I never expected to fall in love. That wasn\u2019t part of the plan.<\/p>\n
It all started as a way to defy my parents. They had always controlled my life, shaping my future without my input. I lived the way I wanted, without rules\u2014parties, fast cars, expensive vacations. And why not? I knew that one day, I\u2019d inherit my father\u2019s business.<\/p>\n
But then came \u201cthe talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlex,\u201d my father said one evening, his sharp eyes locking onto mine, \u201cyour mother and I have made a decision. It\u2019s time for you to settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n
I leaned back, scoffing. \u201cSettle down? You mean get married?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly.\u201d His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. \u201cIf you want the company, we need to see commitment. That means a wife, a family. You can\u2019t run a business like this alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother chimed in, shaking her head in disappointment. \u201cYour father worked his entire life to build this empire, Alex. We can\u2019t trust it to someone who treats life like a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
I clenched my jaw, anger bubbling inside me. They thought they could push me into marriage like it was a business deal? Fine. I\u2019d play their game\u2014but on my own terms. If they wanted a wife, I\u2019d give them one. Someone they\u2019d never approve of.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when I met Mary.<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t from the usual circles I mingled in. I found her at a charity event, a quiet volunteer with her hair tied back, wearing a simple dress. She wasn\u2019t impressed by wealth, didn\u2019t hang on every word I said, and barely looked at me when I introduced myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cNice to meet you, Alex,\u201d she said, her voice calm and steady, as if she had better things to do than talk to me.<\/p>\n
Intrigued, I asked, \u201cSo, Mary, where are you from?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, just a small town,\u201d she answered with a polite smile. \u201cNothing fancy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perfect.<\/p>\n
I wasted no time. \u201cHow do you feel about marriage?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyebrows shot up. \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it sounds strange,\u201d I said, flashing my most confident grin. \u201cBut I need a wife. And you need to pass some \u2018tests\u2019 first.\u201d<\/p>\n
She studied me for a moment, then laughed\u2014a soft, knowing laugh. \u201cFunny thing is, I was just thinking I could use a little \u2018marriage\u2019 myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d I asked, caught off guard. \u201cSo, is it a deal?\u201d<\/p>\n
She tilted her head. \u201cOn one condition. No questions about my past. Just a girl from a small town, that\u2019s all they need to know. You good with that?\u201d<\/p>\n
I grinned, shaking her hand. \u201cPerfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
When I introduced Mary to my parents, their reaction was priceless.<\/p>\n
My mother forced a smile, her eyes scanning Mary\u2019s simple dress. \u201cOh\u2026 Mary, is it?\u201d Her tone was polite, but barely.<\/p>\n
My father\u2019s frown deepened. \u201cAlex, this\u2026 this isn\u2019t exactly what we had in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged, barely hiding my grin. \u201cWell, you wanted me to settle down. Mary\u2019s perfect. She\u2019s kind, humble, and doesn\u2019t care about all this fancy nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mary played her part well. She answered politely, nodded in all the right places, and acted just unsure enough to make my parents squirm. But sometimes, I caught something else in her expression\u2014an amusement, a knowing look that unsettled me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure this is what you want?\u201d she asked me one evening after dinner with my parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than ever,\u201d I said, laughing. \u201cThey\u2019re horrified. This is working.\u201d<\/p>\n
She just smiled, her expression unreadable. \u201cGlad I could help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then came the charity ball.<\/p>\n
The grand hall shimmered under golden chandeliers. My parents had spared no expense. Tables draped in silk, silverware so polished it could blind you, and guests dressed in designer gowns.<\/p>\n
Mary stood beside me, her simple elegance making her stand out in a way I hadn\u2019t anticipated. I leaned down, whispering, \u201cTonight\u2019s the final test. Just blend in.\u201d<\/p>\n
She met my gaze. \u201cI know the drill.\u201d<\/p>\n
And she did. She spoke softly, smiled politely, never drawing attention. My parents threw her disapproving glances, still holding out hope she\u2019d disappear into the background.<\/p>\n
Then, the mayor approached us, beaming.<\/p>\n
\u201cMary! What a pleasure to see you!\u201d he said, shaking her hand firmly.<\/p>\n
I froze. My parents stared. The mayor knew Mary?<\/p>\n
Mary\u2019s smile was polite but stiff. \u201cGood to see you too, Mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour family\u2019s contributions to the children\u2019s hospital are still making a difference,\u201d he continued warmly. \u201cEveryone still talks about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother gasped softly. My father\u2019s expression turned unreadable. I was completely lost.<\/p>\n
Then another guest approached. \u201cMary! It\u2019s been ages. I didn\u2019t know you were back in town.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mary sighed, forcing a small laugh. \u201cI, uh, didn\u2019t exactly announce it. I came back for my\u2026 wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man turned to me, grinning. \u201cAlex, you\u2019re marrying Mary the Charity Princess? Her family\u2019s one of the biggest philanthropists in the state!\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach dropped. Charity Princess. That Mary.<\/p>\n
As soon as we could slip away, I pulled her aside. \u201cSo\u2026 Charity Princess?\u201d<\/p>\n
She sighed, glancing away. \u201cYes. My family owns one of the largest charity funds. They run in these circles, but I don\u2019t. I\u2019ve been avoiding this life for years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
She met my eyes, her voice calm. \u201cSame reason you didn\u2019t tell me you wanted a fake marriage to spite your parents. I have my own reasons, Alex.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you knew this was fake all along?\u201d<\/p>\n
She smirked. \u201cI figured it out pretty quickly. But it worked for me, too. My parents kept pushing me to marry for status. I wanted my own life. When you came along, I saw an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. \u201cLet me get this straight. We both tried to outsmart our families, and instead, we ended up\u2026 here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like it,\u201d she said, tilting her head. \u201cGuess we\u2019re more alike than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her, really seeing her for the first time. She wasn\u2019t just some \u201ccountry girl\u201d meant to annoy my parents. She was strong, independent, and far smarter than I had given her credit for.<\/p>\n
One night, as we reviewed charity event plans, I found myself watching her. She looked up. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just\u2026 didn\u2019t realize how strong you were,\u201d I admitted. \u201cYou\u2019ve handled all this with so much grace. More than I ever could.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled\u2014real, soft. \u201cI\u2019m not doing this for them, Alex. I\u2019m doing it for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
And in that moment, I knew. This wasn\u2019t just a game anymore.<\/p>\n
\u201cMary,\u201d I said slowly, \u201cmaybe it\u2019s time we told them the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded, understanding exactly what I meant. We weren\u2019t playing anymore. And honestly? We didn\u2019t need to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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