Because my wealthy parents insisted that I marry in order to inherit the family business, I decided to marry a “country girl” in order to get back at them. But I quickly realized that she was concealing a significant secret from me.
Okay, I’ll confess it. I am not pleased with the manner in which I initiated all of this. Without a doubt, I was not looking for love at any point. I could not help but feel resentment toward my parents.
Because of this, I have always been able to live my life without any constraints. There are parties, lavish vacations, and fast vehicles. Indeed, why not? My family was well off, and I was confident that I would one day be the one to inherit my father’s firm.
Then, however, my parents told me to sit down and have “the talk.”
My father stated, “Listen, Alex,” while leaning forward as if he were having a conversation about a business transaction. “Your mother and I feel it’s time you settle down.”
“Settle down?” With a sneer on my face, I scoffed and leaned back. “You mean get married?”
“Precisely,” he answered, maintaining eye contact and nodding his head in agreement. “You’re almost thirty years old. We need to see some dedication from you if you want to be a part of the organization. This entails having a wife and a family. You couldn’t possibly run a company like this by yourself.
It was then that my mother spoke up, shaking her head. “Alex, your father has spent his entire life working toward this goal. When it comes to the future of the company, we cannot put our faith in someone who lives their life like a party.
Infuriated, I was. If they wanted to be married, I would make it happen for them. If they believed that they could manipulate me, I would show them that they were mistaken. That is, I would look for someone who would cause them to reconsider their own desires.
I was introduced to Mary at that time.
I didn’t meet Mary in the typical settings where I would normally meet ladies. During a serene charity event, I discovered her working as a volunteer. She wore a basic dress and had her hair pulled up, giving the impression that she was modest and possibly even shy. There is nothing spectacular, and there are no brand clothes; just cool and… genuine.
All she did was nod and say, “Nice to meet you, Alex.” after I introduced myself to her. She didn’t even bother to glance at me, as if she wasn’t impressed by anything at all.
“So, uh, where are you from, Mary?” Trying to get a sense of her narrative, I asked her.
She smiled politely and responded, “Oh, I’m just from a small town,” introducing herself. “Nothing fancy.” At the same time as her eyes were guarded, her voice was soft.
Just right. Absolutely amazing in every way.
I started off by saying, “So, Mary,” getting right down to business. “How do you feel about marriage?”
An eyebrow was lifted by her, and she appeared shocked. “Excuse me?”
I stifled a smirk of self-assurance and continued, “I am aware that it may sound peculiar.” On the other hand, I am looking for a partner to marry. These are the reasons I have. To begin, however, you will be required to satisfy a number of ‘tests’.
After looking at me, Mary’s countenance was indecipherable. She then laughed, which took me by surprise. She remarked, “Well, isn’t that funny,” with a glint in her eyes that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. “I was just thinking I could use a little ‘marriage’ myself.”
“Really?” In astonishment, I stated. “So, is it a deal?”
Mary looked at me for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. It’s all right, Alex. One thing, nevertheless, you are required to guarantee.
“What’s that?”
If you have any queries concerning my history, I will keep it straightforward. The only thing they need to know is that she is a girl from a rather small town. How do you feel about that?”
I smiled, but I couldn’t believe my good fortune. “Perfect.”
When I gave my parents the opportunity to meet Mary, they were immediately shocked. Mary’s unremarkable manner and unadorned dress caused my mother’s eyes to raise as she took in her surroundings.
“Oh… Mary, is it?” In an effort to conceal her dissatisfaction, Mom said while maintaining a tight smile.
A deeper frown appeared on Dad’s face. “Alex, this… this isn’t exactly what we had in mind.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I responded, “Well, you wanted me to settle down,” with a smile on my face. “And Mary is the ideal partner for me. She has a calm demeanor, is modest, and is unconcerned about all of this glitz and glamour.
Mary was succeeding brilliantly. Whenever she responded in a kind manner or exhibited a sense of uncertainty in relation to our “society talk,” I realized that my parents were ultimately passing away on the inside.
Now, however, there was something about her that remained a mystery. Despite the fact that she was ideal for my scheme, I always managed to get a glimpse of something nearly amused in her eyes every once in a while.
One time, after we had finished eating dinner with my parents, she had asked me, “Are you sure that this is what you want, Alex?”
“More than ever,” I answered with a chuckle. “They are utterly dumbfounded, Mary. It is working out well.”
“Well,” she responded, her voice quiet, nearly to the point of being too soft. “Glad I could help.”
I didn’t pay too much attention to Mary’s reaction because I was so preoccupied with observing how my parents responded. To be honest, not yet.
At long last, the evening of the charity gala presented itself. A huge hall that sparkled with lights, tables that were lined with white silk linens, and silverware that could feed a small country were all examples of the incredible amount of money that my parents had spent.
Mary entered the room next to me, and her uncomplicated attire and understated elegance made her appear out of place in the midst of the sequins and high heels that were all around her. What I had hoped for in every way.
I leaned in close to her and said, “Just remember,” as I did so. “Tonight’s the final test.”
It was impossible to make out her expression when she gazed up at me. “I know the drill.”
Throughout the course of the evening, I remained in close proximity to her, observing her conduct as she spoke softly, smiled nicely, and never brought attention to herself. It was clear that my parents were hoping that she would simply disappear into the background, as evidenced by the fact that they occasionally gave her a few worried glances.
Then, almost out of nowhere, the mayor himself came up to us, his face bursting into a huge smile.
“Mary! ” As he extended his hand to shake her hand, he shouted, “I am overjoyed to see you here!”
It was almost as if my parents’ jaws had hit the floor. In an effort to make sense of it, I blinked my eyes. If the mayor knew Mary, then?
Although Mary’s smile was courteous, I could tell that she was feeling uneasy. In response, she said, “Good to see you too, Mayor,” with a slight air of stiffness.
“You know, everyone’s still talking about that children’s hospital project you funded,” the mayor added to the conversation. “Your family’s contributions are still making a difference.”
Mary gave a slight nod. It makes me happy to learn that. All we want to do is lend a hand wherever we can.
We were left in stunned silence as the mayor finally carried on with his business. The first person to break it was my mother, who did it while looking at me with wide eyes. “Alex… what was that about?”
With a stunned expression on his face, Jack, a longtime friend of the family, approached me before I could give him a response. “Mary! ” The last time I saw you was a very long time ago. “I was unaware that you had returned to the city.”
Mary managed to muster a low chuckle. “Well, I can’t say that I made the announcement. “I came back just in time for my wedding,” she explained.
Jack turned to face me with a look that was equal parts amusement and disbelief. What’s up, Alex? Are you going to marry Mary, the Charity Princess? When it comes to charitable giving, her family is among the most generous in the state!
My mouth became parched. It is the Charity Princess. Undoubtedly, I was familiar with the name. It was everyone’s. On the other hand, I had never thought of meeting her or even looking her up.
I drew Mary away to a secluded area as soon as we were able to escape the gazes of my parents that were directed at us. “So… Charity Princess?” As I had my arms crossed, I inquired.
With a groan, she averted her gaze. It is true. The most large charitable fund is owned by my family. I don’t go around in circles like they do, but they do. This is something that I have been avoiding for years.
While I was still attempting to have my head wrapped around my hair, I ran my hand through it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
It is the same reason that you did not tell me that you wanted a ‘fake’ marriage in order to get even with your parents, she explained slowly. “Because,” she said. My reasons are different from yours, Alex.
“You knew this was fake all along?” My voice gave me away, despite my best efforts to appear calm when I asked.
She drew in a long, deep breath. I have had enough of my parents trying to force me to marry someone for the sake of prestige. I desired a life that was all mine, free of all the expectations. At the moment that you appeared, I had the idea that I could assist you while simultaneously finding a solution to my own difficulty.
“Let me get this straight,” I remarked, still in a state of astonishment. “You agreed to this whole thing because you’re trying to escape your family’s expectations, just like I am?”
Mary gave a slight nod. “Guess that’s one thing we have in common.”
It was the first time that I realized how little I knew about her, and I stared at her in deep concentration. My parents were not the target of this innocent “country girl” who was trying to make them feel uncomfortable. In addition to being educated and powerful, she was also as self-reliant as I was. Perhaps even more.
Instantaneously, my initial strategy appeared to be childish. Mary had been discreetly navigating a world that she did not want to be a part of, giving up her family’s wealth and influence in order to stand on her own two feet. While I had been playing games in order to annoy my parents, Mary had been doing the same thing. For the sole purpose of gaining her freedom, she had agreed to my crazy scheme. Because of that, I couldn’t help but appreciate her immensely.
My mother demanded that we go to a number of charity events, and I found myself observing her one evening while we were discussing the arrangements for those gatherings. She raised her head, capturing my attention. “What?”
“All I did was… “I guess I didn’t realize how strong you were,” I admitted, surprised by the level of nervousness I was experiencing. “You have tolerated all of this, and you have never once voiced any complaints. If I were in your position, I would not have done as much as you have.
Mary smiled, and it was a little more gentle than I’d ever seen her smile before. Her response was, “I’m not doing it for them,” and she was right. “I’m doing it for me.”
It was at that very instant when I became aware that my emotions had changed. What was initially intended to be a surprise for my parents had evolved into something quite else. She was someone I admired and respected, and I did, in fact, wish that I could be with her in real life.
I spoke to Mary in a calm voice and said, “Perhaps it’s time that we told them the truth.”
With a nod, she indicated that she understood exactly what I meant. At this point, we were no longer merely playing a game.
The following day, we made a request to our parents to join us in sitting down. I experienced a peculiar sense of tranquility as we were getting ready to unveil everything. It didn’t bother me at all what they was going to say. It was only that I was ready to do things in an honest manner and with Mary by my side for the first time in a long time.
