Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 370

Lucinda carried herself with confidence and grace, allowing Jason to appraise her without hesitation.

Jason silently nodded in admiration. Despite her upbringing in a modest household, Lucinda was naturally refined. She was flawless in every aspect and was undeniably a perfect match for Mr. Coleman.

She was a woman of great fortune.

Despite experiencing a tragedy at the tender age of six months, she managed to turn her misfortune into good fortune. Before she returned to her biological parents, she, as a girl from a humble family, had already stolen Mr. Coleman’s heart. It was said that Mr. Coleman patiently awaited her growth, eagerly anticipating the day when he could marry her. He waited an astonishing eleven years.

Jason also held deep admiration for the Anderson family. People from the Anderson family had welcomed Lucinda as their family member, even when she was still a girl from a modest background. This degree of freedom given to their descendants in selecting a partner was not something commonly found in every affluent family, let alone prominent ones.

Even in ordinary families, if one side had slightly better conditions while the other was less fortunate, the parents of the wealthier side would often disapprove of the marriage.

No wonder the Anderson family has been able to stand strong and continue to prosper in Pinehurst, with their descendants growing in number and each one of them exceptionally talented. They all couldn’t help but envy Patrick.

“I have heard about Mrs. Coleman’s reputation for a long time. And tonight, meeting you in person, it’s clear that the reputation is well-deserved.”

Having finished examining Lucinda, Jason extended his right hand for a handshake.

Lucinda shook his hand politely, then greeted the other members of the Barlow family.

“Mr. and Mrs. Coleman, please come in.”

Jason invited the couple inside.

The one from The Barlow family, who was the next in line to be the lady of the house, accompanied Lucinda. Though this was their first meeting, given Lucinda’s status, she quickly warmed up to her, warmly took Lucinda’s arm, and began walking inside, chatting along the way.

“Hey, big brother!”

Upon seeing Ike, Lucinda stopped to greet him with a smile.

Ike came over, first respectfully greeting Jason, and then the others before finally returning his sister's smile.

With that, Ike was also invited to join them inside. Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.

The executives and their partners who had arrived earlier, upon seeing the Coleman couple, either approached them to greet them or raised their glasses in their honor.

Regardless of their familiarity with the other guests, Stefan and Lucinda responded with polite nods and smiles.

The Barlow family had organized this banquet as a business gathering. Everyone attended the banquet with purpose, whether it was networking, discussing business, or making connections with influential executives.

Stefan, as the youngest CEO in the city and the head of the largest conglomerate, was the center of attention. There were always many people surrounding him, eager to engage in conversation.

Lucinda was there to learn, so she stuck by Stefan's side.

Upon entering, Ike separated from the young couple.

He grabbed two glasses of red wine and slipped out of the grand main house. His status was the lowest among the guests that night, but given his sister and brother-in-law’s presence, no one dared to disrespect him. However, wherever he went, he remained inconspicuous.

Ike waited outside for Belinda to arrive.

Although the Bishop Group was not as powerful as before, it was still significant larger than Ike's company. Belinda, naturally, was busier than him. In the past two days, Ike hadn't seen her at all.

The heart yearned for the beloved when they were not in sight.

Ike suddenly thought about his brother-in-law, who had waited silently for eleven years, defeating numerous rivals in love. Such patience and deep affection were indeed not something everyone could possess.

Stefan was deeply moved, felt that his brother-in-law had finally understood him.

“Ike.”

As Ike was staring at the entrance, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. He turned his head to see Lucinda also holding a glass of red wine.

He chuckled, “Why did you come out? Even if you're not in the hall with Stefan, you can still learn a lot. You can't go wrong studying the social aspects of these events.”

Lucinda smiled, “I’ve spent quite some time with him already. Just wanted to get some fresh air.”

She wasn't enjoying such occasions, but she had to endure for the sake of helping her dear brother at Skywatch. Besides, she was now the daughter-in-law of the Anderson family. And as the future matriarch of the Anderson family, she couldn’t avoid these occasions.

Knowing his sister’s aversion to such events, Ike gently whispered, “You'll get used to it slowly.”

Lucinda nodded and then playfully teased her brother, “Why are you staring at the entrance? Are you waiting for someone, Ike?”

“No, I’m just looking around.”

Ike didn’t admit that he was waiting for Belinda.

The party had already begun, but Belinda hadn't arrived yet.

Ike didn’t know if something had happened to her.

Ike was a bit worried, thinking that if Belinda didn’t show up soon, he would call her to check in.

Belinda was known for her strong punctuality, so anyone making her late was likely her beloved younger sister.

Ike was deeply infatuated with Belinda. She seemed to have some affection for him as well, but he had never met Belinda's younger sister, Darlene Bishop. Belinda shielded her very well.

Lucinda swirled the wine in her glass, watching the liquid draw beautiful arcs. She laughed, “Brother, you’re waiting for my future sister-in-law, aren’t you? You mentioned her once, and I figured out who she was.”

Ike replied, “Lucy, keep your voice down, please. Don’t let anyone overhear. There is nothing between us yet, so let's not tarnish her reputation.”

He whispered softly, "Besides, she might not even be interested in someone like me."

There was indeed a significant gap between him and Belinda in reality.

In order to keep up with Belinda's pace, Ike was putting in a tremendous effort, engaging in business deals everywhere to strengthen his company as quickly as possible. This way, he would be able to stand on equal footing with Belinda.

Lucinda, however, did not approve of her big brother's self-deprecating remarks. She said, "My big brother is incredibly outstanding, the best big brother in the world. How could my future sister-in-law not see that? Whoever marries my brother will surely be happy."

Ike, brimming with affection, gently tapped his sister on the forehead and laughed, "In your eyes, I'm the best big brother in the world, but in her eyes, I might not be the best man in the world."

"No matter what, bro, have some confidence and keep going!"

"Sure, I won't give up. I'm almost thirty now, and it's rare for me to feel this way. Of course, I'll try my best. By the way, did Mom and Dad, or Grandma and Grandpa say when they'll be coming back home?"

By 'home', he was referring to the Moore family’s home.

Lucinda, of course, hoped that her family could stay in the city a bit longer. But it seemed that they were planning to pack up and head home in the next couple of days.

She said, "Mom mentioned that they’ll be heading home in the next few days. They've been away for a long time. and it's time to check on things at home. We can't always rely on our uncles and

aunts to take care of anything. We have so many crops to tend to, and a bunch of livestock at home."

When their parents came to the city for a visit, they usually asked their uncles and aunts to look after their farm during their absence.