My marriage to Thomas wasn’t perfect, but it was mine, filled with late-night chats and Sunday pancake disasters. Our first year felt like a warm hug, so I planned our anniversary with care, mastering a duck dish and buying the tie he’d admired. Dressed up, I set a candlelit table, heart full. Then Thomas called. “I’m off to the airport,” he said. “Work emergency.” My stomach dropped. “It’s our anniversary,” I said. He swore he’d make it up, but I felt empty, staring at the table. I decided to salvage the evening with a hot bath instead of moping. The doorbell rang mid-soak, pulling me to the door in a towel. A delivery guy handed me a box, saying it was anonymous.
Hoping Thomas sent a surprise, I opened it to find a cake with gold lettering: “Time to get divorced!” A note read, “Hope you take it like he did. XOXO.” My mind spun—was this a mistake? Then Gloria, my mother-in-law, called. “Love the ring?” she asked. I hadn’t received one. Thomas always gifted in the morning, but today, nothing. “It’s gorgeous,” I lied, dread growing. She mentioned Thomas was at our old romantic hotel, suggesting I surprise him. The cake, note, and missing ring clicked—something was wrong. I booked a flight, heart pounding, wondering if Thomas was unfaithful. I barely made the plane, nerves fraying.
At the hotel, I got his room number and knocked, hands shaking. A beautiful brunette answered, smirking in a tight dress. “Thomas is in the shower,” she said, his clothes on the bed. Fury took over—I smashed the cake in her face, frosting flying. She screamed, slipping on the floor. I headed for the bathroom, ready to confront Thomas, but found Gloria, champagne in hand, grinning. “You’re bolder than I thought,” she said, admitting she sent the cake to push me out, favoring her friend Alicia for Thomas. I held up my phone, revealing I’d called Thomas, leaving the line open. His angry voice filled the room, promising to meet me. Gloria’s confidence cracked.
I left, tossing a quip at the icing-covered Alicia. In the lobby, Thomas found me, horrified. “My mom’s gone too far,” he said. Over dinner, we processed it. He gave me a ring, his true gift, and I mentioned the tie at home, joking about no more work trips on anniversaries. We laughed, rebuilding our night. Gloria’s plan failed, and I’d shown her I wasn’t weak. She might try again, but I knew my strength, ready to protect our love with fierce resolve.
