I’ll admit it—I wasn’t proud of how it all started. Love? No. I wasn’t even thinking about it. I was thinking about revenge. Revenge on my parents who thought they could control me like one of their company projects.
You see, I had always lived life the way I wanted. Fast cars, wild parties, expensive vacations. No strings attached. Why not? I was rich. My family had money for generations, and one day, I knew my father’s empire would be mine.
Or so I thought.
Then came “the talk.”
“Listen, Alex,” my father said one night, leaning forward like he was closing a business deal. His eyes were sharp, calculating. “Your mother and I feel it’s time you settle down.”
“Settle down?” I repeated with a laugh, leaning back with a smirk. “You mean get married?”
“Precisely.” His voice was steady, leaving no room for negotiation. “You’re nearly 30. If you want the company, we need to see commitment. That means a wife. A family. You can’t run this business alone.”
My mother shook her head in disappointment, her voice cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. “Your father worked his entire life for this company, Alex. We cannot hand it over to someone who treats life like one endless party.”
I sat there, boiling. They thought they could push me around? Fine. They wanted a marriage? I’d give them one. But it wouldn’t be the picture-perfect daughter-in-law they imagined. No, I’d find someone so far from their world that they’d choke on their own demands.
And that’s when I met Mary.
She wasn’t anything like the women I usually knew. I saw her at a quiet charity event—not one of the flashy galas my family attended, but a small gathering for local volunteers. She stood out not because she was trying to, but because she wasn’t. A simple dress, her hair tied back, no designer labels, no loud laugh. Just… calm. Real.
When I introduced myself, she gave me a small nod. “Nice to meet you, Alex,” she said politely. She barely even looked at me, like I wasn’t special at all.
That was perfect.
“So, uh, where are you from, Mary?” I asked, testing the waters.
“Oh, I’m just from a small town,” she said with a soft smile. “Nothing fancy.”
Perfect didn’t even begin to cover it.
I leaned closer. “So, Mary… how do you feel about marriage?”
Her head snapped up. “Excuse me?”
“I know it sounds strange,” I said smoothly. “But I’m looking for someone to marry. I… have my reasons. Of course, you’d have to pass a few… ‘tests.’”
Her reaction wasn’t what I expected. She laughed. A low, amused laugh that made me blink. “Well, isn’t that funny,” she said, her eyes glinting. “I was just thinking I could use a little ‘marriage’ myself.”
“Really?” I asked, taken off guard.
She shrugged. “Alright, Alex. But on one condition.”
“And what’s that?”
“No questions about my past. To everyone else, I’m just a girl from a small town. You good with that?”
I grinned, shaking her hand like I’d just closed the best deal of my life. “Perfect.”
When I finally introduced her to my parents, their faces were priceless.
My mother’s smile was so tight it looked painful. “Oh… Mary, is it?”
My father’s frown could’ve split stone. “Alex… this isn’t exactly what we had in mind.”
I leaned back, smug. “Well, you wanted me to settle down. Mary’s perfect. She’s calm, humble, doesn’t care about money or luxury. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Every polite smile Mary gave, every unsure look when my parents tried their “society talk,” was another dagger in their pride. And I loved it.
But there was something about Mary I couldn’t pin down. Sometimes I’d catch this flicker in her eyes—like she was holding back a secret.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Alex?” she asked me once, after one of those tense dinners with my parents.
“More than ever,” I laughed. “They hate it, Mary. This is working perfectly.”
Her lips curved into a small smile, but her eyes looked distant. “Glad I could help.”
I didn’t think much of it… until the charity ball.
The event was grand—chandeliers, silk-draped tables, crystal glasses shining under golden light. My parents made sure it was the biggest of the year. I walked in with Mary on my arm, her simple dress making her look almost invisible compared to the glittering gowns around her. Exactly what I wanted.
“Tonight’s the final test,” I whispered to her.
She gave me a calm look. “I know the drill.”
But then the night took a turn I never expected.
The mayor himself walked over, grinning ear to ear. “Mary! I’m delighted to see you here!” He reached out, shaking her hand warmly.
My parents froze. I nearly choked on my drink.
Mary’s polite smile looked… forced. “Good to see you too, Mayor,” she said carefully.
“You know, everyone’s still talking about that children’s hospital project you funded,” he said proudly. “Your family’s contributions are still making a difference.”
I stared at her, stunned. The hospital project? The family contributions? What was happening?
Before I could ask, another guest rushed over—Jack, an old family friend. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Mary! It’s been years! I didn’t know you were back in town.”
Mary chuckled nervously. “Didn’t exactly announce it. I came back for my… wedding.”
Jack turned to me, half-laughing, half-staring in disbelief. “Alex, you’re marrying Mary the Charity Princess? Her family runs one of the largest philanthropic funds in the state!”
Charity Princess. The name hit me like a slap. Everyone had heard of her—except me.
Later, I pulled her aside, my voice low but sharp. “So… Charity Princess?”
She sighed, her eyes dropping. “Yes. My family runs the biggest charity fund in the state. I’ve spent years avoiding all this. I wanted to live outside the spotlight.”
I rubbed my face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She looked right at me, her voice steady. “Same reason you didn’t tell me this marriage was just a stunt to spite your parents. We both have our secrets.”
“You knew it was fake?” I asked, startled.
“I figured it out.” She folded her arms. “My parents tried to force me into a marriage for status. I hated it. I wanted to escape. Then you came along with your little ‘plan,’ and I thought… maybe this could work. I could help you, and at the same time, free myself.”
I stood there, floored. “So… we’re the same. Running from families who want to control us.”
Mary gave a small, wry smile. “Guess we are.”
That night, everything changed for me. The silly game I’d been playing suddenly felt hollow. While I was busy plotting revenge, Mary had been quietly fighting for her independence. She was strong, braver than I’d given her credit for.
One evening, while we sat at her place going over another charity invitation my mother had “insisted” we attend, I caught myself staring at her.
She noticed. “What?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I shook my head, my chest tightening in a way I hadn’t felt before. “I just… I didn’t realize how strong you are, Mary. You’ve done more than I ever could in your position.”
She smiled softly, almost shy. “I’m not doing this for them, Alex. I’m doing it for me.”
And for the first time in my life, I realized—I wanted to do it for her too.
“Mary,” I said quietly, “maybe it’s time we told them the truth.”
She nodded, no hesitation in her eyes. “Yeah. No more games.”
The next day, we called our parents together. As I sat there beside her, ready to reveal everything, I wasn’t nervous. For once in my life, I wasn’t acting out of spite. I was ready to be honest. And with Mary by my side, I knew this wasn’t the end of the plan—it was the beginning of something real.