Faux Vows, True Desires

"Ike told me his childhood buddy is back in town," Mason said.

"So what? Stefan is now married to our girl Lucinda. If his friend was all that, Lucinda wouldn't have ended up with Stefan."

"Stefan probably doesn't even love her, or else he wouldn't have married Lucinda, let alone refuse to divorce her."

By now, everyone in the Moore family knew that Lucinda married Stefan just to get her mother off her back about getting hitched.

Mason didn't speak again.

"Get some sleep and stop worrying. I'm sure Stefan will make Lucinda happy. Our granddaughter is a lucky girl."

Mason recalled the day they brought their granddaughter home, the clothes she wore and the gold necklace she sported, saying, "We can't control these things. Lucinda is headstrong, we can't change her decisions."

"Lucinda's biological parents must be loaded. As long as she finds them, she can reclaim her status. She's totally in Stefan's league."

Every time the topic of finding Lucinda's biological parents came up, Madison's face would drop.

She sank into bed, letting out a long sigh.

Although she talked like she's open-minded, deep down, she was reluctant.

The child they raised for over two decades might be claimed back by her biological parents.

"Fiona accepted it so quickly. Could it be..."

"Stefan knows what's up. Even if we don't come clean, Lucinda will find out. It's better if we tell her straight up, letting her know we won't stop her from finding her biological parents. She'll be grateful." "Besides, we raised her. Don't we know her character? Don't worry, she'll still be our granddaughter."

Mason seemed to take it all in stride. The couple talked for a while, until they heard Lucinda and Stefan coming upstairs. Then, they drifted off to sleep.

The next morning.

When Lucinda woke up, the first thing she did was check the time on her phone. Seeing that it was almost seven, she quickly sat up and nudged Stefan awake. "Stefan, it's almost seven. Get up, wash up and get dressed. I'm going downstairs to make you breakfast. After breakfast, you have to go to work." Without even opening his eyes, Stefan stretched out his arm and pulled her back into bed, causing her to fall onto him.

He wrapped his arms around her, rolled over and pinned her underneath him.

He kissed her, very gently.

his kisses, but she couldn't escape his

end, he

Stefan moved his lips away, opened his eyes, and looked

for today. I'm taking the day off. Tomorrow is Saturday, I don't have to work, so I can take

not comfortable with you going home alone. From

Stefan said softly.

words implied that his three-day vacation was due to Lucinda. Because she

but to put work aside

of me, you've given up a day's

kissed her lips, saying affectionately, "In my heart, you're more important than my work, more important than my life." "Lucy, I love you. I've loved

the first time Stefan confessed

seeing the depth of

her arms around his neck and

Stefan

they spent some time making

the time they appeared downstairs fully

the marks left by their passionate moments. "Good morning, Grandpa,

their two grandparents were slowly

rich as that at the

"Morning."

Madison put down her cutlery and got up to

out a big bowl of

"Stefan, have breakfast."

"Your mom specially made this porridge for you this morning. Try it. If you're not used to it, let us know. I'll give Lucy some money and she can

for country people, but Stefan was special,

hurriedly said, "Grandma, I'm not picky. I'll eat

in the big bowl, and he went into the kitchen to get himself a

he didn't know was that when he turned to go into the kitchen, Madison lightly tapped Lucinda on the forehead and scolded her in a low

said with a spoiling

didn't

eating his porridge, "It was your grandma

as he finished speaking, Madison lightly

obediently took the