Chapter Two — The Offer
By 10:45 a.m., I'd already triple-checked my email, refilled my coffee twice, and tried to convince myself that the man from the rain wasn't actually my boss.
I failed.
His presence was like gravity — the air in the office shifted when he walked by. Conversations hushed. People sat straighter, as if good posture alone might keep them in his good graces.
When the intercom on my desk crackled to life, my stomach flipped.
"Sarah Bennett," a low, even voice said. "My office. Now."
It wasn't a request.
I knocked lightly before stepping in. His office was all glass and shadows, sunlight spilling over the city skyline behind him. Alex Williams stood with his back to me, looking out over the streets like he owned them.
"Close the door," he said without turning.
I did. The quiet that followed made my heartbeat sound louder.
Finally, he faced me. "We've met before."
It wasn't a question, but I still nodded. "Outside the diner. Last week."
His eyes sharpened. "You were crying."
I swallowed hard. "Is this… part of the interview process?"
One corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "You left before I could speak to you."
"Probably because you were staring at me like I'd stolen something," I said, my voice coming out sharper than I intended.
That twitch again — amusement, maybe. "I don't stare without reason."
"And what reason did you have?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked to his desk, picked up a leather folder, and slid it toward me. "Sit."
Against my better judgment, I did.
Inside the folder was a series of photographs. Candid shots of him at charity events, with politicians, at company galas… and one of him standing beside an older man in a wheelchair, both of them smiling stiffly for the camera.
"My grandfather," Alex said. "He's not well. And he believes I'm in a committed relationship."
The words settled slowly in my mind, like puzzle pieces falling into place.
"You're not," I said.
"No." His gaze didn't waver. "But for reasons you don't need to know, it's important he keeps believing it. Which is where you come in."
I blinked. "I'm sorry — what?"
"I need a girlfriend. A convincing one. For one month."
I let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You can't be serious."
"Completely."
"And you thought… what? The girl you saw having a public meltdown in the rain was the perfect choice?"
His expression didn't change, but something in his voice softened, just slightly. "You looked… real. Not polished, not fake. Real. My grandfather will believe you."
The nerve of this man. "So you want me to lie to a sick old man for you?"
"Yes." He said it so calmly I almost missed the weight behind it.
I shook my head. "I just started this job. You can't ask me to—"
"I'm not asking." His voice cut through mine, low and firm. "You'll be compensated. Generously. Enough to make the decision… easy."
Money. Always money. I should have walked out right then.
But instead, I thought about the rent due next month, the medical bills from my mother's fall, the growing pile of debts I'd been pretending didn't exist.
I hated him for knowing I'd think about it.
"Why me?" I asked finally.
His eyes locked on mine. "Because I don't trust easily. And for some reason… I trust you."
The room felt too warm. My pulse was too loud.
"You don't even know me," I said.
"Maybe not. But I know you have nothing to gain from hurting me. And that makes you valuable."
I didn't realize I'd been gripping the arms of the chair until my fingers ached.
"I can't give you an answer right now," I managed.
"You have twenty-four hours," he said. "After that, the offer disappears."
---
I stood, ready to leave, when his voice stopped me at the door.
"Sarah."
I turned.
"If you say yes," he said, his tone quieter now, "you'll have to play the part all the way. In public, and in private. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Understand?"
My throat felt dry. "Yeah. I understand."
"Good." His eyes held mine for a beat too long. "Because once we start… there's no going back."
I didn't know then that saying yes wouldn't just be a lie for his grandfather — it would be the first step into a game I had no idea how to win.