Until Forever Ink Fades

           Ana sat in her office, feeling worried and unsure about what to do. Her mind was filled with thoughts of how she had gotten herself into this difficult situation. She had received a text message from President Michael just two hours ago, asking her to bring her husband to dinner at 9:00 PM. The message had caught her off guard, and now she felt like she was running out of time. The clock on the wall showed 8:07, and Ana felt a sense of fear taking over. Her heart was beating faster, and her hands were shaking slightly.

Ana let out a frustrated sigh, feeling angry with herself for getting into this situation. She had been so careless, and now she was paying the price. President Michael was known to be suspicious, and Ana knew he didn't entirely believe that she and Ethan were married. Even though he had seen Ethan drop her off earlier that day, Michael still had doubts, and Ana knew she had to convince him otherwise.

With a sense of nervousness, Ana decided to send a text message to Ethan, hoping it would be a good start to fixing the situation. She picked up her phone and typed out a quick message. "Hi," she sent, and almost immediately, she saw that Ethan was online and had read her message. His response came quickly, and Ana felt a sense of relief wash over her.

"Hey, how are you? Are you still at work?" Ethan's text read.

Ana's fingers moved quickly over the keyboard as she replied, "I'm still at work, even though it's already past the time I should be leaving. I still have some things to finish. What about you? Are you busy?" She sent the message and waited anxiously for Ethan's response.

Ethan's response came promptly. "No, I'm not busy."

Ana felt a sense of relief, feeling a small sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could get out of this situation after all. "My boss wants to meet you," she texted, her heart beating faster with anticipation. "Can you come to dinner with us tonight?" 

           Ethan's response came quickly, and Ana's heart skipped a beat as she read his message. "I'll come to pick you up immediately," he texted. "We'll go together."

Ana felt a wave of relief wash over her, followed by a sense of panic. She wasn't ready to face President Michael and his Pretty face wife not yet. But she knew she had no choice. She had to convince them that she and Ethan were married, and that meant putting on a good show.

Ana quickly gathered her things and made her way to the lobby. She was waiting by the door when Ethan arrived, looking handsome in his dark gray suit.

"Hey," he said, smiling as he took in Ana's frazzled appearance. "You look like you've had a long day." he walked over and took her coat.

      "It was a long day, no it's going to be a longer night." Ana replied. 

   As they drove to the president's house, Ana filled Ethan in on the details. "So, Mrs. Michael is not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed," Ana began, choosing her words carefully. "She's beautiful, but she doesn't know the first thing about business. All she cares about is spending other people's money."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "That's interesting," he said.

Ana nodded. "Yeah, it's a real challenge dealing with her. But President Michael is a different story altogether. He's a man of strong principles, very wise and advanced in the business world. He's not easily fooled, and I know he's not convinced about our marriage."

Ethan's expression turned serious. "Don't worry, I've got your back," he said. "We'll convince him that we're the real deal."

Ana smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Ethan. "Thanks, I really appreciate it," she said. "But we need to be careful. President Michael is not a man to be underestimated. He's sharp, and he'll be watching our every move."

Ethan nodded, his eyes locked on the road ahead. "Don't worry, I'm ready for him," he said.

       Following Ana's direction, Ethan turned the car onto the president's street, and Ana's anxiety level increased. The houses in this neighborhood were grand and imposing, with perfectly manicured lawns and sparkling fountains. Ana felt a sense of intimidation wash over her as they pulled up to the president's house.

"It's showtime," Ethan said, turning off the engine and turning to face her. "Are you ready?"

Ana took a deep breath and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said.

Ethan smiled and got out of the car, walking around to open Ana's door. He offered her his arm, and Ana took it, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. Together, they walked up the path to the president's front door.

The door was answered by a stern-looking butler, who nodded at Ana and Ethan before stepping aside to let them in. Ana's eyes widened as she took in the opulent interior of the president's house. The foyer was marble-tiled, with a sweeping staircase curving up to the left. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.

"Welcome, Ana," President Michael said, emerging from a doorway to the right,with his wife clinging to his arms, they were both wearing a matching pajamas, the wife was wearing light makeup."And this must be your husband, Ethan."

   Ana smiled and nodded, feeling a sense of relief that President Michael was being polite. "Yes, this is Ethan," she said, trying to ignore the fact that President Michael and his wife were wearing matching pajamas.

President Michael's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Ethan, but he smiled and offered his hand. "Welcome to our home, Ethan," he said. "We don't often get to meet the spouses of our employees."

Ethan shook President Michael's hand, his expression confident and charming. "Thank you, Mr. President," he said. "It's an honor to meet you and your wife."

Mrs. Michael smiled and extended her hand, her nails perfectly manicured. "Hello, Ethan," she said. "I'm so glad you could join us tonight."

Ana felt a surge of annoyance at Mrs. Michael's overly friendly demeanor, but she pushed it aside and smiled politely. "Thank you, Mrs. Michael," she said. "It's lovely to see you again."

President Michael nodded and gestured to the living room. "Please, come in and make yourselves at home," he said. "We'll be dining in just a few minutes."

As they followed President Michael and his wife into the living room, Ana felt Ethan's hand brush against hers. She glanced up at him, and he gave her a reassuring smile. Ana felt a sense of gratitude towards him, and she knew that she could count on him to help her get through this difficult evening.

The living room was just as opulent as the foyer, with plush furniture and expensive-looking artwork on the walls. Ana felt a sense of awe wash over her as she took in the luxurious surroundings.

President Michael gestured to the bar, where a bartender was mixing drinks. "Can I offer you something to drink?" he asked.

Ethan smiled and nodded. "I'll have a whiskey, please," he said.

Ana hesitated for a moment before ordering a glass of wine. As they waited for their drinks to arrive, Ana felt a sense of tension building in the air. She knew that President Michael was watching her and Ethan closely, looking for any signs of weakness or deception.

Ana glanced up at Ethan, who was smiling and chatting with President Michael as if they were old friends. Ana felt a surge of admiration for Ethan's calm and confident demeanor. 

       After about twenty minutes a servant came in."Dinner is served." 

           They all got up and headed to the dining room. The table was set with fine china and crystal glasses. The servant began to serve the first course, and they all sat down to eat.

As they ate, President Michael asked them questions about their marriage. Ana tried to answer as naturally as possible, but she couldn't shake the feeling that President Michael was watching her closely, looking for any signs of deception.

Then, President Michael asked, "So, how long have you two been married?"

Ana replied, "Seven months."

But before she could elaborate, Ethan jumped in and said, "Seven years."

Ana's eyes widened in shock, and she felt her face grow hot. She couldn't believe that Ethan had just contradicted her.

President Michael's eyebrows raised, and he looked at Ana and Ethan with a skeptical expression. "I'm sorry, I thought you said seven months?" he asked Ana.

Ana tried to think quickly, but her mind was a blank. She didn't know what to say, and she felt like she was trapped.