Faux Vows, True Desires

Owen was on cloud nine, recalling the moment Cecilia said yes to his marriage proposal. He was over the moon, and at the engagement party, he'd had more than his fair share of drinks and ended up three sheets to the wind.

Cecilia's words had him grinning like a Cheshire cat. The throbbing in his head from earlier had vanished.

"Seriously, Cecilia, when should we have our wedding? I want to give you the grandest ceremony ever, just like Liam did, in a beautiful church."

As Owen swung his legs out of bed, he dreamt about the splendor of their wedding day, already causing a buzz.

"I'm gonna make sure you're the most stunning bride ever, in a custom-made gown... I need to get on that right away and get your dress ordered."

Imagining the wedding details made Owen realize that besides being ready to dedicate himself to her, he hadn't prepared a thing. It seemed like the wedding was still a ways off.

The first time he got hitched, they'd simply gotten the paperwork done. No ceremony, not even a dinner to celebrate, and his mother-in-law probably didn't even know he was her son-in-law.

This time around, he couldn't bear the thought of Cecilia feeling shortchanged.

"Cecilia, we still have a ton to prep for the wedding, but don't you worry, I'll sort it all out. You won't have to lift a finger. We need to pick a perfect date too; we can't rush that. But we could go down to the town hall and start the paperwork."

Liam and Tiffany had set their date in a hurry, but their families had long ago given their blessing. From dowries to wedding gifts, everything was arranged in advance. They could pick any date they wanted without affecting the wedding plans.

At this moment, Owen was downright envious of Liam. Liam was the ultimate straight shooter, but now he was the happiest man alive. The guy had won the girl and was about to be a dad-double the joy.

"We'll head to the town hall this afternoon to get the marriage license."

Owen changed clothes in front of Cecilia, and their intimacy nearly led them to tangle in the sheets.

smelling like a brewery. Changing clothes won't help you need a proper wash. What day is it today? Sunday, right? The town hall

working today. Why bother

that license, not until our folks have had a chance to sit down and

her impulsiveness. Saying yes to a proposal was one thing, but rushing into marriage was another. This was for life. She didn't want to go through another

We can wait, Cecilia. My folks won't make

knew his grandpa had stepped in and warned his parents not to meddle. He was grateful for his grandfather raising him, teaching

it's the man stuck in the middle who has to mediate. And if he can't handle it, it only worsens the relationship. Right now, his mom was the one feeling the pressure, probably holding back a ton of frustration. At the end of the day, he had to make sure Cecilia was treated right when she joined the family and that his mother didn't

some more, and tonight, let's drop by Ascend Estate. Tomorrow, Lucy and her husband are heading back to Skywatch with her birth parents. Who knows when we'll see them again? We should at least

shower with clothes in hand. Hearing her suggestion, he stepped back out and declared, "Cecilia, from now

you're the man

be the lady of the house. I better shower before you start thinking I stink.

She didn't bother responding. Once he was in the shower, Cecilia

future mother-in-law, Olina. Olina had just come upstairs, whether returning

"Jean."

the silence

smile, "Is Owen

sent him to shower.

in acknowledgment, "I just came to see if everything was alright. I worried when you were

looked back at Cecilia, "Care to join me?" Cecilia caught up quickly, walking side by side

"Cecilia."

"Auntie."

same moment. Olina chuckled and yielded, "Go ahead, Cecilia. You

"No, Auntie, please."