Faux Vows, True Desires

"Cecilia, ease up, would ya?" Owen winced, his ears trapped in Cecilia's firm grip. Despite his protests, his hands made no move to free himself. He could have easily saved his ears from her wrath, but he knew Cecilia was steamed and needed to blow off some steam, so he took it on the chin.

She wouldn't actually tear his ears off, no matter how hard she tugged.

Relenting, Cecilia let go.

"If you pinch my cheek again, if you trick me one more time, I'll grab those ears of yours," she warned.

Rubbing his tender ears, Owen offered her a rueful grin. "Cecilia, when I pinch your cheek, I'm gentle as a lamb. Did I ever hurt you? I got addicted after touching it. I can't help but give it a light pinch." "As for tricking you, it's just second nature to me," he said, refusing to admit any foul play.

It was true, though. In the cutthroat world of business, his mind was constantly scheming to turn competitors into conquests.

"Second nature to trick people, huh?"

Owen paused and then said, "Even if I did trick you, it's only because I want to steal you away to be my wife, to love you for a lifetime."

Cecilia was speechless, struck by the raw emotion he had suddenly revealed.

"Kept saying we were heading home for dinner, yet here you are, not even starting the car," she prodded, desperate to change the subject.

her know she wouldn't be at the store tonight, reassuring her that the Martinez family's bodyguards were on

she called her mother to say she'd be dining with

"You're not a Martinez

"I know, Mom."

keep staying overnight with Owen. You're not husband and wife anymore. Save the sleepovers for

others. The gap between the Yates and the Martinez families was already significant; without self-respect, Cecilia would

her daughter's future and ensuring Owen truly cherished Cecilia. People

up, exhaling deeply. Letting go of grown children was

age, yet when the moment

prepare all of Cecilia's

with the news, and even though Trenton had no intentions of keeping it secret, it wouldn't have mattered. With so many servants around, word would have spread anyway- especially

understood but chose to turn a blind eye. Having his daughter-in-law on her toes was a good way to

initially shrugged it off. She'd been all sweetness and light to Cecilia before, just to rile up the main house. Knowing that Owen was pursuing Cecilia again after their divorce, Ashley had even silently rooted for him. If Owen remarried Cecilia, Cecilia's

being prepared, Ashley sat bolt upright on her couch, murmuring, "She can't be allowed to marry

you say it would be good if Cecilia married Owen? Why the sudden change of heart?" He was the youngest son, free from the pressures of inheritance, content with whatever share came

fond of Cecilia," Ashley mused. "Even though I've met her only a handful of times, I can tell she's no pushover. I've