AMARA'S POV
Federal Building. 9 AM.
Gabriel goes left. I go right. Different rooms. Different agents.
This is how they break couples. Separate. Find inconsistencies. Prove the lie.
Except ours isn't a lie anymore.
Agent Brooks waits in Interview Room 3. Mid-forties. Cold eyes.
Ms. Okoye. Sit.
I sit. Uncomfortable chair. Intentional.
You understand why you're here?
You think my marriage is fraud.
I know it is. He slides papers across. Prenuptial agreement. States the marriage is for immigration purposes. Your signatures. Both.
I look at the contract. The one Victoria got.
That was private.
It was evidence of a federal crime. Immigration fraud. He leans forward. You're facing serious charges.
The marriage started as an arrangement. But became real.
Convenient. After the green card approval.
Before. We fell in love before.
Prove it.
The USCIS interview. Officer Martinez believed us.
She was fooled. You're both lawyers. More papers. Emails discussing how to 'play the part.' How to 'sell the story.'
Those emails. From before we loved each other.
That was at the beginning. Things changed.
When? Give me an exact date.
There wasn't one moment. It was gradual
Give me facts. Evidence.
We know everything about each other. His mother's death. His nightmares. His guilt. Things you can't fake.
You studied for the interview. Memorization isn't love.
It's not memorization! I know him. The real him. He told me things at 3 AM after nightmares. You can't fake that intimacy.
Can't you? You could have rehearsed.
We didn't rehearse falling in love!
Then explain the timeline. Fired Monday. Married Friday. Four days.
Because I was desperate. It started transactional. But became real.
When?
I don't know the exact moment! Maybe making coffee. Cooking pasta. Almost kissing. I just know it happened.
Brooks studies me. 'I don't know' isn't a legal defense.
Love doesn't follow a timeline.
Does Mr. Stone feel the same?
Yes.
Then you won't mind a test. He plays a recording.
Gabriel's voice: I was desperate. My aunt threatening everything. I needed a wife. Amara needed a green card. Mutually beneficial.
My heart stops.
Brooks pauses. Yesterday. Mr. Stone talking to James. Sounds transactional.
Out of context
He plays more: I know it started as fraud. But things changed. She changed me.
Brooks looks at me. He admits it. Started as fraud. Are you willing to go to prison for this?
He also said things changed. That's truth.
Is it? He closes the folder. Write a statement. Everything. How the marriage was arranged. Cooperate fully, maybe reduce charges. Or we charge you with everything. Prison. Deportation. Never see this country or Gabriel again.
He slides a blank form. A pen.
One hour. Think carefully.
He leaves.
I stare at the blank page. Pen. The choice.
Cooperate and betray Gabriel. Or stay silent and go down together.
Door opens. Different agent. Woman.
Ms. Okoye, I'm Agent Rivera. I want you to understand something. Officer Martinez said she's never seen two people more clearly in love.
Hope flickers. She did?
Yes. But Agent Brooks thinks this is fraud. You have a choice. Cooperate. Or fight.
What would you do?
Tell the truth. All of it. How it started. How it changed. Let the court decide if love is a defense.
She leaves.
I pick up the pen. Start writing.
My name is Amara Okoye. On [date], I entered into a marriage agreement with Gabriel Stone. Initial purpose: immigration benefits and family obligation relief. This is truth. But not the whole truth.
I write everything. The proposal. Contract. Moving in. Learning each other. Falling in love. Every moment.
Three pages. Hand aching.
Agent Brooks returns. Reads. Face reveals nothing.
You're admitting to immigration fraud?
I'm admitting the marriage started as arrangement. But became real. We fell in love.
That's for a court to decide. You're free to go. Don't leave the city.
What about Gabriel?
Mr. Stone gave his own statement. Separately. We'll compare.
They'll match.
We'll see.
I'm escorted out. My phone returned. Twenty missed calls. All from Gabriel.
I call him back.
Amara. His voice is strained. Are you okay? What did you tell them?
The truth. Everything. What about you?
Same. I told them everything.
Everything?
That I proposed the arrangement. That you accepted. That we fell in love despite ourselves. All of it.
Relief floods through me. So we told the same story.
We told the truth. That's all we can do.
What happens now?
We wait. They review our statements. Decide if they believe us.
And if they don't?
Silence.
Then we fight it in court, Gabriel says finally. Together.
I leave the Federal Building. Sunshine feels wrong. Too bright for the darkness closing in.
My phone buzzes. Text from unknown number.
You made a mistake. Both of you. Admitting to the initial fraud? Foolish. Now they have everything they need. Your own words will convict you. Should have taken the divorce option. Too late now. -Agent Brooks
My hands shake.
Another text. Different number.
Don't listen to Brooks. Your honesty was the right move. But be prepared he's building a case. You need to prove your love in court. Actions, not words. I'm on your side. -Agent Rivera
Who do I believe?
My phone rings. Martin Chen. Our lawyer.
Amara. I just heard from the FBI. They have your statements. Both of you admitted to the initial fraud.
We admitted the truth. That it started as business but became real.
That's not a legal defense. Not yet. We need more. Proof of real love. Real marriage. Something beyond words.
Like what?
Like... joint assets. Shared investments. A home purchased together. Children, if you had them. Something that shows this isn't just a romance. It's a real partnership.
We don't have any of that. We've been married three months.
Then we have a problem. Because right now, all the prosecution has to do is show the initial arrangement was fraud. Which you both admitted. Your feelings changing afterward doesn't erase the original crime.
My world tilts. So we're going to lose?
Not necessarily. But we need to give the court a reason to believe you. A reason to show mercy. And we need it fast.
How fast?
Preliminary hearing is in two weeks. After that, they decide whether to file formal charges. If they do, this goes to trial. And if you lose at trial... He trails off.
Prison and deportation.
Yes.
I hang up. Lean against a building. Try to breathe.
Everything we did. Everything we admitted. It might not be enough.
Gabriel appears beside me. He looks as shaken as I feel.
Martin called you too?
Yes.
So what do we do?
Gabriel takes my hand. We prove our love is real. Not just in words. In action.
How?
I don't know yet. But we'll figure it out. He pulls me close. Two weeks. We have two weeks to save everything.
That's not much time.
Then we don't waste a second.
My phone buzzes again. I almost ignore it.
But something makes me check.
Message from Martin: Emergency. Get to my office NOW. Victoria just posted bail. She's out of jail. And she's coming for both of you.
I show Gabriel.
His face goes white.
Victoria. Out of jail. Despite murdering Elena. Despite everything.
Coming for us.
How? I whisper. How did she make bail on a murder charge?
Money. Lawyers. Connections. Gabriel's jaw clenches. She's not done. She won't stop until we're destroyed.
Another text from Martin: She has new evidence. Says she can prove your marriage is still fraud. Even after falling in love. Says she has recordings from last week. Get here NOW.
Last week. When we thought we were safe. When we let our guard down.
What did we say? What did she hear?
We run to Martin's office. Hearts pounding. Terror rising.
Because if Victoria has new evidence of us admitting fraud even after falling in love we're finished.
No defense. No mercy. No hope.
The preliminary hearing is in two weeks.
But Victoria just moved up the timeline.
And now everything our love, our freedom, our future hangs by a thread.