#Chapter 8: Green Card

Mia POV A beat of silence hung in the air, and then Albert cleared his throat, the stiffness in his posture momentarily forgotten. "I had some… visa issues in the past. Overstayed my welcome, shall we say. Makes it difficult to get the proper channels to help me again. Marriage seemed like a faster, more efficient solution." It sounded reasonable enough, especially considering the world he navigated. That probably also explained why he needed me to pretend to be his wife in public. I guess getting married for a green card would look bad for someone with wealthy and criminal clients. The following hours were a whirlwind of unpacking and settling in. One thing that surprised me was the lack of a staff presence. Albert told me he preferred fewer people in the house. A regular cleaning lady came in once a week, but that was it. The vast, opulent space felt oddly empty at times, the silence broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning. Albert helped me organize my new room.