Owen P.O.V "OWEN BROWN, YOU BETTER HAVE SOME EXPLANATION FOR THIS ARTICLE! WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? YOU SAID YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND, THEN WHO ARE THESE WOMEN YOU’RE FOOLING AROUND WITH?!” I winced at the sound of my mother’s voice blasting through the speaker of my phone. She always had a way of making everything feel like the end of the world, especially when it came to the mess that was my love life—or lack thereof. “DID I RAISE YOU TO BREAK WOMAN’S HEART AND WHAT DO YOUR GIRLFRIEND SAY ABOUT THIS?” her voice was getting louder and louder with each second. Damn it, why did she have to bring up my imaginary girlfriend now of all times? "Mother,my girlfriend knows nothing in that article is true, I—" I tried to explain, but she was not having any of it. Her high-pitched, exasperated tone cut me off before I could finish my sentence. "Then why is this news circulating? Do you know how embarrassing this is? I found out about my son’s wild... behaviour from my daughter's
Casey P.O.VInside, the ballroom was dazzling. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the elegantly dressed crowd. Waiters moved through the sea of people, offering champagne and hors d'oeuvres, while soft classical music played in the background. The atmosphere was sophisticated yet lively.Zazu and I navigated our way through the crowd, exchanging polite smiles and nods as we went. Till now everything is going well but I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop. We went out through the pilot door, to the back swimming pool where others were.After a few minutes, we found a small table near the edge of the swimming pool. Zazu sank into the chair with a sigh, and I followed suit, grateful for the break from standing.“I think I need a drink before the night really gets started,” Zazu said, scanning the area for a waiter. “What about you?”I nodded. “Definitely.”As if on cue, a waiter appeared with a tray of champagne flutes. Zazu grabbed two, h
Casey P.O.VI could hardly believe what I was seeing.I had just picked up two drinks from the bartender when I heard a commotion by the pool area.“YOU PATHETIC CUM SUCKING WHORE!” A woman screamed.What the fridging frutz . The people started gathering near the pool.Instinctively, I moved through the crowd, trying to see what the fuss was about.“Sorry” I pushed people out of the way while balancing the two drinks “Excuse me” I was apologising left and right as I struggled to keep the drinks balanced in my hands. “Sorry” “Excuse me” “Sorry” “Get your big butts out of the way man.” People were craning their necks, gasping, and laughing, making it harder for me to get through.When I finally broke through the crowd and reached the front, my jaw nearly hit the floor.OH . MY . GODDESS Standing at the edge of the pool, Zazu and Brooks’ date were locked in what could only be described as the world’s most chaotic catfight. They were tugging each other’s hair like wild animals, screaming
Casey P.O.VThe chaos around the pool finally started to die down, though cameras were still flashing, and people were whispering like they had just witnessed the scandal of the century. I stood there, still holding both drinks, frozen for a second longer than necessary as I watched Zazu resurface from the water. She looked like a drenched cat, mascara streaking down her cheeks, hair clinging to her face like vines. Her opponent, Brooks’ date, was not faring much better, splashing around beside her with an equally ruined look.I pushed through the remaining crowd, setting the drinks down on the nearest table, and rushed over to help. By the time I got close, Zazu was already pulling herself out of the pool, teeth gritted, breathing heavily. Her dress clung to her like a second skin, and I could see the anger radiating off her like heat waves.“Zazu, let’s get out of here,” I said, grabbing her arm gently but firmly. She was staring daggers at Brooks, who was trying to help his date up
Casey P.O.V.The sunlight streamed through the curtains, too bright for the pounding headache I was nursing. I groaned, rolling over in bed, half-hoping that the events of last night had been some bizarre dream. But the ache in my feet from those killer heels and the faint smell of chlorine on my dress from getting too close to the pool told me otherwise.Zazu had already left the room, and I could hear the faint clinking of dishes from the kitchen. I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen, hoping coffee would make me feel human again. As I shuffled in, Zazu was sitting at the table, phone in hand, scrolling furiously.“Morning,” I muttered, heading straight for the coffee machine.“Morning? Try chaos,” she said, not looking up from her phone. “We have got a problem.”I blinked, still bleary-eyed. “What do you mean?”She shoved her phone across the table toward me, her expression somewhere between mortified and furious. I glanced down at the screen and froze. There,
Casey P.O.VThe clock had barely ticked past noon when Zazu finally walked through the front door, and I could tell immediately something was off. Her usually lively eyes were dull, her face pale, and she clutched her purse tightly against her side like it was the only thing holding her together. I had been waiting for her, anxious about what the HR meeting might have been about, especially after the fiasco at the charity ball.I sat up from the couch where I had been lazily scrolling through my phone. "Zazu?" I called out softly, noticing the way she stiffened at the sound of my voice. "What happened? How did it go?"She did not answer right away. Instead, she took slow, deliberate steps toward the kitchen counter and set her purse down before leaning against the counter for support. Her hands were shaking, and she seemed to be struggling with her words, like she wasn’t sure how to start.I stood up and approached her cautiously. "Zazu, you are scaring me. What happened in the meetin
Owen P.O.V.The room was packed with family, business associates, and media. Every detail had been meticulously planned, from the champagne fountains to the sparkling chandeliers hanging overhead. It was the kind of glamorous event that only the Brown family could pull off—everything shining, everything perfect. Except for the fact that this wasn’t just a party. It was my last stand.If I did not pull off this fake engagement tonight, Daniel would have everything he ever wanted: my company, my legacy. The board of directors had been leaning toward ousting me, spurred on by rumours of my bachelor lifestyle and Daniel’s relentless whispers in their ears. The fact that he was my cousin only made it worse. Growing up, my mother took him in after his mother died and his father walked out. She raised him like he was her own, and yet, Daniel always viewed me as competition.I could not let him take everything from me. Not after how hard I had worked to build the Brown Group. This engagement
Casey’s P.O.V.As Owen stood on the stage, the lights gleaming off his perfectly tailored suit, I could feel the weight of every single eye in the room. The pressure of the moment, the grandeur of it all, almost made me forget why we were here. Yet, as he turned to me, his gaze softened in a way that made the act feel all too real."Casey Maxwell," saying he kneeled down before me, his voice low but clear. He pulled out a small black box out of his pocket and opened it. I covered my mouth with my hand when I saw the most beautiful ring inside . "You came into my life when I least expected it, and yet, here I am, completely and utterly captivated by you. I can not imagine facing another day without you, without your smile, without the way you challenge me, push me to be better. So, tonight, in front of everyone I care about, I want to ask you… will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"The crowd let out a collective gasp, and the cameras clicked furiously. It was hard to re