There were four sisters in my family; I was the youngest
Since I was little, I was used to living from day to day.
My cousin married a Korean man and returned home with a mansion, a car, and her hands full of gold.
Every time she returned, the whole town was in an uproar; everyone said her life had changed.
“Marry a Korean. Your life will be different. I’ll introduce you to one; I’m sure he’ll be a good match!”
I hesitated, but seeing her so splendid, my heart warmed.
Who doesn’t want to escape poverty?
My cousin put me in touch with a matchmaking agency.
After several calls, I met Lee Min Ho, a 45-year-old engineer from Seoul.
He was polite, spoke broken Spanish, and promised me a comfortable life.
After three months of conversations, he proposed. I accepted, not out of love, but because of the dream of “changing my life” that my cousin had drawn for me.
On the day of the wedding in my village, I felt like a princess.
He sent 10 gold bars, which covered my neck and arms.
The whole village marveled, saying how lucky I was.
My cousin smiled happily: “You see, am I wrong?”
At our wedding night, after the celebratory dinner, we went to a luxurious hotel in the city before flying to Korea.
I was nervous, my heart pounding.
He got out of the shower, put on a bathrobe, and sat on the bed.
I lifted the sheet, preparing to go to bed, but as I did, I froze.
He put on the bathrobe, sat on the bed, and looked at me with a strange look.
I lifted the sheet, I was getting ready to go to bed, but as I did, I froze: underneath were dozens of mannequin dolls of all sizes, arranged as if asleep.
They all had pale faces, wide-open eyes, and eerie smiles. Some were even wearing wedding dresses.
I panicked and screamed.
He smiled gently, walked over, picked up a doll, and said in a stuttering voice,
“My new wife… is my wife…”
I trembled, taking a step back.
Cold sweat trickled down my back. He continued, “Don’t be afraid… they will be your good friends…”
I couldn’t stand it anymore.
This wasn’t the man I had spoken to on the phone. This was a madman.
All my dreams of a comfortable life, a house, and a car suddenly vanished.
I realized I had been tricked. I jumped up and ran out of the room, down to the hotel lobby.
When I came out, I saw my cousin waiting for me.
She didn’t seem surprised to see me so Scared. “I know. I’ve arranged a better life for you. You’ll have a rich husband, a house in Seoul… Don’t worry, he’s just a little weird.”
I looked at her, tears in my eyes. “You lied to me…”
I no longer believed a word she was saying. I ran away, never looking back.
Afterward, I found a way to cancel the wedding and returned to my village.