In all their 15 years of marriage, her husband had missed her birthday only once, when he was hospitalized with an appendicitis attack. Jenny had been so worried about his condition that she even spent the night at the hospital. But as soon as he recovered, Anthony still managed to throw her a traditional celebration, albeit a month late.
Yes, that was a long time ago. Back then, there was still a spark of admiration in his eyes. Now, he seemed to be getting more and more tired and paid less and less attention to her.
Her mother-in-law cast a disapproving glance at her cheerful daughter-in-law who rushed past her toward the door. Always smiling like a fool, she muttered under her breath, as if there are no problems. The woman still couldn’t forgive Jenny for not giving her grandchildren and reproached her at every opportunity.
Anthony was in an unusually good mood. As soon as he walked in, he cheerfully hugged his wife and solemnly handed her a mysterious bundle. Jenny, my joy, happy early birthday, he said with excitement.
I couldn’t wait. I decided to give you your gift today. Jenny’s eyes lit up with happiness.
Oh my God, yes, this was exactly the Anthony she had married. Maybe she had worried for nothing. It had just been a tough period.
Now it was behind them and everything would return to normal. Her husband handed her an unremarkable package. Looking inside, the young woman froze in astonishment.
Anthony, this is gorgeous, she exclaimed with admiration. Where did you find such a beauty? He puffed out his chest and said solemnly. I had to muster some strength, searched for a long time among all the tasteless things.
I wanted to make you happy. He grunted, pleased with the effect he had on his wife. The man clearly felt on top of the world today, like the king of the pride.
Maybe divorce wasn’t such a great idea? His wife had such a docile and unassuming nature. She was the complete opposite of the bright and fiery Betty. And that was her charm.
Besides, they had walked hand in hand through such a long and thorny journey. Maybe it was better to leave things as they were. And then they would see what happened next.
With reverence and a sigh, the young woman carefully pulled the exotic item from its wrapping and began admiring it from every angle. Maybe you should feed your husband first? Anthony rumbled playfully, giving her a sly wink. Yes, this was the same Anthony.
Yes, yes, of course, his wife quickly responded. Sorry, I got too carried away. It’s just that this thing is so incredibly captivating.
I can’t seem to let go of it. During dinner, Jenny was in a wonderful mood. Even her mother-in-law’s grumbling didn’t bother her.
She kept complaining that she had to carry the whole house on her shoulders and that no one appreciated it. True, a few times a week, their maid, the silent Valentina, would come to clean, tirelessly scrubbing the windows, tiles, and floors, but officially, it was still considered that Rebecca did all the housework. Once again, Jenny offered her help, and once again, she was firmly refused.
After dinner, with the phone pressed to his ear and a cup of tea in his hand, as usual, her husband retreated to the terrace. Even in the evening, he didn’t let go of the business, continuing his work calls. Deliveries and sales, none of that really interested Jenny, so she quickly washed the dishes and dashed upstairs to her room.
The new gift still called to her. She couldn’t wait to hold it again and admire its intricate old-world beauty. She had always loved such curiosities.
It was even unclear where this passion had come from. Perhaps it was all Gwen’s fault, with her porcelain elephants, wall plates, and other trinkets inherited from her mother. Her grandmother had always taken great care of them and had passed on to Jenny the skill of seeing the special aesthetics in them.
All these things from the past were so different from the mass-produced, stamped Chinese goods of today. Each of them had its own story, its own soul. Sometimes, while admiring her collection, Jenny would imagine the artisans and craftsmen passionately shaping and bringing their artistic visions to life.
And also, their previous owners. It was incredibly intriguing to think about how and under what circumstances these items had come into her possession, through how many hands they had passed, and what dramatic events they had silently witnessed. Some, perhaps, had been lost or stolen, others had been traded for a piece of bread during the war.
Each item had its own story, someone’s fate tied to it. Slowly, with pleasure, she ran her fingers along the lid, feeling the raised patterns and flourishes of the delicate designs. I wonder what they kept in it before.
But when she opened it, Jenny was stunned with surprise. Inside, completely unexpectedly, was a simple scrap of paper written on with a very modern ballpoint pen. The note was short.
It read, Your husband is a liar. He is cheating on you. For some time, the woman stared, dumbfounded, reading and rereading this brief yet heavy text, trying to figure out if it was meant for her.
Her blood began to boil, rushing to her head and pounding in her temples with a hundred questions. Who wrote the note? How did it get here? What if it’s true? After all, lately, she had noticed a clear coolness from Anthony. In their conversations, in bed.
And he no longer hurried to come home. All the signs were there. Unpleasant thoughts that she had purposely pushed away started creeping back, and she found herself coming up with more and more justifications for her husband’s behavior.
And now, this sign. Her heart pounded wildly, but Jenny tried to compose herself, calling on her rational thinking. What if this is a provocation? Or maybe the note was left by the previous owner of the box? Perhaps someone should have been worried about their family.
And Jenny had just imagined everything. Her mind quickly found some logical excuses. Business was a heavy burden.
And in today’s world, where competition was growing exponentially, it required constant attention and full dedication. And, of course, the years were taking their toll as her husband was six years older than her. Fatigue had built up.
No, she couldn’t jump to conclusions and make unjust accusations against someone close to her. She wasn’t some kind of hysterical woman. It was necessary to thoroughly figure everything out.
It would be foolish to postpone such an important issue. Heading straight to the terrace, Jenny noticed Anthony whispering something quietly into the phone, but the words were unclear. Upon seeing his wife, he quickly muttered, All right, goodbye.
And immediately ended the conversation another suspicious sign. Darling, where did you buy this jewelry box? She asked, deciding not to pressure him directly, but to approach it indirectly. The man smiled indulgently.
There’s an antique store near our office. It’s not cheap, of course, but for my beloved wife, I’d spare no expense. His tone left no doubt about the truthfulness of his answer.
Did you look inside? Jenny asked, gazing at him without looking away. Suspecting something was off, the man shifted nervously. No, to be honest.
What’s going on, Jenny? What kind of questions are these? Jenny silently handed him the note she had found, watching his reaction carefully. What’s this? He asked in confusion, but in the next moment, he turned crimson and shot her a fierce glance. You think? You think this is about me? I don’t know what to think.
Jenny replied quietly, and that was the absolute truth. What nonsense! Her husband fumed. And what? Was it planted in the store? A well-wisher? Or the seller who gets a commission on every sale? He angrily bombarded her with questions.
Jenny, think for yourself. Where’s the logic? Clearly, the logic was on Anthony’s side, so Jenny fell silent, and after a deep sigh, she agreed with his arguments. She even had to apologize for her unfounded suspicions before her husband, who demonstratively pouted.
But the thoughts of the mysterious note wouldn’t leave her mind and kept her awake that evening. The morning turned out to be sunny. As soon as the life-affirming golden rays of sunlight crept into the room through the narrow gap in the curtains, the birthday girl, despite a restless night, jumped out of bed energetically and rushed to the bathroom.