Sam loved the show love and kindness to others. Perhaps it was his good character that got him a beautiful wife whom he loved and adored with all his heart. One day, Sam returned home earlier to surprise his wife, but what he saw shocked the living daylights out of him.
Sam was an excellent student who often helped his peers with their studies. He also dedicated much of his free time to helping others, whether it be at the retirement home, animal shelter, or orphanage. While this was a good and commendable act, it took all of Sam’s time, and he barely had enough time for himself.
Concerned, his grandmother called him into her room one day and reminded him that while it was important to be compassionate, he also needed to live a little. She advised him to also focus on other areas of his life. Sam reflected on his grandmother’s advice and realized that she was right. At 18, he had never been to a party or even had a girlfriend, compared to his friends who had already crossed these things off their bucket list at 13 and 15.
While Sam enjoyed being successful in school and doing voluntary work, he knew that it was time for him to start having some fun as well. Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself when a friend invited him to a party.
He saw it as the perfect chance to break away from his routine life and have some fun. It was a house party organized by Sam’s friend Lucas. Lucas’s parents were wealthy and influential, so he was one of the popular boys in school and always had people trying to get on his good side. However, he genuinely liked Sam and chose him as his close friend because Sam was an honest and selfless guy – qualities that are rare to come by these days.
Lucas had been trying to get Sam to loosen up and have some fun, but it was continually met with polite rejections. So, when Sam called asking about a party he was hosting, it came as a beautiful surprise. Lucas immediately told Sam that he could come over and joked that he was a special guest.
When Sam arrived at Lucas’s house on that Friday night, the party was already in full swing. Music filled the air as people danced in groups of two and three, doing whatever they pleased – chatting, screaming, and drinking alcohol. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. Feeling overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd, Sam went into the kitchen, which was quiet and peaceful.
He had only been there for a few minutes when a girl in a short blue dress ran in, looking like she was going to cry. Concerned, Sam asked what the problem was, and she pointed at the large wine stain on her dress. “Someone spilled wine on me. They didn’t even care to say sorry and just continued dancing. What should I do? I borrowed this dress, and I can’t afford to ruin it,” she panicked.
Sam quickly grabbed a handful of salt, which he applied to the stain. He assured her that the stain would lighten with the help of the salt, making it easy to wash off. Sure enough, as the girl watched in amazement, the stain began to fade away. She asked him how he knew such an effective trick, and Sam shyly explained that his grandmother taught him.
“Thank you so much,” she smiled, giving him a coy look. Sam raised his gaze to meet hers and was captivated by the girl’s sea green eyes. The intensity of her stare held him in a trance, and he couldn’t look away. To fill the awkward silence that ensued, the girl quickly introduced herself as Emma and told Sam that she also attended the same school.
They talked for a bit longer, they talked for a bit longer, and Sam felt like he had just found the one for him. Over the next couple of months, Emma called Sam whenever she needed help with anything—assignments, shopping, driving somewhere, moving things—and every time, Sam would abandon anything he was doing and run to her aid.
Emma was well aware of Sam’s feelings for her, as he would always look at her with love-filled eyes. However, she pretended not to know and often teased him by thanking him for being just a friend instead of something more.
One day, Sam was with Emma at her house. They were studying together when she suddenly paused and stood up to admire herself in the mirror. “I’m too beautiful, right?” she asked, and Sam nodded. “So, why do I need to struggle to read or do anything I don’t like when I can just marry a rich man and have him take care of me? In return, I’ll make him very happy with my beauty and presence.”
Emma’s words sparked an idea in Sam. He thought that if he could become wealthy, then Emma would deem him worthy of being her husband. Inspired by this, Sam researched industries where his skill set could help him succeed and found many possibilities. Because of his excellent grades and extensive volunteering experience, it was easy for Sam to gain admission into a prestigious college and get hired by a highly reputable company after graduation.
He quickly rose in ranks, and in less than a decade from the day Emma said those words, he became very successful and rich. Convinced that he had become the kind of man that Emma wanted, Sam arranged for a romantic dinner in an upscale hotel and asked her out. To his delight, she agreed to be his woman.
Sam showered her with expensive gifts while they dated, and months later, he proposed to her. She said yes, and they got married shortly after. Sam continued to work hard seven days a week to give Emma the kind of life she wanted. But as the months went by, she became more and more dissatisfied and bored with his routine gifts. She was often sullen and ungrateful, no matter what he did or brought for her. He could hardly get a smile out of her or make her seem pleased with anything.
Soon after, Sam suggested that Emma look for a hobby or an activity she enjoyed doing. Perhaps it could fill her with excitement and a sense of purpose. But instead of considering this, she flared up, “Don’t tell me how to live my life! I will handle it myself,” she retorted angrily.
Sam was taken aback by her sudden outburst. He had never seen her act this way and wanted to talk things out with her, maybe even take her on a date to make amends. Unfortunately, he had to leave right away for an important business trip that would keep him away for several days.
“I will see you when I get back. Text me anything you want, and I will get it. Love you,” he said, and tried to kiss her, but she curved him. Sam’s heart was heavy as he picked up his bags and headed for the door. He paused to blow kisses at her, even though she didn’t look in his direction. With a final goodbye, he left.
While away, Sam tried to reach Emma multiple times, but she never picked up the phone and didn’t call him back. His messages were left unread, and his anxiety grew with every passing day, making it hard for him to focus at work.
Lucas, who was also away on the same business trip as Sam, noticed this. Lucas and Sam were together in the same company, and they had completed many successful projects together, which strengthened their friendship even more. In fact, Amy Lucas’s wife, and Emma were friends too. They often went shopping together. Sam explained to Lucas that his wife hadn’t been picking up his calls, and Lucas asked him not to worry, assuring him that Emma definitely had a genuine reason for doing so.
Afterward, Lucas reached out to his wife, and she assured him that Emma was doing great and having the time of her life. She told them that they had even gone shopping together, and Emma had bought some lingerie that she planned to wear when Lucas returned from his trip. Lucas told Sam all this, and the young man was reassured and convinced that Emma was only ignoring him because she wanted the surprise to be worthwhile. He became happy again and channeled all his energy into his work.
Sam completed his project earlier than planned and decided to return home earlier so he could surprise his beloved Emma. Returning home, Sam entered the door code and quietly stepped inside. He heard Emma’s laughter coming from the room, and it filled him with joy. He hadn’t heard her laugh in a while.
Quietly making his way towards their bedroom, where the sound of her voice was emanating from, he took a few deep breaths to prepare himself before swinging the door open. And what he saw shocked him to the bone.
Lying on his marital bed was a strange, unclothed man, and next to him was Emma, dressed in a sexy red lingerie. Sam was filled with shock and anguish as he screamed. Emma, shocked by his sudden entrance, froze. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch, as Sam gazed at her in shock. At that moment, everything became clear to him.
He realized that Emma never loved him, and she had only been with him because of his money. Sam loved Emma to death, but cheating was a deal-breaker. He knew he would never be able to look at her the same way again.
That day, Sam threw Emma out of the house and out of his life. He eventually divorced her and made sure she got nothing from his alimony. Unfortunately for Emma, her lover turned out to be a driver for some rich man. He had enticed Emma with his boss’s cards, and she fell for it. The driver dumped Emma too, saying he couldn’t be with a cheat and a gold digger.
Left all alone, Emma deeply regretted her actions and wished she could turn back the hands of time. Years after, Emma heard of him, Sam was able to move on, and he found lasting happiness with someone else.
