I Was A Homeless Ex-con When A 75-year-old Woman Offered Me A Fake Marriage. My Friends Called Me A Gold Digger, But Then I Found A Secret Folder In Her Office. What Would You Do If You Discovered Her True Motive?
A Fresh Start and a Harsh Reality
It had been two weeks since Andrew Mitchell was released from the state county jail after serving four years. Frankly speaking, he got his sentence due to a foolish mistake. Having grown up at an orphanage, he found himself captivated by life on the streets and agreed to take part in robbing a grocery store.
As fate would have it, Andrew didn’t even have time to enter the ill-fated building when the alarm went off. The police arrived immediately. He couldn’t escape as the law enforcement agents had cordoned off the crime scene swiftly, blocking all the escape routes.
Having ended up in jail, Andrew didn’t see freedom for four long years. In those four years, not a day went by that he didn’t regret his actions. In prison, Andrew refrained from joining any criminal communities, which guaranteed him an early release.
However, upon his release, Andrew found himself facing a harsh reality. Unfortunately, the society’s attitude towards ex-convicts was far from welcoming. That was especially evident in the job market. It would seem that a person who’d made the decision to start their life anew shouldn’t have any problems doing so.
Unfortunately, the reality was very, very different. Most employers didn’t want to hire ex-convicts. They believed that people couldn’t change; if a person had broken the law once, they would do it again. Thus, as soon as Andrew shared that part of his biography, he immediately got pointed to the door.
Eventually, having grown tired of the endless job search and the infinite rejections, Andrew returned to his old friend Henry. Standing at his door, Andrew couldn’t find the courage to ring the doorbell. Fortunately, the door soon opened on its own and Henry appeared in front of his old buddy.
“How long are you planning on standing there? Come on in, I just made eggs and bacon for dinner.”
A Desperate Search and a Strange Proposal
Andrew smiled and followed the con man whom he’d known for several years now. Soon, the two friends were already sitting in the kitchen discussing Andrew’s situation. What troubled Andrew the most was a lack of work and housing.
Despite Henry’s understanding attitude towards his friend’s problem, there was nothing he could do to help. Henry was barely making ends meet as it was, trying his best to survive in this harsh world.
“I’d gladly let you stay here,”
Henry began,
“but Mary and the kids will come home in two days. You know I got three mouths to feed,”
he added, a bit embarrassed. Andrew nodded, understanding his friend’s reasoning.
Feeling desperate, he decided to head to the local bar and drown his sorrows in some drinks. He hadn’t taken a break in a long while, so after his second round of whiskey, he hit the dance floor. He didn’t really have much to lose at that point.
He didn’t know what to do, and thus he simply wanted to spend some time in a state where his thoughts flowed in a completely different direction. At some point, when Andrew got tired of all the dancing, he went back to the counter and ordered another round of whiskey. However, just as he reached into his pants for his wallet, someone gently grabbed his elbow.
Andrew was surprised. He turned his head and saw an elderly woman looking at him with a mischievous spark in her eyes.
“Is there anything I can help you with, ma’am?”
he asked, barely moving his lips. The woman appeared to be at least 70 years old, so the fact that she even came to that bar seemed rather strange. The old lady smiled and replied,
“The help I believe you can. You can help me, dear. But first, let’s step outside for some fresh air.”
Andrew shook his head in confusion, but he still followed the old lady. There wasn’t much point in resisting, especially considering his unfortunate situation. As he would find out later, the woman’s name was Elizabeth Morgan.
She had recently turned 75, and she certainly took an interest in Andrew. However, when Mrs. Morgan revealed the nature of her request, Andrew felt uneasy.
“What did you say? That you want me to marry you? Are you serious? But you’re almost 50 years older! What am I supposed to tell my friends, and what’s in it for me?”
Andrew exclaimed, still somewhat tipsy. Feeling rather sure of herself, Mrs. Morgan looked at him and promptly replied,
“What’s in it for you? Trust me, there’s a lot in it for you. All I want from you is the marriage certificate and for you to move in with me. It will be a fake marriage. You can continue living your regular life, okay?”
Andrew let out a tired sigh and wiped the sweat off his forehead. It was only then that he realized that there were definitely some advantages to Mrs. Morgan’s proposal. Specifically, the prospect of having a permanent place of residence, which could help him find a job.
As for living with an elderly woman, well, that wouldn’t be too big of a deal. People do worse things to get by in life.
“Alright, I’m in, ma’am. But if there’s a catch, I won’t let it slide. I’ll file for divorce the day I learn about something fishy,”
Andrew concluded, extending his hand to the old woman as a sign of agreement. Mrs. Morgan nodded politely and promised that Andrew wouldn’t regret his decision.
