"We asked them ahead of time if there were any other customs. Even if they'd mentioned it earlier, we would've had the money ready. Now look at this mess—it's embarrassing for everyone."
Uncle Gerald tried to talk me down. "We've come this far. Don't make a scene. If you throw a fit now and we go home empty-handed, we'll be the ones who lose face."
I stood there, jaw tight, knowing he was right.
My family was in business. It wasn't some massive empire, but in our small town, we were somebody. People knew our name.
Today was my wedding. My parents had invited everyone—friends, business associates, even a few local officials who'd agreed to attend as a show of respect.
If I went home without the bride, the humiliation would follow us for years.
But that didn't make any of this less infuriating.
Natalie wanted a villa. My family bought it.
She wanted a BMW 7 Series. My family bought that too.
Eight hundred and eighty thousand dollars in betrothal gifts, and we didn't bat an eye.
But I'd told her—I'd been clear about this. The family business was expanding. Cash was tight. If her side had any more customs that required money, she needed to tell me in advance.
I'd confirmed it. Multiple times. Only after she assured me there was nothing else did we pour the bulk of our capital into the business.
And now they wanted another million for a "sedan fee."
Honestly, yes—my family had more money than most. But between the villa, the car, and the betrothal gifts, we'd already spent nearly everything we could get our hands on for this wedding.
A million in cash wasn't something we could just pull out of thin air.
I said nothing. Uncle Gerald gathered the older relatives who'd come along for the procession and asked everyone to chip in whatever they could.
Then he called home, telling them to figure something out on their end.
More than half an hour later, Uncle Gerald handed Natalie a bank card. "Natalie, there's a million dollars on this card. Today's a happy occasion—let's keep it that way. You two are going to build a wonderful life together."
"Hold on." Aunt Judith snatched the card out of Natalie's hand. "A bank card won't do. What if you freeze the account? Then we can't withdraw a cent. It has to be cash."
Uncle Gerald's expression hardened. "Judith, you're making this impossible. Withdrawing that kind of cash requires an appointment with the bank."
"Besides, we're people of our word. If we're giving it to you, why would we freeze the card?"
"You never really know what's in someone's heart." Aunt Judith held the card back out to Uncle Gerald. "If you want to marry Natalie, bring cash."
Uncle Gerald glanced at his watch. "Judith, we're about to miss the auspicious hour. How about I write you a signed guarantee that we won't freeze the card?"
"No means no." Aunt Judith didn't budge.
I started to step forward, but Uncle Gerald held me back.
He immediately called a friend who worked at a bank. Of course, no bank was open at this hour.
His friend reached out to a private lender—the kind who charged steep interest. The man agreed to deliver a million in cash, but we'd have to pay back considerably more.
I walked off to the side and lit a cigarette. Then another. Then another. Uncle Gerald came over and put a hand on my shoulder. "Natalie's a good girl. She just doesn't have a backbone of her own. Once you two are married, it'll be your life together. Don't let her aunt get under your skin."
I didn't say anything to that.
Over an hour later, I finally got Natalie into the car.
Aunt Judith climbed in with the bridal escort party, settling herself right in the wedding car.
We hadn't driven far when she opened her mouth again. "Bruno, I'll give you time to prepare this round. There's also an arrival fee—two million."
Did she think my family owned a gold mine?
Uncle Gerald had been worried something might happen on the road, so he'd swapped places with the wedding car driver, taking the wheel himself.
He shot me a look—don't say a word.
Before Uncle Gerald could even speak, Aunt Judith was already continuing. "The banks aren't open at this hour anyway, so don't bother with excuses. Start making calls. Use the drive time to get your family to have the money ready."
