Casey P.O.VAs we climbed down the steps of the private jet, I could not resist throwing a last side-eye at the flight attendant who had spent most of the flight practically draped over Owen. Her flirty giggles and attempts to get his attention had irked me more than I wanted to admit, and I made sure she noticed the look I gave her as I turned away. Owen, oblivious to the glare I shot, just grabbed his bag and started walking.As soon as we stepped out of the airport, the peaceful landing vanished. Raised voices echoed through the air, and I blinked, trying to understand what was happening. Then I spotted our mothers, standing toe-to-toe and firing off verbal jabs . My mom’s voice, edged with righteous fury, cut through the noise. “You might think your son is the golden boy, but maybe if you opened your eyes, you would have seen he is just a playboy who does not know how to keep it in his parents !” Her voice dripped with disdain. I knew she had been reading those gossip columns abo
Casey P.O.VMy stepfather finally managed to settle things with the police officer and get both mothers out of the cell, though not without a warning. I could practically feel the officer's glare on our backs as we left. I do not blame him, this poor man has suffered a lot in our mothers hands.I was pretty sure our families had landed themselves on some kind of blacklist. The officer’s warning had been clear, and he wasn’t sugarcoating it for them. “Next time,” he’d said, “There would not be any bailing out.” Owen’s mother shot him a scowl before marching out, chin high. My mom, arms crossed and muttering under her breath, barely glanced his way. The entire car ride was as peaceful as the peace before the storm.Back at the hotel, however, the peace died in an instant.As we approached the front desk to get our room keys, a new argument was already bubbling up between our mothers. They were not even bothering to keep their voices low.“You think I am going to let my daughter stay in
Casey P.O.VThe restaurant was a vision of elegance, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the polished tables, each one adorned with pristine white linens and a tasteful centrepiece. We were here to celebrate Vegas elopement of Owen’s sister, Lauren, to her fiancé, Marcus, and the dinner was supposed to be a calm, family gathering. But given that our mothers were already on edge, it felt more like sitting on a powder keg with a lit fuse.Lauren and Marcus arrived first, both glowing and hand-in-hand, followed by Marcus’s family, who looked thrilled to be here. His parents, David and Linda, were the picture of class, with smiles on their faces as they greeted each of us warmly. Their plane landed this evening.Thank goodness they did not see that disaster.We were determined to make a good impression, and I could see my mother and Maria silently sizing each other up, like lions crouched and ready to pounce, but maintaining their best behaviour under the watchful eyes of the new in-
Casey P.O.VStepping out of the steamy bathroom, I rubbed my hair with a towel, my skin still tingling from the hot shower. My PJs,a small tank top and shorts were cosy but barely there, especially given the presence of Owen pacing in the room like a caged animal. When he saw me, he stopped in his tracks, his gaze lingering just a second too long.“You can use the bathroom now,” I said, stepping aside so he could pass. He nodded, grabbed his towel, and headed in to freshen up. I shook my head and tried to ignore the flip my stomach made every time I caught his eye. I have to endure a few more nights of this misery.I went over to the bed, grabbing a quilt and extra sheet with a pillow, intending to make a bed on the floor. But just as I was about to set everything down, Owen’s voice came from the bathroom, muffled by the sound of running water.“Hey, I forgot my clothes on the chair. Could you bring them in?” I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, “Of course you did.” Neverthel
Casey P.O.V I knelt down on the floor beside the bed, spreading the quilt out. I set a pillow at the head of the makeshift bed I had prepared, smoothing it out to make sure everything looked just right. As I reached for the extra bedsheet, draping it over the quilt, the bathroom door opened with a soft click that caught my attention. Owen emerged, towel in hand, rubbing his hair dry, a few strands falling messily across his forehead. He paused, taking in the sight of me on the floor. “Oh no, no, no, no, Casey” he said, mockingly, an exaggerated shake of his head . “ You are going to sleep on the floor?” I glanced up, just in time to see him bending over with his hands gripping his knees. He wore his old T-shirt and low hanging joggers that showed just enough to make it clear he had not lost a single bit of his absurd confidence. I rolled my eyes and went back to arranging the bedding, determined to ignore him. “Who said it was for me?” I shot back, without looking up. He straig
Casey P.O.V.I took another bite of my croissant, chewing slowly, savouring the flaky texture and buttery flavour as I studied Owen across the table. He looked rough. His eyes were red, swollen, and slightly bloodshot, definitely suffering from a lack of sleep. He was sitting there, slouched over, his coffee cup gripped tightly in both hands like it was the only thing holding him upright. His usually lively face was replaced with dark circles and the telltale signs of a long, sleepless night. I almost felt sorry for him . Almost.After all, he was the one who insisted on sleeping beside me, despite my warning. He thought I was joking all the while I was telling the truth.Zazu and my twin brothers, Marco and Max, walked into the restaurant’s dining area, scanning the room. As soon as the twins spotted the buffet, they immediately dashed over, filling their plates to the brim with all the food they could carry. They were acting like starving vampires that have been kept locked inside a
Casey P.O.V“Where are we?” I asked again, exasperation dripping from my voice. Lauren had been dragging us through a maze of back alleys behind a building that looked like it had seen better days. She turned to look at me with a smirk, her fiancé trailing behind her, looking as skeptical as I felt.“You’ll see,” she said with an air of mystery, checking her watch as if we were late for something significant.Lauren was not one to shy away from surprises, but I was not sure how much I liked this one. Owen had disappeared earlier in the afternoon, claiming he had “something to handle,” and now we were left in his sister’s hands. I glanced down at my outfit. Jean shorts, a tucked-in black shirt, sneakers, and a ponytail. Zazu, ever the fashion icon, had chosen a black bodycon dress and boots. Lauren, on the other hand, looked like she was ready for an adventure with her leather boots, jean shorts, and black jacket. There was a red handkerchief hanging from her shorts’s pocket. It was ju
Casey P.O.V As Owen stepped out of the ring, his chest heaving, exhaustion flickered across his face. The bruise on his jaw was already turning a vivid shade of purple, and I felt a surge of emotions rising within me. Relief that all his body parts are still intact. Anger at his recklessness for getting distracted during the fight. I got it. It was something he used to do to survive, and maybe it gave him some sense of control or release, but seeing him hurt, was a different story for me. Before I could voice my thoughts, Lauren bounded over, practically buzzing with excitement. "Wasn’t that amazing?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with pride. "You nailed it, brother!" "Amazing is not the word I would use," I muttered, crossing my arms. My eyes stayed on Owen as he collected his winnings from the announcer, pausing occasionally to shake hands with the people congratulating him. As the crowd began to thin, he finally made his way over to us. “Hey,” he greeted, his voice hoarse, no d
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