I never thought a simple box of pizza would change my life forever. As the CEO of Claire’s Fashion Empire, I’d built my business from scratch, working tirelessly while my husband Adrian stayed home.
We’d been married for five years, and I didn’t mind being the breadwinner. Adrian had always supported my dreams, or so I thought.
That fateful day started like any other.
I was heading to the airport for another business trip, carrying an extra special secret — I was pregnant. I’d been waiting for the perfect moment to tell Adrian, but this sudden business trip had delayed my plans.
“I’ll miss you, honey,” Adrian said, hugging me goodbye. “Come back soon.”
I smiled, touching my belly discreetly. “I will. It’s just a three-day trip.”
But fate had other plans.
At the airport, I learned my flight was canceled due to technical issues.
Excited to surprise Adrian, I headed home. When I rang the doorbell, his reaction wasn’t what I expected.
“Claire? Why… why are you back?” His face had gone pale.
“Flight got canceled. Aren’t you happy to see me?”
He hugged me awkwardly. “Of course! I missed you so much!”
I frowned. “Adrian, it’s been only three hours.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I can’t even stay three hours without you, honey.”
That was weird. He’d never been this cheesy.
When I tried to enter our bedroom to freshen up, he blocked my way. “Wait! The room’s messy. Let me clean it first.”
“It’s alright, babe,” I said. “I don’t mind.”
“But I do,” he replied, raising his eyebrows. “I want everything to be perfect for you.”
Something felt off, but I used the guest bathroom instead. That’s when the doorbell rang. Coming out, I found Adrian holding a pizza box.
“Pizza delivery,” he explained nervously.
I opened the box and took a bite but immediately spat it in the bin.
“This is so spicy!” I blurted out. “What flavor is it?”
“Uh…” Adrian began. “It’s, uh, double tabasco.”
“What? Since when do you order that flavor?”
“I… I just wanted to try something new,” he stammered.
Everything about Adrian was unusual that day, but I didn’t say anything.
The next day at work, I confided in my best friend, Vanessa.
“Adrian’s been acting strange. I want to tell him about the pregnancy, but something feels wrong.”
“Wait for the right time,” Vanessa advised.
After work, she suggested getting pizza. “Let’s go to Tony’s.”
When she ordered Tabasco pizza, my world stopped.
“I just love extra spicy Tabasco pizza!” she exclaimed.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating?” she asked, noticing my silence.
“Nothing. Just work,” I lied, my mind racing. Adrian’s strange behavior, the messy bedroom, the Tabasco pizza… it all suddenly made sense now.
“I, uh… I have something important to do, Vanessa,” I said, excusing myself from the restaurant. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Umm… okay,” Vanessa replied.
Once I left the restaurant and started walking back home, I took out my phone and tried calling Adrian. His line was busy.
I called Vanessa next. Same result.
With a heavy heart but determined spirit, I went home and started packing a suitcase, telling Adrian I had another flight tomorrow. He was on the phone, claiming it was “just a friend.”
The next day, I didn’t board any flight. Instead, I visited Tony’s Pizza and spoke to the delivery guy who’d delivered to our house.
“Yeah, I remember,” he said. “When I delivered, there was a woman leaving the house.”
When I showed him Vanessa’s photo, he nodded. “That’s her.”
I couldn’t believe it. The man I loved the most was cheating on me with my best friend. And Vanessa? I couldn’t understand what made her think I’d never find out.
I wanted to cry there, but that was not a part of my plan. I had to stay strong for myself.
Disguising myself as a delivery person, I prepared my final act. When Adrian opened the door, his shirt was unbuttoned, and his hair disheveled. Behind him stood Vanessa, half-dressed.
“I didn’t order any pizza!” Adrian protested.
I removed my helmet. “But I ordered something special for you, darling.”
Their faces turned pale.
Inside the pizza box was a note about divorce papers.
“D-divorce?” Adrian stammered. “Claire… I—”
“Claire, please!” Vanessa begged. “We can explain!”
“Explain what?” I spat. “How my best friend and husband betrayed me?”
“I’m sorry, Claire,” Vanessa said. “I…”
“Stop it, Vanessa,” I interrupted. “I have nothing to do with you or this man. Grab your things and leave. Both of you!”
I walked away, leaving them begging for forgiveness.
I never told Adrian about our baby. Months later, as I sat on a Hawaiian beach, watching the sunset paint the sky pink and gold, I cradled my growing belly.
Adrian eventually learned about the pregnancy through mutual friends but never reached out. It proved what I’d always known.
He was just a coward and a cheater.
If you enjoyed reading this compilation, here’s another one you might like: Kindness can ripple through the world in unimaginable ways. In these three heartwarming stories, ordinary people performed extraordinary acts of generosity, only to find their lives profoundly changed in return.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
