Faux Vows, True Desires

Darlene flashed a gentle smile, "I haven't heard about that."

But inside, she was panicking.

The achievements she had worked hard for over the years were being questioned by Lucinda as if they were mere tall tales!

It seemed if she couldn't impress Keith, all her efforts could turn to dust.

Keith had the power to ruin everything for her.

"You're such a sweet and beautiful girl, and Ms. Bishop has always kept an eye out for you. It's normal that you haven't heard about it. I always thought that to run a detective agency, you need to have clout in the shades of gray. Plus, the detectives there have to know a thing or two about self-defense, or they'd be in trouble easily."

"I heard the real boss of Cipher Detectives is a young, stunning woman."

Darlene hummed in curiosity, "Lucy, who told you that? A woman in that line of work? Sounds risky."

"I just heard it through the grapevine."

Darlene hummed again, letting the conversation drop.

She had a hunch that Lucinda was probing her, possibly suspecting her.

Considering how Keith had portrayed her in his sketches - lifelike and vibrant - and now that she and Lucinda were friends who often met up, it wouldn't be surprising if Lucinda found her familiar. "What are you two chatting about so intently?"

Cecilia, having finished a call with Owen, seemed to be in much better spirits as she joined their conversation.

"Just small talk. Are you two done chatting? Mr. Malicious is on a business trip, right?"

As Cecilia sat down, she replied, "Yes, he had to rush off to deal with some emergency at the branch office. He didn't get the chance to tell me before leaving."

"He'll be back in a couple of days. He's still keen on being the best man for Liam. Told me to check in with Tiffany about it and to make sure she talks to your brother."

Knowing Owen was away on business for the company and not for personal reasons made Cecilia feel at ease.

Owen's sudden trip made her realize her feelings for him were deeper than she thought.

Owen was a man of deep affections.

And wasn't she the same?

That's why she didn't fall in love lightly.

She feared heartbreak, the kind that's hard to bounce back from.

"Have you talked to Tiffany yet?"

Lucinda grinned, "Owen's really going all out to match up with you. He knew you were going to be Tiffany's maid of honor, so he already volunteered to be Liam's best man. I heard it from Stefan." "I just texted Tiffany, and she agreed right away."

Cecilia laughed, "It's his determination that won me over."

"Tasting the bitterness of pining away, are we?" Lucinda teased.

Darlene couldn't help but smile.

"I miss him, and that's that! When he gets back, I'm planning a date - a movie, candlelit dinner, the works."

Lucinda burst into laughter, "Are you thinking of giving yourself to him?"

At that, Cecilia gave her a playful pinch on the arm.

Darlene joined in, "Cecilia, Lucy's suggestion isn't bad. After Tiffany's wedding toast, I'm looking forward to your engagement party. Don't forget to ask me to be your maid of honor." "I'm just worried you'll steal the show. You're so beautiful, like a goddess among mortals. You'll outshine me."

Cecilia was just teasing, of course.

"When I get married, you'll definitely be my maid of honor. After all, Mr. Malicious only has eyes for me. He's not shallow. As for you dazzling other men? What's that to me?" Darlene just laughed.

After chatting for a while longer, customers started coming in, and Lucinda and Cecilia got up to greet them. Darlene stayed seated, sipping her coffee and lost in thought.

Time flew by during her leisurely afternoon.

Soon, evening approached.

The setting sun painted the sky fiery shades.

Stefan arrived to pick up Lucinda, and Darlene said her goodbyes.

That night, after sex, Lucinda nestled in Stefan's arms and brought up Darlene.

"Honey, I'm sure Darlene is that mysterious lady who's been helping my brother. But she's got an incredible poker face. I blatantly questioned the reputation of her detective agency, and she didn't even flinch."

"If she didn't give anything away, how can you be so sure she's the mystery woman?"

Stefan wasn't particularly concerned about whether Darlene was the enigmatic lady or not.

His mind was on the opening of the new branch in Skywatch, on helping his father-in-law and brother-in-law get through the transition of power safely.

But since his wife was so interested, and keen on setting Darlene up with Keith, he decided to be the best audience he could.

"I've got sharp eyes. Maybe it's because I've been suspecting her. Her reactions seem normal but not quite, which makes me even more suspicious. Anyway, my brother's got his eye on her. I'm sure he'll cat her out eventually."

"Oh, and my big brother's bringing Ms. Bishop home this Friday to meet our parents. I want to go too."

"When is it?" Stefan inquired.

"Friday. After they meet the parents, my brother's planning to bring them to Liam's wedding. But his car has only so many seats; he can't ferry everyone. We should go together, so we can bring my parents over."

In truth, the people protecting Janice had cars and could bring her into the city anytime.

Lucinda just missed home. She had grown up in Wye, and it would always be home to her.

Stefan hummed in agreement, "Alright, we'll go back on Friday. Let's head out early and pick up your parents in the afternoon. Saturday's Liam and Tiffany's wedding, and we'll all be busy."

Stefan wasn't keen on playing best

man, but he and his friends would

Belket

escort Liam to the Paisley estate for the wedding, ensuring Tiffany felt honored and signaling to the Paisley's that the Anderson family held her in high regard. Entrusting Tiffany to Liam was a commitment they took seriously.

"Tiffany's expecting, so a honeymoon's off the table, but Liam's planning to whisk her away to our family's private island for a little R&R. Once they're off, I'll be free to take you back to Skywatch." These next few days would be a whirlwind for him. He'd have to work overtime to get ahead on pressing matters, so he could leave for Skywatch with his wife on Friday.

The stay at Skywatch would be lengthy, and he needed to ensure everything at the corporation was squared away. His brothers, aware of his plans to return to Skywatch with his beloved, were jittery at the thought of being tasked with leading the charge in his absence,

While others clawed and schemed for power and fortune, his siblings were itching to break away and conquer the world on their own terms. And conquer they did, each with their own empire, even the youngest, who was making bank while still roaming college halls.

"Though you're coming with me to Skywatch to expand our horizons, who's going to handle things here? If you're jetting back and forth, you'll wear yourself out, and that would break my heart."

"How about this: you accompany me

there, then fly back to your normal routine. Don't fret over me; I'm not that defenseless little lamb anymore. Besides, I've got Dad and my brother there. If they can't keep me safe, they wouldn't dream of letting me return to Skywatch."