The Surprise

A few days later, Jane sat at her desk, her fingers dancing over the keyboard when her phone started to ring. She picked up the call. "Hey, can you come downstairs?" Richard asked.

"Uh sure." She replied and went down from her office to meet him. 

She met him in the hallway. He took large strides and hugged her, surprising Jane with the sudden gesture. 

 "I have a big news." He said smiling ear to ear. 

"What is it?" She asked pulling away from him softly. 

"My wife is returning from her trip," he replied, his voice filled with excitement. "I'd like you to meet her."

"That's wonderful! I'm really happy for you!" she exclaimed, her genuine happiness evident in her smile.

"Thanks, Jane. Everything happened because of you," he said. 

Nick had just parked his car a few yards away, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel as he watched through the windshield. His heart sank the moment Richard pulled Jane into a hug. A spark of jealousy ignited in his chest, sharp and unrelenting. His jaw clenched. What's going on between them?

He barely noticed the frustrated mutter that escaped his lips, too focused on the way Jane lingered for just a second before stepping away. His stomach twisted. Something about the scene didn't sit right with him.

As Jane drove off, Nick's grip on the wheel loosened only to tighten again. He wasn't letting this go. A burning need to understand—to protect her, even if it meant crossing a few lines—drove him forward. He started his car and, without a second thought, tailed Richard from a safe distance.

His mind raced with worst-case scenarios, each one more unbearable than the last. Who was Richard to her? Why did she look at him like that?

The drive led to Richard's office, where Nick parked a few spaces away, watching from behind his tinted windows. The minutes stretched on, tension coiling in his chest like a spring ready to snap. He barely breathed as he observed, waiting for something—anything—that would make sense of what he was feeling.

Then, movement. Richard stepped out of the building. Nick sat up straighter, instincts kicking in. He started the engine, heart pounding harder as he followed him once again—this time, straight to the airport.

The moment they arrived, a wave of noise and movement surrounded him. The air buzzed with the energy of travelers rushing, reuniting, saying their goodbyes. But Nick's focus was razor-sharp. He blended into the crowd, his pulse hammering in his ears as he trailed behind Richard, keeping his distance.

Then, Richard stopped. Right by the arrivals gate.

Nick's stomach twisted into a knot as he watched him scan the crowd, waiting for someone.

Who?

Then it happened—Nick's breath hitched, his pulse spiking.

Richard's face broke into the widest grin Nick had seen from him all night as a girl came rushing toward him. Before Nick could process it, Richard swept her into his arms, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in circles. Their laughter rang out over the airport buzz.

Then, Richard kissed her.

Nick stiffened. His mind scrambled to make sense of what he was seeing, but the only thing that settled in his chest was a sharp, twisting ache. He's playing Jane.

His fingers curled into fists, his jaw locking as anger burned through him. Was this some kind of game to Richard? Stringing Jane along while this was happening behind her back? The thought made his stomach churn.

Without thinking, he yanked out his phone, his hands steady despite the fury coursing through him. He snapped a picture, the shutter sound barely registering over the blood rushing in his ears. Proof. He had proof.

Turning on his heel, he stalked out of the airport, his heart hammering against his ribs.

The drive home felt endless, his thoughts tangled in a storm of frustration. His grip tightened around the wheel. He had to tell Jane. She needed to know who Richard really was.

The next day was Nick's birthday—a day that should have been filled with joy. Unaware of the storm brewing inside him, Jane poured all her energy into making the day special. She had spent hours planning a surprise party at his favorite restaurant, meticulously gathering photos and videos from over the years. Every moment they had shared, every laughter-filled memory, was woven into a heartfelt montage. She wanted to remind him of their bond, of the friendship that had always been their anchor.

"Do you think Nick will like it?" Jane asked, glancing at Emily as she adjusted the decorations.

Emily smirked. "Like it? I think he might actually faint."

Jane let out a small laugh but still looked uncertain. "Are you sure?"

Emily raised a brow, arms crossed. "Jane, have some confidence. You know he loves everything you do."

Jane hesitated, fingers drumming against the table. "I hope so," she murmured.

Emily's eyes flickered to the laptop screen. "What's that video about?"

Jane didn't answer right away. Instead, she simply pressed play.

As the slides end Emily had a tear rolling down from her eye. What's wrong? Is it too much? Jane asked her worriedly. Should i delete the last part?

Emily quickly shook her head, wiping the tear from her cheek. "No, Jane, it's perfect." Her voice was thick with emotion.

Jane chewed on her lip, still unsure. "Are you sure? I don't want it to be too much. Maybe I should just—"

Emily grabbed Jane's hands before she could even think about deleting anything. "Stop overthinking. This is beautiful. He's going to love it."

Jane let out a shaky breath, her fingers still hovering over her laptop. The last part of the video—the part that had made Emily tear up—was all the little moments between her and Nick. The way he'd always ruffled her hair when she was annoyed, the times he'd secretly taken pictures of her laughing, the way his gaze softened when he thought she wasn't looking. It was them in the rawest, purest form.

Jane had stitched it together with a quiet confession, her voice layered over the final scene.

Now, seeing Emily's reaction, doubt started to creep in.

"What if he doesn't feel the same way?" she whispered.

Emily gave her an exasperated look. "Jane. Come on. If this doesn't make him realize how much you care, nothing will."

Jane swallowed hard, forcing herself to nod. She wanted to believe Emily, wanted to believe that this night—this video—would make him happy.

She just didn't know that at that very moment, Nick was fuming, thinking she had been hiding secrets of her own.

When Nick called, his voice was unusually serious. "Jane, I need to talk to you about something important." The tension in his tone was impossible to miss.

Jane's grip tightened around her phone. She could sense something was off, but she couldn't let him figure things out just yet. "I'm actually meeting Richard for dinner tonight. Would you like to join us? I'll send you the address." She forced her voice to stay light, casual, even playful. If she invited him herself, he wouldn't suspect a thing.

But she knew Nick. She knew the mention of Richard alone was enough to light a fire in him.

Nick's heart slammed against his ribs. Richard. Again. Just hearing his name sent a wave of irritation through him, rekindling the jealousy that had barely simmered down. He clenched his jaw. "Sure," he said, voice clipped. His fingers curled around his car keys, grip tightening.

He didn't trust Richard—not after what he had seen at the airport. Not after the hug. Not after the kiss.

His mind spiraled as he drove, each thought darker than the last. Was Jane being manipulated? Was she falling for Richard's act? And why did it feel like he was about to lose her?

But beneath the anger, beneath the frustration, something else gnawed at him.

A voice, quiet yet persistent, whispered in the back of his mind: What if you're about to ruin everything?