A Rich Playboy Marries an Overweight Woman for a Cruel Bet — But One Unexpected Twist Changes Everything
Chapter 1: The Devil’s Contract
The rooftop bar of the Standard High Line hotel was bathed in soft purple light and the pulsating sounds of House music. Julian Sterling, 32, heir to the Sterling Real Estate Empire, raised a glass of 30-year-old Scotch, his gaze languidly fixed on the window panes.
Across him sat Brad and Trent, his two close friends from the “Wolf of Wall Street” gang.
“You wouldn’t dare, Julian,” Brad sneered, blowing a puff of cigar smoke in Julian’s face. “You’re only used to dating Victoria’s Secret size 0 models. You’d throw up if you had to touch a… plus-size woman.”
Julian smirked, his familiar arrogant smile returning. He was a man who had never been rejected.
“5 million dollars,” Julian said, clacking his glass down on the table.
“What?” Trent raised an eyebrow.
“I bet five million dollars. I’ll choose the fattest, ugliest woman I can find in this bar. I’ll seduce her, marry her, and live with her for exactly one year. On our one-year wedding anniversary, I’ll dump her and tell her the truth. That it was all a joke.”
Brad and Trent exchanged glances, then burst into raucous laughter. “That’s a big bet! But you have to choose now.”
Julian scanned the room. His gaze settled on a secluded corner.
Sitting alone with a glass of water was a woman. She wore a loose, flowing gray dress, trying to conceal her massive, approximately 100kg frame. Her face was round, she wore thick, horn-rimmed glasses, and she was reading a thick book, completely out of place among the stylish crowd.
“Her,” Julian pointed. “The target.”
Her name was Sarah.
Sarah Vance. A 28-year-old librarian, shy, clumsy, and never had a boyfriend. When Julian – her dream prince – approached and offered her a drink, she nearly spilled the entire pitcher.
The conquest was swift and ruthless. Julian used all his seduction skills: romantic dinners, flattering compliments about her “inner beauty,” and feigned concern. He made Sarah believe he loved her for who she was, regardless of her appearance.
Three months later, they married.
A small, intimate wedding (according to Julian, but actually to save him from media embarrassment). Sarah cried tears of joy in her oversized, custom-made wedding dress. Julian kissed her, but in his head, he was counting down 365 days.
Chapter 2: A Year in the “Pigsty”
That’s the word Julian used to describe his penthouse when talking to Brad on the phone: “The pigsty.”
Married life was a perfect charade. Sarah was a devoted wife. She cooked well, she took meticulous care of Julian, she managed the house perfectly. She loved him with such a pure and innocent love that Julian sometimes felt… nauseated.
Every time Sarah hugged him, Julian had to hold his breath. Every time she came out in her pajamas, he had to turn away and pretend to be busy. He secretly had affairs with hot mistresses outside to “compensate,” but always came home on time to play the role of the perfect husband.
“Honey, would you like some more?” Sarah offered him food, her chubby cheeks blushing.
“Thank you, Biggie,” Julian smiled, pinching her cheek. He called her “Biggie” as an affectionate way of speaking, but it was actually a subtle insult.
Sarah was completely unaware. She was happy. She was becoming more confident. She even offered to help him review some of the company’s financial records (Sarah said she was good at math), but Julian brushed it off. “Just take care of the housework, leave the money-making to the men.”
In reality, Julian’s company was in serious trouble. His risky investments in cryptocurrency had resulted in heavy losses. He owed banks and loan sharks a huge amount of money. But he believed that after winning the $5 million bet with Brad, he would be able to manage.
The one-year anniversary was approaching.
Julian booked a party at the most luxurious restaurant in The Hamptons. He invited Brad, Trent, and his entire high-society circle. He wanted this grand finale to be spectacular. He wanted to see Sarah’s face when her world crumbled.
Chapter 3: The Cruelty Party
The Surf Lodge restaurant was brightly lit. The sea breeze was blowing fiercely.
Sarah walked in, wearing a dark navy blue evening gown. She was still overweight, but tonight she looked…different. She wasn’t wearing glasses. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo. And her eyes, instead of their usual timidity, shone with an unusual determination.
Julian greeted her, leading her to the long table where his friends were waiting, their mocking smiles barely suppressed.
“Cheers!” Julian stood up, tapping his spoon against his wine glass.
“Today marks the first anniversary of my wedding to Sarah. A…long year,” Julian began, his tone shifting from formal to playful.
He turned to look at Sarah.
“Sarah, do you know why a man like me, handsome and wealthy, married a woman…as plump as you?”
The whole table chuckled. Sarah remained silent, swirling her wine glass, showing no emotion.
“I think it’s because of love,” Julian laughed loudly. “But actually, I’m just a lottery ticket.”
“It stinks. I bet Brad $5 million that I could endure sleeping in the same bed with you for a year without throwing up.”
Laughter erupted. Brad slammed his hand on the table. “You won, Julian! I can’t believe you did it! My God, look at her!”
Julian pulled a signed divorce petition from his pocket.
“The game’s over, Sarah. Thanks for helping me win the bet. Now sign here and get out of my life.” “I’m fed up with having to pretend to hug your fat lump.”
He threw the paper in Sarah’s face.
He waited for her to cry. He waited for her to scream, beg, or run away in humiliation.
But Sarah didn’t.
She slowly picked up the paper, folded it neatly, and set it aside. Then, she took a napkin, wiped her mouth, and stood up.
Her height, combined with her high heels, made her suddenly overpower Julian.
“Are you finished, Julian?” Sarah asked. Her voice was no longer the timid voice of a librarian. It was deep, resonant, and icy cold.
Julian froze. “What?”
“You said you married me because of a $5 million bet,” Sarah smiled. A smile that sent a chill down Julian’s spine. “How interesting.” “Because I married you… for an Acquisition.”
Chapter 4: The Predator’s Twist
The entire table fell silent.
“Acquisition?” Julian frowned. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re just a penniless librarian!”
“My real name isn’t Sarah Vance,” she said, taking off the cheap wedding ring Julian had bought her and dropping it into a glass of red wine.
“My name is Sarah Roth. The only granddaughter and heiress of the Rothschild & Partners financial group.”
Julian’s face turned from red to pale. Rothschild & Partners was his biggest creditor. He owed them $50 million and was three months overdue.
“A year ago,” Sarah continued, her tone like a judge pronouncing a sentence. “I was appointed Head of Bad Debt Management for the group. Your file is on my desk.” “A spoiled rich kid, a spendthrift, drowning in debt, yet still living lavishly.”
She walked closer to Julian, looking him straight in the eyes.
“I wanted to know where my bank money went. I wanted to know if you deserved a loan extension. So I approached you. I created a perfect cover: a chubby, insecure, easily manipulated girl. The kind of woman you despise the most, but also the kind you least suspect.”
“You… you tricked me?” Julian stammered.
“You think I’m fat because I can’t control my eating?” Sarah sneered. “I had to wear a high-end silicone fatsuit and makeup for a whole year. It was incredibly hot and uncomfortable. But thanks to that, I got into your house. I got access to your computer.” “I copied all your black market accounting books, evidence of money laundering and tax evasion while you were busy having an affair.”
Brad and Trent, two close friends, started to back away, intending to sneak off.
“Don’t be so quick to leave, guys,” Sarah called back without turning. “I’ve checked your records too. Brad, you were an accomplice in the financial fraud. Trent, you laundered money through a chain of virtual restaurants. The economic police are waiting for you in the parking lot.”
Turning back to Julian, who was standing there trembling like a leaf.
“You bet $5 million?” Sarah asked. “Too bad. Brad doesn’t have the money to pay you. He went bankrupt last month.” “He’s just going along with you to use your reputation to continue his scams.”
Julian slumped into his chair. “No… it can’t be…”
“And as for you,” Sarah pulled a thick stack of files from her purse. “This isn’t a divorce petition. This is a Foreclosure Order and an Emergency Arrest Warrant.”
“This morning, I activated the debt recovery clause. All your assets: the penthouse, your car collection, your company shares… everything belongs to Rothschild & Partners to settle the debt. You’re left with nothing, Julian.”
“You… you’re a devil…” Julian groaned.
“No,” Sarah leaned down, whispering close to his ear. “I’m just an ‘overweight’ woman you underestimated.” “He saw the excess fat, I saw the opportunity.”
She stood up straight, taking off her oversized coat. Underneath, she wore a form-fitting dress that revealed her true figure: well-proportioned, healthy, and attractive. She wasn’t fat. She had never been fat. It was all just a disguise for an economic spy.
“Goodbye, my dear husband,” Sarah said. “Good luck in prison.” “I heard the food there isn’t as good as my cooking.”
Chapter 2: The End
The police raided the restaurant. Julian, Brad, and Trent were handcuffed and dragged away in front of all the Hamptons’ elite.
Julian turned to look at Sarah one last time. He saw her standing on the balcony, the sea breeze blowing through her hair. She raised her glass of wine – the glass containing his wedding ring – and poured it to the ground.
He had married her because of a cruel bet, thinking he had the upper hand. He never imagined that he was just a mouse in a giant cat’s experiment.
Sarah got into the car. The driver opened the door for her.
“Back to New York, Mrs. Roth?”
“Let’s go.”
“Sarah smiled, taking off her horn-rimmed glasses and tossing them into the trash can. “I need a vacation. And a diet. Pretending to be fat made me eat too many carbs.”
The car rolled away, leaving behind the wailing sirens of police cars and the collapse of a fabricated empire.
In America, they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Julian Sterling learned that lesson in the most expensive way: with his life and his freedom.
