“You look beautiful, Ingrid,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
“Thanks, Dad,” I replied, forcing a smile. Inside, my heart was a storm of emotions. I didn’t love Nick, not in the way a bride should love her groom. But I had agreed to this, and there was no turning back.
My father walked me down the aisle, and I felt the weight of 200 pairs of eyes on us. The church was filled with friends, family, and business associates of both families.
Standing at the altar, I kept my eyes on Nick, looking handsome in his tuxedo. But his eyes were distant, and there was a tightness around his mouth that I couldn’t ignore.
Suddenly, just as we reached the front, Nick walked out of the church without a word, leaving me standing there in stunned silence.
At the point, the room was filled with gasps and whispers. I felt tears in my eyes. Humiliation and disappointment washed over me. What was I supposed to do now?
Before I could process what was happening, the church doors swung open with a loud bang. A rugged, bearded man strode in, his eyes locked on mine. My heart skipped a beat as he walked straight towards me, dropping to one knee in front of everyone.
“Will you marry me?” he asked, his voice firm and clear. The crowd gasped, and I felt the world spin around me.
“This can’t be,” I stammered through my tears. “I thought you were dead.”
“You can’t marry him,” my father exclaimed, his voice filled with anger and confusion. “Because he is…”
“…Michael, my high school love,” I finished, my voice trembling. Memories flooded back; our plans to get married, the secret meetings, and the heartbreak when I was told he had d!ed.
Michael looked into my eyes, his voice filled with longing. “Ingrid, I never stopped loving you. Not for a single moment. I wanted to come back for you, but your father…”
“He forbade our relationship,” I interrupted, my heart aching at the memory. “He said you were no good for me, that you would ruin my future. And then, your mother… she told me you were gone. I was devastated. How could she do that?”
Michael’s expression became serious. “She didn’t have a choice. Ingrid, your father threatened to ruin my life if I married you. He bribed my mother to tell you I was dead and warned me that if I didn’t disappear, he would take everything from my family.”
Michael, of course, was telling the truth. It wasn’t difficult for my father to turn the entire town against him because he was a well-known lawyer with many connections.
Shaking my head, I tried to make sense of it all. “I didn’t know how to live without you. But my father… he was relentless. He insisted I marry Nick, the son of his friend and business partner.”
Much to my surprise, Nick stepped forward. “Ingrid, I never wanted to deceive you. When I confided in you about my situation and said I couldn’t tell my father, it was the truth. I was desperate, and you were the only one I trusted.”
I nodded, remembering our conversation late one night in the garden when Nick told me he was gay.
“I agreed to the sham wedding because it seemed like the best solution for both of us. We thought we could protect each other from our fathers’ expectations.”
Nick looked at Michael, then back at me. “But when Michael contacted me, everything changed. I realized you deserved to be with the person you truly loved. That’s why I walked out today.”
Michael took my hands in his, and he was determined. “Ingrid, I had to come back for you. I couldn’t let you marry someone else. When my mother let slip that you were getting married, I knew I had to stop it.”
I stared at him, overwhelmed. “How did you manage to come back? I thought you had nothing, that you were powerless against my father.”
Michael smiled softly. “I moved to Switzerland and started my own IT company. It was hard at first, but the business took off. My financial situation has changed.”
I was a whirlpool of emotions, feeling both relief and disbelief. “All this time, you were fighting to get back to me?”
Michael nodded, his voice breaking. “I never gave up on us, Ingrid. Not for a moment.”
The reality of the situation sank in, and I felt a surge of hope. “We can finally be together,” I whispered, my heart swelling.
Nick gave us a small smile. “You two deserve this. And I’m happy I could help make it happen.”
Michael’s words struck me like a bolt of lightning. “I can support us now, Ingrid. I’m not afraid of your father’s influence because I have money and connections too,” he said.
Tears streamed down my face as I turned to my father, my voice shaking with anger and betrayal. “How could you lie to me like this?”
My father’s face was pale, his eyes filled with regret. “I only wanted the best for you,” he stammered.
“I will never forgive you!” I shouted, my heart breaking with each word. The betrayal cut deep, and I felt a chasm open between us. I turned back to Michael, the man who had come back from the dead for me.
As I clung to him, I explained about my failed sham marriage attempt. “Michael, you should know that Nick and I… it was just a way to protect him and to escape from my father’s control. We were never meant to be.”
Michael held my face in his hands, his eyes filled with love and determination. “I know. Nick told me everything. Now, if you’re ready, we can get married, as everything is already paid for,” he said, his voice steady and reassuring.
Of course, I was ready. Being with Michael was all I had ever dreamed of, all I had ever wanted. Hugging him tightly, I whispered, “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you.”
My father stepped forward, his voice hardening. “You won’t get married using my money.”
Without missing a beat, Michael looked my father in the eye and said, “Send me the bill.”
We walked to the altar together, hand in hand. The guests whispered, their faces a blend of shock and curiosity. I couldn’t believe it was finally happening. Just a few more minutes before Michael and I would eternalize our love, breaking free from the shackles of my dad’s stronghold.
The priest, visibly concerned about the dramatic turn of events, gave us a hesitant smile and began his speech. As he spoke, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. This moment, which had started as a nightmare, was transforming into something beautiful.
The ceremony was surreal. Michael’s hands were warm in mine, and as we exchanged vows, it felt like the world outside the church faded away.
“Ingrid Peterson, I promise to love you every moment of forever. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Michael said, his gaze melting my heart.
“Yes, I will marry you,” I replied, my heart fluttering like an overexcited bird.
When the priest finally pronounced us husband and wife, a cheer erupted from the guests. It was the most joyous sound I had ever heard.
Right after the wedding, Michael whisked me away to Europe. We rented a cozy apartment in a picturesque town, nestled between rolling hills and sparkling rivers. It was everything we had dreamed of back in high school, and now it was our reality.
One morning, as we sat on our balcony, sipping coffee and watching the sunrise, Michael turned to me. “Do you ever regret it?” he asked softly.
I looked at him, my heart full. “Not for a second,” I replied. “This is where I’m meant to be, with you.”
While life wasn’t perfect, it was ours. We built a life together, filled with dreams and possibilities. Michael’s business continued to grow, and I found joy in writing, something I had always loved but never pursued. Our future was bright, and together, we felt unstoppable.
Though I was happy, there was a shadow over my heart: my father. He was deeply offended by my decision, and we stopped communicating. The silence between us was painful, but I knew it was necessary for my own peace.
My mother kept me updated on the family, her letters filled with news and love. She understood why I had made the choices I did, and that was a small comfort.
Years passed, and the pain of my father’s betrayal slowly faded. One day, out of the blue, I received a letter from him. It was an apology, filled with regret and a plea for forgiveness.
Michael looked at me as I read the letter, concern in his eyes. “What does it say?” he asked gently.
“It’s from my father,” I said, my voice trembling. “He’s apologizing. He wants to rebuild our relationship.”
Michael squeezed my hand. “What do you want to do?”
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my father’s words. “I think… I think I need to give him a chance. For both our sakes.”
Though it took time, eventually, we began to rebuild our relationship. It wasn’t easy, and it would never be the same, but it was a start. In the end, what seemed like a catastrophe became my greatest blessing.
I found my true love, reclaimed my life, and learned to stand up for myself. Michael and I faced every challenge together, and our love only grew stronger. As we looked towards the future, I knew that no matter what came our way, we would face it hand in hand, just as we always had.
