Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 48

"Mom."

Ethan walked up to Mrs. Blue and gently called out to her.

Mrs. Blue turned her head to look at him, hushed him, and whispered, "Honey, speak softly. Don't wake the baby. The baby just fell asleep."

"Mom, I'm your son, Ethan."

Ethan said helplessly, "Don't mistake me for dad."

He did look a lot like his father.

"You're joking again. Our Ethan is still so young. Don't make noise. I need to put our daughter to sleep."

Mrs. Blue glared at Ethan in front of her, then went back to cuddling the doll in her arms.

Ethan looked at his mother, who remembered him but couldn't recognize him, and felt a deep sorrow in his heart.

He silently swore to himself that he would find his sister, whether she was alive or dead.

He believed his sister was still alive.

Because he and his sister were twins, if she wasn't around, he would be able to sense it.

He didn't feel any sharp pain, which meant his sister must still be alive. He just didn't know where she was.

After dinner, Stefan took Lucinda around to familiarize her with the environment.

They casually strolled and chatted.

Time flew by without them realizing it.

As night fell, Lucinda had to face the reality of sharing a bed with him again.

"I told you I wouldn’t touch you tonight."

Stefan handed Lucinda a set of clean clothes, pinched her face playfully, and said, "Lucy, don't treat me like a hungry wolf."

Even though he was indeed a hungry wolf.

But he didn't want her to be afraid of him.

Lucinda was mumbling something to herself, but Stefan didn't hear her clearly.

"I've prepared the bath for you. You go bathe first. I'll be busy in the study for a while. You go to bed early after your bath; you don't have to wait for me."

Hearing that he was going to the study, Lucinda felt a weight lifted off her chest. She took the clothes he handed her and went straight into the bathroom.

Stefan watched as the bathroom door closed before leaving the room and entering the study next door.

He didn't read or deal with work.

He was drawing.

He remembered the things Lucinda told him.

He still remembered what those men in black looked like.

He didn't know how long it had been when he heard Lucinda's praise: "Stefan, you're really good at drawing. These people look so real."

Stefan looked up to see her in the pajamas he had prepared for her. His eyes softened, and he couldn't help but put down his brush, pull her closer, and sit her on his lap.

Lucinda tensed up.

She was not used to his actions.

She didn't dare to struggle. She was sitting in a sensitive area, afraid that her struggle might arouse his desire.

"Lucy, relax; I'm not going to eat you."

Stefan chuckled, leaned into her cheek, and blew a few breaths of warm air, noticing her shivering reaction.

Such a sensitive girl.

"Do these clothes fit well?"

"They fit perfectly. But this is my first time coming home with you. How come you have clothes that fit me?"

Stefan was taken aback by her question.

"Or did you prepare these clothes for someone else? Or were they left here by someone else? Could they be Ruby's?"

Lucinda asked these questions with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

She didn't even realize it herself.

"Lucy, this villa was bought later; Ruby has never been here; how could her clothes be here? These clothes are bought by my mom when we go shopping; she just forgot to take them back and left them here."

"How come your mom's clothes fit me?"

"My mom is about as tall as you, and she keeps her figure pretty well. Isn't that a perfect fit?"

Lucinda was half-convinced.

But she didn't want to argue with him over clothes. She tried to ignore the heat underneath her and asked him, "Why are you drawing these people? Aren't they the ones who came into my shop this evening?"

She even sensed murderous intent from one of them.

She remembered that Stefan had simply passed by these men, and with just one glance, he remembered what they looked like and could even draw them.

"I drew their faces to have someone check their background."

There was no photo, and the surveillance footage was not available, so he drew them.

"I'm worried they were after me, Lucy."

Stefan turned her body to face him.

This position was very intimate and made people's imaginations run wild.

"You, you go on."

Lucinda was watched by him like this, and her nerves, which had just relaxed a bit, tensed up again.

She had been dating George Mitchell for many years, and they had never been this intimate.

Meanwhile, she had just registered her marriage with Stefan for a few days, and it felt like they were an old married couple.

It was his domineering nature.

He dragged her into a real married life.

In her heart, he had always been like an older brother. But in just a few days, they had become a genuine couple.

Lucinda was not used to Stefan's intimacy.

"Are you afraid of facing the uncertain dangers that may come with being married to me?"

"I am; I'm scared to death!"

Lucinda answered quickly.

"Stefan, I'm scared. Can you go with me to city hall to take care of something?"

Stefan: "Shouldn't you be like the female lead in your novel, sticking with the other person through thick and thin?"

Lucinda giggled: "Novels are fiction; of course they're different from real life. By the way, Stefan, have you read my novels?"

"Of course I read the novels you wrote; I even recommended them to my friends. I always tell people my wife is a great writer!"

Stefan looked proudly satisfied, which made Lucinda laugh out loud, dispelling the awkward atmosphere.

"Lucy, please don't mention divorce again. Give me a chance to love you properly, and give yourself a chance. Trust me, I will be a good husband."

Lucinda looked at him for a moment, then leaned into his chest and said, "Stefan, we've known each other for eleven years, but I've always seen you as an older brother and never had any improper thoughts. It's hard for me to adjust to such a big change."

"Okay, but since I'm already married to you, that's a fact, and I should respect you. I will try to adapt to the change in our relationship, and I will try to love you."

He's such a catch, it's easy for her to fall for him.

Stefan lowered his head, gently pecked her lips, and said, "Lucy, thank you for giving me a chance."

"Didn't you say you brought me back here to show me something?"

Stefan chuckled, holding her tight with one arm while the other reached for a drawer. He pulled out a few photo albums he had been treasuring and handed them to Lucinda, saying, "Take these albums back to your room and have a look. I'll continue working on those portraits. Once they're done, I'll have Edgar dig up some dirt on them."

"Lucy, as long as I'm here, I've got your back. I won't let anyone lay a finger on you."

Whoever dared to use Lucinda to get back at him, he'll make them regret it!

Lucinda was so engrossed in the photo albums that she seemed to miss Stefan's bold and affectionate statement.