Chapter 4: A Gift for Another

(Aurora)

On the night of my birthday, I found myself in an unusually good mood. It was strange, considering the nature of our marriage, but somewhere in the act of pretending to be the perfect couple, a part of me had started to savor the little gestures Leon made to keep up appearances.

As the caterers moved in and out of the house, setting assorted dishes on the table, my phone buzzed. The screen lit up with Julie’s name, and I quickly answered, smiling.

“Aurora!” Julie’s voice bubbled with excitement on the other end of the line. “Guess what?”

“What?” I replied, her enthusiasm infectious.

“Leon bought it!” she exclaimed. “The necklace you’ve been eyeing from our new collection. He was in here yesterday, picked it out himself, and didn’t even blink at the price. He said it was a special occasion.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak, caught between surprise and a foolish flutter of hope. Leon had remembered. Despite the unspoken boundaries of our relationship, he had gone out of his way to get me the necklace. Maybe, just maybe, my birthday would be more than just another day in this carefully curated facade.

Julie’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “I’m so happy for you, Aurora. He’s such a thoughtful husband. Honestly, if my boyfriend put in half the effort, I’d marry him tomorrow.”

I laughed lightly, though I felt a twinge of guilt at her comment. Julie was one of the few people outside of our circles who knew about our marriage – having sold us our wedding bands. She believed we were this perfect couple who were living the dream life. I changed the subject, asking about her latest adventures at the boutique, before ending the call and returning to my preparations.

The kitchen smelled of roasted herbs and garlic as I admired the assortment of delicious dishes, imagining what a wonderful night it would be. The wine was chilling, the table set with candles. All that was left was for Leon to come home.

To pass the time, I idly scrolled through TikTok, my thumb flicking past videos of choreographed dances and recipe hacks. As I debated whether to close the app and focus on something productive, a notification popped up on my screen: “Claire Winston just posted a new video.”

My breath hitched. Claire? My finger hovered over the notification for a moment, my mind racing. Last I heard, she was still in France, supposedly living a picture-perfect life with her husband. Curiosity clawed at me, and despite my better judgment, I clicked the notification.

The video opened, and the screen filled with Claire’s face, her familiar, strikingly blue eyes glimmering beneath perfectly styled golden waves. She was radiant, every inch the captivating socialite I remembered.

As the camera panned, a striking figure with slightly tousled hair and dark amber eyes came into view. My heart skipped a beat. It was Leon. And he was with Claire... on my birthday night.

“Welcome back,” Leon smiled warmly, holding out a small velvet box. My throat tightened as Claire gasped softly, her manicured fingers lifting the lid to reveal an intricately crafted emerald necklace nestled inside.

My chest tightened. I could never mistake it—that necklace. It was the one I had shown Leon not long ago, the one he promised me as a birthday gift during our playful banter. Yet Leon had chosen it to commemorate Claire’s return, something he never mentioned to me.

Claire’s soft, melodic laugh echoed in my ear. “Thank you, Leon. It’s perfect.”

A storm of emotions raged within me. My grip on the phone tightened, knuckles white with tension. Why and when had Claire returned? And why had Leon chosen my birthday—of all days—to ghost me and welcome her with the gift that I hand-picked?

There was no way to sugarcoat it. This was betrayal. I had always thought Leon and I forged a special camaraderie. Our connection felt unique and unshakable despite our fake marriage. Was Claire truly that important to him that he would abandon everything just to meet with her? Had he become the stereotypical man in love, willing to sacrifice everything for the woman he adored?

Taking a deep breath, I called for Arnold, our butler, to arrange for the untouched food to be delivered to the shelter downtown. He hesitated with concern, but when he saw the quiet refusal in my gaze, he said nothing, simply folding his hands. "Very well, Madam. I'll do as you say."

But before he left, he reached into his pocket and handed me a small ribboned package, and said with genuine sincerity.  “Happy birthday, Madam. All of us here truly appreciate your presence here.”

A warmth surged in my chest. I took the gift from him, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you, Arnold. You have no idea what this means to me.”

He nodded respectfully and left with the packed dishes. I moved to the cabinet, retrieving a bottle of wine, and sat by the window. The city lights twinkled like distant stars as I poured myself a generous glass.

Inside the gift was my favorite brand of chocolate. I bit into a piece, savoring the bittersweet taste. The weight of the day hung over me like a storm cloud.

When had it all gone so wrong?

I had always believed Leon was honorable, principled—someone who kept his promises, and stuck to his ideals with unwavering determination. I had also once believed there might be more between Leon and me. In the quiet moments we shared, in the way he sometimes looked at me, I thought I had seen a spark of something deeper. But I was never sure of it myself, given my family’s financial struggles, Isabella’s endless remarks about Claire, and Leon’s obvious favoritism towards her. 

And tonight felt like the final nail in the coffin. Perhaps the spark I felt had always been wishful thinking, a figment of my imagination. We never really had a chance at all.

***

By the time Leon returned home late that night, the candles had long been blown out, and the untouched food cleared from the table. I sat on the couch, sipping from my wine glass, watching him from the shadows.

“You’re still awake?” he asked, his voice gentle.

“Long night,” I said, rising to my feet. My tone was calm, but my words carried the weight of all the emotions I’d suppressed throughout the evening.

His gaze softened. “I’m sorry I’m late. Things came up.”

I ignored his excuse, my eyes boring into his. “Did you get the necklace?”

Leon froze. For a moment, I thought he might tell me the truth. Instead, he took on a neutral tone. “I gave it to a friend who needed it more.”

“Is that so?” I studied him. His clear, earnest eyes met mine, and I saw no sign betraying his lies. 

It was as if I had gained a new understanding of the man I thought I knew – the man who could be infuriatingly arrogant but also unexpectedly kind – seemed irreparably changed. And perhaps that was part of the problem. I had projected my own hopes onto him, filling in the gaps with a version of him that didn’t exist.

Without another word, I grabbed my phone, headed for the door, and dialed Jenny.

“Jenny?” My voice trembled slightly. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

“What?” Leon’s voice grew alarmed. “Aurora, you’re staying out tonight?”

I covered the mouthpiece and responded coolly, “That’s none of your business. I’m going to find my friend. It’s as simple as that.”

 I ignored Leon’s frantic protests and slammed the door shut behind me. 

I needed a night with someone who truly understood and cared about me, a break from the wreck that had long been my fake marriage.