Cora spent the morning in a cloud of happiness, finding it almost hard to believe how cheerful she felt. She was sitting in the living room, working through her to-do list for the evening. Every now and then, she’d glance at the clock, feeling excited about the Valentine’s Day surprise she had planned for Eric. She couldn't wait to see the smile on his face when he walked through the door.

It all started when Cora met Eric at a business conference in Texas. They instantly clicked, both being orphans with a dream of creating a loving, large family. After a few months of dating, they tied the knot and were blessed with triplets just two years later.

But things began to shift once Cora stepped into the role of full-time mom and Eric became the sole breadwinner for the family. The weight of his responsibilities quickly started to wear on him.

Eric became irritable and often lost his patience | Source: Shutterstock

Eric gave his all to providing for his family, leaving him exhausted and stressed. Every day felt like a battle to balance work, home life, and his guilt for not being able to spend more time with Cora and the kids. They hadn’t been on a vacation or even dined at a nice restaurant in years—every penny was spent carefully, and Cora understood that. She never splurged and always made sure to stretch their budget.

Even on Valentine’s Day, Cora chose to wear a red dress she’d received from Eric on their first anniversary. It wasn’t the latest style, but it held sentimental value. Besides, it saved her from spending extra money, and she thought it looked perfect for the evening ahead.

As the time approached for Eric’s arrival, Cora quickly set the table with his favorite red velvet cheesecake, made into a heart shape, a bottle of wine, and a few other dishes she’d prepared. The final touch was a gift box placed beside his plate, something she was eager for him to open.

"Perfect," she thought to herself, lighting candles and switching on the fairy lights to add some sparkle to the room. It was everything she had hoped for. Not long after, the doorbell rang, and Eric was home.

"Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek as she led him inside.

When Eric saw the room, he was shocked. The candle-lit table, rose petals scattered from the entryway to the dining area—it was all a bit much for him. "What on Earth is this, Cora?" he snapped. "Are we teenagers? What’s all this nonsense?"

Cora’s smile faltered, her heart sinking as Eric switched on all the lights in the room, glaring at her. "Honey, what’s wrong? Did something happen at work?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" Eric shouted. "Is this why I work myself to the bone? So you can waste everything on this ridiculous crap?!"

Cora’s face dropped. She tried to stay calm, her voice gentle as she led him to the table. "I didn’t go overboard, Eric. It wasn’t too much. It’s just... I wanted to do something special for you," she explained, hoping he would understand.

But Eric was beyond reason. In his anger, he took a bite of the spaghetti, only to spit it out in disgust. "What is this garbage? The sauce tastes awful! What did you even make this with?" he yelled, startling the triplets, who were fast asleep in their room.

"Eric!" Cora cried, her frustration growing. "You just woke them up! Why are you yelling?"

His response was harsh. "So what? I work all day, and all you do is stay at home and play with the kids! And now, look at this—" He grabbed the gift box, tossing it to the floor with a sneer. "A gift? Are you serious? Do you think I’m some kid who’ll be impressed by this crap?"

Cora stood there, speechless, feeling the weight of his words. "You’re impossible," she muttered, trying to hold back the tears. "I can’t believe this is the man I married."

But she turned and walked away toward the children’s room. However, she could still hear the crying, which only made Eric angrier.

"Why aren’t they quiet yet?" he shouted from the living room. "You’re supposed to be the perfect wife and mother! Maybe you should start doing something right, Cora!"

Cora’s temper flared. She stormed back into the room, her voice rising. "They’re crying because I need to change their diapers, but we don’t have any at home! So stop complaining and look after them until I get back. The store is far away, and it’ll take some time!"

Without another word, she grabbed her jacket, slammed the door behind her, and headed for the store.

Eric stood there fuming. "And then you call yourself a housewife... You stay at home and do nothing!" he grumbled as he stomped toward the kids’ room.

Nearly an hour passed. The kids were still crying, and Cora hadn’t returned yet. Eric was growing more frustrated. "What the hell is taking her so long? It’s just diapers!" he muttered, pacing the living room.

But just as he was about to pick up his phone to call her, the doorbell rang. "Finally," he grumbled, but his voice caught in his throat when he opened the door to find a police officer standing on the porch.

"Does Cora live here?" the officer asked.

"Yes," Eric replied, confused.

The officer hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your wife was in a car accident. We need you to come with us to identify the body. We found your address on her driver's license."

Eric’s world crumbled as the words sank in. He was paralyzed with shock, his face draining of color. The officer looked at him with sympathy but had no choice but to deliver the devastating news.

Eric’s hands shook as he called their neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, asking her to look after the kids. He could barely focus on the drive to the morgue. When he saw Cora's lifeless body, his heart shattered. He couldn’t believe it. He had been so cruel to her. And now, he would never get the chance to make it right.

The next day, after the funeral, Eric found himself alone at home, staring at the table Cora had so lovingly set the previous evening. It was all still there, just as she had left it. His eyes landed on the gift that he had thrown to the floor.

Trembling, he picked it up, unwrapping it with shaking hands. Inside was a note, and as he read it, tears welled up in his eyes.

"To my love, Eric,

Happy Valentine’s Day! Guess who got a job this month? I’ve been applying for a while now, and yesterday, I got the call! I know you’ve been working so hard, and I wanted to contribute. And about the kids—Mrs. Nelson agreed to help us out so I can work. But that’s not all! The surprise? Those tickets are for a vacation to Hawaii—just the two of us! I’ve got more plans, but that’ll be a secret until later. Can’t wait to share everything with you!

Love, Cora."

Eric sobbed uncontrollably as he clutched the note. The pain of his earlier words to her hit him like a tidal wave. He would never get the chance to apologize, and now, he would live with the regret forever.

From that day forward, Eric’s life was never the same. He never found love again, and every Valentine’s Day, he would visit Cora’s grave, talking to her about everything and anything, wishing he could take back his actions.

What can we learn from this story?

1. Don’t jump to conclusions. Eric misjudged Cora, thinking she was lazy and didn’t want to help financially. He was wrong, and now he would pay for it for the rest of his life.

2. Think before you act. In the heat of anger, Eric lashed out without thinking, and it cost him more than he could ever imagine. Sometimes, the damage done in moments of rage cannot be undone.

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This piece is inspired by the stories of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Would you like to share your story with us? You can send it to [email protected].