My name is Anna Brooks, and I’m twenty-six.

I was born in a small, impoverished town in Texas, where the sun burned my skin and the dry wind carried the scent of withered grass. My father died young, and my mother fell gravely ill. At sixteen, I had to drop out of school and move to Houston to work as a maid.

I worked for the Harrison family—one of the wealthiest and most prominent real estate families. Their only son, Ethan Harrison, thirty-one, was handsome and well-educated, but always kept his distance from everyone.

For nearly three years, I quietly served the family—cleaning, cooking, bowing, keeping my head down. I never imagined that the name “Anna Brooks” would ever be paired with “Harrison.”

The Strange Proposal

One morning, Mrs. Caroline Harrison summoned me to the living room. She placed a marriage certificate on the table and said calmly:

“Anna, if you agree to marry Ethan, the $2 million lakeside villa in Austin will be in your name. It’s a wedding gift from my family.”

I was stunned.

A maid like me—marrying the only son of the Harrison family?

I thought she was joking at first, but the seriousness in her eyes told me otherwise. My mother needed medical care, and this might be the only way to save her. My mind told me to refuse—but my trembling heart nodded.

The wedding was held at a luxury hotel in downtown Houston. I wore the white gown Caroline had chosen and walked down the aisle under hundreds of curious eyes. I didn’t smile. I clenched my hands to stop them from shaking.

Ethan maintained his usual cold, distant expression. Not once did he glance my way. I thought, Maybe I’m just a gift—a “nominal wife” to please his mother.

The Wedding Night

That night, in the lakeside villa, I sat by the bed, hands trembling. Outside, rain tapped gently against the glass doors.

Ethan entered with a glass of water, his steps slightly uneven.

“Drink this,” he said softly. “You look nervous.”

I nodded, my heart pounding. He sat at the edge of the bed and turned off the light. Silence fell.

I closed my eyes, bracing for what every bride is “supposed” to endure.

Moments later, I heard him whisper:

“You can sleep, Anna. I won’t touch you… not until you’re ready.”

I opened my eyes. He lay on his side, back facing me, keeping distance as if afraid the smallest touch might hurt me.

In that moment, my heart softened. I never expected the man everyone thought was cold could be so gentle.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains. A breakfast tray sat on the table: a glass of warm milk, an egg sandwich, and a note:

“Went to the office. Don’t go out if it rains. – E.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. For more than twenty years, I had cried over betrayal—but this was the first time I cried because someone cared.

The Truth Behind the Marriage

Weeks later, I overheard Caroline speaking to her personal doctor:

“My heart’s failing. I just want Ethan to have someone beside him when I’m gone. Anna’s kind. She won’t leave him because of his condition.”

I realized the truth: Ethan had a congenital defect that made it impossible for him to fulfill a typical husband’s role. I hadn’t been traded for a villa—I had been chosen out of love and trust. From that day, I vowed never to leave him.

One stormy night, Ethan suffered a severe heart attack. Panicked, I rushed him to the hospital. In delirium, he gripped my hand:

“If one day you get tired, you can leave. The house… it’s yours. I don’t want you to suffer because of me.”

I squeezed his hand. “I’m not leaving. You are my husband, Ethan. You are my home.”

He opened his eyes and smiled—the first I had seen since our wedding.

A New Chapter

We didn’t have a “normal” marriage, but what we shared was far more precious: respect, understanding, and enduring love. The villa, once a gift of pity, became our true home. I planted chrysanthemums on the porch; Ethan painted in the living room. In the evenings, we drank tea, listened to the rain, and shared simple dreams.

Perhaps happiness isn’t about perfection—it’s about finding someone who chooses to love you, despite everything. And I had found that love that trembling wedding night.

Ten Years Later

Ten years passed. The lakeside villa flourished with flower beds I planted. Ethan, forty-one, works as a freelance landscape painter and teaches art. I run a small flower shop. Our life is peaceful and simple.

One morning, a doctor told us something extraordinary: modern surgery could restore Ethan fully. My heart raced. On the way home, I asked softly:

“Ethan… do you want to try?”

He hesitated. “I’m afraid… if it fails, I’ll lose everything—including you.”

“You won’t lose me. No matter what happens,” I whispered.

Months later, he underwent surgery. It lasted over seven hours. When the doctor emerged, he said:

“The surgery was successful. But he’ll need time to recover.”

I stayed by his side, guiding him through rehabilitation. One year later, he fully recovered. He could walk, run, and dream again.

On the porch of our villa, we sat with tea, remembering that rainy wedding night. Ethan held my hand:

“You are the dream I never believed I deserved. And this—our Lakeside Dreams.”

Two years later, we adopted a little orphan girl, Lily. Our villa was filled with laughter once more.

Ethan would say:

“I used to think my flaws made me lose everything. But they helped me find you.”

I would smile:

“And you are the most perfect thing life gave me—just a little late.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the villa shimmered in gold. Our dream by the lake wasn’t a fairy tale—it was proof that true love can overcome every human limit.