Chapter 361 You’re Not A Tanner
Beckham felt humiliated, so he raised his hand and slapped 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 acceptable if you hit her to teach her a lesson.”
“But now…
Mr. Tanner glanced at Gwenn nonchalantly. “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?”
- 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”
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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 a commotion.
Mr. Tanner glanced 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 glanced at the butler by the side.
The butler understood implicitly and immediately lowered a large 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 information network 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 black, lively eyes like Cherise.
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“This is my wife, Charisa Neller.”
Beckham took a deep breath. “As everyone knows, my wife, Charisa, left home for certain reasons nineteen 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 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 related.”
This revelation caused a commotion 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 nineteen 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 accept this result, so I conducted multiple tests with a dozen DNA test centers. All the results confirmed that Gwenn is not biologically related to me.”
“After over a month of investigation, the Tanner family has come to believe that when Charisa left me all those years ago, she also secretly took our biological daughter with her.”
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“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, completely free 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 have come 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 nonchalantly. “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
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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.”
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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 village.
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.”
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The girl smiled, feeling slightly embarra*sed. 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.”
“If you’re tired, let’s go back and rest, hmm?”
“I… don’t think that’s appropriate.”
Cherise pursed her l*ps 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 incomplete 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 embarra*sed. “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 to come 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.
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He glanced at the time, then quickly grabbed his walking stick before walking over to Damien. “Alright, everyone. You can ask more questions later.”
“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 officially commenced.
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!”
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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 flatter her and speak to her with respect.
Jealousy consumed her as she watched Cherise take her place 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’t comment 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.”
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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 b*dy 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.
Stunned by the sudden food in his mouth, he glared 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 played 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.
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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 getting late. It’s time to go to bed soon.”
“Why aren’t you in your room?” Damien inquired.
“Blake 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 glanced 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 a ladder to get back into the
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 plan, he immediately went to meet Aaron.
From the balcony on the third floor, one could have a clear view of the garden.
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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 become 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 to come 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 would come to an end.”
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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 days later, 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 placing 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 is coming back soon. I think you should leave now so he won’t become 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 accident 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.”
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“Your senses are sharp. I thought you would have fallen asleep by this hour.” A man dressed in black emerged from the shadows.
“You planned to sneak in while I was asleep to steal something, but you ran into Damien. and me 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 pa*sed. 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 planned to raise her child himself.”
Chapter 367 A Foreboding Premonition
“We once had a b*dyguard 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 Village.
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 feeling lately. 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. Nineteen 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 blame her either. Take everyone and start fresh in a new place.” 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 to come to light eventually. It’s good to have some backup plans.”
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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 and laughed at himself dryly.
“Uncle Shaw!”
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.
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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 collar of his shirt.
“Silly girl,” Elvis said with a laugh. “Tell her I won’t tease her and ask her to come to the phone.”
Damien handed her the phone. “Sure.”
“Cherry?” Elvis asked fondly.
Cherise glared at Damien before running to the balcony with the phone in her hand.
“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!”
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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 l*ps.
“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 placing 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!”
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Chapter 369 Workaholic
It turned out that Damien had a talent for giving ma*sages.
Although it was painful during the process, Cherise felt relaxed 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 his laptop 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. Just compile all the documents again and email them to me later. 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 dollars per minute.
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Biting her l*p 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 the language 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 blame 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 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 my laptop just now.
His response left the employee speechless.
‘But, the mistake is quite disappointing.
“Yes, Boss. I—’
‘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 hour later, Mr. Hampson parked the car in front of DL Mall.
When Cherise got out and saw the large sign, she exclaimed, “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 blankly. “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.
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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 pa*sed, 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 preoccupied with the interrupted meeting and considerately led him to a resting area.
“Why don’t you continue your work here? I’ll take Blake to the store. Just call me whent you’re finished.”
Her thoughtfulness touched him.
“Sure.” He nodded and took out his phone.
Cherise a*sumed 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 subsidiary company 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 Shopping
On the other hand, Cherise had a plan while leaving Damien in the resting area – 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 scholarship fund had just been transferred to her
account.
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 approved last semester, the fund was transferred to her accordingly.
What can I buy with eight thousand? He doesn’t lack 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 – 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 was completely 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.
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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!
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?”
–
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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.
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 glanced 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 regular 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, a*suming Cherise couldn’t afford the bag. based on her attire.
However, Kareen perceived it as a blatant taunt. “Did you hear that? Even the saleswoman can tell you can’t afford this bag. Cherise Shaw, you better stop embarra*sing 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 village a straw bag suits you best!”
–
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,
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I know I offended you last 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 glance 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 to comply, 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.
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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 minute later, 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 our lady boss.”
Kareen was exasperated. “Do you really think she is the lady boss just because she claims
to be?!”
“This mall belongs to Damien.” Gwenn arched her brows, signaling for Kareen to stop.
She glanced coldly at Cherise and sneered, “This country bumpkin is not completely 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 glared hatefully at Cherise as the latter 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 have come!”
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 becomes 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 can come again another day.”
“Sure.”
Kareen felt somewhat defeated. “Don’t be disappointed, Gwenn. It’s just a bag. We can
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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 comment, she frowned and couldn’t help but speak up.
“Ms. Miles, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not buying this bag for myself.”
Kareen turned and shot a glare 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 village.”
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.
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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 placed some escargots he had already deshelled in front of Cherise and moved hers onto his plate.
Cherise chuckled in embarra*sment. “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 glanced at the escargots Damien had nicely deshelled and nodded in frustration. “I’ll work on it.”
Damien laughed. “You silly girl, you’ll never need to with me around. I’ll lose my job if you can do it 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’ll laugh 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,
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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 a commitment 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 computer software major to verify that they weren’t photoshopped.
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.
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Chapter 375 Farewell Gifts
No one would expect a village 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, placing some food on Damien’s plate.
“When are we returning to Adania? Lucy said Mandy’s drumsticks have become 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 planned to start investigating as soon as we returned. I hope Mandy can wait for us… Lucy said that since Mandy moved to the village, the villagers have earned a fortune by. sourcing chickens from other villages and selling them to her.”
Damien remained silent briefly and said, “It seems like Mandy is doing pretty well in the village.”
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
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good at returning favors.
“Let’s bid Old Mr. Tanner a proper farewell when we go back later, 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’ll come more often in the future.” Damien a*sured 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 cla*ses. 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 become 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 embarra*sing past in front of these unrelated young people?
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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 glare 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. Please come and visit often!”
The old man was reluctant to let Cherise go. “I’ll miss all the laughter 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 l*p 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 you come!”
Beckham rolled his eyes. Who wants to visit your small, backward city?
On the other hand, Aaron was overjoyed. “Really? Will you welcome an old man like me?”
Cherise nodded. “Of course!”
Aaron glanced at Damien. “What about Damien? Will you welcome me too?”
Standing behind Cherise, Damien smiled faintly, “I welcome all of Cherise’s friends.”
Aaron’s tears were instantly replaced with smiles. “Awesome! I’ll go check out Adania when there’s a chance!”
Perceiving his father’s playfulness, 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.”
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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 plane!”
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 plane 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…”
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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 harmless compared to his sister or Gwenn Tanner.
Therefore, she joked with him without a care. “You should forget about it.”
“I am committed 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!”
Zachary laughed 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 display the basic courtesies of a guest if you wish to board my plane.”
“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 planned to snatch Cherise from Damien.
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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….”
—
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 relaxed in his seat and played a game.
“You’re too much of a novice,” Blake said, watching from the seat beside Zachary,
After Zachary lost two rounds, Blake frowned and commented, “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 Blake. “As if you can do better!”
“What if I can?”
Blake grumbled and grabbed the phone. “Just watch!”
A moment later…
“Whoa, dude, you’re not too bad.”
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“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.
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 Siblings
Damien endured Zachary’s talkativeness throughout the flight.
Finally, the plane landed 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 stretched languidly 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 sungla*ses 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 sungla*ses 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 sungla*ses.
That woman was Kareen Miles.
No wonder I keep feeling that Zachary is missing something.
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He has forgotten his cynical younger sister.
“Kareen!”
Zachary called out to Kareen from a distance.
Kareen snorted and glanced at Cherise mockingly. Then, she put on her sungla*ses and hurried toward Zachary, dragging her suitcase.
“What the heck? How dare you get me an economy cla*s 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 plane 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 l*ps. “She and her brother seem close. It makes me a little jealous.”
Damien furrowed his brow.
After a moment, he laughed, “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 village is near the Shaw’s village. We can bring the medicine to her first and visit. Uncle Shaw and Aunt Wanda afterward.”
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Damien touched her shoulders and leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Should we go now or go home to rest first?”
Cherise was excited as soon as she heard about the Shaw’s village. “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 Blake 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 Blake into the car and left.
Chapter 379 A Stingy Man
Damien drove the car to pick up Cherise from Adania’s airport and take her to Mandy’s village.
Cherise sat in the backseat, watching the scenery pa*s 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 glanced 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 k*ss her.
Damien followed the address Lennon had given him, and after about two hours, they arrived at Mandy’s secluded village.
Jacob had chosen this place 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 village.
“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?”
Lolita-style dresses were not suitable for everyday wear, and Mandy had never dressed like this before. According to Lucy, Mandy worked in the kitchen every day. So Cherise. was surprised to see her in Lolita style.
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“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 the large 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 nineteen 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 l*ps and stuck her tongue out at Jacob. “You’ll never find a wife if you’re so petty and stingy!”
Jacob glared 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.
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When she first met Mandy, she felt inferior in every way compared to her.
After all, even though they were the same age, Mandy seemed much more mature and intelligent.
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Chapter 380 I Miss Her A Lot
However…
She observed Mandy fervently arguing with Jacob.
Perhaps… the previous Mandy was merely playing 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 plate of perfectly roasted. chicken thighs.
After spending the entire morning on the plane, she was hungry.
As she reached for the chicken thighs, Lucy suddenly slapped her hand. “Go wash your hands!”
“Oh…”
Cherise glanced 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 accepted 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 gla*s 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 b*dy 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.”
“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 becomes 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. “Freedom comes at a price.”
“I imagine being a maid for the Tanner family is a reprieve compared to what you ve endured for the past nineteen 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.”
