.jpg)
My Boyfriend Proposed to Me Only 3 Months after We Met — I Was over the Moon until I Found Out Why
The instant chemistry between Ava and Ethan sets off a whirlwind romance full of romantic dates and meaningful chats. After just three months, Ethan pops the question, and Ava is ecstatic. However, as their wedding draws near, a shocking discovery puts their idyllic romance in jeopardy.
Do you ever have those times that seem like they belong in a romance book? That’s me when I first met Ethan on a bright spring day.
As I was browsing the bookshelves at my favorite bookstore/coffee shop, our hands happened to come into contact.
Of all things, we reached for the same copy of Pride and Prejudice. I recall melting somewhat into his warm brown eyes as I looked up. My heart skipped a beat when he gave me a charming smile full of dimples.
“Well, I apologize,” he said. “Looks like we have the same taste in books.”
I gave a tense laugh. “No issue. It’s yours to have.”
“How about we share it?” He leaned close enough so that I could smell his woodsy fragrance. “Over coffee, perhaps?”
I couldn’t possibly say no. We sat drinking coffee and talking about our favorite books while lounging on a comfortable sofa in a shop corner. I was completely enamored with him by the time he asked for my number.
That was the beginning of our brief love affair. Dinners alfresco, unannounced weekend trips, and those long, late-night talks that give you the impression that you’ve known someone forever.
I had the impression that I was in a romantic comedy. That’s when I should have known it was too wonderful to be true.
Ethan proposed to me in that very coffee shop three months after we first met. The sky had been painted in pink and orange tones around sunset, giving the entire area the appearance of a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
He abruptly got down on one knee as we were enjoying our customary place on the sofa. He handed out a ring that shone almost as much as his eyes, and my heart skipped a beat.
“In such a short period of time, Ava, you’ve filled my life with so much joy. Are you going to marry me?
I nodded, struggling to find the right words as tears welled up in my eyes. “Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes!”
He smiled and took me in his arms after putting the ring on my finger. It was flawless.
We chose to have a small, private wedding a few miles outside of town at a location on the lake. Just our closest friends and family made reservations for the weekend.
The pre-wedding celebration was a happy jumble of sincere toasts, clinking glasses, and laughter.
Olivia, Ethan’s sister, was her typical lively self, flying around and making everyone laugh with her sharp comments.
I jokingly said, “Olivia, you’re going to spill that drink,” as we headed to the restrooms. Olivia waved her glass wildly. She laughed me off right away.
“You know, I still can’t believe you two managed to pull this off,” commented Olivia. She made a subtle shift in her look, but I was too busy enjoying the celebrations to notice.
I tilted my head, confused. “Pull what off?”
“The whole fake marriage thing,” she remarked nonchalantly as she took a sip of her beverage. “I mean, I know it was the only way for Ethan to get the inheritance, but you two deserve an Oscar for this performance.”
My heart fell. “What do you mean, fake marriage?”
Olivia became much more aware of her error. Her expression paled as she blurted, “Wait, you didn’t know?” “I thought… I thought you were in on it.”
A chilling sense of horror swept over me. “In on what?”
Olivia turned to look around and spoke less loudly. “Ethan’s bequest. A clause in our grandfather’s will said that Ethan would only get his portion if he married within six months of the will being read. We all believed that this arrangement was merely practical.”
I staggered backward, experiencing a sensation of the earth being lifted off of me. The realization caused the room to appear to spin.
Everything, including the impulsive proposal and the passionate gestures, was done to get money. There was never a real moment in my connection with Ethan.
It was unbelievable to me. I waited until Ethan was sound asleep, the only sound in the room being his steady breathing. The bedside table had his phone.
Shaking with desperation, I took it up, desperate to discover the whole truth. I started reading his texts, and what I discovered broke my heart.
His pals received joke texts making fun of the circumstances. He had written, “Just a few more months and the inheritance is mine.” “Can’t believe she fell for it.”
With every message, my heart grew weaker and weaker, his harsh words driving a deeper wound than any physical one. He had taken advantage of me and played me for money. Even if I had truly loved him, all I was to him was a means to an end.
I felt foolish, like a gullible young girl who had trusted fairy tales.
However, something within of me suddenly ignited. I returned to bed after placing his phone back where I had found it. I knew just how to make Ethan feel bad about pretending to be me
When the wedding day finally arrived, the location was breathtaking. Every nook and cranny had flowers, and the visitors were enveloped in a mystical atmosphere created by the gentle glow of fairy lights. But the betrayal I harbored inside of me was heavy, weighing my heart down.
I had the impression that I was marching toward my own execution as I made my way down the aisle. Ethan appeared to be a very attractive groom as he stood at the altar, but I could now see right through his façade. I saw the cunning, heartless man who had played me.
When it came my turn to pronounce my vows, I inhaled deeply and spoke in a firm yet passionate tone.
“Ethan,” I started, “I believed I had discovered the love of my life when we first met. I had faith in the two of us and our future together. However, I’m come today to reveal the truth, not to wed you.”
A whisper swept among the attendees, bewilderment and inquisitiveness blending in their gazes. There was a flash of worry on Ethan’s face as his smile faded.
“You see, this wedding was never about love for Ethan,” I said, raising my voice more and more. It has to do with money. I was the ideal pawn in his scheme as he needed to get married in order to inherit his fortune.”
Ethan’s face became pale as gasps rose into the air. He growled, “Ava, what are you doing?” and reached out to take my hand, but I resisted.
“I’m taking back my value,” I declared as I stood erect. “I should be loved for who I am, not for what I can do for other people. I will not wed a man who regards me as only an instrument for his personal benefit.”
I turned and left the altar after that, my heart racing but my spirit lifted. I was free, but I was also pursued by astonishment and gossip. His deception no longer chained me.
Ethan made several attempts to get in touch with me in the days that followed, but I declined to talk to him. Every phone contact and text served as a reminder of the betrayal I had experienced. I required time to work through my feelings and recover from the severe injuries he had caused.
My loved ones came together to assist me; their kindness was a salve to my wounded heart. My closest friend Lisa supported me and assisted me in putting the pieces of my life back together.
She grasped my hand and murmured, “Ava, you’re stronger than you realize.” “You deserve so much better than him.”
With their support and affection, I gradually started to put myself back together. I concentrated on the things that made me happy, including reconnecting with long-neglected interests and spending time with people who actually cared about me.
I returned to the coffee shop where it all started, not to mope about in the past but to take back a place that made me happy.
I felt at ease one evening as the sun descended and covered the well-known area in a pleasant glow. Despite going through a lot, I came out stronger and more resilient.
Despite the fact that Ethan’s deceit and manipulation nearly broke me, in the end, he simply made me more determined.
I had faith that I would eventually find true love and someone who would accept me for who I really was. Up until that point, I was happy to accept the process of healing and self-discovery and to recognize my value.
It occurs to me as I sit here and think back on everything that transpired that life is full of unexpected turns and twists.
What counts is the way we decide to handle them. I made the decision to defend my own interests, turn away from dishonesty, and accept my own power.
And in making that decision, I discovered a love for myself—a type of love I had never experienced before.
