I Agreed to Marry a Man I Didn’t Love to Please My Parents, Until I Met Him — Story of the Day

At 34, my mom decided I needed a husband, so I agreed to a wedding that felt more like a duty than a dream. I was marrying Matt, a kind and reliable man, but I felt no spark. The wedding was my mom’s project, and I went along to keep the peace. But as the day approached, doubt filled me.

One day, while shopping for my dress, my mom beamed at me, saying it was every woman’s dream to be a bride. I smiled through the discomfort, knowing this wasn’t my dream.

Later, at a café, I noticed a man, Chris, whose smile caught my attention. We accidentally swapped coffee orders, and when he apologized, he slipped a note with his number into my hand. I tried to ignore it, but my doubts about the wedding led me to text him.

We met at the café, and Chris greeted me with a smile, handing me my coffee. For the first time in a long while, I felt alive.