PrologueEarly 2000sThe whining of the horses at the ranch made my heart race, but I refused to back down. Fear wasn’t going to win today.“I’m not scared of horses,” I muttered to myself, as if saying it out loud would make it true—or maybe scare off whatever ghosts made these creatures seem so intimidating.I pushed the wooden stall door open and stepped inside. The chestnut brown filly stood tall, her coat gleaming in the sunlight streaming through the barn window. This was Honey, my dad’s favorite.“Hi, Honey,” I said nervously, glancing down at my little hands, unsure of what I was even doing there.Before I could rethink this foolish decision, Honey let out a shrill neigh and reared up. My breath caught in my throat as terror gripped me. I didn’t have time to run.Next thing I knew, I was on a pile of hay, my eyes squeezed tightly shut. Strong hands shook me by the shoulders.“Hey! You could’ve gotten hurt!” a boy’s voice yelled in my face.I blinked, my heart still racing. Ang
I couldn’t believe it—I was back at my parents’ house for the second time in one week. What the heck was going on?After that awkward reunion dinner, I’d made a clean escape, dodging further conversations with Reid and retreating to my apartment. My plan was to forget the entire encounter. But my mother clearly had other ideas, calling me relentlessly even when I was in the middle of shooting content for small brands. Things had finally started picking up with my content creation, and I wasn’t about to let anything derail me.Still, my mother’s persistence wore me down. Now here I was, sitting in the living room, staring at my parents with growing apprehension.“We have something to discuss with you,” Mom began, her nervous eyes darting to my father.My father cleared his throat, his deep, gravelly voice cutting through the tension. “I’ll get straight to the point.”I braced myself. When Daniel Prescott spoke, there were no sugar-coated words.“The company is going under, and to save
Mia Sinclair had been my best friend since we were kids, practically inseparable through every high and low. So when I called her in a panic, she didn’t hesitate to show up at my parents’ house, ditching work with zero regrets.The moment she walked into my bedroom, balancing a bottle of wine and a basket of snacks, she fixed me with a curious look.“Girl, what were you saying on the phone?” Mia demanded, setting everything down on my bed.I rolled my eyes and grabbed a samosa from the basket, dodging her hand as she tried to smack me for being impatient.“My marriage has been arranged to Reid Callahan,” I said flatly, my voice devoid of any emotion.Mia blinked. “What the actual fu—”“Language!” I cut in, frowning.“Sorry, but WHAT?”“It’s not happening,” I declared firmly, more to convince myself than her.Mia’s eyes widened. “Wait… Are you talking about the Reid Callahan?”“Who else?”“Oh my God!” she screeched, making me wince and cover my ears.“This is not good news,” I muttered
I was sick of it.Being a content creator meant I lived for the camera, but this time I wanted nothing to do with pictures or social media posts. Mia, however, was having the time of her life.“I need to talk to Reid,” I said as she took yet another shot of my engagement ring.“How many pictures do you even need?” I grumbled, snatching my hand back.“Patience, sis. This is gold,” Mia said smugly, snapping one last shot.The worst part? She’d already made Reid and me take several photos together, all lovey-dovey like we were a real couple. I’d wanted to gag the entire time.“Eager to see your hot fiancé, I see,” Mia teased, wiggling her eyebrows.Rolling my eyes, I ignored her as I strode toward Reid and our fathers, who were deep in conversation about business.Before I could speak, Mr. Callahan pulled me into a warm hug. “Welcome to the family, Fallon.”“Thank you,” I forced out with a polite smile. “Reid, can I talk to you for a moment?”“He’s all yours,” my father said with a knowi
~Reid~A few days had passed, and I still hadn’t heard a word from her. Part of me wondered if the terms in the contract had been too much for her to handle.Most women wanted the fairy tale —love, marriage, and the whole happily ever after package. A contract marriage? That was asking for too much, I suppose. I got it. But I wasn’t about to be tied down by any of that nonsense. The only reason I even agreed to this arrangement was because my father practically begged me to do it.And Fallon? I wasn’t about to fake any interest in her.I glanced at my watch —Friday night. Time to blow off some steam.I pulled out my phone and dialed Dave. “What’s up?”“You ready?”“On my way. I’ll meet you at the club,” I said, hanging up.Back at my condo, I took a quick shower before pulling on a pair of jeans and a leather jacket. Perfect for the night ahead.Running into Fallon at the club? That was not part of the plan.I froze when I spotted her through the crowd, feeling something weird twist i
~Fallon~Our parents wanted the wedding to happen as soon as possible, but if I heard one more thing about planning the high society spectacle they envisioned, I might just collapse on the spot.I had finally announced to my few thousand followers that I was engaged. The congratulatory messages poured in, but each one made my stomach turn. I wished they were celebrating something real— something that wasn’t a façade of a fairytale romance with my childhood nemesis.Calling Reid my “friend” was generous at best. Nemesis was more accurate.From the moment we met, we hardly ever saw eye to eye. Sure, there were rare moments when we made a decent team, back in the fleeting days of friendship and that regrettable teenage dating phase. But mostly, he was that one person I couldn’t stand being around.When his family moved away when I was sixteen, I thought that was the end of it. Problem solved.Fast forward almost a decade later, and here he was— about to become my husband. The very though
This is me saying hello once again to my lovely readers. I’ve missed you guys. Fallon’s Reid is quite dear to my heart so if you’re seeing this, please support your girl once again. I just graduated from Uni few months ago so now I have more time to update frequently 🤭 So stay tuned my lovelies ❤️ Thank you!
~Fallon~The day had already been chaotic enough without Reid Callahan deciding to meddle in my life. My filming schedule was packed, and I had spent most of the morning reviewing brand partnership contracts. My car troubles were the least of my concerns until, of course, my mother had to go and spill that information to Reid.I should’ve known something was up when he called out of the blue.“Hello, Reid,” I said, already bracing myself for whatever nonsense he was about to spew.“Hey. Your mom mentioned that your car needs some work done.”I scowled, gripping the phone tightly. “Why would she tell you that?”“And why are you calling me about it?” I added sharply, my annoyance bubbling to the surface.“Let me have your address so I can send my mechanic to pick it up,” he said, completely ignoring my irritation.“No thanks,” I snapped, my pride refusing to let him swoop in and fix things.“That wasn’t a request,” he stated flatly before hanging up.I stared at the phone in disbelief,
~Fallon~The dress arrived first.It was delivered in a sleek black garment bag, hung carefully on the door of my closet like it belonged there. Attached was a handwritten note in Reid’s sharp, familiar scrawl:Wear this. Be ready by seven. – RNo please. No would you mind? Just an order, wrapped in expensive packaging.Because of course it was.I stared at the bag, arms crossed, suspicion curling in my stomach. “Not happening.”But the shoes came next.Delicate, strappy heels in a soft champagne gold—designer, no doubt—and absolutely gorgeous. The kind of shoes you wore when you wanted to make an entrance.I ignored them.Then came the makeup artist.At precisely five o’clock, my intercom buzzed.“Mrs Callahan? Your glam team is here.”I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Of course they are,” I muttered, already regretting every decision that had led me to this point.An hour and a half later, I stood in front of my full-length mirror. And despite every ounce of irritat
~Fallon~I wasn’t ready for my mom’s call.Not after the fight with Reid. Not when I was still replaying every sharp word, every cold look, over and over in my head, like a film on loop I couldn’t turn off. His voice, low and cutting. My own, rising in frustration. The sting of everything we’d said—and worse, the things we hadn’t.But my phone rang anyway—her name flashing across the screen like a warning.I stared at it, my thumb hovering over the decline button. I could let it go to voicemail. I could call her back later, when I wasn’t so raw. But I knew if I didn’t answer, she’d just keep calling—and worrying.So I sighed, bracing myself before I finally picked up.“Hi, Mamá.”“Mi vida,” she said, her voice warm and familiar. But there was an edge to it—one I recognized too well. Concern, wrapped in silk. “How are you? You sound tired.”“I’m fine,” I lied, curling my legs beneath me on the couch. “Just busy.”“Busy being married to a billionaire?” she teased. “It must be so exhaust
~Fallon~My phone buzzed just as I was setting up my next shoot, the familiar name flashing across the screen.Dad.I stared at it, tension coiling in my chest. I already knew this wasn’t going to be a social call.With a sigh, I picked up. “Hey, Dad.”“Fallon,” he said, his voice brisk as always. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”I winced. “I’ve been busy—”“I’m sure you have.” He cut me off like he always did. “But we have a problem.”Of course we did.I sank into the chair at my vanity. “What kind of problem?”He exhaled sharply. “Reid’s pushing through restructuring plans without consulting me. He’s sidelining my people, cutting departments without my approval—”I rubbed my temple. “Dad—”“I need you to talk to him,” he said, his voice firm. “Remind him this merger was supposed to be a partnership.”I bit back my frustration. “You know I don’t have any say in the business side of this.”“You’re his wife,” my dad snapped. “If anyone can get him to listen, it’s you.”A cold weight se
~Reid~The boardroom at Callahan Enterprises was silent, the kind of silence that carried weight—the calm before a high-stakes battle.I leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled, surveying the executives seated around the long mahogany table. The Prescott merger had been months in the making, and now, we were at the point where every decision counted.And I didn’t lose.Not in business.Not in anything.I intended to keep it that way.Mark Kingston, my CFO, cleared his throat. “We’ve run another financial analysis. The Prescott company is stabilizing, but the long-term projections are still… questionable.”I arched a brow. “Define ‘questionable.’”Kingston hesitated. “The brand recognition is strong, and their market share is decent. But if we don’t make some aggressive restructuring moves, we’ll be inheriting dead weight.”Dead weight.I exhaled sharply, fingers drumming against the table.This was what I had anticipated—Daniel Prescott had built an empire, but he had let it run on
~Fallon~The world knew me in curated snapshots.Perfectly edited videos. Carefully written captions. A seamless blend of aspirational and relatable.To my audience, I was the effortlessly stylish, cool girl next door—the one who knew the best skincare tricks, the trendiest fashion finds, and the real behind-the-scenes of luxury living.But in reality, it was a full-time job.And today, I had work to do.I woke up to the soft chime of my alarm—an aesthetically pleasing, non-jarring sound I had chosen because brand consistency mattered.Before my feet even hit the floor, I grabbed my phone, snapped a quick shot of my sunlit sheets, and typed a caption:“Slow mornings & self-care ☀️✨ What’s one thing you do to start your day right?”Engagement was key. Questions kept my followers talking.I hit the post button and stretched, already calculating my to-do list for the day.Content. Emails. Brand collaborations. Editing.And, of course, making sure my audience believed every part of it wa
~Fallon~Adjusting to married life should’ve been easy. Or at least that’s what I thought.I had my own room, my own bathroom, and an entire household staff to ensure that I never even had to see Reid if I didn’t want to.But somehow, despite all of that, Reid Callahan still managed to get under my skin. Because of course that was all he knew how to do.It all started on a very fine day while I was minding my own business.The first issue arose when I stepped into my luxurious en-suite bathroom one morning after a quick run around the premises and nearly slipped on a puddle of water.I gasped, grabbing the counter for balance before whipping my head toward the cause—l there was water everywhere!!!.Steam clung to the mirrors, droplets trailed across the marble floor, and the faint scent of Reid’s obnoxiously expensive cologne lingered in the air.My eyes narrowed.I stormed out, straight across the hall to his room, where I found him carrying on like he did not just wreak havoc in m
~Fallon~The café was warm and bustling, the scent of fresh pastries and espresso filling the air. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a soft glow over the rustic wooden tables. It was the kind of place Mia and I had spent countless afternoons, sipping overpriced lattes and dissecting our lives in dramatic detail.But today I was walking in as a married woman. As Mrs. Callahan.And only I knew how much of a lie that really was.Mia spotted me first, her eyes lighting up as she shot out of her chair, practically bouncing on her heels. “Finally!” she squealed, pulling me into a tight hug. “Mrs. Callahan, back from paradise!”I forced a smile. “Yep. Back.”She pulled back, gripping my shoulders. “Let me look at you. You have that ‘freshly married, just honeymooned in luxury’ glow.”I blinked. “I do?”Mia wiggled her brows. “Oh yeah. Spill everything.”I barely smothered a groan. This was going to be exhausting.The Interrogation soon began…The moment we sat down, Mia l
~Fallon~I had barely settled into the couch, a blanket draped over me, laptop open, and my editing software still loading when my phone rang.I didn’t even have to check the screen.There was only one person who would call me this early and with this much persistence.I sighed, already bracing myself, and swiped to answer. “Hi, Mom.”A delighted gasp came through the speaker. “Mi vida! Finally, you answer! I was beginning to think you forgot about me.”I rolled my eyes, amusement tugging at my lips despite my best efforts. “I was going to call—”She tsked loudly. “Mmm-hmm. You’re back from Bali, settled into your married life, and I haven’t heard a single detail. Not one.”I squeezed my eyes shut, already knowing where this was going.The Interrogation Begins“So,” she continued, her voice practically vibrating with excitement. “Tell me everything.”I sighed, shifting my laptop to the coffee table and rubbing my forehead. “About what?”A pause. Then, in her very best‘ are you serious
~Reid~The hum of the city filtered through the tinted windows of my office, a distant, familiar rhythm. Inside, everything was as it should be—pristine, controlled, efficient.My desk was stacked with reports. My inbox, flooded with unread emails. The world hadn’t stopped moving while I was in Bali, and now it was time to catch up.And yet I hadn’t even been back for 24 hours, and already, my mind was elsewhere.On her.On the way she had barely unpacked, the way she buried herself in editing wedding clips like her life depended on it. The way she kept avoiding something neither of us wanted to name.I clenched my jaw, pushing the thought aside.It was time to focus. I had an empire to run.By 8:00 AM, my conference room was packed. Board members. Department heads. The people who made sure Callahan Enterprises functioned while I was gone.“Let’s start with the Prescott merger,” I said, settling into my seat.One of my executives cleared his throat. “The stock has stabilized since the