Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Actually, I was the one who took the initiative to approach Brenden.

That day, my mom was pressuring me to go on another blind date. The last guy I met was over fifty and reeked of age. When I asked about his expectations, he smiled, his face full of wrinkles, and said, "I think you're great. You look like you'd make a wonderful mother."

"I don't like materialistic girls. It's modern times, so no need for traditional wedding gifts. But a woman should still follow the traditional roles and virtues," he added.

I couldn't accept it. I made an excuse and fled from home.

Instead of finding a boyfriend among these unsuitable blind dates, I thought, why not just pick a good-looking guy off the street and have him play the part?

And that's how I spotted Brenden.

He was wearing a mascot costume, handing out flyers under the scorching sun. After a while, he ducked into a secluded spot, took off the bear head, and revealed a flushed face covered in sweat.

I handed him a bottle of water and invited him to play the role of my boyfriend for ₤50.

"It's much easier than handing out flyers in this heat."

He agreed.

When we first acted, he felt very guilty.

"I'm sorry, I didn't bring anything for Ms. Morley."

I didn't mind. It was just an act, after all. Besides, whatever gift he bought, I would have to reimburse him anyway.

But Brenden was very diligent. The first time he met my mom, he was busy fixing a broken light bulb, unclogging the toilet, and even helping my mom with cooking. He even washed my clothes.

My mom pulled me aside and praised Brenden endlessly, saying that I should marry such a hardworking and considerate man. She said I wouldn't suffer if I married him.

Honestly, I didn't expect Brenden, who looked so refined, to be so handy.

Since there was no guest room, Brenden slept in my bedroom. Seeing how well he performed, I decided to sleep on the couch.

The next morning, I woke up to find myself sharing a pillow with him. He explained that I had sleepwalked and climbed into bed, hugging him tightly.

I couldn't admit it, but the next second, I saw myself clinging to Brenden like a koala. I was both panicked and touched.

When Brenden left that day, I thought I would never see him again. But over the next month, I kept running into him everywhere.

At karaoke with friends, he was the waiter. At a bar, he was the bartender. Even when I went to a male escort club to unwind, he was among the models.

"How about it? Pick me. We're familiar, and I'll give you a 50% discount."

I was stunned. I didn't expect Brenden to have such a wide range of jobs. He must be really short on money.

After a night of passion, I ended up spending the night with him. I couldn't let the money go to waste.

The next day, my mom called again, saying it was Thanksgiving and I had to bring my boyfriend home for dinner, or she wouldn't let me in.

Brenden offered to act for free again, as a form of after-sales service. I thought he was quite practical. He went to the mall and bought many expensive-looking gifts.

During the second visit, he brought many seemingly valuable gifts. But he told me, "Except for that pack of tea, everything else is fake. You don't need to reimburse me; they didn't cost much."

I thought, of course. He was so poor that he had to work multiple jobs. How could he afford these things?

With all this back and forth, I couldn't tell if Brenden and I were still acting or what. We ended up together, confused and muddled.

Two months later, I missed my period. I felt nauseous and went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor confirmed I was pregnant.

I was confused for a while, but eventually, I concluded my feelings. Although Brenden was poor, he was hardworking and ambitious. I was happy with him.

Just when I was about to talk to him about our future, I overheard him on the phone with his family. I found out he already had a fiancée. He didn't even acknowledge my existence.

Even though it hurt, I had to swallow it.

I thought I would never see him again. But two years later, we met again.