Chapter 4: A Dangerous Deal

After that, everything went exactly as planned. Our lives braided together, easy as breathing. No matter how tough she acted, once Natalie fell, she drowned—clingy, sweet, totally lost in me.

I pulled every trick to keep her happy—her favorite takeout, cheesy memes, learning to make her favorite omelet. All the old college routines worked. It was almost embarrassing how easy it was.

A couple weeks in, she took the afternoon off. She texted a winking emoji and told me to come to her place that night. My curiosity burned all day.

I knew it was our one-month anniversary, but I pretended not to, secretly ordered flowers and bought a ring. Let her think she’d surprised me.

When I arrived, she opened the door in her best dress, the air sweet with vanilla candles and homemade lasagna. The table was set for two, candles unlit.

I pretended to be surprised, whistling low. I handed her the flowers, saying I thought only I remembered. She blushed, teasing me for guessing.

Both of us planning surprises is the most romantic thing. Your plans and hers tangling together, each trying to outdo the other.

But to me, Natalie taking time off work to plan this meant I’d become her center. She was all in.

During dinner, I pulled out the ring. Not a fancy diamond, just a simple gold band, sparkling in the candlelight. I said a few sweet words, and Natalie’s tears welled up. She tried to laugh, but her hands shook.

I leaned in, dropping my voice, making it sound like a secret just for her. I said I knew she didn’t care about such things, but she had to accept it. No matter what happened, I wanted her to remember me and that I loved her. My words hung heavy between us.

She smiled through her tears, asking why I was acting strange, like we were parting forever. She nudged me, trying to lighten the mood, but I saw the worry in her eyes.

I just smiled and told her I’d give her something else tomorrow, letting the mystery linger.

The next day, I took her to the used car lot and handed her the keys to my BMW. She stared at the keys, the little blue Toyota fob dangling between us, like I’d just handed her the moon.

At first, she refused, asking what it was for. She looked at the car, then at me, searching for a catch.

I pretended to think hard, trying to look serious. I said that for some special reason, I couldn’t give her more for now, but if something happened to me, at least this car would stay with her. I leaned against the hood, acting like the weight of the world was on my shoulders.

She got mad. “Ryan Carter, what’s going on? Do you still treat me as an outsider? Can’t we face things together?”

Very good. She was ready to believe anything.

I agreed, saying I’d explain after we transferred the car and got home. I wanted her calm and committed first.

At home, she pulled me to the couch, dead serious. “What happened?”

I sighed and had to lay it out. My hands went clammy, my voice lowering as I fed her the story, careful to sound just guilty enough.

Of course, I didn’t say I was the mastermind. I said Derek called, desperate, begging for help. That’s when I found out he’d embezzled over a million, gambled it away. My voice trembled, adding just enough regret.

The audit was coming, and I’d be implicated. I let the silence stretch, tension building.

Natalie’s face darkened. As the accountant, she understood. “Can’t we just explain it? It’s Derek’s fault. Why should you take the blame?”

I gave a bitter smile. “Derek’s given up. As his supervisor, how could I be blameless? Once he opens his mouth, how can we explain everything?”

She fell silent, fidgeting with her sweater, mind racing.

I played my last card. “Just blame me for finding out too late. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have given you a future with no hope. I’m sorry.”

She squared her shoulders. “Ryan, it’s fine. I’ll help you.”

“You…” I tried hard to hide my joy, keeping my face grim.

“No, it’s too dangerous. You’ll get dragged in. You still have a bright future.”

“No, Ryan, it’s fine. I’m mainly responsible for the audit. If I pretend not to see it, this will pass. Once sealed, it’s almost never reopened. At most, I’ll be blamed for negligence, but I won’t be implicated.”

If I refused now, it would seem fake. She was too smart for that.

So I pretended to think, then squeezed her hand tight, letting her see my gratitude.

“You’re really willing to take such a risk for me?”

She smiled, “It’s fine. I said it won’t implicate me.”

“Okay. If I get through this, I’ll spend my life protecting you. After the sensitive period, you can quit, and we’ll get married. I’ll take care of you every day.”

All kinds of promises poured out of my mouth—white picket fence, golden retriever, the works.

Natalie hugged me tight, telling me never to hide anything from her again, and that she’d face everything with me. I held her, already planning my next move.

For the next half month, we were practically married in secret. We’d split the chores—she’d cook, I’d do the dishes, both of us bickering over whose turn it was to pick the next Netflix show.

I told her to give up her apartment and move in. She agreed, her trust in me absolute.

The audit went smoothly. Natalie covered for me. When it was over, I treated us to the most expensive dinner in town.

It was done. If no one brought it up, I was safe. I slept soundly for the first time in months.

A little over a month—buying a ring, transferring my car. The car was only worth fifteen grand. Not bad for peace of mind.

Not to mention, I got a young, beautiful girlfriend for free. Sometimes I’d catch her singing in the kitchen, hair in a messy bun, and wonder how I got so lucky.

If I’d spent that money picking up girls, I’d only get a few nights of fun. But as for marrying Natalie, I only said it to her.

I had money and status, but never planned to settle for just one woman. Boise’s a small city, but big enough for secrets.

But I couldn’t rush. One misstep, and it’d all blow up.

Unexpectedly, Natalie gave me another gift.

One day, I came home and found a guest—her best friend, Aubrey Lane. She was perched on the arm of the couch, flipping through a People magazine, legs crossed, her energy filling the room.