My rich parents demanded that I marry to inherit the family business, so I chose a ‘country girl’ to mess with them. But I soon discovered she was hiding a powerful secret.
I have a confession. I’m not proud of how I started it all. I wasn’t looking for love, not even close. I just wanted to get back at my parents.
You see, I’ve always lived my life the way I wanted to, with no strings attached. Parties, fast cars, expensive holidays. Why not? My family was rich, and I knew I’d inherit my father’s business one day.
But then my parents sat me down at the table for a ‘talk’.
‘Listen, Alex,’ my dad said, leaning forward as if he were discussing a business deal. ‘Mom and I think it’s time for you to settle down.’
‘Settle down?’ I snorted derisively, leaning back with a smirk. ‘You mean get married?’
‘Exactly,’ he nodded without breaking eye contact. ‘You’re almost thirty. If you want company, we need to see it as a commitment. That means a wife, a family. You can’t run a business like this alone.’
My mother intervened, shaking her head. ‘Your father worked his whole life for this, Alex. We can’t trust the future of the business to someone who treats life like a party.’
I was furious. They wanted marriage, and I gave it to them. If they thought they could boss me around, I would prove them wrong. I would find someone to make them question their own demands.
And that’s when I met Mary.
Mary wasn’t the kind of place where I usually meet women. I found her volunteering at a quiet charity event. She looked modest, maybe even shy, in a simple dress and with her hair tucked back. Nothing flashy, no designer clothes, just calm and… real.
When I introduced myself, she just nodded and said: ‘Nice to meet you, Alex.’ She barely looked at me, as if she wasn’t impressed in the slightest.
‘So, where are you from, Mary?’ I asked, trying to appreciate her story.
‘Oh, I’m just from a small town,’ she replied with a polite smile. ‘No big deal.’ Her voice was soft and her eyes seemed wary.
Perfect. Just perfect.
‘So, Mary,’ I began, getting right to the point. ‘How do you feel about marriage?’
She raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘I know it sounds weird,’ I said, forcing myself to smile confidently. ‘But I’m looking for someone to marry. I… have my reasons. But you’ll need to take some ‘tests’ first.’
Mary looked at me, the expression on her face unreadable. Then she laughed, surprising me. ‘Well isn’t that funny?’ – she said, her eyes glittering with something I couldn’t identify. ‘I just thought I could use a little ‘marriage’ myself.’
‘Really?’ said I, surprised. ‘So, do we have a deal?’
Mary studied me for a moment, then shrugged. ‘Okay, Alex. But you have to promise one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘No questions about my past, and everything will be easy. Just a small town girl, that’s all they need to know. Are you okay with that?’
I grinned, hardly believing my luck. ‘Perfect.’
When I introduced Mary to my parents, they were horrified. My mother’s eyebrows went up when she saw Mary’s simple dress and her calm demeanour.
‘Oh… Mary, huh?’ said my mother, trying to hide her disapproval with a strained smile.
Dad frowned even harder. ‘Alex, this… this isn’t exactly what we had in mind.’
‘Well, you wanted me to settle down,’ I replied, unable to hide a smirk. ‘And Mary is perfect for me. She’s quiet, modest, and doesn’t care about all that fancy stuff.’
Mary was succeeding. Every time she responded politely, every time she acted insecure during our ‘small talk’, I knew my parents were dying inside.
But then…something about her remained a mystery. She was perfect for my plan, but every now and then I caught something almost… amusing in her gaze.
‘Are you sure this is what you want, Alex?’ – she asked me one day after dinner with my parents.
‘More than ever,’ I replied, laughing. ‘They’re terrified, Mary. It’s working.’
‘Well,’ she said, her voice soft, almost too soft. ‘Glad I could help.’
I was so busy watching my parents’ reactions that I didn’t look too closely at Mary. Not yet, anyway.
At last the evening of the charity ball arrived. My parents had spared no expense: the great hall sparkled with chandeliers, the tables were covered with white silk tablecloths, and there was enough silverware for a small country.
Mary entered beside me, her simple dress and quiet elegance didn’t make her stand out with sequins and high heels. Just what I wanted.
‘Just remember,’ I whispered, leaning toward her. ‘Today is the final test.’
She looked up at me, her expression unreadable. ‘I know how to do it.’
Throughout the evening, I never took a step away from her, watching her speak quietly, smile politely, and never draw attention to herself. My parents threw concerned glances at her from time to time, but I realised they were hoping she would just fade into the background.