Faux Vows, True Desires

When a tie appeared in front of her, Lucinda immediately got the point. She reached out to take the tie, started to tie it for him, and said, "Good thing my brother sometimes asks me to tie his tie, otherwise I wouldn't know how."

Hearing this, Stefan's eyes weighed down, and his face turned serious. He made a request to Lucinda, "Lucy, from now on, you can only tie ties for me."

Lucinda replied, "That's my brother, why are you so jealous of him?"

Stefan answered, "Even if it's your brother, I will be jealous. If we have a child in the future and you treat the child better than me, I will be jealous, too. I want you to always put me first in your heart." Lucinda asked, "Can I be honest with you?"

Stefan welcomed her to speak the truth.

Lucinda said, "Right now, my family comes first in my heart. I have parents, grandparents, and a brother, a total of five people. You are the seventh in my heart."

Stefan's face turned very pale. He asked, "Why am I the seventh? Even if I am behind your family, I should be the sixth. Who is the sixth?"

Lucinda replied, "Cecilia, she's my best friend and my business partner."

Stefan didn't say anything. What comforted him was that at least this person was a woman.

He called out, "Lucy."

He reached out his hand and held Lucinda's hand, which was tying his tie. Her fingers were long and soft; he didn't want to let go once he held them. He lifted her hand to his mouth. His eyes were staring at her passionately, his lips gently kissing the back of her hand.

Lucinda's body shivered. This man really knew how to make her heart flutter.

She whispered, "Stefan..."

He said, "Call me hubby, we are husband and wife, legally married. I like hearing you call me hubby. Lucy, call me hubby, let me hear it."

Lucinda yanked her hand hard, no longer letting him kiss the back of her hand. She wiped the back of her hand on his clothes, and said with a disgusted face, "You've made the back of my hand all wet with your saliva."

Stefan laughed; he liked seeing her shy but pretending to be nonchalant. So cute.

Lucinda asked him, "What were you going to say?"

Stefan said, "I wanted to ask if you could switch me and Cecilia's places? We've known each other longer, right?"

Lucinda replied, "What's the use of knowing you for eleven years? I don't even know who you are."

Stefan fell silent. He knew that he was wrong to always hide his real identity from her. He was just afraid that once his identity was revealed, she would stay away from him.

People from the Moore family were honest. They didn't like to cling to the powerful and rich; they like to climb up the social ladder through their own efforts.

Lucinda asked, "What time do you start work in the morning?"

"I usually get to the company before 8:10 in the morning, if something comes up, I can be a little late, or even not go to the company at all. Ascend Global has been established for several decades, the management team is very mature, all senior employees of the company, even if I don't personally manage it, Ascend Global can still operate normally."

Ascend Global was involved in many industries, and all the managers in each industry were his friends. Some of them were his confidants. With them around, he could relax occasionally.

However, if he didn't manage it himself, his friends would start to complain and come to him one by one to vent.

"It's already past seven o'clock, if you don't leave now, you're going to be late for work."

Although the company was not far from his place, during rush hour, it was easy to get stuck in traffic, so it was necessary to leave home earlier.

Stefan, "...I thought you were concerned about whether I'm busy or tired, turns out you were just afraid I'd be late."

"You are the boss of one of these big companies. Time is precious, and doesn't every minute count? Cherish your money-making time."

Lucinda pulled him out the door.

Stefan let her drag him along. His work today was very loaded, he needed to hold several important meetings, and also meet with two important clients to discuss cooperation matters. Originally, he planned to go abroad in the next few days, but because he couldn't bear to leave Lucinda, he had to delegate those tasks to Charles. Charles was the eldest son of his uncle, only two months younger than Stefan; they were born in the same year.

That year, the old lady had two grandsons added to the family within a year, and she was overjoyed.

"Lucy, let me take you back to your place first."

Stefan held Lucinda's backhand, and they went downstairs hand in hand.

"No need, I'll take a cab back myself. My shop doesn't need to open so early."

"I'll arrange for a car to take you."

Lucinda thought about it and agreed. She didn't want to refuse his kindness. If he was taking her home, she would make him late for work. "Stefan."

When Emma saw the two of them coming downstairs, she came up to meet them, glanced at Lucinda, and hesitated whether to speak or not. Stefan said solemnly, "Emma, Lucy and I are husband and wife, so you don't have to avoid Lucy when you talk to me."

"Stefan, Adrienne is still standing at the door."

Stefan said indifferently, "Then let her stand there, if she likes standing at the door so much, let her stand until the end of the world."

It was hot, and when the sun was at its strongest, he didn't believe Adrienne could still stand.

Lucinda turned her head to look at the man next to her. With a brief assessment, she understood. His gentleness was only for her. He was very cold to others. Even to Ruby, the girl he once liked, he was uncaring toward her.

Stefan repeatedly emphasized that he had never liked Ruby, but Lucinda still habitually considered them as a childhood couple.

They had known each other since childhood and had grown up together until Stefan was nineteen and Ruby went abroad. Saying they were childhood sweethearts who grew up together really wasn't an exaggeration. What Lucinda was curious about was what Ruby did to make Stefan so repulsed by her, so resolute in denying the youthful emotions.

"Lucy, let's go." Stefan hustled Lucinda along, at the same time, he instructed Emma, "Emma, get another car ready. Lucy and I are heading out, but we're gonna need another ride for her." Adrienne was now posted up at the entrance of Stefan's swanky mansion. Stefan wasn't comfortable letting Lucinda go alone, fearing she might cave in and get blocked by Adrienne.

Although Adrienne wanted to stop his car, she didn't dare. Adrienne once tried to stop his car, but Stefan, ruthless as he was, didn't even hit the brakes and drove straight past, scaring the daylights out of her, who was left with no choice but to duck out of the way. If Stefan had hit her, Adrienne would've been lucky to be alive, if not seriously injured.

From then on, Adrienne never dared to stop Stefan's car again.

"Stefan, I'll go organize one right away."

Emma immediately called another driver, telling him to be on standby.