Faux Vows, True Desires

Owen wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gently pulling her into his embrace.

Their romance was no longer a secret, and with a successful proposal, they were

now engaged in the eyes of others, allowing Owen to hug her without any

reservations. Ah, bliss!

"Sometimes, when parents bring up their kids' love lives, they're not really pushing

for marriage. They're just trying to find a way to connect with their children."

"As kids, we cling to our parents. But as we grow up, we pull away, thinking we

have nothing in common. As parents age, they crave their children's company all

the more."

"They look for any excuse to chat, especially folks like the Blue family. Mr. Blue

and his son Keith don't see eye to eye, and I bet Mr. Blue doesn't know how to

bridge the gap, so he uses marriage as a conversation starter. With Keith single,

it's the perfect topic."

Owen continued, "But I think Mr. Blue chose poorly. It's a topic that's dead on

arrival and just makes things more awkward."

He knew the pain of being forced into something; his grandfather had tried to split

him from Ruby and pushed him to marry Cecilia. It was no pleasant feeling.

"With Keith not even dating, Nathan bringing up marriage would only pressure him,

worsening their strained relationship.

Cecilia looked up at him. Owen chuckled as she gazed at him with unfamiliar

eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that, as if we haven't met?"

Holding the bouquet in one hand and reaching up to touch his face with the other,

Cecilia admired him, "Owen, the more I'm with you, the more impressed I am. I've

truly struck gold."

Leaning in, foreheads touching, Owen flirted, "Since you think I'm a treasure, you

better keep me safe, so no one else snatches me away."

"I firmly believe that it takes two to tango. If you're not interested in others and

devoted to me, who can take you away? Even if I sold you, you'd count the money

and sneak right back to me, ready to be 'sold' over and over."

had him with that selling

say, if love can be stolen, it wasn't true love. Unless I

it'd be on me, and I wouldn't blame

love Ruby. But Ruby had no love

Owen-haha, she had successfully attracted a

felt a sense of

for words, Cecilia

that I've accepted your

man. Unless I let you go, nobody can steal

anyone dares to compete with me for my man, I'll

She playfully brandished her

Owen.

cared. His persistence

pretending to be deaf

nothings.

finding his happiness, and those in his service would share in

good times.

you!" Owen declared

too," Cecilia

but she dodged, glancing at the driver,

in the car. He gave the driver a look,

Cecilia, and refrained from

arriving at the hotel,

with wedding

had changed from her

a chic

with Liam, greeting

attendees. Being pregnant, she

dink, but

understood that the Anderson

family's daughter-in-law was

expecting.

s

drinks on behalf of

escape the drinking duties. Not

with her sister Belinda's icy demeanor warding

also spared as the couple

on the groomsmen and the

the head honcho, couldn't avoid his duties. Everyone expected

spirits, especially

sip pleased the

family matriarch, was too busy to

taking

eyes lingered on Darlene. He had to admit, her

any actress in

think this demure, gentle woman was the

of resilience, now soft and sweet as if she were a

a classic literary

"Darlene."

she pretended

several times, growing suspicious. Belinda and her