The CEO Who Never Wanted His Plus-Size Wife

Alina’s POV ​The glass trophy rested in my hands, the weight of it did not feel real until I looked down at the engraved words naming me the valedictorian of the culinary and gastronomy program. I had spent four years burning my fingers on hot pans and staying up until dawn mastering pastry techniques, and all I wanted was to show it to my parents so they could see I finally succeeded at something. ​When I walked into the living room of our family mansion, nobody looked up from their phones, my father was pretending to watch the television that was showing a reality show while my mother adjusted her diamond earrings in the mirror. ​"Mom, Dad, I graduated today," I said, holding the trophy out slightly, though my voice sounded small "I got the highest honors in the entire department, the dean said my final restaurant concept was the best he’d seen in years." ​My mother, Eleanor, glanced at the trophy for a second before turning her attention back to her reflection, smoothing down her designer dress. "That is nice, Alina, but please put that dusty thing away before you scratch the marble table, we have much more important things to focus on tonight." ​Before I could even lower my hands, the front door burst open and my younger sister, Brielle, bounced into the room while waving her phone in the air. ​"You will never guess what happened!" Brielle squealed, throwing her designer purse onto the sofa and grabbing our mother’s hands. "Julian just posted me on his main i********: feed, and he officially asked me to be his girlfriend, so now all his millions of followers are talking about us!" ​"Oh, my darling girl!" Eleanor gasped, her face instantly lighting up with a massive smile as she hugged Brielle tightly. "A celebrity influencer with that kind of reach is exactly what this family needs, you must make sure you keep him interested." ​My father, Richard, stepped into the room while tying his tie, he immediately walked over to pat Brielle on the back with a proud grin. "Excellent work, Brielle, high-profile connections are crucial for the family name right now, we are going to celebrate this proper dinner tonight." ​"What about Alina’s graduation?" I asked softly, dropping my arms to my sides while the trophy felt like a anchor pulling me down. ​Richard didn't look at me as he checked his watch. "We can celebrate your little cooking certificate at dinner too, Alina, go get changed into something that actually fits you because we are leaving in ten minutes." ​The restaurant they chose was an upscale, minimalist place where the portions were tiny and the prices were outrageous, which was exactly the kind of environment I hated. I sat at the edge of the table while Brielle talked nonstop about her new boyfriend's upcoming red-carpet events, and my parents hung onto her every single word while pouring more champagne. ​When the main courses arrived, I barely touched the small piece of fish on my plate because the tension in my stomach was making me feel sick, but when the dessert cart rolled around, I ordered a small chocolate tart because baking was my passion and I wanted to see how their pastry chef handled the crust. ​As soon as the waiter set the small plate in front of me, Eleanor sighed loudly and set her fork down with a sharp clink against the porcelain. ​"Alina, honestly, you barely touched your dinner, yet you are reaching for the heaviest item on the menu," Eleanor said, her voice dripping with disappointment as she looked at my arms and waist. "You need to understand that appearance is everything in our social circle, and no respectable, wealthy man will ever want to marry a woman who looks like you if you keep indulging yourself like this." ​"I am studying gastronomy, Mom, so trying the food is literally part of my profession," I muttered, my cheeks burning with humiliation as the waiters hovered nearby. "And I don't care about marrying a wealthy man right now, because I want to focus on opening my own restaurant." ​Richard laughed, but it was a cold, humorless sound that cut right through me. "With what money, Alina? Restaurants are a money pit, and you don't have the business sense to run a hot dog stand, let alone a fine dining establishment, so stop living in a fantasy world." ​"Brielle is the one bringing real value to this family right now," Eleanor added, reaching over to pat Brielle’s hand while ignoring my downcast eyes. "Look at how graceful your sister is, whereas you just refuse to help yourself, so you shouldn't be surprised when you end up alone." ​I stared down at the chocolate tart, the appetite completely drained out of me, and I didn't say another word for the rest of the night while they continued to praise Brielle. ​When we returned home, the atmosphere shifted instantly because my father’s phone began to ring with a harsh, demanding tone that made him freeze in the middle of the hallway. He answered it, and within three seconds, all the color completely drained from his face while his hand started to shake against the receiver. ​"What do you mean the auditors found the discrepancy?" Richard stammered, his voice cracking as he hurried toward his private study. "No, wait, don't file the report yet, there has to be a way to cover the shortfall before the market opens tomorrow!" ​He slammed the door shut, leaving the rest of us standing in the hallway in total silence. ​"Mom, what is going on with Dad?" Brielle asked, looking slightly worried for the first time all evening. ​"It is just business, darling, go upstairs and get some rest," Eleanor said, though her own eyes were wide with anxiety as she watched the closed study door. "Alina, go to your room too, and don't start raiding the kitchen just because you are stressed." ​I turned around and walked up the stairs without answering her, the sheer panic in my father's voice kept echoing in my mind, and I couldn't bring myself to go to sleep. ​Hours passed, and around two o'clock in the morning, I decided to go downstairs to get a glass of water to calm my restless nerves. As I approached the main floor, I noticed the light from the study was still on, and the muffled sound of my parents' voices made me stop dead in my tracks. ​"We are completely ruined, Eleanor," Richard was saying, his voice sounding completely broken and desperate. "The bank froze our primary credit lines, and if the media gets hold of the liquidation filing tomorrow morning, the Everhart empire will collapse before noon." ​"There must be someone who can bail us out, Richard!" Eleanor cried out, her voice laced with panic. "What about all your wealthy friends from the country club?" ​"None of them will risk their capital on a sinking ship, there is one option that just landed on my desk an hour ago," Richard replied, the sound of papers rustling filling the quiet room. "Lucien Ashford’s attorneys reached out to me because his grandfather's will states he must be married to secure his position as CEO of Ashford International, he needs a wife immediately to finalize the contract." ​"Lucien Ashford?" Eleanor gasped, her tone shifting from panic to intense calculation. "But he is a billionaire, so why would he look at our family? We can give him Brielle, because she is beautiful and already popular in the media!" ​"No, the Ashford lawyers were very specific that they want someone quiet who won't cause public scandals or demand actual affection, and Brielle's current relationship with that influencer rules her out completely," Richard explained, his voice growing firmer. "They offered to clear all our company debts and inject fifty million dollars into our accounts the moment the marriage certificate is signed, but the contract specifies it must be Alina." ​My breath hitched in my throat, and I had to press my back against the wall to keep from falling over as the words washed over me. ​"Alina?" Eleanor sounded stunned, but then she let out a sharp, relieved breath. "Well, that is actually a miracle, because we just talked about how no man would ever want her, so this solves every single one of our problems without costing us a thing." ​"Exactly, so I am going to call his legal team back right now and confirm that the arrangement is set," Richard said, the sound of a phone dialing cutting through the silence of the house. "We will present her to the Ashford family by tomorrow afternoon, and she doesn't need to know the details until the paperwork is ready for her signature." ​I stood in the dark hallway, gripping the wooden railing while my chest tightened so hard I could barely breathe, my own parents had just sold my entire life to a stranger without ever asking for my consent.