A flawless plan

Marlon had always lived life on his own terms — luxury parties, spontaneous trips, and an endless parade of stunning women who all seemed to share the same sultry, high-fashion vibe. The last thing he wanted was to settle down.

But, to his dismay, his parents showed up unannounced, eager to see if he was living up to his promise: to grow up, get his life together, and — worst of all — start a family.

Exactly what he didn’t want.

The issue wasn’t just the nagging. There was a family inheritance involved, and unless Marlon proved he was truly changing his lifestyle, he’d be cut out of it. That’s when the most absurd — and ironically, most promising — idea came to him: convince his longtime college roommate, Alex, to pose as his fiancée for the weekend.

Alex was the polar opposite. Quiet, smart, grounded. Marlon had always enjoyed his presence for that reason. Where Marlon thrived in the spotlight, Alex was the calm in the background. Even after college, they kept living together. Marlon had moved into a fancy apartment, but never charged Alex a dime. He liked having him around — plain and simple.

When he pitched the crazy idea, Alex hesitated. But then came the kicker: a bizarre "souvenir" left by Juliete, one of Marlon’s more eccentric flings — a tarot-like card, half jack, half queen. She had claimed it could instantly transform anyone into the gender-swapped version of the person they visualized, just by holding it and focusing.

Marlon had laughed it off.

But Alex, reluctantly, gave it a shot.

And with a flash of magic — the joke became very real.

Now Alexandra was seated in the living room, legs crossed elegantly, dressed in a tight, caramel-colored leather dress that looked poured onto her body. The neckline plunged daringly, the makeup was bold — smoky eyes, full lips — and long black hair cascaded down in waves, pulled up into a high ponytail that radiated confidence. Gold bangles clinked on her wrists, and in her hand was a fancy cocktail glass.

— “Dude, I told you to buy a decent dress!” Marlon groaned, trying not to stare for too long. “The deal was: my parents want to meet my fiancée. You pretend to be her. We say we're getting married within a year, and bam — I’m back in the will. Simple.”

— “I went shopping, and chose the same style as one of the last girls you brought home,” Alexandra smirked. “Actually, all the girls you bring here look the same.”

Marlon sighed in defeat.

— “Fair point. I messed with your sense of style. You nailed even the heavy makeup. Well, whatever. No point crying over it now. We’ll go out, have dinner, smile, make it look real. I still don’t fully understand how that crazy card Juliete gave me works, but hey, it did.”

— “But here’s my real question,” Alexandra said, twirling her glass, “why didn’t you just call one of your 300 girls in your contact list? Any one of them would’ve jumped at the chance.”

Marlon shrugged.

— “Most of them are... shallow. You can’t hold a 30-second conversation without them turning it into a monologue. You, on the other hand — you’re smart. Thoughtful. Sure, you’re shy, but you know how to carry a conversation. That’s exactly what my mom wants — a smart woman. My dad? He just wants a beautiful daughter-in-law for beautiful grandkids. You check both boxes.”

Alexandra laughed, raising an eyebrow.

— “Check both boxes, huh? Like I’d actually become your wife... hah!”

They both chuckled.

But something changed that night.

Between toasts and tender gestures meant to fool the parents, between whispered sweet-nothings meant only to sell the act... Alexandra began to lose herself in the role. Or maybe, she was finding herself in it. Being pampered, admired, doted on — it felt strangely right. And somewhere deep inside, a part of her — or him — started wondering if this feeling had always been there, waiting to be discovered.

Marlon’s mom adored Alexandra. Bright, graceful, and absolutely stunning. His father was left speechless. Said he never imagined his son could land such a woman.

The weekend passed like a dreamy blur.

By Monday, Marlon found himself staring at the strange card lying on the kitchen table, eyes fixed on the half-jack, half-queen face.

And with his heart pounding, he finally asked the question he’d been avoiding since the first kiss at dinner:

Would Juliete know how to make this illusion... permanent?