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.
Then, as if out of nowhere, the mayor himself approached us, his face spread into a wide grin.
‘Mary! I’m glad to see you here!’ – he exclaimed, extending his hand for a handshake.
My parents’ jaws nearly dropped to the floor. I blinked, trying to comprehend what was happening. Did the mayor know Mary?
Mary’s smile was polite, but I noticed she felt awkward. ‘It’s good to see you too, Mayor,’ she replied a little stiffly.
‘You know, everyone is still talking about that children’s hospital project you funded,’ the mayor continued. ‘Your family’s contribution is still making a difference.’
Mary nodded. ‘I’m glad to hear that. We just want to help where we can.’
Finally, the mayor left, leaving us in stunned silence. My mother was the first to break it, looking at me with widened eyes. ‘Alex… what was that?’
Before I could answer, Jack, an old family friend, came over to us with an astonished look on his face. ‘Mary! It’s been ages since I last saw you. I didn’t realise you were back in town.’
Mary forced herself to laugh. ‘I, um, didn’t exactly announce it. I came back for my…wedding,’ she said.
Jack turned to me, his face half surprised, half incredulous. ‘Alex, you’re marrying Mary, the princess of mercy? Her family is one of the biggest philanthropists in the state!’
My mouth went dry. Princess of Charity. I’d heard the name, of course. Everyone had heard it. But I’d never tried to meet her or even learn about her.
As soon as we could slip away from my parents’ gaze, I pulled Mary to a quiet corner. ‘So… Princess of Mercy?’ I asked, crossing my arms.
She sighed, averting her gaze. ‘Yes. My family owns the largest charity. They revolve in those circles, but I don’t. I’ve avoided it all for years.’
I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to make sense of the situation. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Because,‘ she said slowly, “for the same reason you didn’t tell me you wanted a ”sham’ marriage to mess with your parents. I have my reasons, Alex.’
‘You knew it was a sham the whole time?’ I asked, trying to sound calm, but my voice gave me away.
She took a deep breath. ‘I was tired of my parents forcing me to marry someone for status. I wanted to live my own life, without all those expectations. When you came along, I decided I could help you and solve my own problem at the same time.’
‘Let me get this straight,’ I said, still surprised. ‘You agreed to all this because you’re trying to avoid your family’s expectations, just like me?’
Mary nodded. ‘I suppose that’s one thing we have in common.’
I stared at her, realising for the first time how much I didn’t know about her. This wasn’t some naive ‘country girl’ who had come here to inconvenience my parents. She was smart, strong, and as independent as I was. Or maybe even more so.
My original plan suddenly seemed childish. While I was playing games to annoy my parents, Mary was quietly navigating a world she didn’t want to be a part of, giving up her family’s wealth and influence to get back on her feet. She had agreed to my ridiculous scheme only to win her freedom. I couldn’t help but respect her for that.
One evening, as we were discussing plans for the charity events my mother insisted on, I caught myself watching her. She looked up, catching my gaze. ‘What?’
‘I just… I guess I didn’t realise how strong you are,’ I admitted, feeling surprisingly nervous. ‘You put up with all this and never once complained. You did more than I would have done if I were you.’
Mary smiled, a little softer than I’d ever seen her smile. ‘I don’t do it for them,’ she replied. ‘I’m doing it for me.’
And in that moment I realised that my feelings had changed. What started out as a plan to shock my parents had turned into something completely different. I respected and admired her, and yes, I wanted to be with her for real.
‘Mary,’ I said slowly, ’maybe it’s time to tell them the truth?’
She nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. We weren’t just a game anymore.
The next day we asked our parents to meet with us. As we got ready to tell them everything, I felt a strange calmness. I wasn’t worried about what they would say. I just knew that for once I was ready to do everything honestly and with Mary by my side.
