Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

ZAYN

I pulled up to Hudson's house. Hudson and Diana's house. It was so good to see Hudson doing well. His recovery was working for him. Gone were the days his place was filled with naked women and more alcohol than a bar.

We all changed our habits to make sure we didn't jeopardize his sobriety. He said we didn't have to change our casual drinking to suit him, but we did. We all knew how close we had come to losing him. We weren't going to risk him being tempted and falling back on hard times.

I parked the car, turned off the engine, and took a moment to gather my thoughts. I had made my decision to follow through with my brother's ridiculous scheme.

Now, it was time to tell him.

The door opened before I could knock. Hudson stood there, a grin on his face. "Hey, man. Glad you could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it," I said, forcing a smile. "Where's everyone?"

"Hayes is in the living room, and Diana's just finishing up in the kitchen. Come on in."

I followed Hudson inside. The scent of whatever Diana was cooking wafted through the air—something savory, with just a hint of spice. It made my stomach growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since lunch.

We walked into the living room, where Hayes was lounging on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. He looked up as we entered, a soda can in his hand. "Zayn," he greeted with a nod. "What's up?"

Hudson handed me a soda. No beers like the old days. I popped it open, taking a long sip. The fizzy sweetness was refreshing, but it did little to calm the nerves buzzing under my skin.

"So," Hudson said, sitting down next to Hayes. "What's going on? You sounded serious on the phone."

I took a deep breath, deciding there was no point in beating around the bush. "I did it."

"You did what?" Hudson asked.

"I made a deal with Marigold—the girl from the wedding in Mallorca."

Hayes raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "The one who claimed you as her fiancé?"

"Yeah, that one," I said with a wry smile.

"You're going to marry her?" Hayes asked.

"Yes. Not for real, but yes. Just long enough to smooth things over and get everyone off my back. That's what you guys wanted, right?"

Hudson and Hayes exchanged glances, then looked back at me. "And she agreed to this?" Hudson asked, his tone skeptical.

"She did," I said firmly. "But only after I promised her full control over how we handle things. No surprises, no last-minute changes. We're in this together."

"And you're going to pay her," Hudson said with a half-smile.

I grinned. "Half a million."

Hayes leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Honestly, I think it's a great idea. The media loves a good redemption story, and this could turn everything around."

"Exactly," I said. "It's a win-win. We control the narrative, and by the time the nonprofit is up and running smoothly, we can quietly end things and move on."

Hudson nodded slowly. "It could work," he admitted. "But you know it's a risky move. If the media finds out it's all a hoax?—"

"They won't," I interrupted, my voice firm. "We're going to be careful. You're the two that suggested I pretend to be married. Don't start shooting holes in the plan now."

Before he could respond, there was a gasp followed by someone clearing their throat. Diana appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "What's this about pretending to be married?" she asked, her sharp gaze settling on me.

I sighed, knowing this was where the real challenge would begin. "Diana, I was just explaining to Hudson and Hayes?—"

"Let me guess," she said, cutting me off as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You think this is a good idea. A way to fix your image and save the nonprofit. Did I get that right?"

I looked at Hudson. He silently pleaded with me not to rat him out. I was going to take the fall. "It's more than just about my image. It's about making sure the nonprofit gets the support it needs. If my reputation is a liability, we're going to lose funding, and that can't happen. They need to believe I've settled down."

Diana shook her head, her expression a mix of exasperation and concern. "Zayn, you're playing with fire. Have you thought about what happens if the media finds out? What would happen to the nonprofit then? This isn't just about you—it's about the people who will benefit from what you and your brothers are trying to build."

I opened my mouth to respond, but she wasn't done. "Reputations can be rebuilt. Scandals can be weathered. But if this blows up in your face, the people who need that nonprofit are the ones who will suffer. Don't lose sight of that."

Hudson stood up and walked over to Diana, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You're right," he said softly. "You're always right. We can't afford to let this backfire. We have to be smart. But he's doing this for me."

"For you?"

"Partly for me," he said. "We both know my reputation has taken a hard hit. Yes, I'm a new man and they're not going to come right out and tell a recovering addict that he's a problem. They're putting the blame on Zayn."

Diana smiled. "Just don't let your egos get in the way of what really matters."

"We won't," I promised, feeling the weight of her words settle on my shoulders. "I won't."

"Good," she said, pulling away from Hudson and giving us all a pointed look. "Because if you mess this up, you'll have me to answer to."

Hayes chuckled, raising his soda can in a mock salute. "Noted."

Diana shook her head with a smile and turned to leave. "I'm going to take a bubble bath. You boys can finish your chit-chat without me. Dinner is ready when you're ready to eat."

"You're not joining us?" Hayes asked.

"No. Goodnight."

We watched her go, and as soon as she was out of earshot, Hudson let out a low whistle. "She's got a point, you know."

"I know," I admitted. "But this is the best way forward. You guys were right. And I trust Marigold. We'll get the nonprofit up and running. The media will have moved on to the next scandal. We'll be able to end the engagement quietly and move on with our lives."

Hudson looked like he wanted to say more, but before he could, there was a knock at the door. Hudson went to answer it and returned a moment later with our brother Kameron.

"Kam," Hayes greeted him, raising his soda. "Just in time. We were just talking about Zayn's latest PR strategy."

Kameron raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "Oh? What's he up to now?"

I quickly filled Kameron in on the plan. As I spoke, his expression grew more serious. By the time I finished, he was shaking his head. "Diana's right, Zayn. This is a bad idea. Abort mission."

I frowned, not liking the pushback. "Come on, Kameron. You know how the media works. They're like vultures. If we don't do something, they'll pick us apart. This is exactly what we need to get the board's full confidence behind us. And it takes the heat off?—"

"Me," Hudson finished.

"And me," Hayes added.

"So Zayn is the sacrificial lamb?" Kameron said.

"Yes." I nodded. "Trust me, I was not on board with this, but I get it. And Marigold could use the money. It's a good idea."

"And he's not exactly sad about hanging out with the woman that rocked his world in Mallorca," Hayes teased.

Kameron sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I get it, Zayn. I do. But you're putting a lot of faith in someone you barely know. What if Marigold decides she's had enough and blows the whole thing up? What if the media catches wind of it? This could go south fast."

"I trust her," I said, my voice firm. "She's not going to let me down. And as for the media, they're always looking for the next big story. By the time we're ready to end this, they'll have moved on."

Hudson leaned back on the couch, his expression thoughtful. "I hope you're right, Zayn. Because if you're not, this could take down everything we've worked for. You can't do what you do. You need to commit to this. To the woman. You can't be caught with another woman and create a cheating scandal."

"I won't let that happen," I said, my resolve hardening. "We're going to pull this off. Trust me."

Kameron exchanged a glance with Hudson and Hayes, then shrugged. "All right. Just be careful, okay? And don't let this fake engagement mess with what's really important."

"I won't. I promise."

Kameron seemed satisfied with that for the moment, but then his expression shifted to something more serious. "Speaking of what's important, have any of you seen Dad lately?"

Hudson, Hayes, and I shared a look, then shook our heads. "We've all been busy," Hayes admitted. "Why? What's going on?"

Kameron leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly. "He did something crazy a couple of weeks ago."

"What do you mean?" I asked, a sudden sense of foreboding creeping over me.

Kameron hesitated. He wasn't a dramatic person, so none of this was for show. He was truly freaked out. "He bought a ring."

The room went silent as we all processed what Kameron had just said. Finally, Hudson broke the silence. "A ring? You mean he's going to propose?"

Kameron nodded. "Yeah. To Kathy. Aunt Kathy. And he wants all of our help to do it when the time is right."

A rush of emotions flooded through me—surprise, happiness, and a deep sense of pride in my old man. He'd been through so much, and if anyone deserved a shot at love, it was him. Especially with Kathy, the woman he'd never truly forgotten.

"That's amazing," I said, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "Dad deserves this. Whatever he needs, I'm in."

"Aunt Kathy is going to be our stepmom. That should earn some headlines."

We all shared a laugh.

"Seriously," Kameron said. "Are we going to help him?"

"We'll make it happen," Hayes said. "Whatever it takes."

Kameron nodded, clearly pleased with our reaction. But then he turned to me, his expression turning serious again. "Just don't let this PR stunt get in the way of the real Bancroft proposal, Zayn. Dad and Kathy deserve this."

I felt a flicker of annoyance at his words but swallowed it down, reminding myself that Kameron was only looking out for our family. "I won't," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I'll make sure everything goes off without a hitch."

Kameron studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Because this is too important to mess up. Dad's not getting any younger. We all want them to be happy. All of us. All fifty-two brothers or whatever the count is."

I couldn't help but laugh. My uncle Art had made womanizing a career. The man had nine sons that the family knew about. The man was like Johnny Appleseed spreading his seed everywhere he went.

And apparently, he only delivered Y chromosomes. I seriously wondered if the world would eventually all be related to the Bancroft family within the next couple of generations.

Yes, I was a little offended by Kameron insinuating I might somehow screw this all up, but I let it go. I wasn't in the mood to argue.

I was going to make this work, both with Marigold and with helping our father propose to the love of his life. There was no room for error, no margin for failure.

No matter what it took.