Rita is a timid girl who was bullied throughout school. Her life improved when she went to college and met kind people who didn't care about her appearance, but the trauma of being bullied never truly left her. She is now twenty-five years old. Her parents have tried to find her a suitable husband, but every proposal in the past had ended in rejection, despite her having earned a Master's degree in Business from a top university.
But this morning, something unusual happened.
Her mother came into her room without knocking and tried to wake her up. Rita was still half-asleep, so her mother simply said, "Today, we are going out for lunch, so wear something that looks good on you." Rita nodded and drifted back to sleep.
She woke up at nine o'clock and hurried downstairs for breakfast, only to find everyone already seated at the dining table, all eyes on her. She carefully took her seat without making a sound. Reaching for a slice of bread, she spread some butter on it and began to eat.
Her maternal aunt, Iris, commented, "You want to look fit today, don't you?"
Rita knew they were taking her to meet a prospective groom, but she already knew how it would end, so she had no interest in it. Ignoring her aunt's remark, she continued eating.
Her mother looked at her and sighed. "Do you want to go for a facial or something else?"
Rita froze for a moment but quickly hid her emotions. Then Aunt Iris added, "Don't eat too much, or you'll gain weight. You're already sixty kilograms."
Rita had been hearing comments like these since childhood—about her skin color, her weight, and all the things people thought she should change. She had been bullied her entire life because of her appearance, and over time, it had made her stoic. Now, she no longer wanted to live in a bubble. She simply wanted to live as herself.
She continued eating her breakfast without paying attention to anyone. Both her mother and Aunt Iris, unable to get a reaction from her, resumed drinking their tea.
After breakfast, everyone went to their rooms. A few moments later, her father whispered something to her mother. Soon, her mother followed Rita to her room and said politely, "Dress properly. Your father's friend, Mr. Marchantia, will be there with his only son, Gilbert, and your father is expecting something good from this meeting."
Rita quickly looked at her mother and replied indifferently, "Like it will work."
Her mother sighed. "This time, it will. Don't think too much. Your father will handle everything."
After her mother left, Rita lay down on her bed and began to feel sleepy. Lost in thought, she wondered whether this would work or not. It didn't really matter. She would meet him, eat something delicious, and come back home. This wasn't a job interview; there was no need to overthink.
He was her father's friend's son, so he probably wouldn't be too bad. Maybe they could even have a decent conversation.
But what if he was too handsome?
What would she do then?
Her alarm rang, pulling her back to reality. She got ready, wearing a dark peach dress and straightening her hair.
When she came downstairs, everyone was already prepared and waiting for her. Her mother smiled, kissed her cheek, and said, "You look beautiful today."
They soon arrived at the venue. Rita stared out the car window at the magnificent seven-star hotel. Only the wealthiest people could afford a place like this. As they approached the entrance, her heartbeat quickened.
Rita's entire family entered the restaurant, where a private dining area had been reserved by her father. No one except the hotel staff could enter.
When the Marchantia family arrived, Rita's father stood up to welcome his friend, William Marchantia, along with his wife, Marina, and their son, Gilbert.
The seating arrangement was quickly decided. Mr. William Marchantia sat beside Rita's father. Rita's mother, Aunt Iris, and Mrs. Marina sat together. Rita found herself seated next to Gilbert.
Gilbert was incredibly handsome. Rita had been stealing glances at him ever since he arrived, though she tried not to make it obvious.
After some polite conversation, Mrs. Marchantia suggested that Gilbert and Rita sit somewhere private so they could talk and get to know each other better.
Rita had a strong feeling that the engagement had already been decided and that this meeting was merely a formality.
But then Gilbert turned to her and said, "I don't want to marry yet, so you'll have to say no when they ask you."