by Tyla Walker
“Well, since you decided to push my hand, I too decided to propose to a woman that I have been seeing for quite some time.” I tell him as I stand in front of his desk, not even bothering to take a seat.
“Really?” A dubious look forms on my father’s face as he sits up. “Let us meet this woman that you’re talking about then.”
“Fine. We can meet at Sevilla’s. I’ll let you know when and what time my wife-to-be will be available in the next few days.” I decide to let Sophia meet my parents at a restaurant instead of our house because I figure that it would be less stressful for her.
“Alright then, you can go now if you don’t have anything else to say. I’ll call your mom and let her know this news of yours.” My father waves me off and turns his chair back from me. “This should be interesting.” I hear him mumble before pulling his phone out of his pocket to call my mother.
I head out of his office and start heading to mine. I take a seat as I grab the ring box from my pocket and open it. The ring really does look nice.
I sigh as I admire the piece of jewellery in my hands. Just because I don’t want a permanent personal relationship, doesn’t mean that I’m a jerk. In all honestly, it’s been hard to find a woman who didn’t bore me to death. In addition to that, most of the women that I’ve tried to date were obviously just out for my money.
I then start to think about the upcoming dinner with my parents. I get up from my desk and head out. I walk to Sophia’s direction and stop as soon as I reach her station.
“Are you busy?” I ask as I lean on the corner of her cubicle.
“Oh, good morning, Alan.” She looks up a bit startled. “Uh – just a little. Do you need anything?”
“I do actually.” I state as I look around. “I’m going to need you to pass your agenda to someone else for the rest of the day and go with me.” She looks at me with a puzzled look on her face.
“Hey, Johnny!” I call the intern from the cubicle next to Sophia’s. “Please takeover Ms. Murray’s task for today. We have an important appointment that we need to attend to.” I wink at Sophia as I instruct the intern.
“Yes, sir!” The intern enthusiastically replies as I gesture for Sophia to get up and go with me.
“Uh Mr. Spencer, if I may ask, what appointment were you referring to earlier?” She hesitantly asks while I continue to drive.
“We’re going dress shopping.” I simply state.
“Dress shopping?” She asks.
“Yeah, you and I will have dinner with my parents. They want to meet you.” I glance to her direction and see her eyes widen at my statement.
She doesn’t say anything else and keeps quiet for the rest of the ride. When we arrive at the mall, I take her to my family’s go-to clothing boutique.
“You can take a look around and pick whatever you want. I’ll wait for you by the counter.” I let her roam around, so that she can feel comfortable in choosing.
A few minutes later, she approaches me holding a single dress. She hands it over to me, and to my surprise, it’s one of the least expensive dresses in the store. I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of expecting for her to come back with a much more expensive dress.
“Are you sure this is the one you want?” I ask.
Sophia only nods and gives me a small smile. I must say, even though it’s not as expensive as I’m expecting it to be, the dress does look great. It’s simple, yet elegant. Quite frankly, it’s exactly just like her.
As I pay for the dress, I can’t help but look at Sophia. The more I do, the more I find myself getting interested in knowing more of who she is.
I guess my father’s right. This should be interesting indeed.
Four
Sophia
"Uh, you really didn't have to buy a new dress for me, but thank you, Alan," I shyly tell him as we walk out of the boutique. He's even carrying the paper bag for me.
"Don't worry about it. In fact, I should be the one thanking you for saying yes to such an unusual request," Alan shrugs his shoulders. "Oh, and by the way, just call me Alan. We don't need formalities if we want my father to believe that you're actually my fiancé."
Well, he has a point. We're only buying this dress because of our deal. It's not like I demanded him to do this. After all, this is a legitimate business expense, so I'll allow myself not to feel guilty and awkward about this.
The expression on his face when I handed the dress over to him earlier at the boutique suddenly starts replaying in my head. I'm not sure if he thinks that the dress is ugly or he is just surprised that I didn't pick out something more expensive.
I admit that I deliberately let myself go for an inexpensive dress. Well, I have two reasons for that. One is because I don't want Alan to think that I'm taking advantage of the situation by letting him buy me expensive things and two, I just have no interest in the higher-priced dresses.
Those dresses at the store are a bit too showy for me and my liking. I've always been the kind of person that likes simple things. Maybe he's just used to other women who are more into luxurious things, which could possibly explain the expression on his face earlier.
We continue to walk inside the mall with no concrete plan after buying the dress. Alan suddenly stops right in front of a jewelry store and turns to face me.
"Do you want me to buy you jewelry to match with your dress?" he casually asks me.
"Oh no, no, that won't be necessary," I wave both of my hands in front of him. "I could just wear the pearl necklace that my dad gave me for my graduation."
The same expression he had at the boutique earlier appears on his face again. He seems so confused about how I always opt for the more inexpensive alternative. It's like he's expecting me to go on a shopping spree and ask him to pay for all of it.
"Are you sure? We can check and see if you might like something inside," he gestures inside the jewelry store.
"Yes, I'm sure," I nod and give him a reassuring smile.
"Okay then, if you insist. How about we have lunch instead?" Alan asks.
"Well, that I can't say no to," I reply. He chuckles at my answer.
I follow him as we continue to walk and find a place to have lunch. While walking, I can't help but think that perhaps his problem with women is that he's been hanging out with the wrong type, which explains the same expression that's been appearing on his face.
I'm well aware that he hangs out with people in the same circle that he's in, so he's probably used to women who are all about luxury and whatnot. Contrary to their status, even women from the higher class and who come from money themselves could still be gold diggers because they just automatically gravitate toward the more expensive items. It's as though it's part of who they are since they're used to that kind of lifestyle.
"Actually, will it be okay if we have lunch outside of the mall. I know a place just a block away from here," I break away from my thoughts when I hear Alan's voice.
"Uh, sure, anywhere's fine with me," I nod.
We head back to the car and drive to the place that he's talking about. We pull over in front of a small café just a block away just like he said. As I'm about to open the door, the sound of Alan's voice stops me.
"Wait, before we head inside, I have something to give you," he states. "I know it may be uncomfortable if I give it in front of many people, so let me just give it to you here."
For some reason, I feel a bit nervous.
He pulls out a ring box out of his pocket and opens it. Wow, just wow. The ring inside looks so beautiful, yet simple, just the way I like it. Has he been carrying this around this whole time? I look back up, and my eyes meet his.
"I know how people get when they see a proposal, so I decide that it'll be best to just do this before we go inside," he takes the ring out of the box and holds out a hand to me, asking if he can put the ring on me. "May I?"
I respond by lifting my hand out in front of him, he smiles and slowly puts the ring on my finger. I can't help but admire the simpl
icity and elegance of the ring.
"So, I guess you're officially my fake fiancé now," he jokes.
We head inside, and a server immediately assists us to an empty table. She hands us both a set of menus and patiently waits for us to decide on our orders. Once we finish telling her, she heads to the kitchen to hand the order ticket.
A few minutes later, the same server approaches us with our food and places it down on the table.
"Enjoy your meal," she politely says before walking away.
"This looks so good," Alan comments as he smells the food. I can't help but smile.
While eating, we have a good talk about things outside of work. This is the first time that we're having this kind of conversation. Usually, it's about statistics and strategies and inside a conference room.
I must say, now I get why the ladies tend to swoon over him. He's quite charming. Even though he's the son of a billionaire, he doesn't come off as condescending or rude, unlike what most people would think.
He seems to be genuinely interested in what I have to say. I'm honestly surprised to see how he is outside of work. He's just like an ordinary person, and I mean positively. With that, I think this deal won't be as hard as I think it would be.
Five
Alan
I was right. Sophia's an intriguing woman. She isn't vain, or fanciful of expensive and luxurious clothing and jewelry. She can hold a decent conversation just by being herself. Whenever we talk, it doesn't feel strained or uncomfortable.
Everything feels so natural. Suffice to say, I enjoy Sophia's company, and that includes her company outside of the confines of work.
I hear a knock at the door. My secretary comes in.
"Sir, I have a message from your father. He says that he's reminding you to schedule the dinner that you're having with him and your fiancé," she says, reading what is clearly my father's message on a piece of paper.
I fight the urge to just roll my eyes at his message. Even when meeting with my fiancé, he has to hover. First, it's the degree, now it's with getting a wife. When will he treat me like an equal?
I nod at my secretary, assuring her that the message is received. She goes back outside, closing the door behind her.
When meeting with my meticulous father, I can't lead anything up to chance. He can sniff out bullshit from a mile away. We need to get our stories straight.
I need to talk to Sophia about this, but instead of the feeling of stress and dread that comes along from having to come up with a good enough lie, the thought of having an excuse to see Sophia and spend more time with her is appealing.
I make a call to my secretary.
"Linda, would you please call in Sophia to my office," I say.
"Right away, sir," she replies, ending the call.
You'd think that I have better things to do, but seeing as my promotion is on hold, I have all the time in the world.
I sigh at the headache that my father is giving me. The old man really knows how to stick it.
A knock takes me out of my current thoughts.
"Come in," I say.
Sophia walks in, and I can't help but check her out. She looks so fucking sexy, and not the slutty kind, but the refined, classy type.
She is exactly my type.
I resist the usual urge that I have to flirt with her. I can't ruin this arrangement before it even begins. I dismiss my secretary, and now we're left alone in my office.
Oh, the things that I could do to her if only she would let me. She clears her throat awkwardly from the tense atmosphere, snapping me out of my little haze of desire.
"You wanted to see me?" she asks, breaking the silence.
I nod and offer her a seat.
"We need to get our stories straight. We need to go over the details of our relationship, like how we met and how we started dating and such so that we won't arouse my father's suspicion," I tell her.
She nods, "Sure, that makes perfect sense. Although I have to tell you, I'm not very good at lying. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And I don't know why, but for some reason, people just know when I'm lying. It must be pretty obvious from my face."
She looks slightly worried.
I take hold of her hand, soothing her, "Hey, you'll have nothing to worry about. That's why going over the details sooner is going to help."
"Okay, why don't we practice? Lie to me," I tell her.
She looks at me, disbelief written on her face, "What? Right now?"
I nod and explain to her, "No time like the present. Besides, we've got to figure out how people know you're lying, right?"
She looks at me hesitantly but eventually concedes.
"I am a vegetarian," she says, and her nose flares slightly.
Okay, maybe that's it.
"Let's try something else to be sure. How about, I ask you a question, and you answer me with a lie," I suggest.
She nods, looking serious as I contemplate what to ask her. I smirk inwardly, thinking of just what to ask.
"Do you find me attractive?" I ask, a mischievous smirk on my face.
She looks shocked but covers it up with a stoic mask.
"No," she says, and her nose flares again.
I laugh out loud, thoroughly amused. Sophia's face is red in embarrassment, and I find it adorable.
"Okay, you've had your fun," she says with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
My laugh starts to die down, "Alright, I'm sorry. But at least I've figured it out. Your nostrils flare when you lie."
She looks surprised at the revelation and touches her nose.
"Really? I never knew," she says, looking shy.
I smile at her cuteness and encourages her, "Don't worry, now that we know, you can practice on the mirror so that it'll go away."
She nods and gives me a smile.
"Let's go over the details at my house. My mom isn't available today to take care of my daughter, Nina. I don't trust babysitters anyway," she says.
"Sure, no problem. Let's go together after work," I suggest, to which Sophia agrees before leaving my office.
I go back to work but notice that I smile every now and then from remembering how adorable she was earlier.
We arrive at Sophia's place. It's nice and has a homey feel.
A few minutes later, she comes in carrying a little girl in her arms. Her face is hidden in the crook of Sophia's neck.
"Nina, I want you to meet your Uncle Alan. He's a really good friend of mommy's and wants to be your friend too. Say hi to him, baby," she says, coaxing her daughter to look at me.
She follows her mother's advice and looks at me warily.
"Hi," she says shyly.
I give her one of my most charming smiles.
"Hey there, Nina. Let's be good friends," I say. She then opens out her arms for me to carry her.
Sophia looks surprised, "She's never taken to a stranger so quickly."
I give her a smile.
"I'm just that charming," I say, now carrying Nina in my arms.
"Why don't you get started on dinner. I'll take care of her," I say.
"If you're sure," she says, to which I nod. I look at the cute little girl in my arms.
"So, what do you want to do, Nina?" I ask.
She gives me a smile and points to a tiny table with some coloring materials.
"You want to color?" I ask.
"Yes!" she says excitedly.
"Alright," I chuckle.
We color for a couple of minutes, and I like Sophia's daughter already before Sophia tells us dinner is ready.
"I made some lasagna and salad. I hope that's okay," Sophia says, offering me a seat at the table.
I take out a bite of the lasagna and some salad and moan.
"It's delicious, Sophia. Thank you for making such a nice meal," I tell her before shoveling some more lasagna in my mouth.
"Thank you," she says while feeding Nina.
"Since I'm not that comfortable at lying, we should just answer vagu
ely, or you know, stick to the truth as much as possible. Like, we met at the company and talked about statistics. We bounced around a couple of ideas and enjoyed spending time together, and then we started dating," Sophia suggests.
I nod, "That's a good idea."
We continue to talk to get to know each other. And as I get to know Sophia, I can't help but admire her teasing wit, sarcastic sense of humor, a strong sense of integrity, and her vision of making a difference in the world.
She even frequently volunteers in animal shelters along with her daughter, who enjoys playing with the puppies and kittens.
As we continue talking, I realized that I indeed chose the right woman to be my fiancé.
Six
Sophia
Tonight is the night. I'll be meeting Alan's parents, and I'll be having dinner with the CEO of WS Engineering. I'm nervous as fuck. I'm not a very social person. The only reason I even got along with Alan was that we started talking about statistics first.
I even tried going to the mirror to practice so that my nostrils won't flare when I'm lying. So far, I seem to have it under control, at least if I'm not surprised by the question.
I go to my parents' room and knock.
"Can I talk to you guys for a minute," I ask through the door.
They come out, looking slightly worried.
"What is it, dear?" Mom asks.
"I have something to tell you guys. But before that, I need you guys to watch Nina tonight," I tell them.
They look at me curiously and asks, and asks, "You know we don't mind watching over our granddaughter. But what's this all about?"
I let out a breath and decide to just tell them.
"My boss's son asked me to marry him so he can get promoted. His name is Alan, by the way. In exchange, he offered to pay for my student loans and Nina's college fees. All I have to do is pretend to be his fiancé. Once he gets promoted, we'll just say that the engagement is off. And tonight, I'm meeting his parents," I explain, garnering disapproving looks from my father, and a slightly worried look from my mother.