Faux Vows, True Desires

Tiffany blushed slightly at Lucinda's teasing, but quickly turned to her and spoke of Liam with affection, "Stefan is even better to you. My Liam, bless him, he's a bit clueless, but he's all attentive and caring now because there's a little one of his on the way."

Lucinda chuckled, "You're being too harsh on poor Liam. In his heart, you're the one that matters most. He's just a typical guy, not great at showing his feelings, that's all."

"Hey, Tiffany, Lucinda."

Liam approached them, an umbrella in hand, and after greeting Lucinda, he turned to his wife with a tender look. They had recently gotten their marriage license and were set to have their wedding ceremony the following Saturday.

"Tiffany, this rain's coming down too hard. I'm here to take you home."

After saying this, he stepped forward to help her up, but Tiffany stood on her own, not needing his assistance.

"Lucinda, I'm going to take Tiffany back now."

"Alright, take care. And when you get a chance, take Tiffany out for a little walk. It'll do her good, boost her spirits and her appetite."

Lucinda remembered how Tiffany used to eat so well when she first got pregnant. Now, she wasn't eating as much due to morning sickness, which to Liam meant her appetite was poor.

"Lucinda, I'll take care of it."

Liam had even taken time off from the office, delegating his work to focus on the wedding plans and to be with Tiffany.

"Lucy, I'm off to get some breakfast."

Tiffany didn't ask Liam to drop Lucinda off at the main house because she saw Stefan, making his way towards them holding a large umbrella.

Stefan hadn't driven over, probably wanting to enjoy a romantic walk in the rain with Lucinda.

Tiffany thought her older brother was so much more romantic than Liam.

As Liam led Tiffany away, Lucinda watched them leave and soon saw her own man approaching with the umbrella.

Standing at the entrance of the gazebo, she smiled as Stefan drew closer.

Even in the pouring rain, he was the picture of calm, his suit impeccable.

The servants discreetly left the gazebo as Stefan entered.

"You didn't have to come all this way. Someone already brought me an umbrella," Lucinda said with a smile.

"Well, if Liam can pick up Tiffany, I can't be outdone," Stefan replied, holding the umbrella over both their heads. "I wanted to share this walk with you, under one umbrella, with me holding it for you. From now on, I'll be the one to shield you from the storms."

His words were as sweet as honey, love dripping from every syllable.

Lucinda laughed, "I was thinking this rain was a bit much, but now I kind of hope it lasts a little longer. Makes for a nice romantic scene."

Stefan glanced at the diminishing rain, "Sadly, it seems Mother Nature is jealous of our love. Just like that time we hiked in the rain, this downpour is letting up."

True to his word, the rain was easing off.

"It's a rainy season, sure, but these showers come and go in the blink of an eye."

"Let's head back for breakfast, love. You've got work soon, and once the weekend hits, you'll need to play hostess, welcoming our guests. You are the lady of the Anderson household, after all."

With a tender kiss on her cheek, the two shared a moment before exiting the gazebo.

Under the bigger, less threatening sky, the couple walked home, unhurried, the large umbrella keeping them dry.

Whenever they encountered puddles, Stefan would simply lift Lucinda up, ensuring not a drop of muddy water reached her.

His love was in the details.

The Martinez household.

Olina, still cozy in bed, listened to the raindrops against the window and turned to her husband, "Honey, I'm worried about Owen and Cecilia's compatibility. Just look, your dad wants us to bring a generous gift to the Yates family today, to formally ask for Cecilia's hand, and it's pouring rain at dawn."

"We're not leaving right this second, the rain might stop by the time we do."

Shane wasn't concerned, "Even if it doesn't, it won't affect us. We'll drive there, not walk. The gifts will be safe in the car. The rain can't touch us."

"Besides, showing up in this storm shows our sincerity. The Yates family might appreciate our effort and agree to the marriage. It'll be a good thing for Owen."

Shane didn't entirely approve of Cecilia, but since his father did, and his son truly loved her aside from Ruby, he figured let the boy marry who he wants. If Owen regretted it later, that would be his problem. After a moment of silence, Olina conceded, "Of course, I want Owen to be happy. If he loves Cecilia that much, and Dad approves, what more can I say? Worst case, I'll just keep my distance from my daughter-in-law."

"Honey, that's the spirit. Our kids are grown, their life partners will be the ones by their side, not us. As long as they're happy, we should step back and let them be. We don't want to ruin our relationship with them."

"You see, the Anderson elders, they mind their own business, right? Why don't we take a leaf out of their book?"

Olina hummed in agreement, then prodded her husband, "Well then, get a move on! Let's prepare a generous gift and pay a visit to the Yates. It's high time we discussed Owen's engagement. I've got this hunch that the Yates are going to play hard to get. We might have to go the extra mile to seal the deal."

Despite her initial disdain for Cecilia's background, and her suspicions that Cecilia was after the Martinez fortune, Olina's perspective shifted after Hudson returned an extravagant car and Cecilia initiated the split with their son. It became clear to Olina that the Yates weren't after their money or trying to climb the social ladder.

She was simply caught up in Megan's manipulations, fixating on giving Cecilia a hard time.

Shane chuckled, "Olina, after decades of marriage, this is the first time I've heard you speak with such insight."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Olina grabbed a pillow and lobbed it at him.