Faux Vows, True Desires

Lucinda watched as her father sat by her mother's bedside, clutching her hand tightly. She leaned toward Stefan and whispered, "Stefan, let's step outside for a bit."

Dr. Miller, the Anderson family's trusted physician, had already made a house call and assured them that Mom was going to be fine. It was just that the flood of memories had overwhelmed her, and she couldn't handle the trigger that caused her to faint.

Despite this, Dad was still a bundle of nerves, worried sick, not even touching his food, just sitting there, silently watching over Mom.

Even someone with the worst eyesight could see it: Nathan's feelings for Janice weren't cold. He was just too deeply in love.

"Alright."

Stefan glanced at the elderly couple, feeling the oppressive atmosphere between them, so heavy it was almost suffocating.

It was a strange thing to witness - two people so clearly in love pretending to be indifferent to each other.

All these years, Lucinda's mother had a tough time, and how could her father have had it any easier?

Because of her madness, her pain was solely due to the disappearance of her daughter.

But for Nathan, as a husband and a father, his pain was twofold.

Stefan took Lucinda's hand and led her out of the room.

Keith silently observed his parents for a moment before quietly stepping out, leaving them alone in their sanctuary. Right now, nobody could coax Dad away from that room.

Walking along the tree-lined paths of Ascend Estate, Lucinda looped her arm through Stefan's, resting her head on his shoulder before looking up at him and saying, "Stefan, if ever we face a situation like my parents', you can't pull a Nathan on me."

"I'd rather face it with you, side by side, than be shielded in the dark about everything."

Stefan switched from holding to embracing her, walking slowly forward as he spoke softly, "Lucy, we won't end up like your parents."

do what your dad did. In any case,

the dark and without a chance

added, "Even if Mom was willing to give

her mother had endured

Lucy. Don't overthink it. Once this mess gets sorted out and the dust settles, Mom will gradually understand Dad. Once she does, forgiveness will follow. Even if she can't fully forgive, she won't hold

is exhausting, especially when it's someone you once loved

had their fair share

if they manage to mend their relationship, they'll be

having a companion in your later years, someone who

in the dark about what's happening over there," Lucinda confessed, a hint of nervousness in her voice at the

her father and brother. All she could do was protect her mother and seek justice amongst the women of the

family like the Blues, they all wear masks." "Madeleine and your brother Hayden's saga

"I can do that. They bullied my mother

no sympathy for

how's the investigation

brother's life and your kidnapping point toward Hayden. Still, the evidence isn't solid enough; we're continuing the

to s

when you start late and all traces have been wiped

Lucinda suggested, "My brother is also focusing on Hayden. Why don't you and he

seemed

her uncle and his wife didn't mingle as much as Hayden and his wife, and it was Ashley who dragged Kayla

to Lucinda, that meant they were not to

put it, nobody in a family like

overtly social. For now, he's not a suspect, but that doesn't

&

that bite

into everyone in the Blue