Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 446

"Cecilia, ease up, would ya?" Owen winced, his ears trapped in Cecilia's firm grip. Despite his protests, his hands made no move to free himself.

He could have easily saved his ears from her wrath, but he knew Cecilia was steamed and needed to blow off some steam, so he took it on the chin.

She wouldn't actually tear his ears off, no matter how hard she tugged.

Relenting, Cecilia let go.

"If you pinch my cheek again, if you trick me one more time, I'll grab those ears of yours," she warned.

Rubbing his tender ears, Owen offered her a rueful grin. "Cecilia, when I pinch your cheek, I'm gentle as a lamb. Did I ever hurt you? I got addicted after touching it. I can't help but give it a light pinch."

"As for tricking you, it's just second nature to me," he said, refusing to admit any foul play.

It was true, though. In the cutthroat world of business, his mind was constantly scheming to turn competitors into conquests.

"Second nature to trick people, huh?"

Owen paused and then said, "Even if I did trick you, it's only because I want to steal you away to be my wife, to love you for a lifetime."

Cecilia was speechless, struck by the raw emotion he had suddenly revealed.

"Kept saying we were heading home for dinner, yet here you are, not even starting the car," she prodded, desperate to change the subject.

She took out her phone, first calling her friend Lucinda to let her know she wouldn't be at the store tonight, reassuring her that the Martinez family's bodyguards were on hand to help so Lucinda could focus on other matters.

Then she called her mother to say she'd be dining with the Martinez family.

Becca, after a small pause, reminded her, "You're not a Martinez daughter-in-law anymore. When visiting, don't go empty-handed."

"I know, Mom."

"And come home early. Don't keep staying overnight with Owen. You're not husband and wife anymore. Save the sleepovers for when you're married again."

Self-respect was crucial for a woman to earn respect from others. The gap between the Yates and the Martinez families was already significant; without self-respect, Cecilia would only invite more disdain from Mrs. Martinez.

These reminders were Becca's way of looking out for her daughter's future and ensuring Owen truly cherished Cecilia. People often take for granted what comes easy and treasure what is hard to obtain.

"I'll be home early, Mom."

With a grunt of acknowledgment, Becca hung up, exhaling deeply. Letting go of grown children was never easy.

Parents were strange creatures—eager for marriages when their children were of age, yet when the moment to part arrived, it was they who struggled the most to let go.

Trenton was overjoyed to hear his grandson Owen was bringing Cecilia over for dinner. He instructed the kitchen to prepare all of Cecilia's favorite dishes—a feast of roast chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and her beloved green bean casserole.

The entire house soon buzzed with the news, and even though Trenton had no intentions of keeping it secret, it wouldn't have mattered. With so many servants around, word would have spread anyway—especially since Ashley had her own informant in the main house.

Trenton understood but chose to turn a blind eye. Having his daughter-in-law on her toes was a good way to prevent his eldest son's family from becoming complacent.

When Ashley learned of Cecilia's upcoming visit, she initially shrugged it off. She'd been all sweetness and light to Cecilia before, just to rile up the main house. Knowing that Owen was pursuing Cecilia again after their divorce, Ashley had even silently rooted for him. If Owen remarried Cecilia, Cecilia’s lower social standing would always be a thorn in her side, and Ashley's son could surpass them by marrying into wealth.

But as soon as she heard about the special meal being prepared, Ashley sat bolt upright on her couch, murmuring, "She can't be allowed to marry into the family."

Her husband, glancing up from his newspaper, looked at her briefly and returned to his reading, commenting, "Didn't you say it would be good if Cecilia married Owen? Why the sudden change of heart?"

He was the youngest son, free from the pressures of inheritance, content with whatever share came his way, leaving his wife and son to their ambitions.

"Trenton's too fond of Cecilia," Ashley mused. "Even though I've met her only a handful of times, I can tell she's no pushover. I've heard about Olina and Megan picking fights with her and coming out worse for wear." This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

"Our family's reins still lie in Father's hands, but domestic affairs? He rarely intervenes. Nonetheless, living under one roof, even separately, requires someone to take charge."

"Father has never favored Olina. He's never let her rule the roost. Now, with all the attention he's giving Cecilia, he might be grooming her to be the reigning lady of the Martinez family. She's like a delicate and lovely girl riding on the heads of those of us born into wealthy families; I simply can't accept it. Moreover, Cecilia's too young for such responsibility. If my Olina can't carry the weight, why not me? I’m superior in both birth and capability."

"Trenton should've handed me the throne of the Martinez family matriarch, not Cecilia. Can't let the main house hold all the cards, can we?"

At the office, her son might be the Vice President, but he was still getting outshone by Owen.

And Trenton favored Owen, as if Ashley’s son wasn't the better man. Was it just because Owen was the legitimate first-born grandson from the main wife?

Owen was too sentimental, a man led by his heartstrings. Sure, he could maintain the status quo, but to think he could catapult the Martinez family to new heights? Ashley wasn't buying it.

Hadn't Owen and Stefan been at each other's throats since they were kids, with Owen always on the losing end?

If her son took on Stefan, she wouldn't bet on him being invincible, but he'd surely come out on top more often than not.

Ashley had always seen Owen's seat at the helm of the Ikella Group as Trenton's favoritism, a bias for the offspring of his official wife.

When she finally grasped Trenton's intention behind putting Cecilia in the spotlight, Ashley couldn't just sit back and relax.

She couldn't let Cecilia become the reigning lady of the Martinez family. Not on her watch.