Marry the woman who gives me a son, Max Bennett said with a grin as he leaned against the doorway of the campus café.
What are we supposed to inherit, Mr. Sultan? So we all race to become yourwhats the word? Shehzadehmakers, like in those Turkish soaps? Poppy snorted, her eyebrows raised.
The sagging sofa and half of my mums old council flat, obviously, Molly added, crossing her arms.
A handsome bracelet, Ellie muttered, rolling her eyes. The comment had grown stale for Dasha, but she still tried to be polite.
She didnt want to hear them in the washroom while she rinsed her hands, glancing at her reflection to check that her lipstick and mascara from the first day of term were still intact. She wasnt sure those cosmetics would survive past the third lecture.
Thanks, she said, even though the remarks were getting old, but courtesy still mattered.
Where do you get all these things? asked the sophomore, who seemed to have mistakenly enrolled in a lowerlevel course.
Its handmade, Ellie replied breezily. A gift from a boyfriend, exclusive. Not precious metals, of course, but you wont find anything like it elsewhere.
Actually, Ive seen two of those today, Poppy interjected.
Really? You must be mixing them up, Ellie said, suspecting Max had simply downloaded a template from the internet and added a few tweaks, rather than designing it from scratch. An inexperienced jeweller would struggle to calculate everything without a proper guide, relying only on intuition.
No, theyre identical. Im certain. My friend from my course got the same one from her lad. He isnt wealthy, but hes clever, and she loves it, Ellie affirmed.
Tell me about him. Whats his name? Poppy asked.
Max, of course, Ellie replied.
Have you met him?
Not in person, but Molly showed us photos when she bragged, the secondyear continued, oblivious to Ellies shifting mood.
Ellie quickly unlocked her phone and displayed a picture on the lock screen.
Thats Max?
The girls face paled. She seemed to realise the wind had changed direction and fell silent.
Dont be scared. I wont do anything to you or to Molly. But with Max, the conversation will bedifferent.
Can you tell me who else has a bracelet like that? Maybe the same DonJuan left his mark elsewhere, and we should warn the girl she isnt the only one.
I dont know her. Ive only seen her flash past the university, maybe from senior years, but I have no clue which department or group, the girl shrugged.
Alright, if you spot anyone else with those bracelets, send them my way. Im a thirdyear economics student.
I cant promise theyll listen to me, but Ill pass the info along, the girl promised.
She kept her word; by the end of the day four more girls approached Ellie. They came from different courses and faculties, as if Max had deliberately matched them so they wouldnt cross paths or learn about each other.
He hadnt counted on them all deciding to wear the ornate jewellery to class, where anyone curious enoughlike the girl in the washroomwould notice the matching bracelets.
Whats this, a weekly set? Monday I wear it, Tuesday you, Wednesday her, and so on until the weekend? Molly asked, deadpan.
That would make seven of us, the freshman Marissa muttered apathetically. She was studying psychology and seemed immune to being insulted, unlike Molly who pouted and Ellie who kept overanalyzing.
Harriet, a fourthyear, had already called her mother, three sisters, two brothers and even a distant aunt, complaining with the same tired phrases about male nature.
There were no grievances among the girls; none of them even knew the other three existed. They all blamed their limited meeting schedule on Maxs hectic workstudy timetable. Between lectures, parttime jobs and exams, meeting once a week in person seemed reasonable.
The situation had lasted since the start of the academic yearMax had moved to their town for a job that very year.
What to do with him now? Teaching him a lesson was obvious, but how? They couldnt simply beat him with a crowd.
Beating is out, but we could embarrass him, the girls agreed unanimously.
Marissa, deemed the most unflappable, was appointed the executor, tasked with luring Max to an unexpected gathering with all the other girls.
Tomorrow happened to be her day, so the plan moved forward without delay.
***
Hey, mouse, long time no see, Max greeted, as usual, at the café door.
She hugged him back, then ushered him inside before the cold could bite. Inside, at the first table, four chosen ones waited, each with a freshly gifted bracelet lying before them.
Come on in, lovestruck hero, tell us how you ended up like this, Ellie sneered as Max, cheeks flushed, tried to mumble something.
Im curioushow do you plan to marry all of us when the law only allows one wife? Did you think you were so irresistible that wed all line up for a harem? Poppy retorted, twirling a stainlesssteel fork as if ready to thrust it at him.
Actually, I intended to marry the one who gives me a son, Max replied. Thats the most important thing for a manto have an heir and continue the family name.
Then what are we inheriting, Sir Sultan? A sagging sofa and half of mums old council flat? Poppy echoed.
The dented sofa and half the flat, obviously, Molly added. Congrats, youre now the towns hero. Ill post a video tonight to my socials and the university group.
You have no right, Max shouted.
I do. Filming in public places is allowed regardless of your wishes. Your face isnt clearly visible, but Ill work hard to make sure everyone knows who you are.
Its clear youll be a lawyer someday, Marissa, who had been silent until now, observed. As a psychologist, Id suggest you sort out your cuckoo first, then start dating.
Get a son, Max. If you cant, get awell, just stop flirting with us and find someone decent.
In the heat of the argument, Poppy accidentally knocked a steaming cup of coffee onto Maxs lap. The splash was the final act of revenge for the girls.
Word spread quickly through the town of fifty thousand residents, and Maxs reputation went downhill fast. He soon realised that rumors travel faster than any gossip column. He might have to move to another city for work.
Poppy, Marissa, Harriet, Molly and Ellie eventually became close friends. They each found better partners than Max, proving that the whole ordeal, however painful, turned out for the best.
The lesson? When you try to collect hearts like trophies, youll end up with nothing but broken cups and shattered reputations. True respect is earned, not taken.
