“Marry!? Marry John Walker!?” Elizabeth Stewart’s exclamation was a mixture of surprise and happiness.

 “Yes, that’s right,” Helen confirmed with a calculated smile. 

Helen was Elizabeth’s stepmother, and she saw  in that marriage the salvation of the Stewart family; knowing her stepdaughter’s feelings for John since adolescence, this would make everything easier. 

“Do you accept?”

“But how? We barely know each other…” Lizzie, as she was called, had always been in love with John, but her shyness had prevented her from confessing her feelings. 

“Let me explain. You know it’s common among wealthy families to enter into marriage contracts for mutual benefit. Isn’t that right, dear?” 

She turned to the apathetic man beside her, Peter, Elizabeth’s father.

“Yes, dear,” Peter murmured, looking at his daughter. “But only if you agree to the terms.”

“Of course she’ll agree,” said Helen, in an authoritative tone. Peter, as always, simply went along with her decisions.

“But… why? I don’t understand.” Elizabeth frowned, confused.

“We’re facing difficulties at the steel mill,” Helen admitted, omitting the fact that they were practically bankrupt. 

Despite Peter’s good intentions as a manager, she had squandered a large portion of their assets through irresponsible spending and investments. 

“The Walkers’ proposal would not only get us out of these difficulties, but it would also bring great benefits.”

Those benefits would be for her and Peter, a fact she deliberately left out.

“And why me? There are so many girls who are richer, prettier, and… more suitable.” 

Elizabeth remembered how John had always been the center of attention among the young women of high society; they all tried to snag him in some way. 

She, discreet and reserved, had never dared to stand out.

“Listen, dear…” Helen rarely used that term without ulterior motives. “The deal is simple. You just need to stay married to John for three years, until he officially takes over as president of the Walker Group. It’s a requirement from his grandfather. He’ll only consider him fit to take the position if he’s married. It’s a way of demonstrating responsibility. And by then, who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love for real?” she said, winking.

“And John? Was it him who suggested this?” Elizabeth asked, her heart racing.

“This was agreed upon by the families. If he wants to be president of the Walker Group, he’ll have to accept it. He hasn’t married yet, and the pressure from his grandfather is immense—either he marries, or the management of one of the country’s largest conglomerates will pass to third parties.” 

“So he didn’t choose me…” she murmured, disappointed.

“That’s irrelevant! The important thing is that you’ll be Mrs. Walker! Just imagine the look on the faces of those girls who used to look down on you,” said Helen, already picturing herself as the mother-in-law of one of the most powerful men in the country.

But Elizabeth never cared about status. What really mattered to her was love.

She was so radiant she didn’t even bother to find out the terms of the agreement that would seal her future. 

She was completely unaware of the family’s debts, as her father and stepmother had hidden the truth from her and her half-brother, Edward, while trying to maintain a lifestyle they could no longer afford.

Lizzie’s mother had passed away when she was only seven years old. 

Her father, devastated by the loss, sank into deep sadness, becoming apathetic and distant, almost absent from his daughter’s life. 

A year later, he remarried Helen, a cold, manipulative, and greedy woman. With her, he had Edward, who soon became the center of attention.

The boy grew up spoiled, while Lizzie was increasingly neglected. Her father did everything Helen wanted, and in front of him, she even pretended to show some affection for Lizzie.

Lizzie, for her part, had harbored a crush on John from the moment she saw him, shortly after turning seventeen. 

He even showed some interest, which had her on cloud nine. However, she was still very young, and soon left to study abroad. 

They would occasionally run into each other at social events attended by both families, but they rarely spoke. 

Since John’s family was one of the wealthiest and most influential in the country, there was no shortage of young women trying to win him over. 

Lizzie, despite being naturally cheerful and spontaneous, became shy in his presence. Still, it was evident to everyone that she was blossoming into an increasingly beautiful and attractive young woman.

After completing her business degree at her father’s insistence and taking a culinary course, she dreamed of opening a business in the field. 

She studied at one of the most renowned culinary schools in France, worked with famous chefs, and even won a competition.

She was about to share her plans with her family, but the news of the wedding drastically changed her plans and dreams. 

Lizzie believed she was living a fairy tale. She dreamed that, in time, she would win John’s heart. 

She already imagined him in love with her, just like in the romance novels she read as a teenager. For so many years, she had nurtured a love that was pure, sincere, but also naive.

Little did she know that this marriage was a death sentence.