As Regina predicted, they were late for the event. They had a red carpet segment so the press could take pictures of the people to be honored that night and all its guests. But by the time the couple arrived, the organizers were stacking up the metal crowd barriers and cleaning up the red carpet. Regina and Owen sauntered, hand in hand, to the event with smiles plastered on their faces. The couple did not care that they were late because being in the limelight was not their cup of tea. The ushers hurriedly escorted them to their seats just as the lights dimmed and the awards ceremony began. The organizers showed a presentation about the awards handed out by the mayor every year to outstanding individuals in the community. Some of them get nominated by their colleagues, some by their students, and then people like Owen and Regina’s father were public figures chosen for their works. Regina clapped the loudest when her father received an award for the philanthropic efforts he had esta

“It’s me, Regina.” “Arthur!” she said with surprise. “I didn’t know you were back from your trip.” “Yeah, it did not work out for me. I would rather be near you than be on the island.” “Does Owen know you’re back?” she asked, and his smile disappeared momentarily. “Would you like to dance with me?” “I’m sorry. I’m having some issues right now. Do you mind if I take a rain check? I need to talk to my brothers. I’m sorry.” Regina left Arthur standing alone. She debated whether it was better to follow Owen or stay within the safety of her family when she knew Arthur would probably follow her wherever she went. “Who was that? Are you dating two men at the same time because you can’t choose?” Raffy teased as Regina drank the rest of what was in her glass. “What? No. Don’t be absurd. I’m dating Owen, and I need to look for him right now. He looked kind of green earlier. I hope it wasn’t from the food he ate.” “Just let him go. He’ll come back.” Ronnie replied. “Probably needed to do

“You invited my whole family to attend your birthday, but I had a special date that night, so I told—no argued with my father and insisted I wasn’t going…” Owen’s voice sounded like he was in pain, remembering the incident. “And?” “My girlfriend broke up with me, and my father died, all because of your birthday.” “What?” “I argued with my father and told him I hated being his son, and later that night, he had a heart attack.” “Oh, Owen. I’m so sorry.” She approached and tried to hug him, but he pushed her away instead. “I was oblivious, so I met up with my girlfriend—ex. I told her my family had to attend your birthday, and she made me choose. Your birthday or her.” Owen knew he was lying about the breakup, but he did not know what compelled him to say those things. Princess told him he was nothing without his father’s influence, and she needed someone with more money. “Isn’t that a little shallow? Was it going to be your first time having sex? Is that why it was so important?”

Owen concealed himself when Raffy arrived. He did not want to be confronted by Regina’s brothers when he was not prepared to explain himself. He was still angry about the whole situation and wanted to draw his own conclusions.But when he saw Raffy’s car pull out of the parking lot, he sought his brother to clear some things.“Is that story you told Regina true?”“What story?” Myles asked. “The one about dad?”“Yes. He was angry, but that did not kill him. Get off your high horse. The world does not revolve around you.”Owen glared at Myles, “How come it’s so easy for you to talk about Dad’s death?”“Because I always think of the good times we had together. You should learn to do the same.”“I can’t. We were arguing the day he died.”“We all know that, but that’s all you remember. You were with Dad for 21 years. I bet you have better memories than that.”“I never—I stopped thinking about them. They were too painful to recall. It made me remember Da—dad was no longer with us.”“I overh

Timothy Dalton came to visit the Bennet mansion after a few days and asked about Owen. Myles and Yvan were having breakfast with their mother and Regina when Myles mentioned Owen had sent him a message after the party that he was going on vacation and not to contact him. Myles looks at Regina and she had already bowed her head as soon as Mr. Dalton asked the question. She excuses herself to be excluded from the conversation. Any talk about Owen brought her to tears, and she did not want to cry in front of Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Dalton when they did not know about what happened. Timothy stressed the fact that he thought there was something wrong with Owen because not once had he contacted the office, even by email. “This is not like Owen to do this. He does not take breaks or vacations and even when he goes out of town, or stays at home, he always checks in on his projects and gives his assistants instructions while he is away. “ Yvan shrugged. “He might have gotten drunk or something.