Marrying a Stranger’s Scheme

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After I turned thirty, my mom nagged me daily about going on blind dates.

After twenty-nine failed attempts, she introduced me to a man named Marcus Hayes.

To my surprise, this guy seemed pretty decent.

He personally prepared candlelit dinners for me and designed a birthday bracelet just for me.

Until I stumbled upon a post on Instagram:

"Bros, I've hooked a rich girl. Both parents are state government officials, family owns three mansions. She's average-looking but super easy to fool.

We've met three times now, should be able to get her in bed next time."

When I saw the photos attached, my blood ran cold.

The pictures showed the dinner he'd made for me and the bracelet I was wearing.

Someone asked how he planned to get me into bed.

He replied smugly in the comments:

"Easy! Just slip her some aphrodisiacs! That's how I got the last girl."

Right then, my phone buzzed with a message from Marcus:

"Evelyn, free tomorrow night? Let me take you to dinner?"

I read the post several times, unable to believe that Marcus -- who seemed so proper in person -- could be this disgusting online.

But the photos were right there. That was my dress, my hand. How could I not recognize myself?

The evidence was irrefutable.

Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I took a deep breath and texted back:

"Sure, see you tomorrow night."

The next day at the restaurant, I found Marcus already there with all the dishes ordered.

Seeing me enter, he quickly stood up with a smile and pulled out my chair:

"Evelyn, you look beautiful today."

The perfect gentleman.

I'd barely touched my food when he said:

"Evelyn, we've met several times now. We should make things official. My mom says she wants to arrange our engagement next week."

Including today, we'd only met four times. We hadn't even confirmed our relationship, and he wanted to get engaged?

I swallowed the curse on my tongue. "Marcus, I don't think we're compatible."

Marcus's smile froze. "What are you saying, Evelyn?"

"I'm saying I don't think we're right for each other. You can't force a relationship. Let's not contact each other anymore."

Marcus's face immediately darkened.

"Evelyn, what's your problem? Are you playing games with me?"

"Why go on blind dates if you don't want a relationship?"

I listened silently without responding.

Marcus sneered and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, slapping it on the table. "Fine, you want to break up? Let's settle the bill first."

I looked down to see an itemized dating expense list!

A long, dense column of numbers with a clear total at the bottom: 0-02,047.

I was shocked and looked up at him.

His expression was completely matter-of-fact. "Not a penny less."

"But I also treated you. It's not like you paid for everything."

I'd spent about as much on our dates as he had.

"That was your choice. I didn't force you."

I laughed in disbelief. "You're charging me for gas money to drive here?"

The list showed 0-020 for gas, but his drive was only twenty minutes.

"Would I make the trip if not to see you? Who else should pay for it?"

I pointed at the $280 haircut entry. "What does your haircut have to do with me?"

"Wouldn't have gotten a haircut if not to see you," Marcus said righteously.

I nearly choked with anger. "Then show me the receipts, the order screenshots. Let's go through this line by line. Empty claims won't do."

Marcus slammed his hand on the table. "What receipts? You ate and drank on my dime -- don't you have any sense of how much you spent?"

"Never satisfied with freeloading, are you?"

This aggressive display finally matched the sleazy man I'd seen online.

Instead, I calmed down. "How about this -- post this list on your Facebook, get two hundred likes, and I'll transfer the money immediately. Not a penny less."

Marcus's face stiffened. His eyes darted around, then he immediately switched to a nice-guy face. "I was just joking around, Evelyn. I like you and don't want to break up. I was just teasing. Don't take it to heart."

He pushed the orange juice on the table toward me.

"Here, have some juice and cool down."

I stared at the glass of juice for a moment, then reached out and picked it up.

Seeing me pick up the orange juice, Marcus's eyes lit up.

Probably thinking I was about to fall for his trap, he started sweet-talking again.

"Evelyn, I was too impatient just now. You're right -- relationships can't be forced."

"If we're not compatible, that's fine. We can part on good terms and stay friends."

My hand trembled, and the entire glass of orange juice spilled onto the table.

Marcus's face immediately turned green, staring speechlessly at the puddle of juice.

I set down the empty glass and picked up where he left off. "You're right, let's part on good terms."

Right in front of him, I pulled out my phone and called the matchmaker, Mrs. Wilson.

"Evelyn, are you setting a date? I knew Marcus was reliable! Your mom picked the right person!"

"Mrs. Wilson, this match won't work. Marcus and I aren't compatible."

Mrs. Wilson immediately turned hostile. "Not compatible? Evelyn, you're thirty years old -- what are you being picky about?! At this rate, you'll never get married. No one will want you --"

I hung up before she could finish.

Marcus watched this entire smooth operation, completely dumbfounded.

He wanted to lose his temper but couldn't -- after all, he'd just said we should part on good terms.

He glared at me hatefully, stood up, and slammed the door on his way out.

He clearly wouldn't let this go.

Sure enough, two days later at work, a colleague rushed over with news:

"Evelyn, you need to get downstairs! Someone's causing a scene at the company entrance, calling you out by name!"

I went downstairs to find Marcus, his mother, and Mrs. Wilson blocking the company's main entrance, surrounded by a crowd.

Marcus's mother sat on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing:

"Everyone come judge this for yourselves!"

"Evelyn dated my son for half a month, scammed him for meals, drinks, and jewelry -- conned my son out of over ten thousand dollars, then just walked away!"

"We're poor! His father died young, and I raised him alone as a widow. How are we supposed to survive?"

My colleagues whispered among themselves:

"Wow, I never would've guessed. Evelyn seems so honest and proper, but she's actually a gold digger?"

"Over ten thousand? That's way too much. She ate and ran?"

"So shameless. Don't let her ruin our company's reputation!"

Mrs. Wilson yanked me out of the crowd, playing the mediator:

"Evelyn, let me be fair here. Even if you don't want to date him anymore, Marcus spent so much money on you -- you should pay him back, right?"

"Marcus's family isn't well-off. He spent so much on you, and it's all documented! Clear as day!"

She seriously pulled out that same itemized list and shoved it into my arms.

"Just take pity on Mrs. Hayes. Pay her back. She raised Marcus all by herself -- how hard that must have been. Can you bear to watch her kneel here?"

Marcus walked over with a lovelorn expression:

"Evelyn, don't blame my mom. She's just heartbroken for me..."

"I genuinely like you. Can you give me another chance? I promise, all the money I earn will be yours to spend."

The onlookers gave me even more judgmental looks, shaking their heads.

The commotion grew too loud. Our director, Mr. Davis, walked over with a dark expression:

"Evelyn, I don't want to get involved in personal matters, but bringing this to the company is too disruptive. They've even brought an itemized list. Just pay them back quickly, or else the company can't keep you."

After the director spoke, I didn't panic at all. Instead, I smiled.

"I won't give you a single cent."

I said calmly, "Not only won't I pay you, I'm going to collect what you owe me."

Hearing this, Marcus's mother collapsed back to the ground, wailing:

"Help! This girl is trying to kill us!"

"My son works so hard for his money, up early and late every day, barely saved any money and she scammed it all!"

"And now she's turning the tables on us! She's heartless!"

My colleagues also criticized me:

"Evelyn, you're going too far. How can you demand money from them? Playing the victim!"

"Exactly! Debts must be repaid -- it's only right. Have some shame!"

The director had lost his patience. "Evelyn, pay up now. Stop embarrassing yourself!"

I ignored them and held up the itemized list for everyone to see.

"Everyone, look carefully. This is what he wants me to repay."

"Marcus and I ate four meals together. He paid for two, I paid for two. I have payment receipts."

"Why is he charging me for all four meals?"

The murmuring stopped as everyone crowded over to look.

I pointed at the list and continued:

"He drove to the restaurant -- twenty minutes according to GPS. But he charges 0-020 for gas each time, four times totaling $480."

Marcus's mother stopped crying and jumped up, shouting:

"So what if he made a mistake! Everyone makes mistakes with their accounting!"

"You're nitpicking these tiny errors just to avoid paying!"

"My son spent so much money on you, and you have the nerve to find fault? You have no conscience!"

But my colleagues' expressions had already changed:

"Four hundred dollars off is a small error? This is clearly inflated!"

"The gas doesn't add up either. A twenty-minute drive doesn't cost 0-020. This is fraud."

"I don't think this is as simple as it seems."

Seeing things turn against them, Marcus's mother lunged to grab the list, but several colleagues who wanted to see more drama held her back.

I simply read aloud:

"Pre-date chewing gum, $20. Haircut, $280. Car wash, 0-080. Phone bill, $80..."

"Marcus, you took me to a movie, I bought you bubble tea. I never took advantage of you."

"But why should I pay for the chewing gum you chewed before our date, your haircut, your car wash?"

The crowd erupted:

"What the hell? He's charging her for his haircut? And car wash fees? Is this dating or a business transaction?"

"The prices are wrong too! Twenty dollars for chewing gum? One-eighty for a car wash? Think we're idiots?"

"This is ridiculous! He's clearly trying to scam her!"

The onlookers turned against them. Marcus's face alternated between red and white as he shouted desperately:

"Don't let her mislead you! These expenses are real!"

"I gave her a gold bracelet worth $6,888! That's real gold!"

I laughed coldly and pulled the bracelet from my pocket, holding it up for everyone to see:

"This bracelet isn't gold at all!"

A colleague who knew jewelry took it and looked it over, immediately laughing:

"It's fake. Same one's online for $9.99 with free shipping."

Now the crowd was truly furious, pointing and cursing at them:

"You gave her a fake gift and have the nerve to cause a scene at her company? What shameless liars!"

"This guy's just a scammer! Call the police!"

I looked at Marcus, my tone ice-cold:

"You gave me a $9.99 knockoff, but I gave you a genuine watch worth $7,000."

"Seven thousand dollars. Pay me back now."

The crowd also demanded he return the money, with some saying they'd call the police.

Marcus's face turned ashen as he pulled out his phone and made the transfer.

Marcus's mother tried to stop him, but Marcus pulled her aside and whispered something. She went quiet.

After Marcus paid, he dragged his mother away.

As she left, she shot me a venomous glare and hissed through clenched teeth:

"This isn't over! You'll see!"

That weekend, I was resting at home when someone pounded frantically on the door.

My mom opened it to find our neighbor Mrs. Peterson looking anxious:

"Dr. Brooks, you need to go see! Several people are livestreaming at our community entrance, saying your family scammed them for money and emotions!"

I thought, finally, it's happening. I immediately opened a livestreaming app, searched nearby locations, and quickly found it.

Marcus had gotten a major influencer account with hundreds of thousands of followers. The host was speaking passionately:

"Folks, today I'm seeking justice for this heartbroken young man who was scammed out of his wedding money!"

In the video, Marcus looked haggard as he complained:

"Evelyn and I dated for six months. Our relationship was great -- we were even discussing marriage."

"Her parents demanded $200,000 for the wedding money. We scraped together every penny, but after she took the money, she turned on me and blocked me..."

Marcus's mother knelt on the ground, kowtowing and crying heart-wrenchingly:

"I'm a widow... that $200,000 came from selling our family home and borrowing from relatives!"

"Now his fiance has run off, the house is gone, the debts remain, and we don't even have a place to live!"

"We can't go on!"

Mrs. Wilson also spoke righteously:

"I've been a matchmaker my whole life, and I've never seen such a black-hearted family!"

"I personally watched Marcus hand $200,000 in cash to Evelyn's mother. Her mother was grinning from ear to ear when she took the money!"

The livestream flooded with hundreds of thousands of viewers, comments overwhelmingly cursing us:

[Marriage fraud! Scammer!]

[Expose her! Destroy her reputation!]

[Someone like this is a teacher?]

My parents and I had just reached the community entrance when the livestream camera shoved into our faces.

Marcus's mother pointed at me and shrieked:

"That's her! Everyone help me make her pay back the money!"

She pointed at my parents and cursed viciously:

"Hiding behind the facade of educators, doing such immoral things!"

Instantly, the neighbors present and online viewers all cursed our family:

"Scammer! Pay them back!"

My parents were bewildered. My mom's legs went weak with fear as she frantically waved her hands:

"We never took any wedding money! My daughter never even dated him!"

The viewers didn't believe it. The comments grew even more vicious:

[The scammer's still trying to lie!]

[Playing innocent! The evidence is right here!]

Mrs. Wilson walked over smugly and said to my mom:

"Old friend, so many people are watching. Just pay them back. Otherwise, your Evelyn will never find anyone to marry her!"

I quickly supported my mother, reassuring them, "Mom, Dad, don't worry. Let me handle this."

The host approached me:

"This is the person in question, Evelyn."

"They say you took $200,000 and then blocked them. What do you have to say? When will you pay them back?"

I looked into the camera, calm and composed:

"Marcus and his family are spreading lies. They have no evidence. I refuse to acknowledge this."

Marcus was prepared:

"We gave cash! Mrs. Wilson is our witness!"

I laughed coldly. "If you have evidence, if you were scammed out of $200,000, why didn't you report it to the police?"

I pulled out my phone, found that post, held it up to the livestream camera, and said word by word:

"They have no evidence, but I do!"