Chapter 978: Chapter 995 Unraveling Deceptions

While Sebastian had a penchant for dredging up the past in any circumstance, Damien found himself unable to follow suit.

Here, the assembly comprised entirely of journalists.

Surrounded by journalists both inside and outside, each one acting as a potential megaphone, he refrained from delving into Charisa’s history.

If Damien were to reveal the details of Charisa’s past troubles to Cherise, particularly how Charisa instructed Elvis to start a fire and cause harm, it would open a Pandora’s box of consequences.

Such revelations would impact Cherise and implicate several families associated with those events.

The Tanner, Miles, Lenoir, and Shaw families would all be thrust into the spotlight, facing scrutiny and.

potential scandal.

This was especially concerning considering Charisa’s tragic demise five years earlier.

As Cherise’s husband, Damien couldn’t bear the thought of Charisa’s affairs being discussed and ridiculed.

“Is it too difficult to explain? Or are you deliberately avoiding it?”

“Is it that you can’t explain or that you haven’t found a way to explain it?” Sebastian’s smile was taunting. his words cutting.

With a furrowed brow, Sebastian’s hand moved to massage his temple, a troubled expression clouding his features. “This shouldn’t be happening,” he murmured.

“Damien, it’s been nearly a week since you drugged Cherise to erase her memory, hasn’t it?”

Sebastian’s tone was accusatory, his words cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife.

“What’s the holdup? Still haven’t concocted a plan to deceive her after all this time?” He pressed, his gaze unwavering as he awaited a response.

“Or is it…”

His slender eyes briefly flicked towards Cherise, a silent challenge shimmering within their depths. “Or do you dare to believe that Cherise will obediently adhere to your commands, naively trusting that this web of deceit will never unravel? Have you yet to contrive a scheme to ensnare her with falsehoods?”

Sebastian’s words ignited murmurs among the assembled onlookers, their whispers like a faint breeze through the room.

Cherise remained motionless, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Raising her gaze, her eyes now tinged with the crimson of raw emotion; she locked onto his.

“Is what he said true?” she demanded, her voice quivering with vulnerability.

“If…”

She sniffed, tears tracing silent paths down her checks. “If any elucidation exists for past events, I implore you to disclose it to me now.”

“If there’s no explanation,” she continued, her voice tinged with resignation, “then the truth remains:

your sister’s actions at our wedding caused harm to my mother, and our union was nothing more than a transaction…”

Cherise’s fingers trembled with the magnitude of this revelation. “Then… how could I love you?”

A profound darkness shadowed Damien’s eyes, casting a somber hue upon his countenance.

He pressed his lips together tightly, his voice carrying a restrained air of pride.

“Return with me,” he implored, his voice laced with desperation. Tll clarify everything. I’ll explain, but definitely not here.

“You’re stalling, aren’t you?” Sebastian interjected, his sneer cutting through the tension.

On the journey back, you’ll have ample time to craft your lies. Or perhaps you have no intention of explaining at all. You could simply erase Cherise’s memory once again, using drugs to wipe away this inconvenient truth. Then, you’ll still be the man she loves, and she’ll continue to follow you blindly.”

Sebastian’s words delivered the final blow, shattering Cherise’s fragile trust in Damien.

Lost in the whirlwind of doubt, she found herself unable to grasp the true essence of Damien, let alone Sebastian.

Confusion clouded her mind as she struggled to discern her own emotions and the reality of her situation.

In the midst of the chaos, neither man’s words resonated with sincerity.

“Cherise,” Damien pleaded, his gaze imploring her to see beyond the turmoil.

He conceded, recognizing that in the span of thirty years, he had never stooped to such depths of compromise.

Yet, in that pivotal moment, he clung to a flicker of hope, praying that the Cherise before him would recognize the enduring bond they had forged and choose to accompany him back home.

But hope was a fragile thing, easily shattered by the harsh realities.

“Cherise,” Sebastian delicately curved his lips into a smile, his slender eyes unwaveringly locked onto Cherise’s visage. “Damien has been deceiving you.”