Deception 5 steps
Margaret's Fake Engagement Visa Ruse
Facing deportation and the loss of her job over her visa status, Margaret announces a marriage to her assistant Andrew as a ruse to convince corporate bosses of a legitimate pairing, then manipulates him into maintaining the facade until she can secure citizenship.
Read the 5 steps as text
- 1
Visa crisis threatens deportation
Margaret Tate · Andrew Paxton
Margaret reveals to Andrew that her visa status is in jeopardy after her efforts to recruit a new writer, risking deportation and the loss of her job to Bob, whom she just terminated.
- 2
Margaret announces a fake marriage
Margaret Tate · Andrew Paxton
What it looked like: The announcement presents Margaret and Andrew as a genuinely engaged couple to their corporate bosses.
Margaret brings Andrew back to her office and announces that they are getting married, a ruse meant to convince their corporate bosses of the legitimacy of their pairing, leaving the objecting Andrew little choice.
- 3
Andrew is manipulated into maintaining the facade
Margaret Tate · Andrew Paxton
As they leave her office, Margaret manipulates Andrew into keeping up their facade until she can secure her citizenship.
- 4
Andrew uses the ruse as leverage
Andrew Paxton · Margaret Tate
Andrew stands tall and flips the tables on Margaret by employing his newfound leverage from the ruse to negotiate a promotion from her.
- 5
Engagement is announced at the birthday party
Margaret Tate · Andrew Paxton
What it looked like: Margaret's kneeling proposal appears to be a genuine engagement gesture to those at the party, while it is performed under the guise of the charade.
They plan to announce their engagement at Andrew's grandmother's birthday party in Alaska, where Andrew demands an immediate promotion and publication of his manuscript or he will spill the truth, and Margaret drops to her knees and proposes under the guise of their charade.
