Casey P.O.VI blinked at him. "Monday? But I have an interview on Monday morning.”“You can attend the interview. The flight is in the evening. Hope by then your interview will end.” Then Owen gave me a look, one I was not sure how to read. I can not say if I like it or not. "And there is something I want to talk about… I am offering you a job at my restaurant. In HR position of course.”I stared at him, mouth hanging open. "Wait, what?”"The position is already yours. You just have to show up for the interview as a formality," he said casually, as if he had not just thrown a bombshell at me. "My mother suggested it when I told her you wanted to do something on your own. She thinks it is a good idea and I think the same. It will be a good opportunity.”My blood boiled, and I shot up from my chair. "Excuse me? I do not need your favours, Owen. I can get a job on my own based on my qualifications, not because you put in a word for me.”I turned to march out, but Owen grabbed my hand, st
Casey P.O.VBefore dessert arrived, I excused myself to use the washroom. With my purse in hand, I made my way through the restaurant, heels clicking softly against the marble floor. The air was cool, and the scent of food lingered in the background, but I hardly noticed any of it. My thoughts were jumbled, running a mile a minute, and this was the perfect moment to take a breath.Pushing open the washroom door, I stepped inside and quickly entered one of the stalls. I did my business, grateful for the brief escape from the awkward dinner conversation at the table. After finishing, I stepped out to wash my hands, the washroom still completely empty. The sleek marble countertops and polished mirrors reflected my hurried movements as I turned the tap on.As I was washing my hands, the door behind me creaked open. I did not pay much attention to the person entering and focused on myself, staring down at the running water, lost in thought. When I finally turned off the tap and glanced to
Casey P.O.V.The entire restaurant had broken out into loud whispers , and I could feel dozens of eyes burning holes into my back.I need some air. The sting from Grace’s hand still lingered on my face, and as much as I wanted to storm out, the part of me that hated public scenes felt frozen in place.I was about two steps away from making my grand exit when a familiar voice stopped me. I turned back .“Do not believe her Grace. She and her cousin are not much different.” Brooks’s ex wife came and stood beside Grace with her arms folded on her chest. They both looked like Cindrella’s two stepsisters trying to look down on me but failing miserably. “Trying to shag another woman’s man.”I copied her terrace .“Didn't I tell you? Do not stick your nose where it should not be stuck.” I gave her a mocking smile. “Oh I forgot. You let dicks of other men stick in you when it should not be sticking. Isn't it how you ended up divorced in the first place because you slept with Brooks' best frie
Casey P.O.V. “After you, ma’am,” Owen said in a terrible attempt at a British accent, holding the car door open for me. He even bowed his head dramatically like some old time chauffeur, his lips twitching with amusement. I stifled a laugh, biting my lip. “Why, thank you, kind sir,” I replied, matching his bad accent with one just as ridiculous. I stepped into his luxurious car, settling into the soft leather seat as we shared a chuckle over our botched accents. Owen closed the door behind me with a flourish, still playing his part, before he hurried around to his side. Once inside, he buckled his seatbelt and started the car. The engine purred to life, a deep, throaty hum that reminded me of the car’s price tag, and we pulled out of the parking lot. “Damn. Tonight was eventful. I felt like I was riding a rollercoaster. Non-stop drama,” Owen muttered, shaking his head slightly as he turned the car and took the other lane. “Uh-huh, and the drama was not even about you,” I sighed, l
Casey P.O.V."Is it too late to go back to the car and crash it?" Owen whispered beside me, his eyes glued to my mother, who stood in front of us like a warden ready to pass judgement."I am regretting not taking the first option now," he added, swallowing hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously as he stared at the broom in her hand.“Told you. You should have, at least we would be in hospital, kicking.”My mother was terrifying. She had that look on her face, the one that could make grown men confess to things they had not even done. She was standing in front of us with a broom in her hand, and tapping her right foot on the floor. Her face twisted in anger as her eyes were moving back and forth between the two of us. Fury was blazing through her eyes that might shoot fire at us. I felt like I was the helpless cartoon character who had awakened a fire breathing angry dragon who was going to shoot fireballs at any moment and burn me alive.Behind us, the rest of the family cowered in
Casey’s P.O.V."I know it is fast, but I can not stay without your daughter," Owen said, pulling me closer by the waist, his hand resting protectively on my hip. I froze under his touch, heart pounding in my chest, not because of him but because of my mother's eyes that were shooting lasers at us by now. My mother’s gaze flickered between the two of us, like a hawk deciding whether to swoop in for the kill or let her prey go for a few more seconds.She turned, glancing at the rest of my family, probably hoping for some silent opinions. Everyone shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Then she turned back to us, a slight narrowing of her eyes. "Yeah, I get it, but why don’t we wait until—"Suddenly, Uncle Matthew, who had been completely fine a second ago ,clutched his chest with both hands pressing against his heart. His face contorted in pain, his knees bent . They buckled under his weight. He gritted his teeth. His whole body wobbled forward and he fell down the ground , laying on his
Casey P.O.V."Surprise! Happy Birthday, Ryder!" The excited chorus of voices rang out as Ryder’s family, colleagues, and friends emerged from the house, faces bright with anticipation, until well until what was waiting in the garden.They stopped short, mouths hanging open, eyes wide with disbelief. The scene before them was pure chaos, and it was nothing like what anyone had expected. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud, while Zazu, standing beside me, stifled her own amusement, her shoulders shaking with silent mirth.Grace stood behind the cake table, knife in hand, she had a big smile on her face, her eyes locked on Ryder who was standing there, blindfolded and grinning, completely unaware of the carnage his party had become. The crowd gawked at the decorations behind us, where everything had spiralled wildly out of control.The neighbourhood wasn’t much better. Some neighbours who were heading inside their house stopped dead in their tracks, staring in horror at th
Casey P.O.VRyder was desperately trying to explain himself to his elderly parents, who looked more bewildered than ever. Sorry aunt and uncle , your son is a piece of shit."Mom, Dad, this is not what it looks like! It is just a prank! Grace is just making a joke . She—”“Well jokes on you , you are the one who was trying to date another woman when you were already with someone else and on top of that you slept with her.” Zazu said with disdain as she pointed her finger at Jennifer.Ryder turned his head with fury itching on his face.“Zoey, you have nothing to do with this. So stay away from this. If it was not for your cousi—.” A hand came into my line of sight that smacked Ryder on his cheek. Ryder's mother stepped before him."Ryder!" his mother gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of emotions. "When did you become like this? I never raised you like this. Disrespecting a woman, using them for your own selfish means, hurting her feelings. So when did you become like this?” Her fr
Casey’s P.O.V The buzz of the gala preparations was a strange mix of chaos and excitement. The event was just a day away, and while the fallout from Rachel’s actions had initially shaken me, it had also ignited a determination in me that I hadn’t felt before. This was my chance to prove myself, to show Mr. Davenport and the supervisors that I could excel even under pressure. After the meeting yesterday, Rachel had stormed out of the office, leaving behind a trail of venomous glares and whispered threats. While her behavior had been exposed to some extent, I could not shake the feeling that she was not done with me. But I did not have the time or the energy to dwell on that. I had a gala to prepare. The morning was a flurry of last minute vendor calls and double-checking every detail. The floral arrangements, the seating chart, the lighting , everything has to fit perfectly in these puzzle. I had Karen helping me coordinate with the caterers, and even some of the supervisors had
Casey P.O.V The moment Rachel handed me that ridiculous list of tasks, I knew she was setting me up to fail. The smirk on her face as she walked away had been a silent declaration of war, and for the first time since joining the company, I was not willing to roll over and take it. Because of the disaster with the decoration Mr.Davenport had to shift his charity gala to the weekend. That was extremely embarrassing . I had spent the day scrambling to contact vendors and make last minute arrangements, but the absurdity of the tasks and Rachel’s obvious attempts to sabotage me became clearer with every failed call. But I still went with the lists and completed my task only to get burnt in the end because apparently the client never asked for those things. As the work day came to a close, I sat at my desk, staring at the crumpled list she’d given me. My colleagues whispered as they passed, their pitying glances making my skin prickle. They knew what Rachel was doing, but no one dared t
Casey’s P.O.V. The conference room was already filled when I walked in, my notebook clutched tightly in my hand. I glanced around, spotting Rachel at the head of the table. Her perfectly styled blonde hair catching the morning sunlight streaming through the windows and a confident serious look on her face gave her an air of authority that was hard to ignore. She had been a thorn in my side since the day I joined the company two days ago. Her ability to undermine me at every turn was nothing short of impressive, and I braced myself for whatever she had planned today. The other team members greeted me with polite nods, but Rachel barely acknowledged my presence, her attention focused on the papers spread out in front of her. She always had an air of control, as if every detail, every moment, revolved around her. “Morning, everyone,” Rachel began, her voice sharp and commanding. “Let’s get started. As you all know, we have been entrusted with organizing a charity gala for our clien
Casey P.O.V The plate of food was already half-empty when I returned to the living room. I had offered him to eat because it was already late.Owen was lounging on my couch, his long legs stretched out, his tie loosened just enough to make him look less put together but somehow even more attractive. He glanced up at me with a faint smile, but I could still see the tension in his shoulders still there, the storm brewing behind his eyes. Owen might have let Daniel get into his head than he let on. I hesitated in the doorway for a moment, biting my lip. He had just dropped a confession on me, a raw, unfiltered truth about how he feels about me. First I was happy that he felt something like I do for him but then confusion and fear because I knew how Owen was . I have enough experience of life time how cheating bastards are. I do not need anymore experience. It was fine until I knew what he felt because I thought it was a one -sided crush. I will soon get over it but now, I do not know ho
Owen P.O.V The office was eerily quiet as the hours dragged on. Most of the staff had gone home, leaving only the hum of the air conditioning and the faint tapping of my fingers on the keyboard. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, Daniel’s words echoed in my head. The bastard has successfully gotten into my head. Damn it. He had said Casey’s name like a taunt, he knew it would get a raise out of me. And like an idiot for a moment, I gave him what he wanted. The thought of him so much as speaking to her let alone trying to involve her in his games made my blood boil. Daniel is nothing but trouble. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples and sighed. The work in front of me felt like a burden now, a flimsy attempt to push away thoughts of Casey. Since Daniel left I was not able to concentrate. Casey had sent me a message earlier, saying her work was done for the day, but I had not had the chance to call her back yet. Grabbing my phone, I hesitated. She had said she was lea
Owen P.O.V I sat at my desk, my hand hovering over the keyboard, immersed in the details of a newly finalized contract. The past two days had been chaotic, and the remnants of it still simmered under my calm exterior. My name and reputation had been dragged through the mud, my investors rattled, my suppliers shaken. And all of it traced back to one man, Daniel Black.It had taken every ounce of strategy and persistence to stabilize what Daniel Black had tried to destroy. He hoped to see me fall but I stood on my ground, exposing his schemes in the media, ensuring everyone knew just how far he had gone. The fallout had been brutal for him. Just as I finished scanning a clause in the document, the sound of the door opening pulled my attention away from my computer. I thought it was one of the guys from the accounting section with the finance report. God I was so wrong. I wish I had not looked up.Standing before me was Daniel , he entered the office, unannounced, like he owns this place
Casey P.O.V The first day at Brown Group was nothing like I had expected. I had walked in with my head held high, eager to prove myself, but it did not take long for reality to hit. The office was sleek and modern, with glass walls, polished floors, and an air of efficiency. I was assigned a desk in the operations department, a space filled with a group of women who eyed me as if I did not belong. I could feel their stares from the moment I walked in, but I brushed it off. “Good morning,” I greeted with a polite smile, setting my bag down and adjusting the blazer I had chosen this morning. The women exchanged glances, whispering among themselves, their eyes flicking from my clothes to my face with a look I recognized all too well. Judgmental bitches get over yourself. This is an office not a New York fashion week ramp. “Morning,” one of them finally responded, her tone cold and clipped. She was tall, with sharp features and an even sharper attitude. Her name tag read Rachel Thom
Casey P.O.V The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped into the quiet hallway leading to my apartment. My heels clicked softly against the polished floors, each step a reminder of the long day that had finally come to an end. The interview at Brown Group had drained me, both mentally and emotionally. All I wanted now was to collapse on my couch and let the weight of the day fade away. Owen was out for a business meeting so I would not be thanking him for what he did any time soon. I unlocked the door and pushed it open gently, careful not to make too much noise. The living room was dark except for the faint glow of the TV, which flickered softly across the walls. I had not expected anyone to be awake, but as I closed the door behind me, I heard movement from the couch. “Casey?” a familiar voice called out groggily. I glanced over and saw Zazu sitting up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked cozy, wrapped in a thick blanket, her dark hair slightly tous
Casey P.O.V The morning air was crisp as I stood in front of the towering glass building that was Brown Group’s headquarters. The corporate giant I had heard so much about, the one that Owen had worked so hard to build, and now, for reasons I could not quite explain, I was about to step into it. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. You can do this Casey. Show them what you have got. I had spent two days planning what I was going to do. After giving ten interviews and being rejected by eight I think I have acquired enough interview experience after not giving for five years.I was trying to figure out the best way to keep my identity hidden. I did not want any special treatment or the perception that I was here because I was his pretend fiance and now real wife which no one knows yet because we are crazy enough to get drunk and get married. But that was not the reason . I just do not want anyone to say I got this because I am his fiancée, so, I disguised myself