Author's POV
"Owen, Mom's talking to you. Are you even listening?" Vivian Duncan couldn't understand why her brother seemed so impatient after just ten minutes at the table, already distracted and barely responding.
Patricia Duncan frowned slightly. "Is there something urgent at the company? If you need to handle business, you can go. Vivian can keep me company."
Owen Duncan lazily shifted his gaze back to the table. "It's nothing important."
Patricia nodded once. "About the Cooper family's daughter—what do you think?"
"I don't think anything about it," he replied dismissively.
His eyes drifted again to Aria, sitting about a few tables behind. From this distance, Owen couldn't see her clearly, only catching glimpses of her smile as she chatted with her friend. Then, as
