Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 440

Cecilia glared at Owen for a moment before reluctantly accepting the cup of coffee he offered. With a hint of sarcasm, she remarked, "No wonder you're the head honcho of the Ikella Group. Always playing chess with people's lives."

Owen took the jab as a compliment and chuckled, "Thanks for the praise, Cecilia. As long as you don't call me a fool, I'm good."

Cecilia just rolled her eyes in response.

Right then, her phone rang.

"Where's my phone?"

"Right here."

Owen turned to get her phone and handed it to her, sneaking a glance at the caller ID—it was her future mother-in-law.

The moment Cecilia saw that it was her mom calling, her headache seemed to intensify.

She steeled herself to answer the call.

"Mom."

"Cecilia, do you even care about your shop anymore? What time is it? You haven't been in all morning, and it’s snowed under with customers."

Becca didn't outright ask what Cecilia was up to.

But her scolding tone made it crystal clear she was furious.

"Mom, I—I'm on my way. Is it really that busy this close to noon?"

"What, you've got a problem with being too successful?"

"No, Mom, not at all. I'm coming right now."

Becca huffed, "You'd better."

Cecilia knew her mother had a whole storm waiting for her, just itching to let loose. She didn't dare hang up first.

Fortunately, Becca ended the call quickly.

"My mom's rushing me to get back to the shop. She's probably pacing the floor there right now. I slept so long that I forgot I had a business to run."

Cecilia hastily gulped down the coffee and thrust the cup back into Owen's hands before turning to leave.

"I've already sent some help over. They'll manage no matter how busy it gets."

Owen set the cup down and followed her, saying, "Don't rush. I'll drive you."

He was playing his cards right; with his future mother-in-law angry, it was his duty to escort Cecilia and face the music with her.

Cecilia didn't reply.

Her headache was still fierce, and if it weren't for her mother's call, she might have preferred to keep sleeping.

Owen had indeed sent some bodyguards to assist, and while the shop was packed, they were handling it.

They hurried out of the hotel.

Only Jay, one of the bodyguards, waited outside for Owen.

"Mr. Martinez, Mrs. Martinez, good day."

Jay greeted them.

Cecilia ignored the formality in Jay's address. It wasn't worth the effort to correct him anymore.

"Drive Mrs. Martinez back to the coffee shop." Owen instructed. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

He and Cecilia got into the car, with Jay at the wheel.

As they set off, Owen made a series of calls to Walter and a couple of secretaries, delegating various tasks.

Walter reported, "Mr. Martinez, Ms. Porter came looking for you again today, and she seemed pretty angry."

Owen frowned and asked, "Didn't she leave Pinehurst?"

Madeleine wasn't the type to linger in Pinehurst. After visiting the company yesterday, she'd promptly flown back to Skywatch on her private jet.

"She flew in again this morning?” To persuade him to be her pawn, she was quite diligent, flying over in a private jet to meet him every day. As for Madeleine's apparent anger, Owen didn't bother to speculate on her mood.

"She's tough to shake off, insisted on seeing you. The secretaries couldn't handle her, and I had to step in. She left a threat before she went, saying you played her and that you'll regret it."

Hearing Walter's account, Owen snorted, "Throwing threats on my turf? Ms. Porter really is brazen, thinking this is Skywatch?"

Madeleine had been spoiled by her parents and grew up arrogant. She had clung onto Nathan, and with the status of Nathan's girlfriend, she felt even more entitled in Skywatch, acting like she owned the place.

People who are used to being arrogant can't easily change their stripes.

"Walter, keep tabs on her. I want updates on her movements the moment she sets foot in Pinehurst."

Concerned Madeleine might target Cecilia, Owen felt the need to be cautious. He was well- protected with his entourage of bodyguards, but Cecilia could be vulnerable.

"Got it," Walter replied.

After ending the call, Owen turned his attention to the woman beside him.

Cecilia had leaned back and closed her eyes the moment she got into the car, hoping to ease her headache.

She caught snippets of Owen's conversation and guessed he was dealing with trouble, but her pounding head prevented her from asking about it.

"Cecilia."

"Shoot."

"What do you say to having a couple of bodyguards for personal protection?"

She opened her eyes to meet his dark gaze.

"Did the Barlow family put a hit on you? Will that put me in the crossfire?"

Owen quickly assured her, "No, it's about Ms. Porter. She's furious, probably realizing I have no intention of teaming up with her against Stefan. She left a threat, promising I'll regret it. I'm not worried about myself, but I fear she might take it out on you."

"I know how to defend myself," Cecilia said matter-of-factly.

"I know you do, and no offense, but your self-defense moves will fend off the average creep. Against someone as vicious as Madeleine, you'd be in over your head. She doesn't even need to get her hands dirty; just one of the Porter family's goons would be more than you can handle."

"Even my bodyguards would be too much for you. I'll have Jay and Rex stay close. It's the only way I'll be at ease. I have to meet with Stefan, and as much as I don't want to join forces with him, Madeleine's anger is directed at me because of him and his wife, Lucinda. I can't be squaring off with her while Stefan watches from the side. I need to draw him into this—after all, this whole mess started with Lucinda."

Owen would never admit he was outmatched by the Porters.

The Porters, with their roots deep in Skywatch, couldn't threaten him directly. But they had come up from the gritty underworld, and even after two or three decades of purportedly going legit, that ruthless streak remained. Plus, the Porters still had their tentacles in the shadows, and that's what Owen feared—their penchant for striking from the dark.

Cecilia didn't have the formidable backing of a powerful family like Lucinda did. Lucinda's familial ties meant Madeleine wouldn't dare confront her openly or make a move against her in Pinehurst.

But Cecilia? Madeleine would definitely take her chances there.

Cecilia just listened, a silent frown on her face.

"Cecilia, don't worry. Jay and Rex are with you purely for protection, not surveillance. Once your bestie nails the Porters, gathering enough evidence to take them down for good, I'll pull Jay and Rex off detail."

What he didn't add was that once Cecilia became his wife, he'd double down on her security detail.

But he kept that to himself, not wanting to alienate her.

"Owen, Lucy's heading back to Skywatch in a few days. Isn't that risky?" Cecilia was more concerned for her friend's safety than her own.

"What else do you know? Can you tell me, please?" Cecilia urged, even though Lucy always brushed off such inquiries with a laugh, claiming she was simply going home to inherit a multi- billion-dollar estate and become a wealthy heiress.