Eager to make a good impression on my new boss, I hired a man and his child to pose as my family—never expecting how things would unfold.
When my new boss announced she’d only promote someone who put “family first,” I panicked—I was single and childless. So I hired Max, a stranger I met outside a closed theater, and his little girl Luna to pose as my perfect family for one day. Ten thousand dollars, a quick rehearsal, and we were ready.
Family Day went smoothly—until our new boss, Margaret, turned out to be Max’s estranged grandmother. She insisted on staying with us for a week. I scrambled to rent a house, stage family photos, and play the devoted wife. Somewhere between bedtime stories for Luna and late-night talks on the porch, pretending started to feel real. Max kissed me, admitting he hadn’t felt this way since losing Luna’s mom.
The next morning, Margaret overheard us and fired me for lying. Max defended me, calling out her obsession with appearances over true connection. She stormed out, but instead of feeling ruined, I felt free. I realized the “fake” family I’d hired had become the real thing I wanted most. Max just smiled and said, “You’re stuck with us now.”
