Amaira’s heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. Theodore’s gaze hadn’t left her since she entered his office, and the air between them was thick with tension. What had started as a job interview had now spiraled into something far more confusing—and unsettling. She could barely think straight, her mind swimming in the strangeness of it all.

The silence stretched between them, until finally, Theodore spoke, his voice calm but firm.

“Since you promised to do anything as payback for what I did back then, I think it’s time to collect.”

Amaira blinked, trying to process his words. Collect? What does he mean?

The tension in the room was almost unbearable as she sat there, frozen in place. Her hands clutched the edges of her chair as she stared back at him, her heart racing.

T

heodore leaned forward slightly, breaking the silence. “I want to hire you as my... wife.”

Amaira’s eyes widened in shock. Did he just say ‘wife’?

Her brain short-circuited, struggling to comprehend the words that had just left his mouth. For a moment, it was as though time stood still. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. The absurdity of the situation was too much for her to grasp. Theodore, the CEO, the man who seemed to have everything under control, was asking her to be his wife?

Theodore watched her reaction, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes as he saw her freeze up.

“Let me explain,” he said, his voice low and measured. “I meant a ‘contract wife.’”

At those words, Amaira snapped back to reality. She blinked rapidly, her mind still reeling from the shock of what she had just heard. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, she just stared at him, wide-eyed and confused.

Seeing her reaction, Theodore leaned back in his chair and continued, his tone more matter-of-fact now. “Miss Amaira, I want to hire you as my contract wife for a year.”

Amaira finally found her voice, but it came out weak and shaky. “I… I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she stammered, her confusion and disbelief evident.

Theodore stood up from behind his desk and began walking toward her with slow, measured steps, like a predator closing in on its prey. His presence felt overwhelming, and Amaira couldn’t help but shrink back slightly in her chair. He stopped just a few feet away from her, his hands casually in his pockets, looking down at her with that same intense gaze that made her heart race.

“What I’m offering,” he began, “is a business arrangement. A contract. For one year, you will be my wife in name only. There are some... specific circumstances that require me to have a spouse—temporarily, of course. And in return, you will be compensated. Handsomely! No, Beautifully I mean.”

Amaira stared at him, utterly bewildered. This was madness. Absolute madness. Who in their right mind would make such an offer? Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to find the right words to respond to him. Finally, she managed to say, “You’re… you’re crazy.”

Theodore chuckled softly, a sound that made her stomach flip in the strangest way. “Maybe,” he said, unbothered by her comment. “But I’m also serious.”

Amaira shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “Why on earth would you need a ‘contract wife’? You’re a CEO, you can have anything or anyone you want.”

Theodore’s expression darkened slightly, though his tone remained calm. “That’s not the point. There are certain personal and professional matters that require me to present the image of stability, of... family. My mother has been pushing for me to settle down for years. She’s arranged meeting after meeting, setting me up on blind dates, introducing me to women I have no interest in. It’s becoming a distraction—and frankly, it’s getting in the way of my work.”

Amaira was still struggling to keep up with the absurdity of it all. “And you think pretending to be married for a year will solve that?”

Theodore nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Exactly. A contract marriage will get my mother off my back and provide me with the stability she’s so desperate to see. After a year, we can quietly part ways, and I can continue my life without any further... interruptions.”

Amaira’s mind raced. This can’t be real. Was he really suggesting this? Her heart was pounding in her chest, and a thousand questions bubbled to the surface all at once.

“And... what’s in it for me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Theodore smiled, as though he had been waiting for her to ask that. “For you, there are many benefits. Financial security, for one. I’ll pay off any debt you have—”

Amaira’s breath caught in her throat. The debt to my uncle…

“—and you’ll have an annual salary that far exceeds what you’d earn in any job you’ve applied for,” he continued smoothly.

Amaira’s head was spinning. This wasn’t just a crazy idea—it was insane. And yet, there was something about the way Theodore presented it, so calm and confident, that made it seem... possible. Rational, even.

But still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this. “What’s the catch?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

Theodore tilted his head slightly, considering her question. “There’s no catch. This is a business deal, plain and simple. You fulfill your role as my wife, and you’re free to go at the end of the year.”

Amaira stared at him, trying to process everything. It was too much. The offer was tempting—almost too tempting. Her uncle’s debt had been hanging over her like a dark cloud for years, and the thought of finally being free of it was like a lifeline. But the idea of marrying Theodore, even as part of a contract, felt like stepping into a dangerous game.

“What do you say?” Theodore asked, his voice soft but insistent. He was standing so close now that she could see every detail of his face—the sharp line of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes.

Amaira took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. This was insane. Completely and utterly insane. But the logical part of her brain couldn’t ignore the opportunity he was offering her. The debt, the financial security—it was everything she needed, everything she had been working for.

But could she really do it? Could she pretend to be Theodore’s wife for a year?

“I—” she started, but the words stuck in her throat.

Amaira’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions as she sat there, trying to make sense of the impossible decision before her.