At a college reunion, I lost a game of Truth or Dare. My classmates dared me: "Call the person pinned at the top of your text messages and say, 'Honey, I miss you.'" I had to bite the bullet and make the call. I said the words. To my absolute shock, the voice on the other end replied, "Yeah, I miss you too." My classmates' eyes lit up with gossip, immediately interrogating me about when I had secretly gotten married. Help me! The person on the other end of the line was my tyrannical boss. We aren’t even close! During the Thanksgiving break, some old college classmates organized a reunion. Faced with the endless, invasive questions from my aunts and uncles back home, I seized the opportunity to escape. At the reunion, we started playing Truth or Dare. The entire evening passed without incident until the very end of the game, when I finally lost. Looking at the pack of wolves around me, their eyes practically glowing green as they dug up everyone's deepest secrets, I nervously chose "Dare." A classmate smirked, "Call the person pinned at the top of your text messages and say, 'Honey, I miss you.'" Oh, crap. The person pinned at the top of my messages was my boss. After all, he’s the one signing my paychecks. It’s only natural I keep his thread pinned so I don’t miss any important work messages. I hesitated. "Um, that might be my boss..." "You're married?" a classmate asked. I shook my head. "Then make the call!" I had no choice but to dial the number, praying silently that he wouldn't answer. But before the third ring, Alexander’s deep, resonant voice came through the speaker. "What is it?" Under the expectant gazes of everyone in the room, I gritted my teeth and forced out the words: "Honey, I miss you." There was a pause on the other end. Right before I could hang up, he spoke. "Yeah, I miss you too." Seeing everyone covering their mouths, staring at me in silent shock, I hurriedly ended the call. "I'm not married. It's not what you think." My classmate waved his hand dismissively. "We get it, we get it. Office romance. Keeping it low-key! We understand!" I rubbed my temples, exhausted. No, you really don't. I could only take solace in the fact that I didn't have to go into the office for a few days. Otherwise, I'd probably die of embarrassment right in front of Alexander. But Alexander saying something like that... he must have been drunk. He'll probably forget all about it by tomorrow. The next day, I had completely pushed the incident to the back of my mind. Early the next morning, I could hear my dad laughing through my bedroom door. Then, I heard my mom knocking gently. "Olivia, time to get up," she said softly. I was just wondering why my mom was in such a good mood today, speaking so sweetly, when she added: "Your boyfriend is here. Come on out." I practically jumped out of bed and yanked the door open. "What boyfriend? Who has a boyfriend?" My mom smiled so broadly her crow's feet crinkled. "Yours, of course! Really, Olivia, why keep such an amazing guy a secret? You should have brought him home sooner." I looked past my mom and saw the back of a man sitting on the living room sofa, wearing a crisp suit. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, sitting tall and composed. Wait a minute. Is this a scammer? Or someone trying to sell us insurance? I pulled my mom into my room and gently closed the door. "Mom," I whispered. "Did that guy ask you for money?" My mom playfully swatted my arm. "What kind of nonsense is that? The young man came to visit for the holidays, and I gave him a little gift card as a welcome. How does that make him a scammer?" I grimaced. "But Mom, I don't have a boyfriend." My mom paused. "Well, an ex-boyfriend counts, right? He’s already at the door. You two could rekindle things! He’s so handsome, and I even gave him a $500 gift card!" "What?!" I couldn't hide my shock. "You only gave me fifty bucks! Am I even your biological daughter?" My mom rolled her eyes at me. "No, you were a free gift when we signed up for a new phone plan. I couldn't possibly have given birth to someone this dense. Fine, if he’s not your boyfriend, he must have the wrong house. I'll go kick him out before he gives me a headache." I stopped her. "No, wait. I have to get that gift card back. We can't just lose $500." "You exasperating child. It's the holidays. Don't go starting trouble." My mom tried to grab me, but I dodged her with a swift maneuver. I sprinted into the living room, shouting at the man, "Happy Holidays, Mister! Wishing you a prosperous..." I looked at the boss sitting in front of me and forcibly swallowed the rest of my sentence. Looking at my impeccably dressed boss, I suddenly remembered I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet, and my hair was a bird's nest. In that moment, the awkwardness made me want to melt into the floorboards. Alexander stood up and looked at me, his eyes surprisingly gentle. "Olivia, Happy Holidays!" I was completely lost. Did my boss take the wrong medication today? Alexander continued, "I didn't want to make our relationship public so soon either. But when you called me that night, my parents overheard and figured it out. Now they're asking when I can bring you over to meet them." In a flash of realization, I finally understood Alexander's logic. He must have thought that when I called him that night, other people had overheard and misunderstood. So, he came over to return the favor, intentionally causing a misunderstanding with my family as payback. Petty and vindictive. Classic Alexander. But did he really think I was scared of him? A free shield delivered right to my door? I'll take it. I affectionately linked my arm through his. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alexander stiffen slightly. I couldn't help but smirk. "Mom, Dad, let me formally introduce you. This is Alexander. My boyfriend." Sitting in the living room munching on some snacks, I watched him get interrogated by my parents like he was undergoing a background check. I couldn't help but cackle internally. Take that, Alexander. At the dinner table, I struck again, constantly putting food on my boss's plate—fatty cuts of meat, raw garlic, ginger, cilantro, and anything else I knew he hated. By the end of the meal, I had earned a look from my boss that transitioned from confused disbelief to barely suppressed rage. I gave him a modest smile. "I know you love these. Eat up! Don't be shy!" Under the table, Alexander reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it warningly. "I really appreciate this." Feeling the threat, I wisely lowered my head and focused on my own food. My mom suddenly asked, "How long have you two been together? When are you planning to get married?" I looked up at Alexander, eager to see how he would spin this. Alexander looked at me, his face the picture of devotion. "Although Olivia and I haven't been together that long, we understand each other deeply. I can't imagine my future without her in it." I rubbed the goosebumps on my arms, feeling a sudden chill. I gave Alexander a pointed look, trying to signal him not to make it so ridiculously cheesy. Alexander’s lips curled into a faint smile as he continued, "I was hoping we could get married as soon as possible, but the courthouse is probably closed for the holidays. We might have to wait a couple of days. As for the wedding, our families can take their time planning it. We won't skip any of the traditional steps." Wow. I was absolutely floored. The chicken wing I was holding slipped from my chopsticks and fell onto the table. I angrily kicked Alexander under the table. There has to be a limit to this nonsense. How was I supposed to explain this to my parents later? Tell them he died and the wedding's off? My dad seemed hesitant. "Isn't this a bit too fast? You've only just met us." Alexander looked at me, his eyes so tender it was almost unbelievable, as if we were truly a deeply in love couple. "When it's the right person, it's just a matter of time. But I'd rather do it sooner than later." Saying this, he casually pulled a large ring of car keys from his pocket. "By the way, sir, are you planning to take a road trip over the break? I have quite a few cars in my garage just gathering dust. You should come by and pick one out. It'll make your commute much easier." I clearly saw my dad's eyes widen. Alexander then turned to my mom. "Ma'am, I know you worry about Olivia. I have a few properties in the city. We'll live in one of them when we get married. You can pick one out for yourselves, too. That way, it'll be easy for Olivia to visit you whenever she misses home." My mom's face instantly lit up. She pulled out our family's important documents file and slapped it on the table with gusto. "Oh, nonsense! Stop calling me 'Ma'am.' It's time to start calling me 'Mom'!" As one of the people involved in this transaction, I was left utterly dumbfounded. Snapping back to reality, I desperately tried to stop this farce. "Actually, we're not—" Alexander suddenly grabbed my hand, a gentle smile in the corners of his eyes, interrupting me before I could finish. "From now on, all my paychecks will go straight to Olivia. I promise I'll never give myself a chance to mistreat her." "This is the engagement gift," Alexander leaned in and whispered in my ear. "It's seven figures. If you think it's too little, I can add more. The PIN is my birthday." Looking at the bank card suddenly pressed into my hand, my wrist suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. I fell silent. I surrendered. Ugh, the sugar-coated bullets of capitalism are just too sweet. ... The Monday after the holidays. A good day to go back to work. I clutched my ID documents, hesitating to get into the car. Alexander looked at me through the window, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel, exuding an intense, oppressive aura. "Having second thoughts?" Faced with sudden, immense wealth, it's hard not to lose your head. But once clarity returns, hesitation and suspicion are inevitable. "Why do you want to marry me? I'm so ordinary, and we barely know each other. Even if you just need someone to get your family off your back, it shouldn't be me." I cautiously took a step back. To be honest, I had thought about this carefully over the past few days. I suspected he wanted to trick me into going home with him so he could harvest my kidneys, or maybe he wanted to cut out my heart to give to his sick childhood sweetheart. Or maybe he had his eye on my corneas. Alexander suddenly chuckled. "You're not ordinary. You're different from everyone else. You're very special." The way he looked at me was like a pool of warm spring water, so tender it could drown a person. I felt my ears burning. "How am I different from everyone else?" I shot back. As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized my tone was all wrong. It sounded like I was playfully flirting with him. The manipulative tactics of a capitalist are truly terrifying! Feeling a bit embarrassed and angry, I blurted out, "Alexander, I suspect you're involved in organ trafficking!" Alexander let out a soft laugh. "What, are you trying to say I stole your heart?" My face instantly burned bright red. "That's not what I meant at all!" Who even uses cheesy pickup lines like that anymore? Alexander’s eyes were still smiling. "Are you standing so far away because you're afraid I'll steal your heart if you get too close?" "Bullshit!" I angrily climbed into the car and glared at him defiantly. "See? I'm not scared of you. Stop talking nonsense!" "Alright. Since you're not scared, let's head to the courthouse." It wasn't until we were on the road that I realized something was wrong. Wasn't I just trying to back out? How did I suddenly end up in the car heading to the courthouse? At the entrance to the courthouse, I stopped dead in my tracks, refusing to take another step. Alexander turned to look at me. "What's wrong?" I looked at Alexander's face, gritted my teeth, and said, "Boss, I'm sorry. I don't think we're a good fit. You should find someone else to marry." Alexander stared at me intently with those deep, handsome eyes. It sent a chill down my spine, like I was being targeted by a wolf. "Tell me, how exactly are we not a good fit? Or do you already have someone you like?" "We barely know each other. I can't handle living with someone I've almost never spoken to, let alone sleeping in the same bed with them." Alexander took a step closer, looking down at me. "Any other reasons?" I kept my head down, not daring to look at him. "I don't want to easily trade away half my life just for money. I think the most important thing in life is to be happy. Besides, it's not like I'm the only person you could marry." Alexander suddenly placed his hand on my shoulder. I instinctively looked up and met his deep, dark, and unreadable gaze. He said softly, "You have a point. Actually, living in the moment and enjoying life is also very important." Sensing danger, I hastily brushed his hand away, completely missing what he had just said. "Stay away from me." I noticed his expression darken slightly and quickly tried to smooth things over. "I... I just think you're standing too close. It's getting hot." I regretted it the moment I said it. It's the middle of winter; how could it be hot? "It's fine. I'm not forcing you." Alexander rubbed his temples, returning to his usual demeanor. "I just need someone to help me deal with my family, and you happened to stumble into the situation. Plus, you happen to be a suitable candidate." He let out a long sigh. "I should have been clearer with you. We can sign a prenuptial agreement. You won't have to fulfill any 'wifely duties.' If you meet someone you like in the future, you can ask for a divorce. And while we're married, I'll hand over my salary every month." I immediately started wavering again. "So we'll sleep in separate rooms after we're married? And... how much is your monthly salary?" "Whether we sleep in separate rooms is up to you, though we might occasionally need to keep up appearances for my family. My base salary is only $30,000 a month. Most of my income comes from dividends. While we're married, you can expense any furniture, luxury goods, or gifts to me." The scales in my heart began to tip. It was hard not to be tempted by those terms. Alexander continued, "If you're still worried, I can have someone draft a marriage agreement listing all the conditions I just mentioned." "Can I have some time to think about it?" I asked. Alexander glanced down at his watch, his face shifting into a strictly business expression. "I can give you three minutes. I have a meeting this afternoon. I don't have time to waste." "What about in a few days?" I pressed. Alexander frowned at me, then gave a short, slightly mocking laugh. "My time is very valuable. The entire holiday break is over, and you still haven't made up your mind? Or have you just been playing me this whole time?" I suddenly didn't dare to speak. I didn't know why Alexander's attitude had suddenly shifted, becoming so intensely intimidating. But it reminded me that this was exactly how he was at the office. High and mighty, decisive, serious, and unapproachable. This was his true self. Alexander urged, "Have you decided? Three minutes are up." His tone was growing impatient. I quickly blurted out, "I'll do it. I'll marry you." I took a deep breath and stepped into the courthouse like a soldier marching to the front lines. High risk, high reward. It was just a marriage, nothing to be afraid of. Looking at the freshly printed marriage certificate in my hands, I still couldn't quite believe it. I remembered swearing in the past that I was going to be single forever. When I retired, I was going to travel the world alone, free and unburdened. How did things suddenly end up like this? The marriage certificate was suddenly snatched from my hands. I looked up and saw Alexander casually sliding my copy of the certificate into the inner pocket of his coat. I couldn't help but object. "Boss, that one is mine. We each get one!" "I earned this marriage fair and square, so naturally, I get to keep all the certificates." Alexander gave me a sidelong glance. "Got a problem with that?" I blinked, refusing to back down. "You say that like you could have gotten married all by yourself! Give it back!" Alexander leaned against the car door, arms crossed, raising an eyebrow at me. "You want it that badly? Come and get it yourself, then." I glared at him. Pervert! How did he expect me to get it? Did he want me to act like some kind of creep and grope him in public? Alexander offered a seemingly helpful reminder. "Time is ticking. If you want it, you better hurry." Seeing the uncontrollable smirk on Alexander's face, I realized for the first time that outside of work, he was actually a very irritating, manipulative person. "If you don't want it, then forget it. Let's get in the car and go back," Alexander said with a look of feigned regret. Yeah, right. Seeing the smug satisfaction he couldn't hide, I felt even more stifled. Smile, smile, smile. What's there to be so smug about? Why isn't he wearing his usual resting funeral face now? I angrily bumped his shoulder and walked all the way around the car to get into the passenger seat. Shortly after, Alexander opened the driver's side door and got in. I shot him a glare, then immediately turned to look out the window. "Little pufferfish!" Alexander's voice sounded right next to my ear. I hadn't realized when he leaned in so close. When I turned my head, I was face-to-face with his flawless, enlarged features. My heart gave a violent lurch. I leaned back, putting some distance between us, trying to calm my racing heart before demanding, "Why did you suddenly get so close? You scared me." Alexander's tone was completely innocent. "I'm about to start driving. You didn't have your seatbelt on." With that, he reached over my right shoulder, pulled the seatbelt across, and buckled it. "I have hands! Couldn't you just use your words to remind me?" I said indignantly. Alexander raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his attitude sincere. "I'm sorry, little pufferfish, my mistake. Next time I'll definitely use my words instead of my hands." "Who are you calling a pufferfish? You're the pufferfish!" "Right, right, we're both pufferfish." Alexander's tone was dismissive. "I'm taking you home to see our parents." "We're going to see your parents?" ... I looked at the grand, imposing house in front of me, then looked down at myself—dressed casually, empty-handed. I wanted to cry. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Do I look appropriate for this?" Alexander frowned. "Why wouldn't you be? We've already got the certificate. You're not trying to back out now, are you?" Alexander reached out to hold my hand, but I impatiently shook him off. I was speechless. Why did he act like getting a piece of paper meant everything was perfectly fine? Did he think a marriage certificate was some kind of magical talisman? I was getting angry. "I didn't prepare anything at all. It's incredibly rude!" Alexander suddenly started laughing. "So you do care what my parents think of you." He took my hand again, his face showing a hint of apology. "Sorry, it's my fault for not telling you about meeting my family beforehand. But I've already prepared the gifts. They're in the trunk. I'll have someone bring them in later. Let's go inside first. Don't worry, they're very happy with you. They won't care what you're wearing." As we approached the door, I suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute. Didn't you say you had a meeting this afternoon? Why are we suddenly at your parents' house?" I stopped, staring at him suspiciously. Alexander raised an eyebrow, speaking with absolute seriousness. "Isn't bringing you home a very important meeting? What's the problem?" But this plan was clearly based on the premise that I would agree to marry him. And he had already bought the gifts in advance. He had been absolutely certain I would say yes. Damn it. I felt like I had just stepped into another trap set by this capitalist. I suddenly had the urge to turn and run. The fact that a capitalist had put so much effort into securing me... was he really eyeing my internal organs? Alexander suddenly placed his hand on my shoulder, gripping it firmly. His tone was measured and calm. "You can run, but you can't hide. We're at the finish line. Am I going to have to push you through the door, or are you going to walk in yourself?" Ugh, is he the tapeworm living in my stomach? How does he know exactly what I'm thinking? I reluctantly knocked on the door. Once inside, I realized the Crawford family home wasn't some terrifying dragon's lair. It was more like a spider's web, designed to entangle and corrupt me with wealth. Alexander's parents weren't what I had imagined. They both looked prosperous and were incredibly warm and welcoming to me. "This must be Olivia," his mother said, smiling at me. "You look so sweet. A perfect fit for our family." Saying that, she slipped a heavy gold bracelet and a ring off her own hands and slid them directly onto mine. His father quietly handed me a sleek black credit card. "Buy whatever you need. We have terrible taste, so the things we pick out never suit you young people." I wasn't sure if I should take it, so I glanced at Alexander. Alexander looked completely unfazed. "Take it. It's just a small token from Mom and Dad." Alexander's parents were warm but respectful of boundaries, never making me feel pressured. After lunch, they even pulled me in to play a game of Monopoly. "We need a fourth. Come play, Olivia, otherwise we don't have enough people." Alexander's parents and their live-in housekeeper made exactly three. "I don't know how to play. Let Alexander play," I declined. Alexander's mother took my hand, smiling warmly. "That's okay. Let Alexander teach you. If you lose, it comes out of his pocket." "Go play. Don't worry, I won't let you lose too badly," Alexander said, giving me a gentle push. Left with no choice, I was dragged to the game table. Whatever, if I lose, I lose. At the table, with Alexander's guidance and his parents clearly going easy on me, a total novice like me kept winning left and right. I experienced the joy of winning for the first time. "Mom and Dad are really great people." I slumped back in my seat in the car, counting a thick stack of crisp new twenty, fifty, and hundred dollar bills, practically flying high on happiness. Alexander glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "You like them? Then we can come visit them more often." I wiggled around excitedly in the back seat. I smiled broadly. "Oh, I couldn't possibly impose." Alexander let out a soft chuckle but didn't reply. "Where are we going now, boss?" I asked. "You'll know when we get there."
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