Marrying the Man in the Dark

Chapter 1082 Reminiscing Over Antics "Sob, sob! I was beside myself with worry!" "You call the way to Calais to rescue me, to finally put things to an end. If you're wrongly implicated because of this, I don't know how I'll be able to carry on..." Though it was Cherise who had endured the ordeal and likely required the most solace, she discovered herself in a position of consoling Savannah instead.

"See, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?" Cherise tenderly placed a comforting hand on Savannah's shoulder, lifting her gaze.

Standing by themselves from an area not too far away, Steve and Damien observed their interaction with warm smiles. Cherise's wide, helpless eyes looked back at Steve, a silent plea for assistance. "Shouldn't consoling Sav fall under your responsibility?" "You were quite the expert at that back in high school," Steve quipped playfully, mischief dancing in his eyes.

He then directed his attention to Damien. "That's how things were back in high school," he explained, a hint of affection coloring his words.

"Whenever Cherise struggled academically or was at her low points," Steve recounted with a fond smile, "Sav would cry for her and embrace her. In turn, Cherise would reciprocate by offering solace to Sav. And the cycle repeated constantly." Damien arched an eyebrow, "There were times that Cherry did not do well in her exams?" "Indeed," Steve openly disclosed Cherise's academic history. "People think Cherise only made it to the top because she was diligent; they all thought she was not naturally gifted. Only Sav and I have known all these while that she's not as dim-witted as they assume!" Steve continued to reminisce, his words painting a vivid picture of Cherise's high school antics. "She used to sneak in naps in the middle of lessons!" he exclaimed, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"And on her senior year," Steve continued, his tone growing more animated with each passing moment, "there were a couple of exams where she struggled because she slept in during lessons and did not learn the important notes the teacher was covering!" Damien chuckled at the revelation, his amusement evident in the twinkle of his eyes. "That's quite different from what I thought of her." With that, Damien directed his attention to Cherise with a knowing look, his expression curious. "So, is what he said true?" he inquired, his tone teasing.

"No, absolutely not!" she vehemently denied.

Cherise tightened into a firm line as she listened to Steve's teasing. Even though she went through her graduation stago, she couldn't stand the thought of the distinction she received as an elite student being blemished.

"You were the one who slept in the middle of classes!" she retorted, her tone defensive as she sought to deflect attention away from herself. "Sav here can verify that!" But Steve was quick to counter her argument, his grin widening as he revealed his trump card. "Hah! I have evidence! I snapped sshots of you nodding off in the middle of lessons!" "Once we're back in Shawburry, Mr. Lenoir, I'll dig them up and email them to you so you can confirm the truth yourself," Steve declared.

Damien chuckled softly at the exchange, amused by their friendly banter. "Sounds like a plan." Cherise narrowed her eyes at Steve. "You're going to get it, Steve!" she declared, her competitive spirit undimmed by the teasing of her friend.

As evening descended upon Shawbury, Steve, Damien, Savannah, and Cherise gathered around a table laden with delicious dishes, the air filled with laughter and camaraderie as they celebrated Savannah's homecoming and an end to Cherise's ordeal. Steve, the host of the evening, had spared no effort in preparing a feast to entertain their guests. The table overflowed with an array of delectable dishes, each one more tempting than the last.

As the evening wore on and the drinks flowed freely, Steve found himself seated next to Cherise, a warm smile playing on his lips turned to her with a question. "Cherry," he began, his tone earnest, "this Kielixe time, how long do you intend to prolong your vacation in Shawbury?" Cherise was on the verge of suggesting they extend their stay for a few more days, but before she could speak, the man across from her knitted his eyebrows and interjected, "I've arranged for our departure tomorrow." A pair of disbelief eyes stared back at Damien. "Why so sudden?" Cherise asked.

He had previously expressed his desire to make up for lost time, mentioning plans to return to the Shaw family village to gather flowers and to fish as they had once done. before. He had even adjusted his schedule, leading her to believe they Would linger longer in Shawbury. But he's now saying that we're departing this soon? A surge of anger coursed through Cherise at the sudden shift in plans. "Darling, do you believe that just because I've recollected my lost memories, you can simply alter our plans?" Cherise's sharp words pierced through the once lively ambiance of the gathering, casting an abrupt hush over the gathering.

Primarily, while Steve played the role of host at the gathering, it was widely understood that all eyes were fixed on the pair of the evening-Damien and Cherise.

Moreover, given Cherise's recent achievements, there were few in the room who didn't harbor a twinge of jealousy. Among them, Stella harbored a hidden desire foroccasional discord between the two, if only to ease her own anxieties. Thus, when Cherise's rupture broke the air, a palpable silence enveloped the room as every attendee waited with bated breath for a potential confrontation to unfold before them.