Faux Vows, True Desires
Chapter 95

Stefan's kindness convinced Lucinda to be the one to end the call. She clutched her phone, lost in thought.

The guilt of avoiding Stefan weighed on her, especially given how well he had treated her. Despite the lack of a deep emotional bond between them, she recognized feelings could grow. Perhaps she was on the cusp of falling in love.

After some reflection, Lucinda resolved to face her feelings head-on, regardless of any future challenges or competition. She felt reassured by her decision. Setting her phone on the bedside table, she drifted into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Fiona struggled with restlessness. Her constant tossing disrupted Vincent, preventing him from replaceing any sleep of his own.

He sat up and said, "Fiona, if you can't sleep, you can go downstairs and watch TV or go chat with the neighbors."

He was used to taking a nap at noon. If he didn't sleep, he would feel sleepy and listless.

Fiona also sat up, looking at her husband who couldn't sleep because of her. She was silent for a moment, then said, "Lucinda said something earlier that left me dumbfounded."

"Is it about her and Stefan?"

Vincent said, "No matter who Stefan is, as long as he loves our Lucy, that's enough. As for the obstacles between them, we can't interfere, that's their business."

"Whoever Lucy chooses, she has to bear the consequences."

"But that's not what I meant. Stefan asked Lucy what she would do if she wasn't our biological daughter."

Hearing this, Vincent was also stunned.

After a moment, he asked, "Why would Stefan ask Lucy such a question? Does he know something?"

Fiona said, "From my experience, Stefan or his family might have investigated us. You know, they're wealthy and powerful. As the son of a rich family, if he wants to marry our daughter, they would definitely check our background."

"They might have discovered that Lucy isn't our biological daughter, so he started testing Lucy's reaction."

Fiona sighed, "I've raised this child for over 20 years, I've always treated her as my own. I even love her more than my son."

"She's a smart girl. When she told me about this, I was stunned. I think she already knows about her background."

"She said she had two dreams about a middle-aged woman losing her child. The woman was crying terribly. She said in her dream, she felt a strong connection to that woman. I suspect that woman is her biological mother."

"The bond between a mother and her daughter is very strong. That woman might have had a mental breakdown after losing her child. Who can bear the pain of losing a child?" She's in a dilemma now.

After her biological daughter died of illness, she adopted Lucinda and transferred all the love she had for her biological daughter to Lucinda.

If the child she has raised for over 20 years is taken back by her biological mother, Fiona would collapse. She just loves Lucy too much.

If Lucinda was kidnapped instead of being abandoned, and her biological mother lost her sanity because of her, that's a tragedy.

As a woman, and a mother, Fiona can understand the pain of Lucinda's biological mother and sympathize with her.

She can't build her happiness on someone else's pain.

"Dreams are unpredictable. Lucy has lived with us for over 20 years and she has never had such dreams. You're overthinking."

Vincent doubted the reliability of the dream about Lucinda's biological mother. Fiona pondered aloud, "What if Lucinda's dreams suggest her biological mother is in some kind of trouble? Vincent, should we reveal the truth to her?"

"And perhaps help her replace her biological parents," she continued. "If her mother truly is in distress, Lucinda should at least have the chance to know her, for her mother's sake." Vincent retrieved a cigarette from his bedside drawer, lit it, and inhaled deeply. "When Lucinda returns," he said, "we'll discuss this with her grandparents and gauge their opinion." Fiona let out a sigh.

"Stop sighing, Lucy's a good girl. Even if she knows we're not her biological parents, she won't leave us."

Vincent knew his daughter well.

She's not the heartless type.

"If she knows that she's not our biological daughter, do you think the Anderson family will look down on her?" As a mother, she always worries too much.

Fiona was also worried that after marrying into the Anderson family, Lucinda would be belittled by them.

Vincent laughed, "If they want to look down on Lucy, even if she was our biological daughter, they would still look down on her. The difference between our family and the Anderson family is just too great." "Stop worrying so much. There's always a solution to this. There's always a way to solve children's issues."

"My daughter is so outstanding, if the Anderson family looks down on her, I'll bring her back home, even if I have to raise her for a lifetime."

"Who doesn't treasure their own daughter?"

Even if their family isn't as good as the Anderson family, Lucinda is their treasure. They won't allow anyone to bully or look down on her.

"And I can see that Stefan's feelings for Lucy are genuine. He's the CEO of Ascend Global, which shows he's capable. If he marries Lucy, he can make her happy."

Vincent had full confidence in his daughter and son-in-law. However, Fiona's concern was evident.

She jumped out of bed, sliding into her slippers. "Vincent, relax a bit. I'll head downstairs to watch some TV. I'll also make juice for Lucy for when she wakes up. It's such a hot day," she mentioned. Vincent realized that Fiona's worries about their daughter ran deep, and trying to convince her otherwise was futile. He decided to let her process her feelings on her own.

Elsewhere, Stefan had just managed a brief 15-minute nap when his phone began to buzz. An unexpected call at this time usually meant pressing business. Rousing himself from the drowsiness, he saw Owen's name flashing on his screen. Stefan instantly felt a sense of dread; Owen was known for causing problems. Without hesitation, he pressed the ignore button.

Owen's persistence was clear as he called back immediately. After ignoring the call four times, Stefan finally answered on the fifth ring, already dreading the conversation. "Why the hesitation? Nervous, are we?" Owen's voice dripped with sarcasm, his words cutting through Stefan like a knife.

The moment Stefan picked up, Owen started chewing him out.

"Stefan, you actually ratted me out to my grandpa! When did you become such a low-down dirty rat?"

Just the thought of being set up for a blind date by his grandpa got Owen's blood boiling.

"So what if you don't like Ruby? Can't I like Ruby?"

Stefan waited for Owen to finish his rant before calmly asking, "Did you get an earful from your grandpa? Did he yank you off your CEO position at the Ikella Group?" "Don't get your hopes up, I'm the heir my grandpa personally groomed. I'm tailor-made to deal with you and there's no way he would yank me off my CEO position."