The Perfect Marriage Fraud

The Proposal

"She got into an accident," Camilla sighed into the phone, rubbing her forehead. There was a pounding sensation disturbing her greatly and despite the number of aspirins she had taken that day, it did nothing to ease the pain. "They also have to do surgery on her brain, Paige the bills are too expensive for me to afford!" Camilla groaned.

"I thought you got a new job with decent pay?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, and that starts in three days. It will take a while before I get my first paycheck and it can't even cover it."

"Shit," Paige whistled. "You're screwed. Honestly, I wish I had money to give you but I am beyond poor."

"It's cool really," Camilla replied, taking a sip of her coffee. It was the fifth one she was taking that day. If she was someone who drank alcohol, Camilla was sure that she'd have been very drunk or passed out. "I just needed to rant to you. I think I might take out loans for this and work extra jobs."

"Work extra jobs?"

"Yeah. I end work by 5:30, I can take an extra job in the evenings."

"I don't think you'd see one other than being a waitress or bartender and those don't pay," Paige snorted. "Look at my life, I'm poor!"

"Right..."

"Hey, you could be a stripper," Paige suggested. "Sorry, that was insensitive of me to say."

"It's cool," Camilla sniffed. "I'm just so confused and terrified of what will happen. I need to give her the best. She has done so much for me and..." Camilla broke off into a sob. The emotions were quite overwhelming for her.

"Hey, you're going to be okay," her best friend said in a soothing voice. "Hey, is it possible that you can ask for an advance payment from your workplace?"

"I don't think that's possible." Camille took another sip of coffee. "I'm new there and it won't look good also."

"Yeah, that's true."

Camilla wiped her teary eyes. She didn't want to be much of a burden to her friend. "Goodnight Paige. You're supposed to be working."

"Hey, screw work! I'm here for you," Paige said in an encouraging tone but Camille shook her head.

"You have to work, goodnight."

She ended the call and hit her head on the table in frustration repeatedly. Then, she pressed her face against the window and let torrents flow from her face.

The night was still quite young and lots of people were out on the streets. An old woman and her young daughter laughed as they passed by, holding hands which made her more emotional than she was. She wished she could be there with her mother doing the same thing.

Her mother had been involved in a car accident four days ago that made her slip into a coma. She had sustained severe injuries that had been treated and after that, they discovered she had an aneurysm that needed urgent operation.

The medical bills were a lot and she was not even close to paying half of it. She has been devastated after discovering her mother cancelled her health insurance because she never fell sick. The hospital was also not going to go further with treatments if they did not receive another deposit which made her worried.

If they didn't continue with treatment, then her mother was doomed. She had to make sure she got the money before the day scheduled for the surgery but at this point, there was almost nothing she could do except pray for a miracle.

She has taken out a lot of loans as it were and really couldn't afford to take out another one.

Logan could not help but overhear the phone conversation of the beautiful lady who was adjacent to him. He could feel the frustration emanating from her and honestly, he did not know what possessed him to walk up to her.

"Hey," he said, pulling out the chair opposite her.

She raised her head and wiped her tears hastily. "Hi," she sniffed. "How may I help you?"

"That question is kind of tricky," whistled Logan, leaning forward on the table. He smiled at her softly, finding the way her messy long black hair framed her face attractive. Her green eyes were puffy from the tears she had been crying. "I don't know who actually needs help between you and me?"

"Excuse me?" Camilla was confused and her coffee-drenched brain could not process what he was saying. "Sorry," she sniffed again. "I'm confused."

"I don't know who needs help between the both of us," Logan repeated. "I might be the one, you might be the one. Or maybe both of us need help."

"What's with the epistle?" Asked Camille. She was quite annoyed at the stranger. She studied his physical appearance briefly. He wore an Armani suit and had a Rolex on his wrist. He was handsome with his dark-coloured hair and dark eyes, his little facial hairs made him look more masculine and handsome. "Trust me, you don't need help."

"Why do you say so?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrows. "Is it because I'm not bawling my eyes out in the middle of a cafe? Or because 'I need help' isn't written on my forehead?"

"Excuse me?" Camille scoffed, her irritation was growing. "How dare you?" She raised her hand to hit him across the face, unable to control her temper. Logan however was fast enough to hold it before it got to his face.

"Hey, don't let your emotions control your actions," he said in a soft voice. "I know you're dealing with shit that's why you're acting out."

Camilla was struggling to get her hands away from his. She stared into his eyes with hatred but somehow, that hatred melted and butterflies roamed her stomach. She could feel a crackle of electricity pulsate as his hand still held hers.

"Why don't you marry me and all your problems will be solved?" He said, still holding onto her hand.

Chapter Two

Terms & Conditions

The butterflies Camilla felt disappeared as soon as they had come. Once she heard that statement, the electricity that pulsated with life died. Her brain was struggling to process that fact that just happened.

"What?" She was astounded. That was the last thing she had imagined she would hear today. She had not even imagined it at all. "What?" She asked again. "This must be a joke. It's a joke right?"

"You heard me," he said coolly, letting go of her arm. "Marry me and all your problems will be solved."

"It's a joke, right?" She repeated, staring at him with a raise of her eyebrows.

"I am afraid it is not a joke darling," Logan smiled. "I am very serious. I'm always serious when talking business."

"Business?" She scoffed.

"Yes," he said, still smiling. "This is business. Very serious business in fact."

Logan had never had the intention of getting married. He was someone who preferred changing women like he changed his underwear. He hated commitment and was a certified playboy. He could not count the number of women whose hearts he had broken.

However, his playboy days had to be numbered by his father. Logan's father knew he was going to die soon and had told Logan that if he did not get married within six months, he would take all his inheritance and transfer it to his older sister and her husband.

With the extravagant lifestyle he lived, Logan knew his savings were not going to last him for a very long time. If he decided to start a business with it, it was going to take a while before he reaped the fruits of his labour. As much as he did not like the idea of being dependent, Logan knew that he needed to continue to run his father's business like he was doing now so he could stay in wealth. Getting a wife was the only way he could do it and he did not want a clingy wife, hence the need for a contract wife.

"You must be very crazy." Camilla's tears had turned into mad laughter. Her stomach hurt from the sudden burst of laughter that had come from her. She had no idea she was capable of spreading her mouth open in a few for the next few days. "Who the hell do you think you are? And marry you? What sort of sick joke is that?"

"It is not a joke." He adjusted his sitting position, making sure to relax into the seat. "I am very serious about this."

Camilla could not control her laughter. She wheezed painfully as the situation was beyond hilarious. "Marry you?" She asked. "Why on earth will I do that? Why would you even think of proposing that to a stranger? You don't know me, I don't know you."

"Well, we don't know each other. But people meet one day and eventually get married," Logan said. "You meet a guy today at a restaurant, he walks over and the two of you talk and laugh. You are strangers, but you want a second date with him and he wants it too. And one day, you two are no longer strangers but are dating. Eventually, some of that leads into marriage."

"Yeah well, when they met their spouses it was not some random guy at the cafe who commands them to marry them saying he would solve their problems."

"I didn't command you," Logan rolled his eyes. "I just gave a solution and if it makes you feel better, you will be solving my problems too."

"I'm not interested in your problems," Camilla said standing up.

"Listen to me first," Logan sighed. Camilla did not know what possessed her but she took a seat.

"I'm listening."

"I have to get married within six months but I don't want to get married," he began.

"Then don't get married," Camilla shrugged.

"It's complicated," Logan replied. "I have no choice or I'm doomed."

"Um, okay?" Camilla answered, finding it strange. How would someone be doomed just because of not getting married? It was not like he was a female who had to get married because age was not on their side.

She was still waiting for him to explain the part where he said he was going to solve her problems because her current predicament did not seem like something someone could solve.

"I've been thinking about it for a while and decided that I would pretend to get married when I'm not. It's simple, we have a contract saying that you will be my girlfriend and wife eventually. For a certain period of time." Logan paused and took a look at her. Her expression was unreadable and after trying too hard to decipher what she was thinking, he gave up and continued.

"During this period, I will cover all your expenses and also pay you a hefty sum if you agree to be my wife."

"Oh... What else?" Camilla probed. It was unreasonable and she knew she was not going to agree to it. Yet she wondered why she still sat there listening to him.

"You are free to do whatever you want honestly. The marriage isn't real so you can do anything you want in life. I am not going to restrict you."

"Is that all?" She asked.

"Well as my wife you will have to live with me to make the ruse believable," Logan shrugged. "What do you say?" He asked.

"You are crazy," Camilla sighed, shaking her head. "Very crazy."

Logan shrugged. "Agreed. But you'll do it right?"

"No," Camilla said. "Thank you for making me laugh though. Your thinking process is amusing."

Logan shrugged and scribbled his number on a napkin. He pushed it towards her. "I'm glad you find my thought process amusing." He paused and looked around. " Think about my offer though. I'll give you half an upfront payment if you agree. I'm sure you don't want your loved one to die because you couldn't afford surgery."

With that, he stood up and walked out of the cafe.

Chapter Three

The Decision and A Surprise

Camilla stared at the napkin in her hand for a long time. She was torn between accepting it and saving her pride but she knew her mother's life was worth more than her pride.

She left the cafe and walked to the bus stop, her eyes still fixated on the number in the paper. As she boarded the bus, she saved the number and then looked out the window, still thinking.

She considered calling Paige and telling her all about it but she realized that if she eventually agreed to do it, it would be a breach of the contract because that kind of thing was meant to be confidential.

By the time she got home, she was exhausted and hungry. The only thing she had taken all day was coffee. She decided to order pizza and just when she thought the delivery man was at her door, she discovered it was Paige.

"Hey, girl!" Paige pulled her into a warm hug. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could give you the financial support you need."

"It's alright," Camilla smiled wryly. "I ordered pizza. You hungry?"

"Yeah, but I'm paying."

Camilla only shrugged.

"Everything will be alright," Paige said with a pout, walking deeper into the house."Try not to think too much about it."

"Right," Camilla mumbled.

"Hey, what's that?" Paige picked up the napkin on the sofa. "A number?" She smiled teasingly.

Camilla snatched the paper from her hand. She wanted to tell her it wasn't important but suddenly, she found herself blurring out her predicament.

"After I was done talking to you on the phone earlier," Camilla began. "A guy walked to me. I think he heard our conversation."

"Oh?" Paige was walking into the kitchen with Camilla following behind her. She grabbed and glass and filled it with water, taking small sips from it at intervals.

"He said he could give me the money. Solve my problems was the word he used actually."

"Oh?" Paige had her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Why on earth would he do that though? That's a lot of money. He must have a reason that's not good. I'm sure he is one of those loan sharks that have a crazy interest rate."

"He'll only give it to me if I marry him," she blurted.

"I'm sorry what?" Paige spat the water out of her mouth due to shock. She began to cough, holding her chest. When she had recovered from her shock, she said, "Marry you? Is that some kind of joke?"

"No. He said I'll be solving his problems if I do," Camilla shrugged. "I don't see how but he wants it to be some sort of contract marriage. I'm free to do whatever I want with my life provided I live with him and I'm married on paper. I can even get in a relationship but it must be secretly."

"That is crazy," Paige whistled.

"It is," Camilla agreed.

"Is he like some billionaire or stuff?"

"Dunno."

"Are you going to do it?" Asked Paige, setting the glass of water down.

"I don't know!" Groaned Camilla. "I'm desperate!"

"Maybe you should," Paige sighed. "I don't want to give you bad advice or tell you something you'd regret doing but that seems to be your only option."

"It is my only option. I wish the situation was different."

"Me too." Paige was concerned for her friend. "But before you agree to sign any contract, do your research about him well. Also, read the contract thoroughly."

"Right..."

The doorbell rang. "That must be the pizza," Paige said. "I'll get the door."

After the two of them had eaten, Paige was the first one to fall asleep on the sofa. Camilla on the other hand took one last glance at the napkin that would determine her fate and despite the coffee that she had binged on, she slept like a baby- not bothering to change her clothes.

The next day, when she awoke, the napkin was still in her hand. She groaned rubbing her eyes and sitting up, thinking about the man that had approached her at the cafe. She looked at Paige's sleeping figure and sighed, then looked at the paper once more.

There was no other way she could get the money so she gave him a call.

Logan picked up on the first ring. "I knew you'd take up my offer," he grinned. "I've asked my lawyer to draft up a contract. Let's meet up tomorrow night to discuss things."

"How the hell did you know I was the one?" Camilla asked, her morning voice was hoarse.

"Only a selected few have that number and their numbers are saved. You're the only stranger I have my number to and I knew you'd call." His voice has a boyish grin to it. "I'm Logan, by the way, I didn't give a proper introduction yesterday. What's your name?"

"Camilla," she whispered.

*+*+*+*++*+*

The day had finally come and even though Camilla was physically prepared, she wasn't sure she was mentally prepared. She was resuming her new job today and she also had to meet up with Logan in the night.

She stared at herself in the full-length mirror on her wardrobe door. Her hair had been neatly put into a ponytail and she added a hairpin so her attire was not plain. She was wearing a black fitted dress with no design of any kind and red stilettos.

"Here goes," she whispered to herself, picking up the tote bag she had bought for work purposes.

She arrived at the office fifteen minutes earlier than she was meant to resume and sat in the small office just outside her boss's office. She had gotten a job to be a secretary. She hoped that her boss would not be one of the old men who hit on their secretaries all the time but when she saw her boss walk in, she froze and wished she had not made that prayer.

Donned in a dress shirt that hugged his muscles sexily and suit pants, Logan walked into the office.