Chapter 31

Owen's POV

The ballroom was everything I imagined it would be: glittering chandeliers dripping with crystals, walls covered in gold trim, and tables set with so many forks it made me wonder if anyone actually knew how to use them all.

Grown-ups in fancy clothes laughed too loudly and carried glasses of champagne like they were accessories. To me, it all felt fake. Except for one thing—the opportunity.

I glanced down at my laptop, carefully hidden beneath the crisp white tablecloth. The cursor blinked, waiting for me to execute the command I’d spent the past week perfecting.

Sophia, or as I sarcastically called her in my head, "Mother of the Year," stood on stage, her red dress glinting under the spotlights. Her makeup was flawless, and her posture screamed confidence. It was like she’d stepped out of one of those boring magazines she always had lying around the house.

The crowd quieted as she approached the microphone. This was it. My moment.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she began, her voice smooth and practiced. “Thank you all for coming tonight. Your support means everything to us.”

Tiny Wonders. Her pride and joy. A toy company she built from the ground up, thanks to my father’s funds.

If she thought this night was going to go perfectly, she had another thing coming.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard. The teleprompter scrolled innocently in front of her, feeding her carefully crafted lines for her speech. I’d spent hours studying her notes and rewriting them into something a little more... entertaining. All I had to do was hit enter.

“As a proud supporter of...” Sophia paused, her brow furrowing. “Uh...”

She squinted at the screen, her smile faltering for just a moment. That was my cue. I pressed the key.

“...tiny creatures who love glitter and... unicorn dung?” Her voice wavered, disbelief creeping into her tone.

The audience’s polite chuckles turned into confused murmurs. I bit down on my lip to keep from laughing out loud. This was gold.

Sophia’s eyes darted around the room, searching for some kind of lifeline. But there wasn’t one. Not tonight. Not with me running the show. That was for hurting Dr. Ava, for ripping up my drawing.

“...and who believe that every child deserves a magical, rainbow-filled future,” she continued, her voice strained as she tried to salvage the moment. Clearly making up the speech off her head now, ignore the screen.

I leaned back in my chair, smug. Sure, it wasn’t much. But the small bit of pay back for everything she’s done was worth it.

Sophia's POV

“Magical, rainbow-filled future?” My own words echoed in my head, sharp and mocking as I fought to keep my composure. What in the world was going on?

The teleprompter’s lines scrolled faster than I could process. “...as CEO of Tiny Wonders, I pledge to...” My voice faltered, staring at the screen. ‘Distribute glitter cannons to every child by 2025?’

What the...?

A smattering of awkward laughter rippled through the room. My cheeks burned, but I forced a smile—tight, controlled, and masking the storm brewing inside me. This wasn’t just an accident. No, this had fingerprints all over it.

I’d endured worse—grueling investor meetings, botched product launches, even Owen’s endless pranks. But this? This felt like a deliberate slap in the face.

“Clearly, we’re experiencing a bit of technical difficulty,” I said, injecting a light laugh into my voice. The crowd chuckled politely, though their expressions ranged from amused to puzzled.

Let them laugh. I’d make sure this moment was the only thing they remembered about tonight—for the right reasons.

“Let me speak from the heart instead,” I continued, stepping away from the podium with measured grace. “Tiny Wonders has always been about more than just toys. It’s about creating joy, sparking creativity, and giving children the tools to imagine a better world.”

The murmurs died down, replaced by focused attention. Good. I had them back, and I wasn’t letting go.

Then I saw him. Owen. Seated near the back, his dark eyes sparkled with barely concealed glee as he poked at his plate, feigning innocence.

My stomach twisted, the pieces snapping into place. That look—it was the same one he’d worn when he swapped my phone’s language to French, grinning as I stumbled through menus for hours.

The ungrateful brat. This… this was too much.

“Thank you all for believing in our mission,” I concluded, my voice unwavering despite the heat building behind my eyes. “Together, we can bring a little more magic into children’s lives.”

The audience erupted into applause, their smiles oblivious to the fire licking at my insides.

My heels clicked sharply against the polished floor as I marched straight to Owen’s table, each step deliberate and precise. He didn’t look up, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching, fighting a smirk.

He thought this was funny. He thought he’d won.

I wanted to strangle him. Well, not literally, but close enough. Owen’s smirk told me he knew exactly what he’d done, and worse, he was proud of it.

Owen's POV

Uh-oh. The jig was up.

Sophia’s face was the perfect mix of calm fury—like a volcano about to erupt. Her eyes, cold and calculating, sent a shiver down my spine as she crouched next to me. Her smile, still fixed in place, was like a mask hiding something far more dangerous. Anyone watching wouldn’t suspect a thing, but I could feel the heat of her anger radiating from her.

“Owen, darling,” she purred, her voice dripping with sweet venom as she leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”

I shrugged, forcing my best innocent look. “Nice speech?”

Her eyes narrowed, and I saw something dark flicker behind them. “You hacked the teleprompter.”

I froze for a moment, my stomach dropping. “What? Me? I’m just a kid,” I stammered, pretending to be clueless. “How would I even know how to do that?”

Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She was toying with me. “You’re grounded. For a month.”

I managed a grin, trying to keep my cool. Totally worth it.

But then she leaned in even closer, her voice now a chilling whisper, a threat hanging in the air. “You will regret this.”

I raised an eyebrow, trying to push past the unease creeping up my spine. “I’m already grounded. What more—”

Her hand, cold as ice, slid up my shoulder to my cheek, and I flinched at the contact. “You aren’t the one who’s going to pay for it, my love.”

My heart skipped a beat as she stood, her smirk one of someone who knew she had me right where she wanted me. I watched her glide back into the crowd, her head held high, like nothing had happened. Like she was untouchable.

I closed my laptop slowly, my hands shaking slightly as I slipped it into my backpack. Maybe… not my best plan.

Sure, I knew Sophia would be upset, but the look in her eyes… it was different this time. Colder. Even for her, that was saying something. But if I wasn’t the one who was going to pay for it… then who?

My blood ran cold.