ENTANGLED BY BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS

Chapter 9: Mother's Special Day

[ZACH]

I paced the length of my office, my fingers tapping restlessly against the screen of my phone. The city lights of New York sprawled out beneath me, a glittering reminder of everything I controlled, or at least, tried to control. My brother Zayn was always a wildcard, though. While I thrived in the cold, calculated world of finance, he had chosen the unpredictable life of a medical doctor in Africa, far removed from our high-rise upbringing. He was cool and playful, always had been, the complete opposite of my own disciplined, somewhat aloof nature.

Mom’s 60th birthday was coming up, and it was a big deal. She had told me earlier to talk to Zayn in making an attendance and she had been hinting for months about having both her sons at her side for the celebration. It was the least we could do after everything she’d done for us. I sighed, knowing that convincing Zayn to leave his work and fly halfway across the world was going to be a challenge.

Taking a deep breath, I dialed his number. It rang a few times before he picked up, his voice light and carefree as always.

"Hey, Zach! Long time no hear. What's up, brother?"

"Zayn, I need to talk to you about Mom’s birthday party next week," I began, trying to keep my tone steady.

"Ah, the big 6-0. I know, I know," Zayn replied, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "But, Zach, things are crazy here. The clinic is understaffed, and we've got a malaria outbreak. It's not exactly the best time for a trip."

I could feel my frustration building, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Look, I understand how busy you are. But this is important. She’s been looking forward to this for months. Can't you make an exception, just this once?"

There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost hear him weighing his options. "I'll see what I can do, but no promises. If something urgent comes up, I might have to leave early."

"Thank you, Zayn. It means a lot to her." I said, feeling a small sense of relief.

As we hung up, I sank into my chair, feeling the tension ease just a bit. At least he agreed to try. I turned my thoughts to Pearl, who had been excited to accompany me to the party. She was not just my assistant; she was reliable, competent, and someone I could trust to help me navigate family gatherings with grace. And, of course, her presence would also serve as a subtle deterrent to my mother's persistent marriage talks if I'd have gone alone- a bonus I was grateful for.

The days had been building up to this moment, like a crescendo of excitement and nervous energy. Finally, the evening of my mother's 60th birthday party had arrived, and the atmosphere was palpable with anticipation. I picked up my phone to call Pearl to know if she was ready so I could come pick her up. But instead, my phone rang and it was Pearl.

“Sir, I’m really sorry about this,” she said, sounding genuinely distressed. “I had an emergency and can't make it to your mom’s birthday party.”

I took a deep breath. “I understand. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just a personal issue. I wanted to ask if it would be alright if my friend Julie took my place. She’s great, and I think she’d fit in well.”

I hesitated for a moment. I didn’t know Julie, but I trusted Pearl’s judgment. “If you think she’ll be a good fit, then okay. Thanks for arranging this on such short notice.”

“Thank you sir. I’ll let Julie know. I’m really sorry again.”

“It’s fine, Miss Collins. Take care of yourself.”

We hung up, and I felt a mix of concern and curiosity. Pearl rarely let anything interfere with her duties. Whatever the emergency was, it must be serious. For now, I had to trust that Julie would fill in seamlessly. My focus needed to be on making sure everything was perfect for Mom’s birthday.

[PEARL]

I lay on the couch, clutching a hot water bottle to my abdomen, wincing as another wave of pain washed over me. My period hit me out of nowhere, and there was no way I could make it to the party. I hated letting Zach down, especially since I knew how much this meant to him.

Julie sat across from me, flipping through a magazine, her boredom palpable. She’d been so excited to hear about the party even though she wasn't in attendance before.

"Julie," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the pain. "How would you feel about going to the party in my place?"

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious? I mean, I’d love to, but are you sure it’s okay with Zach?"

"I’ll call him and ask. He’s pretty understanding, and I trust you. You’d do great," I replied, reaching for my phone.

Julie watched as I dialed Zach's number, biting her lip nervously. He picked up almost immediately.

“Sir, I’m really sorry about this,” I began, feeling awful for bailing on him. “I had an emergency and can’t make it to your mom’s birthday party.”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.

“Yeah, it’s just a personal issue. I wanted to ask if it would be alright if my friend Julie took my place. She’s great, and I think she’d fit in well.”

There was a pause, and I held my breath. Finally, he said, “If you think she’ll be a good fit, then okay. Thanks for arranging this on such short notice.”

“Thank you sir. I’ll let Julie know. I’m really sorry again.”

“It’s fine, Miss Collins. Take care of yourself.”

We hung up, and I turned to Julie with a smile. “You’re going to the party. He said it’s fine.”

Julie’s face lit up. “Really? Wow, thank you, Pearl! I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.”

I watched as she rushed off to get ready, a sense of relief washing over me. At least someone would be there to support Zach. I couldn’t shake the guilt of letting him down, but there was no way I could attend in my current state.

Later that evening, I closed my eyes, trying to relax, but my mind kept drifting back to Zach. I wondered how the party was going, if Zayn showed up, and if Zach was okay without me there. Despite the pain, I felt a pang of longing, wishing I could be by his side.