Faux Vows, True Desires
Chapter 401

Old Mr. Martinez sighed with a tinge of envy, "I've thought about it, but Mr. Anderson wouldn't dream of trading his grandson for mine." Owen was left speechless.

"Mr. Anderson won't swap Stefan for you. But it wouldn't hurt to have someone else in the exchange, right?"

Grandpa was just green with envy over the Andersons' golden boy.

"Maybe it's just fate. No matter how hard we try, we can't seem to outdo the Andersons. I'm no match for Mr. Anderson, and you, my boy, are no Stefan."

Old Mr. Martinez heaved sighs for a while before turning to his grandson, "Owen, you need to hurry up and win back Cecilia. Once you two are remarried, get busy with having kids. If you have a son and Stefan has a daughter, we'll unite the families through marriage. We may not be able to beat the Andersons, but if we marry into their family or they into ours, and get one of ours as the next Mrs. Anderson, ha! That's not too shabby!"

Owen just stared at his grandfather, speechless.

Becoming part of the Andersons seemed to be Grandpa's lifelong wish if he couldn't beat them.

"Cecilia's best friend is Lucinda Moore, right? It's not out of the realm of possibility for you to become in-laws."

Old Mr. Martinez grew more and more enamored with the idea.

The thought of his great-granddaughter marrying into the Andersons and becoming the next matriarch was just too delightful. And knowing the Anderson family's reputation, their men doted on their wives. Wouldn't his great-granddaughter call the shots then?

"What if we both end up with sons?" Owen asked. "Or what if we both have daughters who fall for the same guy or gal? That'd make us rivals instead."

He glared at his grandson and snapped, "Can't you think positively for once?"

"One must always prepare for the worst."

"What's with your arm? Was it really a robber, or did you stage the whole thing?"

Old Mr. Martinez changed the subject, fearing another round of this conversation might send him to an early grave.

It was no small feat for him to have made it to this ripe old age.

"It was really a robber."

After a pause, Trenton asked, "Is it bad?"

"Just a scratch."

"Pity."

Owen frowned, "Are you saying you wish my arm was broken?"

"If it were more serious and you were hospitalized, Cecilia would naturally be by your side every day. That's the best chance to rekindle a romance. As it stands, with just a scratch, the most you'll get from her is a daily phone check-in."

Owen didn't know how to respond.

"Alright, I've got the lowdown. Go get changed and come down for breakfast. Harry knows to keep me company; you're always off gallivanting somewhere."

"I've been busy chasing after your future granddaughter-in-law," Owen retorted before heading upstairs with Avery's investigative report in hand. Serendipity Cafe.

When Cecilia arrived, the cafe was already open, it's Lucinda.

Cecilia walked in to replace Lucinda wiping down a decoration on the counter and asked, "Lucy, aren't you supposed to be with your folks today?" "They headed back home after breakfast."

Stefan had arranged for a car to take her parents back.

Even her biological mother had left to revisit her roots.

Lucinda had wanted to personally see her parents off, but they'd insisted she stay put, so she relented to Stefan's transport arrangements.

She felt a touch blue, thinking her parents didn't want her home. But then she remembered she had work the next day, and figured they just didn't want her worn out. With that, her gloom lifted. "Mrs. Bright went with them?"

"Yep."

Her biological father stayed behind, not wanting to taint her mother's spirits.

Now aware of the burdens her father bore, Lucinda yearned to speak well of him to her mother, but her attempts were always cut short.

"Cecilia, why don't you take a break from the cafe today and visit Owen?" Lucinda suggested, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Cecilia was taken aback. "You heard about Owen's injury?"

Word travels fast.

"Stefan mentioned it. He said you encountered a mugger last night while Owen was dropping you off, and Owen got a bit hurt. No matter how minor, he did it for you. You owe him a visit." There was a teasing undertone in Lucinda's voice that Cecilia couldn't ignore, yet she remained stubborn. "It's just a scratch. I've already called to check on him this morning."

"Still, he got that scratch because of you. A phone call isn't enough."

Lucinda stepped around the counter, grinning cheekily at her friend. "Surprise him with a visit. He's given you plenty of surprises; don't be stingy, give him one too."

"Lucy, you're forgetting he's your guy's arch-rival. You sound like you're on his side."

Cecilia teased back.

Lucinda laughed heartily, "He and Stefan only spar in business, no real bad blood. You know, they grew up together. In a nicer way of putting it, they're childhood friends. The thing is, I want you to be happy!" Touched, Cecilia embraced her friend.

Lucinda gently pushed her away, still smiling, "I want all the people I care about to be happy. Owen might have been a bit of a rake in the past, but he's completely devoted to you now. Everyone has a past, but as long as he loves only you now and in the future, that's all that matters."

"Cecilia, I'm not just making excuses for Owen. He's truly worthy of your lifelong commitment."

Cecilia eyed her best friend suspiciously. "I'm beginning to think Owen slipped you some cash to sing his praises."

Lucinda chuckled, but her smile quickly faded into a more serious expression. "I just think we need to appreciate what we have, you know? To treasure the here and now."

"If we let misunderstandings pile up or just let chances slip by, we're going to end up with a lifetime of regrets. Like my folks."

Cecilia's thoughts drifted to Nathan Blue and Janice Bright. She didn't know the details of their past, but their current situation was enough to tug at anyone's heartstrings.

Then she pondered her own relationship with Owen. Sure, they had their fair share of puzzles to solve, but their obstacles seemed trivial compared to the family drama Lucinda faced. With Owen, life was easygoing and joyful. As long as they both cherished what they had and gave each other a chance, they could replace happiness.

Cherish what you have.

Because what you take for granted might be something someone else is desperately praying for.

"So, Lucy, are you minding the store today? Is it a good time?"

"Of course, it's fine. It's my turn to run the shop this weekend anyway. You covered for me all day yesterday."

Cecilia picked up her purse again and said to her friend, "Then I'm off to buy some presents and pay a visit to the Martinez family. A little thank-you and a friendly check-in."

"Go on, then. Pick up some iron-rich foods; Mr. Malicious must have lost quite a bit of blood during his accident, he needs to replenish."

With a nod, Cecilia turned on her heel and left.

Once she was gone, Lucinda chuckled to herself. "When two hearts are in harmony, why play it so tough?"