A Valentine’s Day Tragedy: A Love Story Torn Apart by Anger
Cora Morales woke up on Valentine’s Day with a flutter of excitement in her chest. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this happy. Sitting in the living room, she checked off the last items on her to-do list, her cheeks warming at the thought of Eric’s reaction when he saw the surprise she had planned for him.
Cora and Eric had met years ago at a business conference in Texas. Both had grown up as orphans, shuffled between foster homes, dreaming of one day having a big, loving family of their own. Fate had been kind—they fell in love quickly, married soon after, and were blessed with triplets two years later.
But life wasn’t always easy. With three babies to care for, Cora had to stay home while Eric worked long hours to support their family of five. The stress weighed on him. No matter how hard he worked, there never seemed to be enough money.
Weekends blurred into workdays, and luxuries like vacations or fancy dinners were just distant memories.
Cora understood. She never wasted a penny, always stretching their budget as far as it could go. Even tonight, she wore the same red dress Eric had given her for their first anniversary—a little old-fashioned now, but precious to her. She didn’t need anything new.
As the clock ticked closer to Eric’s arrival, Cora set the table with care. A heart-shaped red velvet cheesecake (his favorite), a bottle of wine, homemade dishes, and a small gift box—her biggest surprise of all. She lit candles, scattered rose petals, and turned on twinkling fairy lights.
Then, the doorbell rang.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!” Cora beamed, kissing Eric’s cheek as he stepped inside.
But instead of smiling, Eric froze. His eyes darted around the room—the candles, the roses, the carefully set table. His face twisted in anger.
“What the hell is this, Cora? Are we stupid teenagers now?” he snapped, flicking on the harsh overhead lights.
Cora’s smile vanished. “Eric, what’s wrong? Did something happen at work?”
“Are you serious?” he roared. “I kill myself working every day, and you blow our money on this nonsense?”
Cora’s hands trembled. “Eric, it wasn’t expensive! I just wanted to make tonight special—”
He cut her off, stabbing a fork into the spaghetti she had made. “This tastes like garbage! What did you even do to it?” His shout echoed through the house, waking the triplets. Their cries pierced the air.
“Eric, stop! You’ll wake the babies!” Cora pleaded.
“Oh, so that’s my fault too?” he sneered. “You stay home all day, and the house is still a mess! Look at the kitchen—piles of dishes because you were too busy playing housewife with your little Valentine’s fantasy!”
Tears burned in Cora’s eyes. “You’re unbelievable! You’re not the man I married!” She turned away, but the babies’ cries grew louder. She stormed back into the room. “They need diapers, and we’re out! I have to go to the store. Watch them until I get back!”
Before Eric could argue, she slammed the door behind her.
“Yeah, great job, Cora! Real responsible!” he shouted after her, stomping to the nursery.
An hour passed. The babies wouldn’t stop crying. Cora still wasn’t back.
“What’s taking her so long?” Eric grumbled, rubbing his temples.
Then—the doorbell.
“Finally!” he muttered, yanking the door open.
But it wasn’t Cora.
A police officer stood on the porch, his expression grim. “Does Cora Morales live here?”
Eric’s stomach dropped. “Yes… I’m her husband.”
The cop hesitated. “Sir… I’m sorry. There was an accident. A car collision. We need you to come identify the body.”
Eric’s world shattered. His legs gave out. The officer steadied him, glancing inside at the untouched Valentine’s dinner, the flickering candles.
Numb, Eric called the neighbor to watch the kids. At the morgue, he collapsed when he saw Cora’s lifeless face. “No… no, no, no…”
The next day, after the funeral, Eric locked himself inside their home. The table was still set—the cake uneaten, the wine unopened. Then he remembered—the gift.
With shaking hands, he tore open the box. Inside were two plane tickets to Hawaii… and a note.
“To the love of my life, Eric,
Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Guess what? I got a job! I saw how tired you were, so I applied—and I was hired! Mrs. Nelson agreed to watch the babies while I work. And these tickets? It’s our dream vacation—just the two of us! (I have more surprises, but you’ll find out later!)
Love always, Cora.”
Eric crumpled to the floor, sobbing. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
But it was too late.
Years passed, but Eric never moved on. Every Valentine’s Day, he visited Cora’s grave, talking to her for hours, begging for forgiveness he would never receive.
The Lesson?
- Don’t assume the worst. Eric thought Cora was careless—but she had been working hard to make their lives better.
- Anger blinds us. In his rage, Eric said things he could never take back. Words that would haunt him forever.
If only he had paused… if only he had listened… but some regrets last a lifetime.