Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 248

Lucinda walked up to Cecilia and said, "Cecilia, let's go, my treat. Let's hit up the Ascend Hotel."

Cecilia didn't play coy; she walked back to the cashier counter to pick up her phone and replied with a smile, "Well, I won't say no to that. I'd love to grab a bite with you."

"What are you on about? We're beyond formalities."

As Cecilia walked out of the shop, she got a call from Owen.

"Lucy, I gotta take this call."

"Bet it's Mr. Malicious."

Cecilia had a nickname for Owen, which Lucinda had picked up too.

"Yeah, it's him; I wonder what he's up to. I didn’t think I had done anything to annoy Ruby recently; we didn't even do anything to her when she came over."

Cecilia was muttering to herself, "Even if he's trying to get back at me for Ruby, it's a bit too late, isn't it? Not like before when he was quick on his feet."

When Ruby had just returned from abroad and was dealing with some issues, Owen would rush over to comfort her and stand up for her faster than a bunny on a sugar rush.

Still muttering, Cecilia picked up Owen's call.

"Mr. Malicious, what's up?"

Hearing Cecilia call him that, Owen felt like smashing his phone.

Biting his tongue, he replied grumpily, "I've made a transfer to you, didn't you see? I can’t even be bothered to check your account when there's money in it."

Cecilia responded, "Oh, you transferred me money? I was busy just now and didn't check my phone. What's the money for? You're not expecting me to order takeout for you, are you? I'm not doing takeout today. If you want some, order it yourself."

Owen gritted his teeth. "Cecilia, do you get a kick out of annoying me?"

Cecilia earnestly replied, "Well, yeah. Annoying you does give me a sense of satisfaction, haha." Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"It's the fee for you holding onto my black card for two days, totaling four hundred dollars."

"Alright, I'll accept the transfer right away. Money is coming in; I should thank you!"

Just as Cecilia was about to hang up, Owen cut in, "Hang on, since we're already on the call, let's chat a bit more. Are you free to come out now? I can take you out for a meal and maybe drop by a car dealership afterward. My grandfather asked me to buy you a new car."

"No need for the meal; someone's already treating me. As for the car, that's not part of our agreement, so no thanks. I'm just repaying your favor; I don't want anything beyond our agreement. I'm afraid if I accept your car, I'll owe you again."

Owen was speechless. "Sometimes my grandfather asks us to come home for meals together; your electric bike won't make it that far. It's more convenient to have a car; it's faster. Getting you a new car is just for you to play along with my act, not a gift out of the blue."

Lastly, he emphasized, "Don't worry, I'm not in love with you. I won't purposely give you gifts to win you over."

Cecilia retorted, "Even if you were to purposely give me gifts, I wouldn't accept them."

Owen was at a loss for words.

"Who's treating you to a meal?"

He changed the topic.

Cecilia instinctively responded as she looked at the pleasant Blue family father-son duo, "Two good- looking dudes."

Owen didn't press further, saying, "Well then, go enjoy your meal. Eat more, put on some weight."

"No matter how much I eat, I don't gain weight."

She kept up with her workout routine.

Owen silently hung up. He had originally planned to invite her for a meal in hopes she'd put on some weight, thinking that would keep other guys away.

She didn't care about him treating her to a meal, and even when he offered her a new car, she turned it down.

Wasn't she supposed to be money-minded?

She even turned down freebies.

Such a dunce!

Owen left his desk and stomped out, all the while grumbling in his mind.

Cecilia was somewhat surprised by Owen's silence; it wasn't like him.

In the past, he would definitely argue with her.

But it was better that he didn't; she had a feast to attend and didn't have time for a quarrel; food came first.

Cecilia accepted the four hundred dollars from Owen.

She then put her phone back in her pocket and affectionately linked arms with Lucinda, saying, "Lucy, let's go."

"Owen wanted to treat you to a meal?"

Lucinda had overheard their conversation.

"Yeah, but I turned him down. When we eat together, he's so picky and dumps all the meat into my bowl, saying he can't eat that much. I suspect he just doesn't like it, and that's why he claims he can't eat that much."

Lucinda laughed. "Have you ever considered that he might just want you to eat well?"

"Here you go again with your novelist imagination, Lucy. How on earth could Owen care about me? Want me to eat well? The love of his life is Ruby. As long as Ruby calls him, he’ll forget his own name. Besides, he's never formally asked me out for a meal; it's always been me treating him to takeout. Today he suddenly wants to treat me to a meal; I suspect he wants me to do something for him. Maybe he wants me to endure another rejection from Ruby."

Lucinda looked at her and laughed.

"Lucy, stop looking at me like that. There's no way anything could happen between Owen and me. He won't love me, and I won't love him. My story is different from yours."

"Cecilia, don't be so absolute about things. If they come back to bite you, it could be painful."

Cecilia playfully pinched her arm.

"Looking forward to my embarrassment, huh? No chance; I won't let myself be embarrassed."

"What are you two chatting about? You both seem to be having a good time."

Keith was waiting for them by the car.

His face was full of smiles; these two might not be siblings by blood, but their relationship was as close as sisters. Keith loved his sister dearly and treated Cecilia the same way.

"Just some girl talk."

Lucinda replied with a smile, leading Cecilia into the car.

The group then headed for the Ascend Hotel.

Eric Anderson was waiting for them at the hotel entrance.

As Stefan's car came to a halt, Eric was right there, all smiles, ready to welcome him. He only opened the door for the passengers in the back after Stefan and Lucinda got out.

He didn't dare get too chummy with Lucinda, fearing Stefan might get ticked off.

"Nathan, this is my brother, Eric." Stefan introduced Eric to Nathan first.

Nathan had already done his homework on the Anderson family's ten sons, so he knew that the handsome and dashing guy standing in front of him was none other than Eric from the Anderson family.

"Eric," Nathan said, extending his right hand for a handshake.

While shaking hands, Eric said cheerfully, "Nathan, we're all family here; no need to stand on ceremony."

Nathan laughed, saying, "Absolutely, we're all family here; no need to stand on ceremony."

He was genuinely envious of the harmony in the Anderson family and how all their kids were such high achievers.

If only the Blue family could have half the harmony of the Andersons, they wouldn't be in the mess they were in today.