MARRIED TO THE MONSTER

CHAPTER1

Eva and her friend Maria sat comfortably on a plush sofa, surrounded by the warm, cozy ambiance of Eva’s living room. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and they were enjoying a movie together, their laughter and giggles filling the air. They were in high spirits, completely absorbed in the lighthearted film when, out of the blue, Eva's phone rang. It was her mother calling.Without hesitation, Eva picked up the phone and greeted her, “Hello, good morning, Mum.”“Hello, good morning, my daughter. How are you doing?” her mother replied, her voice warm and filled with affection.“I’m doing well, Mum. How about you? Is everything okay over there?” Eva asked, settling back into her seat while Maria, curious about the conversation, kept glancing at her.“Yes, everything is fine, my dear,” her mother reassured her. “How’s work? I hope things are going smoothly with you and everyone in your office.”“Work is going great, Mum. No complaints,” Eva said casually.Her mother’s tone shifted slightly, as if preparing for a big announcement. “Well, I want to let you know that I’ll be coming over to stay with you for about four weeks. I’ve been so stressed out lately with all the work I’ve been doing. I just need some rest.”Eva's eyes widened in surprise. “Wow, Mum, that’s wonderful! I’ve really missed you.”“I miss you too, my darling,” her mother responded, her voice softening. “Speaking of which, how are things with your fiancé?”Eva’s heart sank. A wave of dread washed over her as she struggled to find her voice. Her hands gripped the edge of the couch, and her mind raced. How could she tell her mother that she and her fiancé had broken up? The breakup had been a painful one. Her ex-fiancé had been unfaithful, and to make matters worse, she had discovered that he had impregnated another woman while still engaged to her. Yet, here was her mother, blissfully unaware of the painful reality, asking about a relationship that no longer existed.Eva swallowed hard, feeling trapped. “Oh, he’s doing well, Mum. He’s just at work right now,” she lied, her voice tight with forced cheerfulness.Her mother sounded delighted. “That’s wonderful news! I can’t wait to meet this young man, your knight in shining armor.”Eva forced a laugh, trying to mask the knot of anxiety tightening in her chest. They continued chatting for a few more minutes before her mother hung up the phone.As soon as the call ended, Maria, who had been observing Eva’s side of the conversation, turned to her with concern in her eyes. “Wait! What was that? Why would you lie to your mum about still having a fiancé?” she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and disbelief.Eva let out a frustrated sigh. “Because I didn’t know what else to say.”Maria’s brow furrowed. “Then tell her the truth, Eva. You can’t deceive your mother like that. She’s not going to want you to stay with a man who cheated on you. I’m sure she’d be relieved to know that you broke it off with him.”Eva shook her head, feeling overwhelmed. “I can’t, Maria. You don’t understand. I could hear the joy in her voice when I told her I was engaged. This has been her dream for me – finish school, get a good job, and then get married. I’m her only child, and I know how much this means to her. I just couldn’t take that happiness away from her.”Maria sighed, but her tone softened. “I get it, Eva. I really do. But what are you going to do now? Your mum is coming to stay with you for a whole month. She’s going to want to meet your fiancé. You can’t keep lying to her, or it’ll hurt her even more when she finds out the truth.”Eva rubbed her temples, feeling lost. “I don’t know what to do. I feel completely stuck. Please, Maria, you’ve got to help me. You’re always so good at coming up with ideas. I need your help to get me out of this mess.”Maria thought for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Has your mum ever seen your fiancé? Like, in a photo or a video call?”Eva blinked, surprised by the question. “No, she hasn’t. Why?”Maria’s face lit up with an idea. “That’s perfect! Your mum has never seen him. So, all you have to do is find someone to pretend to be your fiancé while your mum is around.”Eva looked at Maria, confused. “What do you mean? How can I ‘find someone’ to be my fiancé? I can’t go back to John, not after what he did. So what exactly are you suggesting?”Maria grinned. “I’m not suggesting you go back to John. I’m saying we find someone else to pretend to be your fiancé. It’s just for show, and it’ll be temporary, just while your mum is here. We can even make a contract with him, you know, lay out the terms, and you pay him for his time.”Eva’s eyes widened as the idea began to take shape in her mind. “That could actually work. I’m not worried about the payment or the contract, but where on earth will I find a guy who would agree to something like this?”Maria smirked. “Well, that’s the easy part. I think I know someone who would be perfect for the job.”Eva raised her eyebrows, intrigued. “Really? Who?”“His name is Brian. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s responsible, reliable, and, trust me, he’s really cute,” Maria said with a wink.Eva let out a relieved breath. “Okay, call him right away. We don’t have much time.”Maria laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. But when this all works out, don’t forget my commission! I deserve a cut for all this work.”Eva chuckled, shaking her head. “I trust you, money lover.”The next day, Eva and Maria sat in Eva’s living room, anxiously awaiting Brian’s arrival. The meeting was supposed to take place at 3:15 p.m., but the clock had already crept past 4:00 p.m., and there was still no sign of Brian. Eva, her patience wearing thin, was growing increasingly frustrated.“Where is he?” Eva demanded, pacing back and forth. “You said he wouldn’t let us down, Maria! But look at the time – he’s almost an hour late!”Maria, though also concerned, tried to stay calm. “I’m sure he’s just caught up in traffic or something. He’ll be here soon.”Just as Eva was about to lose her temper again, the doorbell rang. Maria jumped up and hurried to answer it. Standing on the other side was Brian, dressed impeccably in a neatly ironed blue suit, a crisp white shirt, and a black tie. He was tall, with a fair complexion, and looked every bit the part of the charming, responsible fiancé Eva needed.“Hello, ladies,” Brian greeted them with a charming smile.Eva, however, was in no mood to be charmed. She stood up, her arms crossed, and scowled at him. “Look at the time, Brian! You’re late!”Brian, though apologetic, tried to explain. “I’m really sorry. There was traffic—”“I don’t want to hear it,” Eva cut him off. “I don’t have time for excuses. This is important, and you show up late?”Brian’s smile faded as Eva continued to berate him, her words laced with frustration and irritation. His initial apology turned to frustration, and after a few moments of enduring her tirade, he turned to leave.“Wait!” Maria called after him, rushing to stop him from walking out the door. She turned to Eva, her tone firm but gentle. “Eva, you need to calm down. He’s here to help you. You need him, remember? If you want to make this work, you can’t afford to push him away.”Eva took a deep breath, realizing that Maria was right. She had been harsh, and she needed Brian’s help if she was going to get through the next month without her mother finding out the truth.Turning back to Brian, who still looked frustrated, Eva softened her tone. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. This situation has me really stressed out.”Brian crossed his arms, still looking a little annoyed but willing to listen. “I get that, but I don’t appreciate being treated like I’m not doing you a favor here. I agreed to help, and I’m here now.”Eva nodded, feeling chastened. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have been so rude. Let’s start over.” She extended her hand. “I’m Eva. Thank you for coming.”Brian hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand. “Brian. And yeah, Maria told me what’s going on.”They sat down to discuss the arrangement. Eva explained the situation in more detail, telling Brian about her mother’s upcoming visit and how she had lied about still being engaged. She laid out the terms of the agreement: Brian would pretend to be her fiancé while her mother was in town, and she would pay him for his time. Brian agreed, albeit somewhat reluctantly.As they shook hands on the agreement, Eva felt a wave of relief wash over her. The plan was in motion, and for now, it seemed like everything might just work out.But little did Eva know, pretending to be in a relationship was going to be far more