Freya folded her clothes absentmindedly.
She stared at the shirt on her lap, unfolded it, then folded it again like an idiot. Her thoughts drifted everywhere.
In the end, she did get the envelope.
There was a lot of money inside. Enough to cover her living expenses for an entire year.
Keith had said it was just an advance. She would receive the rest once she moved into that Obgrin guy's house.
Yeah.
Moving into that virgin man's house.
Freya suddenly smirked, which looked like a bitter snort.
"Are you mad at me?" Judith asked carefully.
Judith Foster-the owner of the karaoke club where Freya worked-was the one who had introduced her as a 'suitable candidate' to that rich client last night.
She was also the one who had taken Freya in four years ago, back when Freya had nothing.
They met by chance.
At the time, Freya had been delivering milk to make ends meet. One afternoon, she got into trouble with a group of thugs near Judith's house. Judith happened to witness it and scared them off by blasting a fake police siren from her car.
After that, she brought Freya home.
That was when she learned everything, about Freya losing her parents, the debts left behind, and the exhausting cycle of jobs she had taken just to survive.
Judith couldn't turn her away.
Even the small apartment Freya lived in now had been given by her.
At forty-seven, Judith had become like a mother to Freya, and she treated Freya as her own daughter.
"I'm sorry for making this decision without talking to you first. I thought you really needed the money to pay off those loan sharks."
Freya stayed silent.
"It's just a fake marriage. Once you get the money, you can leave him."
Still no response.
Judith let out a sigh. "If you're mad, don't bottle it up. You can yell at me. Just don't stay quiet like this."
Freya, "..."
"That client isn't a bad person," Judith added. "One of our regulars knows him. He's in the hotel business. Quite well-off."
She must be upset, Judith thought.
"How about this, I'll tell them you can't take the job. I can send someone else in your place."
"..."
Guilt crept in as she reached out and gently touched Freya's shoulder.
Freya startled.
"Hm? Were you saying something?"
"You're... not mad at me?" Judith frowned.
Freya quickly folded her clothes and tossed them into her suitcase one by one. "Mad? Why would I be mad at you? What were you saying earlier? Sorry, I was spacing out."
Judith chuckled. "Forget it."
"Come on, what is it? I'm curious. I'm not mad, really. About that Obgrin guy, right? Well... I think he's kinda cute."
"Cute?"
Freya giggled. "He's a virgin."
"Virgin? In this day and age? He doesn't look like he's in his early twenties."
Freya zipped up her suitcase after putting in the last piece of clothing. She deliberately avoided mentioning his condition and simply said, "He's thirty-five. Quite mature."
"Wow. I'm surprised."
"You don't look surprised to me."
They both laughed.
"When are you leaving?" Judith asked.
"His assistant will pick me up at ten."
"You really don't mind this job, right? If you can't-"
"I'm fine. Don't worry." Freya cut her off, then remembering something. "Judith, can I ask you for a favor? Can you not sell this place while I'm gone? I'll come back. What if I pay rent while I'm-"
"You silly girl, what are you talking about?" This time, Judith cut her off. "I gave this apartment to you."
Freya's eyes grew watery as she hugged her.
"Thank you, thank you so much. You're so kind, Judith."
Judith let out a soft chuckle.
"Take care of yourself. And if anything happens. If he hurts you or tries to scam you, come back here, okay?" her hand gently stroking Freya's long hair.
Freya pulled away, pouting. "Why are you saying that like a mother sending her daughter off to get married?"
"You are getting married."
"It's fake," Freya corrected, fixing the remaining hangers and letting out a sigh. "Besides, who said I'm going to stay there? I'll come back here to work at night."
"Huh?"
"What do you mean 'huh'? Don't try to stop me, okay? Who knows, they might be scammers. I'm not risking my job."
"You're serious?"
"Completely."
Freya had thought, when Keith explained his boss's condition, she'd be asked to help cure the man. Turns out, she was only being hired as a 'wife' so he could stop being dragged into blind dates.
That almost made her laugh.
At ten, Keith showed up in a sleek black car, right on time. He stepped out and took her suitcase from her without a word.
"Is this everything?" he asked.
"Yeah."
Freya glanced at him now and then, and her eyes caught the ring on his ring finger. A flicker of disappointment passed through her.
Honestly, she preferred Keith's type. Educated, calm, gentle. Mature and good-looking.
Not that that Obgrin guy wasn't handsome... he just felt colder and distant.
"So when will I meet his mother?" Freya asked during the drive.
Keith kept his eyes on the road. "There was supposed to be a family dinner arranged by my boss. But he fell sick after... your 'attack,' so it was canceled."
Freya stiffened. 'Attack, huh?'
"Is his condition really that bad?"
Keith's eyes flickered slightly. He didn't answer right away, turning the wheel at a bend before finally saying, "Quite serious."
"...."
The rest of the ride passed in silence.
The car eventually entered an upscale residential area and stopped in front of a house with a wide yard. Compared to the other houses she had seen along the way, this one was more minimalistic. A two-story building, open space, low fence.
They got out together. As Keith pulled her suitcase from the trunk, he said, "Don't take anything Nathan says to heart. He doesn't mean harm."
Freya frowned. Why was Keith suddenly calling his boss by a casual name?
Keith seemed to notice.
"I'm not actually his assistant. And this house... is mine."
Freya blinked. "So I was tricked?"
"I'm sorry. But yes, we did trick you."
"..." Wtf?
He spoke quickly after that. "Nathan has a rare genetic condition, and it's been difficult for him to find a partner. His mother really has been pushing him into blind dates. He's been trying to find someone willing to cooperate with him for a long time, but it hasn't been easy. Most women he met were... too greedy. They broke the terms of the contract."
Freya was speechless.
"He's a bit embarrassed to involve others in finding someone, it would mean people knowing about his condition. So... yeah. He asked me to improvise a little."
Freya's heart skipped. "T-Then... my debts? What about my debts?"
Keith paused, a little surprised that was her first concern. Somehow, it almost made him want to laugh.
"It will still be paid off."
Freya exhaled, her shoulders finally loosening.
That was enough.
As long as her debt was gone, everything else felt manageable.
Keith caught that expression and smiled faintly. "Don't worry. This is a work contract. You'll still be paid monthly."
"Triple my salary still applies?" Freya asked carefully.
Keith let out a soft, amused chuckle and nodded.
She felt a little embarrassed.
"If you don't mind me asking... what's your relationship with him?"
Keith went quiet for a moment before answering, "Nathan is my cousin. His mother is my aunt."
Freya hummed softly.
So... he had family who cared.
For a moment, something tight curled in her chest. She had no one in this world, except Judith.
No real friends. No relatives. Just coworkers and clients from the karaoke club. Her life had always been about earning, surviving, moving on.
It must be nice having someone like that.
They walked up to the door. He opened it without knocking, stepped inside, and set her suitcase down.
Keith reached for a document on the table and turned back to her.
"I'll explain the terms of your contract," he said. "After that, you can sign once we've agreed on everything."
He placed the papers in front of her.
Freya stared at them for a moment. Before she could even open the file, the sound of footsteps came from upstairs.
Nathaniel Obgrin walked down in navy satin pajamas, his hair sticking up slightly from sleep. Freya wasn't prepared for the sight and got caught staring. He only gave her a brief glance, as if she were nothing more than a piece of furniture, before heading straight to the kitchen and disappearing from view.
Wow.
He looked like a walking corpse.
Where was the cold, majestic man she had met last night?
"Nathan will join you shortly," Keith said. "You can start reading the contract. Ask me if there's anything you don't understand. I'll leave you for a moment."
With that, he stepped away.
Left alone, Freya tried to focus on the contract. She barely got through a single word before the image of Nathaniel in those pajamas-half-awake, completely unbothered-started replaying in her mind.
'Damn, that blank face... why's it so cute? And seriously, those steel-gray eyes are kinda hypnotic.'
Aww.
If anyone heard that thought, they'd probably be horrified!
"Since when do I like men like that? Wasn't his cousin better?" she muttered.
A sudden scraping sound snapped her out of it.
She looked up.
Nathaniel was already sitting at another table a little ways from her, of course. His face still a bit damp, like he'd just washed it, and he had a can of beer in his hand.
Freya blinked.
...Since when was he there?
He didn't say anything. He leaned back slightly, one arm resting on the chair, the other lifting the can to his lips. He took a slow sip, eyes half-lidded, like he hadn't fully woken up yet.
"So," she started, "you always drink this early?"
Nathaniel lowered the can, finally looking at her properly. His gaze was steady, unreadable.
"It's water."
"...That's not water."
"It is," he replied flatly, before taking another sip.
She narrowed her eyes. "You're weird."
"And you smell," he said just as calmly.
Freya's smile froze. "You're really going to keep saying that?"
Nathaniel didn't answer. His gaze flicked to the contract instead.
"Read it. If you don't like the terms, leave."
Straightforward. Cold.
Freya clicked her tongue softly but picked up the papers again. This time, she forced herself to focus.
A few lines in, her brows began to knit together.
"Live-in arrangement... public appearances as a married couple... no physical contact beyond agreed limits..." she read aloud. "Huh. You're really serious about this."
"You don't like it, just go. The door's right there."
Shit! What with this man!
"No, I'm fine with it. Honestly, I've been waiting for this day!" Freya grinned. "I mean, who wouldn't want to marry a rich, handsome guy?"
This man had no idea that the more Freya was challenged, the more excited she became. In the end, he'd be the one struggling to keep up with her.
Without bothering to read the rest, she flipped straight to the last page and signed her name.
Nathaniel frowned slightly, his grip tightening around the can until it crumpled with a soft crack.
Freya finished signing and stood up. Nathaniel shifted a little as she walked closer, but she only placed the contract on the table in front of him.
Then she leaned in.
Nathaniel stumbled back, knocking his chair over as he stood up, putting even more distance between them.
Freya laughed.
"Your turn. My future husband."
She smiled, then turned on her heel, dragging her suitcase behind her with a satisfied little sway in her step.
... to be continued ...
