Rent A Boyfriend

Dina never expected that attending her ex’s engagement party would lead to a life-changing experience. With a little push from her friend Jessica, she decided to try something unconventional—renting a boyfriend. Little did she know, this decision would turn her world upside down.

The past few months have been difficult for Dina. She had spent a long time healing from her breakup with Mike, and now, here she was, facing the uncomfortable reality of attending his engagement party—alone. Dina couldn’t help but feel like a failure. It wasn’t as if she had no one in her life. She had friends, and a fulfilling career, but this party was different. Mike had moved on, and she was still stuck in the past.

One evening, as Dina sat at her kitchen table, scrolling through social media, her friend Jessica called her. “You’re going, right?” she asked, her voice full of excitement. “You need to show Mike that you're fine, even better than fine. No one will notice if you're not alone.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Dina muttered. “What am I supposed to do, show up with my cat?”

“Dina, download PlusOne. It’s an app where you can rent a boyfriend. Trust me, it’s perfect. You won’t have to worry about the whole ‘I’m single’ thing anymore.”

At first, Dina laughed at the absurdity of the idea, but after some convincing from Jessica, she downloaded the app. She scrolled through countless profiles until one caught her eye—Joshua. Handsome, confident, professional. It seemed too good to be true, but what did she have to lose?

She clicked on his profile, read through his bio, and within minutes, she had booked him. What started as a simple decision to avoid awkward questions at the party was about to turn into something much more complicated.

When Joshua arrived at the party, Dina was immediately impressed. He was even more striking in person, with a presence that made him stand out in any room. Effortlessly charming, he immediately engaged with Dina’s friends, cracking jokes and fitting in seamlessly with the crowd. Even Mike seemed to notice, casting wary glances at Joshua throughout the evening. Dina noticed how Mike’s smile stiffened as he exchanged pleasantries with Joshua. It was obvious that her ex didn’t like the idea of her moving on.

Joshua played the part flawlessly, keeping the conversation light and enjoyable, never letting it slip into anything too personal. But as the night wore on, Dina couldn’t ignore the chemistry between them. Every touch, every look, felt natural. She found herself laughing more freely than she had in months. It felt real—too real.

After the party, Dina couldn’t stop thinking about Joshua. Her mind wandered to the way he made her feel, the way his presence seemed to calm her anxiety. The more she thought about it, the more she began to question: Was this just a job for him, or was there something more?

A few days later, Dina ran into Joshua again, this time at a coffee shop. He was sitting at a table, engaged in a serious conversation with a business partner. Dina hesitated for a moment before walking over, but when Joshua saw her, he waved her over with a smile.

“Dina, hey! Small world, huh?” he said warmly.

As they exchanged pleasantries, Dina’s curiosity got the better of her. She sat down and watched him carefully. It wasn’t the easy, carefree Joshua from the party anymore. This was someone with purpose and ambition.

Later that day, Dina did a little digging. She discovered that Joshua wasn’t just any man with a charming smile. He was the heir to a multimillion-dollar tech company. Why would someone like him work as a rent-a-boyfriend? She couldn’t make sense of it.

Dina decided to confront him. The next time they met, she asked him directly, “Why do you do this?”

Joshua hesitated, then exhaled slowly. “It’s not about the money, Dina. I’m not doing this for the paycheck.” He looked into her eyes, his expression honest. “I don’t want to be Joshua Carter anymore. I don’t want to be just the guy everyone expects me to be. My family, my life—everyone wants something from me. This…this is my chance to experience something real. I get to be someone different, just for a little while.”

Dina was taken aback by his vulnerability. She had never seen this side of him—the man behind the persona. She realized, at that moment, that she had never truly seen him before.

As their relationship continued to evolve, Dina found herself falling for him in ways she hadn’t expected. It was no longer about pretending or keeping up appearances. They were two people who had stumbled into each other’s lives under unusual circumstances, but they had found something real.

Dina finally said to him one evening, “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Joshua smiled a genuine smile this time and took her hand in his. “I don’t want to,” he replied softly.

And just like that, the lines between fake and real blurred. What started as a simple contract had transformed into something neither of them had anticipated. They were no longer just playing a role; they were beginning to write their own story, one that was filled with possibilities