You see, I’ve always lived the way I wanted, with no strings. Parties, fast cars, expensive vacations. And why not? My family was wealthy, and I knew I’d inherit my father’s business one day.

But then my parents sat me down for “the talk.”

“Listen, Alex,” my father said, leaning forward like he was discussing a business deal. “Your mother and I feel it’s time you settle down.”

“Settle down?” I scoffed, leaning back with a smirk. “You mean get married?”

“Precisely,” he said with a nod, not breaking eye contact. “You’re almost 30. If you want the company, we need to see some commitment. That means a wife, a family. You can’t run a business like this alone.”

My mother chimed in, shaking her head. “Your father worked his entire life for this, Alex. We can’t trust the future of the business to someone who treats life like a party.”

I was fuming. They wanted a marriage, so I’d give them one. If they thought they could push me around, I’d prove them wrong. I’d find someone who’d make them question their own demands.

And that’s when I met Mary.

Mary wasn’t from the usual places where I met women. I found her volunteering at a quiet charity event. She looked modest, maybe even shy, with a simple dress and her hair tied 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, like she wasn’t impressed at all.

“So, uh, where are you from, Mary?” I asked, trying to gauge her story.

“Oh, I’m just from a small town,” she replied with a polite smile. “Nothing fancy.” Her voice was soft, and her eyes seemed guarded.

Perfect. Just perfect.

“So, Mary,” I began, cutting right to the chase. “How do you feel about marriage?”

She raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. “Excuse me?”

“I know it sounds strange,” I said, forcing a confident smile. “But I’m looking for someone to marry. I… have my reasons. But you will need to pass several ‘tests’ first.”

Mary looked at me, expression unreadable. Then she laughed, surprising me. “Well, isn’t that funny,” she said, her eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t place. “I was just thinking I could use a little ‘marriage’ myself.”

“Really?” I said, surprised. “So, is it a deal?”

Mary studied me, then shrugged. “Alright, Alex. But you have to promise one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“No questions about my past, and I’ll keep it simple. Just a girl from a small town, that’s all they need to know. You good with that?”

I grinned, hardly believing my luck. “Perfect.”

When I introduced Mary to my parents, they were horrified. My mother’s eyebrows shot up as she took in Mary’s plain dress and quiet demeanor.

“Oh… Mary, is it?” Mom said, trying to mask her disapproval with a tight smile.

Dad’s frown deepened. “Alex, this… this isn’t exactly what we had in mind.”

“Well, you wanted me to settle down,” I replied, unable to hide my grin. “And Mary’s perfect for me. She’s calm, humble, and doesn’t care about all this fancy stuff.”

Mary was pulling it off. Every time she answered politely, every time she acted uncertain around our “society talk,” I knew my parents were dying inside.

But then… something about her stayed a mystery. She was perfect for my plan, yet every so often, I’d catch a look in her eye, something almost… amused.

“Are you sure this is what you want, Alex?” she’d asked me once after dinner with my parents.

“More than ever,” I said, laughing. “They’re horrified, Mary. This is 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’s. Not yet, anyway.

The night of the charity ball finally arrived. My parents had spared no expense: a grand hall glittered with chandeliers, tables lined with white silk cloths, and silverware that could feed a small country.

Mary walked in beside me, her simple dress and quiet elegance making her look out of place among the sequins and high heels around her. Exactly what I’d wanted.

“Just remember,” I whispered, leaning close to her. “Tonight’s the final test.”

She looked up at me, her expression unreadable. “I know the drill.”

As the night went on, I stayed close to her, watching as she spoke softly, smiled politely, and never called attention to herself. My parents threw her a few concerned glances now and then, but I could tell they were hoping she’d just blend into the background.

Then, out of nowhere, the mayor himself approached us, his face breaking into a broad smile.

“Mary! I’m delighted to see you here!” he exclaimed, reaching out to shake her hand.

My parents’ jaws nearly hit the floor. I blinked, trying to make sense of it. The mayor knew Mary?

Mary’s smile was polite, but I noticed her discomfort. “Good to see you too, Mayor,” she replied, a little stiffly.

“You know, everyone’s still talking about that children’s hospital project you funded,” the mayor continued. “Your family’s contributions are still making a difference.”

Mary nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. We just want to help where we can.”

The mayor finally moved on, leaving us in stunned silence. My mother was the first to break it, looking at me with wide eyes. “Alex… what was that about?”

Before I could respond, Jack, an old family friend, walked over with an astonished expression. “Mary! It’s been ages since I last saw you. I didn’t know you were back in town.”

Mary forced a small laugh. “I, uh, didn’t exactly announce it. I came back for my… wedding,” she said.

Jack turned to me, his face half-amused, half-incredulous. “Alex, you’re marrying Mary the Charity Princess? Her family’s one of the largest philanthropists in the state!”

My mouth went dry. Charity Princess. I’d heard the name, of course. Everyone had. But I had never bothered to meet her or even look her up.

The moment we could slip away from my parents’ glares, I pulled Mary aside to a quiet corner. “So… Charity Princess?” I asked, crossing my arms.

She sighed, glancing away. “Yes. My family owns the biggest charity fund. They run in these circles, but I don’t. I’ve been avoiding all this for years.”

I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to wrap my head around it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because,” she said slowly, “it’s the same reason you didn’t tell me you wanted a ‘fake’ marriage to spite your parents. I have my own reasons, Alex.”

“You knew this was fake all along?” I asked, trying to sound calm, but my voice gave me away.

She took a deep breath. “I got sick of my parents pushing me to marry someone for status. I wanted my own life, without all the expectations. When you came along, I figured I could help you and solve my own problem at the same time.”

“Let me get this straight,” I said, still amazed. “You agreed to this whole thing because you’re trying to escape your family’s expectations, just like I am?”

Mary nodded. “Guess that’s one thing we have in common.”

I stared at her, realizing for the first time how much I didn’t know about her. This wasn’t some naive “country girl” here to make my parents uncomfortable. She was intelligent, strong, and just as independent as I was. Maybe more.

My original plan suddenly felt childish. While I’d been playing games to annoy my parents, Mary had been quietly navigating a world she didn’t want to be part of, giving up her family’s wealth and influence to stand on her own two feet. She’d agreed to my ridiculous scheme just to win her freedom. I couldn’t help but respect her for that.

One evening, as we were going over some plans for the charity events my mother insisted we attend, I caught myself watching her. She looked up, catching my gaze. “What?”

“I just… I guess I didn’t realize how strong you were,” I admitted, feeling surprisingly nervous. “You put up with all this, and you never once complained. You’ve done more than I would’ve in your position.”

Mary smiled, a little softer than I’d ever seen. “I’m not doing it for them,” she replied. “I’m doing it for me.”

And in that moment, I realized my feelings had shifted. What started as a plan to shock my parents had become something else entirely. I respected and admired her, and, yes, I wanted to be with her for real.

“Mary,” I said slowly, “maybe it’s time we told them the truth.”

She nodded, understanding exactly what I meant. We weren’t just playing a game anymore.

The next day, we asked our parents to sit down with us. As we prepared to reveal everything, I felt a strange calm. I wasn’t worried about what they’d say. I just knew that, for once, I was ready to do things honestly and with Mary by my side.