“Pretend to be my wife in front of everyone,” the millionaire repeated, his voice steady.

Anaya Sharma had never imagined that a housekeeping job in a five-star hotel in Mumbai would change her life so drastically.

At 24, it had been only six months since she left her hometown Jaipur — carrying just a suitcase and a dream of studying Business Management.

Her salary at Hotel Taj President, Colaba, barely covered the rent of her tiny room in Bandra East, but the work was honest, and it gave her hope for the future.

That March morning carried a hint of sea breeze, and the sky over the Arabian Sea was as blue as always.
Anaya was arranging towels on her trolley when she heard quick footsteps echoing in the corridor on the fifteenth floor.

“Excuse me, miss…”

A man’s voice called out — speaking pure Hindi, but with the refined tone heard only in the old, affluent neighborhoods of South Mumbai.

She turned — and standing before her was a tall, graceful man. His temples carried a slight touch of grey, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
He wore a navy-blue suit and held a leather briefcase — one that looked more expensive than Anaya’s three-month salary.

“Yes, sir, how may I help you?” Anaya asked, nervously adjusting her uniform.

“My name is Aarav Kapoor,” he said. “I need your help… with something unusual.”

He glanced around, ensuring no one else was present.

“Could we talk in private for a few minutes? It’s important.”

Anaya hesitated.
Aarav looked around forty-two, and his eyes were filled with both desperation and determination.
He didn’t seem dangerous — just restless.

“All right, but I can’t take long,” she said. “I still have other rooms to clean.”

Aarav led her to a small VIP lounge at the end of the hallway.
He closed the door and turned towards her.

“What I’m about to say might sound strange,” he took a deep breath, “but I really need your help.”

“My family has a meeting tonight. At a restaurant in Bandra — The Indian Accent. It’s a long story, but I need someone to pretend to be my wife in front of everyone.”

Anaya’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean, Mr. Kapoor? I don’t even know you!”

“I know… it sounds crazy,” Aarav ran a hand through his hair.
“My family believes I got married two years ago. I let them believe it so they’d stop pressuring me about marriage and children.”

“And why me?”

“Because I need someone real — someone outside my family circle.”
He took out his wallet.
“I’ll pay you ₹50,000. Just for one dinner. A few hours. You just have to smile, be polite, and act like we know each other.”

₹50,000 — more than half of Anaya’s monthly salary.

“And if I say yes,” she folded her arms, “why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m being honest from the start,” Aarav replied. “I could’ve lied — but I chose not to.”

He extended his hand.
“Aarav Kapoor, 42, owner of a tech company, never married — and my parents see me as a failure because of it.”

Anaya looked at his hand, then at his face.
There was a sincerity in his expression — something that reached her heart.

“Anaya Sharma, 24, Business Management student… and maybe tonight, your temporary wife.”

Aarav smiled — for the first time.
“So you agree?”

“I agree. But on conditions.”
“No physical contact, only formal behavior. You pick me up at 7 PM and drop me back home.”

“Perfect.” Aarav wrote down her address.
“And thank you, Anaya… you have no idea how much this helps me.”

After he left, Anaya looked at the visiting card he’d forgotten:
Aarav Kapoor | CEO, K-Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. | Nariman Point, Mumbai.

For the first time, she felt she was stepping into something much bigger than she could handle.

🌆 7 PM
A black Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of her building.
Anaya wore a borrowed navy-blue dress — simple, yet elegant.

Aarav stepped out and opened the door.
“You look beautiful,” he said sincerely.
“Thank you… I hope this is okay for the restaurant.”
“Perfect.”

On the way, he explained,
“My father, Rajiv Kapoor, 70, owns a construction business — very traditional in his thinking.
My mother, Meenakshi Kapoor, 68, kind but always anxious about my marriage.
My sister Riya is married — and my brother Kabir, 35, lives with his girlfriend. Yet the pressure is always on me.”

“So why haven’t you married?”
“Never found the time… or maybe the courage,” he said softly.

They arrived at The Indian Accent — glowing with elegant lights.

“Last chance to back out,” he teased.
“Not anymore,” she replied.

The family welcomed her warmly.
Aarav’s mother said, “And this must be our daughter-in-law, Anaya.”
For the first time, someone called her “daughter-in-law.”

Dinner went smoothly — laughter, casual conversations — until Riya asked,
“So when should we expect a little one?”

Silence.
Anaya froze — but Aarav gently held her hand and said,
“Actually… we’re trying, but we don’t want to confirm anything yet.”

The room breathed again.
Meenakshi smiled. “Everything happens at the right time.”

🍷 A toast was raised — “To future children!”

On the way back, Anaya asked,
“Why did you say that lie?”
“Because for a moment… it felt real.”

Her heartbeat quickened.

“And now what?”
“Now… my father’s company anniversary party is next week. Will you join me again?”

“How much this time?”
“Ten thousand. But if you come… it won’t just be for the money.”

She smiled.
For the first time, it felt like more than a deal — like the beginning of a story.

But then, something unexpected happened.

And in that moment, Bina Gaur realized there was no turning back.
She would have to kiss Aarav Mehra in front of his entire family — or everything would fall apart.

Time seemed to freeze.
Sixty eyes were fixed on them.
Rajiv still held the microphone, and the garden glowed under the lights.

Bina’s knees trembled — and then something unexpected happened.

Aarav stepped closer, gently cupped her face, and whispered,
“I’m sorry… for all of this.”

Then he kissed her.

It wasn’t a theatrical or forced kiss — it was tender, honest, filled with emotion neither of them had planned or anticipated.
For a moment, Bina forgot where she was, forgot the lie they were living.
There was something real in that moment — frightening yet beautiful.

Guests clapped, some whistled.
Rajiv smiled, Kavita’s eyes glistened with tears.
Only Aaliya watched them suspiciously.

When they pulled apart, their eyes held a moment — one that said all the things they couldn’t speak aloud.

Aarav took Bina’s hand and led her toward an old marble fountain in the corner of the garden.

“Bina, I—” he began, but she interrupted,
“We need to talk. Seriously.”

Her voice was calm but firm.

“This has gone too far.”
“I know…” Aarav ran a hand through his hair — a gesture she now recognized as a sign of his anxiety.

“When Dad made that announcement, I realized how ridiculous this had become.”

“Your ex… Aaliya… she suspects?”
“Yes. And I had no answers for her.”

Bina looked around to ensure no one was listening.

“And that kiss… don’t apologize for the kiss, Aarav,” she sighed,
“but apologize for pushing me into this lie unprepared.”

She continued,
“If we’re going to keep this up, I need to know everything — every part of your life.”

Aarav nodded.
“You’re right. Let’s leave. I’ll tell you everything — but not here.”

They informed Rajiv and Kavita that Bina wasn’t feeling well.
Kavita insisted on giving her chamomile tea, and Rajiv hugged them both and said,
“I’m proud of you two.”

The ride was silent — until they reached a viewpoint at Delhi Ridge Park, overlooking the glowing city below.

Aarav began,
“I met Aaliya when I was thirty. We were together for three years.
She wanted marriage, children, stability.
I thought I wanted the same, but when she gave me an ultimatum — I realized I was living a lie.”

“And you ended it.”
“Yes. And it was the first time I truly disappointed my family.”

He continued,
“A year ago, on Mom’s birthday, when she said she might never become a grandmother — I lied.
I told them I was seeing someone.
And with each family dinner, the story grew — girlfriend, fiancée, then… wife.”

Bina exhaled slowly.
“Aarav, you know this lie can’t go on forever.”
“I know.”

He turned toward her.
“But tonight… when I saw how happy they were… and when I stood beside you… it felt right.”

Her heart pounded.

“Aarav, we come from different worlds. I’m a maid from Jaipur, studying at night.”
“So what?” he stepped closer.
“You are brave, honest, and true to yourself — that’s why everything felt right.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.
“When your family finds out who I am, everything will change.”
“Then we’ll tell them the truth,” he said firmly.

“We’ll tell them we recently met, that I’m getting to know you, and want to see where this goes.”
“Are you serious?”
“Entirely.”

He held her hands.
“Bina, you’ve shown me what honesty feels like. If there’s even the slightest chance this could be real — I want to try.”

She smiled.
“And if it doesn’t work?”
“Then at least we won’t live in lies anymore.”

“By the way,” Aarav chuckled softly,
“I’m the coward who lied to my family for a year.”
“And I’m the practical woman who agreed to be your fake wife for money,” Bina laughed.

They both smiled.

“Two incomplete people trying to see if they can be whole together,” Aarav said.
“That sounds like a good beginning,” Bina replied.

Three months later, at a small restaurant in Connaught Place, they told Rajiv and Kavita the truth.
First there was silence — then questions, tears, and finally acceptance.
The lie had hurt, but the truth healed.

Six months later, Bina Gaur received her degree from Delhi University.
Both families attended — the Gaurs and the Mehras — together, without pretense, filled only with love and pride.

As Bina walked on stage, Aarav stood up — applauding, his eyes filled with the same respect and affection he’d felt the day he first said,
“Pretend to be my wife.”

But now, there was no pretending.
It was real.

A few months later, in a small temple in Jaipur, they married —
no grand ceremonies, no fake smiles —
only truth, courage, and love.

Aarav said,
“Sometimes the most beautiful stories begin with complicated lies,
but they become truly beautiful when we finally choose honesty.”

Bina smiled,
“And sometimes pretending to be someone… becomes the first step to discovering who you really are.”

They both knew — what they had wasn’t bought or staged.
It was found — in truth, and from the heart.