To Kareenâs surprise, she didnât feel annoyed when she saw Cherise walk in. Unexpectedly, she found herself agreeing with Cheriseâs question.
âHold on,â Cherise exclaimed as they left the hospital and got into the car. âWhatâs the deal with inviting Uncle Raymond?â
Damien offered a warm smile, gently stroking her hair. âAs I mentioned before, Iâm hoping to reignite an old flame of his.â
Cherise furrowed her brow in confusion. âDoes he have a connection to someone in the Miles family?â
Damienâs smile remained steady. âExactly. Remember what Mrs. Miles mentioned earlier?â
A wave of realization washed over Cherise as she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. âYou mean⦠the man who pretended to be your fatherâ¦?â
Damien leaned back, resting his chin on Cheriseâs head, his voice low and firm. âYes, heâs the main suspect. He was always in a hurry; he looked like me and wore the Lenoir familyâs exclusive cufflinks.
He used my fatherâs identity to live a luxurious life. He was familiar with my fatherâs business and its secrets.â
âThereâs no one else. My father had come to Europe. It wasnât about causing trouble, but catching Uncle Raymond, who was living the high life here.â
Cherise nodded, understanding washing over her. âSo, Uncle Raymond is indeed a main suspect.â
âThatâs why it was crucial for him to attend Zacharyâs wedding,â Damien explained, his fingers gently stroking her hair. âSince Nick cut ties with him and left home years ago, heâs become a recluse. He wouldnât travel to Ziphon unless something significant was at stake.â
âBut Zacharyâs wedding, along with the possibility of a partnership with the Miles family, might be enough to lure him out.â
With these words, he handed Cherise a new phone. âTake this.â
Cherise frowned, confusion clouding her features as she looked at the device. âWhy? My phone works perfectly fine.â
What was the reason behind this sudden gift?
âThis phone has a special mission. Once Uncle Raymond arrives in Ziphon, youâll use it to arrange a meeting with Mrs. Miles, pretending to be him. This task wonât be too challenging for a skilled detective like yourself.
âIâm not the right person for this; online scams and con artists are way out of my league. Youâd be better off finding someone else,â Cherise said, pushing the phone back towards Damien.
Damien pretended to be concerned. âDo you know anyone who can work their magic on middle-aged women?â
Cherise instinctively shook her head, but then a light bulb went off. âActually, yes, I do!â
She took out her phone. âSyatt is our man!â
Damien was momentarily speechless at Cheriseâs suggestion. He had explicitly asked for a man with exceptional verbal and charming skills who could manipulate Patricia into revealing crucial information.
And here she was, proposing her suitor, Syatt, for the role! He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice, âAre you suggesting I put your suitor to the test? Arenât you worried I might get a little jealous?â
Cherise blinked innocently, her determination unwavering. âThen letâs be jealous together! Syatt is perfect for the role!â
And as it turned out, Cheriseâs assessment of Syatt was accurate. This man, well-versed in online romance, had quickly captivated Patricia within three days of texting her on WhatsApp. Syattâs charm and smooth- talking skills were undoubtedly effective.
Patricia, completely infatuated, even invited Syatt to her ânephewâsâ wedding!
Following Damienâs instructions, Syatt gladly accepted the invitation and arranged a secret meeting with Patricia in the backyard of Miles Manor during the wedding reception.
With Patricia out of the way, Cherise focused on helping Lyra prepare for the big day.
Looking back, she couldnât help but wonder if she had ever been this dedicated even when preparing for her wedding five years ago.