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 it, we’re merging with the Callahans.” “Okay…” I trailed off, wondering how this was any of my business. “The merger comes with a clause,” he added, his tone flat. Mom reached for my hand, and my stomach twisted into knots. “What… clause?” I stammered. “You have to marry Reid.” “What?!” I shot to my feet, anger and disbelief surging through me. “You heard me,” Dad said calmly, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell. “Dad, I barely know this guy!” “You can get to know him while you plan the wedding.” “What wedding? I’m not agreeing to this!” “Why not?” “What do you mean why?!” My voice rose several notches, but Dad remained unmoved. “Fallon,” Mom warned softly, her tone urging me to calm down. Desperate, I softened my voice, hoping to appeal to my father’s emotions. “Daddy, please. I can’t marry him.” “Are you in a relationship with someone who can help the company?” he asked, one brow raised mockingly. I frowned. “No.” “Then it’s settled. Prepare to be married,” he said with finality, walking off as though this was a done deal. My knees felt weak as I collapsed onto the couch. Mom tried to comfort me, but her assurances felt hollow. “This cannot be happening,” I muttered to myself, burying my face in a pillow and screaming into it. “Fallon?” Mom’s voice pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts. “Yes, Mom?” I croaked. “The Callahans are joining us for lunch on Sunday. You should stay for the weekend.” I sighed. Mom still hadn’t fully accepted that I lived on my own now. “Is Dad serious about this?” I asked, hoping for a glimmer of hope. Mom sighed, shutting the door behind her. “I know it seems absurd—” “It is absurd,” I cut in. “It’s for the best,” she insisted. “But Mom—” “Shh, my darling.” She cupped my face gently, her touch warm and familiar. “I need you to keep an open mind. Your father and I were in an arranged marriage, and look how happy we are.” I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to argue. “That’s different,” I muttered. “We learned to love each other. You and Reid can do the same.” I nodded reluctantly, even though my heart vehemently disagreed. There was no way I could love that man. We had nothing in common, and I could barely stand to be in the same room as him. Once Mom left, I grabbed my phone. There was only one person I could call.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~ My phone buzzed incessantly, vibrating against the marble countertop. I sighed, setting down the cup of coffee I hadn’t touched and glancing at the screen. Reid Calling. I had no idea why he was calling again, especially after the whole car situation. He’d already sent a mechanic without my consent, fixed my car, and filled my gas tank—whether I wanted his help or not. The least he could do was let it go. Reluctantly, I answered. “Hello, Fallon,” he greeted smoothly, as if he hadn’t pulled a power move that morning. “Hi, Reid,” I replied, my voice neutral. “I assume Theo returned your car in perfect condition?” “Yes. Thanks for that, but I didn’t need—” “You’re welcome,” he cut me off, clearly uninterested in hearing my refusal of his assistance. My jaw clenched. This man was impossible. “Anything else?” I asked curtly. “Actually, yes. There’s a dinner at my parents’ place this weekend. Our families want us to attend together.” I pinched the bridge of
~Reid~The Callahan estate was buzzing with energy. The clink of champagne glasses, the hum of polite conversations, and the occasional bursts of laughter filled the grand hall. Every high-society socialite worth mentioning had shown up for tonight’s engagement party, eager to witness the spectacle of a “perfect” match between Fallon Prescott and me.Perfect. What a joke.I adjusted the cuffs of my tailored suit and scanned the room. My parents thrived in this environment, smiling and schmoozing with guests as if orchestrating this merger—because that’s what this marriage was—was the greatest achievement of their lives.Fallon stood across the room, talking to some socialite who seemed captivated by whatever nonsense she was saying. She wore a sleek black dress that hugged her curves, the slit up one side revealing just enough to stir a reaction. Her hair was pulled back in some elegant twist, exposing the graceful curve of her neck.She looked stunning.And completely out of place.T
~Reid~The suitcase sat half-packed on the bed, but my attention wasn’t on it.It was on Fallon.She stood in the doorway of my room, arms crossed, her silk robe loosely tied around her waist, hair still damp from her shower. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a golden hue over her skin, and for a moment, it felt too easy to remember the way she’d looked at me that night in the car.The way she’d kissed me.Or maybe I kissed her.It didn’t matter.What mattered was that we hadn’t talked about it since.And judging by the way she was watching me now, we weren’t going to be able to keep avoiding it.She exhaled, stepping inside. Slow, deliberate. The kind of movement that made me think she was choosing her words carefully before she even spoke.“So,” she said, her voice casual. Too casual. “Where this time?”“London.” I folded a dress shirt and placed it neatly in my suitcase. “Just a couple of days.”She hummed, watching me pack. “You’ve been traveling a lot lately.”I glanced at h
~Reid~Fallon was magnetic tonight.It wasn’t just the way she looked—the deep emerald dress that hugged her in all the right places, the delicate earrings that caught the light whenever she turned her head. It was the way she moved. Effortless. Confident. Like she was born for this world of flashing cameras and murmured intrigue.And maybe she was.I’d seen her in action before, but tonight, something was different.Maybe it was the way she handled the whispers, the way she laughed at the right moments and sidestepped invasive questions with a smile sharp enough to draw blood. Maybe it was the way she threw out a perfectly timed remark that left people either admiring her or wondering if she had just insulted them.Or maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t just watching her play the role—I was part of it.She stood beside me, poised but relaxed, one hand wrapped lightly around the stem of a champagne flute. She wasn’t drinking it. Just holding it, an
~Fallon~The moment we stepped into the event, all eyes turned to us.Flashing cameras. Murmurs that rippled through the room like a wave. The weight of a hundred socialites’ gazes assessing, whispering, speculating.I was used to this. The attention. The scrutiny. The carefully curated perfection that was expected at these high-profile events. But tonight, something felt different.Maybe it was because Reid was here with me.His presence altered the balance. He wasn’t just another attendee—he was a force. Tall, sharp, effortlessly commanding in a tailored black suit that looked like it had been crafted just for him. The air shifted around him. People either tried to impress him or feared getting in his way.And yet, despite his usual unshakable demeanor, I could tell he wasn’t entirely comfortable.“You hate these things,” I murmured as we glided through the crowd.Reid’s jaw ticked, but his hand on my lower back didn’t falter. “I tolerate them.”I smirked. “Liar. You despise them.”
~Fallon~I knew the moment I opened my eyes that today was going to be a whirlwind.Mornings in my world were never slow. There was always something to plan, something to post, someone to respond to. The moment I reached for my phone, notifications flooded my screen—emails from my management team, campaign updates, and an invite to yet another exclusive event that I wasn’t sure I wanted to attend.I exhaled, already feeling the rush of the day creeping in, but this was the life I had built, and I loved it.Still, it was a lot. More than it used to be.A year ago, I could handle everything myself. The emails, the collaborations, the content planning—I thrived on it. But ever since my following had exploded, so had the demands. My campaigns were bigger, my schedule tighter, my inbox never-ending.Which was exactly why I now had Maya.Her hiring hadn’t been my idea.It had been Reid’s.“You can’t do everything yourself anymore,” he had said, watching me juggle three phone calls while rev
~Fallon~I wasn’t sure when I first noticed it. Maybe it was the sharp edge to Reid’s voice when his assistant mentioned Pierce Industries. Or the way his jaw tightened, the muscle there ticking, when his father casually brought up Alexander at the last family dinner.Or maybe it was how, right now, as we sat across from each other in his office, he had barely looked up from his laptop in the last thirty minutes.Something was wrong.Reid wasn’t the type to let emotions cloud his judgment—at least, not in business. He was too methodical for that. But whatever had happened between him and Alexander Pierce, it wasn’t just business.And it was getting under his skin.I closed the folder I had been pretending to read and leaned back in my chair, watching him. His office was sleek, all dark wood and glass, every detail curated for power and precision. Reid himself was no different—clad in a crisp white shirt, sleeves pushed up just enough to hint at ease, though the tightness in his should
ReidThe office buzzed with its usual efficiency—phones ringing, keyboards clacking, the steady murmur of negotiations happening behind closed doors. I thrived in this chaos. Controlled, predictable, productive. It was a far cry from the staged interviews and socialite dinners that had dominated my life lately.Here, I was in control.Or at least, I had been.Until the moment Ethan, my CFO, stepped into my office with a carefully neutral expression that immediately set me on edge.“We have a situation,” he said, shutting the door behind him.I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. “Go on.”Ethan slid a folder across my desk. “Pierce Holdings just made a bid for the Kingston project.”My fingers tightened around the folder before I even opened it.Kingston was supposed to be ours. It was one of the most sought-after commercial real estate developments of the year, and I’d spent months laying the groundwork to secure it. My team had vetted every risk, anticipated every counteroffer.
~Fallon~The Callahans knew how to throw a dinner party.The ballroom of the Callahan estate had been transformed into a vision of understated opulence—soft golden lighting, towering floral arrangements, crystal chandeliers casting a warm glow over the sea of finely dressed guests. It was the kind of gathering where wealth wasn’t flaunted but effortlessly woven into every detail.I was used to these events. I had attended them my entire life.But this time, I was attending after a scandal that almost blew our cover as a couple. And the weight of that title settled heavily on my shoulders.Reid and I entered together, his hand resting lightly on the small of my back—a practiced gesture, perfectly executed for the benefit of the watchful eyes dissecting our every move. He looked as effortlessly put together as ever, clad in a tailored black suit, his sharp features unreadable. I, in contrast, had spent too much time choosing the perfect dress—something elegant but not too soft, somethi
~Fallon~I should’ve known this would happen.The moment the interview aired, the internet exploded.And I mean exploded.The clip of Reid saying “Sometimes” in response to missing the past was spreading like wildfire, impossible to avoid. It was everywhere—spliced into fan edits, dissected in think pieces, slowed down, zoomed in, paired with heart-wrenching music and captions that made it impossible to ignore.At first, I told myself I wouldn’t look.Then, five minutes later, I was doom scrolling through the wreckage like an addict in withdrawal.Every single post was a fresh disaster.— @fallonandreidupdates: “THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER. THIS MAN IS IN LOVE, AND SHE HAS NO IDEA. Okay many she does. She’s his wife. Lol.”— @popculturetea: “Reid Callahan saying ‘sometimes’ when asked if he misses their past is the most devastatingly romantic thing I’ve ever witnessed.”— @obsessedwithfallon: “No, but the way Fallon looked like she forgot how to breathe when he said it??? Someone check on
~Fallon~I wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this.The cozy atmosphere, the warm lighting, the way Reid and I had effortlessly slipped into this routine. It was too easy. Too familiar.Too dangerous.Because I knew what would happen if I let myself forget—even for a second—that this was still a game.This was our second interview this week. Another glossy, exclusive sit-down designed to steer the public narrative in our favor. Another carefully controlled conversation meant to prove that our marriage wasn’t built on smoke and mirrors.And yet, as I sat next to Reid on the plush couch of this sleek, modern studio, the bright lights illuminating us in a soft, flattering glow, I realized something unsettling.I wasn’t sure where the performance ended and where reality began.The host, a sharp-eyed woman in a perfectly tailored blazer, leaned forward, smiling like she was in on some inside joke we weren’t yet aware of.“You two have known each other for so long,” she mused. “Long before the