. May I ask, who


    has upset the Quinnell family so much that you want to take Lyra away on the day of her and my


    brother¡¯s wedding?¡±


    Her words made Lambert scoff. ¡°I heard thisdy is a friend of the Miles family?¡± The man leaned


    against the wall with his arms crossed and ncedzily at the pale Gwenn. ¡°She¡¯s dressed in such a


    way for a wedding. Those unaware would think she¡¯s here for a secret meeting with her boyfriend.¡±


    Kareen was taken aback. As she followed Lambert¡¯s gaze¡­ the veins on her forehead twitched


    violently.


    |||


    r


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    Is Gwenn wearing the outfit I previously sent to her?


    Kareen had written a letter to Gwenn back then, telling her to wear that outfit in front of her boyfriend


    now that she was dating someone.


    The dress was intended for Gwenn to seduce her boyfriend. Although it covered all the necessary


    parts¡­ this dress was inappropriate for today¡¯s asion!


    Has she lost her senses by wearing this to attend her good friend¡¯s brother¡¯s wedding?


    Kareen didn¡¯t even want to think about what Gwenn had experienced for the past few years to act so


    recklessly now.


    She took a deep breath, quickly walked over to Gwenn, and lowered her voice. ¡°Gwenn, why did you


    solemn. It¡¯s quite¡­ inappropriate for you to be dressed like this.¡±


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 Chapter 795

    Chapter 795


    Chapter 795 I Can Leave On My Own


    Gwenn rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°When did you be as conservative as them?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about being conservative!¡±


    Kareen pursed her lips and was about to continue when Lambert interrupted. ¡°Ms. Miles, it seems you


    didn¡¯t quite understand what the servant said earlier. Allow me to rify it for you now. Pay close


    attention.¡±


    ¡°I demand that you immediately dismiss this insolent woman who has shown disrespect towards my


    family. If you refuse to do so, we¡¯ll simply take Lyra with us and leave. There will be no wedding!¡±


    Kareen found herself in a difficult situation. Faced with the Quinnell family¡¯s overbearing demeanor, she


    had no choice but to yield. ¡°Gwenn, perhaps it¡¯s best if you leave for now.¡± She turned towards Gwenn.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for someone to¡­¡±


    Before Kareen could finish, Lambert interrupted again. ¡°Ms. Miles, there¡¯s a difference between


    dismissing someone and merely sending them away.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s expression soured. After all, Gwenn was her friend. However, the Quinnell family didn¡¯t


    appear to be joking.


    Kareen bit her lip and whispered an apology to Gwenn before she summoned security. ¡°Escort Ms.


    Tanner out.¡± As she spoke, she nced at Gwenn¡¯s revealing attire and kindly draped a coat over her.


    But to Gwenn, it was nothing short of a tant insult. She angrily tossed the coat to the ground,


    stomping on it with her high heels. ¡°I can leave on my own!¡± However, she had barely taken a few steps


    when she stopped.


    It was because she had noticed Damien standing at the entrance. His words echoed in her mind.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Damien had clearly noticed her gaze but remained silent. He held Cherise nonchntly and observed


    Gwenn.


    Gwenn stood frozen in her spot and hesitated, but the security guards Kareen had summoned were


    already approaching. Just as they were about to escort her out, she took a deep breath and finally


    relented. ¡°Mrs. Quinnell, I apologize.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have spoken in such a manner, nor should I have dressed so inappropriately for the


    wedding,¡± Gwenn uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Please don¡¯t chase me away.¡±


    Despite Gwenn¡¯s seemingly sincere tone, Cherise detected the contempt in her expression. She knew


    Gwenn¡¯s apology was a desperate attempt to save her job.


    How ironic.


    Gwenn had once manipted public sentiment to force Cherise to admit herck of professional


    integrity. But now, Gwenn groveled and apologized to the Quinnell family to avoid ending up like


    Cherise.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only one you owe an apology to. It¡¯s Cherise.¡± Prisci sneered. ¡°I heard what Damien said


    loud and clear.¡±


    1/2


    ¡°Cherise also had to give up her cherished position because of your actions back then, right?¡±


    Prisci¡¯s


    and apologize, you should apologize to


    expression remained icy. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to swallow your pr. Your


    the person you truly wronged!¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s hands were clenched into tight fists at her sides. Since Damien was now her boss, she knew


    she had to endure this humiliation to continue working in this industry!


    She had to admit that she had underestimated Damien in this battle. She had always assumed that


    Damien wouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t retaliate for how she had made Cherise lose her job.


    After all, so much time had passed, and he hadn¡¯t made a move. But Gwenn never anticipated that


    Damien would covertly acquire herpany and be her boss!


    2/2

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    Chapter 796


    Chapter 796 I¡¯m Your Boss Now


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    The man was a strategic mastermind and could hold a grudge for a long time!


    With no better option, Gwenn prepared herself and took a deep breath. ¡°I apologize, Cherry.¡± She


    forced a smile at Cherise. ¡°I was wrong in the past. I shouldn¡¯t have been misled without evidence and


    written an unfounded article to attack you.¡±


    r


    ¡°If I have caused you harm, it is entirely my fault. I hope you won¡¯t hold it against me. Please forgive


    me¡­¡±


    ¡°Gwenn, I ept your apology. But as for forgiveness¡­ Forget it.¡± Cherise simply smiled lightly in


    response to Gwenn¡¯s unconvincing apology. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive someone who is constantly scheming


    against me. Besides, you don¡¯t seem genuinely remorseful.¡±


    Gwenn frowned deeply. ¡°So, Cherry, what do I need to do to keep my job?¡± She didn¡¯t feel apologetic,


    but she still tried to maintain a smile. ¡°Losing my job and having my professional integrity questioned


    would cause me significant harm. You should understand since you¡¯ve experienced it. All I want is to


    keep my job.¡±


    Cherise smiled faintly. Her radiant grin seemed to make her glow under the light. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gwenn.


    I¡¯ll convince Aunt Prisci to let you stay at the wedding, and I won¡¯t let Damien actually fire you.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes at Gwenn. ¡°After all, I¡¯m your boss now. I should be respected by you.¡± She


    smiled at Gwenn. ¡°Gwenn, could you please fetch me a ss of water? That¡¯s not too much to ask, is


    it?¡±


    Gwenn¡¯s face darkened, but she had no choice. She could onlyply. Suppressing her hatred, she


    filled a ss with water and handed it to Cherise. ¡°Here.¡±


    After drinking the water, Cherise checked the time. There was half an hour left before the wedding, so


    she didn¡¯t waste any more time. She had Prisci find a suitable dress for Gwenn to change into, and


    they all went downstairs.


    The venue downstairs was already bustling with people.


    With her keen eyes, Cherise noticed Damien¡¯s uncle, Raymond Lenoir, in the corner. He was already


    seated and conversing with a servant from the Miles family.


    She instinctively tugged at Damien¡¯s arm. ¡°I see your Uncle Raymond.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Damien smiled faintly, leaning close to Cherise¡¯s ear. ¡°I had Syatt arrange a meeting with Patricia


    in the garden¡¯s gazebo five minutes after the dinner banquet begins.¡±


    ¡°I also arranged for the servant to speak to Raymond. He¡¯s informing Raymond that someone from the


    Miles family wishes to meet him five minutes after the wedding starts.¡±


    ¡°After they meet, I¡¯ll have ke keep a watchful eye on them. When the time is right, we¡¯ll all head


    over.¡± The man lifted his hand to pinch Cherise¡¯s cheek. ¡°There will be a grand spectacle tonight.¡±


    Cherise nodded. ¡°I hope¡­ everything can be resolved.¡± I hope Raymond is indeed the culprit from


    back then.


    The wedding ceremony began shortly. As the wedding march yed, Kareen entered while pushing an


    unconscious Zachary in a wheelchair. The venue instantly buzzed with chatter.


    1/2


    Chapter 796 I¡¯m Your Boss Now


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    Many rumors were circting in Ziphon. Many had heard that Zachary, the head of the Miles family,


    was in aa, but few had seen it firsthand. But now, aatose Zachary had appeared before them,


    and the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but gossip


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Kareen¡¯s hands began to turn pale as she gripped the wheelchair handles.


    2/2

 Chapter 797

    Chapter 797


    Chapter 797 Why Should I Remarry?


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    In the distance, Lyra stood adorned in an immacte white wedding gown. Holding Lambert¡¯s hand,


    she beamed with anticipation.


    Lyra¡¯s father was absent, angry with her, and it was improper for her mom to walk her down the aisle.


    Since Zachary¡¯s younger sister pushed him down the aisle, the Quinnell family sent Lambert to


    apany Lyra.


    The melodious wedding march continued until the bride and groom stood together. With their hands


    entwined, they pledged their eternalmitment to each other before the officiant.


    The dinner banquet followed the wedding ceremony. Patricia, Walter, Cherise, and Damien sat at the


    same table.


    Four minutes into the banquet, Patricia excused herself and headed towards the restroom. Cherise


    instinctively turned around. Sure enough, Raymond also rose from his seat in the farthest corner.


    Cherise was surprised that Raymond wasn¡¯t alone today. He was apanied by his wife, Wanda.


    In a moment of inspiration, Cherise rose and sat next to Wanda. ¡°Wanda, it¡¯s been a long time since we


    Wanda visibly flinched upon hearing ¡®Wanda. She turned pale and only rxed slightly when she


    recognized Cherise. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Wanda had mistaken Cherise for Maeve, whom she disliked!


    In the five years since Maeve¡¯s return to the Lenoir family, Maeve had tricked Wanda¡¯s beloved son into


    leaving and repeatedly caused trouble for Wanda. It greatly displeased Wanda, and her blood would


    freeze whenever she heard a woman¡¯s voice address her as ¡®Wanda.¡¯


    However, she scrutinized Cherise with a frown. ¡°Tsk, tsk. How long has it been since west met?¡±


    Cherise responded with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s been five years.¡±


    ¡°Five years. That¡¯s quite a while.¡± Wandaughed, looking at Cherise scornfully. ¡°How do you still look


    as naive as ever after five years? My son has grown much more handsome over these five years, but


    you haven¡¯t changed much! You still look like a country bumpkin!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s grip around her wine ss tightened. She wanted to ssh Wanda with wine but refrained.


    She knew that what was about to happen in the gardenter would make Wanda feel worse than being


    sshed with red wine!


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wanda asked indifferently, frowning.


    Wanda seldom left her house and had always avoided Damien and Maeve, so she was unaware that


    Cherise and Damien had reconciled and had two children together.


    ¡°It¡¯s been five years. Have you remarried?¡± Wanda thought of Cherise as a woman Damien had


    divorced, so she didn¡¯t mince her words. ¡°What¡¯s he like? Is he a wealthy old man or a penniless young


    man?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t found anyone yet.¡± Cherise narrowed her eyes. ¡°After all, if I can¡¯t find a man as devoted as


    Uncle Raymond is to you, Aunt Wanda, why should I remarry?¡±


    1/2


    Chapter 797 Why Should I Remarry?


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    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s hard to find a man like Raymond.¡± Wanda¡¯s face immediately lit up when she heard Cherise


    praise her husband. ¡°When we were young, our rtionship wasn¡¯t as strong, but our bond has


    deepened as we¡¯ve aged!¡±


    ¡°You see, he came to this wedding to engage in business discussions with the folks from the Miles


    family, but he brought me along because he thought I would enjoy lively asions like weddings,¡±


    Wanda said breathlessly. She grew very pleased with herself and couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky


    to have found such a wonderful husband like Raymond.¡±


    She even looked at Cherise with disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t be too picky. After all, a man as great as my husband


    wouldn¡¯t be interested in a naive woman like you.¡±


    III

 Chapter 798

    Chapter 798


    Chapter 798 Who Is Raymond?


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    Cherise pursed her lips. She was about to say something when she noticed Damien had already stood


    up, a smile ying on his lips as he led Walter towards the garden.


    Without missing a beat, she swiftly stood up. ¡°Aunt Wanda, it¡¯s rather stuffy in here. Shall we take a


    walk in the garden?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Wanda rolled her eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my meal yet. You can go alone.¡±


    ¡°Come with me, Aunt Wanda.¡± Cherise feigned interest in Wanda¡¯s love life. ¡°I want to hear more about


    your love story with Uncle Raymond.¡±


    Upon hearing Cherise express genuine interest in her romantic past, Wanda rose, feeling very pleased.


    ¡°Since you insist, I¡¯lle for your sake.¡±


    The hotel had a spacious garden.


    Under ke¡¯s guidance, Damien had already led Walter towards the designated gazebo. Cherise was


    also leading Wanda in the same direction.


    ¡°I must tell you that Raymond pursued me between the two of us.¡± As Wanda walked; she chattered


    incessantly. ¡°He vowed to only have eyes for me in this lifetime¡­¡±


    The dimly lit gazebo ahead was suddenly bathed in light, and two entwined figuresy on the bench.


    Raymond, disheveled and wearing only his underwear, was on top. Underneath him was Patricia, her


    dress hiked up to her chest. As the light flooded in, both of them froze in confusion.


    At this moment, ke raised his camera and began snapping away in rapid session. The scene of


    the two intertwined bodies was captured on camera.


    The loud shutter sound startled the two figures on the bench. They jumped down, hastily covered their


    private parts, and looked up warily.


    Walter stood outside the gazebo, his eyes narrowed and filled with anger. Wanda was so shocked she


    was rendered speechless.


    Wanda was just unting her rtionship with her husband to Cherise. She never expected her


    husband to cheat on her with another woman behind her back at someone else¡¯s wedding while she


    was still eating


    inside!


    ¡°Raymond!¡± Wanda rushed forward in a frenzy. She seized Raymond¡¯s cor and began hurling


    usations. ¡°I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to your indiscretions, but you¡¯re doing this right in front of me!


    Don¡¯t you have any shame, Raymond Lenoir?!¡±


    Patricia was straightening her clothes, but Wanda¡¯s hysterical voice made her pause abruptly. ¡°Who is


    Raymond?¡±


    It would have been better for Patricia if she hadn¡¯t said anything. Wanda¡¯s anger was instantly directed


    at Patricia. ¡°You¡¯re asking who Raymond is?!¡±


    ¡°You tell me! He was inside you just a moment ago, and now you¡¯re asking me who Raymond is? You


    don¡¯t


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    Wed, Jan 24


    Chapter 798 Who Is Raymond?


    even know his name, and you dare cheat on me with him behind my back!?¡±


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    ¡°How can I not know his name?!¡± Wanda¡¯s words instantly made Patricia frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t he Hansen


    Lenoir?!¡±


    After that, the crowd fell silent. Beckham was also there with Walter, and his heart lurched violently


    when he heard the name. Hansen Lenoir¡­


    Charisa had told Beckham that she would never forget what the man, Hansen Lenoir, had done to her.


    ¡°What are you talking about, you werich?!¡± Walter frowned and berated Patricia in a low voice. ¡°Hansen


    was punished by Ms. Charisa many years ago and has passed away!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s him!¡± Patricia retorted stubbornly. ¡°He personally told me!¡±


    III


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 Chapter 799

    Chapter 799


    Chapter 799 I¡¯m Not Hansen Lenoir


    Raymond, still being tightly held by Wanda, suddenly turned pale as a ghost.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Hansen Lenoir¡­.¡± he stammered, ¡°Hansen is my brother¡­¡±


    61%


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    ¡°How can that be?!¡± Patricia¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°I¡¯ve seen every part of your body. You can¡¯t even admit


    to your actions!¡±


    Patricia stepped forward and looked at Walter coldly. ¡°Since it hase to this, I have nothing to hide! I


    was involved with Hansen a long time ago. In fact, Hansen is actually Chad¡¯s father!¡±


    She turned and smiled at Damien, ¡°You mischievous boy. You didn¡¯t tell me the truth. It turns out your


    dad is still alive.¡± She beamed at Damien. ¡°We¡¯re family from now on.¡±


    Confronted with Patricia¡¯s revtions, Raymond was left speechless. ¡°You¡¯ve mistaken me for


    someone else!¡± He turned away abruptly. ¡°I just bear a striking resemnce to my brother. He¡¯s the


    one you had an affair with back then. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re going crazy over me and bothering me!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say that just now¡­¡± Patricia immediately took a step back. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± Walter was publicly humiliated at his son¡¯s wedding and had a furious expression. He red


    at Patricia fiercely, and his voice was icy. ¡°Have you no shame? Go home!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Patricia pursed her lips and looked up at Walter. ¡°If I go home with you, will I


    ever see the light of day again?¡±


    ¡°I want to go home with him! He¡¯s the one I love the most!¡± She walked towards Raymond. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t


    left without a word back then while I was pregnant and left me with no choice, do you think I would


    have married you?!¡±


    Walter was livid. He pointed at Patricia and began to curse at her frantically. The entire gazebo was in


    chaos.


    Gwenn, who had been standing beside Beckham, raised her eyebrows slightly. She finally understood.


    Zachary¡¯s stepmother and Damien¡¯s uncle were involved in a secret affair. Even Damien¡¯s father, who


    had died many years ago, was implicated.


    She casually took out her phone. While filming the scene before her, she whispered to Beckham, ¡°This


    rtionship is incrediblyplicated.¡±


    Although she seemed to bementing, she was actually thrilled. She loved how intricate the


    rtionships were bing. The Lenoir and Tanner families had always been at odds. And now, the


    Lenoir and Miles families were on the verge of a fallout because of Damien¡¯s uncle.


    If Cherise continued to be with Damien, both the Tanner and Miles families would reject her! Gwenn


    would be delighted to see Cherise being abandoned by her parents¡¯ families once again!


    With this in mind, Gwenn sighed lightly and stepped forward. ¡°Mrs. Miles, since you wish to go with Mr.


    Hansen, why don¡¯t you enlighten us about the nature of your rtionship with him?¡±


    Patricia frowned. She recognized the woman speaking as Cherise¡¯s sister, although not biologically


    rted.


    III


    ?


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    09:24 Thu, Jan 25


    Chapter 799 I¡¯m Not Hansen Lenoir


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°Do I need to exin my rtionship with Hansen to you?¡°


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    ¡°I¡¯m simply trying to help everyone resolve this issue.¡± Gwenn continued to smile kindly. ¡°You see,


    without everyone¡¯s assistance, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have the opportunity to distance yourself from Mr.


    Miles and leave with Mr. Hansen. But if you speak up, perhaps everyone can convince Mr. Miles to


    forgive you and allow you to leave.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 800

    Chapter 800


    Chapter 800 Patricia¡¯s Story


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    At first nce, Gwenn seemed to be acting in Patricia¡¯s best interest. However, unbeknownst to


    Patricia, Gwenn was already recording on her cell phone.


    Her n was to use the Lenoir family to sabotage the rtionship between Cherise and the Miles


    family. To aplish this, she needed Patricia to recount past events in meticulous detail.


    The more Patricia revealed, the more humiliated Walter would be. It would also deepen the rift between


    the Miles and Lenoir families.


    ¡°Gwenn,¡± Beckham frowned, intervening subconsciously. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in other people¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°How can this be considered interference?¡± Gwenn smiled lightly and brushed off Beckham¡¯s hand.


    ¡°The Miles and Lenoir families haveplex rtionships with Cherise. It¡¯s best to resolve any


    conflicts for Cherise¡¯s sake.¡±


    Gwenn turned to Patricia. ¡°Mrs. Miles, have you made a decision?¡±


    Patricia pursed her lips and pulled at her sleeves before finally nodding in silent agreement. She


    couldn¡¯t think of any other alternative but to follow this woman¡¯s instructions.


    She had initially agreed to meet a handsome man she had met online, but to her surprise, her old


    me, Hansen, showed up instead. They were thrilled to see each other.


    She had nned to be intimate with him before catching up, but they were caught in the act. She


    hadn¡¯t thought about her next step. She couldn¡¯t go home with Walter now, so she had no choice but to


    follow Gwenn¡¯s lead and reveal everything publicly.


    Taking a deep breath, Patricia recounted in a hushed voice how she had met and fallen in love with


    ¡®Hansen.¡¯


    ¡°I met him at a bar on the ninth of June¡­¡± She had an exceptional memory and could recall the exact


    dates of events from over twenty years ago. ¡°At the time, he was drinking with many people¡­¡±


    Damien frowned slightly. ¡°May I ask if you knew the people drinking with him then?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know them initially but got acquainted with themter.¡± Patricia pursed her lips, silently recalling


    and listing some names. ¡°There was the former head of the Miles family, Conrad Miles, Cherise¡¯s


    husband at the time¡­¡±


    Patricia named five or six people, and Beckham¡¯s expression darkened after hearing each name.


    These names¡­ were like deeply etched scars in his heart.


    He would never be able to forget them for the rest of his life, even though they had been dead for many


    years. Every time he heard their names, he couldn¡¯t suppress the hatred in his heart.


    When Patricia finished, Wanda, standing next to Cherise, sneered, ¡°I must say, Mrs. Miles, you¡¯re quite


    amazing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you and Raymond know each other at all. There¡¯s no rtionship whatsoever between


    you two, right?¡±


    1/2


    09:25 Thu, Jan 25


    Chapter 800 Patricia¡¯s Story


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    ¡°You im to know the other people drinking with him the day you met, but everyone you mentioned¡­


    is dead now. There¡¯s no way to verify this! It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re just trying to take advantage of


    Raymond!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Wanda,¡± Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Sometimes, not everything is as straightforward as it seems.¡±


    After that, he signaled ke, who quickly jumped from the railing and took a stack of documents from


    his backpack. ¡°What a coincidence. The owner of the bar where you met Hansen is very nostalgic. He


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    keeps all the bar¡¯s receipts even after over twenty years.¡±


    ke pulled out a notebook from the stack calmly and gracefully. ¡°And at that time, these people were


    all renowned businessmen. The bar owner had each of them sign their names when they paid the bill.¡±


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    r

 ) Chapter 801

    ) Chapter 801


    Chapter 801 Not Hansen But Raymond


    63%


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    After expressing his confusion, Damien turned to the relevant page and showed everyone the signature


    on the ount book. He stated, ¡°However, something puzzles me.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I thoroughly examined the airline records for that year. On the exact day my father


    supposedly signed this ount book, he was still at home.¡±


    Damien further emphasized, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until over a monthter that he traveled to Europe to bring Uncle


    Raymond back.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up and met Raymond¡¯s pale-faced gaze, ¡°Uncle, can you provide an


    exnation for this situation?¡±


    Overwhelmed with shock, Raymond quickly retreated behind Wanda and stammered, ¡°I¡­ I have no


    idea!¡±


    He desperately added, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this woman at all! And¡­ And there¡¯s no way I impersonated


    Hansen to freeload!¡±


    Damien offered a faint smile and produced several photographs of Hansen, handing them to Patricia.


    ¡°Mrs. Miles, could you please confirm once again whether the person you were with was the one in the


    picture or the one standing before you?¡±


    Patricia took the photos. Upon seeing the second one, she immediately shook her head, stating, ¡°I


    don¡¯t know this man at all¡­¡±


    She pointed at Raymond in the distance, dering, ¡°The man I was with back then was him.¡±


    Damien smiled and rified, ¡°But he isn¡¯t Hansen Lenoir. This is my second uncle, Raymond Lenoir.¡±


    Patricia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back. The realization hit her like a bolt of


    lightning, ¡°So it was him who impersonated your father back then?!¡±


    Filled with rage and hatred, she red at Raymond and dered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mistake the man I¡¯ve


    despised all my life! The one who fathered my child was him!¡±


    Her words sent shockwaves through the crowd, instantly causing an uproar.


    Beckham¡¯s forehead furrowed like an approaching storm. He knew Damien was interrogating Patricia


    about that night for a reason.


    In an instant, he lunged at Raymond, grabbing his cor with an iron grip. ¡°Besides deceiving Mrs.


    Miles, what else did you do as the fake Hansen?!¡±


    The entire situation seemed too coincidental and raised suspicions!


    Patricia also revealed that all of Raymond¡¯s drinking buddies from the initial encounter had been part of


    the group that went to their house and assaulted Charisa back then.


    Beckham couldn¡¯tprehend how they could be friends with ¡°Hansen,¡± the fraudulent brother, and


    also be involved in the attack at his ce. The whole scenario reeked of deceitful lies.


    Caught in the trap, Raymond attempted to feign ignorance, fluttering his eyes like a frightened bird. But


    |||


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    08:30 Fri, Jan 26


    Chapter 801 Not Hansen But Raymond


    63%


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    judging from Beckham¡¯s expression, Raymond realized the game was up, so he didn¡¯t bother hiding it


    anymore.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Raymond sensed that whatever was unfolding was likely a trap set by Damien and Beckham, designed


    to force him to confess his past actions.


    He knew well that if he denied it now, Damien would surely present more evidence through Patricia.


    Leaning in, a malicious grin contorting his face, he whispered, ¡°Your wife,¡± he hissed, ¡°she was quite a


    firecracker. I would¡¯ve loved to have more of her if not for the crowd that night. Since that intense.


    encounter, I haven¡¯t met a woman like her in years¡­¡±


    Bam!


    Before Raymond could finish speaking, Beckham mercilessly punched him hard in the face.


    His nose burst open, releasing a stream of blood, yet even then, he spat back a taunt, relishing in the


    pain he caused, ¡°How does it feel, Beckham, to be betrayed? Haha. Why? Why bother digging it up


    again when my foolish dead brother had been covering for me all these years!¡±


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 Chapter 802

    Chapter 802


    Chapter 802 Did You, Uncle Raymond?


    63%1


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    ¡°Why bring up the past again? Even if I admit to and take responsibility for what I did back then, it won¡¯t


    bring your wife back from the dead! Besides, she wasn¡¯t just yours anymore; she ¡®belonged¡¯ to ¡®us¡¯!¡± He


    wiped the blood off his face, the grin growing colder.


    ¡°Screw you!¡± A furious spat echoed.


    This time, not only Beckham but Damien stepped forward and punched him in the face.


    ¡°Uncle, no matter what you did wrong, my dad always supported you. And what happened? You


    shamelessly cheated on your wife using his name,mitting such a terrible sin! You¡¯re also the


    reason for his death!¡± Damien angrily pointed at Raymond, his eyes burning with rage.


    Patricia¡¯s revtion about ¡°Hansen¡± hit Damien like a gut punch. He knew, deep down, it had to be his


    uncle, using his father¡¯s name as a shield.


    But when Raymond confessed, the anger Damien had been suppressing erupted like a volcano.


    Raymond¡¯s youthful recklessness, his careless association with the wrong crowd ¨C it all came back to


    haunt them, tearing his parents¡¯ lives apart in the process. And the devastation wasn¡¯t limited to them!


    Maeve, forever scarred by the fire that night, wouldn¡¯t be the broken woman she is now.


    Charisa, taken too soon because of his uncle¡¯s past, wouldn¡¯t have been murdered by Maeve at the


    wedding. And Damien wouldn¡¯t have spent five agonizing years without the love of his life, Cherise.


    It was all because of this man in front of him, this heartless fool who yed with fire and harmed


    everyone in his path!


    ¡°Well, this guy is quite a character.¡± Out of nowhere, Kareen¡¯s cold voice chimed in.


    She never liked Cherise much, and even though Charisa wasn¡¯t her biological mother, growing up with


    her since forever made Kareen love and respect her just as much as Cherise.


    Kareen took a deep breath, stepped out from the crowd, and said to Damien, ¡°Look, there¡¯s something


    you


    need to know.


    Aunt Charisa once confided in me and my brother about her n for revenge against your dad. She


    had an insider in Adania. This insider knew she was after Hansen. He reached out, offering


    assistance..


    Unfortunately, his mistake led to the tragic loss of your parents, and Aunt Charisa has been consumed


    by guilt ever since. You see, she only wanted revenge on those who wronged her, not innocent souls.¡±


    After saying that, she shot a cold look at Raymond¡¯s face, ¡°And this insider from back then, helping


    Aunt Charisa? He¡¯s your uncle Raymond. He yed the victim card, iming Zac oppressed and


    mistreated him, so he joined forces with Aunt Charisa. I just never imagined the truth would be this


    twisted.¡±


    Kareen¡¯s words left Cherise stunned.


    She couldn¡¯tprehend how ruthless Raymond could be. He went to great lengths using his own


    brother¡¯s name, reaching out to the woman he had assaulted, iming he wanted to help her seek


    revenge!?


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    08:50 Fri, Jan 26


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Chapter 802 Did You, Uncle Raymond?


    63%


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    The truth hit Damien like a bolt of lightning. His voice cracked with barely contained fury. ¡°Did you?¡±


    Raymond, unable to meet Damien¡¯s fiery gaze, turned his head away, his face contorted with shame


    and fear. He mumbled, ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡±


    Boom!


    Before Raymond could utter another word, Damien lost control. Like a swift leopard, he dashed


    forward, pushed Raymond down, and started throwing punches


    2/2

 Chapter 803

    Chapter 803


    Chapter 803 ¡°Make It Hurt Good! I Want My Revenge, Too!¡±


    +5 Free Coins


    The air was heavy with the metallic scent of blood, and Raymond¡¯s whimpers reverberated through the


    room.


    Damien¡¯s icy re sent shivers down Wanda and Patricia¡¯s spines, despite their ims, of affection for


    the groaning figure on the floor.


    Finally, Wanda, her voice trembling, pulled at Cherise¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Cherry, please reason with Dame


    before he has Raymond killed!¡±


    Cherise¡¯s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. She met Wanda¡¯s gaze and slowly withdrew her


    hand. ¡°Are you certain you want him to remain alive?¡±


    Confusion flushed Wanda¡¯s face.¡±


    In Wanda¡¯s eyes, Cherise was still the sweet, forgiving girl she had been five years ago. She wouldn¡¯t


    dare question someone¡¯s plea, let alone doubt her love.


    However, Wanda had no inkling of how much Cherise had changed, how five years had molded her


    into a woman who saw the world in shades of advantage and consequence.


    Cherise studied Wanda¡¯s bewildered expression, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips. ¡°Consider


    this. If he dies today, you can find someone new. He¡¯s been fooling around with every woman in town,


    even attempting to reconcile with Mrs. Miles at this party while you¡¯re ying the role of a contented


    wife. Do you truly wish to keep someone like him who cannot staymitted?¡±


    Cherise¡¯s words, though harsh, were like a ssh of cold water.


    Raymond¡¯s infidelity had driven her to the brink for years, but leaving him? That was akin to leaping off


    a cliff blindfolded. Without his prestigious name, who would she be? In public, she was Mrs. Lenoir, all


    smiles and elegance, but internally, she was ensnared by his wealth and influence.


    Sure, she had convinced herself that he could chase after fleeting desires as long as she retained all


    the diamond rings and the substantial bank ount. However, tonight, in front of everyone, he had


    shattered her dignity like a dropped ss.


    Wanda took a shaky breath, meeting Cherise¡¯s gaze as her resistance finally waned.


    A twisted smile crept onto her face as she turned to Damien, who continued to pummel Raymond like a


    punching bag. ¡°Dame,¡± she spat, ¡°make it hurt good! I want my revenge, too!¡±


    Deep down, she yearned for Damien to finish Raymond off. His death meant his fortune, and with that,


    a new life, a new lover, all acquired with the tainted money of her past.


    In the blink of an eye, Cherise had turned the tables, leaving Raymond¡¯s sole defender speechless.


    Fury surged through Damien¡¯s veins as he relentlessly battered Raymond, each blow fueled by years


    of pent-up rage.


    His fists hammered away, driven by the memory of his parents¡¯ tragic ident on their way to see


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Raymond.


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    Chapter 803 ¡°Make It Hurt Good! I Want My Revenge, Too!¡±


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    Even in his dying moments, his father, Hansen, had been concerned about Raymond¡¯s well-being. And


    Raymond? The good-for-nothing who spat on their sacrifices, who traded Hansen¡¯s name for cheap


    thrills and illicit deals, who exploited it to rape Mrs. Tanner, then conspired with her to harm Hansen and


    his wife!


    The rage in Damien¡¯s gut was roaring to be released.


    This wasn¡¯t just about tonight, about Raymond¡¯stest betrayal with Patricia.


    This was about everything: a lifetime¡¯ of Raymond¡¯s selfishness masquerading as love. He wasn¡¯t a


    family member but a cockroach scurrying across the Lenoir legacy.


    And Damien was swatting him away, blow by blow.


    III

 Chapter 804

    Chapter 804


    Chapter 804 Bridal Intervention


    Raymond crumpled under Damien¡¯s relentless fists, a whimpering mess.


    Begging for mercy had long been abandoned, reced by a suffocating silence.


    Damien, a furnace of rage fueled by years of betrayal, rained down blows.


    Each blow was a prayer for his shattered parents, every punch a demand for blood. He was a whirlwind


    of fury, oblivious to Raymond¡¯s fading pulse.


    But just as Raymond¡¯s breath hitched, a hand mped onto Damien¡¯s arm. It was Zachary, the


    extraordinary groom, looking sharp in his suit despite being confined to a wheelchair.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    His voice, frail as a feather, cut through the air, ¡°Please don¡¯t turn my wedding into a ughterhouse,


    Dame. Lyra, my angel, doesn¡¯t deserve this.¡±


    Damien froze, the inferno in his chest flickering like a dying candle.


    He swiveled his head, his gazending on Zachary¡¯s pale face and Lyra, a tear-streaked vision in


    white, standing beside him.


    Weak as a newborn kitten, Zachary had somehow extinguished the mes of Damien¡¯s fury.


    A hush fell over the room, everyone stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    Then, Cherise shattered the silence.


    ¡°Zac! You¡¯re awake?!¡± she eximed, her voice a rollercoaster of surprise and tion.


    Bouncing excitedly, she rushed towards him, ¡®only to collide with Kareen, a silent sentinel nearby.


    In a whirlwind of joy, Kareen surged towards Zachary, her cry of ¡°Zac!¡± echoing through the room.


    She flung herself at him, and Zachary yfully tousled her hair. He teased, his eyes twinkling, ¡°Easy


    there, big girl. Remember your manners because people are watching.¡±


    Kareen, her face shining with tears, held him close. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­so happy!¡±


    She gasped. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake! Zac, I¡­I thought¡­ I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you again!¡±


    Zachary chuckled, shaking his head yfully. ¡°With a brainiac sister like you,¡± he winked at Kareen,


    ¡°and¡ª¡± his gaze softened as he turned to Lyra, who peeked out from behind him, eyes glistening, ¡°and


    with a stunningdy like my partner here, waking up was the easiest decision ever.¡±


    Kareen, lips pursed in mock disapproval, popped up from Zachary¡¯s embrace.


    She grabbed Lyra, hidden behind him, and gently pushed her into his arms. She teased him. ¡°Well,


    shouldn¡¯t you two lovebirds be heading to the honeymoon suite by now?¡±


    Lyra¡¯s face turned as red as a ripe apple while Zachary smirked like a cat who got the cream. He tilted


    his head towards Cherise, perched like a watchful bird in the corner. ¡°Speaking of honeymoon suites, I


    wouldn¡¯t mind some alone time with my bride. However, given my current condition, Dr. Shaw, do you


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    Chapter 804 Bridal Intervention


    think it¡¯s wise to dive headfirst into honeymoon shenanigans?¡±


    +5 Free Coins


    Cherise¡¯s eyes shimmered with concern. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit banged up for that? Maybe a trip to the


    hospital first, then some intimate timeter?¡±


    ¡°And some food! You need your strength, dude. Lyra¡¯s a delicate flower. We wouldn¡¯t want her taking


    the lead, right?¡± Damien interjected, pushing a defeated Raymond aside and fixing his cufflinks


    nonchntly.


    He smirked, his eyes flicking to Cherise, who flushed even brighter.


    ¡°Aha! So, THAT¡¯s why everyone¡¯s so excited today? Getting married is the new aphrodisiac, huh?¡±


    Syatt chimed in with bright eyes.


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 Chapter 805

    Chapter 805


    Chapter 805 The Joyful Awakening


    Amidst the chaos, Raymond and the groom were rushed to the hospital, and the groom¡¯s awakening


    marked the joyous conclusion of the wedding.


    Now dressedfortably, Lyra sat on a hospital bench outside Zachary¡¯s room, holding Cherise¡¯s hand


    tightly. ¡°Cherry, I¡¯m really scared,¡± she whispered, her face pale with panic.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t this nervous when you said you wanted to marry my brother, so why are you acting like a


    scaredy-cat now that Zac¡¯s awake?¡± Kareen retorted, sitting down across from them with her arms


    crossed.


    Lyra bit her lip and stammered, ¡°I thought I could be strong for him and take care of him while he was in


    aa. But now that he¡¯s regained consciousness¡­ he might think that I was pushing too hard for this


    wedding. His proposal was sudden, and¡­¡±


    She choked back a sniffle, ¡°He still had feelings for¡­ Zac was still hung up on Cherry back then, and


    what if he regrets everything?¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes, painting her cheeks a rosy hue. ¡°If he does¡­ maybe we should just go to


    the courthouse tomorrow morning and get it over with¡­¡±


    Lyra nodded, but unease lingered in her mind. Muttering to herself, ¡°What if¡­¡±


    Cherise gently squeezed her hand. ¡°Lyra, there are no what ifs, so stop catastrophizing. Breaking up or


    staying together, it¡¯s not all up to you, honey. We also have to consider Zac¡¯s feelings, right?¡±


    She gave a slight smile, ready to offer morefort to Lyra when the door to the room swung open.


    Several doctors who had been examining Zachary emerged with smiles and approached Lyra, ¡°Mrs.


    Miles, Mr. Miles is doing well now. With some good rest, he¡¯ll be back to his old self!¡±


    Lyra was pleasantly surprised, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not Mrs. Miles; just call me Lyra.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    The doctors exchanged puzzled looks, ¡°Oh? You¡­ aren¡¯t Mrs. Miles?¡±


    Had they made a mistake? Didn¡¯t this woman juste in wearing a wedding dress? Was there


    another bride?


    As the doctors started specting about a love triangle, Cherise intervened, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t mind her


    rambling; she¡¯s just too excited and talking nonsense!¡±


    After that, she nudged Lyra into the room and shut the door. When Cherise returned after closing the


    door, Kareen chatted with the doctors about Zachary¡¯s condition.


    After bidding farewell to the doctors, Kareen nced at the closed door and asked, ¡°Is she in there?¡±


    Cherise nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kareen shook her head, almost amused, ¡°What a fool.¡±


    Then, facing Cherise, s.


    said, ¡°Just like you, a fool.¡±


    Cherise frowned, ¡°Excuse me, who are you calling a fool?¡±


    Kareen rolled her eyes, ¡°You, of course. I¡¯ve never liked you one bit, yet you¡¯re still hanging out with my


    brother, and your husband is fullymitted to the Miles Group. Quite the fool, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    With an unexpected smile, she added, ¡°But I kinda appreciate your unique brand of foolishness.¡±  New


    ch§Ñpter av?ble on Dr§Ñman§àvels.c§à§Þ


    Kareen sheepishly scratched her neck: ¡°Look, Gwenn used to be my BFF, and she always painted you


    as the viin. So, I judged you, big time. My bad for being clueless.¡±


    Although clumsy, Kareen¡¯s apology seemed genuine.


    Cherise softened. ¡°You¡¯re Zac¡¯s little sister, the one my mom practically raised. I never thought you


    were bad, not for a second. If you¡¯re willing, I would also like to be friends with your friends and family.¡±


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 Chapter 806

    Chapter 806


    Chapter 806 Reconciliation Between Kareen And Cherise


    Kareen smirked and rolled her eyes at Cherise. ¡°Girl, you¡¯re so na?ve and trusting. I just called you a


    fool, and now you¡¯re proving it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been friends with Gwenn for ages. Just because I was nice to you for a second, you think we¡¯re


    BFFs now? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not scared that I might be some secret spy sent by her!¡±


    Cherise grinned. ¡°Spy? Your poker face needs more practice. You can¡¯t even fake being mad for a


    minute without looking like you¡¯re about to crack up. You¡¯re way too obvious and definitely not cut out to


    be a spy.¡±


    Stumped by the witty retort, Kareen mumbled, ¡°No way.¡±


    Cherise looked at her thoughtfully and stated, ¡°Yes, you do. Your eyes are telling me you¡¯re on the


    verge ofughing.¡±


    ¡®Hahaha!¡¯


    Finally, Kareen dropped her guard and burst into heartyughter.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop ying tricks on you from now on. But really, thanks for helping our family deal with


    that big problem at the wedding. My dad just took Chad and Patricia to the DNA testing center. He


    suspects Chad might not be his child, and I¡¯m sincerely praying and hoping Chad isn¡¯t his child. Maybe


    after this, he¡¯lle to his senses and appreciate me and Zac.¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, the phone rang. It was Walter.


    On the other end of the phone, Walter was furious. ¡°Forget the DNA test, Kareen! The vile woman has


    just confessed Chad isn¡¯t a Miles! Can you believe it? She yed me like a fiddle, turning me against


    you and Zac all these years! Twenty years of lies, I can¡¯t believe it! They¡¯re out of the family tonight, I


    swear! So, you and Zac can move back in¡­¡±


    Kareen held her phone, her hands trembling slightly.


    After a while, she uttered a single word, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Walter¡¯s voice droned on, but she wasn¡¯t listening.


    Kareen hung up, the phone falling silent. Her strong fa?ade crumbled as she threw herself into


    Cherise¡¯s arms and sobbed.


    The tears of relief broke out like a dam in that instant.


    ¡°Cherry, Aunt Charisa was right. She always told us not to hate Dad; he was just lost and blinded. She


    always asked us to wait for the truth and redemption¡­ and the wait was finally over. The truth


    prevailed. Thank you. Thank you for helping us uncover the real enemy and solve the decade-long


    puzzle. Aunt Charisa must be so proud of you and smiling down¡­¡±


    Cherise¡¯s hand stroked Kareen¡¯s back, her own eyes glistening.


    Is Mom watching them from above? Is she relieved and proud? The truth had finally unraveled. The


    pain of that year finally lifted, reced by a bittersweet peace.


    J


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    Kareen¡¯s face turned red as she pulled away from Cherise. Standing there with a goofy grin was Syatt.


    ¡°Syatt? What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with Dame now?¡± Cherise asked,


    annoyancecing her voice.  Read at NovelDrama.Org


    Syatt shrugged, yawning widely. ¡°Nah. The Lenoirs are here, and Dame is asking for you.¡±


    6


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 Chapter 807

    Chapter 807


    Chapter 807 Raymond¡¯s Sins Are Etched In Stone


    ¡°The Lenoirs are here?¡± Cherise¡¯s eyebrows shot up like startled sparrows.


    With no time to ponder, she followed Syatt like a shadow.


    Zooming past the wards, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Lyra, her eyes swollen, emerging from one.


    Cherise didn¡¯t give it much thought; after all, this girl was overly dramatic, shedding tears over the most


    trivial things.


    Entering Raymond¡¯s ward alongside Syatt, Cherise encountered a bustling corridor.


    There was Maeve, slumped on a bench with Charles nervously buzzing around like a concerned bee.


    And Tristan, head hung low with shoulders slumped, stood nearby. On the opposite side, Damien


    brooded like a raincloud, surrounded by some of the loyal servants of the Lenoir family.


    In a corner, Wanda, the epitome of nonchnce, tapped away on her phone, probably indulging in


    some gossip with her friends.


    As Cherise stepped in, Charles stood up. ¡°Dr. Shaw¡­ uh, I mean, Cherry!¡± he stammered with a


    nervous grin. ¡°I¡¯m so d you made it. Can you¡­ uh, talk some sense into Dame?¡±


    Cherise furrowed her brows, her gaze sweeping the room. With a slow smile, she settled next to


    Damien, taking his cold hand in hers. ¡°Charles, what exactly do you want me to convince Damien of?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ ask him to spare my father.¡± Tristan¡¯s voice rasped from the shadows, filled with the weight


    of his request.


    ¡°I know this seems crazy, asking you for this¡­after everything.¡± He said while meeting Cherise¡¯s gaze.


    His face bore the marks of time and desperation.


    His only remaining eye held a glimmer of vulnerability. ¡°Cherry, you should understand where I¡¯m


    promise that once I bring him back to Adania, I¡¯ll uncover all his illegal activities and send him to jail.


    Just¡­ can you let him live?¡±


    Tristan¡¯s voice grew more determined, his eyes burning with a quiet fire. ¡°You might not know this, but


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    for the past five years, Damien has been consumed by finding you, leaving thepany on the brink of


    copse. I took charge, kept things running, and never asked for a fancy title or a hefty paycheck. I


    simply put in the hours, day after day. I might not be an outstanding performer; perhaps I stumbled a


    bit, but no one can say I didn¡¯t give it my all. I¡¯m ready to keep working for Damien until I retire, until my


    Cherise pursed her lips, her eyes shifting to Damien¡¯s somber face. Her mind grappled with the weight


    of the request.


    After a tense silence, Damien raised his head, his eyes like molten steel. He locked onto Tristan, his


    voice dripping with icy rage. ¡°You pleaded for your father, Tristan, but who pleads for mine? Who brings


    them back? Who heals the wounds your dad tore into my mom, the innocent one in all of this? Your


    parents are your shield, while mine are ghosts haunting me. Why should your precious family walk free


    when mine is buried six feet under? Whopensates Maeve and me for what we have lost?¡±


    His voice grew hoarse, anger contorting his features. He pointed a finger at Maeve¡¯s carefully restored


    face,


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    Tristan¡¯s lips tightened. Catching a glimpse of Damien¡¯s raw vulnerability for a fleeting moment, he


    leaned in, his voice a husky plea. ¡°Dame, please, for the sake of what remains of our bond. Do this.¡±


    Read at NovelDrama.Org


    III


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 Chapter 808

    Chapter 808


    Chapter 808 Gwenn Went To Tristan


    ¡°Do you want me to give you face? What good will that do? Will your ¡®face¡¯ bring my Mom and Dad


    back or keep Cherry¡¯s mom safe? Come on, Tris!¡±


    Silence hung heavy, punctuated by Tristan¡¯s stunned blink. He knew Damien wouldn¡¯t be easy, but


    this? Not even a sliver of consideration?


    Meanwhile, Maeve, perched on the sofa, arched an eyebrow. ¡°Hey, Dame, give the guy a break.


    Tristan¡¯s practically begging. Don¡¯t be so mean.¡±


    Damien¡¯sugh was like a cold wind. His eyes, once warm, turned into ciers. ¡°What if it was YOU he


    was pleading for? Would you cave just because Tris pulled this act? Would you let Raymond walk just


    because he¡¯s on his knees?¡±


    Maeve, with pursed lips, shook her head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t agree, but I wouldn¡¯t ice him out like this either.¡±


    Tristan knew his cousins clung to the past, just like him. He couldn¡¯t forget how his dad, Raymond,


    carved up his eye with a knife all those years ago.


    Taking a deep breath, he nced at Damien and asked, ¡°Can I go in?¡±


    Damien nodded.


    Swiftly, Tristan pivoted and nudged the door ajar.


    Within the hospital room, Raymond wore an oxygen mask, his face disying a palette of bruises, all


    inflicted by Damien¡¯s blows.


    The door creaked open, and Raymond¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was Tristan. Tears streamed down his


    face in an instant. Words choked his throat, leaving him staring at Tristan like a lost puppy.


    Tristan perched beside him with a smirk that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Surprised I dropped by? I have


    news for you.¡±


    He leaned in, a smirk twisting his lips. ¡°Chad, the kid with Patricia? Yeah, turns out he¡¯s yours. Guess


    what? They got kicked out of the Miles and are homeless now. The Lenoirs aren¡¯t taking him either.¡±


    Raymond¡¯s breath hitched, fear trembling through him.


    Tristan pressed on, ¡°And Mom? She¡¯s already nning with her gossip squad how to spend your


    money once you kick the bucket. As for me, I¡¯ve said my piece and done my part. When you¡¯re gone,


    you¡¯ll get a grand farewell.¡±


    Raymond began to sob uncontrobly, his eyes pleading with Tristan, silently begging him not to


    abandon him.


    Tristan offered a faint smile, ¡°Since the day you took my eye five years ago, you should¡¯ve known I


    wouldn¡¯t be ying the obedient son. I¡¯ve done what I had to do for you. This mess is on you, and


    there¡¯s no turning back. The consequences of the seeds you sowed are now upon you.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    The man threw those words out, rose with an icy demeanor, and walked away without a backward


    nce.


    III


    1/2


    Leaving the hospital room, Tristan kept his silence with Damien. He simply turned and strolled away


    from the hospital.


    Tristan¡¯s brow furrowed, his gaze falling on the stranger. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Call me Gwenn,¡± she said, a sly smile on her lips.  New ch?pter av?ble o? Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    He scoffed. ¡°Even I, Dame¡¯s own cousin, couldn¡¯t sway him. Who the heck do you think you are?¡±


    Unfazed, Gwenn blew a perfect smoke ring into the night. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I know what makes Damien¡¯s


    heart tick.¡±


    r


    2/2

 Chapter 809

    Chapter 809


    Chapter 809 I Kept Dame Away


    Gwennmented, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You and your father have never been on his radar, so anything you


    say is pointless.¡±


    She looked at Tristan with a subtle stare and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not here for small talk. I¡¯m asking if you


    will join forces because I can help save your father.¡±


    After a moment, Tristan furrowed his brows and smirked bitterly, ¡°How can I trust you? I can¡¯t just


    believe you¡¯re reliable because you say so, can I?¡±


    Ever since his father blinded him five years ago, Tristan had lost trust in his own parents, let alone a


    woman he had never met.


    Gwenn stated indifferently, ¡°You just need to tell me if you¡¯re willing or not. I¡¯ll contact you after I rescue


    your father and let you know what I want you to do.¡±


    Tristan furrowed his brows again, lowering his head to assess the woman, who was a half-head shorter


    than him.


    The woman was dressed in a red trench coat and ck boots and exuded a cool and refined


    demeanor. However, her noticeable bosom caught his attention, sending a surge of blood through his


    body.


    Without much hesitation, he nodded, ¡°Fine. Do I have any other choice? As long as you can get my


    dad out safely. I¡¯m in.¡±


    The woman gave Tristan a look, extinguishing the cigarette in her hand, ¡°Good, it¡¯s a deal.¡±


    Maeve and Charles, held hostage by their daughter¡¯s sleep cycle, hurried out after Tristan.


    As Maeve reached for the door, a thought caught her. She turned around with a mix of determination


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    and something else flickering in her gaze and headed straight for Cherise.


    Maeve said, ¡°Hey, I owe you a big apology for how I treated your mom. I was blind back then, wrapped


    up in my own family mess. Family has always meant the world to me, so Dame showing you more


    favor, even over his sister, confused me. But now, I see it clearly. Both of you were never wrong. It was


    me who messed up.¡±


    Damien¡¯s jaw dropped. Maeve¡¯s apology caught him off guard, maybe even left him speechless.


    Her face disyed a range of emotions: relief at finally speaking her truth, joy at the potential


    reconciliation, and perhaps a touch of uncertainty about the future.


    Admitting fault wasn¡¯t easy, but she did it. Perhaps her perspective was limited, but her actions


    stemmed from a genuine desire to do what she thought was best.


    Cherise pursed her lips, standing to support Maeve. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past behind.¡±


    Maeve squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, a glint of determination recing the tears. ¡°No.


    The past isn¡¯t done with us.¡±


    Cherise¡¯s jaw dropped, and her eyes darted between Maeve and Damien.  New ch?pter av?ble o?


    Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    Damien averted his gaze, his grip on Cherise¡¯s hand tightening. ¡°C¡¯mon, sis, let¡¯s leave it be.¡±


    Maeve ignored him, her voice gaining strength. ¡°No, 1 have to tell you this. Cherry, if it weren¡¯t for me


    five years ago, you and Dame wouldn¡¯t have been separated. The day you nned to meet, I¡­ I kept


    him away.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 810

    Chapter 810


    Chapter 810 Maeve¡¯s Sincere Apology


    ¡°I guilt-tripped him. I told him that choosing you meant betraying his family,¡± Maeve confessed, her


    face


    etched with guilt.


    ¡°I pressured him, watched him from the shadows. My Health was deteriorating, and I couldn¡¯t handle


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    the stress, ording to the doctors at that time. So, with me constantly monitoring him, picking at his


    conscience, he couldn¡¯t bear to hurt me or speak the truth. He could only push you away.¡±


    ¡°At that time, after you left, Tristan was frantic, searching for you everywhere. But I still med him,


    thinking it was all his fault, and that he deserved every bit of suffering. Then things changed. Meeting


    Charles made me realize that Dame had chosen a kind soul ¨C you. And your mom is not a viin, not at


    all¡­¡±


    The woman paused, took a deep breath, and then bowed deeply. ¡°If you and Mr. Tanner are willing, I


    want to pay my respects to Aunt Charisa. We Lenoirs have done her wrong, causing her so much


    pain¡­ keeping you and Dame apart for far too long. And for that, I am truly, deeply sorry.¡±


    Maeve¡¯s words were humble, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor. Even Charles, standing beside


    her, was speechless, witnessing a side of his wife he had never known existed.


    Maeve bowed low, resembling a statue of remorse, her body trembling.


    Charles had the urge to ask her to stand, aware that the bowing posture would strain her already ailing


    body, but he refrained.


    He chose to step back, recognizing that this was her moment, her path to forgiveness.


    Whether it was Raymond or Maeve, everyone had to confront their past mistakes. Seeing Maeve in this


    state, her pride shattered, made Charles see her in a new light.


    The hall held its breath, every word Maeve uttered carrying profound weight.


    Cherise, gentle yet firm, grasped Maeve¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, Sis. We¡¯re a family now.¡±


    Savoring the word on her tongue, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°The past is behind us. Holding


    onto it only holds us back. Let¡¯s move forward, loving and caring for each other. That¡¯s all that


    matters.¡±


    With that, Cherise lifted Maeve up and asked Charles, ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to go, Charles? I heard the maid


    calling, mentioning that Marcy misses her daddy and mommy. Dame and I will stay back, so don¡¯t


    worry.¡±


    Maeve bit her lip, a tear cascading down her cheek.


    Charles stood by his wife, relieved, ¡°Just let us know if you need anything. We¡¯ll head out now.¡±


    With that, he assisted Maeve, wiping her tears away as he guided her away.


    Cherise observed their departure in the corridor, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Never did she


    imagine receiving such a heartfelt apology from Maeve.


    The revtion that Dame was helpless when they parted ways five years ago was equally


    unexpected.


    Instinctively, Cherise turned around. As she did, the man embraced her tightly. Startled, she said,


    ¡°Dame,


    1/2


    Cherise and Damien didn¡¯t linger in the hospital for too long.


    With Maeve and Charles gone, Cherise suggested grabbing a bite.  Read at NovelDrama.Org


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± he declined.


    Cherise yfully tugged at Damien¡¯s sleeve, lips pursed, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not hungry, I am. Can you


    bear to let your wifey starve?¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 811

    Chapter 811


    Chapter 811 I¡¯m Happy


    Cherise nced at her watch as she spoke. It was already past ten at night.


    +5 Free Coins


    Since finishing lunch, Damien had been busy making arrangements for Zachary¡¯s wedding. After the


    wedding ceremony ended, he also had to manage the evening banquet and didn¡¯t have a chance to eat


    anything.


    Yet, he now imed to have no appetite. This was concerning because even the strongest person


    would be exhausted by now.


    Damien nced at Cherise and smiled. ¡°If I remember correctly, someone indulged in a lot of food at


    the wedding.¡±


    ¡°During the wedding ceremony, everyone was focused on the bride and groom exchanging vows, but a


    certain food lover went to the dessert table and ate a lot. After the wedding, she even had a drumstick


    and continued eating¡­¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Damien¡¯s voice was loud enough that the doctors and nurses passing by in the corridor looked at


    Cherise incredulously.


    Seeing her reputation about to be tarnished, Cherise immediately frowned, ¡°I have a healthy appetite.


    What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    I offer to take him out for dinner for his sake, wanting to ensure he eats something. Yet, he dares to


    embarrass me in public?


    Does he want to sleep outside tonight? He has no sense of self-preservation at all!


    ¡°Okay.¡± Damien smiled faintly and gently pinched Cherise¡¯s cheek. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for dinner. What would


    you like to have?¡±


    Cherise nced at the time.


    Life in Ziphon was slower than in Adania, and most residents went to bed at around eight or nine at


    night. The only eateries still open at this hour were probably street stalls.


    Thus, she turned to Damien and asked tentatively, ¡°How about¡­ we go to a street stall?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Damien frowned slightly but did not object. He held Cherise¡¯s hand and led her out of the


    hospital.


    But when Damien was about to go to his car on the ground floor, Cherise stopped him.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re going to a street stall¡­ we should walk or take a taxi.¡±


    Every one of Damien¡¯s cars was too eye-catching. They would attract too much attention if they drove


    one to a street stall.


    Damien frowned and considered briefly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a stall nearby!¡± Cherise checked the directions on her phone and excitedly grabbed Damien¡¯s


    hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    1/2


    Chapter 811 I¡¯m Happy


    +5 Free Coins


    The man beside her was the man she loved the most, and their present scene was what she had once


    longed for. Perhaps this was what true happiness felt like.


    ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Damien asked softly, sensing the emotions of the woman beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ happy.¡± Cherise looked up with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m very happy.¡±  Re§Ñd at Dramanov§Öls


    ¡°What are you happy about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that there¡¯s no real animosity between us. I¡¯m happy that your dad and my mom are good


    people.¡±


    Cherise paused before adding. ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­ that five years ago, you wanted me to stay, right?¡±


    When Maeve apologized earlier, Cherise knew Maeve left many things unsaid. Furthermore, Cherise


    also understood what Maeve wanted to say, which was that five years ago, Damien didn¡¯t want to let


    her go.

 Chapter 812

    Chapter 812


    Chapter 812 Lying To Save Her


    At that time, Maeve was constantly pressuring Damien with their family ties and how she had risked


    her


    life for him. Damien had no choice but to watch helplessly as Cherise left.


    Reflecting on it, Cherise could sense the despair in Damien¡¯s heart at that moment.


    It must have been unbearable for him. He must have felt hopeless¡­ Fortunately, that¡¯s all in the past


    now.


    Cherise smiled at Damien and asked, ¡°Damien, have you fallen so deeply in love with me that you


    can¡¯t. break free?¡± Her face flushed with embarrassment after saying that. She had never been so


    daring before.


    Damien paused and looked at her. ¡°What would you do if I said yes?¡±


    Cherise blushed. ¡°If you said yes, I would be overjoyed to the point of happiness!¡±


    ¡°Die?¡± Damien arched an eyebrow and yfully ruffled her hair. ¡°You can¡¯t die yet. I look forward to


    having more children with you. Since telling the truth could harm you, I¡¯ll have to lie.¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement. ¡°Listen carefully. I¡¯m not hopelessly in love with you.¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned, but suddenly, her face turned beet red.


    When did he be so skilled at teasing me?


    She had said that if he admitted to being hopelessly in love with her, she would be overjoyed to the


    point of happiness. Then, he responded that he did not want her to die, so he lied about not loving her


    that much. But the truth was he was truly and hopelessly in love with her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Cherise¡¯s eyes crinkled as she smiled. She threw herself into Damien¡¯s arms. ¡°Hubby, I love you so


    much.*


    ¡°I know.¡± Damien gently patted her back. ¡°Unfortunately, I have to ask you to let me go.¡±


    Cherise frowned and looked up at him in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± Damien nced at the nearby food stall. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the ce to eat.¡±


    Cherise was momentarily stunned. Then, her cheeks blushed as she looked up. They had indeed


    arrived at the stall.


    The stall owner was busy barbecuing food at a nearby stall. Customers were seated at tables scattered


    near the stall. There were couples, friends, and a few lively individuals drinking and chatting.


    As the aroma of the barbecue wafted through the air, Cherise couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath.


    ¡°It smells so good!¡± Cherise quickly grabbed Damien¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food!¡±


    Damien nodded helplessly, allowing Cherise to drag him as they dashed to the stall.


    ¡°Mister, I want this, this, and this!¡± After saying this, Cherise turned around, intending to pull Damien to


    the stall, only to find him staring at something across the street. She frowned and followed his gaze.


    Gwenn stood under the streetmp on the opposite side of the street. She was dressed in a red outfit


    and


    F


    1/2


    Chapter 812 Lying To Save Her


    +5 Free Coins


    was smoking andughing while chatting with someone on the phone. Sensing Cherise and Damien¡¯s


    gaze, Gwenn casually nced at Cherise and smiled. She mouthed something.


    Damien shifted his gaze away from Gwenn and calmly watched Cherise trying to cheer him up.


    2/2


    was smoking andughing while chatting with someone on the phone. Sensing Cherise and Damien¡¯s


    gaze, Gwenn casually nced at Cherise and smiled. She mouthed something.


    Cherise knew what Gwenn was saying. ¡°I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡±  New ch§Ñpter av?ble on


    NovelDrama.Org


    ¡°Hubby.¡± Cherise pouted, pulling Damien to sit in the chair by the food stall. ¡°Don¡¯t look at her. She will


    only ruin your mood.¡±.


    After saying that, she quickly changed the subject, showing Damien the menu. ¡°I ordered this, this, and


    this¡­ I remember you haven¡¯t eaten at this kind of stall before, right?¡±


    Damien shifted his gaze away from Gwenn and calmly watched Cherise trying to cheer him up.


    Q


    2/2

 Chapter 813

    Chapter 813


    Chapter 813 You Asked For It


    He knew Cherise was trying to cheer him up, thinking he was in a bad mood. In reality, he was not


    angry.


    Although he was furious about the past events, he felt somewhat relieved after confronting Raymond.


    Fortunately, despite his father and Raymond being brothers, his father waspletely different from


    his brother.


    If he had not apanied Cherise to Miles Manor at the time and met Patricia, he might still have


    doubts about his father¡¯s character. Thankfully, it was all a misunderstanding.


    ¡°Hubby, are you listening?¡±


    Seeing Damien remain silent, Cherise quickly tugged his shirt to grab his attention, ¡°Did you hear


    anything I said?¡±


    Damien looked at her and smiled. ¡°Can you repeat it?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll repeat it.¡± Cherise pouted and continued, ¡°Stop daydreaming. You make me feel silly for


    talking to myself.¡±


    ¡°You are a silly girl who talks to herself!¡±


    A drunken male voice interrupted just as Cherise finished speaking. Then, an overweight man holding


    a beer bottle sat beside Cherise. He stared at her, squinting his eyes. ¡°Babe, your handsome boy is


    ignoring you! So why don¡¯t you have a nice chat with me? I¡¯ll pay full attention to you and listen to


    everything you say.¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze swept over Cherise¡¯s chest. ¡°Wow, quite busty, huh? Nice! They must feel great


    to


    touch!¡±


    Cherise turned pale and instinctively covered her chest.


    She wore a form-fitting dress to attend Zachary and Lyra¡¯s wedding. The snug fit entuated her


    naturally beautiful figure, exuding a restrained yet sensual charm,


    After the earlier incident, Cherise was unsettled and had not had the chance to change her clothes.


    Now, prompted by this sleazy man¡¯s words, she realized the nature of her attire.


    ¡°You¡¯re too noisy.¡±


    Damien stood up before the sleazy man could speak again.


    Unexpectedly, the sleazy man was a skilled fighter and raised his hand to strike Damien. However,


    Damien swiftly grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and twisted it hard.


    ¡°Argh!¡±The man¡¯s howl reverberated through the entire street.


    With that howl, the man¡¯spanions behind him could no longer stay seated. A group of them


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    aggressively overturned the tables and came menacingly toward Damien.


    ¡°You should be honored that my friend wanted to flirt with your woman. How dare you hit him? I¡¯ll make


    you regret it!¡±


    r


    1/2


    Diet and dly at the group of pele. His cracked as he clenched his hands


    I¡¯m as a good day Although


    you is a bit be you and fra


    Calling for backup


    As Cherise was using her phone, the sleazy man Dam had beaten up watched it away Have you seen


    how many friends I have?


    Damien sneered and nced coldly at the group of people. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his


    hands. ¡°So be it. I¡¯m not in a good mood today. Although beating you is a bit beneath me, you asked for


    it.¡±  Content of Dra§Þ??ovels


    With that, he took off his jacket and threw it onto Cherise. ¡°Put this on.¡±


    The jacket obscured Cherise¡¯s vision. By the time she pulled it off her head, Damien had already


    started fighting the thugs.


    She was so flustered that she didn¡¯t even put on the jacket. Instead, she frantically called Mr. Kolson


    and ke for help.


    ¡°Calling for backup?¡±


    As Cherise was using her phone, the sleazy man Damien had beaten up snatched it away. ¡°Have you


    seen how many friends I have?¡±

 Chapter 814

    Chapter 814


    Chapter 814 A Man Of Character


    Cherise looked around, bewildered. The stall was nowpletely surrounded by men ready to fight.


    Instinctively, she stepped back and turned to the sleazy man. ¡°What¡­¡±


    It was evident that these thugs were prepared. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have gathered so quickly just


    to harass a woman dining there. Instead, it seemed like they had been lurking around, waiting for the


    perfect moment to strike.


    Cherise nced at Damien, who was still engaged in a fierce battle. Although she knew her husband


    was formidable, he couldn¡¯t take on ten opponents simultaneously. Moreover, it seemed like there were


    hundreds of them.


    Under these circumstances, Damien would have to be superhuman to win. But the reality was, no


    matter how strong he was, he couldn¡¯t fight off so many at once.


    ¡°Hehe, do you see how powerful I am now?¡± The sleazy manughed at Cherise. ¡°If you don¡¯t want


    your man to end up with broken legs and arms, you better serve me well!¡±


    Cherise closed her eyes and knew she couldn¡¯t let this continue. She recalled her past experiences,


    including how she dealt with Tristan five years ago and the times she faced danger.


    She took a deep breath and picked up a beer bottle with trembling hands before smashing it against


    the table. After the bottle shattered, she held a piece of ss in her hand.


    Filled with sudden courage, she pressed the ss shard against the sleazy man¡¯s heart. ¡°Since you


    came prepared, I guess your boss didn¡¯t tell you I¡¯m an excellent cardiac surgeon.¡±


    She bit her lip, trying to keep her voice steady. ¡°I can urately locate your heart. If I push this down,


    your. life is over.¡±


    Her fierce gaze frightened the sleazy man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Look it up. My name is Cherise. I used to be a cardiac surgeon at Lermille


    Hospital,¡± Cherise continued coldly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re as good as you im, kill him.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Just as Cherise thought she had scared the sleazy man, a middle-aged man in a suit strolled over,


    fanning himself. ¡°Stab his heart with the ss. I¡¯m curious to see how long it takes for a person to die


    after their heart is pierced.¡±


    Then, the slender middle-aged man casually sat on a chair. He nced at the still-fighting Damien with


    eyes full of mockery. ¡°Impressive skills.¡±


    After that, he turned to Cherise. ¡°And impressive courage. But why did you provoke someone you


    shouldn¡¯t have?¡±


    The middle-aged man fanned himself and continued, ¡°Since you know someone hired us, would you


    like to hear our employer¡¯s exact words?¡±


    The middle-aged man nced at Cherise, securely protected in Damien¡¯s embrace. He smiled with a


    hint of admiration. ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re a real man.¡±  Co?tent of Dr?manov§Öls


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in this line of work for a long time and have seen countless couples abandon each other


    when faced with great danger. I¡¯ve also witnessed many men betray their women at critical moments.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you can protect your woman so well in times like this shows that you¡¯re a man of


    character.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 815

    Chapter 815


    Chapter 815 He Owes Me


    The middle-aged man smiled slightly and said. ¡°Since both of us are courageous. I won¡¯t beat around


    the bush. The person who hired us said that either you hand over your woman to us¡­ Or. both of you


    die here tonight


    He nced at Damien indifferently before continuing. But seeing how much you care for the woman in


    your arms. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll choose either of the first two options. So, how about I offer you a third


    choice?¡±


    The middle-aged man looked into Damien¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to die here. I can spare your woman.


    I won¡¯t trouble her again and will ensure her safety. After all, her man is someone willing to sacrifice for


    her


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°What if I don¡¯t choose any of the three options?¡±


    His deep voice mixed with hostility and anger. ¡®I don¡¯t trust anyone else to take care of her. I¡¯ve lost her


    for five years, and she hasn¡¯t fared well in my absence. I don¡¯t trust anyone except myself. Only by


    staying alive can provide the best care for her and our children!¡±


    Damien coldly stared at the middle-aged man. ¡®If you want to fight, let¡¯s fight. If you want to kill me, just


    do it. No need for all this nonsense.


    Cherise, held securely in Damien¡¯s arms, began to weep.


    ¡°Mr. Aquino, why waste your time talking to them?¡± The sleazy man who harassed Cherise frowned


    and tried to persuade the middle-aged man. ¡°Our client gave us so much money. We should do our job


    properly!¡±


    The middle-aged man called Mr. Aquino gave the sleazy man a cold nce. Even though we¡¯ve taken


    the client¡¯s money, we should still have our principles! This is the rule I¡¯ve followed all these years¡±


    Cherise froze when she heard the surname Aquino. She quickly broke free of Damien¡¯s embrace and


    looked at Mr. Aquino in astonishment. ¡°Are you Jarvi Aquino?¡±


    Mr. Aquino gripped his cane and raised his eyebrows slightly. He looked at Cherise and smirked with a


    hint of mockery. ¡°Why? Have you heard about me?¡¯


    ¡°I have!¡± Cherise answered decisively. ¡°My mother mentioned you before she passed away?¡±


    Before Charisa Miles passed away, she recounted her experiences over the decades to Cherise. She


    talked about her love and marriage with Beckham, her subsequent revenge, and even her rise to fame


    in Ziphon


    In Charisa Miles¡¯ stories about Ziphon, there was a man named Jarvi Aquino.


    Charisa was already confined to her sickbed at the time. She held Cherises hand and smiled. Speaking


    of jarvi, it was dramatic. Not many people know I saved this well-respected underworld boss in Ziphon Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    12  New ch?pter av?ble o? Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    Charisa paused before continuing, ¡°Cherry, if you or Damien ever encounter problems in Ziphon, you


    can find Jarvi. He owes me a big favor, and I¡¯ve never asked him to repay me!¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 816

    Chapter 816


    Chapter 816 I Admired Her


    Five years ago, Cherise could never have imagined that the past events Charisa had told her would


    save her in this critical moment.


    Thanks to her excellent memory, she recalled Jarvi¡¯s name and remembered Charisa describing him as


    a man of integrity.


    ¡°Your mother?¡± Jarvi gazed at Cherise, and furrowed his brow.


    Only now did he start to closely examine Cherise¡¯s face. Previously, he had simply regarded her as his


    prey, and a prey meant nothing to him.


    But now, as he looked at Cherise¡¯s round face and eyes, memories of a determined woman


    inexplicably appeared in his mind.


    She and her¡­ are too simr.


    ¡°My mother is Charisa Miles.¡± Cherise took a deep breath, met Jarvi¡¯s gaze, and continued earnestly,


    ¡°Charisa Miles, the former head of the Miles family, is my mother. She told me about you before she


    passed away five years ago. She said I could seek your help if I ever encountered trouble in Ziphon.¡±


    After uttering those words, Cherise took a deep breath and retrieved a photo of her and Charisa from


    her pocket. She handed it to Jarvi, saying, ¡°Currently, I don¡¯t have any other means to prove that


    Charisa is my mother. This photo is all I have with me. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can follow me to my


    hotel. I have some belongings in my suitcase that can verify my identity.¡±


    Jarvi was briefly stunned. He quickly stepped forward and snatched the photo from Cherise¡¯s hand.


    The photo depicted the woman before him and Charisa. Charisa appeared extremely haggard and had


    a frighteningly paleplexion. It was evident that she was gravely ill.


    Jarvi¡¯s hand trembled violently as he held the photo. He was aware of Charisa¡¯s condition five years


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ago and had tried to visit her when her illness was severe.


    However, people from Miles Manor had informed him that Charisa was with her daughter and husband.


    She did not wish to see anyone else in her final moments and only desired to be with the people she


    cared about the most.


    That night, Jarvi couldn¡¯t sleep. He finally understood how it felt to be considered unimportant by


    someone he cared about. His heart trembled as he gazed at the photo in his hand.


    Unexpectedly, he met Charisa¡¯s daughter five years after her passing.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Jarvi took a deep breath and said with a hint of plea. ¡°May I¡­ keep this photo? After all¡­ I


    admired her deeply.¡±


    Jarvi looked at Cherise, not concealing his emotions. His beloved was already gone. Hiding his feelings


    would serve no purpose. It would be better to express them openly. Perhaps he could keep this photo


    and have something to remember her by.


    Cherise was taken aback. She had never expected things to unfold in this way.


    Although reluctant to part with it, as it was thest photo taken with her mother, she realized that


    getting close to Jarvi might be the solution to the crisis she and Damien were facing.


    Thus, Cherise took a deep breath and hesitated before turning to Jarvi. ¡°I can give this to you. But¡­¡±


    Updated at Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    She struggled to meet Jarvi¡¯s gaze. ¡°Currently, your client wants to capture me and my husband¡­¡±


    III


    2/2

 Chapter 817

    Chapter 817


    Chapter 817 Better Taste In Men


    ¡°Who cares about the client?¡± Jarvi waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Everyone, step back¡±


    The sleazy man, realizing that the money was slipping away, widened his eyes in shock. ¡°But, Mr.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Aquino,


    what¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what? She¡¯s my friend¡¯s daughter! I can¡¯t bring myself to harm her for money, Go


    and refund the money!¡±


    After saying this, he seemed to realize something was wrong and cleared his throat. ¡°Add an extra


    twenty percent as a penalty fee to silence the client!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± As Jarvi was about to lose his temper, the sleazy man could only sigh and start leading the


    others


    away.


    When the crowd finally dispersed, Cherise reluctantly handed the photo to Jarvi. ¡°Mr. Aquino, since


    you¡¯ve been so considerate to us, here¡¯s the photo as promised¡­


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Jarvi took the photo and said something to the person beside him. The person hurried away


    with the photo.


    Cherise was confused. ¡°Mr. Aquino, what are you¡­¡±


    ¡°Please have a seat.¡± Jarvi politely gestured to the chair beside him. He then smiled at Cherise. ¡°I can


    tell you¡¯re also reluctant to part with it.¡±


    Jarvi exined, ¡°It¡¯s understandable. After all, you¡¯re Charisa¡¯s biological daughter. After so many


    years apart, you finally found her, and now she¡¯s gone¡­ So, of course, I can¡¯t keep this photo to


    myself


    ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ve instructed my subordinate to make a copy of the photo. I¡¯ll keep the copy,


    and you can keep the original as a memento.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Aquino,¡± Cherise looked at the man before her, feeling an indescribable emotion in her


    heart. Perhaps her mother had foreseen this day when she told her about these things?


    Thinking of her mother made her detest Raymond even more.


    If not for him, my mother wouldn¡¯t have died so young.


    ¡°Your husband seems to treat you very well.¡± Jarvi nced at Damien indifferently before turning to


    Cherise and sighed. ¡°You have much better taste in men than your mother.¡±


    Cherise pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡±


    In reality, it was all a coincidence. Although she was infatuated with Damien at first sight, if not for the


    deal between her uncle and Damien¡¯s grandfather, she would not have had any connection with


    Damien.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s true. You have much better taste than your mother,¡± Jarvi replied frankly. ¡°Your mother loved


    your father all her life.¡±


    ¡°At first, your father couldn¡¯t protect her, letting her suffer. Later, he couldn¡¯tpete with your mother


    or find her whereabouts. He never realized his ipetence or knew that your mother had been


    secretly


    III


    F


    1/2


    ¡°And your man here is more of a man than your father. He doesn¡¯t trust anyone else to take care of


    you, based on what he just said. He believes that only he can take good care of you. I can tell from


    these words that he¡¯s a real man!¡±


    Cherise became even more embarrassed by Jarvi¡¯s words. ¡°Mr. Aquino, don¡¯t praise him like that, or


    he¡¯ll be arrogant.¡±


    Jarviughed, his expression softening considerably. It was aplete departure from his previous


    cold demeanor. At this moment, he looked more like a kind old man.  Re?d at Dr?m§Ñ?§àv§Öls


    He looked at Cherise with a smile. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t praise him, it won¡¯t stop him from bing proud.


    He looks like a child from a wealthy family, with pride and magnanimity.¡±


    ¡°People like him are naturally proud and won¡¯t change themselves because of anyone¡¯s praise or


    criticism.¡± After saying this, he nced at Damien as if seeking confirmation. ¡°Am I right?¡±


    r


    2/2

 Chapter 818

    Chapter 818


    Chapter 818 Kindness Is Useful


    Damien finally rxed his tense nerves and humbly responded, ¡°Mr. Aquino, you have keen insight.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯ve seen a lot!¡± Jarvi was delighted by Damien¡¯s words. He even patted Damien¡¯s shoulder


    and poured him a ss of beer. ¡°Join me for a drink. It¡¯s been a while since I met a young person as


    straightforward as you!¡±


    Damien smiled, picked up the ss, and began drinking with Jarvi.


    After a few drinks, Jarvi became even more at ease with them.


    He patted Damien¡¯s shoulder and repeatedly urged him to take care of Cherise. ¡°This girl is probably


    Charisa¡¯sst concern in the world. You must look after her¡­¡±


    Damien nodded, agreeing with everything Jarvi said.


    By the time he and Jarvi started drinking their fifth ss of beer, the subordinate who had gone out to


    make a copy of the photo had returned.


    Jarvi happily collected the photocopy and returned the original photo to Cherise. He even


    enthusiastically instructed his subordinate to send Cherise and Damien back to the hotel.


    After Cherise exited the car driven by Jarvi¡¯s subordinate, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m so


    grateful that Mom decided to do a good deed that day and saved Jarvi¡¯s life.¡±


    Furthermore, if Cherise had not remembered her mother mentioning Jarvi just now, she and Damien


    would not have returned to the hotel safe and sound.


    ¡°So kindness is useful sometimes.¡± Damien smiled and embraced Cherise. ¡°All right, we¡¯ve had dinner.


    It¡¯s time to rest.¡±


    Although the recent scare was a false rm, he could tell Cherise was exhausted.


    The two entered the elevator and were about to return to their room when Damien¡¯s phone started


    ringing incessantly.


    The call was from Mr. Kolson, who was guarding the hospital.


    ¡°Sir, you muste to the hospital immediately!¡±


    Mr. Kolson¡¯s urgent voice made Damien frown. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Raymond¡­ he escaped¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Damien replied calmly and hung up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Cherise was opening the door with the room card. She frowned and turned to Damien. She seemed


    exhausted, but she still looked at Damien with concern


    Damien pursed his lips slightly and embraced Cherise. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Tristan is causing trouble at the


    1/2


    Chapter 818 Kindness Is Useful


    hospital again.¡±


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    Damien¡¯s determined gaze made Cherise take a deep breath. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cherise was genuinely exhausted. She had never experienced so many emotional ups and downs in


    one day. Now, it seemed she could fall asleep as soon as shey on the bed.


    After confirming several times that Damien could handle the situation at the hospital by himself,


    Cherise yawned, closed her eyes, and fell asleep shortly after.  Co?tent of Dr?manov§Öls


    Hearing her steady breathing, Damien finally took a deep breath and left the room.


    The hospital was in chaos.


    ke sat silently on the marble floor of the corridor, hugging his knees.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Kolson looked at Damien apologetically. ¡°Shortly after you and Mrs. Lenoir left, Mrs.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Lenoir¡¯s sister and father visited Raymond.¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 819

    Chapter 819


    Chapter 819 It Was A Diversion


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    ¡°I refused to let them enter, but Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s sister imed that Mr. Beckham hade to confront


    Raymond about some past issues. She also warned us that we would be in serious trouble if we


    angered Mr. Beckham.¡±


    Mr. Kolson looked down as he spoke, not daring to meet Damien¡¯s gaze. ¡°I wanted to call you, but your


    phone had no signal. I tried several times but couldn¡¯t get through.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s sister kept pressuring me¡­ so I let them in. I thought they couldn¡¯t attempt anything with


    Raymond as long as we were there. But I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    Mr. Kolson pointed to a stranger restrained by two bodyguards in a corner. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the man Mrs.


    Lenoir¡¯s sister brought was not Mr. Beckham, but a skilled impersonator.¡±


    ¡°After this man entered, hey in bed pretending to be Raymond. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lenoir¡¯s sister left


    with the real Raymond.¡± Mr. Kolson¡¯s voice grew softer as he spoke. He could not believe he had made


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    such a mistake.


    Damien closed his eyes and took out his phone, saying, ¡°Zachary, I need a favor. Can you block the


    traffic in Ziphon? I need to find someone.¡±


    Zachary did not ask any questions but responded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Greg, the butler, rushed to Damien. ¡°I¡¯ve obtained the surveince footage.


    They headed towards the harbor, most likely to board a smuggler¡¯s boat.¡±


    Greg paused before continuing, ¡°I checked further. The most recent smuggler¡¯s boat set sail half an


    hour ago. Raymond probably left on that boat.¡±


    Damien closed his eyes, a cold smile forming on his face. ¡°So, it was a diversion.¡±


    He now knew with certainty that Gwenn was the client Jarvi mentioned. However, her main goal was


    not to harm them. Instead, it was to prevent him and Cherise from returning to the hospital.


    Furthermore, Damien believed Mr. Kolson had indeed tried to call him, and the fact that his phone had


    no signal was probably true. After all, if Gwenn could hire so many people to trouble him and Cherise,


    she could easily install a few signal-blocking devices near the stall.


    Seeing Damien remaining silent, Mr. Kolson was so fearful that he immediately knelt before him.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s my fault¡­ I will ept any punishment you issue to me.¡±


    As someone close to Damien, Mr. Kolson understood how much Damien hated Raymond. Even though


    Raymond was his uncle, it did not stop him from mercilessly beating him up.


    Yet, due to Mr. Kolson¡¯s momentary negligence, Gwenn had helped Raymond escape.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± Damien returned to his senses and nced at Mr. Kolson. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. The enemy


    lurks in the shadows while we are in the light. Of course, we couldn¡¯t anticipate that others would resort


    to such despicable means. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    After saying that, Damien casually turned to Greg. ¡°Transfer the surveince footage to aptop and


    bring


    12:25 Mon, Feb 5 Kiss


    Chapter 819 It Was A Diversion


    this impersonator with us. We might have to pay a visit to my father-inw tonight.¡±


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    Greg was stunned for a moment but soon understood Damien¡¯s intention. ¡°Sir, are you nning to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Damien smiled faintly. ¡°Since Gwenn dares to rescue Raymond, she should be well aware of the


    consequences she now faces.¡±


    Raymond was not only Damien¡¯s enemy but also Beckham Tanner¡¯s.


    Since Gwenn used Beckham as a cover to rescue Raymond, she had essentially severed her


    connection to Beckham.


    Kiss

 Chapter 820

    Chapter 820


    Chapter 820 It Has To Be Now


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    Damien wanted Beckham to witness firsthand what the adopted daughter he had always defended had


    done.


    If anger for what Raymond did to Charisa could not surpass the so-called father-daughter bond he


    shared with Gwenn, then this man was truly as hopeless as Jarvi had imed.


    Themp on the hotel desk illuminated the room. It was already past eleven at night, but Beckham


    remained awake. He sat in the chair, diligently writing a letter on exquisite paper. The letter was


    intended for Charisa in heaven.


    ¡°Ari, we have finally found the culprit who hurt you back then. Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°Ari, Damien¡¯s father is not a bad person. You can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°As for Raymond¡­ not only will Damien not let him go, but I won¡¯t either¡­¡±


    Beckham held the pen and smiled as he wrote. Yet, in another moment, tears streamed down his face.


    Charisa¡¯s life had been tough. It took five years after her passing to find the culprit who assaulted her


    when she was a young woman. Furthermore, it was also in the fifth year after her departure that her


    family finally emerged.


    But was it all toote? Was it really toote?


    Her life had already slipped away. Beckham could never hold her in his embrace and hear her calling


    his name. He owed her too much in this lifetime.


    ¡°Ari, don¡¯t worry.¡± Beckham took a deep breath and wiped his tears. ¡°Once Raymond is dead, I¡¯lle


    to find you. Please wait for me.¡±


    When Damien and his men arrived at Beckham¡¯s door, Beckham had just finished his letter. As he


    ced the exquisite letter into an envelope, there was a knock at the door.


    He furrowed his brows, appearing displeased as he nced at the door. He carefully shut Serafina and


    Soren¡¯s bedroom door before heading to the main door. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s me.¡± Damien¡¯s deep voice sounded from outside.


    Beckham¡¯s brows furrowed even more. ¡°It¡¯ste. What are you doing here instead of being with


    Cherry?¡±


    Damien remained calm despite Beckham¡¯s displeased tone. He smiled and replied, ¡°I have something


    to discuss with you.¡±


    Beckham frowned. ¡°Does it have to be tonight?¡±


    The children were already asleep. He feared Damien¡¯s arrival and discussion would wake the children.


    Serafina might not be a problem, but Soren was always sensitive. He was worried that Soren would


    wake up and overhear something he shouldn¡¯t.


    12:26 Mon, Feb 5 Kiss


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    Chapter 820 It Has To Be Now


    ¡°Yes, it has to be now.¡± Damien took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Please open the door. I¡¯ll have


    ke go in and watch the children¡¯sleep. You and I can talk next door.¡±


    Beckham could not deny that it was a good idea. Thus, after considering briefly, he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He put on the coat hanging nearby and opened the door.


    But to his surprise, Damien and ke were not the only ones there. Greg, Mr. Kolson, and others were


    also


    present.


    Beckham furrowed his brows. ¡°Why bring so many people?¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t some of these people be guarding Raymond?


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Damien smiled politely and gave ke a signal


    ke nodded immediately. He darted into the room and sat on the couch. ¡°I¡¯llplete the task!¡±


    The youngster¡¯s eyes were exceptionally clear.


    Beckham took a deep breath. He thought ke was a bit young and might be unable to take good care


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    of Serafina and Soren. However, he did not have a choice.


    12:26 Mon, Feb 5

 Chapter 821

    Chapter 821


    Chapter 821 You Have A Keen Foresight


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    Beckham had personally witnessed ke¡¯s exceptional abilities. Even though he might not know how


    to properly care for the children, at least his presence ensured their safety.


    With this in mind, Beckham turned to Damien and asked, annoyed, ¡°What do you want to discuss at


    this hour?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Raymond and Gwenn,¡± Damien smiled and politely gestured for Beckham to sit in the


    adjacent


    room.


    Once everyone was seated, Mr. Kolson carefully closed the door.


    Beckham reclined against the couch and nced at Damien impatiently. ¡°Why did you bring me here in


    such a hurry? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Has Raymond escaped?¡± Beckham added jokingly. He knew Raymond could never escape with


    Damien around.


    However, Damien fell momentarily silent as the words left Beckham¡¯s mouth. Then, he nodded slightly,


    saying, ¡°It seems you have a keen foresight. Raymond has indeed escaped.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Beckham sat on the couch, staring nkly at Damien, unable to recover for a long time.


    How is this possible? Raymond escaped?


    Every one of Damien¡¯s subordinates is highly skilled. How could a severely injured man escape their


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    clutches?


    Seeing the disbelief in Beckham¡¯s eyes, Damien smiled helplessly and gestured to Greg. Then, he


    turned to Beckham, saying, ¡°I want to show you a video.¡±


    Greg readied theptop as Damien spoke. The screen showed the surveince footage.


    In the video, Gwenn, dressed in a red coat, supported a man with an outfit identical to Beckham¡¯s and


    slowly walked out of the hospital room.


    The man wore a hat and a mask, but his clothes were unmistakably identical to the ones Beckham


    wore at today¡¯s wedding. Beckham had been wearing that suit all day. Even now, he wore the same


    coat seen in the video as he sat across Damien.


    Beckham furrowed his brow. He recalled that this coat was a gift from Gwenn. He thought Gwenn


    understood his preferences well and loved the clothes she got him, wearing them to important events.


    At the time, Gwenn even mentioned that she designed the clothes and had them custom-made. It was


    the only one of its kind in the world. But now, the man in the video was wearing the same clothes as


    him.


    Beckham pursed his lips and watched Gwenn leading the man into the ward. Then he saw Gwenn


    leaving the ward with the man.


    Once they disappeared from the screen, Greg turned off the video and exined, ¡°This is what


    happened, Mr. Beckham, Mrs. Lenoir was concerned that Mr. Lenoir had not eaten all day and brought


    him out for a meal.


    12:26 Mon, Feb 5


    Chapter 821 You Have A Keen Foresight


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    ¡°While they were having dinner, local thugs showed up and harassed them. While they dealt with the


    thugs, Ms. Gwenn Tanner led a man into the ward, iming he was you and that you wanted to see


    Raymond.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kolson tried to stop her, but she threatened that you would be upset and Mrs. Lenoir would have


    trouble appeasing you. Ultimately, Mr. Kolson had no choice but to let her in.¡±


    ¡°But when she left, the man she assisted was Raymond.¡±


    ¡°Our bodyguards were negligent. It was onlyter that they realized she had ced the man she


    brought on Raymond¡¯s bed and applied makeup to mimic his injuries, deceiving everyone.¡±


    12:26 Mon, Feb 5 1

 Chapter 822

    Chapter 822


    55%=


    +5 PeftCoins


    rer finished exining twbouwguards brought in a man, who was none other than thelonene had hired


    to impersonate amound,


    C


    shot


    an immediately looked donon whwinn die saw Beckham. The left half of his face still had makeup to to


    le Beckham, while the sight hd nakup to make him look like Raymond.


    m stood up in shock gazing at the man¡¯s felt half of his face, which was identical to tus own. Forona he


    was at a loss for words.


    He had stayed in his room all night and never considered visiting Raymond.


    er expected Gwenn to use his name todetereve Damien¡¯s bodyguards and rescue the enemy who ised


    him and Charisa a lifetime of patan.


    1. over fifty, swayed heavily and copsco o cotch the colich.


    ould this¡­ how could¡­¡±


    tld it be?


    Gwenn. She understands my feelings and what drainhandrut camp about the most. How could she


    rescue my ehind my back?


    ople have investigated.¡± Damien sighed before corumunung Gwenn orchestrated all this. She hered to


    harass me and Cherry. She also ced a signal blocking device where Cherry and i had dinner me


    away. Then, she took advantage of the fact that my boordinates would not resist your orders cessfully


    rescued Raymond.¡±


    added, ¡°They have left the hospital and gone to the pork Kayoend has already left Ziphon on a ing


    ship.


    ien calmly exined, Beckham trembled with rage.


    ould Gwenn¡­¡±


    ald she hurt me like this? She knows how much I despise Raymond My hatred joon hits is scout ont


    After all, it was Raymond who ruined and killed his family.


    enn, my beloved adopted daughter, sided with my enemy and helbed him esencebe!


    m closed his eyes tightly. His heart felt like countless stones were crushingle


    disappo


    much¡­


    Damien took a deep breath, ¡°I came here in the middle of the night to all to yoound show you ¡®s true


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    colors.¡±¡­


    ways known that you cherish Gwenn more than Cherise. your eyes, Cherisesuaikansare a 1


    connection, while Gwenn is the one you¡¯ve watched grow up.¡±


    bear to see you hurt Cherise repeatedly to protect Gwenn so I urgently wanted to show you


    ¡®s true nature.¡±


    WM


    Bec


    CC BY


    pappy mempu


    pure u jam the pro


    pap ang mamp


    many years, tad mudirists for motor jasont


    Aber saying the Hamich about up Tours all I wanted


    Chapter 899 she Dreappe

 Chapter 823

    Chapter 823


    Chapter 823 Learning From Romance Novels


    Beckham removed his coat and tossed it into the trash can.


    Cherise had a restful sleep and didn¡¯t dream throughout the night. When she woke up the next day, it


    was already past ten.


    Yawning, she got out of bed and realized that no one was beside her. She pouted and went to freshen


    up. As she picked up her phone to call Damien, she received a call from Zachary.


    ¡°Why are you calling so early?¡± Cherise asked, answering the call without checking the time.


    Zachary sounded amused and exasperated. ¡°My dear, it¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock. How is this early?


    How long did you sleep?¡±


    Cherise was astonished. She nced at the time before sheepishly smacking her forehead. ¡°Um,


    what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Something is definitely up.¡± Zachary Miles sighed. ¡°Lyra just called me, saying she¡¯s waiting for me at


    city


    hall


    Cherise frowned. ¡°What is she doing at city hall?¡±


    ¡°She wants to divorce me.¡±


    Cherise almost spat out the mouthwash in her mouth. After a moment, she coughed and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you, two just get married yesterday? Why does she want to divorce now?¡±


    After saying that, she pursed her lips and asked Zachary solemnly, ¡°Did you say something that made


    her think she shouldn¡¯t have married you?¡±


    Zacharyughed helplessly, ¡°No way! Cherise, I admit that initially, I agreed to the engagement


    because I thought she was eptable. But after experiencing her devotion all this time, she truly


    moved me. I sincerely want to grow old with her. Why would I hurt her or want to divorce her?¡±


    Cherise held her phone in astonishment. She had never heard Zachary talk about his feelings for a


    woman. It felt strange.


    Then, she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Did you call me because this is your first rtionship, and


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    you don¡¯t know what to do?¡±


    Zachary sighed helplessly. ¡°You¡¯ve guessed it. Why are you making fun of me? I¡¯m not good at wooing


    ¡°She¡¯s too emotional, always worried that I don¡¯t like her enough, constantly thinking I see her as a


    substitute. No matter what I say, she interprets it negatively and insists on divorcing me. So, I have no


    choice but to turn to you. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll say more wrong things.


    Cherise rubbed her temple helplessly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a love expert?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zachary chuckled. ¡°But you¡¯re her cousin and are as silly as her. People of the same kind can


    always


    findmon ground, right?¡±


    Cherise was rendered speechless.


    Why do I feel that this isn¡¯t apliment?


    Still, considering that Zachary had been caring for her children for nearly five years, she didn¡¯t bother


    arguing with him.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll contact Lyra now and have a good chat with her. But Zachary, expressing sincerity is


    much more than just talking. You should learn from Damien, read more romance novels, gain some


    insight, and learn how to be romantic.¡±


    Zachary fell silent for a while. ¡°Is what you learn from novels useful?¡±


    Cherise nodded solemnly. ¡°Certainly! I¡¯m always delighted when Damien gives me flowers! Whenever


    he prepares a surprise for me, even though I appear calm, I¡¯m overjoyed inside!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± A deep male voice echoed in the room.


    2/2

 Chapter 824

    Chapter 824


    Chapter 824 Unveiled Tensions


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise was so startled that she nearly dropped her phone. Instinctively, she turned her gaze toward


    the sound ¨C A man wrapped in a towel stood in the bathroom, staring at her.


    The midday sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his bare abs, making them all the more


    enticing. Cherise heard herself gulp upon seeing this,


    Damien leaned against the door with a faint smile ying on his lips as he observed her. ¡°So, Mrs.


    Lenoir, who always seemed so unwilling to be around me, actually has feelings for me.¡±


    She was just exchanging pleasantries with Zachary, merely using him as an example!


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± The man gave Cherise a faint smile, ¡°Continue buying red roses tonight.¡±


    Cherise asked, ¡°Can we¡­ change the color?¡±


    Though Damien¡¯s voice was not loud, the bathroom was indeed small. On the other end of the phone,


    Zachary had long heard Damien¡¯s voice.


    The man¡¯s warm smile was evident in his voice. ¡°Let Damee to me. I¡¯ll chat with your man for a


    while, you go and sort out my wife.¡± With that, the man chuckled and hung up the phone.


    Cherise held her phone with her mind in turmoil. She looked up at Damien, ¡°Zachary said¡­ um¡­!¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Damien pressed her against the wall, kissing her passionately on


    her soft lips.


    Cherise was taken aback by his sudden kiss. Helplessly, she wrapped her arms around his strong


    waist and said, ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°Good girl, let me kiss you for a while.¡± The man held her, closing his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    ¡°Only you can make me feel less tired.¡± His weary voice made Cherise¡¯s struggling hand instantly drop.


    The woman reached out her arm, gently stroking the man¡¯s back, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Lyra now.¡±


    Damien smiled helplessly. ¡°Then I might have to go and give Zachary a beatingter.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°A sexually frustrated man bes hostile towards anyone who interferes with his food.¡±


    The man smiled as he said this, then turned and left.


    Cherise stood there, watching his retreating figure, stunned for a long time. After a while, she let out a


    long sigh of relief, quickly freshened up, and called Lyra while she was at it.


    Cherise found Lyra at the entrance of the city hall. Today, Lyra wore a white dress, looking thin and


    exhausted, a far cry from her radiant appearance at the wedding yesterday.


    1/2


    ¡°Cherry¡­¡± Seeing Cherise, the young girl threw herself into Cherise¡¯s arms, tears streaming down her


    face, ¡°I feel so awful!¡±


    ¡°Zach doesn¡¯t like me!¡±


    A vein throbbed on Ch¨¦rise¡¯s forehead.


    Whileforting the girl in her arms, she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know from the beginning that he doesn¡¯t like


    you?¡±


    At first, she stubbornly ignored everyone and followed her heart, ¡°I know he doesn¡¯t like me, but as long


    as I can be with him, it¡¯s enough.¡± Now that she had him, what was there to worry about?


    Lyra¡¯s tears poured, ¡°I said those things back then to get you guys to help me marry him!¡±


    ¡°But now that he¡¯s awake¡­ I know clearly he¡¯s not happy with me.¡±


    Cherise took her to a nearby coffee shop. As they sat down, she asked, ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Because he always wears a troubled expression¡­¡± Lyra pursed her lips, her hands sped together,


    stirring restlessly. ¡°He was fine yesterday, but in the middle of the night, I saw him sitting in the study


    with a worried expression, sighing¡­¡±


    2/2

 Chapter 825 Speculations And Bridal Intrigues

    Chapter 825 Spections And Bridal Intrigues


    "I feel like he doesn''t want to marry me, but once he woke up, it was already set in stone, and there


    was no way to divorce. That''s why he can''t sleep but sighs all the time..."


    The more the little girl spoke, the more upset she became, and in the end, tears streamed down her


    face. "How can I bear to see him in such a predicament? If he''s too embarrassed to initiate a breakup,


    then let me do it. I don''t care what others think of me, as long as he''s happy..."


    Cherise was speechless. Taking a deep breath, she ordered a ss of iced lemon tea for Lyra.


    "Please, calm down. Maybe his gloomy face is not because of you?"


    Lyra pursed her lips, carefully looking up at Cherise. "If it''s not because of me, then what could it be?


    He just woke up and saw his most admired person vindicated. He has nothing to be gloomy about..."


    After saying this, she carefully pursed her lips again, adding in a low voice, "Besides marrying me...


    what else could make him feel so troubled?"


    Although she seemed somewhat convinced by Lyra, when Zachary called her in the morning, he


    clearly said that he wanted to live a good life with Lyra. So Cherise could only continue to advise Lyra


    calmly. But gradually, not only Lyra was overthinking, but Cherise was also overthinking.


    Yeah.


    If you genuinely want to live a good life with someone, and you don''t dislike them, why would you get


    up in the middle of your wedding night and sit in the study sighing?


    Is that how you should look when you marry the person you love?


    In the end, Cherise made up her mind, stood up, and took Lyra''s hand. "Stop crying, let''s go!"


    Lyra looked up at her with teary eyes. "Where are we going?"


    Cherise waved her hand. "Instead of specting here, let''s go to Zachary and ask him why he was so


    gloomy on his wedding night!"


    Lyra pursed her lips and immediately backed down. "Cherry... forget it..."


    "I don''t want to ask him face to face... it''s too awkward..."


    "Will you feel at ease if you don''t ask?"


    Cherise gave Lyra a nce and pulled her up. "As your cousin, I''ll make the decision for you today!"


    "Let''s go and ask Zachary together!"


    With that, regardless of Lyra''s resistance, Cherise directly pulled her into the car.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    At this moment, in the bridal chamber of Zachary Miles and Lyra Quinnell, Damien sat on the sofa,


    sipping tea while casually looking around. "I can see that Lyra has thought of you in every aspect."


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The man shook his head slightly. "How do you n to make it up to her?"


    "Between husband and wife, such calctions shouldn''t be made."


    Zachary smiled faintly, a hint of shyness shing in his eyes. "The rest of my life is hers. She should be


    very happy."


    Damienughed. "If she''s happy, why would she go to the city hall to wait for you?" Updated at


    Dr§Ñmanovels


    The man gave another sigh, "Last night, Lyra woke up and saw me sighing in the study. She probably


    overthought it."

 Chapter 826 The Zachary Then And Now

    Chapter 826 The Zachary Then And Now


    Zachary''s words hung in the air as the rumble of a car pierced the vi''s silence. He turned to the


    window, watching Cherise wrestle a reluctant Lyra through the gate.


    Damien chuckled, "Look, our firecracker Cherry hase to interrogate us."


    Zachary chuckled, hisughter carrying a touch of irony. "Crazy, right? Once upon a time, she was my


    world; Lyra was just the shadow in the corner. I never thought I''d be talking about her with you like this,


    let alone with a smile. But here we are."


    In the past, he never entertained advances from any other woman. His eyes and heart were exclusively


    for Cherise. Hence, Lyra, the silent guardian angel who consistently appeared whenever he needed


    help and support, became a mere afterthought.


    It became a never-ending cycle of rescue and retreat, where she would inexplicably go MIA again after


    weathering through the storm with him.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But Zachary was a changed man now, seeing things differently.


    A recent ident had flipped the script. It had shown him the power of care, the warmth of being


    looked after. It was Lyra, the girl he barely noticed, who''d picked up the pieces and shown him what


    true love and care felt like.


    Turning to Damien with aposed expression, he asked, "How should we exin this to them?"


    Rubbing his throbbing forehead, Damien responded, "Just tell them the truth."


    Concerning Raymond''s escape, Damien and Zachary believed the fewer people who knew, the better.


    Damien hadn''t mentioned a word to Cherise, fearing she would worry. But if hiding it affected the


    rtionship between newlyweds Lyra and Zachary, it might be better toe clean.


    After all, even if they kept it hidden, it would only be a matter of time.


    While Damien and Zachary conversed, Cherise dragged Lyra upstairs, questioning, "Hey! What''s going


    on with you, Zac?"


    Confronted with Lyra''s timidity, Cherise, usually lovely and charming, morphed into a fiery and


    argumentative woman.


    She guided Lyra upstairs and sat on the sofa across from Zachary, saying, "Lyra spilled everything to


    me. I think she has a point. If you genuinely don''t want to be with her, then divorce is the way to go."


    Feeling amused and helpless, Zachary retorted, "Who says I don''t?!"


    As he spoke, his gaze helplessly shifted towards Lyra. But thetter, who had secretly had a crush on


    him for years, couldn''t meet his gaze. She just looked down with cheeks burning.


    Cherise, watching the awkward silence unfold, pursed her lips.


    Cherise''s lips firmed. "So, care to exin why the night-long sigh, Mr. Groom? Shouldn''t you be busy


    with your new wife?"


    Zachary''s eyes darted to Damien, silently begging for backup. Read at NovelDrama.Org


    Lyra and Cherise blinked. The former blurted out, "What do you mean?"


    Damien took a deep breath and said to his wife, "Everything. See, after you hit the hayst night, Mr.


    Kolson called. Turns out Raymond''s on the loose again."

 Chapter 827 Raymonds Escape

    Chapter 827 Raymond''s Escape


    Cherise stared at Damien, eyes wide. "Raymond''s gone?!"


    Damien patted her back. "Yep. It was an urgent situation. I have limited connections in Ziphon, so I


    asked Zac for help. That''s why he was grumpy on his wedding night.."


    Cherise''s mind drew a nk, "But... how?"


    Though Damien and she weren''t there to guard Raymond, Mr. Kolson, Mr. Hampson, and ke were!


    These weren''t just any men; they were practically ninjas! And Raymond was barely alive after those


    injuries. He couldn''t just walk out, right?


    Damien sighed, pulling Cherise close. "It''s Gwenn. She found someone to fake being your dad, fooled


    everyone, then switched him with Raymond."


    Cherise feels like she''s been hit by a brick. "What?! So..."


    Lyra''s voice barely a whisper, "So Zac leftst night... not because of me?"


    Zachary slumped beside her and managed a weak smile. "Spot on, Lyra."


    The truth pped her like a cold fish.


    Zachary was in the middle of a crisis, and she threw divorce at him like a ticking bomb? Seriously,


    Lyra?


    Her cheeks burned with shame. Wish she could vanish right into the floor.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Zachary smiled at Lyra and said softly, "Lyra,e sit with me."


    Lyra hummed and walked over, sitting a little further away than usual.


    She was shy but always careful not to upset him.


    Zachary saw the gap and sighed.


    He remembered preaching to his friends in school about maintaining a respectful one-meter buffer with


    girls they weren''t close to. Now, his own wife mirrored that same cautiousness.


    "Lyra," he said gently, "what did you just call me?"


    "Zac," she mumbled, her cheeks like blushing apples.


    Zachary yfully mimicked Damien''s action, stretching his arm and pulling her closer by the shoulder.


    "Hey, it''s time for new names! We''re married now, remember?"


    Lyra''s face practically glowed red. "Uh... Zachary¡­?"


    Her blushing cheeks were as tempting as ripe berries. Zachary couldn''t resist gently tilting her chin and


    kissing her lips tenderly. Co?tent §àf Dra§Þa?ov§Öls.c§à§Þ


    Lyra held onto the sofa, her body frozen yet still.


    Cherise and Damien exchanged a knowing nce and then quietly made their way out.

 Chapter 828 Hes My Dad!

    Chapter 828 He''s My Dad!


    Damien''s brow furrowed. Even now, after everything, Cherise was still worried about Beckham''s


    feelings.


    Thinking about Beckham''s cold shoulder to her, Damien cherished Cherise even more.


    He reached up, tilting her chin to meet his gaze. "Why do you care what he thinks? Does he matter that


    much to you?"


    Cherise, eyes clear and determined, nodded. "Of course! He''s my dad!"


    Sure, their rtionship wasn''t as close as Elvis''s couple, but the blood tie was undeniable. Of course,


    she cared!


    Damien, his eyes full of unspoken emotion, brushed a kiss against her lips. "There''s no need to worry


    about him anymore. He already knows."


    Cherise froze. "How... how does he know?"


    Cherise''s stomach twisted.


    The news was barely a day old, and howe Dad already knew before she and Lyra did?


    Her suspicionsnded on Damien, her eyes shing. "Was it you? You told him?"


    Damien didn''t flinch. He held her gaze with a calmness that felt like a p in the face. "Yes. I went


    straight to him after what went downst night."


    Cherise felt the air thicken, her heart hammering against her ribs. Why would Damien keep this from


    her? She stared at him, speechless.


    Suddenly, she turned her anger towards Damien. "Don''t you know how much this will hurt him? Why


    tell him before me?"


    Anger, raw and sharp, edged her voice. It was understandable, Damien knew, but a knot of worry


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    twisted in his gut.


    In Cherise''s mind, Damien was always the careful one, the one who weighed every move. Why would


    he do something she knew would cut Dad so deep?


    Damien, his smile a little sad, tucked a stray hair behind Cherise''s ear. "Cherry, I know you''re worried


    sick about your dad. It''s because you''re seeing things as his daughter, but I''m not."


    Cherise, still fuming, kept her hand away. She wasn''t ready for intimacy. "Then how do you see it?"


    Cherise wanted to argue, but he touched her lips, silencing her.


    He stared at her, his jaw set. "I know this might piss you off, doing this behind your back. But that''s


    what husbands do, right? Take the punches for their wives. Whatever you throw at me, I deserve it."


    NovelDrama.Org


    How could I refute him? After all, he''s merely stating facts; my father''s favoritism towards Gwenn is


    undeniable.

 Chapter 829 Tough Guys Dont Cry, My Dear

    Chapter 829 Tough Guys Don''t Cry, My Dear


    The evidence was undeniable that he''d often looked the other way when Gwenn deliberately schemed


    and harmed her.


    Cherise understood Damien was trying to protect her, doing what he thought was right. But as a


    daughter, she couldn''t bear the thought of Beckham being heartbroken.


    So, she red at Damien, eyes zing. "So, you said you''ll take whatever punishment I throw at you.


    Right?"


    Cherise red, fists clenched. She took a shaky breath, then mped down on the finger Damien had


    teasingly ced on her lips.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She chomped, expecting a yell, but he just met her gaze, unfazed.


    Finally, when her jaw got tired, Cherise released him.


    He even held out another finger yfully, "Fancy another bite? Just for bnce?"


    Caught off guard, Cherise blurted, "Don''t you feel anything?"


    Damien chuckled. "Nope. Much prefer kisses from my wifey, though."


    His nonchnce left Cherise flustered. Looking at the deep teeth marks on his finger, she felt a pang of


    guilt. Had she gone too far?


    She wanted to bite him hard enough to make him yelp, but this damn iron-willed man wouldn''t budge!


    Seeing Damien had no reaction, she misjudged her force and sank her teeth deeper than intended.


    Cherise peeked up at Damien, guilt gnawing at her. "Why didn''t you yell when I chomped on you?"


    He grinned, his eyes filled with mischief. "Tough guys, don''t cry, my dear. Not for a little love bite."


    "But¡­ you could have made a sound! Even just a groan or something," she whined, cradled his hand,


    blowing softly on the bite mark. "It must''ve hurt like crazy! Why didn''t you pull away?"


    Damien wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Funny you should ask," he murmured, his


    voice sending shivers down her spine.


    "I kinda knew you might take a yful bite, so I braced myself. And besides¡­" His breath tickled her


    ear as he whispered, "I trust you wouldn''t do any real damage."


    Cherise felt her cheeks burn. If someone sank their teeth into her finger like that, she''d be a puddle of


    tears! But Damien, just a chuckle and a reassuring squeeze. This guy, he was something else.


    Cherise''s heart ached to see Damien''s injury. "Ugh, that must hurt so bad!"


    Damien scoffed, "Nah, barely feels a thing."


    "Liar! It''s gotta sting! We need to get you patched up, like, now!" She took a deep breath and added,


    "Oh, and bandages, maybe some medicine, too."


    Damien watched her flustered worry, and a small smile yed on his lips. "Bandages and medicine,


    huh?"


    Cherise, eyes wide, nodded fervently. "Yes! The whole shebang!"


    He chuckled. "You might as well throw in a rabies shot or a tetanus jab while you''re at it."


    "Hold on," she cut in, her eyes twinkling with a yful smile. "Are you saying I''m a wild thing?"


    Damien nodded, "Yes, a cute and feisty pussy. One that likes to bite and cling to me but is so lovable


    that I wouldn''t have it any other way."  Dra§Þanovels.c§àm


    Damien didn''t show much concern for Beckham''s feelings, but when Cherise proposed visiting him, he


    didn''t hesitate.

 Chapter 830 "Not Yet, Sera"

    Chapter 830 "Not Yet, Sera"


    Sunlight danced across the gold-trimmed furniture of the luxurious suite, catching in the golden strands


    of Serafina''s hair as Beckham patientlybed them. "Come on, I want Pigtails, Grandpa!"


    Her voice was as bright as the diamonds on her tiny fingers, "Pigtails are so cute! Mommy and Daddy


    will love them!"


    But before Beckham could agree, a small voice cut in, a hint of disapprovalcing in its childish tone.


    "Not yet, Sera,"


    Soren said, his brow furrowed. "He''s not our Daddy¡­ yet. Calling him that now might make him a bit


    too full of himself."


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Serafina''s face fell, her bottom lip trembling. "But he is! Grandpa said so, he even guaranteed!"


    Beckham smiled, cing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Exactly what I was thinking."


    Serafine spun towards Soren, her eyes, like dark jewels, locking on his. "Look in the mirror, mister!


    You''re practically Daddy''s twin! If he''s not our Daddy, then who is?"


    Soren flushed, avoiding her gaze. "I didn''t say he isn''t," he mumbled, "just¡­ maybe let''s hold off on the


    official announcement, okay?"


    Serafina''s voice softened her tone to barely a whisper. "Whether early orte, he''s still our Daddy,


    right?"


    She spun around, eyes sparkling. "Grandpa! Why''re you brushing my hair? Sera never knew that


    Grandpa could do a girl''s hair!"


    Beckham sighed softly, gazing at the girl''s reflection in the mirror. A pang of nostalgia tugged at him.


    Back then, when Cherise was this young, she was still a mountain girl, running barefoot through the


    fields. And he, as her father, had given Gwenn every ounce of his love.


    Back then, he was in the dark that Gwenn wasn''t his biological daughter; he only knew that after


    Charisa disappeared, Gwenn was thest connection between him and Charisa in this world, an


    existence he couldn''t give up or lose.


    Back then, Beckham didn''t know Gwenn wasn''t his biological daughter. She was like a lifeline after his


    wife disappeared, thest piece of her he had left.


    He poured all his love into Gwenn, raising her into someone independent and fearless. Perhaps this


    love blinded him.


    He was so obsessed with his bong with Gwenn that he convinced himself blood didn''t matter, that their


    bond, stronger than family, would always be enough.


    Beckham didn''t realize, in cherishing Gwenn, that he''d unintentionally neglected his real daughter. And


    now, as he gently brushed Sera''s hair, remembering his first mistake, he vowed to make things right.


    "Because, sweetheart, I never brushed your mom''s hair when she was little." The old man said.


    After saying that, she looked at Soren, wanting his agreement. "Ren, am I right?"


    Sera stuck out her tongue. "Humph, Silly! Because long hair is pretty, butbing it can be a pain!"


    Content of Dra§Þ??ovels


    The little one pped for herself. "I am so smart!"

 Chapter 831 Cherise Got Him Good

    Chapter 831 Cherise Got Him Good


    Soren was taken aback by Serafina''s bold confidence. He scoffed, "I doubt it."


    Serafina pouted, ready to retaliate, when a sharp knock at the door silenced her.


    Before Beckham could speak, Serafina quickly adopted Soren''s bossy demeanor and interrupted him.


    "Hey, Ren, door duty! Grandpa and I are busy!"


    Soren red at her. With a grumbling sigh, he abandoned his Rubik''s Cube and made his way to the


    door.


    The door swung open to reveal Cherise and Damien, carrying bags of groceries.


    Cherise and Damien entered, burdened with groceries. "Ren! We haven''t seen our little man since


    yesterday!" Cherise eximed, embracing him.


    Soren squirmed in her arms, grumbling, "Ms. Shaw, you''re practically an adult ¨C can we skip the baby


    talk? It''s embarrassing."


    Cherise was stunned.


    Beside her, Damien burst intoughter and dropped his bags. "Right on target."


    Cherise stammered, unable to speak. How could asking her son if he missed her be embarrassing?


    "Is it Cherry and Dame?" Beckham''s voice came from inside the house as he emerged, with Serafina''s


    braid neatly tied with a bright pink band. "What''s going on? Why are you two here so early?"


    Cherise pointed at the ingredients Damien was carrying, a smile spreading across her face.


    "Family dinner! We haven''t had one in ages. Damien decided to cook and show off his skills!"


    As Damien rearranged spices on the counter, he paused for a moment, his eyes flicking to Cherise.


    "Hey, Honey, haven''t you missed my cooking?" a sweet voice had said to him while they were grocery


    shopping earlier.


    Unaware of the loaded question, Damien nced at the woman humming happily beside him as she


    continued, "Whoa, it''s way past eleven! Let''s grab some essentials and go to Dad''s. I''m preparing a


    feast to cheer him up. What do you think?"


    Initially, Damien approved of Cherise''s idea. But as they navigated the aisles, Damien noticed a


    pattern. All the ingredients were for dishes he knew ¨C the ones she loved, the ones he cooked


    wlessly.


    He had a suspicion that she was scheming something, and vo! This woman had set a trap and


    caught him off guard.


    Refusing to cook in front of Beckham was not an option after her sly "Gotcha!" mouthed yfully.


    Damien smiled faintly. "I can handle it, Dad. Trust me, I can bnce work and family. Besides..."


    Updated at Dr?manov§Öls.c§àm


    He looked at Beckham, a hint of apology in his eyes, "I owe you an apology forst night."


    Beckham''s voice softened. "No need, Son. If it weren''t for you, I might still be blind to Gwenn''s true


    colors."


    He paused, then added, "I may not be the best judge of character, but I know you had my best interests


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    in mind."

 Chapter 832 Reconciliation

    Chapter 832 Reconciliation


    "I used to wear my heart like a banner, pride myself on how deeply I felt. But you know what? All that


    emotion was like wearing rose-colored sses, blinding me to my own daughter..."


    He looked at Damien, his face bare with remorse. "Thank you for helping me realize the harm I


    caused."


    This man, who appeared to be in his fifties, spoke with such sincerity that Damien couldn''t help but


    smile. "Cherry would be thrilled if she knew you felt this way," he said. "When she found out aboutst


    night, she was terrified you would be hurt. We''re only here because she was afraid you would be upset


    and wanted to brighten your day. She truly sees you as family, and if you could see her the same way...


    well, I genuinely believe it would mean the world to her."


    Beckham nodded eagerly. "I couldn''t sleep a winkst night. I spent the whole time reflecting on the


    past five years. The truth is, I failed as Cherry''s father. I showered Gwenn with love and devoted


    everything to her, and what did I get? Lies and betrayal. Maybe, right from the beginning, I shouldn''t


    have... shouldn''t have pretended Gwenn was mine."


    He stood before Damien, his shoulders slumped. "Yes, it''s all my fault. Every bit of it."


    "Dad, it''s not your fault,"


    Beckham''s voice trailed off, reced by a clear, choked-up female voice. Both men in the kitchen spun


    around, their eyesnding on Cherise.


    She stood behind Beckham, tears shimmering as she addressed the older man.


    "Dad, don''t me yourself. It''s not your fault. You were just trying to do the right thing, to continue


    caring for Gwenn after I returned. You weren''t wrong about that. And just like me... I could never justThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    rece you with Uncle Elvis. We share blood, but we''ve been apart for so long. I know it''s difficult. But


    it''s not your fault."


    Sniffling, Cherise wiped her tears away. "But hearing you me yourself like this, it hurts. I''ve always


    wanted to be closer to you, Dad. But you always seem so distant..."


    Cherise sniffled, her eyes watery but her smile brave. "Are you finally ready to ept me, your farm-


    raised daughter?"


    Beckham felt tears prick his own eyes. "I... I never..."


    He wanted to say he never rejected her, but the words caught in his throat.


    Since the DNA test five years ago, Cherise had been his daughter in his heart. But somewhere, there


    was still a difference in how he treated herpared to Gwenn.


    "From now on," he dered, stepping forward and pulling Cherise into a loose hug, "you''re my only


    daughter."


    Now, how could she not cry tears of joy with the weight lifted? Updated at Dr?manov§Öls.c§àm


    She chirped. "Grandpa wants to do your hair! Pretty braids, just like mine!"

 Chapter 833 Reliving Childhood Between Cherise And Beckham

    Chapter 833 Reliving Childhood Between Cherise And Beckham


    Serafina twirled her braids, her voice bubbling with excitement, "Look at my beautiful braids, Mommy!"


    She giggled, swinging her hair. "Grandpa said he never braided your hair when you were little. Do you


    think he could do it now? He''s really good at braids!"


    Cherise''s eyes widened. She nced at Serafina, then met Beckham''s gaze, a hesitant smile tugging


    at her lips. After a moment, a warm feeling spread through her. "Sure, why not?"


    Turning to her father, she added, "It''s been ages since anyone touched my hair. If you''re up for it, I''m


    game!"


    Beckham practically beamed, his hands buzzing with nervous energy. "Of course I am! Let''s do it!"


    Cherise chuckled. "Alright, let''s see what you can do. You''ve never braided my hair before."


    Suddenly, Soren popped up, holding out ab. He warned Beckham, "Hey, Grandpa. Sera and I only


    have one Mommy, so don''t mess it up too badly. Otherwise, we might have to find a new one!"


    "Uh-huh! Mommy needs a beauty makeover just like Sera!" Serafina chirped, nodding.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cherise chuckled, shaking her head at the two chatterboxes. "You two wouldn''t stop talking for a


    second, would you?"


    Though she teased, her voice dripped with love and appreciation. She understood their attempt to


    lighten the mood.


    Right! Why cry on a day like this?


    With a smile, she let Serafina pull her down to the floor.


    Watching from the sofa, Beckham reached over and gently removed the band from Cherise''s high


    ponytail. Her dark hair cascaded down like a silky waterfall.


    "Beautiful hair, just like your mom''s," he murmured, running ab through it.


    Cherise raised an eyebrow. "You used tob Mom''s hair?"


    Beckham chuckled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Oh, yeah. She wouldn''t leave me alone until I


    learned."


    He reminisced that Cherise, adopted into their family as a young girl, had long, unruly hair that she


    hated managing. So, Beckham, ever the patient one, learned how tob it for her.


    Beckham chuckled, remembering a mischievous glint in Cherise''s mom''s eyes. "Yeah, your mom


    wasn''t one to let me get away with cking. If I forgot tob her hair, bam! Surprise doodle in my


    homework!"


    Cherise''s eyes widened. "No way! Mom actually drew in your school stuff?"


    The kitchen counter buzzed with the sudden vibration of Damien''s phone. He frowned, ncing at the


    screen before answering. "Yeah, Charles?"


    Charles'' voice crackled through the receiver, "Just got the lowdown on Tristan. It turns out he snuck


    back into Adania today. My sources even snagged a copy of the sneaky email he sent to thepany


    afternding. Do you think it''s time we put him under close watch?" Co?tent of Dr?manov§Öls


    "Hands full with what? Didn''t you tie up all the loose ends at the office?" Charles scoffed.


    Damien chuckled, a hint of warmth creeping into his voice. "Work''s all sorted; I''m just dealing with


    some... family matters now."

 Chapter 834 Damien Cooks

    Chapter 834 Damien Cooks


    "Family matters? What''s thetest family drama?" Charles'' voice resonated through the phone.


    Damien chuckled, bncing the phone between his ear and shoulder as he skillfully chopped


    vegetables. "Nothing too exciting, just preparing some food for my father-inw and the gang, keeping


    myself upied."


    Charles, on the other end, spluttered. "You... you''re cooking?" he stammered. "Since when? But you


    told me you couldn''t even boil water when I asked you to make dinner for Maeve!"


    Damien shed a teasing grin. "Nope, wife-only policy, just like your sister-only rule with cooking. You


    have hands and feet, buddy, so cook for your owndy."


    He ended the call before Charles could respond.


    On the other end, Charles stared at his phone, mouth agape. So Damien wasn''t helpless in the kitchen.


    He was just pretending! Because Charles, with his perfectly capable hands and feet, should be cooking


    for his wife, Maeve. Damien might love his sister, but family ties didn''t extend to the kitchen in his


    world, apparently!


    "What did Dame say?" Maeve asked, concern furrowing her brow as she saw Charles''s frown. She


    gently patted the little girl cradled in her arms.


    "He said we''ll talkter, he''s busy." Charles turned to Maeve, frustration evident in his voice.


    He continued, "You won''t believe what he''s ''busy'' with! He''s actually preparing a feast for Cherise and


    Beckham! The same guy who refused to cook me a simple pasta dish! I guess love triumphs over


    friendship for Damien, huh?"


    Maeve leaned back, a smile ying on her lips. She gently patted her sleeping daughter with one hand


    and looked up at Charles with raised eyebrows. "Isn''t that a good thing?"


    Charles''s eyebrows shot up. "Good? You consider catering to Cherise''s every whim good?"


    "He''s finally showing some warmth, isn''t he? Remember when you first met Dame? You told me he


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    was distant, cold towards the world, and destined to be alone. Now look at him, preparing gourmet


    meals for hisdy love."


    Maeve sighed, a wave of relief washing over her. "He has always been this cold, reserved guy.


    Although I wasn''t around much then, Grandpa always nagged about Dame''s personality, saying


    making friends for him would be like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops. But then Cherry came along


    and brought normalcy into Dame''s life. And now that they''re back together, that warmth, that kindness


    is shining through again. Isn''t that something to be happy about?"


    Charles felt betrayed when even Maeve spoke up for Damien.


    "Forget it," he mumbled, but doubt gnawed at him. Could he really be overreacting?


    Maeve met his gaze, her smile gentle. "Annoyed? Not at all. I have you. My brother cooks for his wife.


    You cook for me. It''s all good, right?"


    She winked. "Speaking of food, is it ready? I''m famished!"


    Charles blinked, momentarily speechless. Then he chuckled. "Yes, love. It''s ready." Updated at


    Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm

 Chapter 835 Off To Cartoon City!

    Chapter 835 Off To Cartoon City!


    Beckham prepared a new dress for Cherise to match her hair. Hesitant, she slipped into the white


    dress, feeling strangely self-conscious. ying with the puffy sleeves, she asked, "Do you think... I look


    strange or awkward in this dress?"


    At sixteen or seventeen, Cherise wouldn''t have dared to dream of owning a dress like this. Back then,


    living with her hardworking uncle and aunt in the countryside, she was sensible enough to know that


    expensive clothes were a luxury they couldn''t afford.


    Now, her financial situation had changed, but...well, her age hadn''t. Staring at her reflection, she


    couldn''t shake the feeling of being out of ce.


    "Mommy, you look so beautiful! Just like me!" Beside her, Serafina, wearing a children''s version of the


    same dress, beamed.


    Mother and daughter, both in white dresses and pigtails, looked exactly alike, with one being a


    miniature version of the other.


    Damien burst intoughter, unable to contain himself. Cherise, yfully pouting, nced down at her


    outfit. "Do I look like a clown?"


    He took off his apron, walking towards her like a lovesick fool. "Nah, just... happy," he admitted,


    squeezing her hand. "Seeing you in that dress and hairstyle, it''s like time has gone back five years."


    He grinned. "Remember when you used to wear pigtails and braid your hair? You had the biggest,


    roundest eyes that blinked at me all the time."


    Back then, Cherise was all pigtails, braids, and innocent doe-eyed looks. Five yearster, she had


    grown into a stunning woman, but somewhere along the way, something had changed. Seeing her in


    the dress and hairstyle that Beckham had chosen, Damien felt like he had stepped into a time machine.


    She looked like the old Cherise, but... not quite.


    Soren called out from his chair. "Hey, it''s dinnertime! And you lovebirds, can the secret talk wait until


    after we eat? Grandpa promised to take Sera and me to Cartoon City!"


    Damien raised an eyebrow. "Cartoon City?"


    Beckham grinned. "Yep. I promised the little ones after the wedding. Gotta keep those promises, you


    know?"


    Damien chuckled and turned to Soren and Serafina. "Do you mind if Mommy and I join you on your


    Cartoon City adventure?"


    Serafina jumped up, pping her hands in delight. "Of course! Sera says yes!"


    Soren pouted and dramatically turned his head away. "Fine, if she says so, I guess I''ll allow it...


    reluctantly."


    After lunch, Beckham began preparing everyone for their Cartoon City adventure. However, Cherise


    felt a pang of self-consciousness in her whimsical dress and pigtails.


    "Honey, you look beautiful just the way you are," Beckham assured her.


    Soren mumbled, "Changing clothes is a hassle. Stop fussing, Ms. Shaw!"N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Serafina put on her best puppy-dog eyes, pretending to cry. "Waaah... Mommy, you look perfect like


    Sera! Please don''t change!" Re§Ñd at NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 836 Plans To Leave Ziphon

    Chapter 836 ns To Leave Ziphon


    Beckham couldn''t help but smile as he watched the children in front of him.


    Cartoon City was bustling with activity. Serafina was excited to explore the various attractions, and


    even though Soren always had a look of disdain, he was having a great time.


    The family had a wonderful afternoon in Cartoon City.


    Only when the sun began to set did the children reluctantly leave the amusement park attractions and


    exim, "I''m so hungry!"


    "Let''s grab something to eat." Beckham lovingly picked up Serafina before turning to Cherise and


    Damien, saying, "Let''s have dinner."


    Cherise nodded. Just as she was about to hold Damien''s arm, his phone in his pocket rang.


    "Damien." It was Charles. "I''ve arranged a private jet for you. Come to Adania as fast as you can."


    Charles sounded urgent, causing Damien to furrow his brow. "What happened?"


    "Tristan has sold his shares in the Lenoir Group at a low price in Adania. He also canceled several


    long-term contracts and tried to flee with a substantial amount of funds. My people caught him. It''s


    chaotic over there. You need to get there and take charge immediately."


    Charles took a deep breath and added, "I could handle it, but I''m only the son-inw, not a Lenoir by


    blood. It wouldn''t be quite right."


    Damien pursed his lips. "I understand. I''ll head there right away." He promptly hung up.


    From Damien''s expression and what he had just said, Cherise had already guessed what had


    happened. She looked at him and pursed her lips. "Has something happened in Adania?"


    "Yes." Damien didn''t hide it from her. "Tristan tried to embezzle money and run away, but Charles''


    people apprehended him. I have to return immediately."


    After saying that, he lowered his gaze to look at her. "I''ll leave ke and Mr. Kolson here to protect


    you, but I''ll take Mr. Hampson back with me."


    Cherise considered briefly before saying, "That''s fine. I''ll talk to Dadter. You should go back first, and


    I''ll return with the children tomorrow."


    "Okay." Damien solemnly patted Cherise''s shoulder and turned away.


    When Beckham arrived at the restaurant with the two children, he turned around and found Cherise


    alone. "Where''s Damien?"


    "He had something to deal with in Adania, so he went ahead."


    Beckham frowned. "So, he just left you and the children behind? Didn''t he want to bring you back with


    him? Or do you not want to go back?"


    Cherise couldn''t help butugh. "Dad, didn''t you used to discourage me from reconciling with Damien?"


    Beckham frowned. "I did say that before, but did you listen to me? Now that I''ve thought it through, I


    regret not cherishing my time with your mother while she was alive. That''s why I''m filled with regret and


    grief. It''s different for you. You and Damien have a bright future together, so stay together as much as


    possible. Don''t be apart." Content of Dr§Ñm??ovels.c§àm


    Cherise shook her head helplessly. "I was nning to return tomorrow anyway."Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 837 The Classmate From Shawbury

    Chapter 837 The ssmate From Shawbury


    "Also..." Beckham sighed. "There''s a matter concerning Gwenn."


    Beckham paused before continuing, "Gwenn is engaged to Evan Tanner. Although I cannot cancel the


    engagement for them, I want to make it clear that Gwenn is no longer my adopted daughter and has no


    connection to me."


    Cherise nodded while pouring orange juice for Serafina. "All right. Do you want me to go with you to


    exin to them?"


    "No." Beckham shook his head gently, "Mandy will be there to assist me. Don''t you trust her?"


    Cherise pursed her lips. "I trust her."


    She couldn''t deny that Mandy was much morepetent than her in many matters. Since Mandy


    would be there, Cherise didn''t have to worry about her father.


    After dinner, Beckham went to get the car while Cherise waited with the children at the parking lot exit.


    But before Beckham arrived, a man dressed in ck appeared. The man bowed to Cherise politely.


    "Greetings, my master would like to inquire if you are Cherise Shaw."


    Cherise nodded in confusion. "Yes, I am Cherise. Who''s your master?" She couldn''t recall knowing


    anyone in Ziphon other than Zachary.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "Were you a student in Shawbury?"


    Cherise nodded. "Yes."


    Shawbury was the town near Shaw''s vige. But why was he asking her these questions?


    "Very well." The man in ck gestured courteously for her to follow him. "My master said he would like


    to chat with you."


    Cherise was stunned. She stepped back with the children, saying, "I''m sorry, I don''t know your master,


    and I have no interest in chatting with him."


    "But my master knows you and wishes to talk to you." The man in ck approached her, smiling


    politely. "Please rest assured. My master is not a bad person. He was just your ssmate back in


    Shawbury."


    ssmate?


    Cherise furrowed her brow. "How is that possible?"


    The students in Shawbury were all from the nearby viges. All of them were rural folks. How could


    there be someone who could afford such a refined servant?


    "Nothing is impossible." The man in ck continued smiling. "My master mentioned he used to share a


    desk with you butter transferred schools. He saw you standing here and recognized you instantly, so


    he wanted to catch up with you. My master said if you refuse, I must bring you to him by force."


    The man in ck frowned, wanting to say something, but Beckham''s car had already driven away.


    "Who was that?" Beckham asked softly as he drove. Co?tent §àf NovelDrama.Org


    Cherise shook her head, "I don''t know. He imed his master wanted to see me because we used to


    be ssmates."


    "Do you want to ask Zachary to block the car behind us?"

 Chapter 838 A Coincidence

    Chapter 838 A Coincidence


    Beckham furrowed his brow and asked, "Who are those people following us?"


    Cherise was startled and instinctively turned around, only to see several ck luxury cars tailing their


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    vehicle. Everyone in those cars was dressed like the man in ck who had approached her earlier.


    There were about five or six of these cars, relentlessly pursuing them.


    Cherise was astounded. How did these people manage to catch up with us?


    "Call Zac." Beckham, being experienced and worldly, remained unfazed in such a situation. "Zac is


    from Ziphon. He can quickly mobilize his subordinates and is familiar with the traffic here. I might not be


    able to shake off all these cars alone."


    Cherise pursed her lips and considered briefly. "We don''t have to call Zachary. I can try someone else."


    With that, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Jarvi''s number.


    Although Zachary had some influence in Ziphon, many people abandoned him when he was in aa.


    Now that he had just awakened, it might take him a while to gather a significant force.


    On the other hand, Jarvi could.


    "Cherise, what can I do for you, my dear?" Jarvi was pleasantly surprised. "Is everything okay?"


    "I need your help." Cherise took a deep breath and informed Jarvi of their current location and their


    situation.


    "All right, I''ll send someone over immediately." Jarvi did not hesitate. "You did the right thing by


    reaching out to me!"


    Only then did Cherise feel relieved. "Thank you, Mr. Aquino."


    "You are Charisa''s daughter. I''m more than happy to assist you with anything."


    ¡­


    Jarvi kept his promise.


    Not long after Cherise hung up, many white cars surged onto the road, forming a barrier at the rear of


    Beckham''s car.


    The white cars instantly blocked the ck cars that had been tailing Beckham''s car. The men in ck


    could only watch Beckham''s car disappear into the distance. They were utterly powerless in their


    vehicles.


    Their leader had no choice but to dial a number. "Sir, we lost them."


    "You''re all useless." The man on the other end continued coldly, "You can''t even keep up with a


    woman. What good are you?"


    The leader fell silent instantly. He wanted to exin, but the man on the other endzily shook his


    head. "Come back. You''re an embarrassment."


    The man in ck could only remain silent.


    ¡­


    "Cherise, we meet again." The man in ck still behaved courteously towards Cherise. "What a


    coincidence." Read at NovelDrama.Org


    Cherise repeated doubtfully, "Coincidence?" She did not believe it was a coincidence and felt that she


    was being followed.


    "No need to be so tense." The man smiled slightly. "I''m in Adania on an errand for my master. It really


    is a coincidence."


    After saying that, the man smiled at Cherise. "I''ll go ahead." He walked away and disappeared.

 Chapter 839 You Must Protect Mommy

    Chapter 839 You Must Protect Mommy


    Cherise stood still, pursing her lips, before exiting the airport with her children and getting into the car


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Damien had arranged for them.


    Little did she know, there was a ck extended Lincoln car parked nearby. Inside the car, a man


    dressed in ck with a cold demeanor swirled red wine in his ss. His gaze, like that of a predator


    observing its prey, was fixed on the direction Cherise had left.


    After a while, a faint smile appeared on his lips. He muttered, "Cherise, it''s been over a decade, but


    you haven''t changed."


    Then, he nced down at the file on the low table in front of him. It was a document¡ªa dossier about


    Damien.


    The man sipped his wine and smiled. "What right does that Lenoir guy have topete for a woman


    with me? Ten years ago, I imed Cherise as mine. No one can take her away from me."


    ¡­


    When Cherise and the children returned to Lenoir Manor, Damien was discussing recent work matters


    with Lennon in the study.


    Seeing the car stop outside, Damien stretchedzily. "Let''s call it a day," he suggested.


    Lennon gave him a disapproving nce. "This is not the time to be distracted. Thepany is in a


    mess, yet as soon as Cherise returns, you stop caring about thepany."


    Damien smiled. "I have you. Since you and Lucy''s rtionship won''t progress in the short term, you


    might as well put all your energy into work. I''m different from you. I have a wife and children. I can''t just


    think about work all day."


    Lennon was left speechless. He wanted to punch Damien right then and there.


    Was it really necessary for him to unt his married life like this?


    But he restrained himself in the end.


    Taking a deep breath, he looked at the information on his phone screen and said solemnly, "Mr. Weiss


    of the Weiss family arrived in Adania today. Besides acquiring the shares Tristan discarded, he also


    bought some scattered shares from other shareholders. He''s probably here to cause trouble for you.


    You should be prepared in advance."


    However, there was no response from Damien, only silence.


    Lennon frowned and instinctively looked up, only to find that he was the only one left in the study.


    He rolled his eyes in frustration and nced out of the window. Damien had already reached Cherise''s


    car. He picked up Serafina, held Cherise''s hand, and walked towards the vi with her, chatting and


    Lennon had nothing to say. He could only sigh helplessly and keep to himself the gossip he had heard


    about Mr. Weiss being Cherise''s former ssmate in Shawbury.


    Hearing Serafina''s words, Damien frowned slightly and turned to Cherise for confirmation. Updated at


    Dr?manov§Öls.c§àm


    After saying this, she smiled helplessly. "I didn''t take it seriously. While studying in Shawbury, my


    ssmates were all from nearby viges. There wouldn''t be someone like his master."

 Chapter 840 As Silly As You

    Chapter 840 As Silly As You


    "Perhaps he mistook me for someone else."


    Then, she asked Damien, "Have you resolved the matter here?"


    She was referring to Tristan''s embezzlement ofpany funds and his attempt to flee.


    "Yes." Damien nodded slightly. He entered the living room and gently ced Serafina on the sofa


    before sitting down.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Frances poured tea for Cherise and Damien. "Sir, Mr. Belcourt said he had to attend to something and


    left."


    Damien nodded. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. "Tristan has been handed over to the judicial


    authorities. Although he didn''t take the money or escape, he secretly transferred his shares in the


    Lenoir Group under his and Raymond''s names when no one was paying attention."


    Cherise didn''t know much about thepany''s affairs and asked tentatively, "Are there other issues in


    thepany that you have to deal with?"


    "Sort of."


    Damien knew she was unaware of most things outside the medical field, so he didn''t go into detail. "In


    short, it''s a bit troublesome. I might not be able to spend much time with you and the children in the


    After saying this, he looked at Cherise affectionately. "Cherise, I''m sorry. I''ve been so busy since I


    returned, and I won''t have much time to spend with you."


    Cherise pursed her lips, looking at him helplessly. "Why are you apologizing to me?"


    He had followed her to Ziphon because of her. After all, Zachary Miles was her friend, not his. Before


    this trip to Ziphon, Damien and Zachary were, at most, acquaintances. He wouldn''t have wasted so


    much time going to Ziphon if it weren''t for her.


    Furthermore, he had spent a significant amount of time searching for her in Lermille before


    apanying her to Ziphon. His dedication moved her. How could she me him for not having


    enough time to be with her?


    Cherise smiled and held Damien''s hand. "No need to apologize to me. You have your business to


    attend to, and I have my job. Even though we love each other, we don''t always have to be together."


    She smiled after saying that. "My work at the research institute is about to get busy. From now on, you


    can focus on your business, and I''ll focus on my job. We''ll work together for our home."


    "Yes, that''s great!" A childish voice dered solemnly before Damien could respond to Cherise''s


    heartfelt confession. "We''ll work hard together! Ren and I will also study hard in kindergarten!"


    Cherise and Damien were left speechless.


    Soren immediately grabbed Serafina. "We''re going upstairs. Stop embarrassing yourself."


    But Serafina protested. "No, no! I want to stay with Daddy and Mommy!"


    Soren replied, "All right then, I''ll eat the chocte Grandpa sent by myself."


    That prompted Serafina to panic. "Boohoo! Ren, don''t leave me! I want to eat chocte!"


    "Slow down!" Frances quickly followed Serafina and held her hand, fearing she would fall. Co?tent of


    Dr§Ñm§Ñ?ovels.c§àm


    Cherise pursed her lips and turned around in protest. "I''ve told you. I''m not silly!"

 Chapter 841 Unexpected Closeness

    Chapter 841 Unexpected Closeness


    To her surprise, Damien suddenly stood too close to Cherise. They were so close that her lips brushed


    against his face when she turned.


    Sparks flew between them.


    In the next moment, Damien pressed Cherise onto the sofa, kissing her passionately.


    "Cherry," he said affectionately. "We''ve been apart for a day. I miss you."


    Cherise appeared incredulous. She pushed him away, rejecting his kiss. "Really? It''s only been a day."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "It''s true," Damien replied, looking at her with his deep-set eyes. Cherise could even see her blushing


    face reflected in them, which made her blush even harder.


    "We were inexplicably separated for five years. I''ve spent five years yearning for you. I want you to


    make up for it twice as much every day."


    Having said that, he didn''t even give her time to catch her breath before kissing her passionately.


    The air between them became charged with ambiguity and tension. Cherise was immersed in his


    lingering kiss, unable to free herself.


    Finally, she whispered in his ear, "Let''s go back to the room. The kids coulde downstairs at any


    time..."


    Damien smiled and picked her up. "Those kids can be a bit troublesome."


    Cherise pouted and rxed in his embrace. "Who said they wanted a third or fourth child?"


    Damien answered in good humor. "Children are troublesome no matter how many you have. So, I


    might as well have a few more. It will be lively."


    Hearing that, Cherise red at him. "Do you know how painful it is to give birth?"


    But Damienughed. "I can share the pain with you. You can bite me when you give birth."


    Cherise was rendered speechless. She pursed her lips. "I don''t want to."


    "Don''t want to what?"


    "I don''t want to give birth!"


    Damien held her and kicked open the bedroom door. "You have no say in this."


    Cherise pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but he sealed her words with a kiss. Heid her


    down on the bed.


    Despite iming that Cherise had no say in the matter, he still found contraceptives in the bedside


    drawers.


    Cherise stared at him as he skillfully took out one. "Why... do you have this at home?"


    "Is there a problem?" Damien looked at her and smiled yfully. "You said you don''t want more kids.


    Have you changed your mind?"


    His provocative gaze made Cherise nervously stutter, "I... I didn''t mean that!"


    Then, she pursed her lips and reorganized her thoughts. "I mean... why do you have this at home?"


    She frowned and instinctively nced into the drawer. Her expression instantly turned stern. "Why... is


    it opened?"


    That means... Damien had used a few of them!


    Cherise''s heart instantly turned cold.


    Since this box is kept in the bedroom''s bedside drawers, Damien must have used it asionally.


    Others could not have put it there. Re§Ñd at Dramanov§Öls


    So, if Damien used it... Who did he use it with?


    Cherise pursed her lips and shoved his arms away. "Don''t touch me!"

 Chapter 842 Infidelity

    Chapter 842 Infidelity


    Otherwise, why would there be a partially used box of contraceptives?


    Damien rested his head on his arms against the headboard of the bed. He smiled at Cherise, asking,


    "So, who do you think I used them with?"


    "Urs? Rowena? Or some random woman?" he added casually.


    Cherise bit her lip, digging her fingernails into her palm. She couldn''t ept it! The mere thought of


    Damien being with another woman in her absence made her sad, indignant, and at a loss for words.


    It was still uneptable, even if he had no feelings for that woman. Cherise valued loyalty in romantic


    rtionships and marriage. She had only been with him her entire life, but he...


    Tears welled up in her eyes. She immediately turned her face away, refusing to let Damien see her cry.


    "I''m going to check on the kids."


    With that, she tried to get out of bed.


    However, Damien quickly pulled her back and pressed her down. By then, Cherise''s eyes were


    bloodshot. On closer observation, one could even see tears welling up in them.


    Damien looked at Cherise helplessly and deliberately teased her. "Cherry, I''m a normal man too.


    During the five years you were gone, there were times when I couldn''t control myself. I have physical


    needs, too, you know?"


    His words finally made Cherise burst into tears.


    He admitted it! He used this box of contraceptives to sleep with other women on this bed!


    A wave of disappointment and sadness enveloped Cherise. She bit her lip. "So... you..."


    "Mm." Damien leaned down to kiss her, but she dodged him.


    Her reaction amused Damien. "As you can see, I''ve only done it five or six times in five years. I''ve


    shown tremendous restraint."


    Cherise bit her lip. Tears trickled down her face. "Damien! Don''t make me argue with you. No woman


    can tolerate her husband sleeping with other women and hear it exined to her in detail!"


    Sadness and disappointment grew as she spoke. She couldn''t stop the tears from flowing. "I


    understand that you find it hard to resist your sexual urges in these five years... but why..."


    She sniffled. Her voice choked as she sobbed. "You think I didn''t have desires in these five years?


    What makes you think I don''t have physical needs? But I could never do it with anyone except you!


    Even if I have such needs, I control myself!"


    Cherise took a deep breath and continued furiously, "But what about you? Not only did you seek out


    other women, but you did it on this bed..."


    How could Damien...


    Her thoughts fueled the me of her anger. She struggled fiercely, shouting, "Let me go! I..."


    However, Damien passionately kissed her before she could finish her sentence.


    Dra§Þa?ov§Öls.c§à§Þ


    Cherise sulked and refused to speak.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 843 I Want You On Top

    Chapter 843 I Want You On Top


    Damien smiled affectionately and kissed the top of her head. "Frances has been working here for the


    past five years without taking a single day off."


    He gently tucked stray strands of hair behind her ear. "If you think I''ve brought another woman to this


    room and slept with her, you can ask Frances for confirmation."


    Cherise, with tears streaming down her face, looked up at Damien in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    Didn''t he confess that he had slept with other women on this bed? Why is he telling me to confirm with


    Frances if I don''t believe it? Why should I ask Frances and humiliate myself? Or does he mean for


    Frances tofort me?


    These thoughts made Cherise''s tears flow even more. "Damien, you scoundrel!"


    "Scoundrel?" Damien arched his eyebrows and chuckled. "How am I a scoundrel?"


    "You..." Cherise pursed her lips. "You have no shame!"


    How dare he pretend to be innocent after sleeping with other women?


    "How am I shameless?" Damien smiled helplessly and took Cherise''s hand. "Darling, I think you


    misunderstood something."


    He smiled and held her hand firmly. "I missed you when you were not here. Is it wrong for me to satisfy


    my physical needs on my own?"


    "Satisfy..." Cherise was stunned. She looked up at Damien in confusion. "You used this to...satisfy..."


    She was too embarrassed to finish the sentence. However...


    "I understand..." Her face flushed. She instinctively nced up and noticed Damien''s eyes crinkled in


    amusement. "I... About what I said... I was wrong to me you."


    Cherise thought he used it with another woman. She did not expect him to use it for self-pleasure.


    Still, amidst the tension and embarrassment, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I''m sorry, Hubby..."


    "No need to apologize." Damien smiled and embraced Cherise. "Today, I want you on top."


    Having taken two weeks off, Cherise had nned to go to work early the following day. Unfortunately,


    her n waspletely derailed.


    Damien had abstained from sex for a long time. Now that he had Cherise back, he was insatiable in


    bed.


    After a night of passionate activities, Cherise was so exhausted that she slept in until the sun was high


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    in the sky.


    When she woke up, Damien had returned after sending their children to kindergarten and had her


    pinned beneath him.


    As she feared, Damien initiated their ''morning exercise'' before she could react.


    It was already past eleven when Damien lifted her exhausted figure from the bathtub.


    Damien wasn''t angry despite being called a ''scoundrel'' for the first time. Instead, he elegantly picked


    up the bowl of oatmeal that Frances had brought and looked at Cherise affectionately. "Here, you


    should eat something to replenish your energy."  NovelDrama.Org


    Damien raised his eyebrows slightly. "If you don''t eat it, I might do something even more mischievous."


    Cherise was rendered speechless. She immediately snatched the oatmeal from his hand. "I''ll eat!"

 Chapter 844 Return To The Research Institute

    Chapter 844 Return To The Research Institute


    Cherise had already informed Mr. Whitlock yesterday that she would return to work today. Yet, here she


    was, absent for the entire morning.


    "You can go tomorrow," Damien smiled and gently tousled Cherise''s hair. "I''ve spoken to Mr. Whitlock


    on your behalf."


    Cherise, holding a bowl of oatmeal, paused slightly. "What did you tell him?"


    Damien''s stern voice carried a hint of amusement. "I told him that you and I n to have a third and


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    fourth child. So, you might need to take a day off at home."


    Cherise was shocked.


    This scoundrel! How could he embarrass me like that?


    Cherise held her spoon hesitantly. She had lost her appetite, but she feared he would tease her again if


    she did not eat.


    After a while, she reluctantly swallowed the oatmeal. "I don''t care. I have to go to work this afternoon."


    Since the morning was already lost and irretrievable, she could not skip the afternoon either. She


    refused to let her colleagues and superiors think she was an employee who indulged excessively and


    kept cking off from work.


    Damien shrugged. "If you insist on going, I''ll have Mr. Kolson take you thereter."


    He had matters to deal with in the afternoon and could not always stay home with her. Thus, he thought


    her going to work was also a good choice. At least she would not be so bored.


    ...


    After lunch, Cherise dug out her long-unused office clothes. Then, Mr. Kolson sent her to the research


    institute.


    The research institute seemed unusually lively today, with flowers and balloons at the entrance.


    Cherise rubbed her temples helplessly and smiled. Her colleagues probably prepared these things to


    wee her.


    Last night, she had seen Heather discussing organizing a wee party with her colleagues in the


    WhatsApp group.


    Cherise felt even more guilty as she thought about this. Her colleagues must have waited for her to


    return, yet she waste. Thus, she entered the research institute, intending to apologize.


    When she entered, she saw Heather''s face stained with colorful cake icing.


    "Dr. Shaw?" Heather looked at Cherise in shock. "Why... why are you back today?"


    Then, as if fearing others would discover Cherise, Heather quickly pulled her into the stairwell. "Aren''t


    you on vacation for a long time?"


    Cherise was stunned. "I..."


    "Dr. Shaw, your vacation isn''t over yet. You should go home and enjoy it. Whye to the research


    institute?"


    After saying that, she began to push Cherise towards the back door. "Listen to me. Go home first..."


    However, before she could finish speaking, someone called out to her. "Heather, who are you talking to


    over there?" Updated at Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    Thus, Cherise turned around and smiled to greet the colleague. "Hi, it''s me. I''m back."


    Seeing Cherise''s smile, the colleague was stunned for a moment. Then, her eyes widened in horror as


    if she had seen a ghost. "Cherise?"

 Chapter 845 Plagiarism

    Chapter 845 giarism


    The colleague immediately raised her voice. "How dare you show up at the institute? You have brought


    humiliation upon us! How audacious of you to show your face here!"


    Cherise waspletely bewildered.


    Heather quickly stepped in front of Cherise. "Serena, what are you saying? Isn''t this matter still under


    investigation? Why are you using Cherise like this? What if the investigation results show that


    Cherise is the one being giarized? How will you face her as her colleague?"


    "Colleague?" Serena sneered, "Who would want to be colleagues with such a shameless woman? I


    used to think she was brave for admitting that she didn''t dare to conduct surgery. Now, it seems she is


    just shameless!"


    Serena continued to vent her anger. "She ims to have made significant contributions in medicine


    and to be highly professional in academia, but what''s the truth? Her paper is giarized! If this paper is


    giarized, her other papers might be giarized too, and her qualifications might even be fake!"


    The more Serena spoke, the more she felt justified. "Furthermore, her family and her husband''s family


    are wealthy. For the wealthy, academic qualifications, research papers... everything can be bought!


    This is a mockery of those of us who are dedicated to academia. She''s trampling on our dignity!"


    Serena spoke with such conviction that Cherise was almost tempted to apud her. Undoubtedly, if


    Serena were using someone else who had indeed vited the rules, Cherise might excitedly


    apud her words. Unfortunately, Serena med her, and she had never done anything remotely


    close to any of the things Serena mentioned.


    Still, Cherise guessed what had happened from Serena and Heather''s conversation. Most likely,


    someone had imed that the paper Gwenn stole from her was their own.


    She took a deep breath and gently patted Heather''s hand, signaling her to calm down. Then, she


    smiled at Serena, saying, "I think I understand the situation you are referring to. As for whether I


    giarized, that''s for the expert panel to determine. I''ll talk to Mr. Whitlock and the hospital director."


    However, as she tried to leave, Serena extended her arms and blocked her way. "Cherise, I won''t let


    you escape so easily!"


    "Mr. Whitlock told us he was reluctant to ept you. However, the hospital director, whom he was


    acquainted with, rmended you, saying you were talented, which was why you could work at our


    institute."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "But since you started working, you haven''t done anything. Apart from writing one research paper,


    you''ve been on continuous leave. Now, even your paper is giarized, and the person you giarized


    from hase forward to condemn you!"


    "Cherise, you are a person with no medical ethics or morals. You should be banned from the entire


    field!"


    Serena''s loud voice attracted many colleagues toe and watch.


    They gathered around her, criticizing her. Every word they said cut deeply into Cherise''s heart. Co?tent


    of Dr§Ñm§Ñ?ovels.c§àm

 Chapter 846 Betrayal

    Chapter 846 Betrayal


    "Hey, don''t be so harsh on her. Isn''t she skilled at charming men? She did manage to attract a wealthy


    man, after all. Once her husband opens his wallet, she can be whoever she wants, right?"


    "Look at Heather. This fool is still defending her for a free meal?"


    "There''s never a shortage of deceivers and fools in this world. Cherise is a deceiver, and Heather is a


    fool!"


    Cherise''s colleagues would not stop throwing maliciousments at her. Each word felt like knives


    mercilessly piercing her heart.


    She took a deep breath, left the crowd, and walked purposefully towards Mr. Whitlock''s office.


    Mr. Whitlock knows I didn''t giarize the article. All he has to do ispare the time I submitted my


    manuscript to him with when the user''s paper was published. Then, the truth would be revealed,


    wouldn''t it?


    Filled with hope, Cherise arrived at the entrance of Mr. Whitlock''s office.


    The door was slightly ajar. Cherise raised her hand to knock but paused when she heard Mr. Whitlock''s


    voice from inside the office. "If you provide evidence that your client wrote this paper before Cherise,


    we will apologize to her. This is our oversight. We should be more rigorous and not allow people like


    Cherise, who rely on giarism, to wander around in academia."


    Cherise pursed her lips and pushed open the door, unable to tolerate it any longer. "Mr. Whitlock, what


    did you say? Can you repeat that?"


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Mr. Whitlock did not expect someone to barge in suddenly. He turned to the door impatiently. "Who


    gave you permission toe in? Get out¡­"


    However, Mr. Whitlock''s voice abruptly disappeared. He stared in disbelief at Cherise standing at the


    door, asking awkwardly, "Che... Cherise, why are you here?"


    Didn''t Damien say she wouldn''t being to work today? How could this be?


    "If I hadn''te to work, how would I have heard my most trusted superior admitting that I giarized


    someone''s work?"


    After saying this, she calmly walked to the table and nced at the so-called ''evidence.''


    It was proof of the creation time, showing that the research paper had been on theputer of a


    woman named Ynda Weiss for three weeks. The other document was issued by Mr. Whitlock,


    proving that Cherise''s article had only been written a week and a half ago.


    Looking at these two so-called proofs, Cherise smirked coldly.


    Mr. Whitlock issued a certificate stating that my article was given to him a week and a half ago. But I


    gave it to him three weeks ago! What did he say at that time?


    He told me to extensively research it and take it back to revise and polish it. Then, I went back and


    made the necessary revisions, polishing my work.


    Ultimately, Mr. Whitlock recorded thest time I gave him the paper as thepletion time. This wasn''t


    a mistake; it was intentional!


    Mr. Whitlock turned his face away, seemingly guilty. "Cherise, I know it''s difficult for you to admit to


    giarism. But I''m only stating the facts. The time you submitted the paper is stated here as proof. I


    would never fabricate the truth for personal gain." Co?tent of Dr?§Þ??ov§Öls.c§àm

 Chapter 847 Im Unwilling To Wait

    Chapter 847 I''m Unwilling To Wait


    "After all¡­" Mr. Whitlock nced at Cherise with a cold expression. "Our research institute only


    wees those with genuine talent and knowledge to join us."


    Cherise stood still, her hands tightly clenched at her sides.


    Mr. Whitlock''s words echoed the mockery she had faced from her colleagues outside. It was clear that


    he had influenced their opinions about her.


    However, she couldn''tprehend why Mr. Whitlock, who had been warm and kind to her before she


    left for Ziphon half a month ago, had suddenly changed his attitude. He even distorted the truth right in


    front of her.


    He knew very well whether the paper in question was written by her or Ynda. So why did he nder


    her and im that shecked talent and knowledge?


    She had contemted the topic for nearly five years before writing this paper. The two case studies


    within the paper represented five years of her hard work. As a fellow academic, he should understand


    the significance of this paper to her.


    Nevertheless...


    Cherise took a deep breath, snatched the two so-called proofs from the table, and tore them into


    shreds. "I refuse to ept this. I have never giarized. Everything in the paper is my original work. If


    Ynda insists that the paper is hers, I don''t mind confronting her face to face!"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Mr. Whitlock was taken aback and instinctively looked at the man in front of him. "Um... Mr. Zeller, what


    should we do?"


    "We''ll have to wait for Ms. Weiss to resolve this herself." Mr. Zeller smiled and continued, "But she is


    currently having lunch with the president of the Lenoir Group and may not be able toe here right


    away."


    After saying this, Mr. Zeller turned to Cherise. "Ms. Shaw, if you don''t mind, you can wait for a while.


    After all, Mr. Lenoir is an important figure. It wouldn''t be appropriate to make him wait for Ms. Weiss."


    Mr. Zeller''s words caused Mr. Whitlock''s face to turn pale. However, he still looked at Cherise with


    disdain. "Since you''re so eager to confront Ms. Weiss, then wait! You should be more aware of Mr.


    Lenoir''s status than I am. Their meeting won''t end so quickly."


    "Hmm." Mr. Zeller probably didn''t know about Cherise''s rtionship with Damien. He said smugly, "Yes,


    Ms. Weiss is gentle and lovely. A sessful man like Mr. Lenoir would be interested in a girl like her.


    Who knows, they might hit it off and have a longer conversation."


    After saying that, he looked at Cherise contemptuously. "Ms. Shaw, someone like you will probably


    never have the opportunity to dine with such an influential person, so you don''t understand how


    valuable this opportunity is..."


    Cherise sneered. "Honestly, I fail to see what''s so special about dining with Damien."


    Cherise took a deep breath and sat on the sofa in Mr. Whitlock''s office. "So, do I have to wait for


    Ynda to finish her meal before seeing her?" Read at NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 848 If Shes Willing

    Chapter 848 If She''s Willing


    A momentter, a deep, gentle voice answered the call. "What''s the matter?"


    "What are you doing?" Cherise asked.


    "I''m having dinner with a business partner."


    Cherise raised her eyebrows. "Who''s your business partner?"


    "Someone I have dealings with regarding shares."


    Damien answered honestly, without any hint of hiding. "I want to buy back Lenoir Group shares from


    this person, so we are having a meal together."


    His deep, maic voice sounded amused as he continued, "Why? Have you suddenly decided to


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    check on me, Mrs. Lenoir?"


    After saying that, his voice lowered a few notches. "Is it because I didn''t satisfy you enoughst night


    and this morning? Don''t worry. I have plenty more in me. We''ll continue tonight."


    Cherise''s hand trembled violently as she gripped the phone. She almost threw it to the floor. If it weren''t


    for Mr. Zeller and Mr. Whitlock''s presence, she would have cursed Damien as an old lecher.


    Instead, she took a deep breath and pursed her lips. "So, is your client male or female?"


    "Female." Damien''s response was straightforward. "Not as beautiful as you, nor as gentle."


    "In that case, don''t negotiate." Cherise took a deep breath. "I''m at Mr. Whitlock''s office in the institute.


    Come and pick me up now. Also, bring your female client with you."


    Damien was briefly silent but did not hesitate. "If she''s willing."


    Then, heughed, saying, "She and I are neither rtives nor friends. I can''t ask her to apany me


    to pick up my wife the first time we meet, can I?"


    Cherise pursed her lips. "She will be willing." With that, Cherise immediately hung up the call.


    After putting her phone away, Cherise looked up and met Mr. Zeller''s gaze. As their eyes met, Mr.


    Zeller chuckled, saying, "Cherise, your call just now was quite enlightening. I''m starting to get curious


    about your husband. What kind of person is he?"


    Cherise smiled at him. "You''ll see him soon enough."


    After saying that, she couldn''t be bothered to continue conversing with the two. Instead, she closed her


    eyes and reclined against the sofa, pretending to take a nap.


    Mr. Whitlock was stunned. He guessed Damien was the person Cherise had called just now.


    Furthermore, he heard her asking him about his female client.


    Does this mean Ynda is only a female client to Damien?


    But... When Mr. Zeller came to see me, he said Ynda was Damien''s new love interest! If he hadn''t


    said that, I wouldn''t have dared to treat Cherise like I did.


    Seeing how calm and fearless Cherise was forced him to think of the worst.


    Mr. Whitlock appeared calm, but internally, he was as anxious as ants on a hot pan. He worried about


    his future if he failed to get Ynda''s payment and offended Damien and Cherise. Co?tent of


    Dr?manov§Öls


    Her timid voice made Cherise frown slightly.

 Chapter 849 Its All Heathers Fault

    Chapter 849 It''s All Heather''s Fault


    Cherise opened her eyes and met Heather''s inquisitive gaze. Heather seemed to be silently asking,


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Are you okay?"


    Cherise responded reassuringly and smiled at Heather, calming her anxious heart.


    Ever since Cherise arrived at the institute, Heather had been worried about her. Although she knew


    Cherise had Damien''s protection, she was concerned that Damien wouldn''t be able to arrive on time if


    Mr. Whitlock were to bully Cherise.


    As Cherise''s friend, Heather felt responsible for ensuring Cherise''s safety. Now that Cherise confirmed


    she was okay, Heather felt relieved.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Whitlock stood behind Heather. His eyes lit up as he looked at the steaming cup of tea.


    Suddenly, he grabbed the cup and hurled it towards Heather.


    Heather was focused on Cherise and was unaware of the danger behind her. On the other hand,


    Cherise saw Mr. Whitlock sshing the tea and wanted to pull Heather away. Unfortunately, it was too


    Heather screamed. Her face instantly turned red from the scalding tea.


    Mr. Whitlock smashed the cup on the floor, shouting, "Heather, did youe here to spy on me? Are


    you afraid I won''t nder Dr. Shaw as you wish, so you came in to check on me!?"


    Heather''s body trembled violently from being scalded by the hot tea. She swayed unsteadily and fell


    backward. Cherise caught her immediately. "Heather, are you okay?"


    Heather was in so much pain that she couldn''t speak for a while. She stuttered before managing to say


    two words, "It hurts!"


    Seeing the usually friendly girl in so much pain ignited Cherise''s anger.


    However, Mr. Whitlock continued to nder Heather, "Cherise, don''t fall for her lies! Heather made me


    produce these so-called pieces of evidence! No one knows better than me that you didn''t giarize! It''s


    all Heather''s fault! She conspired with Ynda, bribed me with money, and used my family matter to


    force me to work with them!"


    Heather gritted her teeth. Her face had turned pale from pain, but she still mustered the strength to look


    up at Cherise, pleading, "Cherise, I didn''t..."


    Of course, Cherise knew that Heather didn''t do those things.


    Heather was naive and a little clueless. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been unaware of Cherise and


    Damien''s rtionship and kept gushing to her about how famous Damien was until he came to


    propose to Cherise.


    Furthermore, she wouldn''t have imed to be Lennon''s close friend without inquiring about his


    rtionship with Lucy.


    Cherise sneered and turned to Mr. Whitlock. "Did you say Heather bribed and coerced you? Then, tell


    me, how much money did she offer you? When did she coerce you?"


    He didn''t expect Cherise to question him. Content of Dra§Þ??ovels


    However, in his haste, he failed to consider Heather''s actual circumstances.

 Chapter 850 A Rude Wife

    Chapter 850 A Rude Wife


    How could a woman from a rural area, earning only a little over three thousand a month, afford to pay


    two hundred thousand? Furthermore, how could she have the connections to arrange for her son to


    study abroad?


    Perhaps realizing that his lie was falling apart, Mr. Whitlock quickly implicated Heather and Mr. Zeller.


    "They''re conspiring! Heather and this Mr. Zeller are in cahoots! It''s them!


    "I don''t know this youngdy." Mr. Zeller crossed his arms, leaning against a distant pir, calmly


    observing Mr. Whitlock''s performance. "Mr. Whitlock, you took our money. Why are you trying to shift


    the me onto others? Ms. Weiss will be displeased if she hears this. Then, your son will lose his


    chance to study abroad."


    Mr. Whitlock froze. He looked at Mr. Zeller before turning to Cherise again. "Cherise, I can exin..."


    Cherise couldn''t be bothered with him. She helped Heather to her feet, saying, "If anything happens to


    Heather, I will hold your entire family responsible!"


    After saying that, Cherise immediately grabbed Heather and left the room. By now, Heather''s face was


    red and swollen.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Once Cherise left, Mr. Zeller continued to lean against a pir and looked at Mr. Whitlock with disdain.


    "What''s Cherise''s background? Why did you suddenly turn against us and use another youngdy as a


    scapegoat?"


    Mr. Whitlock rolled his eyes and looked at Mr. Zeller as if he were stupid. "Don''t you investigate a


    person''s identity before you set them up? When you brought up Mr. Lenoir and Ms. Weiss having lunch


    together, I thought it meant you had won over Mr. Lenoir. You almost ruined me!"


    Mr. Whitlock took a deep breath. He felt a chill as he recalled what had just happened. He foolishly


    thought these people had driven a wedge between Damien and Cherise. That was why he dared to


    nder Cherise.


    But in reality¡­


    While Mr. Zeller and Mr. Whitlock were talking, someone knocked on the door and opened it. It was


    Damien in a ck suit and a woman in a long white dress.


    "Mr. Whitlock." Damien looked at Mr. Whitlock indifferently. "I''m here to pick up my wife."


    Mr. Whitlock was stunned before exining quickly, "Um... a colleague got injured just now, so Dr.


    Shaw took her to the hospital."


    After saying that, he looked at Damien, trying to win some favor. "Dr. Shaw is truly a kind person."


    Damien frowned. "She went to the hospital with a colleague?"


    Mr. Whitlock nodded, "Yes, a colleague got scalded..."


    After saying that, Ynda turned to Damien indignantly. "Is your wife always this rude?"


    However, Damien looked at Ynda coldly. "My wife must have had an emergency. You haven''t met


    her or understood the situation, yet you rashly use her of being rude. Did the Weiss family teach


    you to nder others this way?" Re§Ñd at Dra§Þan§àvels

 Chapter 851 Spark and Shadows

    Chapter 851 Spark and Shadows


    "Yes, it''s not a significant matter,"


    Damien remarked, a faint smile gracing his lips. "It''s just that this mode of expression is rather off-


    putting."


    With those words, Damien nonchntly retrieved his phone and dialed a number. "Which hospital?"


    At that very moment, Cherise and Heather entered the emergency room. The medical staff in the hectic


    environment were engrossed in assisting her in lying down, causing her to disconnect the call before


    she could respond inadvertently.


    Cherise found herself engrossed in assisting the doctor with examining Heather''s wounds, leaving her


    with little opportunity to return the call.


    After making three unanswered calls, Damien furrowed his brow and directly dialed Mr. Hampson''s


    number. "Find out which hospital Mrs. Lenoir is in."


    "Alright."


    "Mrs. Lenoir is making a scene,"


    Ynda remarked, crossing her arms and casting a faint smile in Damien''s direction. "Does she always


    y games like this with you?"


    "Not always,"


    Damien replied, turning his head to offer Ynda a light smile. "Ms. Weiss has never been in a


    rtionship, so you may not understand this type of yful banter between husband and wife."


    The man''s eyes towards Ynda were filled with mockery. "Sometimes ying games is also a spice


    in a marriage."


    "Ms. Weiss doesn''t understand; it''s not your fault."


    With that, Damien elegantly turned around. "Since my wife is not here, I''ll take my leave."


    Observing the man''s tall figure, Ynda clenched her fingers and quickly caught up with him. "Mr.


    Lenoir, you said you would introduce me to your wife, but she stood you up, and you''re leaving me


    behind?"


    Damien paused, turning his head slightly to look at Ynda. "I didn''t handle it properly, Ms. Weiss. It


    was my mistake."


    The next moment, he took out his phone and called Mr. Hampson. "Send a car to the research institute


    and take Ms. Weiss to her destination."


    Ynda was left speechless.


    She pressed her lips together. "Damien, you''re aware that wasn''t my intention!"


    He responded with a smile. "Then, what did Ms. Weiss mean?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "I refrain from specting about the thoughts of any woman other than my wife. Please let Ms. Weiss


    be direct if she wishes to convey something. No need for ambiguity."


    Ynda''splexion paled, her teeth clenched tightly. Jealousy gripped her like an unrelenting me!


    Since encountering Damien, he had consistently underscored the presence of his "wife," addressing


    her as "my wife." He dismissed Ynda''s feelings entirely.


    Despite Damien instigating their meeting, it portrayed her as pursuing a married man.


    She developed feelings for this somewhat aloof and arrogant man topound matters!


    With aposed inhtion, Ynda met Damien''s gaze. "I believe you should bring me to the hospital


    to visit your wife."


    Furrowing his brow slightly, Damien contemted the situation.


    A smile yed on his lips as he conceded, "Very well."


    "Then, if you please, Miss Weiss."


    Ynda pursed her lips, a subtle satisfaction crossing her countenance. New ch?pter av?ble o?


    Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm


    Can even the most reserved man refuse my request?


    Damien, this man, I would inevitably have under my sway!


    Ynda fell into silence.


    His wife, always his wife!

 Chapter 852 Whispers of Ambition

    Chapter 852 Whispers of Ambition


    Is Cherise, that fool, the sole person he cares about!?


    The woman scoffed, "Mr. Lenoir is quite conservative."


    "It''s prudent for everyone to maintain a degree of conservatism."


    After a faint smile, he gestured for her to proceed. "Ms. Weiss, please proceed."


    Ynda pursed her lips and left.


    During the journey to the hospital, Ynda attempted to initiate a conversation with Damien, but he


    either crossed his arms and gazed out the window or feigned sleep.


    Boredom set in, prompting Ynda to retrieve her phone and message her younger brother, Sebastian


    Weiss, "Sebastian, who in the Lenoir Group asked me to meet Damien? Damien doesn''t seem


    interested in meeting me at all. He''s not enthusiastic at all!"


    "I''m so frustrated! I''ve never been ignored like this in my entire life!"


    Shortly after dispatching the message, she received a reply, "If that''s the case, why don''t youe


    back earlier?"


    "No way!"


    Ynda''s lips tightened. "I''ve developed a liking for Damien."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The man on the other end of the phone held a brief silence. "Masochist."


    "Who are you referring to?"


    "I''m talking about you. He doesn''t deign to pay attention to you, yet you cultivate affection for him. If


    that''s not masochism, then what is it?"


    "Say whatever you want. I simply find enjoyment in challenging pursuits!"


    "Well, we Weiss family are all cut from the same cloth."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s inconsequential. You proceed with pursuing Damien, and I''ll exert my best efforts to integrate you


    into Cherise''s eptance as her sister."


    Yndapsed into silence.


    "Brother, are you serious? Do you genuinely harbor feelings for that foolish Cherise?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re absurd!"


    Ynda clenched her phone, a surge of anger coursing through her. "During your time at Shawbury


    High, didn''t you perceive how foolish this woman was?"


    "I find her remarkable. Do not speak ill of her."


    "...You''re brainwashed."


    "Believe what you will. If you treat her kindly, we can benefit from our endeavors. Otherwise, I won''t


    concern myself with you."


    Ynda found herself speechless.


    Despite the harshness of Sebastian''s words, Ynda reluctantly acknowledged their impact; they had


    shaken her to the core.


    Her brother, she realized, possessed a cunning and malicious nature.


    Contemting the possibility of teaming up with Sebastian, Ynda couldn''t deny that it might offer a


    smoother path to winning Damien.


    With that realization, she drew a deep breath. "Fine! I''ll pursue Damien, and you pursue Cherise!"


    "Yeah."


    ------------


    "Ms. Dupont is progressing well."


    While continuing to document details in Heather''s medical record, the doctor provided further


    instructions, "For the next seven days, it''s advisable to refrain from taking baths, and it''s preferable to


    have someone assist you."  NovelDrama.Org


    "Once the blisters on your body burst, apply the ointment promptly upon discovery to prevent scarring."


    Cherise nodded silently, holding the ointment. "I understand."


    After bidding farewell to the doctor, she assisted Heather as they left the burn unit.


    "Cherise, you don''t have to support me. The burns are on my face and arms, not my legs. I can walk on


    my own!"


    Cherise shook her head. "But you still need to take it slow."


    Heather pouted, reluctantly allowing Cherise to support her as they walked ahead.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!