Contract marriage with an A-list billionaire

Goats on a leash

*Elijah*

I’m running through the wild, overgrown garden around my house. ‘Garden’ might be the wrong word; it’s more like a park, with a winding trail that meanders through small patches of trees and lush plants.

I pick up my pace, pushing my insecurities aside and repeating my mantra in my head: ‘You are good enough, you are worthy, you are loved.’

I’ve never been much of a runner, but I’ve realized it helps clear my mind and gives me a new way to relieve pressure.

Slowing to a walk, I round a corner and suddenly find a goat standing on the path in front of me. I stop and take out my earbuds, leaning forward to look at the animal. “Where did you come from?”

The goat just stares back at me, c*****g its head slightly.

“Come on! Let’s go!” I hear a man’s voice from the shrubs. A man in safari-style clothes appears, leading four goats on leashes. “Come on, goaties.” He flashes me a friendly smile. “Thanks for the opportunity.”

I watch as he puts a leash on the stray goat, talking to his animals the whole time. What is this strange menagerie doing on my property?

He starts to amble off but stops to smile at me again. “I’m a huge fan of your work.”

“No, I’m a huge fan of your work!” I say, pointing at him, wondering if I’ve fallen and hit my head or something.

I turn and start walking, hearing the goat bleating in the distance. Then I spot my assistant, Finn, and walk towards him, asking, “Uhm, what was that guy doing here?”

“That’s Ivan and his green goats. You said you wanted carbon-free landscaping. The goats are going to clear the hill and fertilize it,” he replies, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

I take a sip from my water bottle. I guess I did ask for that.

I think for a moment, then ask as casually as possible, “So, do you think it would be possible to get Bianca’s itinerary for the Venice festival?”

Finn nods, pulling out his phone and tapping away. “There’s always a way.”

“Is it weird? I… I just don’t want any surprises.” I feel a bit like a creepy stalker.

“It’s not weird; relax, Elijah.” His words only make it feel more awkward. “I’ll take care of it.”

*Nina*

I’m nervously waiting in a room, hoping to get into my audition. First, the woman at the desk informed me I was late and that they might not be able to see me today.

Trying to smooth things over, I smiled and told her it was just ten minutes and that it wasn’t even my turn yet. But she simply responded that they were very strict with time.

One of the other women waiting nearby struck up a conversation, and I realized I had met her before at an audition for a new HBO show that I really wanted. It turned out she got the part, so feeling on a roll, she was quite confident, telling me she had a feeling she would land this movie too.

Finally, someone comes out and calls my name. “Nina? You can come in now.”

I get up, smiling with relief. “Thank you.”

I follow her into a room where an elderly lady and a man with a camera are waiting. In front of them is a chair.

“Nina Blake?” the woman asks, offering me a somewhat friendly smile.

“Last but not least,” I reply, walking over with confidence and handing her my resume.

She gestures to the chair. “Just look at the camera and state your name. Then I’ll ask you three imperatives, and we’ll go right into the scene.”

“The three… what?” I ask as I take a seat. I’ve never heard of this before.

“Imperatives.” She looks at me as if everyone should know what that means. “I’ll ask you three simple questions, and you respond with the first thing that pops into your mind. Your answers will reveal your true character.”

This is different. I smile at her. “But I’m an actress… I have no true character.” I notice they’re both looking at me oddly, and I quickly add, “I wasn’t serious. It was a joke… a bad one, apparently.”

*Silas*

I’m sitting with the producer, my wife Cassandra, in the TV room of Elijah’s Hollywood mansion. We’re watching audition tapes, and a young woman is on the screen reading.

“I am underwhelmed,” Cassandra says, wrinkling her nose.

“It wasn’t the best read,” I agree. “But I like the way she carries herself. She has real confidence.”

My wife shakes her head slightly as the woman on the screen states clearly, “I’m Nina Blake.”

“I don’t know who that is,” I mumble to myself.

“She hasn’t broken through yet,” my wife explains, glancing at her notes. “But she’s very smart. She’s from the East Coast.”

I give her a pointed look. “Oh, right. So everyone from the East Coast is smart, huh?”

Cassandra presses the button to restart the audition, now with the three essential questions. She’s trying to be witty without giving too much away, and I nearly roll my eyes. “Gee.”

“Don’t do that,” Cassandra shoots me a disapproving glare.

“She seems calculated. It’s not authentic. I can’t help what I see,” I gesture dismissively.

Of course, my wife has a different take. “She’s an actress, baby. What you see is nuance.”

“Right, you’re the producer. I’m just the guy looking out for the Institute and Elijah’s needs.”

Speaking of the man of the hour, Elijah walks in and asks, “So, who is this?”

“Someone I think you should pass on,” I tell him honestly, watching him fold his arms across his broad chest.

“Silas didn’t like the way she answered the three questions,” my wife jumps in.

I give her a sidelong glance. “Well, we do use them for a reason.”

“How was her reading?” Elijah asks, still focused on the screen, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“We haven’t watched it yet,” Cassandra admits.

“Dude!” Elijah turns to me. “You haven’t even seen her do the scene?”

I exhale slowly. “This isn’t just about talent.”

“Well, a little talent won’t hurt, will it? Let’s roll the tape,” Elijah says, turning his attention back to the screen.

Cassandra starts the video, and both she and Elijah watch the young woman perform her reading. I’m focused on Elijah and his reaction… dammit, there’s definitely a reaction.