A Special Order

My name was Xavier Zeller, and I worked as a freelance errand runner. My favorite gigs were pet-sitting, where I visited people's homes to feed their cats and dogs. That day, I accepted a job in the city's most prestigious neighborhood. The houses there were worth millions—the kind I could only dream of affording. Every car passing through the gates was either driven by a sleek, stunning woman or a high-powered executive.Using the key provided by the client, I unlocked the front door of the luxurious home. However, the moment I stepped inside, I was stunned by the scene before me.A stunning woman lay sprawled across the luxurious couch in the grand living room. She was positioned on her side, wearing nothing but a silk slip dress that clung to her curves—full where it needed to be and contoured in all the right places. She seemed like the very definition of perfection. The woman, Michelle Santos, appeared entirely oblivious to my existence. With her legs splayed and her head t

As the adrenaline rush subsided, a shard of lucidity pierced the haze of my thoughts. Before me stood a lavish abode, a realm far removed from the grasp of the ordinary man, and I couldn't help but notice the array of men's athletic shoes in the entryway. It was evident that a woman as alluring and adept as Michelle could hardly be unattached; there was no way she would ever be interested in a broke guy like me. Deep within, a voice clamored insistently, warning me that all was not as it appeared. I thought of recent news stories about scam victims, and reason reasserted its grip on my thoughts. I quickly stepped away from Michelle, putting some distance between us. "Don't go just yet," she said, her soft fingers grazing my cheek as her teasing smile widened. "Help me open this package first."Her perfume lingered in the air, weaving itself around us as she enveloped me in her embrace. Her body pressed against mine, rendering my thoughts a muddled haze. She possessed an exqu

Upon my arrival at work that fateful day, an unsettling air enveloped me. My coworkers huddled in muted discussion, casting furtive, critical glances in my direction as fragments of their discourse reached my ears like dissonant notes in a symphony. One commented, "I can't believe he's that kind of guy...""He has a girlfriend, yet he still goes around and...""People are not what they seem.""He's a scumbag," another added.Feeling uneasy, I forced a smile and asked, "Who are you guys talking about? Who is this scumbag?"However, they exchanged awkward glances before quickly laughing it off and burying their heads in their work, refusing to answer. Even the coworker who had covered for me earlier just smiled knowingly and said, "Way to go, Xavier!"Before I could figure out what was going on, Daniel called me into his office. He asked with what seemed like genuine concern, "How have you been feeling lately, Xavier?""I'm at my best, Mr. Woods. In fact, I have three proposals

However, something still felt off about the whole situation as I pieced everything together. The more I thought about it, the more questions arose.Firstly, Michelle was cheating on Reynold with her so-called boyfriend, Mason, and even rented a hotel room to do it. Given the shadows in which they operated, one would presume that they would exercise a heightened vigilance, particularly when it involved a third party. Nevertheless, they invited me to partake in their little game without a flicker of hesitation. I found myself pondering the curious absence of concern that I might later wield the knowledge I gleaned as a weapon of blackmail against them. Secondly, had they deemed it necessary to enlist someone, any unknown individual would have posed a far lesser threat. The decision to involve me—a mere cog laboring on a project for Reynold—was perplexing in its audacity. Thirdly, the photographs from the villa and the hotel were strikingly vivid, as if an unseen observer had been

The truth finally came out in its entirety. Michelle and Mason had been running their scheme for over a year, extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Reynold. While the money meant little to someone of Reynold's wealth, he had grown suspicious when Michelle's behavior changed dramatically in the bedroom. He could accept her asking for money, but the thought of her using his money to fund another man's lifestyle was unacceptable. It was an insult too great to ignore. When Michelle sensed Reynold's suspicions, she and Mason devised a plan to find a scapegoat. After all, she mused, where else could she secure a six-figure income by charming a wealthy older man?When I responded to that pet-sitting advertisement, I became their target. They figured I was presentable enough to be convincingly masquerade as Michelle's lover. After finding Amelia's social media account, they discovered our upcoming wedding plans and financial struggles. Their logic was simple—a man burdened