Marrying the Man in the Dark

Otto’s smile was reassuring. “Ian doesn’t know Mr. Lenoir all that well, and his interest lies solely in Mr. Lenoir’s financial
resources. He won’t notice the differences in your voices.” His explanation left Cherise momentarily stunned.
They continued walking in silence for a while more before Cherise felt compelled to counter. “The lan I knew was different,” she
asserted. He was attentive, compassionate, and acutely aware of her family’s financial struggles, generously offering her his old
study materials when she couldn’t afford new ones. He even noticed when she wasn’t feeling well and expressed genuine
concern.
In Cherise’s memory, the Ian from the past was a paragon of gentleness and perfection, which attracted others to him. However,
the Ian that Otto had portrayed seemed like a profit-driven opportunist. This stark contrast troubled her deeply. She couldn’t
reconcile the Ian she remembered with Otto’s portrayal. Even after she had heard lan’s voice on the phone, she was still in
disbelief. She needed to witness these purported changes in Ian firsthand before conceding.
“Change is inevitable, Mrs. Lenoir,” Otto sighed softly, his voice slightly resigned. “But during my interactions with Ian over the
past few days, I never thought he was an intellectual.”
Cherise couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at his words. She turned to Otto, her gaze curious. “So, what qualities define a true
intellectual?” she inquired.
Otto’s steps faltered momentarily before he responded with a smile, “In my opinion, intellectuals should possess traits akin to
yours, Mrs. Lenoir-being elegant and approachable.”
Cherise was momentarily surprised by his compliment but soon returned the smile. “You’re the first to describe me in that
manner,” she remarked. Otto found himself momentarily distracted and captivated by her smile.
As Otto’s footsteps stopped, Cherise’s brows wrinkled looking up at him with concern. “Is something wrong? Did I say something
peculiar?” she asked, her tone laced with worry.
“No, everything’s fine,” Otto replied, clearing his throat lightly. “We’ve reached our destination.”
It was only then that Cherise realized they stood before the door of a room in the hotel. Otto unlocked it and gestured for Cherise
to enter. The room was spacious, divided by a large screen. Cherise stood on one side, bathed in the sunlight from behind her,
while a man sat in a chair on the other side, eating and listening to music lazily.
Although Cherise couldn’t see the man’s expression, his relaxed demeanor made her imagine his unkempt appearance. She
found it impossible to reconcile this figure with her memory of Ian, even without seeing him.

Ouo motioned for Cherise to settle into a chair, then nonchalantly addressed the individual on the other side of the screen. “Mr.
Lenoir has arrived. If you want anything else, you may let him know.”
Without delay, lan set aside the apple he had been eating on the other end, straightening his attire as he asked, “Damien’s
here?”
Cherise’s lips flattened. She reached for the voice changer and answered him. “Yes, I’m here,” she
As expected, Ian didn’t recognize Damien’s voice, as Otto had forewarned. It seemed he hadn’t even realized that a woman was
on the other side of the screen. Clearing his throat, he proceeded to address Damien. “Damien, let’s skip the pleasantries,” Ian
declared. “You’re well aware of the terms I outlined earlier, so I’ll be direct.”
He paused momentarily before clearing his throat and delivering the following statement. “You should be aware that Cherise
harbored feelings for me in high school,” Ian asserted. “I casually offered her study materials I was about to discard, and she was
deeply moved, nearly brought to tears.”
“Now, if it’s true that she only remembers me,” Ian continued, his tone growing more ominous, “it suggests that I’m of greater
importance to her than you. Consider this carefully. By rejecting my demands, you may risk losing Cherise forever.”