Mark had just finished university and decided it was time to marry his first love from secondary school, Emily. Emily was smart and charming, a truly lovely English girl. At that time, she was working on her masters dissertation. The young couple agreed that they would get married as soon as she finished her thesis.
Mark resolved to share the news with his mother, but her response was far from joyful. She firmly told Mark that he must either marry Sarah from next door or not marry at all. Then she asked him outright what mattered more to him: ambition or love? His mother always dreamed that Mark would become a distinguished gentleman.
Sarah came from a well-to-do family and, to make things more complicated, had always fancied Mark, but he loved Emily, whose family lived modestly. Emilys mother carried somewhat of a questionable reputation in the village What would people think?
I dont need another daughter-in-law, so do as you please, his mother declared coldly.
Mark pleaded with his mother for quite some time, but she would not budge. Finally, she threatened that if he married Emily, she would curse their marriage. This frightened Mark deeply. He continued to see Emily for another six months, but gradually, their relationship faded away.
In the end, Mark married Sarah. She loved him dearly, but they chose not to have a wedding ceremonyMark couldnt bear the thought of Emily stumbling upon wedding photos. Given her familys wealth, Mark moved into her parents grand house. Her family even gave him a leg up the career ladder. Yet, despite the privileges, happiness eluded him.
Mark had no desire for children. When Sarah realised she would never change his mind, she filed for divorce herself. By the time it was settled, Mark was already forty, and Sarah was thirty-eight. She went on to remarry, have a child, and found real happiness.
Mark longed for the life he had dreamed of with Emily. He tried desperately to find her, but she had vanished without a trace. Eventually, a friend told him that after they split, Emily had hastily married the first man she met, who turned out to be a brute. He had beaten her, and she had tragically died from the violence.
After learning about Emilys fate, Mark moved back into his parents old flat and drank away his days. He would sit and stare at a photograph of Emily, forever unable to forgive his own mother.
The story reminds us: choosing ambition or others approval over true love may only lead to lifelong regret. True happiness lies in staying true to ones own heart.
