For a week, everyone started noticing my dark circles, caused by not sleeping properly. Some employees subtly asked if I was okay, and I, a little confused by the question, would reply that I was. However, today Nicholas surprised me by offering to call a doctor, which I immediately declined, since I wasn't sick—I simply couldn't sleep. So I clarified.
"It's okay, Nicholas, don't call anyone. The thing is, I haven't been able to sleep well for a few days," I explained, causing his expression to turn embarrassed.
I was puzzled by his reaction and wondered mentally why he had reacted that way.
"I understand, ma'am… I apologize for my expression," he said. "I know you and your wife are young, and being newlyweds… it's normal not to sleep well," he added, clearing his throat.
I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. That wasn't the impression I wanted to give. But I couldn't correct him either, because if I did, the fake marriage could unravel. So I had to swallow my discomfort and suffer in silence from the misunderstanding.
That weekend, as usual, Judith went to her parents' house. Meanwhile, I continued dealing with myself, so to avoid accumulating energy, I signed up for a marathon along with Sheldon, who complained nonstop because running wasn't part of his job. Sheldon had always been a complainer, and I was used to his constant protests. Just as I had anticipated, I ended up exhausted and slept like a baby Saturday night. On Sunday, I followed my usual routine for that day: doing absolutely nothing, a small reward for myself.
For a moment, I thought I had solved my problem, but I was wrong. I woke up again in the early morning, restless, with overflowing energy.
Judith, noticing it, asked me one night with a worried voice if I was feeling unwell, sick, or in pain.
"I'm not sick," I replied honestly.
It wasn't a lie, because that wasn't the cause of my problem, but I didn't want to give her further explanations. I knew she carried her own issues, which I suspected were related to her fiancée, because she seemed fine with her parents. Every time she returned from visiting them, she would tell me about her weekend, and her happiness would shine on her face.
That early morning, while running on the treadmill, I glanced at the timer: 1 hour and 35 minutes. Frustration hit me hard because I didn't understand how I could still not tire myself out. At that moment, I felt a hand touch the side of the machine. I was so startled I almost fell.
It was Judith.
I stopped abruptly, got off the treadmill, and placed a hand on my chest, trying to recover from the scare, while using the other to remove my headphones.
"Please, Judith, you have to make some noise. One of these days you're going to scare me to death," I said, tired, my heart still racing.
"I called you, but you didn't answer," she defended herself.
I tried to regulate my heartbeat while she let out a deep sigh. The tension in her gaze told me this conversation wasn't going to end there.
"What are you doing here, Mel? It's two in the morning," Judith asked, her voice full of concern.
"I couldn't sleep," I replied, trying to downplay it.
"Mel, you've been like this for two weeks," she reproached, frowning.
I opened my eyes in surprise and nervously brought my hand to my neck."You noticed?" I whispered, unsure what else to say.
"From the first day," she accused firmly. "I've been asking you, Mel, if you were okay, and you lied to me."
"I didn't," I defended myself quickly. "You asked if I was sick, and I'm not. Besides… if you already knew, why are you scolding me?"
"I thought we were friends," she said in a voice that sounded more hurt than angry.
"We are," I hurriedly assured her. "It's just that…" I paused for a few seconds, biting my lip. "…I just don't want to give you another problem."
"What do you mean?" she interrupted impatiently.
I swallowed before releasing the words I had been holding back."I know you're sad about Amber."
Judith stared at me. Her eyes reflected exhaustion, and she sighed with a mix of weariness and resignation."How do you know that?" she asked, almost without strength.
"It's not very hard to figure out, you know?" I answered, looking down.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke in a melancholy tone:"I know my relationship with Amber isn't the best right now, but I also know we'll resolve it later, when we're both ready to talk. In the meantime, we're apart, at least without hurting each other."
Her sadness was evident, and I could only murmur:"I'm sorry."
"This time, it's nobody's fault," she gently warned me. "I don't want to make a drama out of this or play the victim, much less be pitied," she tried to smile, though the curve of her lips looked fragile.
I returned the smile, silently acknowledging that I understood what she was trying to tell me. It wasn't the end; they just needed some time.
Judith sighed again and looked at me seriously."Okay, now tell me… what's going on with you? Why can't you sleep?"
I felt my chest tighten. It was time to tell her what I had been avoiding for so long. I sighed, more from mental exhaustion.
"Remember when I told you I have too much energy?" I asked, fiddling with my fingers.
"Yes," Judith replied calmly.
"That's why I can't sleep… because now I have too much energy," I complained, frustrated.
"Have you tried increasing the intensity of your routine?" she suggested in an analytical tone.
"I did. I've tried everything," I huffed. "I even took Sheldon with me to a marathon, and yes, it worked, but only that day, because the next day I couldn't sleep again. And, come on, I can't go running marathons every day." My frustration spilled out with every word.
"And haven't you tried doing other things?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, genuinely concerned.
"I've done everything," I said with an ironic laugh. "If you have anything else I could try, please tell me, because I've run out of ideas."
Judith stayed silent, as if digging through her own memories. I watched her, anxious for her to give me a solution, when suddenly the words slipped out of my mouth without filter:
"Judith, what do you do… or what have you done… to get completely drained? I don't mean work or exercise; I mean something that leaves you so exhausted you can sleep like a baby." I looked at her expectantly, maybe a little desperate.
Judith blinked, surprised by my question. She paused for a few seconds, and then, to my astonishment, she turned red as a traffic light.
"Why are you blushing?" I asked, genuinely confused by her reaction.
"It's nothing… but well," she cleared her throat, avoiding my gaze. "There's something… I don't know if you've tried it."
"What thing?" I asked, full of curiosity.
"Well, you know… usually anyone gets exhausted when… they're with another person," she replied in a low voice, the blush on her cheeks deepening.
"Did she mean… being intimate with someone?" I screamed mentally. I felt my face burn, and I wasn't sure if I looked as red as she did.
"I… hadn't thought of that," I finally answered, trying to downplay it, though inside I was dying of embarrassment. "Well, we'll discard that option because I'm married to you," I reminded her firmly.
Judith looked up at me, completely forgetting her embarrassment."But this is fake," she quickly reminded me.
"I know it's fake, but I would never deceive you, because it wouldn't be right," I explained calmly.
"But you and I don't have feelings for each other," she insisted, as if searching for a logical loophole.
"I know, Judith, but I do it for me. I don't feel it's right, even though I don't have feelings for you," I tried to clarify. "It's more of a personal thing," I explained with a serene voice.
Judith sighed, finally understanding."Okay, I get it. But tell me, now will you be able to sleep?"
I hadn't realized it until then, but I did feel a little tired."Yes, now I feel a bit tired," I assured her, letting out a small yawn.
"Let's go," she asked, and I nodded without another word.
As I turned toward the exit, I tripped over a weight that hadn't been put back in place. I lost my balance, and because Judith was too close, I ended up pulling her with me toward the imminent fall. However, I did my best to keep her from hitting the ground. I hugged her in midair with all my strength, managing to protect her from the impact. Luckily, the fall wasn't hard, as the gym floor was covered with soft, padded material that cushioned us.
"Are you okay?" I asked nervously, looking at her.
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, laughing.
I didn't understand why she was laughing; I had been genuinely scared. But her laughter was contagious, and before I realized it, I was laughing with her.
"I'm sorry, ladies…" Nicholas's voice startled us. He was standing at the gym door, his face flushed.
We froze, caught in a compromising position.
"I didn't think you'd be here…" he averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry for the interruption. I heard noises and came to check, but I won't do it again," he assured us before quickly leaving, giving us no time to explain anything.
When he left, I immediately got off Judith, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment.
"He thought you and I were… doing that in the gym," Judith stammered, equally flushed. "Now he's going to tell your grandfather that we do it all over the house in the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep." Her voice trembled, terrified by the embarrassment.
I swallowed, aware that Nicholas would inform my grandfather about this incident and that he would probably not keep it quiet.
"More like he'll confirm it," I said without thinking.
"How?" Judith asked, staring at me.
I realized I had messed up because Judith didn't know exactly what Nicholas had thought.
"Mel, what did Nicholas confirm?" she pressed me, demanding an answer.
"It's possible… and by possible I mean it's almost certain, that Nicholas thinks the reason I don't sleep well is you, and this situation just confirmed it," I said, swallowing hard.
"What?!" she exclaimed, horrified. "But how did he come to that conclusion?" she asked, panicked.
I told her what had happened days ago with Nicholas and how, to maintain appearances, I hadn't been able to correct him.
"Judith, I couldn't tell him the truth, not because I didn't want to, but because I had to protect the fake marriage," I excused myself desperately.
"This can't be, Mel… you really seem to have a talent for attracting misunderstandings," she sighed, exhausted.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it," I immediately apologized.
"And the worst part is you don't even look for them; they just happen," she huffed tiredly.
We stayed silent until Judith broke it.
"We'd better go to sleep," she suggested with a hint of resignation.
I nodded awkwardly, and we made our way to our rooms. Although the situation had been embarrassing for both of us, I decided to take advantage of the misunderstanding. With my cheeks still burning from shame, I sought out Nicholas the next day to give him new instructions.
"Nicholas, from now on all staff can spend weekends with their families. Judith and I believe that, to avoid another embarrassing incident, it's best for everyone to rest. Besides, they deserve it. And finally, I want you to inform them that these days will also be paid," I instructed seriously.
Nicholas simply nodded, offering no judgment, although his eyes seemed to say more than his lips would allow. Apparently, my grandfather agreed with my decision, as he didn't call me to scold me, which in theory was a good thing. However, it also suggested that he thought Judith and I looked like a pair of uncontrolled animals running around the house. I felt the heat of embarrassment return to my face, wishing the ground would swallow me.
I told Judith about my little feat, but she couldn't help blushing, aware that the entire Castle family might find out about the incident. Still, she was happy for me, because —as she reminded me— she wasn't at the residence on weekends since she spent that time with her family.
I shook my head at that reminder, because I had also done it for her: it would look odd to the employees if Judith left every weekend with her parents and didn't take me along. My grandfather, even knowing that I'm not close to Judith's family, would take it badly, as it would be evident that she left me alone every weekend. When I told her I had done it for both of us, Judith smiled and simply said:
"Thank you, Mel, for thinking of everything."
Hearing Judith's words, I only thought: "I must think of everything, because my grandfather needs to know everything." I also knew I had to minimize any misunderstandings that could lead to misinterpretations, implying that we were in love. That would be terrible, because if they ever believed it, no one would trust that I could fall in love with someone else, since they would think I was in love with my wife. They would start investigating more insistently, and the risk of our original plan being discovered would increase dangerously, jeopardizing our chance to get a divorce.
Narrator
Mel wasn't wrong in what she thought. Her grandfather didn't just know what his granddaughter and her wife were doing in the mansion; he had also begun to convince himself that his granddaughter truly liked Judith. How else could he explain the photographs he had received from the spy he had personally hired?
In those pictures, they looked almost like a real couple, with no need to pretend. They laughed while choosing furniture for their residence, walked side by side, sharing gestures of complicity that were hard to fake. His spy had never been discovered by them, which only increased his confidence in the truth of what he was observing.
The grandfather reviewed the photos again and again, one in particular, where Judith stole a piece of food from Mel, and Mel made no effort to retrieve it. Anyone else would have overlooked it, but he knew that his granddaughter never gave up a bite. For the Castle family and her friend Sara, Mel sharing her food was an impossible sight.
Yet, not only did she not protest, she even smiled afterward, laughing as if nothing had happened. To him, that reaction was revealing. It filled him with a quiet joy, the kind that increasingly convinced him that this marriage, which had started as an order, would soon transform into a genuine emotional reality.
Dr. Smith also kept him informed. He recounted Judith's accident in the gym and the way Mel, desperate, almost insisted on getting X-rays for a simple bruise. Smith had to calm her down to prevent her from overreacting. To the grandfather, that reaction was the ultimate proof: only someone who is beginning to love worries so excessively.
The old man's hopes grew even stronger when Nicholas handed him a detailed report. Not only did he recount how carefully Mel had looked after her wife after the accident, but he also confessed—his voice tinged with a certain blush—that he had caught them in a rather compromising position in the gym. He further mentioned that for several days Mrs. Mel had been showing pronounced dark circles under her eyes and had admitted that she hadn't been sleeping well lately.
That comment led the grandfather to an inevitable conclusion, spoken with a mix of discomfort and slyness.
"So that means her wife isn't letting her sleep," he said, clearing his throat.
"Everything points to that," Nicholas confirmed cautiously.
The old man smiled, both satisfied and slightly uneasy. He recognized the signs—he had seen them before, in his own life and in the lives of others. First, people get to know each other. Then they share experiences. Little by little, they start living together, building a routine, and without realizing it, they begin creating memories. And those memories, once they accumulate, end up weaving something far stronger: love.
For Grandpa Castle, this wasn't merely a relief; he saw it as a quiet victory. He had always dreamed of seeing his granddaughter truly happy, and now life seemed to be granting him that gift. Deep in his heart, he was convinced that this marriage—born from an order of his—would become the fire they would both learn to care for and keep alive forever.
Meanwhile, Judith's mother remained convinced that Mel Castle was doing something to her daughter. Every time Judith asked strange questions, her suspicions only grew, because those doubts did nothing to dispel her negative thoughts about Mel—on the contrary, they fed them.
"Mom, do you maybe know how to make a person get tired or exhausted quickly?" Judith asked, sounding worried.
Judith's mother's internal alarms went off immediately. In her mind, the scene formed clearly: Mel taking advantage of her daughter, and Judith—unable to confess it openly—throwing out those questions as a disguised cry for help. Her heart began to race as a mix of anger and fear surged through her veins.
"Why are you asking me that, sweetheart?" she replied, watching her closely, trying to read between the lines of what Judith wasn't saying.
Concern took hold of her completely. If that woman, Mel, was overstepping boundaries with her daughter, she wouldn't hesitate to get rid of her—even if that meant ending up in prison. Maternal instinct outweighed any consequence.
Judith, for her part, didn't know how to explain Mel's real problem to her mother. Every time she mentioned her name, her mother's reaction was immediate: distrust, anger, suspicion. She wouldn't let her finish. She didn't give her space to explain that what she actually wanted to talk about was something entirely different.
So this time, she decided to lie to avoid an even bigger misunderstanding.
"Lately I can't sleep because I feel like I have too much energy," she said, lowering her gaze, unable to meet her mother's eyes.
Judith's mother, however, noticed the falseness in her words. Not only because her daughter avoided eye contact, but also because the question itself had been poorly phrased. If she truly couldn't sleep due to excess energy, she would have asked how to fall asleep—not how to make "another person" get tired or exhausted. That difference in wording planted even more doubt in her heart.
The silence that followed was heavy. Judith twisted her hands nervously, wishing the ground would swallow her whole, while her mother stared at her as if trying to decipher a hidden riddle. Distrust had already been planted, and nothing Judith said would be enough to erase it.
At that precise moment, Judith's mother made a firm decision. She couldn't stand by while the idea that her daughter was being tormented by that woman consumed her. So she decided to confront Mel Castle directly. She would talk to her, demand explanations, and if necessary, make it clear that she would not tolerate anyone hurting her daughter.
Her protective instinct had turned into an unstoppable force. Judith's mother would do whatever it took—even sacrifice her own peace of mind—to ensure Judith was safe.
-------------------
Judith
"Stop right there, Melissa Castle, right now!" I shouted, chasing her across the back courtyard of the mansion.
"I'm not Melissa—just Mel!" she snapped back, correcting me angrily as she ran.
I saw that she was about to devour my cupcake and, without thinking twice, I took off one of my shoes and hurled it straight at her head before sprinting after her again. The hit was perfect: Mel stumbled, lost her balance, and fell—dragging my poor cupcake down with her.
I watched in horror as my little cupcake fell along with her, rolling across the grass as if the tragedy were even worse than Mel's fall. And to make matters worse, I hadn't stopped running, so I ended up falling on top of her.
Mel took the full impact of my fall. I barely felt it, but what really crushed me was that my cupcake had ended up squashed on the ground, all because of Mel's gluttony.
Minutes earlier
We had decided to have lunch in the backyard because it was a hot day, and afterward, we planned to jump into the pool to cool off. Everything was going fine until dessert arrived: vanilla cupcakes, my favorites. Apparently, they were Mel's favorites too, because as soon as she got one, she devoured it in a single bite.
"You really like them, huh?" I laughed, amused by the way she gobbled it down.
"I love vanilla cupcakes," she replied excitedly, her eyes practically sparkling. "I'm going to get more!" She immediately got up and went to Nicholas to order another.
I stayed put with mine in front of me, about to take my first bite. But before I could, Mel came back, frowning and muttering under her breath.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"There aren't any more cupcakes… they'll have to make more," she complained, plopping down in the chair, visibly frustrated.
"Then you'll just have to wait for them…" I began to say, but her gaze interrupted me.
Mel's eyes were fixed on my cupcake, as if she had never tasted sweets in her life.
"Are you going to eat that?" she asked, not taking her eyes off my dessert.
"Yes," I affirmed, holding my cupcake protectively with my gaze.
"Will you give it to me?" she asked, her tone pleading, her eyes shining with desire.
"No, it's mine!" I said firmly, outraged at her audacity.
"More are coming soon, so… how about giving it to me?" Mel asked boldly, her smile a mix of mischief and shamelessness.
"No, of course not! You already ate yours, and this one is mine," I repeated, clutching my cupcake tightly. "I like them too…"
I hadn't even finished my sentence when, in a swift move, Mel snatched it from my hands and ran off as if she had stolen treasure.
"Give me back my cupcake! What do you think you're doing? That's mine!" I shouted, running after her.
"You stole my food from me once too!" she reminded me, laughing as she escaped. "Now we're even!"
And that's how we ended up in that chaotic situation. Nicholas came running with the first aid kit, worried about our little injuries: Mel had scraped her elbow and chin, while I had a minor scrape on my forearm.
I saw Nicholas getting ready to treat Mel, but I stopped him immediately.
"Nicholas, let me do it," I said sweetly, taking the tweezers with alcohol-soaked cotton.
Mel eyed me suspiciously, her gaze fixed on my mischievous smile. She instantly realized that this wound-cleaning session wasn't going to be delicate.
"Susan," she immediately called our housekeeper, who had been about to tend to me, "I'll take care of my wife too," she said, mimicking me with a sweetly fake smile.
Nicholas and Susan exchanged amused glances, smiled, and nodded before stepping aside, leaving us alone. As soon as they disappeared from view, I pressed the alcohol-soaked cotton against Mel's chin.
"Ouch! That burns!" she complained, turning her face away.
"That happens for leaving me without my cupcake," I teased, silently enjoying her discomfort.
"You're so vindictive!" she laughed shamelessly. "Cupcakes are one of my weaknesses," she confessed, still looking at me with that playful smile that could disarm any anger.
"Looks like we finally have something to fight over," I teased, raising an eyebrow.
"And plenty of it," she smiled even more.
I raised the tweezers again to continue cleaning, while she closed her eyes dramatically, as if she were about to be executed. I shook my head at her dramatics and finished tending her wounds with more care than I had originally planned.
When I was done, Mel opened one eye and gave me a mischievous smile.
"Now it's my turn," she said playfully.
I swallowed hard, feeling a shiver run through me, but I wasn't going to beg for mercy. I knew Mel would take the opportunity to get her revenge.
To my surprise, she was very careful. Before she started cleaning my wound, I closed my eyes, expecting the sting of the alcohol, but it never came—or at least not as strongly as I had imagined. I opened my eyes cautiously and saw her focused, paying close attention to my arm as she cleaned the scrape gently.
She had a pretty face, with balanced features and perfect skin, almost like a model… or maybe even better cared-for. That explained why she took so long in the bathroom: she probably had a strict facial routine she followed religiously.
The more I looked at her, the more amazed I became. I wondered silently: does she have any hidden flaw? Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find one. She was the ideal type: kind-hearted, polite, humble, physically attractive, tall, with a well-maintained body—and rich.
Then I remembered: not a flaw, but a lack—a total absence of common sense in romantic matters. How could I have forgotten? That was precisely why we were in a fake marriage.