Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 392

"What are you standing around for? Come and say hello to Darlene."

Lucinda was troubled by the aloofness her brother exhibited towards Darlene.

Darlene was a beautiful woman, and if Keith showed no interest in her, Lucinda was left wondering what kind of girl could possibly catch her brother's attention.

Upon their mother's prompting, Keith took a few steps forward. He gave Darlene a polite nod, his face remaining as cool and expressionless as ever. He did not bother to exchange pleasantries, but in his own way had greeted her.

He had only bothered to show this much courtesy for his sister's sake.

Otherwise, he would've kept a safe distance of at least ten feet.

Darlene had been watching this man from the corner of her eye. At first, she thought he was a bodyguard for Lucinda and her mother, but when she saw the actual bodyguards standing at a distance, she realized he was not one of them. Now, knowing that he was the heir of the Blue family, she gave him a closer look.

According to her research on the Blue family, Keith seemed to be a bit of a recluse, especially when it came to women outside his family. At twenty-four, he hadn't even had his first love, and in matters of the heart, he was as innocent as a blank slate.

He was handsome, if a bit frosty, and under normal circumstances, would've had a slew of girls chasing after him. But he remained untouched, probably due to his parents' failed marriage, which had likely left him wary of relationships.

This was Darlene's hypothesis and it gave her a pang of sympathy for him.

Seeing her stare, Keith assumed she was like every other woman who had laid eyes on him. He figured she was infatuated with him.

He frowned slightly, annoyed by her attention. He glared back at Darlene. But instead of adoration, he saw sympathy in her eyes.

Sympathy?

She pitied him?

Did he need her sympathy?

Was she using this tactic to capture his attention?

Keith doubted Darlene for a moment, but he quickly dismissed his suspicions.

He trusted his sister’s judgment.

His sister would not befriend a woman like that.

Like Cecilia, who saw him as nothing more than a good-looking guy. There was no adoration in her eyes, just a calm acceptance. She probably saw him more as a brother than anything else.

Of course, Cecilia might not have noticed his charm because she had eyes only for Owen.

It seemed that he wasn’t as great as he thought.

Keith was well aware of his reputation among women in Skywatch, and it wasn't a favorable one.

"Keith, this is Darlene, my new friend. You don’t have to put on such a cold face, you're scaring her," Lucinda interrupted their silent stare-off, hoping to prevent a full-blown confrontation.

Keith broke his gaze from Darlene and turned to his sister. His frosty demeanor melted away, replaced by a gentle smile that made Darlene blink in surprise.

"Alright, alright. I won’t keep a straight face. Is this better?" Keith's tone was indulgent.

Darlene marveled at how affectionate he was towards his sister, much like how her own sister doted on her.

Lucinda looped her arm through Darlene’s, reassuring her, "Darlene, this is my elder brother, Keith. He always has this stern look on his face like someone owes him a fortune, but you don't have to be afraid of him. We owe him nothing, so even if he looks as cold as marble, don't be intimidated."

Darlene laughed, "I’m not afraid of him."

Janice was relieved to hear Darlene's response. If she had been scared, there would be no chance of a future for the two.

Keith would never be attracted to a woman who was frightened of him.

After the introductions, Lucinda, Darlene, and Janice went shopping.

To the outside world, Darlene seldom went out.

But in reality, she knew every nook and cranny of Pinehurst, as her job as a detective often required her to explore the city.

Before meeting Lucinda, she had just completed a case for Owen.

Owen wanted to investigate Avery.

His own network had failed to dig up any information about Avery.

Seeing Avery becoming more and more arrogant and wanting to know his enemy better, Owen had no choice but to seek help from the best private detective agency in Pinehurst, paying a high price for their services.

If even the best agency couldn't find anything about Avery, Owen was ready to shut it down!

What kind of detective agency couldn't even investigate a person!

Darlene, who had a deep cover, wasn't going to reveal her true identity in front of Lucinda.

She played along, acting as if everything was new and exciting. As Lucinda shopped, Darlene started to enjoy it too, and joined her in the shopping spree.

Darlene bought things for her sisters, while Lucinda and her mother bought a lot more.

Keith and his bodyguards were soon laden with shopping bags.

Keith had never done this before, and his face was as dark as thunder when his mother and sister weren't looking.

Every now and then, Darlene would sneak a glance at him. She couldn't help but laugh at his sullen expression.

Keith, being who he was, noticed it immediately.

He glared at her in return.

But Darlene wasn't scared. She flashed him a playful smile that was so beautiful, it was breathtaking.

Keith was almost captivated by her sweet smile.

This woman was enchanting!

Her smile was too beautiful, too enchanting!

Keith grumbled inwardly.

After spending most of the day shopping, Lucinda and her mother suggested that they all have lunch together before heading home.

Darlene found herself feeling a bit peckish, too.

Without hesitation, she agreed.

After that, they all headed to Ascend Hotel.

After their meal, they took a short break, and then the three women continued their shopping spree.

Keith, along with his bodyguards, were absolutely drained.

They had probably underestimated how much women can shop!

Keith decided that he would never accompany women on a shopping trip again. It was far too exhausting!

The only consolation for him was that these women were very decisive. They didn't haggle over items.

As the evening drew near, the three women finally felt satisfied.

The car Keith was driving, along with two other vehicles filled with bodyguards, were filled to the brim with the women's shopping bags.

"Bro, why don't you drop off Darlene?" Lucinda suggested.

Darlene had also bought a lot of things and her own car was already filled to the brim.

As Keith opened the car door for his mother, he responded, "I'll have someone deliver Ms. Darlene's things."

It was clear that he wasn't going to drive Darlene home himself.