Chapter 1 - 365 days Bride

Selena's pov,

I stood outside Mrs. Chloe's door, shifting my weight from one foot to the other in my impatience.

Under normal circumstances, I would have just walked away when I saw how busy she was, but this was different.

This was about Erica, and I knew that I couldn't just give up and leave. I was willing to wait as long as it took, because I knew that her life was worth it.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she waved me in.

I took a deep breath and walked through the door, trying to maintain a cool, calm demeanor.

"Alright, Cousin. I'll find you a suitable lady for the role, and it'll be our little secret," she said with a smile. Then she hung up the phone and turned to face me.

"You should be on duty at the cashier's desk, not standing outside my door, Selena," she said, her tone sharp and impatient. "It's only 10 am," she continued, glancing at her wristwatch as she lit her cigarette.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Chloe," I stammered. "This is different. It's... it's urgent."

She exhaled a cloud of smoke, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "You always have some new emergency or another, Selena. What is it this time?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Your grandmother is sick and you want a leave to take care of her, I suppose?" she added, sounding almost bored.

I knew she was just being her usual arrogant self, but I couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt.

"Not that ma'am.. This time I need an advance payment of my salary.... " I stuttered and she arched her brow.

"You asked for an advance payment last month, didn't you?" she said, a hint of accusation in her voice. "Are you a spendthrift or is someone taking advantage of you?"

I winced. I knew what she was implying, and it was far from the truth. "No, Mrs. Chloe. I'm not a spendthrift, and no one is taking advantage of me. I just have a personal matter that I need some extra funds for."

"The supermarket is a business, not a charity," she said, her voice hard and uncompromising. "If all the workers keep asking for advances like you do, how would we survive?"

I felt my heart sink. I knew she was right, but I couldn't bear the thought of losing my only sister Erica.

"I promise this is the last time, Mrs. Chloe," I said, my voice breaking. "My little sister is very sick and we need the money to pay for her Surgery,"

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, and I hoped she would understand.

"I'm sorry, Selena, but I can't help you this time," she said, her tone dismissive. "The CEO is breathing down my neck about the poor financial performance of the branch. I can't make any exceptions right now."

She took a final drag from her cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray. I could tell that she was already done with the conversation, but I couldn't just give up.

"Please, Mrs. Chloe. I really need this," I pleaded, my voice shaking. "It's a matter of life and death."

"Selena, I can't help you," she said, her voice firm.

Even though Mrs. Chloe's tone was harsh, I understood that she was under a lot of pressure from her superiors. She was responsible for the performance of the branch, and it was clear that the CEO was putting a lot of pressure on her. I knew she wasn't being unkind for the sake of it.

Even though Mrs. Chloe was supposedly the CEO's niece, it didn't seem to protect her from his wrath when the branch's performance was subpar.

I sighed, looking down at the floor. "Thank you, Mrs. Chloe," I said quietly, preparing to turn and leave the office.

"Selena," she called out, and I turned to face her, feeling a spark of hope. "Wait," she said, her brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe there's something I can do."

I felt my heart leap, and I waited with bated breath for her to continue.

"How badly do you need the money for your sister's surgery?" she asked, a hint of mischief in her smile.

My heart skipped a beat. Was she about to offer me a solution? I opened my mouth to respond, but she spoke again before I could get a word out.

"Let me ask you this," she continued, her voice taking on a businesslike tone. "What would you be willing to do to get the money you need?"

"I need the money more than I can possibly express," I replied, my voice shaking with emotion. "It's a matter of life or death for my sister."

She lit another cigarette, her hand trembling slightly as she held the lighter. Mrs. Chloe was a heavy smoker, and we her employees had often wondered how her husband could stand the smell.

"I have a deal for you," she said, her voice now all business. "One that will pay your sister's bill and also make you wealthy,"

"Please, sit," she said, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to make of her offer.

Mrs. Chloe never allowed her employees to sit in her office. Was this a good sign or a bad one? I decided to take a chance and sat down, trying to appear calm and collected.

She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. "Are you willing to go undercover for me?" she asked. My heart stopped for a moment. Undercover? What did that mean?

She let out a laugh and flicked her cigarette, blowing smoke rings into the air. "Just joking!" she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Here's the deal," she said, her tone now completely serious. "If you agree to become the CEO's son's wife for the next twelve months, you'll become a millionaire." My jaw dropped open in disbelief. I must have heard her wrong. There was no way she was offering me what I thought she was offering.

"You... you want me to... to marry the CEO's son?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "For money?"

I had never met the CEO or his son, and they lived in the capital, hours away from where I lived. How could I possibly marry a complete stranger? The thought of it made my head spin. I thought her initial proposition of going undercover was easier to handle than this.

I was a hopeless romantic who loved fairy tale endings. The idea of being swept off my feet by a handsome prince charming was much more appealing than being paid to marry a man I had never met. And the thought of being married for twelve months to a total stranger was downright terrifying. I couldn't imagine living that kind of lie.

"And the best part is, you'll be paid $50,000 up front, and another $50,000 when the twelve months are up," she said, like she knew the exact words that would catch my attention. And she was right. The thought of that much money was enough to stop me in my tracks.

"Well, what do you say?" she asked, her eyes fixed on me, full of confidence and expectation.

"I... I...," I stammered, my mind spinning. I didn't know what to say. I was torn between the allure of the money and the uncertainty of the situation.

"I guess that's a yes," she said, cutting me off before I could answer. It was as if she had already decided for me.

She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a chequebook, scribbling something on the front of it. She handed it to me, saying, "Here's $15,000, just to say thank you for agreeing to do this."

"You don't have to pay it back," she added with a smile.

I stared at the cheque in disbelief. It was more money than I earned in two months' worth of pay. Was this really happening? Or was I having some sort of bizarre, money-filled dream?

"There will be a car to pick you up at 8am tomorrow, so you can meet my Cousin," she continued. "Please make sure you get some nice clothes, and look your best. In fact, you're free for the rest of the day. Just make sure you're ready for tomorrow."

She paused, her expression turning serious. "And remember, this is a secret. No one can know about our arrangement."

I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around what was happening. Was this really my life right now?

As I turned to leave her office, I heard her voice on the phone, "Hey, Cousin. I've found you the perfect bride, and it didn't even take me long to find her. You're going to be so pleased." She let out a high-pitched giggle, and I felt my stomach turn.

As soon as I got home, I grabbed my phone and searched for the CEO's son on social media. I remembered that he had been the acting CEO for a while, until his father took over the role again last month. Even though I had never met him, I knew his name was Fred Leonard Jr.

I scrolled through his social media pages, trying to get a sense of who he was. But all I could find were pictures of him posing with fancy cars and other material possessions. There was no real insight into his personality or his values.

Before I could log out of I*******m, a video caught my eye. It was an interview between Fred Leonard Jr. and a popular blogger. I clicked play, curious to hear what he had to say.

"So, Mr. Leonard, can you tell us about your ideal woman?" the interviewer asked.

"Well, with my position and my status, I can't settle for just anyone," he replied, sounding smug. "I need someone with style, class, and an equal social status to my own."

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. From the sounds of it, I definitely wouldn't be his ideal woman. And here I was, about to go and meet him the next day, hoping to win him over and secure my sister's future.

I wasn't sure I could do it. I didn't have the style or class he was looking for. And I certainly wasn't his equal when it came to social status. What if he turned me away? What would happen to my sister then?

I felt my anxiety levels rising as I contemplated all the worst-case scenarios.

I scrolled through the comment section, reading all the remarks. Some were full of hatred, calling Fred arrogant and full of himself.

Others were full of admiration, gushing about how handsome and impressive he was. And then there were those who claimed to have met him, giving their own opinion on his character.

I couldn't help but notice that the negative comments outnumbered the positive ones.

The thought of meeting someone like that, with such a high opinion of himself, made me feel even more anxious. I felt completely out of my depth. How could I possibly charm someone like that?

As I scrolled through the comments, I noticed that more and more of them were turning negative. People were calling Fred arrogant, self-centered, and spoiled. And the more I read, the more my anxiety grew.

In conclusion, I was about to meet a man who was arrogant and had high social standing, neither of which I could claim for myself. I had no idea how to navigate this situation, and the more I thought about it, the more overwhelmed I felt.