Faux Vows, True Desires

"Lucinda." Ike pushed open the door and walked in to find Lucinda sitting at the cashier's desk, furiously typing away at her computer. Clearly, she was working on her novel again. "Ike, aren't you pulling an all-nighter tonight?"

Ike's arrival made Lucinda pause her latest piece.

She got up and walked over to Ike.

"I'm off to a party soon." Ike looked around, "Where's Cecilia?"

"I'm covering her shift tonight. She's already gone home. Do you need her for something?"

"I was hoping she could do me a favor, but if she's not here. Never mind."

Lucinda playfully put her hand on Ike's shoulder and asked, "Ike, something's eating you. Tell me."

Ike blushed.

"Ike, are you planning to have Cecilia as your arm candy for the party, to make my future sister-in-law jealous?"

Ike tapped her forehead lightly, "Lucinda, sometimes I wish you weren't so sharp."

"Don't play that old trick. It could backfire if not played right. If my future sister-in-law gets the wrong idea, you won't be able to talk your way out of it. Plus, if you get Cecilia involved, Owen won't be pleased." "Just so you know, Owen's fuming now. He's looking for someone to vent on, so don't poke the bear."

Ike was speechless.

"Are you trying to see if my future sister-in-law actually cares about you? There are other ways to test that without dragging someone else into it."

"Really?"

Lucinda looked at Ike. She shook her head and sighed, "You guys are all the same."

He was smart but emotionally clueless.

or worries about you? If she does, that means she has feelings for you. Isn't that a better way to test than having a stand-in date? Plus, you don't have

noticed she treats all men the same, like

"What? Is

strong career woman who's serious and cool like a guy, she tends to

a few days. Maybe we'll bump into her, and I can say hi and get in her good books." Ike looked horrified. "Are you

a good

"Hmph!"

smirked. When it came to the person he liked, Ike was

Since I don't need Cecilia anymore, I'll make

came in a hurry and

hung in the middle of a conversation, and her

Stefan would definitely know who she was. Lucinda decided to have a

Owen finally found out where Cecilia

to the Yates family's mansion with

when he got to

moment before

not daring to ask any

out of was a large supermarket. Owen led his bodyguards into

long as they

Owen around. Each cart was

went to

the evening, the

lines

and very handsome. They had attracted a lot of attention since they entered the supermarket. Now, with their carts full of items, they attracted

like they were going to buy out

himself, filled with

need to guess, those dolls were