I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe the dull ache building there, as I sat across from Caleb in the dimly lit restaurant.. yeah, I agreed to come here since he insisted he wasn't going to have the “talk” at the office.
My eyes shifted around the room, taking in the luxurious setting.. white tablecloths, soft lighting, and elegant decor that screamed class. The kind of place that screamed “expensive” and “exclusive,” the kind where people like me didn’t usually hang out. The kind where you could hide in the shadows, away from prying eyes.
Caleb sat across from me, leaning forward slightly, his hands clasped together on the table. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders gave him away.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the awkwardness between us thickening with every passing second.
He hadn’t said much since we arrived, just the usual pleasantries, and now I was waiting.. waiting for whatever bomb he was about to drop.
“Look Sam, I know the last few days have been... complicated,” Caleb began, his voice low but steady.
Complicated. That was one way to put it.
I shifted in my seat, trying to ignore the way my heart raced just being near him. The memory of that night flashed in my mind again. He seemed to pick up on my discomfort, pausing for a moment before continuing.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” he said, meeting my eyes for a brief second before looking away. “For everything.”
I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. His apology felt genuine, but there was something else lurking beneath his words, something heavier.
“I shouldn’t have let things get out of hand,” he added, his voice quieter now. “It wasn’t fair to you.”
I nodded, even though the words were stuck in my throat.. I lifted my glass and took in a gulp of wine like it was going to flush down the words.
“It wasn’t just you,” I managed to say, though I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to share the blame.
Maybe because part of me knew I could have stopped it. I didn’t.
There was a silent battle being fought between us, one that couldn't be resolved with apologies or explanations.
Then Caleb broke the silence about just a minute later..
He exhaled, leaning back slightly. “Calling you here Sam, it’s not just about that night. There’s something else I need to talk to you about.”
I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued despite myself.
Something else?
I was ready for him to say something about Monica, maybe admit that there was more going on between them than he’d let on.
But when he looked at me, his expression was so serious, so intense, that I could tell whatever was coming next was much bigger.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He hesitated, like he was weighing his words. “I need your help, Sam. And it’s not something I’d ask lightly.”
I blinked, taken aback. Help? I hadn’t expected that.
“What kind of help?” I asked slowly.
Caleb glanced around the room, as if checking to make sure no one was listening, even though the restaurant was nearly empty.
“This is…sensitive,” He began, his voice barely audible. “And it involves something I haven't told you about, something that could ruin everything I’ve worked for.”
My brows furrowed and I could feel the anxiety rising in my chest, like a fist tightening around my heart.
Caleb leaned forward again, his eyes locking with mine. He paused, as if bracing himself for what he was about to ask.
“I need your help, Sam. I need you to…pretend to be my girlfriend.”
I felt like the air had been knocked out of me.
My jaw practically hit the table. I stared at him, sure I’d misheard. “What?”
“I know it sounds crazy,” he continued quickly, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “But hear me out.”
I blinked again, trying to process what he’d just said. “Pretend to be your girlfriend?” I repeated, the disbelief clear in my voice.
“Just for a little while,” Caleb said, his eyes pleading. “Until I can sort things out with my father and Monica.”
I leaned back in my seat, crossing my arms. “And how exactly does pretending to be your girlfriend help with that?”
Caleb rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “My father has been pushing for me to settle down. He’s... insistent that I marry Monica. It’s what’s expected, for the sake of the family business.”
Monica. Of course, it was about her. I felt a pang in my chest, but I ignored it, trying to focus on what Caleb was saying.
“And you don’t want to marry her?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
He shook his head. “No. I don’t. But my father doesn’t care. As far as he’s concerned, it’s the perfect match. Two powerful families coming together. It’s good for business.”
I frowned, starting to piece things together. “So, you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend... to get your father off your back?”
Caleb nodded. “Exactly. If he thinks I’m in a serious relationship, it’ll buy me some time. Maybe even make him reconsider the whole Monica thing.”
I sat there, stunned. This was not what I expected at all. “Caleb, this is insane,” I said, shaking my head. “You can’t just ask someone to pretend to be your girlfriend. That’s...”
“Please, Sam,” he interrupted, his voice soft but urgent. “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. I’m trapped. I don’t want to marry Monica. But if I don’t do something soon, I won’t have a choice.”
I stared at him, my mind racing. He looked so serious, so sincere. But this whole thing... It was too much. Too complicated. Too messy.
“I can’t do that,” I said quietly. “I can’t pretend to be your girlfriend, Caleb. It’s... it’s not right.”
He looked at me for a long moment, and I could see the frustration in his eyes. But beneath that, there was something else. Desperation.
“I know it’s a lot to ask,” he said finally, his voice low. “But I don’t know what else to do.”
I opened my mouth to say something, to refuse again, but then I stopped.
There was something in his expression, something vulnerable, that made me hesitate. He wasn’t just asking me to do him a favor. He was asking for help.
And that’s what made this so difficult.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “I don’t know, Caleb. This is... a lot. And it could cause a lot of problems. For both of us.”
He nodded, his jaw clenched. “I get it. I’m not asking you to decide right now. Just... think about it. Please.”
I stared at him for a long moment, torn between the voice in my head screaming to say no and the part of me that couldn’t ignore how trapped he seemed.
“A few dinners, a few parties... it’s not like we’d have to fake a whole relationship,” Caleb said, his voice careful, as if he were handling delicate glass. “We just need to be seen together, a few times, in public. That’s all.”
I nodded slowly, but my heart was racing. A few dinners, a few parties... with Caleb.
I had to admit, there was a part of me that was tempted.
I took a deep breath, meeting Caleb’s gaze. “I can’t promise anything,” I said, the words heavy on my tongue. “But I’ll think about it.”
He gave a slight nod, a trace of relief visible in his features. “Thank you. I appreciate it. More than you know.”
But I wasn't so sure.
There was something in his tone, a hint of desperation, that made me uneasy.