“It’s not rocket science, is it? After all, I have to find a man with whom I have to spend my whole life. The difficulty lies only in finding the right guy?” – shrieked Sarah.  Sarah’s frustration heightened upon learning that her best friend was also in agreement with her mother’s decision. Sarah, 32, must act swiftly as time is ticking on her biological clock. Her mother has set a strict ultimatum – ‘settle down within a year or risk losing her inheritance.’ Despite her dedication to work, Sarah must make meeting new people and finding a partner a top priority. Failure to do so will result in severe consequences. I am confident, I will find the right partner despite my busy schedule and the limited availability of suitable men. I am determined to overcome these challenges and not allow any frustration or unfairness to affect my search, thought she with self-assurance. Sarah exclaimed to her friend on the phone, “I have reached my limit. I’m giving myself three months to find the perfect man who can be my boyfriend, fiancé, and husband.”  Annika questioned, “You are being too strict with yourself?”  “Do you believe it is excessive? Would you prefer if I reduce it by a month?”  “Dating can be tough these days. It seems like there are more heartbreakers than genuine people. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back.”  Sarah said with a nervous giggle and pleaded, “Is it truly that frightening?” Her tone searched for reassurance and guidance. “Sal, I’m here to help. As your friend, let’s get you on the apps and create a winning profile. I’m coming over tonight to get started. Let’s do this.” With a stunning profile and an alluring photo, she had the power to swipe left or right. As soon as her profile hit the server, requests flooded in, each one bringing her closer to her desired outcome. However, Annika cautioned her to stay alert for fake profiles and prioritize her safety. Sarah finally found a handsome match after swiping for days. With Annika’s help, she hoped this could be it and end her dating journey.  With hopes surging in her heart, she got dressed up and went to meet Leo Steve - the guy from the dating app.  “Hello, there beautiful.” “Yes, same to you. I mean, you are handsome enough to keep my working mind at bay,” said Sarah, with a hand over her heart as she sat across from him.  In person, he looked even more handsome, with perfect shoulders, abs, and a lower body in perfect proportion to his upper body. The way his trousers hung on his waist, she sent a silent prayer to heaven for making it all work out.  After ordering coffee, they both set to talk about stuff here and there. When it was time, not to waste it in frivolous talk and to get to the point, he started…  “Listen, I know I might seem like the perfect man from the outside and a perfect partner. But I have my reservations, and I agreed to meet you so that we could reach some kind of agreement that would be beneficial to both of us for as long as we want.”  Hearing him, Sarah didn’t understand what he was insisting on and gave him a confused look and waited for him to further clarify himself. After a pause, he continued…  “Let me introduce, you to Edwin. My everything in life for me.” “Hello, Sarah right? You look good.” “Ya, it’s Sarah. Thank you. The same goes with you too.” Leo continued speaking to Sarah, “We are in a fix, and can’t come out in the open with our relationship. So, after a lot of thought and brainstorming, we came up with a solution for our problem. I know, it will be a difficult proposition for you, but if you consider being part of our plan, I would have a wife for the outside world so that nobody questions us, and we would portray a well-managed and successful life to the world.”  Sarah, rose from her chair, slithering with anger, how could he do such a thing, what does he think of himself?  Fearing she might scream and make a mess, he tried to hold her hand, but when she moved it, he put his hands together in a pleading way and asked her to sit down.  Calming her nerves, she spoke to him, “Sorry, I don’t know how to react to what you are saying. I didn’t even in my strangest of dreams expect something like this for you to ask me.”  With a slight laugh about the situation, she continued… “It’s better to be open about your life, instead of hiding. It’s not safe to keep secrets in today’s world. Trust me, explore your options and good luck with your partner. I’m not the right person for you, but I hope you find what you need. Take care.” Saying this, she got up and left the café. She didn’t expect such an outcome from their meeting and was not prepared for it. She felt like sharing it with Annika.  *** Time was running out for Sarah. She couldn’t find the right guy, and the months were rolling in. Almost depressed that nothing came out of the dating apps, she was getting angry at herself and things around her, and there was no stopping her anger tantrums.  Until the last evening, when she went to a charity ball and a fine-looking man barged in and convincingly claimed to be her boyfriend. How is that possible? She had never dated in college and even after college, there had been no encounters with the opposite gender.  How did this boyfriend come into existence without her awareness? The media had a mayday with spinning stories of how they could have met.  She sat in her cabin, overlooking the street below from the topmost floor of the building, lost in thoughts of yesterday´s evening: the attractive guy, the unknown familiarity of that person, and the strange tugging at her heart.  “Sir, you can’t go in without appointments or the prior notice” – said Secretary Rosy to the man. She knew that the man, she is halting is being gossiped along with her boss. But, she was reluctant to go against her boss’s word. He just stared at her. Rosy was in a fix she didn’t know what to do. The HR Manager came running and said to Rosy, “...it is fine. You know who this is, never mind. Please come with me this way”, he said leading to Sarah´s cabin.  Rosy was scared to the bone, nevertheless, she kept following them, into the cabin, resisting his entry.  Hearing the commotion, Sarah yelled – “Who is it? What is it you want?” Getting up from the desk, realising the door being opened, she saw her HR Manager and Rosy was quickly followed by a guy, entering her cabin.  Recognizing, it is the guy from the party last night, she waves her employees away and requested them - “No worries, I will get back to you. Please, close the door on your way out, and I want nobody disturbing me. Understood.”  Acknowledging him and asking him to take a seat, she resumes at her chair.  “Seems like you have a nice cabin,” said Sebastian looking around. “I don’t think you barged into my office to discuss my cabin.” “You are right. Without much ado, let me explain things to you. But, before you know my business deal, you have to listen to my small story from 10 years ago.” “I have no time for stories, let’s get to the explanation.”  “No, Sally or should I call you Sarah?!” “It’s Sarah.”  “Ok, then Sarah. This is about 10 years ago, on one stormy night, while travelling in a 2nd class AC compartment, I met this girl some 20´s something, in the same compartment as mine” said he thus trying to gauge her reaction.  That day came back to her memory like thunder, suddenly out of nowhere. She clutched her desk with a death hold, but her face seemed not to reveal any emotion. Smiling to himself, he continued. “So, this girl is in the opposite seat probably travelling to another city on her vacation. Devoid of makeup, she looked exquisite. She must have just finished her studies. A strong desire rose in my mind to have a conversation with her, but it being too late in the day, I held on to that thought, and thinking, morning would be a good time, retired to my berth.”  “Stop it, I don’t want to hear it,” she said screaming putting her hands on her ears. She was visibly shivering and crying.  Oh! What have I done, I made her remember, that tragic night. Making a quick move he held her in his arms and consoled her.  “Don’t Sarah, I am sorry…sorry, I didn’t mean to make you remember that night, I am so sorry.” he kept repeating, trying to calm her. Hearing him apologise, and startled by the embrace, she just looked at him with panic in her eyes. “I am the guy who helped you that day. Remember, that lanky fellow who beat up the bastard? It was me. Believe me, Sarah. I didn’t want to remind you of that day. I am sorry, it wasn’t my intention.”  “Out….Out…Get out. I don’t want to hear anything else. Just leave. I want to be left alone.” getting off his embrace, said Sarah.  “I am sorry. Here´s my card, it has my coordinates, you can get in touch with me anytime. I will wait for your call.” – saying thus he left the office.  Sarah collapsed in her chair and kept staring at the visiting card on the table. The events of that day unfolded in front of her eyes… Resting on her berth, pulling the screen, she tried to get some rest before her destination arrived. She had still about 3-4 hours of sleep. She would reach at dawn and her friend would be there to pick her up.  In the middle of the night, she felt someone, walking close to her berth and almost trying to brush across her. At first, she thought it was her scared mind playing, but then after almost a minute or so, she could feel the sensation again. She got frightened and moved to the other side of the berth, which is when she saw a hand move beneath the screen. She let out a stifled cry.  And within moments, she saw the fine-looking guy from the opposite berth, manhandle the drunken bastard and kept him on the train floor lying under his heel, and holding him in position.  He looked up at her and in an assured voice said, “Don’t worry go back to sleep. I will take care of this bastard and see that he is taught a lesson. You don’t worry, you won’t be involved.”  She thanked him purposely and pulled tight her screen not sure if sleep would come, she just waited for her destination to arrive.  For the rest of the night, she almost slept sitting upright and prayed nothing else to happen. But nothing happened and she get off at her destination. Though she thanked the guy, before she got off she wanted to say again, but scared of what she might encounter, just got up and left. It was a bad memory, and it haunted her, she went in for therapy and slowly healed herself.  That was all 10 years ago, why did he come now? What did he want? He clearly on that night said not to worry and that he would handle all of it. And when she kept looking for some news about her in papers or some claim like that, there was nothing for days and months. Now, why did he come? A Google search revealed details about him. He didn’t seem like anybody, he was listed under Forbes 40, last year and his pictures seem to be all over the Internet, but none of the photos had women in them. Is he faking it or is he a private person?  Need to find out? If he is single, he is the right candidate to finish my goal within a few days left. Oh! Come on, why are thinking like this, it can’t be good. What’s wrong with me? – reprimanding herself and tossing her phone, with a picture of him onscreen. He seemed to be looking into the camera, smiling.  Firstly, I have to meet him and talk to him in person to clarify things. What are his intentions? Why did he appear again? Why did he introduce himself as my boyfriend and create a whirlwind of News on the Gossip and Business sites? – thought Sarah and sent him a message,  asking for a meetup.  She got an immediate reply, saying whenever she is ready, he is ready. What does that mean? Huh? Whatever? She fixed a time and place and tried to sleep off. Anyways, he had a lot of explaining.  *** “It’s good to be early, but I guess you are 10 minutes, too early?”  “How come you are late? I expected you to be here before me, and I guess we are the only guests today here.” - said he looking around. “I guess, so… let’s get you to answer my questions and we will see how the rest unfolds.”  “Oh! Yeah sure. Fire away…let me see, what the princess wants to know?” She just looks at him with her sceptical eyes. He didn’t match the pictures found on Google. He was dressed simply in a button-down shirt, with his sleeves folded halfway aesthetically.  Finding her staring at him, boosted his ego, he just wished he had kept the few buttons of his shirt open or should have come in his favourite suit. Wait, where did the thought come from? I am not here to impress her, but to clear the misgivings, I gave her yesterday.  Before she could open her mouth to talk to him, he started speaking: “... Firstly, I have to say sorry to you, reminding you of such a sad event. I hope you can forgive me. I started to say something and it turned out to be something else altogether. My apologies.   Secondly, I didn’t know anything about you until one day I came across an article on Forbes with your photo. From then on, I came to know your name and whereabouts. I have to admit, I had kept tabs on you from time to time, whenever I had a curiosity about what you did or where you were.”  When she tried to interfere, he just raised his hand and gestured for her to wait, and he continued… “Let me finish. I didn’t get in touch with you all these years, and even if you had, I wouldn’t have known what to tell you. I would probably have made a fool of myself like yesterday. I don’t know what to say or how to put it. When I found out you were looking for a partner to settle down, I had to show up.”  He still raises his hand and continues“…I know what I did at that party coming unannounced and claiming you as mine is not appropriate. I should have had your consent or at least spoken to you about it.”  He paused and looked at her. A slight smile tugged at her lips, but she held it well hidden.  Their eyes met and he continued, “…I don’t know when I desired you for myself. I don’t remember having such a strong desire to do anything in life, except for business deals, I know, you are not one. So, here I am to woo you off your feet and take you away with me. Already, the gossip vines are blazing with our love story, just a little more spice to make history, don’t you think? They are calling us – A match made in heaven. What do you think?”  He looks at her expectedly, she doesn’t say anything. He smirks and says, “You can talk now, Princess.”  She is just wondering what did I hear, now? How do I respond to this?  When he looks at her unable to make any decisions, he offers a solution by saying, “…Listen, Princess. You don’t have to make any decisions right now. I give you three days to think it over. I will be waiting. If you agree to my conditions, we would have to attend the upcoming Charity Auction Ball, as my girlfriend.” “First things first, stop calling me by that stupid nickname, the media gave me. As for the other things, I will see what I can do.”  She promptly left the table, shooting him a piercing glare before creating a considerable distance. He audaciously winked and flaunted a smug smile in her direction.  Much narcissistic, thought she but her mind reminded her, he was ‘the best’ for her. She had to make the decision soon.  She picked up her phone and typed a message to him, as cryptic as it can be and waited for his reply, with a mischievous smile full of promises for the future.   Penmancy gets a small share of every purchase you make through these links, and every little helps us continue bringing you the reads you love!