Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 413

"Every time I see her silhouette and those eyes, I swear they ring a bell. It's quite possible we've crossed paths at one of those galas we've attended. You know, the ones where the room is filled with society wives. Could be she's some matron in disguise."

"You can't be serious about setting your brother up with a matron, right? Let's wait until we uncover her true identity before we start playing matchmaker."

Lucinda tossed and turned all night but couldn't place the enigmatic woman. Hearing her husband's words, she deflated, "Forget it, it's my brother's business, not mine. It's a shame, though. I really liked Darlene for him. I thought she'd make the perfect sister-in-law, but that seems unlikely now."

Her brother's disinterest in Darlene, a delicate greenhouse flower, might stem from his upbringing.

Even if she suspected Darlene played coy to hide her true strength.

"If this mystery woman turns out to be a young lady and your brother learns who she really is, and there's a spark, that could be a blessing in disguise. She might be a better fit for him than Ms. Darlene."

Stefan always thought of Darlene as gentle and refined.

But Belinda Bishop left a much stronger impression.

One sister was as cold as ice, the other as tender as a dew-covered rose.

Considering the Blue family's dynamics, Lucinda couldn't help but agree.

"Let's not dwell on it. It's late; we should sleep. You've got work tomorrow."

Stefan planted a kiss on his wife's forehead.

"Honey, after Liam and Tiffany's wedding, I'm heading back to Skywatch."

She had hoped to learn the ropes at Ascend Global, but as a greenhorn in the corporate world, rapid growth seemed elusive.

Might as well return to her roots, learn as she goes, and handle adversaries on her turf.

Stefan considered her words, then agreed, "Alright, after the wedding, I'll go back with you to Skywatch. We can also check on the new branch we're setting up."

Skywatch was home to several influential families, not just the Blues and the Porters. The other families maintained a low profile, unlike the high-profile Blues or the brash Porters. For any outsider looking to carve out a slice of Skywatch's pie, it was a tough nut to crack.

Ascend Global's plan to establish a branch in Skywatch needed more than a few executives; Stefan had resolved to take the helm personally.

With his status as a Blue family son-in-law and Ascend Global's reputation, Skywatch's other great houses would think twice before crossing him.

"Thank you, darling."

Lucinda sat up, quickly straddled Stefan, and kissed him gratefully.

Stefan wrapped his arms around her, speaking tenderly, "We're partners, love. Your concerns are mine. No need for formalities."

They embraced, Lucinda grateful, "I'm so lucky to have you."

Stefan chuckled softly, "And I'm blessed to have you. You've filled my life with sunshine and color."

She was the wife he'd waited eleven years to marry, the one he'd cherish and protect with a lifetime of tenderness.

In the Bishop family's villa, the second-floor study was Belinda's sanctuary, where no one, except Darlene, could enter without permission.

Darlene took care of the study's upkeep, never leaving it to the staff.

In the still of the night, the study's light remained on, not with Belinda working, but with Darlene.

Sitting at the desk, she examined a portrait Keith had spent the afternoon perfecting.

She mused to herself, "The likeness is uncanny. I could've sworn it was a photograph."

The mysterious woman was none other than Darlene.

As a private detective, she excelled in surveillance and undercover work, frequently donning disguises and roaming the city on her motorcycle for both leisure and information gathering.

Meeting Keith had been pure chance.

Even if Keith hadn't been Lucinda's brother, she would've stepped in to help in that situation.

It was a simple act of assistance, but now Keith was determined to discover her identity, sketching her from memory.

Luckily, her silver mask had concealed her face, keeping Ms. Darlene's identity safe.

Darlene viewed the incident as a fleeting mishap, not giving it much thought.

If anything left a lasting impression, it was Keith's formidable skills. He could have been a standout in her line of work.

Keith had even offered a hefty sum for her agency to find her.

Anyone who knew about her silver-masked alter ego hadn't been born yet.

Not even her sister knew of her detective work, a secret she kept to protect Belinda from worry.

Darlene loved the thrill of her job, but to keep her sister at ease, she played the part of the fragile flower, shielded from the world and seldom seen.

The retainer from Keith was already in her agency's account.

Darlene contemplated whether to reveal her alter ego to Keith or to simply refund the money and decline the job.

In Skywatch, at the Porter family estate.

"Slam!"

A hand came down hard on the desk, the sound echoing through the room.

The force was fierce, and only after the act did Mr. Porter feel the sting in his palm.

His anger had driven him to slam the desk.

"Another failure! The men you sent are worthless. It was a rare chance to catch him alone, and six of you couldn't take him down! Not one!"

The missed opportunity to catch Keith vulnerable gnawed at Mr. Porter, making his chest ache with rage.

The voice on the other end of the line was clearly ticked off when he said, "Last time we sent guys with guns and look how that turned out. An accident happened, they were found with the firearms,

and the cops are still sniffing around the case. You said it yourself, carrying guns makes you a target for the law, and it's tough to shake them off. Plus, the charges are serious. That's why I didn't want them armed this time."

"The six guys we sent are no slouches in a scrap, and they were packing knives, but that kid, Keith, he must be living a charmed life! Every single time, he dodges the bullet, and I've already lost more than a dozen men because of him!" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Mr. Porter couldn't help but curse when he thought about Keith's unbelievable luck: "That kid must have a guardian angel or something, 'cause he sure as hell dodges every bullet and blade aimed his way."

Pinehurst was never supposed to be a place for dirty work, and he'd warned his daughter time and again not to stir up trouble there. It wasn't their turf - the Porter family had no sway in that neck of the woods.

But when Keith ended up alone, a lone wolf out in the wild, Mr. Porter couldn't resist the golden opportunity. In a rushed move, he reached out to his contacts, instructing them to set up a hit on Keith using local muscle.

The reply came that they'd sent six competent hitmen to corner and take out Keith.

He was sure that Keith would be a goner, or at the very least, maimed. Instead, the kid came out without a scratch, while their six hitmen ended up in the clutches of the police.

It was undeniable; Keith was one tough cookie.

Ever since the Porter family got involved, taking Keith out had been on their agenda, but time and again, Keith had slipped through their fingers, narrowly escaping the worst.

It was enough to drive a man mad!