Hazel had always been good at solving problems. She wasn't the type to sit back and wait for life to play fair. When she saw something out of place, she rolled up her sleeves and fixed it. That's exactly what she planned to do now—whether Aife liked it or not.
Sitting on the living room floor in Liam's apartment, Hazel flipped through a notepad filled with random scribbles and to-do lists. Her fiancé, Liam, was perched on the couch, scrolling through his phone with a casual yawn.
"So," Hazel started, pretending to be casual. "You mentioned a friend of your cousin's the other day… that guy who keeps getting fired?"
Liam looked up. "Ian?"
"Yeah, Ian! What's his deal again?"
Liam snorted. "He's a walking disaster. Used to be a troublemaker back in school, bounced around from job to job. Smart, but never really found his footing, you know? He's looking for work now, though. Broke as hell."
Hazel's ears perked. "Jobless and desperate, huh?"
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel like you're about to exploit someone?"
Hazel grinned. "Because I am. For a noble cause."
She reached over, snatched Liam's phone from his hand, and typed quickly.
"Hazel—" Liam started.
"Relax. I'm just taking Ian's number. It's not like I'm proposing marriage or anything."
Liam stared. Hazel winked.
Phone in hand, Hazel walked to the balcony, pacing in a circle. She tapped the number and waited. The dial tone rang once. Twice. Then a rough, groggy voice answered.
"Yeah?"
"Hi, is this Ian?"
"Who's asking?"
"This is Hazel. Liam's fiancée. He mentioned you might be looking for… unconventional work."
A pause. Then Ian replied, "Unconventional like what? Smuggling organs?"
Hazel smirked. "Wanna make money?"
Another pause. "Depends."
"You'd have to marry my cousin."
There was a beat of silence on the line. Then a loud, disbelieving laugh exploded through the speaker.
"You drunk?" Ian asked, still chuckling. "Is this a prank? Did Liam put you up to this?"
"Nope. She's a CEO. You're broke. Sounds like a fair deal to me."
Ian hung up.
Hazel looked at the phone in disbelief. "Rude."
Inside, Liam was still lounging when she came back in.
"Well, that went well," she muttered.
"What did you expect? You called a guy and asked him to marry someone for cash. You sounded like a scam artist."
Hazel dropped onto the couch beside him. "Okay, but it isn't a scam. Aife's actually considering this. She just doesn't know Ian yet."
Liam leaned forward, sighing. "Alright. I'll talk to him. He trusts me more than some random number."
Hazel lit up. "You're the best."
"I know."
Meanwhile…
Ian tossed his phone onto the bed with an irritated grunt. He rubbed his temples, trying to figure out if the past few minutes had really happened. Marriage for money? It sounded like some bizarre social experiment.
His apartment was a cluttered shoebox of mismatched furniture, pizza boxes, and second-hand dreams. Unpaid bills sat on the table, untouched and unopened. His bank account had enough to last a week—if he skipped lunch.
A knock on the door broke through his spiral. Ian dragged himself off the bed and opened it to find Liam standing outside, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.
"What, here to offer me a kidney next?" Ian joked.
"No. I'm here to tell you it's legit," Liam said, stepping inside.
Ian squinted. "What's legit? That I'm supposed to marry your fiancée's mysterious cousin in exchange for cash? Is this a new web series?"
Liam laughed. "Look, I know it sounds crazy. But Hazel wasn't messing with you. Aife—her cousin—is looking for someone to… help her out. It's a contract thing. A deal. She doesn't want love, she wants peace. You need money. It's a win-win."
Ian shook his head in disbelief. "This can't be real."
"It is. But she's not just gonna pick you out of a hat. You'll have to meet her. She'll ask questions. Probably treat it like a corporate merger."
Ian's brows rose. "Interview me? What is she, a human resources wife?"
Liam chuckled. "Something like that."
Ian collapsed into the nearest chair, arms folded behind his head. "And what does she get out of this? Other than a broke dude with questionable career history and above-average sarcasm?"
"Her mom's sick," Liam said quietly. "It's her last wish to see Aife married. But Aife's… complicated. Always has been. She won't date. Won't get close to anyone. This is her compromise."
Ian stayed silent for a while, staring at the ceiling.
"Can I think about it?"
"You can. But she's setting up a meeting. If you're in, be ready to meet her tomorrow. Her office, 10 a.m."
"Of course. CEO hours," Ian muttered. "Does she at least buy coffee?"
"No idea. But you'll probably have to bring a résumé."
Ian shook his head, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. "You're both insane."
"Yeah," Liam said. "But maybe that's exactly what you need."