The CEO and The Pregnant TOMBOY
The CEO and The Pregnant TOMBOY
The Marriage That Was Supposed to Be Fake
Holden Callahan had everything a man could want.
Money. Looks. A powerful family name. A mansion overlooking the city. Cars sitting untouched in a private garage. A business that generated more money than he could spend.
There was only one thing he didn’t have.
A wife.
And according to his mother, that was becoming a serious problem.
“Son, do you know Caroline Melbryce?”
Holden looked up from his phone.
“Yes, Mom. Caroline, the daughter of Celeste and Dominic Melbryce.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Is she your type?”
Holden sighed.
“No.”
His mother stared at him.
“You don’t like her?”
“I don’t like Caroline.”
His mother placed a hand against her forehead.
“My goodness. At this rate, you’ll never get married.”
“I haven’t met the woman whnow make me a short introduction
o makes my heart beat faster,” Holden said calmly. “I’m not going to marry someone simply because she looks good on paper.”
“You’re our only son. Your father and I want grandchildren.”
“You’ll get them someday.”
“Someday?”
His mother narrowed her eyes.
“We’re coming home next month. If you haven’t found someone by then, I’m choosing your wife for you.”
Holden laughed.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am completely serious. And I’ve already decided.”
“Who?”
“Caroline.”
Holden’s smile disappeared.
“No.”
His mother smiled sweetly.
“Yes.”
“Mom.”
“One month.”
She walked away before he could argue.
Holden stared after her.
One month.
He needed a wife before his parents returned.
But he didn’t want Caroline.
He didn’t want anyone.
Then an idea occurred to him.
He reached for his phone.
“Dylan, I need a favor.”
Three days later, Holden found himself standing outside a small house in the countryside.
Dylan stood beside him.
“You’re sure about this?”
“I have no choice.”
“You’re a billionaire. You have choices.”
“Not with my mother.”
Dylan laughed.
“Fair enough.”
They heard shouting from behind the house.
A young woman emerged carrying a heavy box.
She was wearing simple clothes, her dark hair tied messily behind her head. She looked nothing like the sophisticated women Holden normally encountered.
She was also clearly irritated.
“Casey!” Dylan called.
She stopped.
“What?”
“I want you to meet someone.”
Casey looked at Holden.
She immediately frowned.
“Who is he?”
“Holden Callahan.”
“And?”
Holden stepped forward.
“I’d like to propose something.”
Casey raised an eyebrow.
“Go ahead.”
“I want you to marry me.”
Silence.
Then Casey dropped the box.
“What?”
Dylan quickly stepped between them.
“Fake marriage.”
Casey’s expression hardened.
“You came all the way here to ask me to pretend to marry a stranger?”
“Yes,” Holden said.
“Get out before I punch him.”
Dylan grabbed Casey’s arm.
“Calm down.”
“I don’t care how rich he is!”
Holden remained surprisingly calm.
“You’ll be paid generously.”
Casey folded her arms.
“I don’t need charity.”
“You need money for your family’s business expansion.”
That stopped her.
Holden continued.
“I’ll provide enough for your parents to expand their market stall and secure your brothers’ education. In return, you live with me for a year, attend family events, and pretend we’re married.”
Casey stared at him.
“No touching.”
“Agreed.”
“No sharing a bedroom.”
“Agreed.”
“No pretending when we’re alone.”
“Agreed.”
“And if you break any of those rules, you’ll regret it.”
Holden almost smiled.
“Understood.”
Casey looked toward her family’s modest home.
She thought about her parents working from sunrise to sunset.
She thought about the bills.
Finally, she sighed.
“All right.”
Dylan smiled.
“Really?”
“But nobody in my family can know this is fake.”
“Why?”
“Because my brothers will kill him.”
Holden nodded.
“Then they’ll never know.”
Casey told her parents she had found a job in the city.
Her mother cried.
Her father looked worried.
But they eventually gave her their blessing.
“I’ll only be two hours away,” Casey promised.
Her mother hugged her tightly.
“I know. But you’re my little girl.”
Casey swallowed her tears.
“I’ll come back often.”
Then she left.
She had one suitcase.
One secret.
And absolutely no intention of falling in love.
Holden’s mansion was enormous.
Casey stood in the entrance, staring at the marble staircase, crystal chandeliers, and endless rooms.
“You live here?”
Holden nodded.
Casey shook her head.
“This place is bigger than my entire village.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I doubt it.”
Holden’s housekeeper, Mrs. Esme, greeted her warmly.
“Welcome, Mrs. Callahan.”
Casey nearly choked.
“Mrs. Callahan?”
Holden smiled.
“Technically, yes.”
She glared at him.
“Don’t enjoy this too much.”
But something had already changed.
For the first time, Casey noticed how lonely the mansion felt.
It was beautiful.
But it wasn’t warm.
Holden had everything except people who truly knew him.
That first night, they ate dinner together.
Casey struggled with the unfamiliar utensils.
Holden quietly showed her how to use them.
Their fingers touched.
Both froze.
Casey pulled away.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Something had happened.
Something neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
Days became weeks.
Their fake marriage began looking strangely real.
Holden discovered that Casey woke early every morning.
She discovered that he secretly hated thunderstorms.
He learned she loved strawberry desserts.
She learned that he donated money anonymously to struggling families.
One day, Casey discovered Holden had paid the tuition for Mrs. Esme’s two children.
“You did that?”
Holden shrugged.
“They deserved the opportunity.”
Casey looked at him differently.
“You’re not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“A spoiled rich man.”
“And now?”
She smiled.
“I’m still deciding.”
Holden smiled back.
That was the moment everything began to change.
Soon, Holden’s parents arrived.
His mother took one look at Casey and immediately hugged her.
“Oh, sweetheart!”
Casey froze.
“Hello, ma’am.”
“Ma’am?”
Holden’s mother laughed.
“You’re my daughter-in-law now. Call me Mom.”
Casey looked at Holden nervously.
He smiled.
“She’s serious.”
His mother immediately began planning the wedding.
“I want it at Redwood Resort in Maine.”
Casey nearly fell out of her chair.
“But—”
“No objections.”
Within days, dresses were chosen.
Flowers ordered.
Guests invited.
A yacht reserved for their honeymoon.
Casey kept telling herself it was only part of the agreement.
But every time Holden looked at her, she found herself wondering if she was lying to herself.
At the wedding, Casey walked toward him beneath an ocean sunset.
Holden watched her approach.
For the first time in his life, he forgot about his mother’s expectations.
Forgot about the agreement.
Forgot about money.
He only saw Casey.
When the minister said, “You may kiss the bride,” Holden looked at her.
“May I?”
Casey hesitated.
Then she nodded.
Their lips touched.
It was supposed to be pretend.
But neither of them wanted the moment to end.
Their honeymoon was supposed to be another performance.
Instead, it became the beginning of something neither had planned.
They laughed.
They talked until midnight.
They watched the stars.
They took photographs.
Casey began to realize she was happy.
Dangerously happy.
Then one morning, she woke feeling dizzy.
Holden immediately became concerned.
“You need to see a doctor.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You’re not fine.”
The doctor examined her.
Then smiled.
“Congratulations.”
Casey stared.
“Congratulations?”
“You’re pregnant.”
Holden went completely still.
Then the doctor added:
“Actually, you’re expecting triplets.”
Silence.
“Triplets?” Holden whispered.
Casey covered her mouth.
Three babies.
Their fake marriage had somehow produced something very real.
Holden suddenly grabbed her hands.
“I’ll take care of you.”
Casey stared at him.
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Holden—”
“I love you.”
Casey’s eyes filled with tears.
“What?”
He swallowed.
“I love you.”
For the first time, Holden wasn’t acting.
He wasn’t pretending.
He wasn’t fulfilling an agreement.
He loved her.
And somehow, Casey realized she loved him too.
“I love you, Holden.”
The biggest problem remained.
Her family didn’t know.
And neither did they know that the marriage had started as a business arrangement.
Then Casey’s mother unexpectedly arrived.
She walked into the mansion and froze.
“Casey?”
Casey panicked.
“Mom!”
Her mother looked from Casey’s pregnant belly to Holden.
“You said he was your boss.”
Casey closed her eyes.
“It’s complicated.”
Her mother stared at Holden.
“Did you marry my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Does he love you?”
Casey looked at Holden.
He answered before she could.
“With everything I have.”
Her father arrived moments later.
He wasn’t nearly as emotional.
He looked Holden straight in the eyes.
“My daughter isn’t something you can buy.”
Holden nodded.
“I know.”
“If she cries because of you, money won’t protect you.”
“I understand.”
“If she ever regrets marrying you—”
“She won’t have to stay with me.”
Everyone became silent.
Holden continued.
“I want Casey to stay because she loves me, not because of our agreement.”
Casey reached for his hand.
Her father noticed.
He finally relaxed.
“All right.”
Months passed.
Their triplets were born—three beautiful girls.
Holden became a completely different man.
The billionaire who once thought marriage was an obligation now spent sleepless nights feeding babies.
He carried diaper bags.
He learned lullabies.
He fell asleep sitting beside Casey’s bed because he refused to leave her alone.
One evening, Casey watched him holding all three daughters at once.
“You look exhausted.”
“I am.”
She laughed.
“But you’re smiling.”
“I have everything I ever wanted.”
Casey walked over.
“Everything?”
He looked at her.
“Everything.”
He kissed her forehead.
“You know what the strangest part is?”
“What?”
“I spent my whole life believing destiny would send me someone.”
“And?”
“I was wrong.”
Casey smiled.
“What do you mean?”
“Destiny didn’t send you to me.”
He wrapped an arm around her.
“You walked into my life because I was desperate enough to hire a fake wife.”
Casey laughed.
“And now?”
“Now I’m terrified you’ll realize you could have done better.”
She shook her head.
“Too late.”
“Why?”
“Because I already fell in love with you.”
Holden smiled.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her gently.
“Because I’m never letting you go.”
Years later, their mansion was no longer silent.
Three little girls raced through the hallways.
Casey’s mother visited constantly.
Holden’s parents moved closer.
Dylan remained the family’s favorite troublemaker.
And the once-fake marriage became the strongest relationship in the family.
One evening, Holden watched Casey playing with their daughters.
He remembered the woman who had once threatened to punch him.
The woman who had entered his life with one suitcase and a secret.
The woman who had agreed to marry him for money.
And the woman who had ultimately given him something money could never buy.
A family.
Casey walked toward him.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Our first meeting.”
She laughed.
“I thought you were arrogant.”
“You threatened to break my jaw.”
“I was serious.”
“I know.”
She rested her head against his shoulder.
“Would you do it again?”
“What?”
“Marry me.”
Holden looked at her.
“Absolutely.”
“Even if there were no contract?”
He smiled.
“Especially if there were no contract.”
Casey kissed him.
Their daughters giggled nearby.
The house that had once been filled with expensive furniture and empty rooms was now filled with laughter.
Their marriage had started with a lie.
It had been built on secrets.
It was supposed to last only long enough to satisfy Holden’s parents.
But sometimes love doesn’t care how a story begins.
Sometimes destiny hides inside the strangest arrangements.
And sometimes the person you agree to pretend to love becomes the only person you can imagine spending forever with.
Holden had gone looking for a wife.
Instead, he found his home.
And Casey had gone looking for money to save her family.
Instead, she found a family of her own.
Their marriage had been fake.
Their love never was.
