By the time I left Alex Williams' office, my brain felt like it had been thrown into a blender and left on high.
A fake relationship.
With my boss.
For money.
Ridiculous. Insane. Dangerous.
The elevator ride down to the lobby felt too slow, like the building itself wanted to trap me with the decision. My reflection in the mirrored doors looked pale, my hair frizzing from where I'd been running my hands through it.
When I stepped outside, the crisp air slapped my face, and I pulled my phone from my bag. There was only one person I could call.
"Okay, hold up. Run that by me one more time."
Jenna's voice was sharp, the background hum of her coffee shop job bleeding through the line.
I was perched on the edge of my bed, shoes still on, staring at the half-eaten box of crackers on my nightstand. "He wants me to pretend to be his girlfriend. For a month. So his grandfather believes he's in a relationship."
Jenna let out a low whistle. "And you just… met this guy?"
"Not exactly." I told her about the night outside the diner, the rain, the way he'd looked at me. How it had felt like he saw too much.
When I finished, there was a pause.
"Sarah," she said finally, "this sounds like the beginning of a Dateline episode."
I laughed despite myself. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"I'm serious. What's in it for you, besides a possible starring role in a true crime podcast?"
"Money," I admitted. "A lot."
"How much?"
When I told her, the line went quiet for a moment. Then, softly: "Damn."
---
I leaned back against my pillows, closing my eyes. "It's not just the money. It's… I don't know. The way he said he trusted me."
"Sarah, people don't just hand out trust like Halloween candy. Especially guys like him. He wants something, and I don't mean holding your hand for grandpa."
"I know." My voice was small. "But I can't stop thinking about it."
"Because you're broke."
"Because I'm stuck," I corrected. "This could get me unstuck."
Another pause. Then Jenna's voice softened. "You're an adult. You'll do what you think's right. Just… if you say yes, promise me you won't fall for him."
I laughed again, a little too quickly. "That's not even a risk."
---
That night, I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face — that calm, unreadable expression. The way his voice dipped when he said, Once we start, there's no going back.
By morning, I'd convinced myself to say no.
Until I checked my mailbox.
The letter from the hospital was small and white, but my stomach dropped when I saw the return address. I ripped it open, and my hands shook as I read the new total on my mother's medical bill.
Four thousand more than last month. Four thousand I didn't have.
My phone buzzed. An unknown number.
"Sarah Bennett?" Alex's voice, cool and precise.
"Yes."
"You have twelve hours left."
I stared at the bill in my hand. My throat felt tight. "I know."
"I need your answer."
I closed my eyes. Jenna's warning echoed in my head. Don't fall for him.
"I'll do it," I said.
There was a beat of silence on the line. Then Alex said, "Good. Be ready. I'm picking you up at seven tonight."
I didn't know whether to feel relief… or fear.