Theodore arrived at the office earlier than usual. The soft click of his polished shoes echoed in the quiet hallway, and as he pushed open the door to his office, the first thing he noticed was the black leather folder. It sat exactly where he had left it the night before, its presence both a reminder and a mystery. She didn’t come back for it, he thought, drumming his fingers on the edge of the desk. He had been certain Amaira would return, but here it still was, taunting him. He sighed and slumped into his chair, pushing the folder to the side for now.

Just as Theo was about to get lost in his thoughts, the door opened, and Tom, his ever-diligent secretary, strolled in with his tablet, ready for the morning briefing. Tom was always prompt and efficient, the kind of person who never failed to show up early, much to Theo’s appreciation and occasional dismay.

“Good morning, sir,” Tom greeted, tapping away on his tablet as he approached. “I’ve got today’s schedule ready for you. You’ve got a meeting at nine with the legal team, then a conference call with the Singapore office at eleven. After lunch, there’s—”

“Clear my afternoon,” Theo interrupted, without looking up from his desk.

Tom paused mid-tap, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. “Clear your afternoon?” he echoed, clearly thrown off by the sudden change of plans. “For what, if I may ask?”

Theo let out a dramatic sigh, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms behind his head. “My mother has arranged another blind date for me,” he said, his voice dripping with exasperation. “I’ve been summoned.”

Tom blinked, then raised an eyebrow. “A blind date, sir? I wasn’t aware you had started entertaining the idea.”

“I’m not,” Theo deadpanned. “But you know how my mother is. She won’t stop until I’ve met every eligible woman in the country.”

Tom tried and failed to stifle a grin. It wasn’t the first time he had heard about these so-called blind dates. In fact, it was becoming something of a running joke between the two of them.

“Well, if I may speak freely, sir…” Tom began, his tone cautious yet amused. “You’re just going to reject her again, aren’t you?”

Theo gave him a sidelong glance, smirking. “You know me too well, Tom.”

“I do,” Tom replied, now fully grinning. “Which is why I have to ask—why even bother going? Can’t you just… not?”

Theo groaned, rubbing his temples. “It’s not that simple. If I don’t go, my mother will escalate things. She’ll start setting up dinners at the house, or worse, she’ll visit me at work. I have to attend to temporarily shut her up.”

Tom crossed his arms, contemplating for a moment. Then, with a sudden flicker of inspiration, he asked, “Why not send me instead?”

Theo straightened up, blinking in confusion. “You want to go on a blind date with the girl?”

“No!” Tom sputtered, backpedaling quickly. “I meant… well, you could send someone in your place. She might not even notice the difference.”

Theo’s lips twitched, the hint of a mischievous grin forming. “Is that so?” He eyed Tom thoughtfully, the wheels in his head turning. “In that case, why don’t you go? You’re single, aren’t you?”

Tom’s face turned bright red as he sputtered, “I-I didn’t mean me! I meant… someone else! You know, anyone else!”

Theo leaned forward, his grin widening as he toyed with Tom’s discomfort. “Come on, Tom. You’d be perfect. You’re polite, charming, and not too bad-looking if I say so myself.”

Tom’s horror grew. “No, sir. Absolutely not. I’m not going on any blind dates meant for you.” He took a step back, holding his tablet like a shield, as if it could protect him from Theo’s increasingly absurd suggestion. “Besides, your mother would see through it immediately. She’s not easily fooled.”

Theo chuckled, clearly enjoying the torment he was putting Tom through. “You’re probably right. She’s terrifyingly perceptive.” He paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Fine, you’re off the hook this time. But the offer still stands if you change your mind.”

Tom let out a breath of relief, muttering under his breath, “I’d rather quit.”

Still smiling, Theo turned his chair toward the large windows that overlooked the city. “But seriously,” Tom continued, more earnestly now, “if you’re just going to reject these women, why keep going through the motions? It doesn’t seem like it’s doing you any good, and it’s clearly stressing you out.”

“I don’t have much of a choice,” Theo replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “If I don’t go, my mother will make my life a living hell.”

Tom furrowed his brow, a new idea sparking in his mind. “Well, what if you introduce someone to her? Someone you choose. That might make her stop trying to set you up.”

Theo frowned, considering the suggestion. “Introduce someone to her? Like who?”

“I don’t know, sir. But if your mother thinks you’ve found someone on your own, maybe she’ll back off.” Tom hesitated, then added with a sheepish smile, “Of course, you’d have to find someone first.”

Theo chuckled at the absurdity of the idea. “And where do you suppose I find this ‘someone’? I barely have time to breathe, let alone date.”

Tom shrugged, clearly trying to be helpful. “Maybe you don’t need to date. Maybe you could just… you know, pretend for a little while.”

Theo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Tom’s sudden resourcefulness. “Pretend?”

“Yes, pretend. Find someone willing to play the part of your girlfriend for a few weeks. Long enough for your mother to back off, and then you can go back to normal.”

Theo leaned back in his chair, considering the possibility. “Pretend to have a girlfriend,” he muttered, almost to himself. It was ridiculous… wasn’t it? Then again, the idea of temporarily appeasing his mother without the risk of being trapped in an endless cycle of blind dates was oddly tempting.

Tom, sensing he had sparked some interest, pressed on. “I mean, it’s not that crazy. People do it all the time in movies.”

“This isn’t a movie, Tom,” Theo reminded him dryly, though he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of their conversation.

“I know, but still,” Tom said, grinning now. “It could work. And besides, if anyone can pull off a fake relationship, it’s you.”

Theo snorted, shaking his head. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“A little,” Tom admitted, chuckling. “But in all seriousness, it might be worth a try. It’s better than subjecting yourself to another one of your mother’s matchmaking sessions.”

Theo paused, staring out the window as the idea settled in his mind. He would never actually go through with it… would he?

Tom, sensing the conversation had reached a natural conclusion, quickly switched gears. “Anyway, I’ll clear your afternoon as requested. But if you change your mind about the blind date stand-in…” he trailed off, giving Theo a cheeky grin.

Theo waved him off, chuckling. “Get out of here, Tom. And no more brilliant ideas.”