Emma's Temptation

Emma lowered her head, trying to disappear amidst the hustle and bustle of the university café. Her long brown hair fell like a curtain over her face, hiding her discomfort. She didn't like being the center of attention, though her delicate features and slim figure effortlessly drew eyes. She wore the same gray sweater she wore almost every day, a large garment that hid her body, and her worn jeans completed the look. At 18, Emma had mastered the art of blending into the background.

But she couldn't help but feel eyes on her. She knew it wasn't because of her simple clothes or her shy demeanor. It was because, despite trying to hide it, Emma was beautiful. Her beauty didn't need embellishment, but she preferred to ignore it. It had never been her priority.

Her friend, Carla, plopped down in the chair across from her, a playful smile and a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. She was the complete opposite of Emma: confident, bold, and always dressed fashionably. It seemed like the whole world owed Carla a bow, and she knew it.

"You've got to see this, Emma. It's going to change your life," Carla said, leaning forward and sliding her phone across the table.

Emma frowned. Carla loved drama and often exaggerated, but that look... there was something more this time. Emma took the phone with a mix of curiosity and caution. An app was open on the screen, but she didn't recognize the name.

"What's this?" Emma asked, handing the phone back.

"It's called Temptation. It's a bit... exclusive, let's say." Carla lowered her voice, as if about to reveal a forbidden secret. "Remember my aunt Mónica? The one in the middle of a messy divorce... Well, she showed it to me. Basically, married women hire young girls to... well, to seduce their husbands."

Emma felt her stomach churn. She couldn't be hearing this right.

"To what?" she asked, both disgusted and perplexed.

"To catch them in the act and use it as evidence in divorce cases, Emma. It's a quick way to make money. Think about it: you don't have to sleep with them if you don't want to. You just flirt, string them along, and boom! They get what they need, and you walk away with a hefty paycheck."

Emma's heart pounded in her chest. This sounded wrong, very wrong. She couldn't believe her best friend was involved in something like this.

"Carla, that's..."—Emma searched for words, but all she found was discomfort. She shifted in her seat—"I can't believe you're even considering something like this."

Carla shrugged, as if what she had just told her was nothing more than an innocent game.

"It's just a job, Emma. It's not that different from any other. Besides, it's not like these men are innocent. If they fall for it, it's because they would have anyway. We're just helping their wives speed things up."

Emma shook her head, unsure of what to think. The idea repulsed her, but there was something about Carla's words she couldn't completely ignore: the promise of easy money. Emma was desperate. Between her university bills, her family's debts, and her part-time job that barely allowed her to scrape by, she felt more trapped every day. She knew her future was at stake.

But this?

"I don't know, Carla. I don't think I can do something like that..." Emma said quietly.

Carla stared at her, letting the silence settle between them. Then she sighed and gently took Emma's hand.

"Look, I know it's not for everyone, and I'm not asking you to do it right now. I just want you to think about it." Carla smiled reassuringly. "No one is going to force you to do anything. Just sign up, see what they offer, and if you don't like it, you can leave. But... I know you need the money, Emma. This could solve all your problems."

Emma said nothing. She knew Carla was right. If she didn't find a solution soon, she'd have to drop out of university, and her mother couldn't continue bearing the family's financial burden alone.

"Just think about it," Carla insisted before getting up from the table, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.

Emma stared at the phone on the table. It would be easy to say no. She just had to ignore it, walk away, and get on with her life. But her thoughts kept circling back to the same worries. How would she pay next month's rent? How would she keep studying without sinking deeper into debt?

The phone screen still displayed the app, waiting for her to make a decision. Emma took a deep breath and slid her finger across the screen, browsing the sign-up options. She didn't have to do anything wrong... just look.

"I'm only doing this to see how it works," she told herself. "It doesn't mean I'm going to use it."

She signed up quickly, surprised at how easy it was. A few clicks and she was in. She started browsing through the profiles of married women, all looking for the same thing: an attractive young woman who could lure their husbands. The offers of money were impressive, and that only made the temptation grow.

The first message came quickly.

"Hi, I'm Ana. I'm looking for someone to help with a delicate case. I'll pay $2,000 for a simple encounter with my husband. You don't have to do much, just flirt a little and make him fall into the trap. If you're interested, contact me."

Emma felt her heart race. $2,000. That was more than she earned in two months at her current job. She gripped the phone tightly, feeling the weight of the decision on her shoulders.

"Don't do it," a voice in her head told her. "This isn't right."

But then she thought of her mother, of the unpaid bills, of the constant fear of losing everything.

She took a deep breath and began to type a response.