Marrying the Man in the Dark

A slight figure lay beneath the covers in the dimly illuminated room, her features concealed from sight. The man chuckled softly.
He knew she was awake but approached the bed quietly, settling himself on the edge. Tenderly, he brushed his fingers through
her hair, offering a gentle pat on her shoulder.
“Lucy filled me in,” he began, reassuring her gently. “Since you still remember Jan, I’ll arrange for you to meet him tomorrow... in
hopes of sparking some memories of him within you. Perhaps it’ll awaken memories of me as well.” After that, he tucked her in
with care. “Recovering your memories takes time, so prepare yourself for a prolonged battle.”
Cherise, inexplicably sensing an ache in her heart, felt her pulse quicken. She slowly felt herself caring more for Damien.... Yet,
Cherise maintained her façade of slumber, unwilling to put aside her pride. After all, she was stubborn and spoke to him coldly
the day prior.
After what had happened today, Cherise sensed a shift in her feelings toward Damien, yet she couldn’t bring herself to face him.
Though Damien remained silent, she imagined him inwardly mocking her lack of restraint, ridiculing her previous defiance. Thus,
she kept her eyes shut, deepening her breaths to enhance the illusion of sleep.
A faint smile tugged at Damien’s lips. He was amused seeing her oblivious state, lost in her imagination. Nevertheless, he
decided against exposing her charade. Instead, he spoke softly, “I’ll be working late tonight, wrapping up matters in Adania.”
“Considering your memories of lan, you likely recall events from high school,” he continued, his fingers gently trailing through her
hair. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll take you back to Shawbury and revisit your old high school grounds.” He let out a soft sigh. “I’m also
curious about your high school days. We only met when you were twenty, so I missed two decades of your life. Perhaps this is
my chance to catch up.
Cherise pouted, feeling her heart flutter in response to Damien’s words. She couldn’t deny their power. He could melt any
woman’s heart, and Cherise wasn’t immune, even if she had lost her memory. Seeing such warmth and sincerity from a usually
reserved man was enough to move any woman. In the dim room, Cherise’s features softened subtly.
Since coming back from Ziphon, I’ve been caught up with work, Damien revealed, his hand still gently stroking her head,
oblivious to the change in Cherise’s expression. That might be why you think I’m being indifferent, right?” He leaned in, let out a
sofi sigh, and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I feel responsible for your current state.” Damien pledged, “From tomorrow
onward, I’ll carve out time to be by your side. Things will start looking up,”

With the man’s brief, tender kiss, a profound ripple surged through Cherise’s heart, and her fists tightened at her sides. He
promised things would improve. And in that promise, she found solace, daring to believe in a brighter future. It will get better....
That night, Cherise plunged into yet another extensive dream. In this reverie, she found herself alongside a young Blake and
Damien, his eyes veiled by a blindfold, frolicking, and fishing in a picturesque mountain village.