Mr & Mrs Fake

Chapter Six

Theo
"Why are you laughing? What's funny?" Jade asks, her voice tinged with irritation. I hadn't meant to laugh—really, I hadn't. But the sheer irony of our situations was too much to hold back. It was like the universe had decided to play a twisted joke on both of us at the same time.

"I'm sorry. I really am," I say, trying to rein in my laughter as I see the affronted look on her face. "I'm not laughing at you. Well, okay, maybe I am a little, but I'm laughing at myself too. Trust me, it's not what you think."

Jade narrows her eyes, skepticism written all over her face. "What do you mean?" she asks, leaning forward slightly, curiosity piqued.

I take a deep breath, bracing myself for her reaction. "It's just... what you're going through? It's eerily similar to what's happening with me. That's why I was so upset earlier. My dad just dropped a bombshell on me—he's planning to retire. But here's the kicker: before I can be appointed as CEO, I have to be married. And he's given me a grand total of two months to make it happen."

Jade stares at me, her expression morphing from disbelief to outright amusement before she bursts into laughter. "Oh, my God. How messed up are our parents?" she asks, her voice filled with a mix of exasperation and hilarity.

"Very messed up," I agree, taking a long swig of my drink to steady my nerves. An idea begins to form in the back of my mind, but it's so outlandish that I dismiss it almost immediately. Still, it lingers, refusing to be ignored. "So, what are you going to do?" I ask, trying to shift the focus back to her.

Jade shrugs, a resigned sigh escaping her. "I really want to open my second bakery. But maybe I'll just wait until next year. My parents are ridiculous as hell. Expecting me to get married just for a loan? It's absurd," she says, rolling her eyes in frustration.

The idea that had been simmering in my mind suddenly resurfaces, more insistent this time. It's risky, crazy even, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. I clear my throat, shifting in my seat as I try to find the right words.

"What if... and just hear me out," I begin cautiously, watching her closely, "what if we got married?"

Jade's reaction is immediate—she sits up straight, eyes wide with shock. "What? No. No, that's crazy. You're crazy," she says, shaking her head vehemently. "Actually, insane describes you much better. We don't even know each other!"

"I know it sounds insane," I say quickly, trying to calm her down. "But think about it. You want to open your business, right? Your parents are willing to give you the full seventy-four thousand, but only if you get married. I'm ready to inherit the family business, but I can't do that unless I'm married. We can help each other, Jade. It's a win-win situation."

She looks at me skeptically, her brow furrowed in thought. "I don't know... it's still kind of a big risk," she says slowly.

"We can do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable. We can get a prenup saying what's yours is yours and what's mine is mine," I suggest, trying to make the idea sound more rational.

"You're serious about this?" she asks, her tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

I nod firmly. "I am. I know it's crazy as hell, but what other choice do we have? Really?"

Jade bites her lip, mulling it over. Then, to my surprise, she nods. "Okay," she says, almost to herself. "Okay. I can't believe I'm saying this, but... let's do it. Let's get married."

Relief and disbelief flood through me. "We'll have to figure out how to sell this to my parents," she continues, her mind already working. "They know I'm not dating anyone. How am I supposed to spring a marriage on them without raising suspicions?"

"I got you," I say, nodding. "We'll figure out all the details, okay? We'll make them believe it. We'll put on the best show they've ever seen. I promise."

She lets out a nervous, almost hysterical laugh. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Me either," I admit, finishing my glass of wine. "This is the kind of stuff that only happens in movies. And yet... here we are."

Jade taps my hand, snapping me back to the present. "We need to start planning immediately. The quicker we get this done, the better, right?" she says, her voice taking on a tone of determination.

I nod, agreeing with her completely. "Right."

"Okay, good. Let's go back to my place and start figuring out all the details now," she says, waving the waiter over to get the check.

As she's getting her things together, she looks at me and says, "Just so you know, I have a very vicious chihuahua. So don't try anything funny."

I hold up my hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dream of it," I say with a grin, paying the bill and leaving a generous tip for the waiter.

I stand up, my nerves tingling with a mix of anxiety and excitement. "Let's go plan our wedding," I say, the words sounding surreal even as they leave my mouth.

We walk out of the restaurant together, both of us still reeling from the fact that we're about to embark on something so utterly insane—and yet, maybe, just maybe, it's the only way to make our dreams come true.