PART 1
I knew something was wrong before I even turned off the engine.
For seven years, my wife, Emily, had always been waiting on the front porch the moment I returned home from a business trip. Whether I had been gone for two days or two weeks, she was always there with a smile.
This time, the house was silent.
Then I saw them.
Hundreds of roses.
Red, pink, white, and yellow flowers covered the porch like a colorful ocean. Bouquets stretched from the front steps to the porch swing.
My heart instantly sank.
Someone was trying to steal my wife.
The enormous display felt less like a romantic gesture and more like a declaration of war.
As I climbed the steps, my eyes locked onto a small card tucked inside one of the bouquets.
My hands trembled as I pulled it free.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know who sent them.
The sweet scent of roses hit me the moment I reached the porch.
The flowers were everywhere.
They surrounded the front door, covered the railings, and spilled across every available surface.
Before I could process what I was seeing, the front door slowly opened.
Emily stepped outside.
She looked exhausted.
Her face was pale, and dark circles sat beneath her eyes.
When she noticed the flowers, she froze.
Her eyes widened with genuine confusion.
For a brief moment, neither of us spoke.
The silence felt heavy.
“Emily,” I finally said. “Who sent all these?”
She looked around in disbelief.
“I have no idea.”
I searched her face for any sign she was hiding something.
Had someone been secretly pursuing her while I was away?
Had I missed something?
But all I saw was a woman who looked emotionally drained.
Then my attention shifted to a white envelope attached to a bouquet near the porch swing.
A crooked blue heart had been drawn on the front.
My pulse raced.
I opened it.
The handwriting inside was large, uneven, and shaky.
It looked like it had been written by a child.
I began reading aloud.
“Please don’t quit.”
Emily immediately covered her mouth.
Her entire body stiffened.
I continued reading.
“We love you so much.”
“We are so sorry.”
My voice cracked.
The realization hit both of us at the same time.
Emily didn’t simply cry.
She completely broke down.
Months of pain came pouring out all at once….
Read more on the next page….
