Cora Morales woke up that Valentine’s morning with a smile she couldn’t hide. She hummed as she moved around the house, her heart light with joy. For weeks she had been planning a surprise for her husband Eric, and tonight was finally the night.
She sat on the living room couch, a notebook in her lap, ticking off her to-do list one by one. Everything had to be perfect. She blushed just thinking about Eric’s reaction. He’ll be so happy… he has no idea what I’ve planned for him, she thought.
Cora first met Eric years ago at a business conference in Texas. Both of them were orphans who had grown up in foster care, and on their very first date, they confessed to each other that they dreamed of building a big, happy family of their own one day. That dream came true sooner than expected—they got married quickly and, two years later, were blessed with triplets.
But life after that hadn’t been easy. Eric worked long hours to support the family of five, while Cora stayed home to care for the babies. The pressure of bills, the exhaustion of parenthood, and the constant stress of money had created cracks between them. Eric felt like he was carrying the whole world on his shoulders. He came home tired, frustrated, and guilty that he never had enough time or money for his family.
Vacations, fancy dinners, and luxuries had become impossible. Even birthdays and anniversaries were modest. Cora understood all of this, so she tried to save money wherever she could. That’s why, on this Valentine’s Day, she pulled out an old red dress Eric had given her on their first anniversary. It was a little faded, a little outdated, but it was precious to her. He’ll remember it… he’ll smile when he sees it, she thought.
By evening, Cora had transformed their small dining room into a romantic space. She baked a heart-shaped red velvet cheesecake, cooked Aglio e Olio, laid out a bottle of wine, and set the table for two. She even sprinkled rose petals from the doorway to the table and placed a neatly wrapped gift box beside Eric’s plate. Finally, she lit fragrant candles and switched on the fairy lights.
She stepped back and looked around proudly. “Perfect,” she whispered to herself.
Half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Her heart skipped a beat. She hurried to the door, smoothed her dress, and opened it.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!” she greeted warmly, kissing Eric on the cheek and leading him inside.
But Eric didn’t smile. His eyes scanned the candlelit room, the food, the rose petals. Instead of joy, his face twisted in anger.
“What on Earth have you done, Cora? Are we some stupid teenagers?” he barked.
Cora’s smile froze. Her voice trembled. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you upset about something? Did something happen at work?”
Eric exploded. “Are you serious? Is this why I work my ass off every day? So you can waste money on some ridiculous crap like this?”
Cora shook her head quickly. “No, Eric! I didn’t go overboard. The ingredients cost a little more, but it wasn’t much. Please… sit down, try the food. I made your favorites.”
But Eric’s anger was already burning. He sat down, took a bite of the pasta, and spat it right back out.
“What the hell is this? The spaghetti tastes like garbage!” he shouted, so loudly that the triplets woke up crying in the other room.
“Eric!” Cora cried. “The babies—I just put them to sleep half an hour ago! Please, lower your voice!”
“So what? Is that my fault too? You stay home all day ‘playing house’ with the kids, and you can’t even keep the place clean! Have you seen the kitchen? It’s a mountain of dirty dishes! And what’s this?” He snatched the gift box from the table. “A gift?”
Before Cora could answer, he flung it to the floor. “I’m not some child to be impressed by toys! Maybe if you spent less time on this nonsense and more time doing your job as a housewife, things wouldn’t be such a mess!”
Cora’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re impossible, Eric. I can’t believe you’re the same man I fell in love with. Can’t you…” she trailed off, then finally snapped, “…ugh, just leave me alone.” She stormed toward the children’s room.
But the babies wouldn’t stop crying. Frustrated, Cora shouted from the hallway, “They’re crying because I need to change their diapers—but we don’t have any left! I told you days ago we were running out!” She grabbed her coat. “Fine. Look after them while I go buy some. The store is far, so it’ll take time!”
She slammed the door behind her, leaving Eric fuming. “Yeah, and then she says she’s a housewife. Useless,” he muttered.
An hour passed. The babies kept crying, and still no sign of Cora. Eric was irritated now, pacing. “What’s taking her so long for just diapers?” he grumbled as he picked up his phone to call her.
Before he could dial, the doorbell rang. Relieved, he muttered, “Finally! Cora, what on earth took you so—”
But when he opened the door, it wasn’t Cora. A police officer stood there, his face solemn.
“Does Cora Morales live here?”
“Yes,” Eric said cautiously. “I’m her husband.”
The officer cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, sir… your wife died in a car accident. We need you to come with us and identify the body.”
The world stopped. Eric felt the blood drain from his face. He staggered back, shaking his head. “No… no, that can’t be true. Not Cora.”
But it was. At the mortuary, he saw her lifeless body, pale and still, and he broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. He kept whispering, “I’m sorry, Cora… I’m so sorry,” but it was too late.
After the funeral, Eric locked himself inside the house. The dining table was still decorated, the candles burned down to stubs. His eyes fell on the unopened gift box lying on the floor. With trembling hands, he picked it up and unwrapped it.
Inside were two plane tickets to Hawaii and a handwritten note.
“To the love of my life, Eric,
Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!!! Guess what? I got a job this month! I know you’ve been so tired, carrying all the weight alone, so I started applying. Yesterday, I got hired! Mrs. Nelson agreed to help watch the babies, so I can work too and give you some relief.
But that’s not all. See those tickets? They’re for us—a trip to Hawaii, just the two of us! I’ve got more surprises, but you’ll have to wait. Hehe!
Love always,
Cora.”
Eric sank to the floor, clutching the note, his tears falling onto the paper. The realization crushed him—while he had accused her of being lazy and careless, she had been quietly working to ease his burdens and give them both a chance to breathe.
From that day on, Eric was never the same. He raised the triplets with all the love and effort he could muster, but he never remarried, never sought love again. Every Valentine’s Day, he went to Cora’s grave, sat beside it for hours, and spoke to her. He told her about the kids, about his life, about his regrets—always wishing he could go back, just once, and ask for her forgiveness.
👉 Lesson: Don’t jump to conclusions. Eric thought Cora didn’t want to work and only sat at home. He was wrong. Anger blinds us to the truth, and sometimes we only realize it when it’s too late.