Within minutes, Julia’s phone was inundated. Her friends were taken aback and angry. They had never even heard of Harold before. Who was this man and what could she possibly want with someone so old? They berated her for keeping it a secret, and her closest friend even confessed her disgust. “How can you fall in love with a man like that?!” she exclaimed, “Do you even find him attractive?”. Julia already knew the answer and wished she could reveal the truth but fear held her tongue.
Julia’s decision to marry Harold felt akin to jumping off a cliff into a turbulent sea. Such a radical choice was uncharacteristic for her. However, it seemed like she had to say yes, as if the price of marrying him was something she needed.