Julian Thorne arrived in the city after graduation, relying on his cousin Marshal's hospitality. When an unexpected proposal surfaced—a lucrative contract marriage worth $1,200 monthly—Julian found himself drawn into an unusual arrangement with Arcane Romano, an accomplished and magnetic mathematics instructor. Sharing a home with the charismatic teacher, Julian discovers that their contractual bonds begin to blur. What started as a simple transactional agreement transforms into something deeper, something neither anticipated. Doubts plague Julian's mind: Is this genuine affection, or merely the performance of married life? Competing for Arcane's attention are brilliant, beautiful students and a suspiciously devoted colleague. In a world where Julian feels out of place—clumsy, uncertain, unremarkable—he questions whether someone as exceptional as Arcane Romano could ever truly fall for him.