While Max was swimming in the pool at Mrs. Mary's house, Mary had sent a beautiful girl with a tray of hot coffee, tea, and milk jars, asking her to go and ask Max, who was sitting by the pool, whether he preferred tea or coffee. As she walked toward him, she began speaking to him in a soft, almost romantic tone. Max looked at her, puzzled, and asked, "Who are you? I don't know you. What's the matter? Why are you asking me all these things?" She replied, "I'm also a guest of Rose's family. I'm a distant relative of hers. I heard that Rose is going to marry you. Are you really interested in her even now? Otherwise, I have a friend here too. I'll introduce her to you—she's even more beautiful than Rose."
Within ten minutes, Max answered firmly, "Madam, I'm not interested in any other girl. Rose has been seeing me in her dreams and following me for about fifteen months. God helped her reach me, and I'm grateful to Him. I don't have the habit of turning to someone else just because another girl is beautiful. You want to introduce a girl who is more beautiful than Rose, but Rose is more beautiful to me than anyone else. I don't care about anyone beyond her." His straightforward answer stunned her. After a pause, she asked pardon, "Please forgive me. I just wanted to test you, to see if you would really care for Rose. I'm sorry if I hurt you. Please don't think otherwise. When I first saw you—I realized you were tall, about six feet, and very handsome. I was shocked by your words. I have heard about your feelings toward Rose and I truly admire your purity."
The girl thanked him and left, deeply impressed. In Max's eyes there was a quiet glow, and in his thoughts there was only Rose. To him, every beautiful face in the world seemed to fade beside her. In this way, the second girl, Lana, also failed to move him.
Later, during dinner, a different beautiful girl was serving the guests at the table. As she brought a sweet dish filled with honey, a little of it accidentally spilled onto Max's coat. Surprised, Max shook his hands and asked, "How did it fall on me?" She quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, let me wash it. Please give me your coat." She took it, dried and cleaned the spot, and returned it when everyone finished eating. When the meal ended and Max was sitting in the hall with the family, she brought the coat back, saying, "Sir, here is your coat. Let me help you wear it." She gently helped him, and he thanked her simply, "Thank you, my sister." Everyone present was surprised and deeply moved by his modesty and respect.
By now, three different girls had tried to test or attract him, and all had seen the same truth: Max's heart belonged only to Rose. After dinner, the guests decided to go out for a short two‑ to three‑hour sightseeing trip in several vans. In one of the vans, a beautiful girl began singing, and two others danced. Whenever they stopped, their eyes turned toward Max, imagining that they might become the object of his dream. They thought, "Oh, we are trying to make ourselves Max's dream, aren't we?"
When they reached the sightseeing spot, everyone got down and began drinking cool or hot drinks. Some people tried to bring glasses to Max, offering to help him drink, but he ignored them and quietly went to sit behind his grandmother and grandfather. The elders were deeply impressed. If Max had been an ordinary boy, he might have enjoyed the attention, but he was not like that. He was a fair, tall, sincere young man, and everyone silently admired him.
Later, the younger ones played football and cricket in the garden, while the elders—grandma, grandpa, Max, his own grandparents, Daniel, Mary, Mary's husband, and Rose—sat together, watching them. They began to reflect that the reports they had heard about Max were wrong. They had been misled by the girl Kim, who had already left them. They decided, "Tomorrow we will go to the church in North Delhi, Civil Lines, and ask the priest what we should do." In this way, the day ended. They returned to Mrs. Mary's house, had dinner, and went to their rooms to rest.
The next day, early in the morning, they went to church for Sunday prayers. After the service, Rose and Aunt Mary approached the priest and told him everything about Kim's accusations against Max. The priest listened and said, "This is wrong. You have introduced six very smart girls to Max in the last thirty hours, and each one has praised his honesty and fairness. They clearly told you that Kim is lying. On Tuesday there will be a special prayer in the church. Invite that girl Kim and bring her here. Before God and Jesus, I will question her. Do not say anything to Max about all this, because his future relationship with Rose is already arranged. Within fifteen days you will welcome good days and a good relationship for all of you—Daniel, Mary, and your family."
After two days, on Tuesday, the special prayer took place. Kim was brought to the church and asked to stand near the priest. The priest began questioning her. "Where do you live? Who is your father? What is your occupation? What exactly did you do with Max? Did Max ever speak with you for even ten to fifteen minutes?" She answered, "No." He asked, "Did Max invite you to his house?" She said, "No." "Did Max ever remember that you are the daughter of so‑and‑so?" Again she said, "No." Then the priest said, "How can you say all this nonsense when Max and Rose's marriage is about to take place in just fifteen days?"
Kim lowered her head and admitted, "Yes, Father. On one side, I love Max. I thought I am poor, and I could marry a rich man like him, while Rose is rich and can find another husband. That is why I went ahead and spread these lies for the past twenty days." The priest shook his head and said, "Oh God, you have done a foolish thing. You have hurt someone's feelings and played with the hearts of four elders. You must have faith in yourself and ask God. He will help you in your life and bring another person who is even richer and better for you. Believe me, you are tall, fair, handsome, and beautiful. Where is your father?"
She replied, "My father is at work." The priest said, "Next Sunday, ask your father to come to me. I have a proposal for you. There is a very rich man in India who has a good‑looking son of similar age to Max. I will arrange a proposal for you. Now, go and apologize to all the elders." Kim went from person to person, bowed her head, and said, "Please pardon me and forgive me, sir, madam." Then she left the church. Everyone returned home, had lunch, rested in the afternoon, and gathered in the hall in the evening.
Mary and the other elders called Rose and told her, "Max's love is very pure. He is a good person—intelligent, rich, but without pride. His heart is beautiful. We sent six beautiful girls to him, even giving them money, and yet he did not bow his head to any of them. Instead, all six girls have given clear testimony to his goodness and character." Turning to Rose, Mary said, "Rose, leave this matter completely. Do not ask Max about it in the future, or it may become a wall between you." Rose answered, "Okay, Auntie, I will follow your advice."
The next morning, everyone went back to their own homes. Max's grandparents took him with them, and after about fifteen days, everything settled down. They decided that the marriage would be arranged for the coming Sunday, leaving about ten days for preparations. Mary and her husband worked busily to make all the arrangements. On the second day, those preparations were already completed, and the atmosphere grew joyful, filled with the calm certainty that Max and Rose were truly meant for each other.It was there that Max and Rose's marriage was to be solemnized in front of the entire congregation the following Sunday. The priest had announced the wedding during the morning service, inviting all church members and relatives present that day. The news spread like a gentle ripple through the pews, and the people listened with awe and joy.
On the same Sunday, the priest also announced another wedding: Kim's marriage to Mr. John, a wealthy business tycoon. He spoke of both unions with equal care, balancing the two proposals, offering guidance, and blessing each couple. Max and Rose's marriage was set for the morning service, while Kim and John would be married during the evening prayer. His words brought comfort and resolve, and everyone left the church that day with smiling hearts, holding invitation cards distributed by Rose's father Daniel, her grandparents, and Max's grandparents.
The next day, the royal wedding attire arrived from the United States, flown in by special courier. The groom's suit for Max, designed by a renowned American couturier, lay spread out in the hall, its golden brooch studded with diamonds glinting softly. Rose's gown, a masterpiece of white silk adorned with delicate pink and white diamonds, shimmered like a fairy‑tale dream, its soft pastel hues glowing against the pure white fabric. Box after box arrived—two or three for Max, two or three for Rose—filled with carefully tailored outfits.
Mary, Daniel, Rose's parents, Max's grandparents, and the other elders gathered around, unfolding each piece one by one, admiring the designer's work and the precision of the stitching. The mood was joyful yet reverent, as if they were not only seeing clothes but the visible signs of a coming transformation. The viewing lasted until five in the evening. Then everyone moved to the garden, where they sat on the lawn, enjoying the greenery between five and six, sipping tea, coffee, and light refreshments.
At dinner that night, Rose had prepared a special dish while the family's cooks arranged a rich spread. The entire household gathered around the table, shared a meal, and ended with a prayer of gratitude by nine o'clock. They thanked God and Jesus for His blessings, then retired to their rooms, each person looking forward to rest before the early mornings ahead. Only four days remained until the wedding, and energy and excitement filled the house, softened by the quiet of the night.