Illusion Of Being A Couple

Trevor scratched his beard, looking thoughtful. "The first thing you need to do is establish your cover," he started, his gaze flicking between Clara and John, "You need to sell the illusion of being a couple. That's crucial."

Clara's forehead wrinkled at the thought, but nodded nonetheless. All she had to do was hold hands and anybody would think she and John were a couple.

Continuing on, Trevor said, "You and John should get started immediately to sell this illusion."

Clara shook her head, confusion creasing her features. "Get started on what, exactly?" she asked.

Julia pulled out her tablet and held it up for Clara to see. "We've already hacked into the servers of Finstagram and created a profile for your cover name 'Chloe'," she explained. "All we need now are photos of you and John together. We can insert these photos into your profile, timestamped at different dates, to make it seem like you two have been dating for a few years and recently got married."

Clara looked at Julia, baffled. "How is having a social media profile crucial to the mission?" she asked, skepticism threading her voice.

Julia smiled. "In this day and age, a well-documented social media profile can help solidify your identity," she explained. "It gives you a history and helps sell your cover. It's also an easy way to verify your story if someone does a quick background check on you. It's a simple but effective tool for undercover operations."

John softly clicked his tongue as he sighed, "Clara, I told you that you should get used to these social media stuff. It's not something only kids use but even my grandpa does, haha. Everybody now uses it as a way to get to know each other better instead of talking face to face. Sad times, eh?"

Clara glanced at John, then back at Julia, a slow understanding settling on her face. This was going to be more complicated than she had initially thought.

Julia nodded in agreement, "John's right. You can't just waltz into Leon's circle without a solid background story. Leon is an incredibly intelligent and resourceful man. He researches anyone who is going to enter his circle with a fine-tooth comb. If he finds anything suspicious, this whole mission will fail. A man who runs such a big empire would never take chances. So you two need a story of your own."

Clara's face hardened, her eyes reflecting a determined resolve. "I understand," she said. "What exactly do I need to do?"

Trevor chuckled at her serious tone, lightening the atmosphere. "Don't overthink it," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "It's really no different than going on a date and taking photos. I'm sure you've done that with Alex. It shouldn't be anything new for you."

Clara's face stiffened, her mind wrestling with the strange thought of going on a date with another man, even if it was for a mission. Her heart was beating in a strange rhythm. She had never been on a date with anyone other than Alex. In fact, Alex was the only man she had ever been with. But the thought of playing a role, pretending to be someone else's lover, made her uncomfortable.

Looking at her teammates, however, she felt she might be overthinking the whole situation. After all, they were professionals and John, despite having a girlfriend, seemed to be taking it quite casually.

Smiling slightly, Clara finally broke the silence. "You know, you could have given me a heads up about this. I would've packed extra clothes."

John chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he confessed, "You know, I said the same thing when I arrived here. But Trevor and Julia went shopping on their own."

"Shopping?" Clara echoed, her brows arching in surprise.

Julia, sporting a beaming smile, walked over to a nearby cupboard. She flung the doors open, revealing a wardrobe filled with an array of exotic, high-end clothing. "Trevor and I handpicked the best ones for this mission, for both you and John," she explained with a smile.

Clara's eyes widened, her lips parting in awe as she took in the sight of the luxurious garments - the kind she had only ever seen rich people wear. She moved closer, her fingers lightly brushing against each piece. The fabrics were incredibly soft, exuding a level of sophistication and elegance she had never known.

She did, however, notice that many of the clothes were quite revealing. She had never dressed in such a way in public. Feeling unsure and hesitant, she turned to Julia, a hint of doubt clouding her eyes.

"Do I really have to wear such…costly clothes?" she questioned. "Can't I just wear something casual? Won't all this make me stand out too much?"

Julia giggled lightly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You and John have to stand out, Clara," she explained. "You two pretending to be wealthy newlyweds, not commoners. Clothes like these are status symbols. In Leon's circle, we need to make it seem like you belong. If you wear ordinary clothing, you'll just stick out and make people suspicious."

John let out a sad sigh, his hand running over the fabric of a particularly vibrant pink suit. "Trust me, I feel your pain. I hate luxury clothes too, especially this god-awful pink suit. But it seems we don't have much of a choice here."

Clara exhaled a long sigh, her shoulders drooping a bit. She glanced at the array of clothing once more before giving a slow nod of acceptance. "Alright, I'll get ready then. Let's get this over with," she said, trying to muster up some enthusiasm for the task ahead.