” The room went quiet. I could hear my own heartbeat. “This is insane,” I said softly. “You do not even know me.” Her gaze did not waver. “I know enough. I have watched you for a while, Adam. You work hard. You do not stir drama. You do not boast. You are desperate, but you still show up and do your job. I need someone I can trust not to use this against me.
Someone who has something to lose if they break the rules. This is a marriage, I said. Even if it is fake, people will talk. Your family, the board, human resources. What do I tell my mom? What do you tell yours? We will tell them the story we want them to hear. Luna said, “HR already knows I am considering a personal relationship with an employee. They have a plan.
Another manager will handle your reviews. The rest is image. I am very good at image.” Her confidence scared me as much as it impressed me. I am not asking you to decide now, she added. Think about it. If you say no, this folder disappears and we never speak of it again. If you say yes, your life changes. So does mine.
I looked down at the folder, at the numbers in red ink, at my dad’s name on the hospital bills, at the notice that said I had 10 days left before I was out on the street. “What about us?” I asked quietly. “In private, what are the rules?” Her eyes flicked to mine. “We will have a written contract, boundaries. You will have your own room, your own space.
This is not about romance. It is about survival.” The question that had been bouncing in my head jumped out. Do we have to sleep in the same bed? I asked. For the first time since I walked in, something like surprise flashed in her eyes. Then to my shock, she laughed. It was a quick sound, but it was real. No, she said. We do not have to sleep in the same bed.
