Painful betrayal

Maxwell's POV,

"Mom, I'm a little nervous about the gifts I've gotten for the proposal," I confessed, my voice faltering slightly. "I'm not sure if they're good enough, or if they'll show how much I care about her."

My mom's voice was warm and reassuring. "It's clear to me how much you love her," she said. "You've been working so hard to make everything perfect, and I'm sure she'll appreciate all your efforts. What gifts have you gotten?"

"Well, I got her a bouquet of her favorite flowers, a necklace with a charm that's special to her, and tickets to her favorite concert," I said, listing the gifts off one by one. "I also got her a card with a message that I wrote myself, and I'm planning on taking her to a nice restaurant for dinner after the proposal."

My mom was silent for a moment, and then she spoke again. "Those are all wonderful gifts, and I'm sure she'll be touched by your thoughtfulness," she said.

"The most important thing is that you're doing this from the heart," my mom