Sonia grew up in a small town. Her family—her father, Ivan; her mother, Maria; and her younger brother, Alexei—lived in a constant struggle to survive.

Ivan, his hands hardened by work, repaired neighbors’ sheds or helped out on farms when needed. Maria sewed at night, hunched over an old sewing machine in the dim light of a lamp. But there was barely enough money for bread, potatoes, and a little meat during the holidays.

Sonia, the eldest, knew hunger from a very young age. She was sixteen when, for the first time, she refused dinner, pretending she wasn’t hungry, just so Alexei, thin and always cold, could finish his portion. At night, she would sit by the window, looking at the dark silhouettes of the trees and dreaming of the day her family would stop counting coins.

Work in the village was scarce; young people left for the city, and those who stayed seized any opportunity to feed themselves. Sonia and Alexei also tried to find something, but their efforts were frustrated by the world’s indifference. Ivan often repeated: “We’ll make it through; the important thing is to stick together.”

But Sonia saw how her father’s back grew more hunched each year, and how her mother’s gaze grew more tired. She knew that if nothing changed, her life would continue to be an endless cycle of poverty. Despite the misery, Iván and María believed in the power of knowledge.

“Study, children,” they told them, “that is your ticket to another life.”

Sonia clung to those words like a lifeline. She was a diligent student, and her efforts paid off.

The school helped her obtain a free university place and a scholarship. When she moved to the city, Sonia felt for the first time that she had a real opportunity. University became a new world for her: classes, books, corridors full of noise and life.

He studied economics, dreaming of one day opening his own business and getting his family out of debt. But reality proved harsh. By the time he graduated, all the good jobs in the city were already taken; connections and money mattered more than a degree.

Sonia returned home with a suitcase full of clothes… and a heart full of broken hopes. She got a job as a cashier in a store…

He worked long shifts for miserable wages. Every night he came home with swollen feet and a mind full of bills. Alexei, now 17, dreamed of studying engineering, but Sonia knew they couldn’t even afford his textbooks.

It was on one of those days, while Sonia was placing products on the store shelf, when she happened to overhear a conversation between two customers.

“Don Fernando is looking for a wife,” one of them said. “You know, that old millionaire who has land, cattle, and who knows how many houses in the city.”

“Again?” the other responded mockingly. “But he’s already had three! All young, beautiful… and all gone.”

—Yes, but this time he’s offering a large dowry. He says that if the girl takes care of him and doesn’t abandon him, he’ll leave her in his will.

Sonia didn’t say anything, but those words were etched in her head.

That night, as Alexei studied by candlelight and his parents tried to sleep without dinner, Sonia made a heartbreaking decision:  to sacrifice herself to save them.

The next day, Sonia went to Don Fernando’s house. He was 62 years old, with a perfectly trimmed beard and velvety-soft hands. He looked at her with a tired smile.

“Do you want to marry me?” he asked her, his voice hoarse.

Sonia swallowed and nodded.
“Yes. But I want something in return.”

Don Fernando wasn’t surprised.
“Money?”

—I want him to pay for my brother’s studies. To give my parents a house. And to ensure they have a peaceful life if I’m gone someday.

He stood up slowly and extended his hand.
“Done.”

On the wedding day, Sonia wore white, but her face was filled with shadows. No one in the village dared to say so, but everyone knew:  it wasn’t a wedding of love, but of necessity.

At the altar, Sonia couldn’t hold back her tears. They weren’t tears of happiness.

Don Fernando looked at her indifferently. To him, it was just another transaction.

After the banquet and mock congratulations, they arrived at the enormous house on the outskirts of town. Everything was immaculate: marble floors, antique paintings, oak furniture.

Sonia sat on the bed in the master bedroom, her heart racing with fear. Don Fernando entered the bathroom.

The minutes passed.

And when he came out…

Sonia almost fainted.

In front of her wasn’t the weak old man everyone knew.
But a young man in his thirties, with his hair combed back and not a single wrinkle on his face.

He looked at her with a mischievous smile.
“Surprised?”

Sonia couldn’t speak. She just stared, trembling.
“Who… who are you?”

The man approached and sat down across from her.
“I’m Fernando. The real one. The old man you met is my father. It was just a test.”

Sonia brought her hand to her mouth. She couldn’t believe it.
“A test?”

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been looking for someone who values their family more than themselves. Who knows what it means to fight. Who has a heart. And you… you have it all.”

Sonia felt tears running down her cheeks, this time from pure confusion.

—So… this isn’t a trap?

Fernando shook his head.
“This is a new beginning. The deal is still on. Your family will have everything they need. And you… you’ll have the life you deserve, if you want to stay.”

She looked at him silently. Her heart, so hardened by years of pain, was beginning to beat again… this time with hope.

And that’s how a shotgun wedding became the first chapter of a story that no one in town could ever forget.