Faux Vows, True Desires

Janice peered at her son's face, her eyes searching for signs of deception as she asked him yet again about the girl. She could tell Keith wasn't lying.

With a hint of disappointment, she said, "It's a shame you've met a girl you actually admire, and you don't even have a foot in the door yet."

Then, brightening up, she added, "No worries, just keep seeing her. Who knows, sparks might fly eventually. I have this feeling you two might just end up together."

Keith let out a long sigh. "Mom, how can I keep seeing her when I don't even know who she is or what she looks like? And what if she's married? She might have kids old enough to be raiding the cookie jar."

Janice was at a loss for words.

"Mom, I'm still young. There's no rush to settle down, especially with our family situation, which you're well aware of. I don't want to drag someone else's daughter into this mess. Give it a few years, and we'll see. And if you're itching for grandkids that bad, why don't you pester Lucy and Stefan to get a move on and have a baby?"

"I wouldn't mind being an uncle," Keith added with a playful grin.

Janice sighed, "I guess I'm the one getting ahead of myself. You're right,

considering the current state of our family, it might be better for you to wait a few more years to tie the knot."

"Mom, it's our family," Keith emphasized.

Janice fell silent, then said, "When I get back, I'll talk to your father about the divorce. If he refuses, I'll file for it myself."

"Mom, Dad's got his reasons," Keith tried to interject.

"I don't care about his reasons. He's neglected us for over two decades, left me to be ridiculed and tormented by that Kayla Ashley. Just thinking about all the years of hardship makes it impossible for me to forgive him."

I feel nothing for him anymore, I just want to be free of

the thing about indifference-it often came when love and hate had both

Janice knew she still harbored resentment toward Nathan, yet she

didn't try to persuade his mother further. He couldn't fully

night. "Last night, Dad had a bit to drink, might've been a little tipsy. He ended

she muttered something under her breath, too low for Keith to

Mom. I'm heading to bed. You should get some rest

his mother's focus successfully shifted to his

"Clever boy, thinking I don't know he did that on

She wasn't fooled anymore.

intrigued her; she seemed just right for her son. But who was she, what did she look like, and was

to mention it to her daughter later, to ask her and her son-in-law

wasn't planning to get married in the next

back into bed, Janice returned to her dreams, and the night passed

following days were busy for everyone, with the hustle of daily life blurring the line between

brought the grand wedding of Liam and

a traditional Western wedding

she might overshadow the bride on

to be part of the crew Liam, not wanting to let Owen's presence dampen his special

brother Stefan, his wedding was still the talk of the city. The procession of

his tuxedo, beamed with pride. As Tiffany walked down the aisle on her father's arm, Liam had eyes for

to Stefan and whispered, "Liam

Stefan whispered back, "and I'll be even