Destiny or Coincidence (AlanxJeff) VI

Interviews

Jeff

"I brought everything mentioned in the ad."

"How old are you?" I asked, already losing interest.

"I'm sorry, but you're a bit too old for the job," I added, trying to cut the conversation short.

The candidate looked at me, and with a nervous smile, replied, "You're really cute."

I sighed internally. Another interview that was going nowhere. I couldn't help but feel increasingly detached from this whole process. It was just a desperate strategy, right? Looking for someone, anyone, who could pull me out of the financial hell I was stuck in.

"We'll call you," I said, with little conviction, quickly dismissing the man.

As soon as he left, I couldn't stop myself from collapsing onto the table in frustration. My aunt Suay, always attentive, gave me a reassuring pat on the back, trying to comfort me.

"Ahhh, I just want to scream!" I exclaimed, on the verge of a breakdown. "Why is it so hard to find a husband, even a fake one?" I grumbled, sinking further into my chair, feeling Charlie's sympathetic gaze from across the room.

"Well, it's late," my aunt said, standing up. "I'll make some tea. Interview two or three more, and we'll call it a day, okay?"

I nodded, exhausted, feeling like every minute stretched into eternity.

"Jeff, I know you won't stop this," Charlie said cautiously. "But let's stay positive. Someone normal will show up. They have to."

The last interviews of the day weren't much better. Each alpha that walked in felt like a more exaggerated caricature than the last. When we finally finished, the three of us collapsed into our chairs, drained. The frustration in the air was thick, palpable. In the end, we just had to choose the least terrible one. It was the only option to escape the hell of my debts.

"We need more tea," my aunt said, escaping to the kitchen while I buried my face in my hands. Charlie got up to answer a call from work, leaving me alone, wrapped in my own despair.

Minutes later, my aunt peeked in with a mysterious smile.

"Jeff, could you handle one more? Just one more, I'm sure it'll be worth it."

I looked at her incredulously, but something in her expression made me nod, even though I had no strength left.

The first thing I noticed was his scent. That familiar mix I had, against my will, learned to recognize anywhere. My stomach tightened immediately.

"No, no, no, please not him..." I pleaded internally.

And then I saw him. Alan. His tall, commanding figure crossed the threshold with that calm demeanor only he could manage, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that was impossible to read. The air in the room seemed to thicken, and my heart, which had forgotten how to beat just a moment before, now raced wildly in my chest.

"Alan..." I whispered, barely audible.

What the hell was my boss doing here? I had spent so much time avoiding this inexplicable connection I felt with him, this attraction that terrified me. And now, here he was, crashing into the already chaotic space of my life. My aunt, clearly excited, invited him to sit across from me with her usual charming hospitality, completely unaware of the emotional storm raging inside me.

"I'll bring some tea," she announced before leaving, leaving Alan and me alone.

He sat down, never taking his eyes off me. He only briefly smiled politely at my aunt before refocusing those dark eyes on mine. My breathing became shallow, and it felt like I couldn't get enough air.

"So... a lot of candidates for a husband, huh?" he asked casually, as if commenting on the weather, his gaze wandering over the pile of folders next to me.

I swallowed hard, trying to contain the flood of emotions swelling inside me.

"Husband... no, this is a mistake..." I tried to explain, but the words stumbled out of my mouth awkwardly.

Alan raised an eyebrow.

"A mistake? The ad..."

"The ad, yes. What does the ad say?" I said, fumbling with my phone to find the text, feeling more nervous by the second.

Alan read it aloud: "'Discreet alpha wanted, good appearance and moral standing, for well-paid temporary work,'" he paused and shot me a teasing look. "I definitely qualify, especially the moral standing part."

I felt my cheeks flush.

"'Discretion is key,'" he continued, making a gesture as if he were zipping his lips. "'And no intermediaries.' I came alone and brought everything you asked for."

My hands trembled.

"And where in that ad does it say I'm looking for a husband?" I asked, trying to regain control of the conversation.

"It doesn't. But in the end, everything always comes to light," he said, his gaze locking onto mine in a way that made it hard to breathe.

I tried to suppress the emotions battling inside me. It was as if every word from him unlocked feelings I had worked so hard to bury.

"It was Sonic, wasn't it? I'm going to kill him..." I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Alan smiled, his gaze softening.

"I actually overheard it by accident, then forced him to clarify. I'm his boss, it's not his fault... Jeff, I told you when I hired you. At XHunter, we're like family. And family is always there for you."

Those words, filled with affection and closeness, hit me hard. I wanted to yell at him, tell him no, that I didn't want his help, that I couldn't accept that hand offering me so much. Because accepting his help would mean opening a door I had sworn to keep shut. Alan was dangerous, not just because of what he represented in my professional life, but because he touched parts of me no one else had ever reached.

"You could see this as a solution, but it's dangerous. Can you really pretend to be married to a stranger? What if that person wanted more?" he asked, and his words echoed in my mind. "Six months may seem short, but it's long enough. If it's about the debts, let me—"

I couldn't hold back anymore.

"No. I don't want that. I'd go from owing them to owing you. It would be the same thing. This is... this is my problem, and it won't affect my job. So please, don't get involved."

He looked at me for what felt like an eternity. Then, very slowly, he smiled. Without saying another word, he slid a folder across the table.

"I want to apply too. I brought everything you asked for."

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"You can't..."

"Let's not mix things up, Jeff. This is separate. Aren't you going to interview me? Looking for someone with experience? I've never been married," he joked, though his eyes remained serious.

I tried to smile, but fear and confusion clouded my thoughts.

"You don't... you don't need the money, and you're... you're my boss."

"Let's not mix things up," he repeated. "They say married men have an air of sophistication. Maybe it'll help me be taken more seriously in meetings with sponsors and such. People find it odd that I'm still single. Honestly, I don't know why they care," he complained lightly. "This is a business deal between us. And, well, I wouldn't be a total stranger."

The world around me seemed to crumble. How had this situation spiraled into this? How could I even consider the idea of marrying Alan? Everything about him was dangerous for me. His closeness, his voice, the way he seemed to read every one of my thoughts without effort.

"Think about it, please. You have my number. Just a message or a call, and I'll be here," he said, standing up.

I tried to protest, to stop him, but the words died in my throat.

"I'll see you tomorrow at work," he added with a soft smile, leaving a void in the air as he walked out. And I stayed there, my heart pounding wildly and my soul trapped in a battle I didn't know how to win.