Chapter One- Surprise

Claire woke up early, today was her husband's twenty-fifth birthday, and she wanted everything to be perfect. She was excited, Claire had been planning Ethan's birthday for weeks, hoping to surprise him with a wonderful celebration.

Claire smiled as she thought about the evening ahead. Marrying Ethan had been a dream come true for her.

Lightly put, Claire worships the ground Ethan walks on.

She had been crushing on Ethan for years, and when he proposed, she had been over the moon.

But marriage to him had been tortuous. Sometimes, Claire felt that the sight of her face irritated Ethan.

Claire felt strongly that a surprise birthday, and the news she was about to share with him was going to change things between them. She was so exicted, giddy even.

Claire had set the dining table with their best plates and silverware. She arranged a bouquet of fresh flowers in the centre, the bright colours of the flowers added an uplifting mood. She checked the time and decided to make Ethan's favourite breakfast, pancakes with blueberries, and whipped cream. Pancakes always had a way of cheering him up.

As she flipped the pancakes, she heard Ethan's footsteps coming down the stairs. Her smile widened as she prepared to act as if today was just another day. Claire wanted Ethan to feel that she had forgotten his birthday.

Ethan appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking irritated. His hair was tousled, and there was a frown on his face. Claire's heart sank a little. Today was his birthday, Claire had hoped he would be in a good mood.

"Morning," he muttered, heading straight for the coffee machine, he didn't even look at her.

"Good morning," Claire replied cheerfully, trying to hide her disappointment. . "I made breakfast.", she said as she laid out a tray of fluffy pancakes.

Beside it was whipped cream and maple syrup.

"Thanks," Ethan said, barely glancing at the food. He took a sip of his coffee, still looking distracted.

Claire took a deep breath and approached him. "Are you coming home early tonight?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light and casual.

"Why?" Ethan asked, not looking up from his coffee.

"I just thought it would be nice to have dinner together," Claire said.

Ethan's phone beeped, and he immediately picked it up. He glanced at the screen, and without another word, he put down his coffee and headed back upstairs.

Claire was not even disappointed. She was used to being ignored and mistreated. She had wanted today to be special, but Ethan, as always, was distant and preoccupied. She shook off the negative thoughts and decided to focus on the preparations.

After a few minutes, Ethan came back downstairs, dressed for work. "I have to go," he said abruptly without even looking in her direction.

"Okay," Claire said softly. "Have a good day."

Ethan nodded and left the house without another word. As Claire watched him go, she became sad. She really hoped the party she was planning would lift his spirits.

As soon as Ethan was out the door, Claire sprang into action. She grabbed her phone and quickly dialled the number for the party planner.

"Hello, this is Claire," she said , when the party planner answered the call. "I just wanted to confirm everything for tonight. The food, the decorations, the cake—everything's set, right?"

"Yes, Mrs. Thompson, everything is ready," the party planner assured her. "We'll arrive at 6 PM to set up."

"Thank you so much," Claire said, with relieve.

"It's really important that everything goes smoothly."

"Don't worry, it will," the party planner replied confidently.

Claire hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She wanted everything to be perfect for Ethan. She loved him deeply, even if he always seemed distant. She hoped that tonight's party would stir things in the right direction.

She spent the rest of the day with her domestic staff, cleaning the house and arranging decorations. They hung streamers and balloons, making sure every corner of the living room looked festive. She placed photos of them together on the mantelpiece, hoping to evoke happy memories.

As the afternoon turned into evening, Claire became anxious. She checked her watch repeatedly, hoping Ethan would come home on time. She wanted him to be surprised and delighted by the party she had planned.

At 6 p.m., the caterers arrived and began setting up the food and drinks. Claire hovered around them, making sure everything was just right. The dining table was covered with delicious dishes, and the cake stood out in the center, a perfect symbol of her efforts.

By 7 PM, everything was ready. The house looked beautiful, filled with warmth and light. Claire put on her favorite dress and took a moment to calm her racing heart.

At 7:30 PM, she decided to give him a call but Ethan didn’t answer any of her calls. Shortly after she stopped calling, her phone beeped. it was a text from Ethan, it read simply,

I will be working late at the office. Out for dinner now, and I will get back to work soon.

Claire was disappointed. The house was filled with decorations, and their mutual friends that had graciously agreed to come surprise Ethan.

She started contemplating how to dismiss all the guests when a thought came to her.

By the time she got to Ethan's office, everywhere was locked down. Everyone had gone apart from the security. He greeted her, and after explaining her plans to surprise her husband, he let her and all her entourage go in. she hadn't known it would be that easy to get access to Ethan's office. They quickly set up and got ready. Not too long after, one of the guests saw him drive in. They positioned themselves with Claire standing by the light switch. Shortly, footsteps were heard, and the door was being unlocked.

The door swung open, the next thing Claire heard was a lady giggling, and then there was moaning.

Claire switched on the light, and everyone was surprised.