The Grey family was popular for their wealth. Some say that they could buy all the houses in Beverly Hills with their money. Their history dates as far back as the 1700s, and while many have come and gone, they have been able to maintain their aristocracy.

Richard was the only son of his parents, Franco and Leah Grey. The couple had waited for several years before having him. As expected, they spent their money and time grooming one of the best gentlemen in history.

He was a tall, handsome, black-haired man, refined with impressive manners. Richie, as his mom called him, was the complete package. He was great at holding conversations, and it did not matter the topic.

During his time as a high school student, he was quite popular and was liked by the students and teachers. In university, he commanded the same emotions from people.

Richard was not only famous for his dashing looks or wits but also his gentlemanliness. He never acted like a spoiled brat; the young man often showed kindness and empathy.

He brought joy to many, and the Greys could not be any prouder to show off their perfect son who was going to oversee their estate. But while they felt immense joy at the man they had raised, they were wary about his future.

The couple yearned for grandkids. They wanted Richard to find a suitable wife and bear kids. Leah craved for tiny soldiers, as she called them, and could not wait for it to happen.

She once challenged her husband, who cautioned her to slow down on harassing their son for an offspring. “I never understand you, Franco, you may die before me, and you are not bothered that you may never see his baby?” she queried.

“Oh, come off it, honey! I want the best for him and grandkids like you, but let him take his time. Finding love is not as easy these days,” Franco replied.

“Pffftttt! People get married every day Franco, every day!” screamed the impatient mom. “Getting married and starting a family are two different phases, and our boy has not even entered the first,” Leah added.

Franco’s caution did not change anything for Leah. Whenever she had the chance to see Richie, she never missed talking about her worry of not seeing his kids before dying.

After such conversations, the 36-year-old would say, “But mom, I’m trying to find the right girl. These days, it’s too hard to determine who truly loves you.”

Richard was right. His wealth made it difficult to find the best kind of woman. By his standards, she must be willing to be committed, compassionate, and submissive, not because of his money, but because of the sake of having a successful marriage.

The man wanted to maintain a symbiotic relationship, not a parasitic one. While he churned out a list of what his dream woman must have, he was willing to be the best version of himself and did not mind changing for her. However, she needed to be his Cinderella, the woman who would make his heart skip a beat.

No one knew when it would happen. Not even Richard. However, it happened sooner than he had expected. He met Marlene, a gorgeous woman with a model’s build. He was smitten by her looks and wits. For him, this was the perfect catch.

Richie worked his way into Marlene’s heart. She was not easy to impress, but in the end, the handsome bachelor successfully swept her off her feet; at least, that was the way she described falling in love with him.

A few months after several dates and flower deliveries to her doorstep, the Grey heir asked the million-dollar question. He scheduled a grand proposal and he did get the answer he wanted.

Marlene was set to become his bride with a huge precious rock sitting pretty on her finger. The couple moved in together, and Richard supported his fiancée.

He learned that the woman raised funds for orphanages. This tickled his heart. To Richie, his lover ticked all the boxes, and there was no one he would rather be with.

He sponsored some of her fundraising schemes and projected them among his rich friends. He wanted to help her succeed as much as she wanted to. But this sweet love story soon turned sour when the man decided to test his perfect Cinderella.

One sunny morning, Richard was busy clearing the trunk of his car and putting the garage in order when he witnessed Marlene turn down a homeless old man who had knocked on the front door. She shoved him aside and answered him rudely.

This did not seem right to her fiancé, who was shocked at the harsh treatment. Once he got to the office, he phoned an orphanage where his lover claimed she rendered financial help. To his surprise, they knew nothing about her, neither were they familiar with her project.

The man quickly contacted a private investigator named Sarah. He wanted to be sure of his partner; after all, they would be tying the knot soon. What he found out made him disappointed, but he was not willing to give up.

According to the investigator, Marlene was a fake fundraiser who scammed people of their hard-earned money. She never helped any organization and cared only about herself.

Still, Richard was unwilling to write her off. So he pretended to be a beggar and approached Marlene in his rags, with heavy makeup to conceal his face.

On sighting the poor man on her porch, she hurriedly and angrily dismissed him. “Get off my property, you nitwit! You disgust me!” It did not matter to her that he begged for water or food.

Two days later, the man revisited their home with the costume. But before she could display her lack of empathy, he cleaned up his makeup, revealing his identity while confronting Marlene that he knew all about her true nature.

“Hold it right there. I know all about you, Marlene. I’m guessing that is not even your real name, but what do I care?” the indignant man blurted.

Feeling confused and agitated, Marlene said, “I’m so sorry, Richard, I can explain. It’s, it’s, it’s, not what you think.”

Without hesitation, Richard grabbed her arms angrily and ordered her to leave his home and said, “I am not sure what to think anymore, other than you leave my house and life!”

Shortly after the incident, the lady got arrested, and a few months later, Richie and Sarah began dating. This time, he promised not to rush things while enjoying the dating phase with the investigator. After his ordeal, Leah reluctantly slowed down her bickering and mostly asked Sarah when she would ask her lover to get married.

What lessons can we learn from this story?

• Nothing beats being critical of choices. Richard wanted to know his fiancèe better, even though he had proposed. When he noticed her behavior, red flags glaring at him, he took the necessary action.
• Parents should avoid pressuring their kids. Children could use some words of encouragement and advice, but parents should never pressure them into doing their bidding.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a TV actress who fell in love with a homeless man, making everyone’s jaw drop.

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