Chapter 605 Owe You A Thank You
Before Jordyn could finish, Isaac covered her mouth with his hand. He gave Damien a reassuring smile. “Please disregard her, Mr. Lenoir. I am satisfied with my life. Lermille is in the past. Has your driver arrived? We should leave now.”
Damien noticed the determined look in Isaac’s eyes and decided not to push further. He reached for his phone, calling Mr. Kolson to arrange their departure.
As Isaac and Jordyn walked by, Damien discreetly slipped a card with his contact information into Jordyn’s pocket.
Later that night, after putting the children to bed, Cherise found Damien in his study.
She listened attentively as he recounted Jordyn’s outburst, then sighed. “Isaac’s hesitation is understandable. He owes his career to Dr. Lane, remember? She was his college mentor. He’s not unaware. He must have understood Jordyn’s implication today. Perhaps Dr. Lane was the culprit all along.”
Cherise leaned back, closing her eyes. “He’s a loyal man, sometimes to a fault. He was willing to take the blame for me two years ago, and now he’s protecting his mentor from the truth.”
“So much for loyalty blinding him to the bigger picture. If he had released that recording back then, ‘loyalty be damned,’ maybe this mess wouldn’t exist.”
Cherise shook her head, her voice filled with sadness and understanding. “But if he had released it, my career would have been ruined.”
She ran her hand through her hair, frustration evident on her face. “We don’t all have sharp mind, Damien. We wouldn’t have considered the possibility of mimicry.”
He
gave her a slight smile, his eyes fixed on her. “Is that a compliment, Dr. Shaw?”
Caught off guard, Cherise blushed and looked away. “Well, I suppose.”
Perhaps he was an intellectual marvel, or maybe she was too immersed in academia to consider all perspectives.
your
Either way, her mind froze when she first heard that recording in Isaac’s clinic today. She knew it wasn’t her voice, yet the uncanny resemblance sent shivers down her spine. How could she defend herself?
The thought of Isaac releasing that recording two years ago sent chills down Cherise’s spine. How would she have defended herself then, without Damien’s sharp mind and unwavering support? A warmth blossomed in her chest, a silent gratitude for his presence. He was her anchor, her shield against the storm.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the starry sky and whispered, “Thank you.”
Damien poked a pierogi and paused. His deep voice, tinged with playfulness, asked, “Why are you thanking me, Dr. Shaw?”
Cherise’s heart fluttered, and a blush crept up her neck. Even with her back turned to him, she could feel his gaze, intense and searching.
“I… I think I owe you a thank you,” she whispered barely audibly.
Damien chuckled, a deep and husky sound. “Words are easy. A true thank you is shown through actions, don’t you think?”
He popped another pierogi into his mouth, his eyes gleaming with something she couldn’t quite decipher.
