Faux Vows, True Desires

"Get out of here, Owen; Cecilia doesn't need you to walk her home."

With that, Becca turned on her heel, stepped briskly away, and firmly locked the garden gate.

Owen had planned to follow them shamelessly, but the lock on the gate made it impossible, even for someone with his thick skin. He could only watch helplessly as his mother-in-law retreated into the house. Owen had been squatting at her front gate all morning, and Cecilia had been blissfully unaware.

She had slept in, a luxury afforded by the fact that the store didn't open until nine.

She took her time washing and dressing before she sauntered downstairs for breakfast.

After greeting her family members one by one, Cecilia sat next to her older brother, Hudson.

Today's breakfast was simple: a bowl of soup and pastas for each family member.

"Mom, no toast today?" Cecilia asked casually as she picked up her spoon, ready to tuck into her bowl of soup.

"I just didn't feel like making it," Becca replied curtly.

Cecilia turned to her father. "Dad, who upset Mom this early in the morning?"

Her father, Kevin, offered his wife a piece of the sunny-side-up egg from his bowl and said without looking at Cecilia, "Don't look at me. I'm too old to get on your mother's wrong side."

In their youth, the couple had been hot-tempered and prone to arguments. But now, with age, they had mellowed, and their relationship had become more peaceful.

"Brother, it must be you."

Cecilia nudged Hudson.

"Actually, it's the guy squatting outside our gate who scared Mom. She was so upset that she didn't feel like making a proper breakfast and just made us these

he quickly

let it go. Hudson breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't cook, and

out there?" Cecilia

her family members remain silent, Cecilia picked up her bowl and walked out. "I'm not going to

watched her, bemused. This girl, who loved food more than anything else, might not

Soon, Owen saw Cecilia.

the gate, eating her pastas and asking, "What are you doing squatting out here? Did you

can you open the door and let me

the slatted gate. She was close,

"Even if I did, I wouldn't dare let you in

to my mom last night. She was wrong, but she doesn't have

continued to eat her

let me in to apologize

She was so engrossed in her food that she was ignoring him. And she had no qualms

had asked his bodyguards to bring him food and flowers. But

you eaten yet?" Cecilia asked, finally

"You're asking me now? I'm starving. Can you open the door and let me in?

me finish

"Why?"

angry and starts swinging her broom, at least I can make a quick getaway. If I haven't eaten, and my mom kicks me out, I'll have to find breakfast somewhere else. But she won' kick you out. As long as you sit at the table, she'll serve

watched her, speechless. But deep in his eyes, there was

pocket and produced a key. She unlocked the gate and let

having a key, the Martinez family's bodyguards arrived. They handed Owen the flowers and three insulated boxes of food, which he gratefully took before following