I sat in stunned silence, wondering if it was some twisted joke. Before I could think further, my phone rang again. It was Gloria—my mother-in-law.
“Anna, darling! Happy anniversary!” she chimed. I barely managed a reply as she continued, “Did you love the ring? Thomas said it was stunning!”
A chill ran through me. There was no ring. Nothing had arrived from Thomas at all.
She went on enthusiastically, “It’s such a shame Thomas had to travel, but wouldn’t it be romantic if you surprised him at the hotel you two loved?” Her tone was sweet, but something in it made me uneasy. Still, something in her words sparked a thought. I grabbed my bag and booked a last-minute flight.
Hours later, heart pounding, I stood outside Room 614 of that very hotel. When I knocked, a woman opened the door. She was elegant, poised, and clearly surprised to see me.
“Thomas is in the shower,” she said with a cool smile, stepping aside.
Inside, his clothes were scattered, and the atmosphere left little to the imagination. But instead of reacting, I stayed composed.
Then, from the bathroom emerged someone I didn’t expect—Gloria. Calm, champagne in hand, she looked completely at ease. “You weren’t supposed to walk in yet,” she said, as though this had all been part of some elaborate scheme.
“Where’s Thomas?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s elsewhere. I saw an opportunity to… fix things,” she said lightly. “Alicia”—gesturing toward the woman—“is lovely, isn’t she? Everything you’re not.”
I stood frozen, trying to make sense of it all. The cake, the call, now this? But I had one more card to play.
I pulled out my phone and hit the speaker. Thomas’s voice rang through: “Mom, how could you do this? Anna, I’ll be there in ten minutes. Please wait downstairs.”
Gloria’s confident expression flickered. Without another word, I turned and walked out.
In the lobby, still shaken but composed, I waited. Minutes later, Thomas rushed in, out of breath. “Anna, I’m so sorry. I had no idea she’d go this far.”
We sat together in a quiet corner of the hotel restaurant. Dessert was served, and Thomas reached into his pocket, revealing a small velvet box.
“This is from me,” he said softly. Inside was a beautiful ring.
I asked cautiously, “Not from your mother?”
He laughed gently. “No, definitely from me. And your real gift is back home. And no—it’s not a cake.”
I smiled. “Good. I’ve had enough surprise desserts for one night.”
As we shared that quiet moment, the chaos behind us, I realized something important: boundaries matter. Whatever challenges lay ahead, we’d face them together—with honesty, love, and a firm understanding of what we stood for.