"And this is how you ruin everything." Harry paced his office like a caged lion, glaring at James and Marcus. "I trusted you two to handle one simple task. Find me one fake wife. One!"

James leaned against a bookshelf, arms crossed. "My candidate is clearly better—"

"Your candidate looks like she just rolled out of a homeless shelter," Marcus snapped.

"Better than your professional gold-digger!"

"Enough!" Harry slammed his hand on his desk. "Thanks to your incompetence, I now have my mother thinking I'm some sort of playboy who can't choose between two women. Do you have any idea what she's going to do with this?"

As if on cue, Eleanor's voice echoed through the intercom on his desk. "Harry, darling, come to the conservatory. And bring your... friends. We need to discuss the competition details."

Harry closed his eyes and counted to ten. "Competition details. Perfect. Just perfect."

The conservatory was Eleanor's favorite room in the mansion, a glass-enclosed space filled with exotic plants and comfortable seating. She sat in her favorite armchair like a queen holding court, with Mia and Selen seated awkwardly on opposite ends of a sofa.

"Ah, there you are!" Eleanor beamed as Harry entered with James and Marcus. "I've been getting to know your lovely ladies. Though they seem surprisingly unfamiliar with your... courtship habits.Tell me how you ended up dating two women at once." Eleanor asked.

Harry loosened his tie a bit. He needed to think fast. "It wasn't planned, Mother. I met Mia through James and Selen through Marcus. They're both... special in their own ways."

"And neither of them minded sharing your attention?" Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Actually," Harry said, choosing his words carefully, "they didn't know about each other until today. I've been... trying to figure out my feelings."

Mia tried not to show her surprise at how easily Harry lied. She kept her eyes down, feeling completely out of place in this grand room with its expensive furniture.

"How interesting." Eleanor turned to Selen first. "Tell me about yourself, dear."

Selen sat up straighter, her smile perfect. "I'm a former model, but now I run my own charity organization. We help underprivileged children get into the arts. I've known Harry for years through various social events."

"Wonderful!" Eleanor clapped her hands together. She turned to Mia. "And you?"

Mia's throat went dry. "I... I was a teacher."

"Was?" Eleanor's voice sharpened.

"I'm between jobs right now," Mia said quickly, not wanting to get into the whole ugly story.

"I see." Eleanor's tone made it clear she didn't approve. "Well, this is quite the situation you've created, Harry. But perhaps we can make the best of it."

She stood up and started pacing, her heels clicking on the marble floor. "Yes... yes, this could work perfectly. We'll have both young ladies stay here at the mansion. Give them a chance to show their true qualities, and we'll choose the best."

"Mother—" Harry started.

"No, no, this is perfect!" Eleanor's eyes were shining now. "We have the charity gala coming up next week. It will be a wonderful opportunity to see how they handle social events. And of course, there's the day-to-day running of a household like this to consider."

"Mrs. Bennett," Mia spoke up, her voice shaking a little. "I'm not sure—"

"Please, call me Eleanor." She waved her hand. "After all, one of you will be my daughter-in-law soon. The question is... which one?"

Selen moved closer to Harry, placing her hand on his arm. "I'm sure Harry will make the right choice."

Harry stepped away from her touch gently, looking uncomfortable. "Mother, I don't think turning this into some kind of competition is—"

"Nonsense!" Eleanor was practically glowing with excitement. "This is exactly what we need. A chance to see who truly belongs in this family." She turned to James and Marcus, who had been trying to blend into the wallpaper. "You two can help show them around. The east wing has plenty of guest rooms."

"Mother," Harry tried one last time. "Don't you think this is a bit... unusual?"

"Unusual?" Eleanor laughed. "Darling, when have we ever been a usual family? Besides, you're the one who brought two potential brides home. I'm just helping you make the best choice." She checked her watch. "Now, I have a lunch meeting with the hospital board, but I'll be back for dinner. I expect everyone dressed properly at seven sharp."

With that, she swept out of the room, leaving behind a shocked silence.

Harry ran both hands through his hair, messing it up completely. "I am so confused right now," he said to no one in particular.

"Don't be," Selen purred, moving closer again. "I think it's a wonderful idea. May the best woman win."

Mia felt sick to her stomach. This wasn't what she'd signed up for. A simple contract marriage was one thing, but this? This was madness.

"James," Harry's voice was tired. "Please show Mia to her room. Marcus, you do the same for Selen. I need... I need to make some calls."

As James led her up the grand staircase, Mia couldn't help looking back. Harry stood at the window, his back straight but his shoulders tense. She wondered what he was thinking.

"Here we are," James said, opening a door that led to a room bigger than her entire apartment. "Try to get some rest. You'll need it."

"James," Mia caught his arm before he could leave. "What have you gotten me into?"

He looked at her sadly. "I honestly don't know anymore. But remember why you're here. $100,000 can buy you a fresh start."

After he left, Mia sat on the edge of the massive bed, her mind spinning. She could hear Selen's laughter echoing from somewhere down the hall, followed by Eleanor's voice giving instructions to the staff.

The contract in her bag suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. She pulled it out, reading it again carefully. Nowhere did it mention competing with another woman for Harry's attention. Nowhere did it talk about living in the mansion or dealing with his mother.

A knock at the door made her jump. She quickly hid the contract and called out, "Come in?"

The door opened slowly, revealing Harry Bennett himself. He looked even more tired up close.

"Ms. Foster," he said quietly. "We need to talk about what just happened... and what happens next."