One & Only

Maurene Goo

One & Only

Maurene Goo
49 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2026

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Cassia is a 39-year-old businesswoman living in Los Angeles who works for her family's company, One & Only Matchmaking. Possessing the inherited ability to read faces and determine fated lovers, she has spent the last ten years waiting to meet her own destined match, Daniel Nam. Her life is heavily structured by her dedication to her family and her lingering grief over her mother's untimely death.

Key Relationships

Romantic Interest of Ellis

Fated Match of Daniel Nam

Best Friend of Marcella

Granddaughter of Halmoni

Great-Niece of Emoni

Niece of Sunny

Daughter of Evette

Daughter of Matthew

Owner of Betty

Ellis is a 28-year-old architectural designer working for Watson and Associates. He is energetic, adaptable, and naturally gifted at horticulture despite lacking formal training. Unburdened by rigid life plans, he provides a sharp contrast to Cassia's highly regimented lifestyle and forces her to question her strict rules regarding age and destiny.

Key Relationships

Romantic Interest of Cassia Park

Employee of Daniel Nam

Friend of Avery

Daniel Nam is a successful firm owner and the man prophesied to be Cassia's fated soulmate. Having grown up in Britain as an adoptee, he only recently reclaimed his Korean surname. He is composed, ambitious, and represents the idyllic future Cassia has always envisioned for herself.

Key Relationships

Fated Match of Cassia Park

Employer of Ellis

Employer of Max

Supporting Characters

Marcella is Cassia's pragmatic and supportive best friend. She manages a busy life as a mother and an aspiring restaurateur. Unlike Cassia's family, Marcella encourages Cassia to take risks, question destiny, and enjoy the present moment without worrying exclusively about the future.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Cassia Park

Wife of Logan

Mother of Ozzie

Mother of Mica

Halmoni is Cassia's maternal grandmother and the matriarch running One & Only Matchmaking. Ten years ago, she read Cassia's face and prophesied her destined match. She is deeply traditional and fiercely protective of her family, hoping to see Cassia settled and happy in a guaranteed future.

Key Relationships

Grandmother of Cassia Park

Mother of Evette

Sister of Emoni

Mother of Sunny

Emoni is Cassia's great-aunt who helps operate the family matchmaking business. She works closely with her sister and nieces to guide clients toward their true loves, sharing the family's staunch belief in predetermined destiny.

Key Relationships

Great-Aunt of Cassia Park

Sister of Halmoni

Aunt of Sunny

Sunny is Cassia's aunt and a core member of the One & Only Matchmaking team. She works alongside Cassia to plan high-profile matchmaking events and strongly advocates for Cassia to follow the path set by her face reading.

Key Relationships

Aunt of Cassia Park

Daughter of Halmoni

Niece of Emoni

Sister of Evette

Romantic Partner of Stu

Evette is Cassia's late mother, who passed away from a brain aneurysm when Cassia was eight years old. Her tragic death serves as a cautionary tale within the family about the dangers of rejecting one's fated match.

Key Relationships

Mother of Cassia Park

Former Wife of Matthew

Daughter of Halmoni

Sister of Sunny

Matthew is Cassia's estranged father. He left the family when Cassia was only two years old because he felt unready for parenthood, a choice that heavily shaped Cassia's upbringing and her family's worldview.

Key Relationships

Father of Cassia Park

Former Husband of Evette

Husband of Rachel

Betty is Cassia's pet cockatoo. Notoriously grumpy and selective about who she tolerates, she serves as a familiar presence in Cassia's heavily structured home life.

Key Relationships

Friendly Toward Ellis

Gemma is a celebrity client at One & Only Matchmaking. She seeks the family's expertise to find her soulmate, demonstrating the high-profile nature of the business.

Key Relationships

Client of Cassia Park

Fated Match of Peter Cruz

Avery is a dog trainer and an acquaintance of Ellis. Her presence occasionally sparks insecurity in Cassia as the complex dynamic between Cassia, Ellis, and Daniel unfolds.

Key Relationships

Friend of Ellis

Acquaintance of Cassia Park

Logan is Marcella's husband and the father of Ozzie and Mica. He forms part of the stable, loving household that Cassia admires and occasionally envies.

Key Relationships

Husband of Marcella

Father of Ozzie

Father of Mica

Ozzie is one of Marcella's two children. He views Cassia as an extended family member and enjoys spending time with her during weekend outings.

Key Relationships

Son of Marcella

Son of Logan

Brother of Mica

Honorary Nephew of Cassia Park

Mica is Marcella's other child. A minor accident involving Mica during a paddleboat outing creates an opportunity for Ellis to demonstrate his reliability to Cassia.

Key Relationships

Son of Marcella

Son of Logan

Brother of Ozzie

Honorary Nephew of Cassia Park

Shreya is an employee at One & Only Matchmaking. She helps manage the office operations but remains unaware of the magical face-reading secret at the heart of the business.

Key Relationships

Employee of Cassia Park

Rachel is Matthew's current wife. She provides a welcoming and accommodating environment when Cassia unexpectedly visits Detroit to confront her past.

Key Relationships

Wife of Matthew

Stepmother of Cassia Park

Max is an employee at Watson and Associates. His upcoming wedding serves as a social event that forces Cassia, Daniel, and Ellis into close proximity.

Key Relationships

Employee of Daniel Nam

Coworker of Ellis