A Morning Surprise

Emma woke with a start, the soft scent of flowers drifting into her consciousness before her eyes even opened. As she blinked, the first thing she noticed was the large bouquet of white roses sitting beside her bed. Immediately she saw them, a soft sigh escaped her lips.

“White roses again,” she thought, her brow furrowing. “Why does he always get white roses?”

She had always preferred red roses—deep, passionate, full of life. Red roses reminded her of love, of fire, of everything she had hoped for in her marriage. Yet, time and again, David would always choose to get her the white ones.

But then her gaze fell to the card nestled among the blooms.

‘Pure flowers for pure angels, happy second anniversary.’

Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t the flowers themselves that had touched her, but the words. The tenderness of the message, the love that shone through, made her chest tighten with warmth. The depression that had weighed on her since yesterday’s events vanished in an instant. He might not always get the flowers right, but this… this was right.

Just then, a soft knock echoed through the room. Emma didn’t bother to look up, thinking it was the maid bringing in breakfast, as usual. “Come in,” she mumbled without lifting her head, still staring at the roses.

“Good morning, Mrs. Lawson.”

The voice that greeted her was low, deep, and impossibly magnetic. Emma froze, her eyes widening. The familiar sound of David’s voice was like a jolt to her system. Was she hallucinating? She quickly looked up, and there he was, standing in the doorway. She thought he'd left.

David wore soft loungewear, his hair a little tousled from sleep, and he held a breakfast tray in his hands. His eyes twinkled with that familiar, mischievous glint as he smiled at her, a warm and loving smile that instantly melted her worries.

For a moment, Emma was too stunned to speak. Her heart raced, and she just sat there, staring at him like he was some sort of a Greek god. She had expected him to be at work by now, running the company as usual. Yet here he was, standing in front of her, in their bedroom, bringing her breakfast.

David moved toward her, setting the tray down on the bed beside her. She was still speechless, her mind trying to process the sight of him, so unexpectedly there. He reached out and gently pinched her cheek, a playful gesture that made her lips curl into an involuntary smile.

“Why aren’t you at work?” she finally managed to ask, her voice a little softer than she intended.

David sat down next to her, his gaze softening as he watched her. “The company can run without me for a day,” he said casually, shrugging. “But if my wife isn’t well, that’s a much bigger problem.” He smiled, his expression full of affection. “I’ve already arranged for the maids to have the day off. I’m going to spend the entire day with you.”

Emma’s heart fluttered at his words. It had been a while since she’d felt like this, so cherished, so… loved. She tried to suppress the joy bubbling inside her, but it was impossible.

“David…” she whispered, her eyes glistening with gratitude.

He leaned in closer, his hand resting on her arm, and kissed her forehead. “I promised you a surprise, didn’t I?” He reached into the pocket of his loungewear, pulling out a small, elegant box.

Her eyes widened. She hadn’t even realized it was there. Her heart skipped a beat as she instantly assumed it was the necklace she had been eyeing for months. The one she had mentioned only a few times in passing. She had wanted it so badly, but David had never quite gotten around to buying it.

With a smile, he handed her the box. “Here you go, my love.”

Emma took the box from him, her fingers trembling slightly as she opened it. But when she saw the bracelet inside, her heart sank just a little. It wasn’t the necklace she had hoped for.

Yet, when she looked up at David’s face, she saw the excitement in his eyes, the hope that she would love it. And in that moment, all her disappointment melted away. This was still a gift from him, a gesture of love, even if it wasn’t exactly what she had wanted.

“Thank you,” she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. “I love it.”

David’s face lit up at her words, and he took the bracelet from the box, carefully slipping it onto her wrist.

Emma smiled, her heart swelling with affection for him. Despite the misstep with the gift, it was clear he had tried. The thoughtfulness, the effort—it was more than enough for her. After all, in the eyes of men, bracelets and necklaces are just jewelry, there is no difference.

As he adjusted the bracelet on her wrist, she couldn’t help but giggle. The sound filled the room, light and carefree. David’s face broke into a grin, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

For a moment, the two of them simply basked in the joy of the morning, their laughter echoing through the house. It was as if the entire world outside had disappeared, and it was just the two of them, lost in each other’s company.

But as the laughter died down, David’s phone rang, interrupting the peaceful moment. He picked it up and glanced at the screen, his expression shifting to something more serious.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” he said, his voice low. “There’s an urgent matter at the company. I need to go.”

Emma’s heart sank a little, but she nodded, trying to push past the disappointment that threatened to bubble up. She understood. He was a busy man, and the company always came first.

The door slammed shut behind him, and Emma was left alone in the room, the sound of his departure ringing in her ears. The silence that followed felt suffocating, and for a moment, she simply sat there, unsure of what to do.

She had known it was coming—the call, the work, the sudden rush—but somehow, it still stung. Didn’t he say he had everything set up at the company? Hadn’t he promised her that nothing would interrupt their day?