Marrying the Man in the Dark

“Guiding you towards the zenith of your existence with this revelation?” Damien’s inquiry held a weighty tone. “I’m not one to
indulge in altruism; there’s little purpose in engaging in trivial matters for strangers,” he declared with a detached air.
With those words, he turned on his heel and departed, Cherise cradled securely in his arms.
Caleb remained rooted to the spot, watching Damien’s departure, his urgency demanding release. “This morning. I received
communication from the DNA testing facility!
“The disclosure illuminates that the child your spouse, Cherise, recently embraced as her own is the clandestine offspring of her
and Sebastian!
“Are you truly inclined to disregard this revelation without further consideration? Really?”
Damien halted abruptly in his stride, casting a piercing glance back at the audacious journalist who remained undeterred. “And
who might you be to presume entitlement to classified information from the DNA testing facility?”
Caught off guard, Caleb faltered momentarily.
The authenticity of the source did indeed warrant scrutiny...
“The origins of my intelligence are inconsequential: what holds significance is...”
“Why, pray tell, would the provenance of your intel be deemed inconsequential?” This time, Cherise found her voice nestled in
Damien’s embrace.
Struggling to extricate herself from Damien’s grasp, she continued, “To my understanding, DNA testing necessitates voluntary
consent. Upon application, the facility is entrusted to safeguard the confidentiality of the findings.”
Her earnest gaze bore into Caleb’s conscience. “Hence, the source of the revelation bears paramount importance. This raises
questions regarding the credibility of the testing facility and the integrity of it examiners.
Caleb’s countenance paled imperceptibly. “But...”
“Furthermore. Cherise drew a deep breath, her resolve unwavering. “My husband disclosed to me that he dispatched samples of
the child’s and Sebastian’s hair for comparison, as Sebastian adamantly asserted his paternity.
“However, neither my spouse nor I ever sought a DNA analysis. Thus, who conducted the test unbeknownst to us?

“In a scenario where neither party availed themselves for testing, how can the results be divulged to you? Is this examination
truly impartial and just?
“I harbor doubts that a facility lacking in ethical rectitude could furnish results of unequivocal accuracy”
Cherise’s rapid succession of assertions left Caleb utterly dumbfounded..
Never had he envisaged Mrs. Damien to be so eloquent.
Witnessing Caleb’s pallid silence, Cherise drew a deep breath. “Let us bring this to a close. Should anyone dare to propagate
future rumors insinuating that Alexis is the illicit progeny of Sebastian and myself, brace yourselves for a missive from our legal
representative!”
With that pronouncement, she turned, clasping Damien’s hand in preparation to depart.
“What if it were I who made such a claim?”
At that juncture, a frigid male voice reverberated through the room.
All eyes turned to behold Sebastian, ensconced in a wheelchair, garbed in pristine white, being wheeled gradually into the midst
of the gathering. “Cherise, the child undeniably belongs to you and me. Why do you vehemently disavow it?”
Cherise narrowed her eyes. “That’s preposterous!”
Even in the absence of her recollection, she remained steadfast in her conviction that she would never conceive a child with
someone as loathsome as Sebastian!
“And why?” Sebastian yawned, adjusting himself in the wheelchair, his gaze casually drifting towards Cherise. “Five years past,
heartbroken by Damien, you terminated your liaison with him, took up residence with me in Lermille, conceived my child, and
delivered in Lermille Hospital...”
There lingered a trace of wistfulness and nostalgia in his gaze. “How could you so readily forget?”
With that, he tapped his temple as though a sudden realization dawned upon him. “Ah, I neglected to mention you were drugged
by Damien, resulting in the loss of all your memories.”