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

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

someone else, it'd be on me, and

had no love

Owen-haha, she had

she felt

words, Cecilia wrapped an arm around

"Don't worry. Now that I've accepted

I let you go, nobody can steal

compete with me for my man, I'll make sure

teeth off the floor." She playfully brandished her fist,

Owen.

persistence

drove silently, pretending to be deaf

nothings.

his happiness, and those

good times.

declared with

love you too," Cecilia

in for a kiss, but she dodged, glancing at the driver,

the car. He gave the driver a look, not

and refrained from the

at the hotel,

with

had changed from her

into a chic

with Liam, greeting

attendees. Being pregnant, she

but

understood that the Anderson

family's daughter-in-law was

expecting.

s

took more drinks on behalf of his bride, and the bridesmaids

the drinking duties. Not many dared to

sister Belinda's icy demeanor warding

freshly engaged to Mr. Martinez, was also spared as

heavy lifting fell on the

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

good spirits, especially at his

pleased the

the Anderson family matriarch, was too busy to relax, but Stefan

taking

crowd, Keith's eyes lingered on Darlene.

any actress

think this demure, gentle woman was

now soft and sweet as if she were

classic literary

"Darlene."

though she pretended

times, growing suspicious.