Chapter 411
Message To Cherise
The sturdy padlock on the entrance filled Cherise with a sense of unease. In broad daylight, the locked
gates and the eerie absence of any signs of life puzzled her. Had her Uncle returned and wanted to
remain unnoticed?
âUncle! Aunt! Grandma!â She stood at the door, desperately pounding on the iron gates of Shaw Manor.
As the sky began to drizzle, Cherise remained at the gate, her voice now hoarse from shouting.
However, there was no response, and a feeling of unease washed over her, causing tears to well up in
Cheriseâs eyes.
âUncle, Aunt, Grandma! Open the gate! Itâs me, Cherry! Iâm back!⦠Uncle, Aunt, Grandma!â Cheriseâs
voice, tinged with a sob, echoed in the rain.
Damien stood by her side, holding an umbrella, and remained silent. He knew she would have to face
the truth sooner or later.
âCherry?â The rain was coming down harder, and a man with an umbrella rushed over from a distance.
âStop knocking. Your Uncleâs family has already moved out.â
Jack was growing increasingly concerned and reached out to guide Cherise. âLetâs go to my place; we
can talk there.â
Cherise looked up, her gaze distant. âJack, do you think my uncle doesnât want me anymore?â
âOf course not!â Jack took a deep breath and turned to Damien. âCome on, Mr. Lenoir, even if Cherryâs
acting a bit out of sorts and doing things impulsively, why havenât you stopped her? Instead, youâre
going along with all this craziness!â
Damien furrowed his brow and then walked over, gently lifting Cherise and following Jack back to their
home.
âAuntie Sarah, Sky, Tay, and Mrs. Shaw left several days ago,â Jack explained as they sat on the
doorstep, looking at Cherise, who remained lost in thought. âElvis mentioned that they wanted to find
refuge.
âI tried to convince him and told him our village would protect them, and the people here have the
utmost respect for your family. But he insisted on not involving the villagers and chose to move away
Cherise sat in the chair, allowing Jackâs wife to gently dry the rain from her head. âWhat else did my
uncle say?â
âHe mentioned that you should live your life to the fullest.â
Jack lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and let out a heavy sigh. âHe knows youâre a sensitive soul,
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âHe also saidâ¦. Wait, I have something to show you.â He retrieved his phone. âElvis mentioned that
this video is for you.â
Cherise accepted the phone in a daze. On the screen, her Uncleâs face appeared.
He sat by the stream near the village entrance, looking serious. âCherry, I had Jack show you this
video. I believe that by the time you watch this, Iâll either be behind bars or no longer around. But donât
let sorrow consume you; we all have our own journeys.â
âThe truth is, I havenât done a whole lot of good in my life. The one thing I donât regret is not. sending
you away thirteen years ago.â
âYouâre a kind-hearted kid, maybe a bit naive, but thatâs okay.â
âI couldnât bear the thought of you being dragged into a life filled with hidden agendas and criminal
activities.â
âBut Damien, heâs a good man. Live a happy life with him. Heâll take care of you and keep you
safe.â
âAnd if you ever find out the truth about what I arranged for you thirteen years ago, please donât lose
heart and think of divorce, okay?â
âWhen I discussed marrying you to Damien with Old Mr. Lenoir, I aimed for reconciliation.
âWeâve made his grandson unhappy for too long. Itâs time we made amends.â
âStay with Damien, and donât worry about my affairs.â
âYour aunt and grandmother, theyâre all innocent people. Donât go looking for them. Iâve provided
enough financial support for your aunt to start fresh with Sky and Tay.â
**
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