‘Bring Your Fiancée to My House,’ Boss Sets Strange Condition for Employee's Promotion – Story of the Day

After hearing his boss say he wouldn't promote a man who didn't have a family, Charlie pretends to be engaged and make a pact with a single mother in need of money. But a medical emergency and a surprising drawing changed Charlie's life.

Charlie was walking back to his desk after grabbing a file from the printer. He licked his fingers, flipping over some pages, when he heard the CTO, Mr. Allen, talking to the company owner, Mr. Robertson.

Under normal circumstances, Charlie would continue walking, but he had just heard his name, and curiosity got the best of him. A famous phrase came to his mind, "Eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves," but Charlie was pleased when his direct boss started singing his praises.

"Charlie is the best we have right now. Punctual. Efficient. Puts work over everything else. I couldn't ask for a better employee," Mr. Allen stated. "I would hate to lose him, but since you're looking for a new executive director, I feel the need to recommend him. No one would be better."

Charlie's heart leaped with happiness. In the corporate world, it was sometimes hard to hear any kind of praise from bosses, who always feared their juniors would become even better than they were at the job.

Therefore, it was amazing that as soon as a new position opened, Mr. Allen would recommend him. The office had heard about a possible promotion, and Charlie truly wanted to show how he could do as an executive.

But Mr. Robertson tutted. "Hmmm, his last name is Clark, right? I've heard good things about him from other people, but I don't think he's right for now," the big boss said, his voice almost disappointed.

"Why, sir? I can show you how valuable his performance has been," Mr. Allen continued, and Charlie couldn't tear his ear away.

"He's a man in his 40s, but our records show he has no family and probably not even a girlfriend," Mr. Robertson continued. "A man who lacks a family is akin to a ship that sails without a rudder. Leading and managing staff requires something that a man can only learn when he has a family. This business wouldn’t have succeeded if I didn’t have my wife and children to fight for."

"I see," Mr. Allen sighed. "Well, how about Mr. K –"

"Wait!" Charlie barged into the CTO's office before he could think twice about it.

"Mr. Clark, what are you doing? We're in the middle of a meeting," Mr. Allen scolded him gently, his eyebrows lifting.

"Sir, I'm so sorry to barge in, but I was walking by, and I heard what Mr. Robertson said," Charlie explained, sputtering before they could kick him out. "I understand if you want to give the promotion to someone else if their work is better. But if you're only rejecting me because you think I'm not a family man, then you're wrong."

Charlie swallowed and took a deep breath while Mr. Allen and Mr. Robertson frowned. "You're not married," the big boss said.

"I'm not, sir. Not yet. I just got engaged. My fiancée is a single mother, so I'm about to be a stepfather," Charlie lied, but it wasn't a big deal in his mind. He was negotiating his future and would do anything to be considered.

"Wow, Mr. Clark! I had no idea. Congratulations," Mr. Allen clapped once and approached Charlie to give him a pat on the back.

"Thank you, sir. It was very recent, and I don't like to talk about personal life in the office," he licked his lips, and they both looked at Mr. Robertson.

"Well, Mr. Clark, that means we can officially consider you for the job. Bring your fiancée to my house. And her child as well," Mr. Robertson smirked, raising his eyebrows and standing from Mr. Allen's office armchair. "You will come with your almost family to my wedding anniversary party. It's next month. The first Friday night. After that, I'll make my decision. There's a lot of competition, you know."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you," Charlie breathed, relieved. But the reality of what he just said sunk in as soon as he sat back at his desk. He let out a small expletive under his breath and searched through his contact list. It was no use.

Charlie obviously didn't even have a girlfriend. His work was too important, and he only had one-night stands with women he met at bars. It was simpler. But now, his lack of romantic life was about to derail his future. If Mr. Robertson and Mr. Allen discovered he lied, he might be fired completely.

That can't happen, he thought and vowed to find a woman that same day.

***

Unfortunately, no man can go up to a woman at a bar and ask her if she is a single mother who wants to pretend to be engaged to him. At least, that's what Charlie learned that night when he met his buddy, Mason, at their local club.

Charlie rushed back to their table and angrily downed his drink, putting the glass down with a loud clang.

"Strike out again?" Mason asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, whatever," Charlie answered, sitting down but signaling the waiter to bring another round.

"I told you. Coming here to find a wife is not really a solid plan," Mason rolled his eyes and sipped from his glass.

"Then, what do you suggest, big man?" Charlie snapped, frustrated. "I need this. In one month, I have to show Mr. Robertson that I'm engaged. Worst of all, it has to be a woman with a child or children already."

Mason pursed his lips. "Are you willing to pay someone?"

"You mean… a working girl?" Charlie frowned.

"No, man," his friend scoffed. "My wife has a friend, Molly. She has a son. She's a single mother. She kinda needs money because she doesn't make much. It might work."

"Why didn't you say that sooner?" Charlie slammed his hands on the table. "You let me waste my time with the girls here!"

"I don't know if she'll do it," Mason shook his head and straightened. "But it doesn't hurt to ask. There's just one little problem."

"What?"

"She lives in Florida."

***

Charlie laughed at something funny Molly said. Mason's wife, Ally, had arranged for them to meet over a video call, and they had already spoken for an hour, getting to know each other. But it was time to get down to business.

"So, did Ally explain exactly what I need?" he asked gently.

"She did, and I would be willing to do it, but I don't know how it would work," Molly licked her lips, looking worried. "Jimmy, my son, has asthma, and I specifically picked Sarasota, Florida, because it has the right climate for him to live comfortably."

"I see."

"North Carolina is not great for him, particularly Greensboro, where you live. I don't know if it would be right," she continued, looking away from the camera in deep thought.

"I understand your concerns. But it would only be a temporary move, a month or maybe, two. Once I'm settled, I'll say we broke up, or I won't say anything unless someone asks," Charlie continued. "Of course, I'll pay for everything on top of what I'm offering already, plane tickets, moving expenses, medical stuff. Anything."

"Well, that sounds good," Molly nodded her head. "I think I could work. But Charlie, I don't want Jimmy to know the truth. He's seven, but it would be too confusing. Can we pretend it's real? For him? I’m going to tell him that Auntie Ally set me up with a nice man, which will help. He loves her to bits."

"Sure," Charlie nodded eagerly. "That sounds great."

She smiled, agreeing to deal, and they both started planning the logistics of their temporary move.

***

"At least we don't have to worry about Jimmy's school," Molly said as they unpacked some clothes into a dresser in his guest room. "He was confused enough."

"We're lucky it's the middle of summer, for sure," Charlie agreed. "Would you like some help?"

"No, it's alright," she smiled, and Charlie's cheeks reddened slightly. But he hoped she wouldn't notice.

"I've never lived with a woman before," he commented awkwardly.

"I've never lived with a man," she laughed, fixing things inside her dresser.

Charlie lived in a three-bedroom apartment. The master room was his bedroom, the two others were his personal gym/office, and the other was a guest room, just in case his parents visited him from Utah.

He cleared out his gym/office to create a bedroom for Jimmy. The seven-year-old thought this was real, so they had to make things realistic. Molly said he was fond of airplanes, so Charlie even bought airplane sheets. It wasn't too expensive, as he managed to find some great deals online.

The guest room belonged to Molly now. At first, Charlie thought the entire move would be uncomfortable and tiring, but things went smoother than he could've ever predicted. Plane tickets were on discount. They found a doctor for Jimmy, just in case. And best of all, their conversations were easy and interesting.

They had more in common than Charlie expected, and it was a welcome surprise. They ordered pizza for dinner, and luckily their topping choices reflected Charlie's tastes too. He had already planned a few things for Molly and Jimmy to do while he had to work, but they would go on "family outings" as well.

For now, he wanted to get to know her. They needed to make a good impression on Mr. Robertson, and it would be better if they acted like a real couple until his big boss's anniversary party. Therefore, they all went shopping the next day for the supplies Molly and Jimmy couldn't bring or had forgotten.

They took Jimmy to the zoo and talked about everything as they walked. At the end of the day, when Jimmy was occupied with a game, Charlie asked Molly to sit outside on his porch swing.

"Here," Charlie said after taking a heavy breath and grabbing something from his pocket.

Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Maybe, I should've waited to pick one. But I'm a planner, so I went ahead and got it," Charlie explained, opening the little box and revealing the engagement ring he had bought.

"Wow," Molly chuckled. "I can't believe the first proposal I ever get is fake."

"Shush," Charlie laughed but warned in case Jimmy was eavesdropping.

"Sorry," she said, but her smile didn't wane as she raised her hand and wiggled her fingers. "But you have to put it on me."

"Ok!" he nodded gladly and got down on one knee as real couples did.

"No! What? Not like that!" Molly continued, and once again, he was struck by her smile. She was gorgeous, and he couldn't believe she was still single.

"Molly, I'm not a man of romantic words, but will you fake-marry me?" he asked, the humor not leaving his voice.

"Yes! A million times yes!" she mocked, and they continued giggling as he put the ring on her finger and joined her back on the porch swing.

"For what it's worth," Charlie sighed. "I bought this house thinking of a family. I always imagined proposing right here."

Molly closed her mouth, but her lips were still up at the sides. "Well, it was beautiful," she said, and they both quieted and stared at the sun falling.

After several weeks with Molly and Jimmy, Charlie was almost afraid to admit how much fun it had been. They had taken Jimmy to more kid-friendly outings, including an airplane museum, an amusement park, and more. She always ensured that Jimmy always had his inhaler, just in case.

But he and Molly also went on dates that didn't seem fake. At first, they would talk about Mr. Robertson's wedding anniversary all the time, what they would do, how they act, etc. But soon enough, it was just about them, what they liked, their childhoods, why Molly wasn't with Jimmy's father, and much more.

They even went on a double date with Mason and Ally. Charlie had almost forgotten why they were there at all. The night before the infamous wedding anniversary, Molly and he were watching a movie in the living room when Jimmy came out of his room with a piece of paper.

"Here, this is for you," he said, giving it to Charlie with a look of pride.

"Wow! A drawing," Charlie said, not looking at the paper. He was focused on Jimmy and opened his arms for a big hug. "Thank you, my man. I'm gonna put this on my desk in my office."

The little kid beamed in delight when they pulled back from the embrace, and the boy skipped back to his room.

"You have been amazing to him these past days," Molly commented, touching her chest as she smiled.

"You two made a big sacrifice for me. It's only right… and honestly, these days have been awesome for me, too," Charlie responded, looking into Molly's eyes. There was a pregnant moment of silence between them, but she broke it by standing up.

"I'm going to bed," she said, fixing her hair.

"Tomorrow, I have to do some things. But you can take my credit card, buy yourself a dress or whatever you need for the party. I forgot to ask earlier if you had something," Charlie offered, licking his dry lips.

"Thank you," Molly nodded, closing her eyes, and walked to her room.

Charlie let out a quick breath. Tomorrow, I get my promotion, he thought, but somehow, he wasn't that happy with the possibility anymore.

***

Charlie, Molly, and Jimmy arrived at Mr. Robertson's house, a fantastic property surrounded by acres of nature and a small lake. There were other kids, and Jimmy went off to play with them, which gave Charlie and his fake fiancée a chance to speak with Mr. Robertson.

He asked them about the upcoming wedding and how Jimmy was taking everything. Surprisingly, Molly handled everything well, answering with her typical bright smile, and Charlie couldn't have been more pleased.

Mr. Robertson even gave him a nod as he left to mingle with others. Afterward, Molly suggested walking by the lake to take in the fresh air.

They discussed how things went well with the big boss, and Charlie naturally grabbed her hand. Molly looked surprised, but her grin widened, and a blush colored her cheeks.

"Hey, you're my fiancée, right?" he teased, and they chuckled as they always did when they were alone.

"I haven't been surrounded by so much nature in a while," Molly commented, closing her eyes and breathing through her nose.

"Why? Florida has a lot of nature," Charlie wondered, confused.

"Yes, but I've been keeping Jimmy away from anything that could affect his asthma. We don't live in a city, but our apartment complex doesn't have a big garden. I don't keep plants in the house or flowers," she began rattling off the things she had to sacrifice so Jimmy could be safe.

"I'm glad you get to experience this beautiful house, then," Charlie stated, and Molly turned to him, grabbing his other hand.

The intense moment from the night before rose again, and there was clearly something on Molly's mind. "I was wondering," she started, but the moment was broken when some kids started yelling.

"HELP!"

"What's wrong with him?"

They both turned to see the kids gathered in a huddle, and Molly took off toward them. Her keen motherly instincts told her that her son was in danger. Jimmy was back on the grass, coughing like his lungs were about to break.

Molly started padding his jeans. "Where is your inhaler?" she asked, desperate.

Jimmy could only shake his head.

"I know he had it when we left the house," Charlie said, grabbing his phone and calling 911 immediately.

"He took his thingy and threw it in the lake!" one girl revealed, pointing at another boy. But that didn't matter.

"God, I should keep a second one on me all the time," Molly lamented, lifting her son from the floor and rubbing his back. She tried to lift him, but Charlie grabbed them.

"Molly, the ambulance is on its way. Breathe with me," Charlie coaxed gently.

Luckily, the paramedics got there as quickly as they could. All the guests at the party surrounded them as they rolled him away.

"Jimmy, my man. You're going to be fine. Everything will be OK," Charlie repeated the words, running after the paramedics with the stretcher. He held Molly's hand tightly as they both got in the ambulance.

The doctors tended to Jimmy well but wanted to keep him overnight. Mr. Robertson called Charlie a few hours later to ask about the boy.

"I admit, Mr. Clark. I thought you were lying when you came into Mr. Allen's office. I see that you love that woman and her son. The way you handled things tells me you're going to be a fantastic father and a great leader for our team. The job is yours," the big boss said.

But Charlie could only muster a weak "thank you." He was exhausted from the night before and incredibly terrified. Molly had refused to leave Jimmy's side or eat anything. He could only worry and offer drinks and snacks from the vending machines.

He didn't even tell her that their plan had succeeded.

***

Jimmy was discharged the following day, and Molly apologized for not having a backup inhaler. The taxi on their way home, Charlie promised to carry another, too, but Molly shook her head minutely. He didn't understand… until they reached home.

Jimmy went to his room to sleep some more, and Charlie went to speak to Molly. He knew she was still reeling from the scare and wanted to comfort her. But she was flying around the guestroom, grabbing all her clothes and dumping them in her bag.

"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning.

"We're leaving," Molly said, firm and definite. "I shouldn't have come here. You don't even have to pay me. This was a huge mistake. Jimmy has never had an attack like that. I'll never forgive myself for agreeing to this for money. God! So, we're going back to Sarasota and never leaving again."

"Molly, wait," Charlie started, trying to get closer. But Molly raised her hands to stop him.

"No! We're leaving. We already went to the party. If they don't give you that promotion after last night, then they were never planning to do it. My son and I will return to our home, and this will all be over," she shouted, nodding to herself and continuing her distressed packing.

"What about… us?" he finally asked, his voice lowering at the last word.

Molly stopped for a second but refused to look at him. "There's no us, Charlie. This was all fake. Here," she said, taking off her ring and putting it in his hand.

"Please," he choked out.

"Thank you. You treated us very well these past few days. But it's time to get back to reality, where my son is safe," she added, finally looking into his eyes. He saw the tears she refused to shed and knew he could not convince her to stay.

"OK," he said and went to his room.

"Jimmy! Let's pack your things!" he heard her yelling.

Charlie offered to drive them to the airport, but Molly refused. Jimmy waved him goodbye, but he probably didn't realize they would never return. The taxi left, and Charlie watched from his doorway as it disappeared.

***

On Monday, Charlie sat at his desk. He was supposed to pack up to move to a new office, but his will was gone. He tapped his finger on the space key and sighed every few minutes. He almost jumped when Mr. Robertson's hand fell on his shoulder.

"Mr. Clark, why haven't you moved to your new office?" the big boss asked humorously. "I don't want to push, but there's a lot of work to do."

"Yes, sir," he responded absentmindedly. Mr. Robertson entered Mr. Allen's office, so Charlie got up to start packing.

That's when his hands went to a frame with Jimmy's drawing. He hadn't detailed much of the kid's drawing because he was just touched at getting it. Mr. Allen's assistant offered to get it framed and must have placed it on his desk, but he had been too busy to notice much.

However, he looked at it now. An airplane colored in bright red was right in the middle, and two stick figures were on top. One was labeled "Me," meaning Jimmy.

The other said, "Dad."

Charlie couldn't hold himself well and leaned one hand on the desk as he stared at the drawing thoroughly. Why hadn't he noticed it before? It didn't make sense, but that didn't matter anymore. The truth came like a car crash in his mind. He loved them.

He was Jimmy's dad, or he wanted to be. And his fake engagement… Charlie needed it to be real. Therefore, he grabbed his wallet and the frame, planning to leave.

Mr. Allen and Mr. Robertson came out of the office and saw him walking away. "Where are you going, Charlie?" the CTO asked, frowning.

Charlie walked back to stand before them. "Mr. Robertson, you were right. A man who lacks a family is akin to a ship that sails without a rudder," he began and grinned. "I quit."

"Why?" both the CTO and the big boss said at the same time.

"I'm moving to Sarasota," Charlie answered, not turning around. His future was waiting.

What can we learn from this story?

• No job or career will be more important than love and family. Charlie realized he loved Molly and Jimmy, so he had to be with them, even if it meant quitting his life's work.
• You never know how quickly your life and priorities can change. The workaholic started a fake relationship to advance his career and realized what truly mattered.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who kicked down his boss' door accusing the man of spending the night with his wife.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.