I stared at the cake in disbelief, the words searing through my mind like a knife. My heart hammered in my chest as I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I thought I was dreaming, but no—it was real. The cake was real. The words were real.

My phone rang again. Thompson’s name flashed on the screen. This time, I didn’t wait for him to speak. “What the hell is this?” I choked out, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.

There was a pause on the other end, then he sighed heavily. “I… I didn’t mean for it to go this far, but I’ve been seeing someone else. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you like this, but I thought it’d be easier if you just… knew.”

I felt the room spin as his words sunk in. I dropped the phone onto the floor, my hands shaking uncontrollably. The doorbell rang again, and I couldn’t bring myself to move.

It was the same deliveryman from earlier. “I’m sorry, ma’am. This is for you,” he said gently, handing me another box. I hesitated before opening it, bracing myself. Inside was a letter from Thompson. But it wasn’t what I expected.

It was an apology—deep and raw. He regretted his actions and confessed that he couldn’t go on living with the lies. And at the very end of the letter was a name—a name I didn’t recognize. My heart shattered even further as I read the words: “I never meant to destroy you. Please forgive me, someday.”

I crumbled, unable to move or breathe. The anniversary I had dreamed of ended not with love but betrayal. As the tears streamed down my face, I knew I had to move on. But how could I?