To be honest, I never meant to fall in love. To be honest, I didn’t want to fall in love when it all started. I wanted to show my parents how angry I was and get back at them for what I thought was their control over every part of my life.
My family is very, very rich. We are talking about country club memberships, expensive cars, and a house so big that my friends thought it was a hotel. I had every advantage as a child and always thought that one day I would control my father’s business. Everyone knew that I was the best person to take over because my father had started the business from scratch. Yes, I wasn’t the most disciplined person in the world, and yes, I might have liked life a little too much for my parents’ liking. Unplanned parties and vacations often led to unforeseen events, which showed how carefree life can be when you have a strong financial cushion to fall back on.
One night, as we were having a beautifully cooked family lunch, my parents surprised us. My dad leaned in, rested his elbows on the clean linen tablecloth, and said in a calm voice, as if he were talking about a new investment, “Alex, your mother and I have decided it’s time for you to settle down.”
I raised my eyebrow since I was a little confused. I told it again, “Calm down?”
The light from the chandelier made my mom’s diamond earrings sparkle as she nodded. “Of course, my dear.” Take it easy. Getting married, having kids, and everything else that comes with it. Your dad is ready to leave the business, but we need to know that you’re devoted to something more significant than just your next party before we can hand it to you.
I felt like my stomach was going to drop. I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm and still. I should have known the move was coming. They had always thought it was bad for me to not care about life. Now they wanted me to get married and start a reputable business with a respectable family so that board members and investors would feel better. In short, they wanted to run my life before I could see everything.
That’s when my mean side came out because I felt stuck. Yes, I would marry them if that’s what they wanted. But not the kind they desired. If they really wanted me to bring someone into the family, I would choose a companion who would make them rethink everything they had planned. I’d pick someone who, by their standards, wouldn’t quite fit in.
I saw her at a little charity event that I went to just to pass the time. Mary stood stationary at a folding table, handing out pamphlets while everyone else was busy networking and showing off their stylish outfits. She had on a plain cotton dress and some shoes with no heels. She tied her hair up in a ponytail so it wouldn’t get in the way. She didn’t appear to care at all about the grandeur and beauty surrounding her.
“Hey there,” I said with a smile as I moved over. “Hi, I’m Alex.”
She looked up at me, took me in with a quick look, and nodded. “Mary,” she said. Just Mary, with no last name or problems.
I talked to her for a bit and found out she wasn’t a trust-fund kid or a high-society type. She came from a little town. She was nice, but she didn’t seem to care about me or the life I lived. I think that was really right. It was exactly what I needed to surprise my parents.
I told Mary, “I know this might sound a little crazy, but I want to get married.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Excuse me?”
I shrugged and tried to stay calm and sure of myself. “Well, it’s quite a story.” My parents want me to get married before they let me run the family business. I need a friend who can help me. We might be able to work together to find a solution. “Hey, I know this might be a little strange, but are you interested?”
“That’s a really interesting idea, Alex,” she said with a quiet giggle. “You don’t really know anything about me.”
She had a solid point, but I kept going. “That’s fair, but I’d like to try things out first.” “Let’s get to know each other in a certain way.” “Let’s treat the arrangement like a business deal.” “I’ll help you out, and all I ask is that you let me know if you need anything.”
Mary’s eyes didn’t give anything away. “Fine,” she answered, but she asked me not to ask her about her past. “You know, I’m just a normal girl from a small town.”
I thought her request was a little strange, but I was too happy that my idea was finally coming together to think about it. “Deal,” I answered with a smile. The plan was meant to be great.
It was a great day to introduce Mary to my parents. I smiled with confidence as I thought about how they would react. My mother, who was always well-dressed and calm, tried to smile politely at Mary’s plain clothes. My father frowned even more when he saw Mary act like she was better than everyone else and come from a humble background. I could almost hear them say, “Is his choice really who he picked? “She doesn’t belong in our world at all!” “
That’s just what I needed.
For a few weeks, everything went as planned. After Mary came to a few family dinners, my parents seemed even more confused. They would ask her about her interests, her childhood, and her family, but she always gave vague, polite answers. After one of those dinners, I saw Mary give me a look that looked almost playful.
“Are you having a good time?” She asked softly, lifting her eyebrow.
I just shrugged. “Do you see them moving?” “You’re doing a great job,” she said.
Mary nodded and said, “Just remember, you wanted this.” There was something in her voice that I couldn’t quite understand, but I chose to ignore it. I was too busy getting rid of what my parents thought I should do.
My parents made sure we went to a fancy charity banquet, and we were in for a huge surprise. There was a sense of opulence at the event, when politicians, business tycoons, and famous families all mingled under the light of sparkling chandeliers. Mary joined me, wearing another simple dress that stood out among all the costly designer gowns. In every way, perfect. Let my parents tell you why the new fiancée didn’t like high fashion.
I couldn’t help but notice how astonished my parents were as we strolled through the gathering, even though Mary played the part of the modest fiancée quite well. But the mayor did see us. I didn’t recognize the mayor, but he walked right up to Mary with a big smile on his face.
“Mary, I’m so happy to see you!” “Yes,” he said, shaking her hand with joy. “Your family’s donation to the children’s hospital was truly wonderful.” How is everything going at home?
My dad and I were shocked by what we saw. Mary just smiled and nodded back at him. “Everything’s fine, Mr. Mayor,” she said. “It’s great to see how the hospital project is making things better for so many kids.”
We were all confused when the mayor zoned out. My mom was the first to speak up. “Alex,” she asked in a low voice, “did he really say that Mary’s family gave money to a children’s hospital?”
Just as I was ready to say anything, an old family friend came over. They were clearly astonished to find Mary next to me. “Mary!” People wanted to know where the Charity Princess was! He yelled, “It’s been a long time since you left the city.”
The Princess of Giving? The name sounded familiar. I had heard whispers about a secret family heir who was known for being courteous and quiet and who provided money to a number of charities. If that was Mary, she wasn’t just a “country girl.”
When we could get away from the mob, I found Mary by the dessert table. “Please explain that to me,” I said, crossing my arms and attempting to keep my voice steady even though my stomach was in a whirl of bewilderment.
She groaned and looked about as if she were picking her words carefully. “My family is well-known in charity circles,” she said gently. “I grew up in their social and charitable world, and they had a lot of money.” But I got weary of it—tired of being told who to marry, how to act, and which organizations to support.
What I witnessed was hard to believe. “So, you left home like a socialite?”
“Something like that,” Mary responded with a slight shrug. “I’ve been living a simpler life and stepping back from the spotlight.” Your weird offer attracted my attention, and I saw it as a perfect option to get out of my repressive parents’ sight. “I thought we could help each other,” the text continued.
At that moment, I knew that Mary had known my plan from the start. She knew I was trying to get back at my parents, and she did everything perfectly. The only problem was that she was playing her game, acting like a simple outsider while hiding a past that was even more powerful than mine.
I mumbled, “You must think I’m a fool,” still trying to figure out what I had just discovered. “I was trying to surprise my parents with someone they would think was “unworthy,” but it turns out you’re much more accomplished than any of the heiresses they would have picked for me.”
Mary smiled a little and said, “I don’t think you’re stupid, Alex.” I think we have more in common than we think. You were thinking about messaging your parents, and I wanted to get out of the high society cage that had been around me since I was a youngster.
I took a deep breath and said, “What’s next?” “
She looked me in the eye and replied, “It depends.” “We can keep pretending or we can choose to be honest.” Maybe we can discover something true here, something more than simply revenge or a chance to get away.
As I watched Mary stand there in her plain dress, I felt something change inside me. It was supposed to trick people, but it also showed her true strength. I was really surprised by how brave and smart she was. The plan I had come up with out of anger now seemed childish. I was looking for something real, something more than just a front.
I held her hand and said, “I think we should be honest with our families.” I told them that we both chose not to be pawns in their games. If we’re going to build a life together, let’s do it on our own terms, with no more secrets.
Mary nodded, and for the first time that night, her smile was real and warm. “Okay, Alex,” she said with a nod. “No more hiding things.”
The next morning, we asked our parents to come into the drawing room. They were still shocked by what had happened at the ball, and a few quiet phone calls got their attention. It was time to make things clear once and for all. We need to take charge and show that we can make our own choices instead of letting our relatives tell us what to do.
I didn’t know what would happen next—maybe anger, disbelief, or even a standoff—but I wasn’t scared of the end anymore. Mary was with me, and she really understood what it meant to break free from expectations. Together, we were unstoppable and ready to start our story over from the beginning.
Alex is a very rich man who wants to show his parents they were wrong and get back at them. His family is wealthy and owns a big house, nice cars, and country club memberships. Alex’s parents didn’t trust him with the job of running his father’s business unless he settled down first. They wanted him to settle down and start a family with a successful business that would impress board members and investors.
Alex meets Mary, a simple girl from a small village, at a charity event. Despite her polite demeanor, the luxury and beauty surrounding her seem to elude her. Mary agrees to give marriage a try before accepting Alex’s proposal. Mary could offer to help them in exchange for a business deal. Mary only has one rule: no one can ask her about her past. Alex is so happy that the idea is coming together that they scarcely think about it at all.
When Alex brings Mary home to meet his parents, they are confused by how down-to-earth and humble she is. They think this is the one he chose, especially because she comes from a whole different culture! This is exactly what Alex wants. For a few weeks, everything goes as planned. Mary goes to family dinners, which makes her parents even more bewildered. They ask her many questions about her family, her interests, and her childhood, but she is courteous and doesn’t give them any clear answers. Mary asks Alex if he likes the dinner after one of them, but he merely shrugs.
Mary nodded and continued, “Just remember that the meal was your choice.” There was something in her voice that I couldn’t quite understand, but I chose to ignore it. Alex was too concentrated on proving his point and going against what his parents wanted.
The main point of the book is that Alex wants to prove his parents wrong and get back at them. He has to pick a friend who will go against what his parents want and make them rethink their whole plan. Mary, a normal girl from a small town, is chosen as a good friend. The story is about the problems people face when they want to change their lives and make a difference.
The author’s parents made sure they went to a fancy charity dance, and to their surprise, they saw Mary, who was playing the part of a humble fiancée. The mayor saw them and told them about Mary and her family’s recent gift to a children’s hospital. The mayor and his family were surprised to see each other, but Mary just nodded and said everything was fine. She also said that the hospital project is helping many kids.
A family friend saw Mary and told her to tell him how she was going to get back at his parents. She said that she had been raised to fit into their social and charitable world, but she was sick of being told who to marry, how to act, and which groups to support. The author couldn’t believe it when he found out that Mary had known about his plan from the start and had done her part perfectly.
Mary said that she and Alex weren’t really different; they both wanted to send their parents a message and get away from the high society milieu they had grown up in. They had to pick between staying in the act or being honest to discover something real. They felt something change inside of them as they looked at Mary in her simple clothing. They admired her boldness and intelligence and realized that the plan they had come up with out of anger now sounded childish.
The next morning, they called their parents into the drawing room to explain what was going on and show that they were in charge of their own lives, not their families’. The author felt braver about what was going to happen now that Mary was with him. She was a friend who really understood what it was like to break free from expectations. Together, they made a strong alliance and were ready to change their story from the start.
The author’s parents were shocked to learn that Mary’s family had recently given money to a children’s hospital, but they were determined to find something real and honest with Mary. They decided to tell their families the truth and build a life together that was true to their ideals, leaving secrets behind. This decision changed everything about their relationship and started a new chapter in their lives.
