As a huge Korean drama fan, I’ve always been drawn to the trope of pretend or contract marriages blossoming into genuine love stories between main characters.
There’s something kilig-inducing from watching two individuals explore the challenges of a relationship, initially rooted in convenience, only to discover deep emotions for each other along the way. Little did I know, reality often imitates the stories I’ve enjoyed onscreen.
In the heartwarming journey of American lawyer-turned-author and content creator, Farah Naz Rishi, the line between fiction and reality blurs as she unveils her tale of a marriage of convenience evolving into a real love story with her best friend.
In a viral TikTok video and a personal interview with her, Rishi shared the intimate details of her unconventional path to marital bliss.
Rishi’s narrative unfolds against a backdrop of personal upheaval, marked by the sad reality of her mother’s terminal illness and the loss of her father and brother. Faced with her mother’s sincere desire to see her settled, Rishi boldly took on an unexpected proposition – a marriage of convenience with her longtime confidante and best friend.
“My mom at the time was extremely sick. She wanted to make sure that I was settled down and married to somebody that we both loved and trusted,” Rishi shared, jokingly referring to her mom’s typical South Asian ways.
“My mom was like, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be great if you ended up marrying your best friend of ten or so years?’ And to my shock, he agreed.”
In the spirit of transparency, Rishi’s best friend confessed to having had feelings for her for the past decade.
Amidst the mundanity of everyday life, after they got married in a Muslim wedding ceremony and started living together, Rishi found herself gradually peeling the layers of her relationship with her best friend turned husband. Simple gestures and acts of care assumed newfound meaning, brewing feelings inside of her.
“He started taking his role as husband of convenience far more seriously than he ever needed to. And it started to make me feel things,” she reminisced.
A treasured memory is her husband’s love language of service. “If I ever wanted tea and I started to get up to make myself some, he would say, ‘No, no, no, please sit down. Can I make you some tea?’” Rishi recounted with a smile.
In those tender moments, steeped in warmth and familiarity, Rishi found appreciation for her husband’s selfless gestures. “As if I would be doing him a favor by letting him make me tea,” she added, looking deeply amazed.
Another moment that stands out in Rishi’s memory – a humble gift that encapsulated a decade-long journey of friendship and unspoken affection. “He hands me this tiny little package – it’s a pencil wrapped in a little bow,” she recalled.
At that moment, amidst the grief of her first birthday without her family, Rishi found that her husband kept the pencil he was supposed to give her a decade ago while working on a class project but did not dare to do so.
“I think it was just that silly little pencil that made me finally realize just how much rich history there is between us and just how beautiful a steady and warm love is, so much so that I just didn’t ever want to live without it.” That was the moment she realized that things had become real.
What began as a pragmatic arrangement soon blossomed into a journey of self-discovery and emotional awakening.
“Life being married to your best friend feels calmer, steadier, and filled with laughter,” Rishi told me, highlighting how companionship and shared history can transform hearts. “It might be cliché to say it’s the best, but clichés are clichés for a reason, and it truly is the best.”
In the quiet intimacy of shared laughter and whispered confessions, Rishi found not only a husband but a soulmate. When I asked what her biggest takeaway is from being in a marriage of convenience, Rishi replied, “If you treat your partner as your best friend—the person you share your secrets with, the person you grow with, the person you’re inspired by—you’ll have a steady foundation for the rest of your life.”
She also said, “The Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai put it best: love is, simply put, friendship.”
Farah Naz Rishi is releasing her newest book titled Sorry For The Inconvenience: A Memoir this coming July 1. The preorder link is now available. Follow @farahnazrishi on Instagram for more details. (Photos courtesy of Linette and Kyle Kielinski)
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