Get out, you ungrateful girl! shouted her father, and Alice left the house without looking back. It had been eight years since shed lost her mum, and now, at eighteen, Alice had finished her final year at medical college with top honours, earning herself a gold medal. She dreamed of following in her mums footsteps, but her dad had different plans, which he revealed as a surprise. He announced her engagement to the son of his old friend.
Wrestling with her feelings but determined to chase her own dreams, Alice moved into a student halls, and started working part-time at a local café. One evening, as her shift was winding down, she spotted a smartly dressed, dark-haired man sitting in the café he looked like someone who belonged in a fancy restaurant, not their humble coffee shop. Alice couldnt help but notice him.
On her way back to her halls, she bumped into the same man waiting next to his car. He called out, Alice, I need to talk to you. Caught off guard, she stopped to listen. He told her he was her supposed surprise fiancé, the man her dad had arranged for her eighteenth birthday, but he hadnt managed to make it in time.
My names Robert, he introduced himself. Lets ditch the formalities and use first names. Ive got a business proposition for you. Hear me out first, then decide whether youre in or out. Alice agreed to listen.
Robert explained his predicament he wanted to start his own business, but his father was pressuring him into marriage, threatening to take away his company if he didnt comply. He proposed a fake marriage, promising her financial support, her own room, complete independence, and no interference in her life.
Alice was stunned, but needed time to think it through. Robert handed over his business card, asking her to reach out when shed made her decision. After some reflection, Alice decided to call him.
They had a simple wedding, with just their parents present. When they kissed, something sparked between them. Alice whispered to Robert that she was starting to like him, and he responded happily. Over the next few months, that spark grew into genuine love, and eventually, they both realised the depth of their feelings for each other.
