I’ll admit it—I didn’t start this with good intentions. I wasn’t searching for love or happiness. I just wanted to defy my parents.
Growing up with wealth and privilege, I lived life on my terms—fast cars, wild parties, luxury vacations. As the sole heir to my father’s business empire, I assumed the future was mine.
Then came “the talk.”
“Alex,” my father said in his boardroom voice, “it’s time to settle down.”
I leaned back, smirking. “Settle down? You mean get married?”
“Yes,” he replied, as though it were obvious. “We can’t entrust the family business to someone who lives recklessly. A wife and family will prove your maturity.”
My mother nodded, her disapproval clear. “You’re nearly 30, Alex. If you can’t show responsibility, we’ll find someone else.”
I was furious. If they wanted a perfect businessman with a trophy wife, fine. I’d give them a wife—but not the one they wanted.
That’s how I met Mary.
I found her at a charity event, far from my usual scene. She stood quietly in a simple dress, radiating a calm that felt out of place. She wasn’t flashy, but something about her drew me in.
“Hi, I’m Alex,” I said, my usual confidence on display.
“Nice to meet you,” she replied politely, barely glancing my way.
She wasn’t impressed. Perfect.
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