Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 474

Darlene chuckled, openly typing a message—not to her sister, but to her right-hand man.

The reply came swiftly.

Keith had pulled the plug on his deal with Cipher Detectives and reclaimed his deposit.

Darlene: Keith's there already? Lucy hasn't even picked him up from the airport.

Keith: I always fly private. Who needs a pick-up?

Darlene: ...She’s been had by Lucy!

With Keith having canceled his order and taken back his deposit, he would continue to keep tabs on her if she didn't provide an address for him to deliver the money.

After giving it some thought, Darlene decided she'd meet Keith where it all began—the very place she had saved him from an assassination attempt.

What starts in one place, ends there, she thought.

But it had to wait until nightfall to confront Keith.

Keith always stayed at Ascend Estate when he was in Pinehurst. Was she really going to sneak into Ascend Estate tonight?

The Andersons were different from the Blues. Sure, the Blues had a decent security team and a high-tech system, but their ranks were riddled with disunity, making them vulnerable.

The Andersons, on the other hand, were tight-knit, with a state-of-the-art security system. Each Anderson man was skilled, well, except for the youngest—he was the black sheep in terms of brawn.

Breaking into Ascend Estate was going to be a mountain of pressure.

"Ring, ring, ring..."

Lucinda's phone chirped to life.

"It's my brother," she said to Darlene. "He must've arrived."

Darlene gave a knowing smile, signaling for her to take the call, while silently praying Keith wouldn't stay at Ascend Estate—it would make her mission that much easier.

She couldn't eavesdrop on Keith’s call, so she kept an eye on Lucinda's expressions, listening to her end of the conversation.

"He's heading to Wye County now? Alright, he's going to see Mom. She'll be thrilled."

Darlene's eyes sparkled with opportunity.

Keith had chosen to visit the Moore family first. The Moores lived in the countryside, a place not as tightly guarded as the Anderson stronghold. Perfect for her nocturnal visit.

The only downside was the distance. This back-and-forth travel meant another sleepless night.

She'd have to turn down Lucy’s invitation in the afternoon, catch up on some sleep, and then set out for her night-time escapade—oh, not as a burglar, of course, but to collect her dues.

After hanging up, Lucinda casually mentioned, "Darlene, my brother's here, but he's gone to see our mom. Looks like he'll stay there tonight and come back to town tomorrow."

Darlene replied softly, "Mrs. Bright deserves a visit from Keith first. It's only natural."

Lucinda hummed in agreement.

Her brother was giving Darlene a chance for a secretive rendezvous.

She wondered when he'd finally see through Darlene's facade.

…

After dinner and a brief rest, Owen was prodded by Cecilia to take a shower.

She brought him his fresh clothes, hanging them on the door handle, knocked, and reminded him, "Your clothes are on the handle. Don't forget to grab them; you can't shower without changing afterward."

He always made her fetch his clothes.

Owen acknowledged her.

He wasn't up to mischief this time.

Cecilia sat back on the couch, waiting for him to emerge.

Half an hour later, Owen appeared, bare-chested, with only trousers on, his beard neatly shaved. The hot shower and clean shave had done wonders for his appearance.

"Cecilia."

He approached her.

As Cecilia saw him shirtless, she blinked, stood up, and took the shirt from his hands, ready to help him dress while teasing, "I'm plenty satisfied with your physique, no need to show off."

"Put on your shirt quickly. The air-con's fairly low in here, don't catch a cold."

As she was buttoning his shirt, Owen caught her hands, his gaze intense, his voice deep and intoxicating, "Cecilia, I want to kiss you."

Cecilia: "..."

How could that be?

He clearly could before…

But the stark reality of the moment forced him to face the truth—he was indeed incapable!

Owen slumped against the door, his broad shoulders heaving as he slid to the floor. With hands cupping his face, the weight of his world came crashing down. He was the very picture of masculinity, but he felt like he had been reduced to a eunuch.

It's over, it's all over!

His life was ruined!

Despite the firmness of his muscles and the vigor that pulsed through his veins, Owen couldn't grapple with the grim reality. How could he, in the prime of his health, feel so impotent?

Could it be the exhaustion from his recent business trip?

Should he see a doctor?

But the thought of exposing his most intimate issue to anyone else was terrifying. The gossip, the stares, the smirks—it would be the end of his social life.

What to do?

Owen's mind raced with panic.

Should he seek medical advice, or perhaps confide in someone who had gone through the same ordeal?

Who could he trust to keep his secret?

Mentally, he sifted through his circle of friends, and surprisingly, it was Stefan, of all people, who seemed the right confidant.

Although Walter was his trusted right-hand man, he was a bachelor through and through, clueless about these matters.

But Stefan—his arch-nemesis—knew. Stefan, the seasoned veteran of bedroom woes, would surely keep his mouth shut.

Sure, Stefan might kick a man when he's down, but even he had his limits. When it came to a man's pride, Stefan could be relied upon. At worst, Owen would become the butt of Stefan's jokes for a while.

But what did it matter? He had been the subject of Stefan's ridicule countless times before.

Resolved, Owen decided to seek out Stefan and get to the bottom of this. Was he truly... broken?

If he was as good as a eunuch, he couldn't, in good conscience, drag Cecilia down with him. No matter how deeply he loved her, he couldn't marry her, subjecting her to a life of loneliness and unfulfilled desires.