Valentine’s Day started like any other, with Cora feeling light and cheerful. She had spent the morning buzzing with excitement as she prepared a surprise for Eric. It wasn’t just another day—it was a day for love, for showing him just how much she cared. As she crossed off the last few things on her to-do list, she couldn’t help but blush, imagining the look on his face when he saw what she had planned for him.
She first met Eric years ago at a business conference in Texas. Both of them had grown up in foster care, and they dreamed of one day creating the kind of big, happy family they had always longed for. Their love story unfolded quickly—after just a few dates, they tied the knot, and soon, their dream of a family came true with the birth of triplets.
But as time went on, things started to change. Eric, determined to provide for his growing family, became the primary breadwinner. Meanwhile, Cora had to stay home to take care of their children. Their dreams of vacations, fancy dinners, and luxuries faded away, replaced by the reality of tight budgets. Eric worked long hours, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, but no matter how hard he worked, it never seemed to be enough.
Cora understood, though. She was careful with every penny, making sure the kids had everything they needed without ever splurging on herself. She even wore the same red dress Eric had given her for their first wedding anniversary. It wasn’t the latest style, but it was special to her, and it saved her from spending money on something new.
That Valentine’s Day, she didn’t want to disappoint him. She spent hours preparing a heartfelt surprise. She baked his favorite red velvet cheesecake, arranged it into a heart shape, and set it on the table with a bottle of wine, some homemade dishes, and—most importantly—a gift she couldn’t wait for him to open.
“Perfect!” Cora thought to herself, looking around at the candle-lit room and the fairy lights twinkling in the dim light. The doorbell rang just as she finished. Her heart skipped a beat. Eric was home.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!” she greeted him with a kiss on his cheek as she led him inside.
But instead of being delighted, Eric stood frozen in shock as he saw the dining table, the candles, the rose petals scattered on the floor. His face twisted in anger. “What on earth have you done, Cora? Are we some teenagers trying to be cute?” he snapped.
Cora’s heart sank. “Honey, what’s wrong? Did something happen at work?”
Eric’s temper exploded. “Are you serious?” he shouted. “This is what I work my ass off for? So you can blow everything on some stupid stuff like this?!”
Cora tried to calm him down. “Oh, Eric! Relax! It’s not that much, just a little more expensive than usual, but not a big deal. Please, sit down and tell me how you like the food?”
But Eric wasn’t having it. He grabbed the plate of Aglio e Olio, took a bite, and spat it out in disgust. “What the hell is this? Why does the sauce taste like crap?” he yelled, loud enough to startle their triplets, who were napping in the next room.
“Eric!” Cora cried, horrified. “What’s wrong with you? The babies! I put them to sleep just half an hour ago, and now you’ve woken them up!”
Eric sneered. “So what? It’s not like I can just turn off work to be here! You stay home with the kids all day, and still, look at this mess.” He grabbed the gift box, threw it on the floor, and glared at her. “A gift? Who even needs that? Have you seen the kitchen? The dishes are piled up because you were too busy preparing all this to take care of the house!”
“Eric, you’re impossible!” Cora snapped. “I can’t believe you’re the same man I married! You’ve changed so much. Just… leave!” She stormed toward the kids’ room, frustrated, but Eric’s angry voice followed her.
“Why are the kids still crying, Cora? Aren’t you the perfect housewife? Figure it out!” Eric shouted, his voice full of bitterness.
Cora’s patience snapped. She spun around, her eyes blazing. “They’re crying because I need to change their diapers, but we’re out of them! And guess what? We don’t have any more! So don’t you dare talk to me like that. Watch the kids until I get back. The store is a little far, so it’ll take time!”
“Yeah, right. You claim you’re the perfect housewife and still mess things up,” Eric muttered as she slammed the door behind her.
Cora didn’t return for nearly an hour. The kids kept crying, and Eric’s frustration grew. He finally grabbed his phone, about to call her, but just as he dialed, the doorbell rang.
“Finally,” he muttered to himself, opening the door without looking. “Cora, how long does it take to get—”
He froze.
Standing on the porch was a police officer. “Does Cora live here?”
Eric blinked. “Yeah… Why?”
The officer’s face was grim. “I’m sorry to say, but your wife was in a car accident. She didn’t survive. We need you to come with us to identify the body.”
Eric’s world collapsed. His face turned pale as the officer’s words sank in. “W-What?” He looked back at the house, at the table still set for dinner, and a wave of guilt crashed over him.
“Please,” the officer said gently, “we’ll wait here.”
Eric stumbled to the phone and called their neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, to watch the triplets while he went to the mortuary. When he arrived, he could hardly believe it. There, in front of him, was Cora’s lifeless body, cold and pale. His tears fell freely. The woman he had yelled at, the woman he had treated so horribly, was gone forever.
The next day, at her funeral, Eric barely remembered anything. He couldn’t think, couldn’t speak. He was numb.
Back home, he stumbled into the living room, his mind a blur. He looked around and saw the table Cora had set, the plates and candles still in place. His eyes landed on the gift he had thrown aside. “The gift…” he whispered to himself, his hands trembling as he picked it up.
He tore it open, desperately hoping it wasn’t too late to make things right. Inside was a note, and as he read it, his heart shattered all over again.
To the love of my life, Eric,
Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! Guess what? I got a job this month! I saw how exhausted you were working all the time, so I applied to a few places, and I got hired yesterday!
And I talked to Mrs. Nelson; she’ll look after the babies, so I can work and not worry. But there’s more! Those tickets in the box? They’re for a trip to Hawaii, just the two of us! (I’ve planned more surprises too, but you’ll find out later, hehe.)
Eric collapsed on the couch, clutching the note to his chest as tears streamed down his face. He couldn’t believe it. She had been planning to give him the best surprise of all. And now, it was too late. She was gone.
From that day on, Eric’s life was never the same. He worked tirelessly to raise their children, but he never found love again. Every Valentine’s Day, he went to Cora’s grave, sat for hours, and spoke to her as if she could hear him, wishing he could turn back time and beg for her forgiveness.
The lesson from this story?
Don’t let anger cloud your judgment. Eric thought Cora wasn’t doing enough, but he was wrong. In his fury, he lost sight of everything he truly loved. And when we let anger control us, we lose the chance to make things right.