This is the story whispered behind closed doors — a tale that began not with romance, but with a deal sealed at a glittering wedding.

Selling a Dream for Stability

Her parents beamed with pride as they embraced the wealthy groom — Polyakov Andreevich, an older man with an aristocratic posture and cold gray eyes. To them, their daughter’s future was finally secure. Wealth, comfort, and stability were now guaranteed. But the truth was far darker: nobody ever asked her what she wanted. Her dreams, her freedom, even her youth — all of it was sacrificed in exchange for financial security.

A Celebration Without Joy

As the hall filled with toasts and laughter, Smirnova Viktorovna, in her white dress, fought to keep her tears from falling. Every congratulation from the guests felt like a dagger. She wasn’t a bride, she was a puppet, a bargaining chip displayed before the world. Polyakov Andreevich spoke politely, his tone measured, yet beneath it echoed the authority of a man who always got what he desired.

Silence in the Luxurious Bedroom

When the guests finally left, the enormous mansion fell into an unsettling silence. Alone with her new husband, she entered the grand bedroom. Heavy curtains and thick carpets seemed less like decorations and more like the bars of a cage. Polyakov approached, his eyes cold and penetrating, sending chills through her body.

Then came the moment she dreaded. But what he asked was not at all what she expected.

His Unsettling Demand

“You must forget your past,” he said firmly. “Here, you have a new life. You are no longer a student. Forget your friends, forget poverty, forget your dreams. Your only purpose now is to stand by my side. In return, I demand complete loyalty — and silence.”

Smirnova froze. Her heart seemed to stop. She had feared many things, but not this. It wasn’t intimacy he wanted — it was control. He wasn’t only stealing her future, he was erasing her past.

Prison in a Golden Cage

Each day that followed became another trial. He wrapped her in luxury, but behind every jewel and every fine dress lay new restrictions. She was forbidden from contacting classmates, forbidden even from calling her old friends. Polyakov decided what she would wear, where she would go, and to whom she could speak.

And yet, deep inside, a small flame of resistance still burned. She knew it was only a matter of time before he demanded even more. When that day came, she would face a choice: surrender forever — or break free from her chains.

A Frightening Ending

To this day, the story divides opinion. Some see it as a grim example of survival through compromise. Others see it as a tragedy — a young woman betrayed by her own family. But one truth cannot be denied: a marriage without love, built on profit and power, is not a rescue. It is a prison.

And when Polyakov Andreevich demanded on their wedding night that she erase her entire past, it became clear: this was not the beginning of happiness. It was the beginning of captivity, gilded but suffocating, where even walls of gold could not hide her despair.