Long after most employees had gone home, the office would fall into a peaceful silence, interrupted only by the soft hum of her vacuum cleaner.

Susie didn’t mind these quiet nights; in fact, she found them comforting. The solitude gave her time to think, to reflect on her life, and to dream about the future.

One person, however, seemed to share her late-night hours—Michael, the hardworking boss of the company.

Michael was a man dedicated to his work, often staying late into the night to finish up his tasks, only to be back again early the next morning. Over time, Susie and Michael had developed a friendly rapport.

What had started as brief, polite greetings had slowly evolved into longer conversations.

They would chat about everything from the weather to their favorite movies, and occasionally, they would share more personal stories.

These late-night talks became something Susie looked forward to; they made the long hours feel less lonely.

But tonight, something felt different. As Susie quietly tidied the office, she couldn’t help but notice that Michael seemed unusually tense.

He was pacing back and forth in his office, his phone pressed to his ear. His voice, usually calm and steady, was filled with worry.

“You don’t have to, Mom. It’s not necessary. I’ll introduce her to you when the time is right,” Michael said, his tone almost pleading.

Susie, who was nearby, tried not to eavesdrop, but the concern in his voice was hard to ignore.

She continued dusting a nearby shelf, her ears straining to catch more of the conversation.

It sounded like Michael was trying to convince his mother not to visit him over the weekend. He sounded desperate, almost panicked.

When Michael finally ended the call, he let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Susie had never seen him look so stressed.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should say something. But her concern for him won out.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Michael?” Susie asked gently, stepping into his office with a soft smile.

Michael looked up, surprised by her concern. He seemed to debate with himself for a moment before finally speaking. “It’s… complicated, Susie,” he admitted, his voice tinged with frustration.

“My mother is really worried about me being alone. She’s been pressuring me for years to find someone, and I made a mistake. I lied and told her I had a girlfriend to make her feel better. But now she’s insisting on meeting her this weekend. If she finds out the truth, I’m afraid it’ll stress her even more, and she has a weak heart.”

Susie’s heart went out to him. She could see how much he cared about his mother, and how torn he was by the situation.

The stress and worry were evident in his eyes, and Susie couldn’t help but feel a strong urge to help him.

Susie felt a deep pang of sympathy for Michael as she listened to him. It was clear how much he cared for his mother, and how the weight of his lie was now pressing heavily on him.

“That’s tough,” she said softly, her voice filled with understanding. “But why did you lie to her in the first place?”

Michael sighed, his frustration evident as he ran a hand through his hair. “I just wanted her to stop worrying, to feel at peace.

She’s always been so concerned about me being alone, and I thought that telling her I had someone would make her feel better. But now, I’ve made things worse. I don’t know how to fix this.”

As Michael spoke, an idea seemed to take shape in his mind. He glanced at Susie, a mix of hope and desperation in his eyes.

“Susie… I know this is a lot to ask, but would you consider helping me? Could you pretend to be my girlfriend just for the weekend? I promise it won’t be too difficult. We just need to get through a few days until my mom leaves.”

Susie was completely taken aback by his request. The idea of pretending to be someone’s girlfriend, even just for a short time, was something she had never imagined doing.

It was unexpected, and she wasn’t sure how to respond at first. But as she looked into Michael’s pleading eyes, and saw how much this meant to him, she couldn’t help but feel a tug at her heart.

He was clearly in a difficult situation, and she knew how much he cared about his mother.

After a moment of hesitation, Susie took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, I’ll help you,” she said, though her voice wavered with uncertainty.

Michael’s relief was immediate and palpable. “Thank you, Susie,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

“You have no idea how much this means to me.”

The weekend arrived much faster than Susie had anticipated, and soon she found herself standing beside Michael, anxiously waiting for his mother to arrive.

They had spent hours practicing their story, rehearsing the small details that would make their pretend relationship believable.

But despite their preparation, both Susie and Michael were clearly out of their comfort zones. Their nerves were apparent in the way they fidgeted and avoided eye contact.

When Michael’s mother finally pulled up, Susie’s heart raced. The woman stepped out of the car with an air of grace, but there was a sharpness in her eyes that made Susie’s stomach tighten.

She greeted them both with warmth, hugging her son and then turning to Susie with a smile. However, there was a keen, discerning look in her eyes that made it clear she wasn’t entirely convinced by their act.

Throughout the day, Susie and Michael did their best to appear as a loving couple.

They held hands, exchanged compliments that felt forced, and tried to laugh at each other’s jokes, but the awkwardness between them was hard to hide.

The more they tried, the more obvious it became that something was off. Michael’s mother wasn’t fooled.

She began to watch them closely, her questions growing more pointed as the day went on.

“Why don’t you hold hands more often?” she suggested at one point, her tone deceptively casual.

When they did as she asked, their grip was tense, and it felt anything but natural.

“Maybe a hug?” she added later, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched them. They complied, but the embrace was stiff and uncomfortable.

Finally, she asked them to kiss. The request hung in the air, heavy and unavoidable.

Susie and Michael exchanged a nervous glance, both of them knowing they were in over their heads. They had practiced this, but now that the moment had come, it felt wrong.

Michael hesitated, then stepped back, a look of defeat on his face. He turned to his mother, guilt written all over his expression.

“Mom, I can’t do this,” he confessed, his voice trembling slightly. “

I lied to you. Susie agreed to help me, but she doesn’t deserve to go through with this if it’s not real.”

His mother’s face shifted from surprise to disappointment. “Why did you lie, Michael? Don’t you know this stress isn’t good for me?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

The weight of her words hung between them, and Susie could see the regret in Michael’s eyes.

As Michael and his mother continued to argue, the tension in the room grew thick. Susie could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her.

She had agreed to this charade out of a desire to help, but as the weekend had unfolded, something deeper had taken root in her heart.

She couldn’t keep quiet any longer. Gathering her courage, Susie suddenly spoke up, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

“Mrs. Thompson,” Susie began, her eyes meeting the older woman’s.

“I agreed to help Michael at first because I care about him. But I need you to know that it’s not entirely pretend. I do have feelings for Michael, and if he feels the same, I’d like to be with him for real.”

The room fell silent as both Michael and his mother looked at Susie in shock. Michael’s expression softened as the realization of her words sank in.

He had never expected Susie to feel the same way, and the truth of her confession hit him like a wave of relief and joy.

“Susie…,” Michael began, his voice filled with wonder. “I’ve had feelings for you too, but I never knew if you felt the same.”

They stood there, their eyes locked in a moment of understanding that had been long in the making.

The awkwardness that had plagued them earlier melted away, replaced by a sense of warmth and connection. Without any further hesitation, Michael leaned in, and Susie met him halfway.

Their lips touched in a gentle, sincere kiss—this time, it was real, not just an act for his mother.

Michael’s mother, Mrs. Thompson, watched them with a tearful smile. The worry and disappointment she had felt moments before were replaced by a deep sense of happiness.

She could see now that her son had found someone truly special, someone who cared for him just as much as she had hoped.

As the kiss ended, Michael and Susie turned to face Mrs. Thompson, who wiped a tear from her eye.

“I’m sorry I pushed you both so hard,” she said softly. “But seeing you two together like this… it’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Michael.”

Michael nodded, still holding Susie’s hand.

“I’m sorry for lying, Mom. I just didn’t want you to worry. But now, I think everything has turned out better than I ever could have planned.”

The weekend that had started with a lie ended with a newfound love. As Mrs. Thompson prepared to leave, she did so with a heart full of contentment, knowing her son was finally in good hands.

Michael and Susie walked her to the door, and as she drove away, they stood together, knowing that this was just the beginning of something truly special.

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Katherine’s 35th birthday felt less exciting than before. The age made her realize how incomplete her life seemed without a family. Feeling lonely, she recalled a childhood pact with a friend to marry if they were still single at 35—a silly promise that unexpectedly changed her life. Read the full story here.

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.