Faux Vows, True Desires

Growing up, Keith narrowly escaped being poisoned several times. He was too young to remember any of it, but Shirley filled in the gaps of his memory. Loyal nannies had taken the brunt for him, and though they were saved each time, the fear lingered, casting a shadow of vigilance over Keith's life.

Darlene sipped some warm tap water before standing and following Keith to the kitchen doorway, hands shoved in her pockets. She watched him open the fridge and retrieve some ingredients. "What are you planning to whip up?" she asked casually.

"You've come all this way, and you must be starving. Making a feast would take too long for your empty stomach. How about I fix you some spaghetti for a midnight snack?"

Darlene chuckled. "Good call. I can't really wait around."

She needed to get back to Pinehurst before dawn to avoid her sister's prying eyes.

This clandestine visit was not without its troubles.

"You're a decent cook then?"

"Decent enough. I mean, no one's ever called my cooking 'a culinary disaster,' if that's what you're asking."

Keith filled a pot with water, set it to boil, and then added the spaghetti.

Meanwhile, he prepared some sliced meat, veggies, and chopped scallions, planning to serve Darlene a hearty spaghetti with meat sauce.

"I like my spaghetti with a fried egg on top," she said.

"Sure thing."

After prepping the meat, veggies, and scallions, hearing Darlene's preference for a fried egg, Keith quickly retrieved two eggs from the fridge and began to fry them up. While Keith had the fridge open, Darlene noticed it was well-stocked and commented, "Do you make yourself a late-night snack every evening?"

"Only if I'm hungry, but I rarely have spaghetti."

Usually, it was his bodyguards who used his kitchen to make themselves a spaghetti snack.

had

the heir to the Blue family, you live

life of luxury, but in reality, his existence was no better

family was large, and with size came complexity-jealousy,

personal gain, some people would

Bishops. Her sister had endured so much to protect their estate and rebuild the Bishop Group that Darlene could empathize

weren't as ruthless as those in the Blue family, where things could

inheritance battles among the elite, Darlene

each striving to carve out their own success without relying on the family business. Yet, they couldn't avoid sharing the burden of the family enterprise. Stefan, who took his mother's surname, was meant to run the Coleman Group, but his younger brother refused to take over Ascend Global, and the line of cousins was equally reluctant to step up. Stefan, the eldest, bearing his mother's name, reluctantly shouldered the responsibility,

Keith remained silent.

he thought all wealthy families were

into his life, bringing a brother-in-law into the fold, that Keith realized there were outliers like the Andersons. Meeting Frederick and Jeannie he was given a new perspective

small fortune to have me investigated," Darlene

to your help, I escaped danger. You saved my life, but I didn't even know your name to repay you. I don't like

had people watching her, but she swallowed her words. To ask

tonight was a calculated

thanks would he stop having her agency search for her. Then she

ready to admit she

nothing, really. I'm honored that you'd

at her, then turned back to finish preparing the meal. He added

gesture to you, but to me, it was a life-saving grace. I won't rest easy until I've properly thanked you, miss. May

a moment of

work comes with its own dangers. To protect myself, I've always

and I'd rather

my