He Loved Her… But He Was Ashamed
Mark Hallspringer had always dreamed of finding the perfect woman. He wanted someone smart, funny, confident—and of course, drop-dead gorgeous. “She has to look amazing,” he used to say. “I work hard, I’m in shape, I deserve the best.”
He had a good job, looked like a movie star, and people always told him he was a great catch. So he waited. And searched. But the one who would truly steal his heart… was someone he never expected.
It all began at work, when Mark’s boss asked him to help fix a problem between the sales and marketing teams. Sales were complaining that marketing wasn’t supporting them. Marketing, on the other hand, said sales weren’t following their strategies.
That’s when Mark sent an email to the head of marketing: Anna Coulton.
Though they’d worked in the same building for three years, Mark and Anna had never met. Not at meetings, not at parties, not even at the company’s Christmas mixer. It was like she was invisible.
Anna’s reply to his email was smart, short, and sharp. She clearly explained her team’s strategy—and politely showed that sales was the real issue. She even added some great ideas to help things improve.
Mark read her message and smiled. “Wow,” he thought. “This woman really knows what she’s doing.” The next day, he called her to talk about her ideas. As soon as she answered, Mark noticed something else—Anna had the most beautiful, deep voice and a warm, easy laugh.
They started talking like old friends. Soon, Mark was calling her every day—pretending it was about work, but really, he just wanted to hear her voice. He liked her confidence, her sense of humor, and how quick her mind was.
A few weeks passed. Then one day, Mark finally asked, “Hey, would you like to have lunch with me on Saturday?”
There was silence on the line. Then Anna said softly, “Are you sure about that, Mark?”
He laughed. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”
Anna hesitated. “I may not be what you expect,” she said. “I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”
Mark chuckled. “Tea? My mom’s British. I love tea. All kinds of tea. I’m addicted to tea.” Anna laughed, and finally agreed to meet him.
On Saturday, Mark waited outside the restaurant, excited but nervous. He realized he had no idea what Anna looked like. “Blonde? Brunette? What if I don’t recognize her?” he thought.
Then a large woman walked toward him and tapped his shoulder.
“Hello, Mark,” said the same warm voice he loved. “I’m Anna.”
Mark blinked. He wasn’t expecting this. Anna had a stunning face, like someone straight off a fashion magazine cover. But she was also big—what people politely call “plus-size.”
He froze for a moment. But once they started talking, everything changed. Her laugh, her smile, her stories—they pulled him in completely. By the end of lunch, he was hooked.
They started dating, secretly at first. The company had rules against office romances. But as the weeks went by, they grew closer and closer. In six months, they were completely in love.
Anna had already introduced Mark to her family. She was ready to take the next step. But Mark kept stalling. Why? Because deep down, he was ashamed. He didn’t want his friends or family to see him with a big woman.
He imagined his younger brother smirking. “This is your fiancée?” he thought they’d say. “Really?” It made Mark panic. He hated himself for it, but he couldn’t shake the fear.
Then one night, he did something crazy—he proposed.
“I love you, Anna,” he said. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Anna was overjoyed. But she still hadn’t met his parents. And then came their 40th wedding anniversary celebration.
Anna helped Mark pick out a beautiful gift for them. “So,” she said, smiling, “when’s the party? I’m so excited to meet them. Do they know we’re engaged?”
Mark smiled weakly. “Yes! Of course! They know all about you!” That was a lie. All he’d told them was that he was engaged to a woman named Anna—nothing more.
He told Anna the party was in Connecticut, a two-hour drive, and they’d go together Friday night. But inside, he was panicking. “How can I bring her?” he thought. “They’ll judge me. What will they say?”
Then a plan popped into his head. A terrible plan.
Two days before the party, Mark called Anna.
“Honey, bad news,” he said. “The board’s sending me to Colorado to deal with a labor issue. I’ll fly straight to Connecticut on Saturday, so… you won’t be able to come.”
Anna sounded crushed. “Oh no!” she said. “That’s awful. Do you want me to send your parents’ gift by express delivery?”
“That would be perfect,” Mark replied quickly. “Let me give you their address…”
Anna hung up, feeling bad for Mark. But as she looked at the address, an idea formed in her head. “Why don’t I deliver the gift myself? It’ll be a sweet surprise for him!”
She had no idea what was waiting for her.
On Saturday, Anna dressed nicely, packed the gift, and drove to Mark’s parents’ house. She rang the doorbell. A thin, elegant woman answered.
“Yes?” the woman said politely.
“Hi!” Anna smiled. “This is a gift for Mr. and Mrs. Hallspringer, for their anniversary.”
The woman smiled and took the gift. “Thank you!”
As she began to close the door, Anna held out her hand. “I’m Anna. Anna Coulton. Mark’s fiancée.”
The woman’s smile vanished. Her eyes widened. “Is this a joke?” she asked sharply. “Because my son and his fiancée Anna are having dinner with us right now.”
Anna’s heart dropped. “What?”
She pushed past the woman and stepped inside.
In the dining room, a big table was set. At the far end sat Mark—next to a tall, slender woman clinging to his arm.
“Mark!” Anna cried. “What is going on here?”
Mark jumped up. His face turned white. “Anna—it’s not what you think! She’s—she’s an actress!”
Anna stared at him, confused and angry. “I don’t understand. If you don’t love me, why did you propose?”
“I do love you!” Mark said. “I was just… I was afraid. You know…”
“No,” Anna said firmly. “I don’t know. What about me?”
Everyone around the table stayed silent. No one met Mark’s eyes.
Mark whispered, “You’re just… so big.”
Anna didn’t flinch. She looked at him with deep sadness, took off her engagement ring, and placed it on the table.
“You don’t know what love is,” she said softly. “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t be ashamed of me.” Then she turned and walked out, without another word.
Mark tried calling her again and again. She never answered—not at work, not on her phone. Days passed. Weeks.
He felt like his heart was broken into a thousand pieces. He missed her so much it hurt. He realized now—truly realized—what he had thrown away.
He had to do something big. Something bold. Something that proved to her, and to the world, that he was done being a coward.
The next morning, when Anna arrived at work, she saw a crowd of coworkers standing outside, all looking across the street and pointing.
When they saw Anna, they started cheering and clapping.
Anna turned—and gasped.
Across the street was a massive billboard. On it was a photo of her and Mark, smiling with their arms around each other.
Huge letters across the top read:
“I LOVE ANNA COULTON AND I WANT TO MARRY HER!”
Anna’s jaw dropped. “What on earth…”
Then Mark appeared from the crowd. He walked straight up to her and dropped to one knee.
“Please marry me,” he said, tears in his eyes. “I love you. I was an idiot. But I’ve learned my lesson. Forgive me.”
Anna stared at him. Her heart was pounding.
“You ARE an idiot!” she said. “But I still love you!”
Now they’re planning a winter wedding in Connecticut. Both families are invited. Everyone knows the truth. And Mark? He’s proud to hold Anna’s hand in public.
What did we learn from this story?
Don’t let fear of judgment stop you from loving someone. Mark was in love but scared of what others might think. He learned that love isn’t about looks—it’s about what’s inside. And when he almost lost Anna, he finally saw the truth.
Real love doesn’t hide. It shines.
