In recent times, stories of individuals being left at the altar due to cold feet or coerced into marriage have become commonplace. One woman, facing a similar predicament, took an unconventional route to save face during her wedding. Fearing disgrace and humiliation, she opted to hire a stand-in groom to prevent any embarrassment for herself and her family on the big day.

It all began when her boyfriend, apprehensive about an unexpected pregnancy, urged her to consider an abortion, citing their young age and financial instability. Refusing to terminate the pregnancy, she resorted to emotional manipulation, threatening to end her life if he didn't agree to marry her.

Unable to cope with the pressure, her boyfriend fled a day before the wedding, leaving her unable to reach him and finding his place deserted upon investigation. While the experience left her shattered and ashamed, she made a conscious effort not to act impulsively, considering the well-being of her unborn child and the honour of her family, who had eagerly prepared for the wedding. Acting on a friend's advice, she rented a groom two years her senior from a groom rental company.

Despite the elaborate charade, the wedding proceeded smoothly, presenting a picture of a blissful family to relatives and friends. However, for her parents, each congratulatory message felt like a thorn in their hearts. Following the wedding, her mother refrained from visiting relatives, while her father skillfully avoided questions about his daughter's post-marriage life. 

Only three years later, when she returned to her hometown with her child and staged a dramatic display of her supposed divorce, did she and her family gradually overcome the fear and shame associated with the sham wedding, allowing them to move forward from the shadows. Today, the woman not only thrives as a resilient single mother but also contributes her skills to the same groom rental company, specializing in bridal makeup.

While some regarded the ex-boyfriend as a scoundrel, others argued that he evaded a challenging situation. Despite providing rational arguments for considering abortion, his girlfriend remained adamant and resorted to emotional manipulation, leaving him with little choice in the matter.