CHAPTER 3 – THE RUMOR.
1339 Words
The whispers began before Nora had even reached her desk.
She felt them long before she heard them... the lingering glances, the conversations that stopped the moment she walked past, the subtle curiosity that seemed to follow her from one end of the executive floor to the other. Offices had always thrived on gossip, but Cole Group was no exception. If someone sneezed in Accounting, Human Resources knew before lunch.
Today, unfortunately, she was the headline.
Nora placed her bag inside the bottom drawer of her desk and tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling crawling beneath her skin. She switched on her computer, arranged the day's files, and reviewed the CEO's schedule for the third time, hoping work would distract her. It didn't. Every few minutes she caught someone stealing a glance in her direction before pretending to be busy.
She sighed quietly.
Whatever rumor was spreading, she wanted no part of it.
"Good morning."
Nora looked up to find Olivia from Human Resources standing beside her desk with two cups of coffee.
"I bought an extra one," Olivia said with a friendly smile. "Thought you might need it."
"Thank you."
Olivia handed her the cup but didn't walk away.
Instead, she leaned against the partition, clearly waiting for something.
"What?" Nora asked with a faint smile.
Olivia hesitated.
"I probably shouldn't ask."
"Then don't."
"But everyone is talking."
Nora took a careful sip of coffee.
"Talking about what?"
"You."
She nearly choked.
"Me?"
"They said you were inside Mr. Cole's office for almost half an hour."
"So?"
Olivia lowered her voice.
"The last person who stayed that long came out carrying a termination letter."
Nora couldn't help laughing.
"I wasn't fired."
"I can see that."
"Then there's your answer."
Olivia looked unconvinced.
"People think something else happened."
Nora frowned.
"What exactly do they think happened?"
Olivia scratched the back of her neck.
"They think... he promoted you."
Nora blinked.
"That's the rumor?"
"There are worse ones."
"I'm afraid to ask."
"They think you're secretly dating him."
Nora stared at her for several seconds before bursting into laughter.
It was the first genuine laugh she'd had in days.
"Mr. Cole?"
Olivia nodded.
"You should hear the theories."
"He barely says ten words to me every day."
"I know."
"He doesn't even smile."
"I know."
"I've never seen him outside work."
"I know."
Olivia shrugged dramatically.
"Office gossip doesn't require evidence."
Nora shook her head, still amused despite herself.
"If that's the biggest rumor people can invent, then they'll get bored by tomorrow."
She sincerely hoped she was right.
Unfortunately, she wasn't.
By lunchtime, the whispers had grown louder.
As Nora stood waiting for the elevator to the cafeteria, two junior employees stepped inside behind her.
Neither realized she could hear them.
"I heard she cried in his office."
"No, I heard he gave her flowers."
"Flowers?"
"My cousin works on this floor."
"Seriously?"
"They said she's the only woman who can speak to him without getting fired."
Nora closed her eyes.
People really had too much imagination.
The elevator doors opened, and she stepped out before hearing the rest of the conversation.
The cafeteria was crowded as usual.
She found an empty table near the window and unpacked the sandwich she'd made that morning. She had barely taken one bite when someone pulled out the chair opposite her.
"Mind if I join you?"
Nora looked up.
It was Daniel Brooks.
One of the company's senior legal advisers.
He was kind, approachable, and one of the few executives who treated every employee with respect regardless of their position.
"Of course."
Daniel smiled.
"I've been trying to catch you all week."
"Really?"
"You've been hiding behind mountains of paperwork."
She laughed softly.
"Occupational hazard."
Daniel stirred his coffee.
"I wanted to ask if you'd like to have dinner sometime."
The question caught her completely off guard.
"Dinner?"
"As a date."
Nora stared at him in surprise.
Daniel had always been friendly, but she'd never imagined he was interested in her.
He quickly added, "No pressure. If you're not interested, we can pretend I never asked."
Before Nora could answer, a sudden hush swept across the cafeteria.
Every conversation stopped.
She didn't need to turn around to know why.
Damien Cole had entered.
The CEO rarely ate in the staff cafeteria.
When he did, people reacted as though royalty had arrived.
Nora instinctively looked toward the entrance.
Damien walked in with his usual composed expression, accompanied by two board members discussing quarterly investments.
As they passed, his eyes briefly met hers.
Just for a second.
Then they moved to Daniel.
The expression on his face didn't change.
Neither did his pace.
Yet for reasons Nora couldn't explain, the atmosphere suddenly felt heavier.
Daniel cleared his throat.
"I suppose that's my cue to stop blocking the CEO's assistant during lunch."
Nora smiled awkwardly.
"You don't have to."
"I'll let you think about my question."
He stood.
"No rush."
After he left, Nora found herself completely unable to finish her meal.
She wasn't thinking about Daniel.
She wasn't even thinking about the rumors.
She was thinking about the contract hidden inside the drawer of her desk.
A fake marriage.
One year.
Enough money to save her family.
Her phone vibrated.
It was another message from the hospital.
Payment reminder. Final notice.
Her chest tightened.
She slipped the phone back into her bag before anyone could notice the tears threatening to spill.
That evening, after work, Nora sat alone in her apartment with the contract spread across the small dining table.
Ethan had gone to the library to study, leaving the apartment unusually quiet.
She read every page slowly.
There were no hidden traps.
No unreasonable demands.
No clauses that stripped away her freedom.
The agreement was surprisingly straightforward.
Maintain the appearance of a married couple.
Attend family functions together.
Keep the arrangement confidential.
No public scandals.
After one year, they would divorce quietly.
Everything would end.
She reached the final page and stared at the blank signature line reserved for her.
Her hand trembled.
She imagined her mother's tired smile in the hospital bed.
She imagined Ethan finally graduating without worrying about tuition.
She imagined waking up without the weight of debt crushing her every morning.
Then she imagined marrying a man who barely revealed his emotions.
A man she respected...
But hardly knew.
A knock on the apartment door startled her.
She quickly closed the contract and slipped it back into its envelope before opening the door.
Standing outside was her elderly landlady, Mrs. Benson.
"I'm sorry to bother you, dear."
"It's okay. Is everything alright?"
The older woman smiled apologetically.
"I've been patient because I know you're a good girl."
Nora's heart sank.
"The rent?"
Mrs. Benson nodded gently.
"I need it before the end of this week."
"I understand."
"I wouldn't ask if I had another choice."
Nora forced a reassuring smile.
"I'll pay it."
"I know you will."
After the landlady left, Nora leaned against the closed door and slowly slid to the floor.
For the first time in years, she allowed herself to cry.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just silent tears born from exhaustion.
She wasn't crying because life was unfair.
She was crying because every problem seemed to arrive at once.
Hospital bills.
Rent.
Debt.
Ethan's tuition.
And now...
A marriage proposal that wasn't really a proposal at all.
She wiped her face and looked toward the envelope resting on the table.
The answer seemed obvious.
Yet somehow...
It had never felt more impossible.
Miles away, inside the penthouse overlooking the city skyline, Damien Cole stood in front of his office window, holding another copy of the same contract.
His grandfather's words echoed in his mind.
"Marry before my birthday, Damien... or forget about inheriting this company."
He wasn't worried about the company.
He was worried about the woman who now held the power to change both of their lives.
For the first time in years, Damien found himself waiting for someone else's decision.
And he hated waiting.
- Writer
