Liar, Liar

How It Started

You walked into the mall, your boss right behind you, and took a sharp left to the store you would never even dream of setting foot into unless it was to run errands for your CEO boss. You had been working for him about three years and you've aged double that amount. He was a perfectionist who had to have absolute control over everything. Despite that, you had set up a comfortable routine with him of taking over the mundane tasks that he couldn't be bothered with.

Normally, you handled this on your own but today he was adamant about joining you. The first time you had come here was to grab a tie he needed for an event, they didn't believe you and had escorted you to a back room and checked your belongings, convinced you had stolen something. Not even twenty minutes later, your boss came and absolutely ripped them apart, even going as far as threatening to take his business elsewhere. Within minutes, you were being offered refreshments and certificates for an all inclusive spa treatment. Ever since then, they've basically fallen at your feet anytime you were in the store.

You smiled at the associate before you made a beeline for the shoes your boss wanted. You grabbed his size and was about to show it to him but stopped in your tracks when you noticed he was speaking to a very attractive woman. Your boss was a womanizer, player, and everything else in between. He switched through partners like he did clothes and as his employee, it was your job not to judge and turn a blind eye but you couldn't help it. How was he able to stay so emotionally detached? Woo people so easily and then blame them when they got attached? He was everything you hated.

Wanting to give them privacy, you took your time to look over different pairs of shoes, maybe he needed some for his business trip next week. A few seconds had passed when you felt a pair of arms wrap around you and a familiar deep voice said, "there you are honey."

"Honey?" You heard the woman ask as you looked back at your boss in shock. Why was he hugging you and calling you honey? Was this man high?

"Yes. Let me introduce you. This is my fiancé, y/n."

You almost tripped over your own feet. Fiancé? Who? You? No way. You were his assistant and only his assistant. He smiled at the woman as he pulled you in for a hug. "Pretend to be my fiancé and anything you want is yours."

Despite your obvious hesitation, his words caught your attention. Anything? You instantly thought of all of the problems in your life that would be solved if you just had money.

"Anything?" you whispered back. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Even if it's a million dollars?"

His smile faltered slightly. "We'll discuss the logistics later but for now smile and look at me like I'm the love of your life." He turned you around until you faced the woman, who, rightfully, had a look of disbelief on her face.

"Isn't she your assistant?" she asked while pointing at you.

Yes. Yes you were. "Yes she is but all of those late nights together turned into something more."

You felt an elbow in your side and you remembered his words so you forced a laugh and placed your head on his chest. "It's true. Love knows no bounds!"

The woman crossed her arms, not looking convinced. "But wasn't it you who went out to dinner with my friend just last week? She said you were quite the romantic..."

Oh yeah. He had gone out with one of his latest conquests to break it off with them and you had to send her flowers like you always did with all of his partners.

He laughed uncomfortably. "That was me typing up loose ends. You know how it is. Now if you'll excuse me, we have some shopping to do."

He grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the store and out of the corner of your eye, you saw the woman pull out her phone from her handbag that probably costs more than your rent, and frantically call someone.

You passed by a few stores before you pulled your hand out of his. "It's later. I want my million dollars."

Before he could respond, his phone rang and he grabbed it out of his jacket and answered it.

"H/N, you got engaged and you didn't even tell your own mother?" you heard his mother screech from the phone.

You placed your hands on your hips. "The price just went up. Start talking money or I'm not doing it."

He held a finger up and moved to a quiet corner to speak with his mom. He returned after a minute, looking overwhelmed. Served him right.

"Listen, my mother has been on me about settling down and honestly, I'm getting kinda tired of the bachelor scene."

You faced him and gasped. "Oh no! Whatever will you do? It must be so hard to have incredibly hot women at your beck and call. Someone alert the media!"

He gave you a dirty look. "Real funny. It's not just the women. It's family. Newspapers. Business partners. Apparently a family man is more trustworthy than an attractive single man with attractive partners."

You narrowed your eyes. "Did you just call yourself attractive?"

"The point is, this would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Just pretend to be my fiancé for about six months, keeping people at bay, and I'll pay you."

You walked out of the mall and approached his car. "How much?"

"250 thousand every month plus an allowance to maintain a lifestyle that would be fitting for my fiance."

You gawked at the amount but quickly composed yourself. Two hundred and fifty thousand? That would be life changing for you. You could finish the payment on your house and car. Put a good amount away in your savings and then quit working for this maniac.

"You just made a whole plan in your head, didn't you?"

You cleared your throat, ignoring his words. "Why me? You could get any girl you want."

He pulled his keys out. "Because I know you won't fall in love with me. You're more...practical than they are."

"Are you calling me ugly?"

He shook his head. "Just that you're the kinda girl that expects a house in the suburbs with a dog and a costco membership. Not my type. I prefer to seduce 'em and leave 'em." He looked off into the distance and sighed. "We have a lot of work to do to make this believable." He opened the door for you.

You glared at him. "Just for that, I'm upping to three hundred thousand. Practical, my ass. And there's nothing wrong with having a Costco membership. It's financially wise to buy things in bulk."

You heard him chuckle as you got in the car. Before you could even reach for your seatbelt, he leaned inside and grabbed the belt and clicked you in. "Congratulations, y/n, you're now the fiancé of the city's most eligible bachelor."

You eyed him as he shut your door and rounded the car. Congratulations? More like condolences. All of the women that had their eyes set on being the one that could finally change him from his player ways and become his wife would see you as their enemy.

Signing on as his fake fiancé was no different than entering a warzone with a bright red target on your back.