Chapter 1
“You will get married! It’s time to settle down.” Loki had dinner with his parents the night before, and Odin was relentless. To make matters worse, Odin brought the sentiments on the matter into his work life at Valhalla Industries. His father ... .no, his adopted father kept saying it’d look better for him in the company, heavily implying that he would not be considered to be in line to take over the company should he not. Hela had fallen out of the line of succession when she told Odin to fuck off as she married the CEO of a rival company. Thor had skipped out some time before, falling from grace when he married Jane against his father’s wishes. That left Loki. While Loki wanted to tell his adopted father where to go and how to get there, he was the only viable option. After him was the idiot nephew Baulder. While he hated Odin, he despised Baulder. Everything was just handed to his idiot nephew.
Two floors down, Eva Walmsley was in a pickle of her own. She was soft spoken and lacked confidence. While she was a tad taller than the average woman (5’11” at full height), no one in the office could tell as she tended to hunch over a bit as if to hide herself while dressing in clothes that were far from flattering, but they were all she could afford from the thrift shop. On top of that, she’d been living in a shitty studio apartment and had just received a 30 day eviction notice. Where was she going to find the time to look for a new place? Where was she even going to get the funds? Money had been tight.
While Odin paid his employees quite a bit, most of her earnings went to pay the many medical bills left when her brother passed two years ago. Insurance wouldn’t cover most of his treatments as they were experimental, but that didn’t stop them from taking out loans so he could get into those trials. He was her best friend, all she had left in the world and couldn’t find it in herself to regret a single penny borrowed from the bank even when the treatments stopped working because it meant that she knew they’d tried absolutely everything they could. It was a few weeks after his passing that she got a job at Valhalla Industries as a glorified receptionist. Mostly she would help with admin work in the office, but occasionally she would be sent to assist higher ups when they were drowning in paperwork. Mostly, Odin had her assigned at random to Loki to try and use her as a spy, to see how his son was really doing. He never seemed to accept her reports that Loki was doing well, but he kept sending her to him anyway as she was the only one Loki hadn’t sent away crying yet.
Loki was the only person she’d ever told about her brother. They’d become unlikely friends, especially when she told him why Odin kept sending her specifically to help Loki. No one befriends a receptionist, but he did. Initially, he may have harbored some judgments towards her for her career choice, perceiving her as highly intelligent; however, as he got to know her better, his critiques softened and eventually vanished altogether. Eva wanted so much more in life, but circumstances forbade it, and the thought of it made his heart break a little more each time.
He’d often seen her wearing what even he considered to be an extremely beautiful and expensive ring. When he finally asked about it, all she told him was “it was my mother’s,” never offering any other piece of information.
That was until one day when he no longer saw her wearing it. She’d never tell him, but Eva was short on the amount of money she needed for an unanticipated balloon payment to the bank and reluctantly sold it to a jeweler who paid quite a bit but not as much as she needed. She could either cover rent or the balloon payment, but not both in their entirety. So it surprised Loki to see her no longer coming in with it on her finger. It seemed to be a permanent installation on her right hand. He was further surprised at her ask for additional hours if they were available but wouldn’t say as to why. It wasn’t hard to tell that she needed the money, and Loki knew she was too proud to just accept it as a gift. Despite that, he tried to offer and was not surprised when she refused. So instead, he had her help with some menial paperwork, paying her overtime out of his own pocket.
Loki had seen the light in her eyes fade, more so after the disappearance of her ring. When he asked where it was, she gave excuses such as it was misplaced, it was being cleaned, or flat out ‘I didn’t feel like wearing it today.’ Something was definitely going on.
Today was the worst state he’d seen her in since she started working at his father’s company. Yet again, Eva refused to tell him why. Loki pulled her into his office and closed the door to give them some privacy.
“Something is going on with you, and I’d like you to tell me what’s got you so downtrodden?” Eva knew she couldn’t evade Loki’s questioning much longer and finally relented. “You remember what I told you about the loan for the medical bills from my brother’s experimental treatments?” Loki nodded. “Well, there was a balloon payment I wasn’t aware of. I didn’t have enough money to pay for it. So I sold my mother’s ring.”
The mystery of the missing ring was finally solved. “I sense that’s not the end of this story,” he said and encouraged her to continue when she shook her head. “Even with the extra money from selling it, I couldn't cover both the balloon payment and rent. The bank wouldn’t work with me on it. So I paid the balloon payment and hoped my landlord would understand.”
Ah, the pieces were finally coming together. “And I’m guessing he didn’t take it well?” Once again, Eva shook her head. “The only thing he gave me was an eviction notice unless I can figure out how to pay him for the next 3 months up front.” This angered him. The idiotic buffoon couldn’t see it in his heart to give her more time? Suddenly, he had an idea. Something that would solve both of their problems.
“I have a proposition for you. I want you to hear me out before you say anything.”
“Alright.”
He took a deep breath before continuing. “My father has been hounding me to get married.” Her eyes went wide, but he held his hand up in a silent request to allow him to continue. “I am to take over the company; however, this can only occur should I take on a wife. I understand you are in financial difficulty along with your horrid landlord evicting you. So here’s what I propose. We would marry, likely an elopement. I’ll pay off any and all outstanding debts you have as well as fund you a new wardrobe. I’m not saying you look bad. It’s more that once we marry, you will be expected by my parents to dress to a certain standard. You’ll also receive a monthly stipend as well as a bonus at the end of the contract in which we will divorce amicably. I will even provide you with your own, fully paid for apartment which you can have furnished however you’d like, also paid for by me.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Loki knew she was right. Who in their right mind would do this? “I’m well aware of how insane this sounds, but it would solve both of our problems.” There was no denying it.
Loki wouldn’t tell her how much he’d leave in an account for her, but he would make sure it would be more than enough to cover tuition, books, and everything else she’d need covered should she wish to go back to university. Or she could use the money to finally travel the world like she’d wanted. Either way, it was up to her what to do with the money.
"As today is Tuesday, I suggest taking the next few days to carefully consider the matter and let me know your decision by the end of the week. Would that arrangement be acceptable to you?" She nodded.
The next evening, the landlord poked her about the eviction notice, trying to get her out sooner rather than later and didn’t take it well when she told him to fuck off. That next morning found her going directly to Loki’s office to accept his offer. “The agreed period of time begins today.” Before signing the paperwork he’d prepared in anticipation of her answer, they went over some key points. “In public, we would act as a loving couple. This will include hand holding, some kissing, and other forms of affection; however, I will not force you to do anything untowards. If something makes you uncomfortable, I expect you to tell me so we may rectify it moving forward. I may be an ass, but I am not a cad.” They discussed if they would have a proper wedding or an elopement. Whichever they chose, he said he would cover all the costs. Twenty minutes later, they came to an agreement, and both signed the papers. That evening, Loki arranged movers to help her pack and move into his place, giving her a bedroom of her own.
While the situation was not ideal, she would get to be married (at least on paper) to the man for whom she harbored a deep crush.