Faux Vows, True Desires

"Hayden, Madeleine, you two stop right there!" Ashley's voice carried a firm authority as she stormed out, echoing down the hallway. A few peacemakers hurried behind her, hoping to calm things down. Soon, the grand hall regained its silence. The household staff quickly began tidying up, puzzled by the fact that the master and mistress of the house hadn't come down to investigate the ruckus. Were they genuinely unaware, or merely choosing to ignore it?

Janice watched the scene with a mix of satisfaction and intrigue. The scuffle had been quite the spectacle. Though chaotic and loud, witnessing two people she despised go at each other was a guilty pleasure worth the noise.

"Janice." A warm voice sounded behind her. Janice turned instinctively, almost bumping into Nathan. Startled, she stepped back, only to find herself teetering at the edge of the staircase. In a split second, Nathan's strong hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to safety with ease. Pressed against his chest, a wave of familiarity washed over her, tinged with a distant sense of strangeness. Dazed for a moment, Janice quickly gathered her composure and pushed Nathan away.

Her expression turned icy as she snapped, "Trying to give me a heart attack, are you?" She hadn't even realized he was standing there. Did he always walk so quietly, or was she just too engrossed in the drama to notice?

"I was just trying to get downstairs," Nathan replied, feigning innocence. Janice felt a twinge of annoyance. So she was in his way, apparently.

"My apologies for blocking the path of the great Blue family head," she retorted coolly. "I suppose you wanted to rush down and save your little sweetheart. Must have been hard seeing her get torn apart by Ashley. Heartbreaking, isn't it? Maybe if you hurry, you can still play the hero." Her words were laced with sarcasm, but to her daughter listening nearby, they reeked of jealousy.

The man beside her nudged her hand gently. Lucinda glanced at Stefan, who gave her a knowing wink. Understanding his cue, she quietly slipped away with her husband, leaving the scene to unfold without them.

Outside, the drama continued unabated. Ashley, true to her fiery reputation, wasn't about to let Madeleine act up on her turf. After catching up to Madeleine, another round of hair-pulling and shouting ensued. Despite Madeleine's martial arts skills, she hadn't expected Ashley's vengeful fury back in the hall. With Ashley's allies backing her, Madeleine had found herself on the losing end. Now, with Pete Blue and his brother arriving on the scene, Madeleine stood no chance. The brothers, skilled in their own right, ensured she remained on the defensive.

they'd had enough of the spectacle. Ashley's fiery confrontation with Madeleine was a fire they had helped stoke. As they wandered away from the chaos, they found themselves on the vast lawn. It was easy to see why Keith liked taking private calls there; the

felt at ease as they reached the center of the sprawling grass. She turned to Stefan with a sigh, "I miss home-our home. It's peaceful and comforting. No matter how stressful things get outside, stepping through our door always calms me." Her father's house was anything but calm- an endless carousel of drama. She had been warned about the intricate politics of the

from the moment she stepped off the plane and was greeted by a throng of people, she felt a false sense of importance as the Blue family's esteemed daughter. In reality, it was chaos,

family, make it more like our home." Lucinda smiled wryly, "Unless we cut ties with the rest of the clan, it'll take generations to instill the Anderson family values. As long as

"It'll work out

Stefan reassured her.

the problem and he's trying." Lysinda chuckled, "Since that fainting episode, my mom's been so cold to Dad, like they're enemies. But just now, she sounded so jealous. Maybe she's starting to remember and

dad's got his burdens. Mom will come around. Whether she forgives him is her choice. We shouldn't meddle-both our parents are important to us." Lucinda nodded, resting her head on Stefan's shoulder as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Her first day back in Skywatch was drawing

I promised to catch up, but

I completely forgot." Remembering the promise, she quickly pulled out her phone to call Cecilia. Naturally, Cecilia was quick to tease her, "Darlene and I were waiting for your call. But you got so caught up in the drama, you forgot

show," Lucinda admitted. After years of friendship, she knew exactly what Cecilia

with Lucinda over the phone, spilling the latest gossip. She felt a pang of frustration; she was dying to know what had happened with Keith after The left, but

put Darlene