Faux Vows, True Desires

Owen rocked up looking all confident, but then he skedaddled in a hurry.

Lucinda gave a sarcastic applause, saying, "He's just wasting his time trying to stick up for Ruby."

The man beside her kept quiet.

Lucinda turned her gaze to Stefan, whose handsome face was stormy. The next thing she knew, he was pulling her into his arms, holding her tight, and whisking her away.

What the heck just happened?

Lucinda was completely bamboozled.

Stefan took Lucinda back to his place at Diamond Ridge Estates.

"Master, mistress!"

Seeing them enter, Emma greeted cheerfully.

Lucinda was taken aback. "Auntie, aren't you Stefan's mom's friend?"

Last time, she called Stefan her nephew, but now she was calling him master.

How many times had he and his people hoodwinked her?

Seeing the master's sour face, Emma explained with a smile, "Mistress, I'm the housekeeper here. You can just call me Emma from now on."

Lucinda wanted to say something, but Stefan pulled her into the house.

"Stefan, what's up with you? You look upset; did I do something wrong?"

He'd been all quiet and holding her hand tight all the way, like he was afraid she'd bolt if he let go.

Stefan still kept mum, leading Lucinda upstairs. Once in his room, he nudged her into the bathroom, making her stand in front of the sink. He squeezed some soap into her hand, then had her wash her hands. Lucinda turned to look at him; he was washing her hands with a serious look.

He kept washing her hands over and over, like her hands were poisoned or something.

Maybe because she kept staring at him, she found herself pinned between his chest and the sink. He couldn't resist any longer and planted a kiss on her lips.

this time it was

a few kisses, his face finally started

finger as long as I'm there.

lips were a bit swollen from his kiss,

what you did earlier again. Owen was just messing with you. Do you really think you could take him down with your strength? He's a drama queen;

he said some bossy things that she found kind of

She was captivated.

genteel Stefan can be

must have many different sides,

I do have a bit of

thinking of taking down Owen first,

pretty handsome; those eyes are really seductive, and his lips are quite sexy, but it's not because of his looks that I have a thing

a dangerous vibe. He asked her darkly, "Owen is handsome? More than me? His eyes are seductive. You don't like my eyes? You think my lips aren't sexy?" Lucinda might not be the brightest, but she knew she'd be in

Besides, she wasn't stupid.

when her husband was angry and

her arms

alive, so she chose to make it up to him after her resurrection, but her past actions led

a lot of tricks up her

tricks from her novel to real

"Darling."

Lucinda called softly.

it and dragged out the end. Stefan felt

a chill run down her spine; she

wanted

pacify this suddenly jealous man, she even started

look into them, my heart races, and I'm often at a loss, totally smitten." "Your lips might not be

went on and

novel's heroine always

would praise him, and then he would calm

would work on Stefan

I said earlier?" Stefan

it, I remembered it and thought about it all