Faux Vows, True Desires

Ms. West's actions, a mere slip of paper, nearly led her to misunderstand Owen.

Cecilia considered herself kind-hearted, but she was no saint - she couldn't turn the other cheek indefinitely.

She would certainly not advocate for Ms. West.

Owen could do whatever he wanted; she would just watch and keep her mouth shut.

"Ms. Yates, I—I'll just be honest. I'm not actually pregnant. Kris put me up to tricking you. I don't know what beef you have with Kris, but he paid me a grand to lure you into that car, promising another two grand after the deed was done."

"I'm strapped for cash lately, really need that three grand, so I went along with it. I—I had no clue about any hidden truths."

Ms. West did spill the beans.

"Guess I was too greedy. Didn't do my homework before agreeing to help Kris with this."

Ms. West laughed at herself, a self-deprecating chuckle. If she'd known that Owen was the target, she wouldn't have helped Kris for all the money in the world.

Cecilia didn't respond. She fiddled with her phone, seemingly engrossed in a game. In reality, she was recording the whole confession to hand over to Owen for investigation.

"Ms. Yates, please let me go. Just tell those two guys outside not to stop me, and I'll leave right away."

The best plan was to make a swift exit.

Ms. West just wanted to bolt.

Forget the money, she no longer dared to take it.

All she wanted was to leave the café and head back to the countryside, swearing off city life for good.

"Look who's here," Cecilia suddenly said.

and saw Owen stride in, a thunderstorm brewing on his face. His authority, long established, radiated out as he approached. Ms. West's heart raced,

done for. Completely

"Cecilia."

eager to clarify, "Cecilia, please don't listen to any

my child, you send them packing. They're

haven't gotten tipsy during

been was that night I slept on your doorstep, and you woke me up

been with anyone else. I respect women too much to do that. If you don't consent, I'd never force you. Even with Ruby, it was the

front of Cecilia, but to clear his

Cecilia had come so

wouldn't let anyone ruin

he found out who was pulling the strings behind this, they'd regret crossing him, that was

that wretch? I want to ask her myself, who sent

toward Ms.

how could

a ghost, scared out of her wits. Seeing Owen's gaze, she suddenly collapsed on her knees, tears streaming, begging for mercy, "Mr. Martinez, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you. I was blinded by greed. I'm not pregnant, and you've never slept

leave Pinehurst immediately. I'm not carrying your child. It was Kris who sent me to trick Ms. Yates, told me to get her into that car outside." Owen

parked curbside had vanished without a

flop as Cecilia didn't fall for it

her, but that would be too brutish and might affect how Cecilia saw him. So instead, he shouted for Jay and Rex to come in and ordered

dirty his own

ignoring Ms. West's

are like roses with thorns; nice to look at but painful to touch," Owen said with a snort

men to roses, that's new. Mr. Coleman's always been called the

"Cecilia."

tightly, "Thank goodness you didn't believe her lies and didn't get into that car. If you

When I probed, her story was full of holes, and she kept trying to get me to go with her. It reminded me of Lucy getting into a car after a frantic

you had bodyguards tailing me. I suspect this was