Chapter 3: Fired, Tired, and Newly Hired (as a Fake Girlfriend)

I sat in Sarah’s office, the silence pressing in on me from all sides like a thick, suffocating blanket. The cheap, faux-leather chair squeaked every time I shifted my weight, which only added to my anxiety. The walls, a dull beige color, seemed to close in on me as I stared at the clock ticking away on the wall. Each second felt like a hammer to my chest, pounding relentlessly.

My mind was spinning, replaying the scene over and over like a bad movie I couldn’t escape. How could I have been so reckless? I had poked the beast, not realizing it was a dragon ready to breathe fire at the slightest provocation.

I glanced around the cramped office, taking in the stacks of papers and sticky notes cluttered on Sarah's desk. A small plant sat on the corner, wilted and half-dead—much like my chances of salvaging my future. I could hear muffled voices outside, indistinct but tense, and I strained to catch any word that might give me a clue about what was going on.

Finally, the door creaked open, and Sarah stepped in. She closed the door behind her with a soft *click*, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the tiny room. Her face was tight, and her normally warm eyes were now hard and unreadable.

“Lila,” she began, her voice measured and controlled, like she was trying to keep herself from snapping at me. “What on earth were you thinking?”

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as sandpaper. “I… I don’t know. I just… he was being such a—”

“I don’t care what he was being!” she cut me off sharply, her voice rising. “Evan Sterling isn’t just some random jerk you can mouth off to! He’s a significant benefactor of this university, and more importantly, he’s not someone whose bad side you want to be on!”

Her words hit me like a slap to the face. I knew I’d messed up, but hearing it spelled out like that made it feel a hundred times worse. “I’m sorry, Sarah,” I murmured, my voice barely more than a whisper. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Sarah sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’ve put me in a terrible position, Lila. And now I have no choice…”

I could feel my heart dropping, the cold hand of dread squeezing tighter around my chest. “No choice…?”

She looked at me, her expression pained. “I have to let you go.”

The words felt like a punch to my gut. “Let me go?” I repeated, my voice barely above a croak.

“Yes, you’re fired,” she said, her voice firm but sad. “I’ve already contacted Human Resources to process your termination. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing more I can do for you here.”

I stared at her, disbelief and panic rising like a wave threatening to crash over me. “But Sarah, my scholarship… I need this job to—”

She held up her hand, cutting me off again. “I know, Lila. Believe me, I know. But my hands are tied. Evan Sterling isn’t someone we can afford to alienate. He could ruin everything for us, for you, if he wanted to. And it seems like he does.”

I felt the tears prickling behind my eyes, but I blinked them back furiously. I would not break down in front of her. “So… that’s it?” I choked out. “I’m just… done?”

Sarah sighed again, looking genuinely regretful. “I’m sorry, Lila. I really am. But right now, you need to think about how you’re going to save your scholarship. Because from what I’ve heard, Mr. Sterling is on his way to the Dean’s office, and he’s not in a forgiving mood.”

My stomach twisted into knots. The reality of the situation hit me like a brick. Evan Sterling was on a warpath, and I was the target. He could get me expelled. He could cancel my scholarship with a snap of his fingers. My entire future was dangling by a thin thread, and I had no idea how to stop it from snapping.

“Is there… anything I can do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah hesitated, then shook her head. “I don’t know, Lila. You’ve made a powerful enemy. I suggest you try to talk to him. Maybe… maybe you can find a way to make amends.”

“Talk to him?” I nearly laughed, a hollow, desperate sound. “He just threatened to end my entire academic career in front of half the café. What makes you think he’d listen to anything I have to say?”

She gave me a sympathetic look. “I don’t know, Lila. But you don’t have much time to figure it out.”

---

I left the office in a daze, my mind whirling with a thousand thoughts and none of them helpful. I felt like I was walking through a fog, my feet moving on autopilot as I made my way to the administration building.

Students buzzed around me, their voices and laughter merging into a blur of noise I couldn't focus on. A few gave me curious or sympathetic glances. The rumours must be spreading like wildfire.

When I reached the administration building, I paused at the door. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure everyone around me could hear it. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The receptionist, a woman named Karen who always seemed to have an opinion on everything, looked up as I approached. “You’re Lila if I remember?” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Yes,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

She gave me a sympathetic smile. “Mr. Sterling is waiting for you in the Dean’s office.”

I nodded, my mouth too dry to respond, and walked down the hall. Each step felt heavier than the last. I reached the door to the Dean’s office and hesitated for a moment before knocking.

“Come in,” a voice called from inside.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the room. The Dean, a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes, sat behind her desk. And next to her, in the guest chair, was Evan Sterling. He looked calm, almost too calm, like a predator who knew his prey had nowhere to run.

“Ah, Lila,” the Dean said, her voice clipped and businesslike. “Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”

I sat down on the chair opposite them, feeling like I was on trial. Evan’s eyes were fixed on me, and I could feel the heat of his gaze like a laser beam, burning through me. His face was unreadable, but I could sense the simmering anger beneath his calm exterior.

“Mr. Sterling has expressed his concerns about your conduct earlier today,” the Dean began. “And given his importance to this university, we take these matters very seriously.”

I swallowed hard, my hands gripping the edge of the chair so tightly my knuckles turned white. “I understand,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I… I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

Evan let out a short, humourless laugh. “Trouble? Is that what you call insulting me in front of a room full of people?”

I flinched at his words. “I’m sorry,” I stammered. “I know I overreacted. I just… I wasn’t thinking.”

He leaned forward, his eyes never leaving mine. “No, you weren’t thinking. But now you’re going to have to start.”

I felt the tension in the room thickening, the Dean shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “Mr. Sterling,” she began, trying to sound conciliatory, “I’m sure we can come to some sort of resolution that satisfies everyone involved—”

“I’m not interested in resolutions,” Evan interrupted coldly. “I’m interested in consequences.”

I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. He was going to destroy me.

“Mr. Sterling,” I began, my voice trembling, “please, I’m begging you… I need this scholarship. I need to stay in school. I’m willing to do anything to make this right.”

Evan’s gaze sharpened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—interest? Amusement? Whatever it was, it was gone in an instant.

“Anything?” he asked softly, his voice like velvet over steel.

I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes. Anything.”

He leaned back in his chair, a slow, calculating smile spreading across his lips. “Alright then. I have a proposition for you.”

I blinked, confused. “A… proposition?”

“Yes.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. “You’ll pretend to be my fiancée.”

My heart stopped. “What?”

“You heard me,” he said, his tone almost bored. “You’re going to pretend to be my girlfriend. Publicly. Convincingly. Or else…”

He let the words hang in the air like a guillotine blade about to drop.

I could barely breathe, my mind racing. “Or else what?”

He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “Or else, Lila… your life as you know it will be over.”

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