Eva couldn't focus. The steady hum of office activity around her blurred into background noise as Nathan's proposition replayed in her mind like a broken record.
Be my girlfriend.
The words felt surreal, as though she'd stepped into a soap opera instead of her meticulously planned new life. She had come to this city for a fresh start, to bury the ghosts of her past, not to invite more complications into her already fragile emotional state.
But the practical side of her couldn't ignore the opportunity Nathan presented. A significant bonus? The financial freedom that could provide was tempting. She could finally stop worrying about her dwindling savings or the looming reminders of the wedding expenses she never got to use.
Eva stared at the framed photo on her desk. It was of her and Adam on one of their happier days, taken during a picnic in the park. She looked so carefree in the picture, her head resting on Adam's shoulder as they laughed at a joke only they understood.
Her chest tightened. It had been three years since she'd lost him, but the pain felt as fresh as ever. The nightmares of that hospital room, of holding his hand as his breathing slowed, still haunted her.
"Eva?"
The sound of her name jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Mary, the receptionist, peeking into her office.
"Are you okay? You've been staring at that screen for a while now."
Eva forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."
Mary nodded sympathetically. "Well, Mr. Burns just called for you. He's waiting in his office."
Eva's stomach flipped. She wasn't ready to face Nathan again, not when she still hadn't made a decision. But she knew avoiding him wasn't an option.
Nathan was standing by the window when Eva entered his office, his posture relaxed but his expression unreadable. He turned to her as the door clicked shut.
"Miss Blackwell," he said, his tone as smooth as ever. "Have you given my offer any thought?"
Eva clasped her hands together, her nerves bubbling to the surface. "I have, but it's… a lot to process."
Nathan gestured for her to sit, his gaze never leaving hers. "I understand. It's not every day your boss asks you to pretend to be his girlfriend."
She couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. "No, it's not."
Nathan leaned against his desk, crossing his arms. "Look, I know this isn't a traditional request, but I wouldn't be asking if it weren't important. My family is relentless, and this arrangement would benefit both of us. You help me, and I make it worth your while."
Eva hesitated, her mind tugging in two different directions. "And what exactly would this… arrangement entail?"
Nathan's lips curved into a small smile. "Good question. It would involve attending family functions, public events, and the occasional dinner. You'd need to act the part—convincing my family and the media that we're in a committed relationship. Nothing more."
"And how long would this last?"
"Until the pressure eases," Nathan said. "A few months, maybe six. After that, we part ways, and you can go back to your normal life."
Eva chewed on her bottom lip, weighing the pros and cons. It sounded simple enough in theory, but she knew better than to believe it would be that easy.
"And what if someone finds out it's fake?" she asked.
Nathan shrugged. "They won't. My family's too focused on appearances to dig too deep, and the media thrives on spectacle, not substance. As long as we stick to the plan, no one will suspect a thing."
Eva looked away, her gaze drifting to the city skyline outside his window. Part of her wanted to say no, to walk away from this madness and keep her life as simple as possible. But another part of her—the part that remembered the mounting bills and the ache of loneliness—considered the possibility of stepping outside her comfort zone.
"You make it sound so… transactional," she said finally.
"That's because it is," Nathan replied. "This isn't about emotions or attachment. It's about solving a problem—for both of us."
His words, though blunt, had a strange kind of appeal. Eva had spent the past three years running from emotions, from attachment, from anything that could hurt her. A transactional arrangement sounded… safe.
"What's your hesitation?" Nathan asked, his voice softer now.
Eva met his gaze, her own conflicted. "I'm not sure I can pretend to be someone I'm not. I've never been good at… putting on a show."
"You don't need to be," Nathan said. "Just be yourself. My family doesn't need a perfect actress—they need to see that I'm with someone who grounds me. And you fit the bill."
Her heart skipped at his words, though she told herself they were just part of his pitch.
After a long pause, Eva sighed. "Okay."
Nathan's brows lifted slightly. "Okay?"
"I'll do it," she said, the weight of her decision settling over her. "But on one condition."
Nathan straightened. "Name it."
"If this gets too complicated—if it starts affecting my life beyond work—I'm out," she said firmly.
"Fair enough," Nathan said, extending a hand. "Do we have a deal?"
Eva stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it. "Deal."
Later that evening, Eva sat in her apartment, staring at the contract Nathan had emailed her. It outlined everything they had discussed: the events she would attend, the duration of their arrangement, and the hefty bonus she would receive.
It felt surreal seeing it all in writing, like something out of a romance novel. But this wasn't fiction—it was her life.
As she signed her name at the bottom, a sense of finality washed over her. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but one thing was certain: her life was about to change.