The story revolves around John, a man trying to win a large grant by pretending that he is dating a deaf woman, Ashley. Initially, John is disrespectful and manipulative, seeing the grant as a business opportunity rather than a cause to support disabled people. He convinces Ashley, who is not deaf, to help him pull off the scheme by pretending to be his girlfriend for the event.

At the charity event, John attempts to use Ashley to convince Mr. Green, a key figure in the charity, that he genuinely cares about the cause. However, Mr. Green sees through John's ruse, as John reveals that he doesn't even know sign language and only cares about profits. Despite his initial selfish motives, John starts to have a change of heart and feels guilt about his actions.

During the event, John decides to come clean in front of everyone, admitting that his company doesn’t care about disabled people and is only interested in the grant for profit. His honesty costs him his job, as his boss fires him on the spot. John apologizes to the attendees and Ashley, realizing how selfish and deceitful he has been.

In the end, John offers Ashley the money he had promised, not as a bribe, but as a thank you for helping him realize what a terrible person he had been. Ashley, though upset by the entire charade, sees that John has learned from his mistakes and walks away, leaving him to reflect on his actions.

The story highlights themes of redemption, the consequences of deceit, and the importance of treating people with genuine respect rather than using them for personal gain.