Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 422

As soon as Owen walked in, he scanned the room for Cecilia.

His heart sank a bit when he spotted her sitting with Avery.

—Avery dared to show up and pursue Cecilia after everything that had happened!

Did Avery not realize it was Owen who had been at his back?

Or had he really fallen for Cecilia?

Considering this possibility, Owen felt his hackles rise.

It is known some homosexuals don't stick to one path forever; they could switch up or swing both ways.

With purposeful strides, Owen approached them.

"There you are."

Before Owen could speak, Cecilia took the initiative and stood up. As Owen neared, she reached out to straighten his collar and tie.

Owen felt his anger dissipate at her touch, and a smile spread across his face.

"Cecilia, I didn't do a good job with my tie. My arm hurts, so I just tied it haphazardly. Can you redo it for me?"

She knew he was merely playing up the injury, but she indulged him, undoing his tie and retying it neatly. Then she asked, "Haven't you finished work for the day? How come you're here so early?"

His visit was so soon after returning to the office from the coffee shop, that Cecilia worried he might neglect his company's affairs because of her. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

She rarely visited the Martinez family and had little contact with the rest of them, but she was aware of how Harry from the third branch was eyeing Owen's CEO spot.

If Owen neglected his company because of her, and Harry were to snatch the top spot, her former mother-in-law would only despise her more, labeling her as the family's bad luck charm.

"How could I not come?"

Owen shot a glare at Avery, who was nursing his drink, seemingly oblivious to Owen's arrival.

"When I’m not around, this bull comes charging after you, Cecilia."

Suddenly, Owen grabbed her hands, his eyes earnest. "Cecilia, let's get remarried, okay? Only then can I have some peace of mind."

Cecilia looked at Avery, then turned back with resignation to Owen, who was jealous over nothing. "You know what he's like, and yet you're acting jealous. Isn't that a bit silly? If you're so fond of being sour, I'll pop over to the supermarket across the street and buy you ten bottles of vinegar to let you have your fill."

"Avery's just down in the dumps. I was convincing him to take it easy on the booze. There's nothing going on between us."

Owen was pleasantly surprised to hear Cecilia explaining her interaction with Avery.

"When he's feeling low, you're there to comfort him. What about me? And you're calling him by his first name, so warmly. You've never called me anything but ‘Mr. Malicious’ or ‘Shameless Owen.’ The nicest I’ve been called is ‘Mr. Martinez.’"

He was dying to hear Cecilia call his name sweetly; it would melt him to the core.

Seeing Avery continue to drown his sorrows, Cecilia sighed and pulled Owen back to the checkout counter, urging him to take a seat while she stood beside him, speaking softly.

"Harry. Mr. Cooper has been hurt in love. You know about his situation. Now that the Frost’s enterprise has stabilized, Cedric's family is pressuring him to get married. All of Mr. Cooper's sacrifices seem to have been in vain."

Owen laughed quietly. "I once had a thing for a woman, Ruby. My grandfather didn’t like her and didn’t want me with her. Instead, he nearly strong-armed me into courting someone else, you. Not to mention Cedric’s situation—he’s attracted to a man. How many parents can readily accept that their son is interested in a guy?

"Cecilia, I… I've moved on from Ruby; don’t get me wrong. I'm just saying not every couple gets a fairy tale ending, let alone a same-sex one. I’m not prejudiced; I’m just stating the facts."

"The Frost family's reaction isn't surprising. That bull is too in love with Cedric. Cedric might feel the same, but he's got too many responsibilities on his shoulders. He cannot just think about love only. Being in his position means making many sacrifices."

Cecilia fell silent.

She wanted to help Avery and felt he was getting a raw deal, but she knew Owen's words held truth.

One can never tell how many couples in normal relationships are forced to go their separate ways, let alone those in same-sex relationships.

Owen could tell she sympathized with Avery and asked, "Do you want to help the bull?"

"He's already heartbroken. Stop calling him ‘bull’. He's not a stud; he's a model."

"Can you help him? Go talk to your grandfather and tell him, if the Frost family's really that heartless, we shouldn't support them."

"I don't need to talk to my grandfather. I can handle this myself." Owen said.

He didn't want to be heartbroken, either. What if Avery, nursing a broken heart, ran to the Serendipity Café every day to drink and allowed Cecilia comfort him every day? What if that led Avery to fall for Cecilia?

So, the best way to solve this problem was to allow Cedric and Avery to truly be together. That way, Avery wouldn’t become his rival in love.

"Then, Owen, darling, please help Mr. Cooper out. Their love might not be conventional, but if they're sincere, they should have the right to love. We shouldn't judge their relations."

Owen tapped his fingers on the counter, showing a hint of contrivance. "Cecilia, that’s not sweet enough for me to help Avery. Call me 'hubby', and I'm on it. Come on, call me ‘hubby’."

He paused, then said, “If you can’t bring yourself to say it, you can temporarily call me by my given name, Owen. I need it called in a soft, sweet voice, to better melt my heart.”

Cecilia raised her hand, half-tempted to slap him.

Halfway through her summoning gesture, Cecilia held back and withdrew her hand, "We're not even remarried yet, and you expect me to call you 'hubby'? Calling you by your name would be simpler, but with a soft, heart-melting voice? Do I look like the type to make puppy-dog eyes?

"Forget it. Help if you want, or don't—it's your neck on the line, not mine."

Did he think she couldn't see through his motives?

Owen was only offering to help Avery for his own sake.

"If Avery needs company every day, I'll be there to chat, to console him, to drink with him, even to take a walk if he needs some fresh air. I'm not above a little sacrifice for a friend."

"Cecilia, if you anger me to death, you'll be a widow," Owen said, gritting his teeth.

"Wrong. If you die, I'm free to remarry. Remember, I'm not your wife. I'm under no obligation to play the grieving widow for you."

"Aren’t you always eyeing my assets? Without being my wife, how else would you legally inherit everything that’s mine?"

Cecilia was left speechless.