It was another Friday night at Paradise Club. The dancefloor was slightly crowded, voices rising as people partied like it might be their last. Lisa tapped her heels to the rhythm of the song playing, her fingers drumming along the tray's edge.
"Lisa, someone's looking for you," Daphne called, hurrying over. She gestured toward the staircase that led to the VIP rooms. "The woman from the other night—Chanel purse. She's upstairs."
Lisa raised her brows. "Chanel purse? That's how you remembered her?"
Daphne laughed, tossing her hair back. "Please. My knockoffs would cry if they saw the real thing that close. Go on, she's been waiting."
Lisa shook her head with a small smile. "You're hilarious."
"I'll be here if you need rescuing." Daphne winked, blowing her a kiss before disappearing into the crowd.
Lisa balanced the tray against her hip as she made her way upstairs, her thoughts tumbling. She still remembered the woman from the other night. The drunk confession about a marriage she didn't want, the mascara streaks, and those crazy ideas. Why was she back now?
When she stepped into the room, she blinked twice. Jennifer was looking different. No smudged makeup and slumped posture. She sat with her legs crossed at the ankle, her silk dress hugging her frame. A diamond bracelet glimmered on her wrist, catching Lisa's eye as she set her Hermès bag neatly on the table beside her. Jennifer looked up, a smile forming like she'd been expecting Lisa all along.
"It's you. My red-haired friend with the listening ears. Come sit." She tapped the seat beside her.
Lisa eased into the seat. "What brings you back? Looking for more listening ears?"
Jennifer let out a soft, melodic laugh. "Thanks for that night. I was a mess, wasn't I?"
"You sure were." Lisa teased, her lips curving.
Jennifer leaned forward, chin in hand, brown eyes boring into Lisa's blue ones. There was something unsettling about the way she stared, as though she could read Lisa's thoughts before she had them.
"Do you remember what I said about the wedding and my crazy ideas to stop it?"
Lisa chuckled softly. "How could I forget?"
"I wasn't joking." Jennifer's smile widened. "I came to ask if you're interested in playing this little game with me."
"A game?"
"Yes. A game. The kind that saves me from a marriage I don't want." Her lips curved. "And maybe Lennie too."
Lisa tilted her head. "What sort of game are we talking about?"
Jennifer's smile widened. "The fake pregnant ex-girlfriend kind. Faking my own death is too much trouble." Jennifer waved a manicured hand. "Which leaves me with... hiring a fake pregnant ex-girlfriend."
Lisa blinked, then let out a disbelieving laugh. "You're serious."
"Dead serious." Jennifer's voice softened, persuasive now. "Lisa, I'm desperate. My father wants this marriage, Lennie's father wants this marriage, and neither of us does. I want you to be Lennie's ex. Pregnant. Nothing too dramatic, just... believable. A story we can sell."
Lisa stared at her, unsure whether to be impressed or horrified. "Why me?"
Jennifer shrugged elegantly, her bracelets chiming against the table. "Because you listened without judgment the other night. You're not from our world, you'll be harder to trace. And because... I like you."
"You want me to pretend to be your fiancé's pregnant ex?"
"Exactly."
Lisa tapped her nails against the table. "Your crazy is... really crazy."
Jennifer smiled, unbothered. "Crazy gets things done. Think of it as acting. A short-term role. You don't even have to like me to do it. I'll pay you." She slid her bag across the table in a deliberate gesture. "I'll buy you a thousand of these if that helps."
Lisa blinked. A thousand? Was she serious, or just trying to make a point?
Lisa pushed the bag back with a finger. "I don't need a thousand of anything. What I do need is to not get destroyed by your family when they find out I'm pretending to be pregnant with their daughter's fiancé's child."
Jennifer laughed lightly. "No one's getting murdered. We'll just have a good reason to call off this wedding, a reason my family can't ignore."
Lisa studied her. There was something magnetic about Jennifer. Her confidence, her calm way of making insanity sound logical. It was almost hypnotic.
"Does he even know about this plan?"
"Lennie? He doesn't know anything yet. He might not even agree. But I'll convince him. I always do."
Lisa frowned. "If you're unsure he'll agree, why are you even trying?"
Jennifer's expression sharpened. "Because he has to. We are both against the marriage. I'm the one coming up with ways to stop this farce while he's off flying around signing contracts."
"I don't know what to say."
"I don't even need you to do much. Honestly, you'd only show up if anyone asks to see you. But if my father or his family press, I need someone real behind the story. Otherwise, the whole thing falls apart."
Lisa leaned back, folding her arms. "I'll think about it. That's all I can promise."
"That's enough." Jennifer's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "I'll set up a meeting soon. You should meet Lennie before you decide."
"My contact info, in case you want to reach out." Jennifer slid a card across the table.
Lisa picked it up, her mind still spinning.
"Thank you for hearing me out. I'll take my leave now." Jennifer said, gathering her bag. Lisa watched as she walked out and shook her head, checking if she was fast asleep, dreaming. But she wasn't in a dream. Jennifer was real and so was her proposal. Lisa shook her head once more, walking out of the room.
Rich people problems. Elena would laugh her head off if she heard this.
When she made it home, Elena was sprawled on the couch, a bowl of popcorn in her lap and a movie paused on the screen. She looked up, grinning. "You're back. How was your day?"
"And you're still up. Why's that?" Lisa asked, placing her bag on the couch.
"I was on a call with Denari. Couldn't sleep after the call so I came down to watch a movie." Elena yawned, wiping her eyes with the back of her palm.
"I see." Lisa teased, settling beside Elena.
"You didn't answer earlier. How was your day?"
"It wasn't that bad. Something interesting happened."
"Spill the tea!" Elena squealed excitedly.
"Days ago, there was this woman. Drunk confession about a marriage she didn't want, and ideas to stop it-crazy ideas, actually. At first, I thought it was just a joke, but she came looking for me tonight and proposed something unbelievable."
"What was it?" Elena asked, dipping her hand into the popcorn bowl.
"She asked me to be her fiancé's pregnant ex-girlfriend."
Elena froze, a piece of popcorn halfway to her mouth. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
Elena blinked. Then burst out laughing so hard she nearly spilled the popcorn. "Lisa! You're kidding me."
"I wish I was. She's serious. Offered to pay me. Apparently, I don't even have to do anything unless they demand proof. I'll just be a ghost in the story until they need me."
Elena sobered, setting the bowl aside. "And you said...?"
"That I'd think about it. Which, by the way, is not a yes." Lisa ran a hand through her hair. "She wants me to meet the guy first."
Elena leaned forward, eyes bright. "So you're actually considering it?"
Lisa groaned. "Don't sound so excited. It's insane."
"It's insane," Elena agreed, though her grin was creeping back. "But also kind of brilliant. You'd get paid. And honestly? You'd make a convincing fake ex. You've got the sarcasm for it."
Lisa threw a cushion at her. "Elena, this isn't a joke."
"I know," Elena said, catching the cushion with a smirk. "But maybe meet the guy. Worst case, you walk away."
Lisa leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Jennifer's hypnotic brown eyes still lingered in her mind. She had the kind that made you forget how to say no. "I'll meet him," Lisa murmured finally. "But that's it. No promises."
Elena grinned, clapping like she just won a prize. "That's my girl."