He was young, handsome, rich, and bursting with confidence. In elite circles, he was known as Alex — heir to a construction empire and a regular in society gossip columns.
One evening, over expensive whiskey, a friend joked about Milena — the daughter of a powerful local oligarch.
“She’s… let’s just say, not exactly model-thin,” one of them snickered. “Would anyone dare?”
“I would,” Alex replied coolly.
“Seriously?” they laughed.
“Let’s make a bet,” he said, smirking as he took a sip. “Give me three months. I won’t just make her fall in love — I’ll propose. And she’ll say yes.”
The table fell silent.
“If you marry her, each of us gives you a hundred grand. If not — you owe us.”
The bet was on.
Milena wasn’t a classic beauty by glossy standards, but she radiated warmth, sincerity, and a quiet vulnerability that drew people in.
Alex turned on the charm: flowers, romantic walks, sweet words. He played the part of the devoted lover so well, he nearly convinced himself.
Milena blossomed. She believed she had finally found someone who saw her — truly saw her — beyond appearances.
When he proposed, she wept with joy. The whole town buzzed about the unusual engagement.
On the big day, the church was packed with powerful guests, business partners, and family friends. Alex stood confidently at the altar, smiling as he held her hand and vowed:
“Milena, you are my everything. I promise to love you forever, cherish every smile, stand by you in joy and sorrow…”
But she suddenly raised her head. Tears shimmered in her eyes, but her voice was clear:
“I don’t.”
Everyone froze. A glass shattered in the silence.
Milena continued, her voice steady:
“When we met, I thought I’d finally found someone who saw the real me — not just the body. I believed in you.”
A murmur swept through the crowd.
“But I found out the truth. That this was a bet — a game. You never loved me.”
She turned to the guests.
“He made a wager with his friends — that he could make me fall in love, marry me, just to win a pile of cash from my father.”
Milena’s father slowly stood. Three bodyguards behind him followed suit.
“Alex,” he said calmly, “I believe you know the way out. My men will escort you.”
The guards led the groom away in stunned silence.
Milena stood at the altar, tears falling freely but her head held high.
“Today, I was supposed to become someone’s wife,” she said. “Instead, I became a woman who chose herself.”
The room erupted in thunderous applause.
