I thought my life with Mark was perfect until I found a hotel reservation for two. In Spain, I met Daniel, whose wife was also hiding secrets. Together, we planned our revenge, but what happened next surprised us both.
I sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wedding magazines spread across the coffee table. Just last week, Mark and I had been discussing venues and honeymoon destinations. Everything was supposed to be perfect. Supposed to be. But then, something shifted.
“Spain again?” I had asked Mark when he casually mentioned his upcoming trip. “Didn’t you just get back?”
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He shrugged, not meeting my eyes. “Work, babe. You know how it is.”
That evening, he flew off on his business trip, and I was left behind, bored out of my mind. I’d already done everything possible to keep myself busy.
Before, during these trips, we’d talk on the phone five or six times a day. But the phone calls became shorter and less frequent. Lately, I’d just been staring at my phone, willing it to ring.
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That evening, as I was cleaning out my inbox, I found the hotel reservation for two. At first, I laughed, thinking maybe Mark had accidentally used our vacation plans when booking his hotel in Spain.
But my heart sank as I scrolled through the details. Champagne and strawberries. I had an allergy to strawberries!
What does it mean? He isn’t alone in Spain! He is with someone else. Maybe right now, SHE’s eating those strawberries!
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“No, this can’t be right,” I whispered, pacing back and forth, gripping my phone tightly.
The email felt like a hot coal burning in my hand. Deep down, I knew. The pit in my stomach grew heavier. I grabbed my phone and called Claire, my best friend.
“You need to breathe,” she said, but her tone was anything but calm.
“I have to go to Spain, Claire. I have to see for myself,” I said, my voice shaking.
“You hate flying,” she reminded me.
“Watching my life fall apart from here is worse,” I replied, my fingers already booking the next flight.
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***
The flight to Spain was a nightmare from the start. My seat was cramped, the air felt stuffy, and my mind wouldn’t stop spinning with every possible scenario.
What if Mark is truly sorry? What if he will beg me to forgive him? Or worse, what if he doesn’t care at all?
I stared out the window, trying to distract myself, when suddenly, a cold splash hit my lap. I looked down to see tomato juice soaking into my jeans. Perfect. Just what I needed.
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“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” The man next to me, wide-eyed and horrified, started fumbling with napkins. “I swear, I didn’t mean to… I’m just… I’m just really clumsy.”
“It’s fine,” I muttered, dabbing at the red stain.
Of course, such things happen. Could anything else go wrong today?
“Let me make it up to you. How about I buy us a drink? I mean, unless you want to sit in awkward silence for the rest of the flight with juice all over your lap.”
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I couldn’t help but laugh despite everything. “Sure, why not? A drink could save the day.”
“I’m Daniel, by the way,” he said, offering his hand with a grin. “And I promise, I’m usually better with tomato juice.”
“Rebecca. And don’t worry, it’s not the worst thing to happen today.”
“Oh? Well, now I’m curious.”
I sighed, taking a sip of my drink.
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“I’m on my way to Spain to confront my fiancé. He’s… probably cheating on me.”
“Yikes. That’s… rough.”
“Yeah. I found a hotel reservation for two. Champagne, dinner… you know, the works.”
“Ouch,” Daniel winced, shaking his head. “And here I thought spilling juice on you was bad.”
“Honestly, it kind of fits the day I’ve been having.”
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Daniel leaned back in his seat, swirling his drink. “Well, get this. I’m flying to Spain to see my wife. Who, surprise, might also be cheating on me.”
I blinked, stunned for a second, before bursting into laughter. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I wish I was. But I’m not. It’s like some kind of messed-up cosmic joke, isn’t it? Two betrayed souls stuck on the same flight.”
“What are the odds of us sitting next to each other?”
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“Pretty slim, I’d say,” Daniel replied, raising his glass with cola. “To bad luck and strange coincidences?”
I clinked my glass against his. “And to being covered in tomato juice.”
***
By the time we landed, the tomato juice incident was a distant memory. We both had bigger things on our minds. As we grabbed our bags and headed for the exit, Daniel turned to me.
“So… where are you staying?”
“It’s here.” I opened the GPS on my phone.
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“Me too.”
I laughed again, shaking my head. “Of course you are. What’s next? We’re assigned the same room?”
As it turned out, that was exactly what happened. The hotel had overbooked, and the frazzled desk clerk apologized profusely, offering us a shared room.
I was too exhausted to argue, and honestly, too curious about what would happen next. We both stood there in stunned silence for a moment.
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“Well, I guess it’s just another chapter in this weird story.”
Daniel smirked. “Looks like fate wants us to be roommates.”
We agreed to share the space. What were the odds? Two strangers, both betrayed, stuck together in a foreign country. It was absurd. But so was everything else about that day.
***
We settled into the room, both of us giving each other space. It was an odd situation. After some awkward silence, we decided to have lunch on the balcony.
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I was picking at my salad when something caught my eye. I froze, my fork hovering mid-air. There, lounging by the pool, was Mark. But he wasn’t alone.
He was swimming too comfortably with a woman. And they looked… close. Way too close. In panic, I quickly ducked behind the balcony railing.
“That’s him,” I whispered, pointing shakily at the couple. “That’s Mark… with her.”
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I expected Daniel to say something, maybe a word of comfort. Instead, I noticed him tense up beside me. Without saying a word, he dropped down next to me on the balcony floor. He peered through the railing.
“That’s… my wife. Brenda.”
We both crouched there, our faces inches apart, staring through the slats of the railing like two kids spying on the neighbors. His wife. My fiancé. Together.
I turned to Daniel. “They’re cheating on us… with each other.”
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“This is like a bad sitcom.”
I raised my hand to shush him as we strained to hear their conversation. Brenda’s voice floated up, calm and collected like she was talking about the weather.
She was telling Mark her plan to divorce Daniel and live off the money she’d get from him. Mark, to my horror, was encouraging her, saying how great it would be.
I chuckled. “Are you… rich?”
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“Not rich enough for her.” He let out a bitter laugh.
We sat there for a moment, absorbing the insanity of the situation. Then, Daniel’s face lit up with an idea.
“Why don’t we give them a taste of their own medicine?”
“What do you mean?”
His kind of grin suggested nothing good was about to happen.
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“Let’s pretend we’re madly in love. Make a scene. We know where they’ll be having dinner tonight. Let’s give them something to talk about.”
My brain was struggling to keep up with the absurdity of the suggestion.
“That’s… ridiculous.”
“Exactly,” Daniel said. “It’s the perfect kind of ridiculous.”
It was childish, absurd, and completely out of character for me. But it was exactly what I needed.
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For the next few hours, we plotted. Surprisingly, Daniel had a sharp sense of style. At one point, he looked at my wardrobe and groaned.
“You dress like a grandma at 40,” he teased.
“Excuse me?” I laughed. “I thought you liked this sophisticated, mature look.”
Then, out of nowhere, he pulled out a stunning red dress from his suitcase.
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“I bought this for Brenda,” he said with a smirk, holding it up. “But I’m pretty sure it’ll look way better on you.”
I stared at the dress, then back at him, and burst out laughing. That was about to get very interesting.
***
That evening, we stepped out of the taxi, and for the first time in days, I felt… powerful. Daniel, dressed in a sharp suit, looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine, and I…
Well, that red dress did things I never thought possible. I almost didn’t recognize myself.
“You ready?” Daniel asked, offering me his arm with a playful smirk.
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“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, slipping my arm through his.
We walked into the restaurant like we owned the place. The moment we passed Mark and Brenda’s table, I could feel their eyes on us.
Mark’s jaw practically dropped. Brenda froze with her fork suspended mid-air. I squeezed Daniel’s arm tighter, reminding myself not to burst into laughter. It was perfect.
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We stopped by their table. Daniel leaned in, his voice loud enough for them to hear.
“Should we invite them to join us for dinner? After all, it’s such a small world.”
Mark and Brenda exchanged awkward glances before giving us a hesitant wave. What followed was one of the most painfully delightful dinners I’ve ever had.
Brenda barely said a word. Mark looked like he’d rather be anywhere else, fidgeting in his seat. Daniel was in his element, flashing that charming grin of his.
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“So, Mark, Brenda… how long have you two been enjoying Spain?” he asked casually.
“Uh, a few days,” Mark muttered. “Just a… spontaneous trip.”
Daniel didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, spontaneous! I love that. We should try that sometime, right, darling?”
I smiled sweetly, catching Mark’s bewildered expression. “Absolutely. Spontaneity is everything. Though, I’m not sure we could top your getaway.”
Mark’s face turned redder, and he shot a glance at Brenda, who was struggling to keep her composure.
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“We were actually about to leave,” Brenda said.
Then, the grand finale. Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it slowly, revealing a stunning pair of diamond earrings.
“Brenda, I was planning to give you these. But I think they’ll suit my dear friend here much better.”
I didn’t suppress my grin as Brenda’s expression turned to pure horror.
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“You’ll never see a dime of my money,” Daniel added, his tone suddenly serious. “And as for the rest… well, I think we both know where we stand.”
Daniel glanced at me, giving me a playful wink. “Shall we, darling? We have a reservation at a much better place.”
We strolled out of the restaurant, heads held high, arm in arm. It wasn’t the ending I had expected when I boarded that plane to Spain, but at that moment, I realized I had finally let go of the life I thought I needed. And what I found was something far more valuable. I found myself.
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Filho pequeno vai até a chefe da mãe viúva para pedir um dia de folga, no dia seguinte a chefe a recebe com um buquê – História do dia
Um garoto de 10 anos chamado Jack se sentia péssimo porque sua mãe trabalhava sete dias por semana para pagar suas necessidades diárias. Ele decidiu resolver o problema com as próprias mãos, visitando o escritório de sua mãe e falando com o chefe dela na esperança de dar a ela uma chance.
Jack era um garoto de 10 anos que vivia com sua mãe solteira, Debra. Ele nunca conheceu seu pai, então sua mãe assumiu como mãe e pai para o jovem.
Debra trabalhava como faxineira sete dias por semana em uma grande empresa. Ela escolheu não ter nenhum dia de folga para ganhar mais dinheiro para as necessidades diárias de Jack.
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A mãe trabalhadora nunca demonstrou, mas trabalhar todos os dias da semana era exaustivo para ela. Limpar um prédio de vários andares não era tarefa fácil, e seu corpo doía por causa disso.
Um dia, Jack viu sua mãe sentada na varanda da frente, chorando. Ele a observou pela janela e a ouviu falando ao telefone com sua amiga. “Estou tão cansada, Emily”, Debra chorou. “Quero descansar, mas não consigo. Mal ganho o suficiente para cuidar de Jack e pagar as contas. Não posso me dar ao luxo de tirar nenhum dia de folga”, ela disse à amiga.
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Jack ficou triste porque sua mãe não conseguia descansar por causa dele. Ele se culpou e quis ajudá-la. No dia seguinte, depois da escola, ele foi até o escritório de sua mãe.
“Olá, Jack. Você está procurando sua mãe?” a recepcionista perguntou a ele assim que ele entrou no prédio. Jack rapidamente balançou a cabeça.
“Não, senhora. Por favor, não diga à minha mãe que estou aqui. Estou aqui para ver o chefe dela, o Sr. Jefferson”, Jack disse à mulher.
A mulher ficou surpresa ao ouvir isso; isso ficou evidente em seu rosto. No entanto, após a constante súplica de Jack, ela decidiu ligar para o Sr. Jefferson para informá-lo sobre sua visita inesperada.
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O Sr. Jefferson permitiu que a mulher levasse Jack ao seu escritório e, quando Jack chegou lá, de repente ficou nervoso.
“A que devo esse prazer, meu jovem?”, perguntou o Sr. Jefferson a Jack. Ele disse para ele se sentar no sofá em frente à sua mesa.
“Senhor, eu sou Jack. Minha mãe, Debra, trabalha aqui como faxineira”, Jack disse, limpando a garganta. “Eu vim aqui para perguntar se você poderia, por favor, dar alguns dias de folga remunerados para minha mãe. Ela se recusa a tirar um dia de folga, mesmo estando cansada, porque ela diz que precisa do dinheiro para cuidar de mim”, ele explicou.
O Sr. Jefferson ficou surpreso ao ouvir isso. “Sei o quanto sua mãe trabalha duro, Jack, e somos gratos pelo serviço dela. Estou surpreso ao ouvir que ela quer tirar um dia de folga, mas se recusa a fazê-lo. As coisas estão difíceis em casa?”
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Jack assentiu. “Somos só eu e minha mãe em casa. Sempre foi assim porque nunca conheci meu pai. Ao longo dos anos, minha mãe trabalhou duro para pagar nossas contas e cuidar de mim adequadamente. Eu a ouvi chorando no telefone ontem, reclamando de dores no corpo. Eu me sinto mal por isso, senhor”, Jack chorou.
Naquele momento, uma voz jovem falou de dentro da sala. Jack não percebeu antes que a filhinha do Sr. Jefferson estava lá. Ela tinha a idade de Jack.
“Pai, eu sei do que ele está falando. Você é igualzinho à mãe dele. Você está sempre no trabalho e quase não passa tempo comigo. Você raramente está em casa! Jack também deseja mais tempo com a mãe”, ela disse ao pai.
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O Sr. Jefferson percebeu que sua filha fazia muito sentido. Ele se sentia péssimo por estar dedicando todo seu tempo ao trabalho e, de alguma forma, negligenciando sua família no processo. Ele prometeu ajudar Jack e sua mãe antes de mandar Jack para casa pelo motorista do escritório.
No dia seguinte à visita surpresa de Jack, o Sr. Jefferson chamou Debra ao seu escritório. “Seu filho veio aqui ontem, e ele disse algumas coisas surpreendentes”, ele contou a Debra.
Debra olhou para ele nervosamente, curiosa sobre o que Jack poderia ter dito para merecer uma reunião com o CEO da empresa. “Não há outra maneira de dizer isso, mas você está demitida, Debra”, disse o Sr. Jefferson.
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O olhar no rosto de Debra caiu. Ela estava arrasada e começou a entrar em pânico. “Senhor, não! Eu não sei o que meu filho disse, mas ele é apenas um garoto. Sinto muito pelo que ele disse. Por favor, não me demita. Eu realmente preciso desse emprego!” ela implorou.
“Não seja boba, Debra”, ele respondeu. “Você é uma das pessoas mais trabalhadoras que já conheci! Não vou demiti-la sem motivo. Veja, ontem, seu filho me visitou enquanto minha filha de 10 anos estava aqui. Os dois me fizeram perceber algumas coisas.”
“Nossos filhos não serão jovens por muito tempo, e acho importante prestarmos atenção neles e darmos tempo a eles. Decidi levar minha família para férias, e quero que você e Jack venham conosco. Claro, as férias inteiras serão pagas integralmente”, revelou o Sr. Jefferson. “O que você diz?”
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Debra estava confusa. Ela tinha acabado de perder o emprego – ela não tinha condições de tirar férias. Ela se preocupava em não ter dinheiro entrando para as despesas diárias.
“Agradeço sua gentileza, senhor, e adoraria passar um tempo com meu filho também, mas não posso me dar ao luxo de não ter um emprego agora. Por favor, senhor, se você pudesse me dar uma chance, eu gostaria de manter meu emprego”, Debra implorou mais uma vez.
“Isso não será possível, Debra. Você não pertence ao mundo corporativo. Quero convidá-la para trabalhar para minha família. Você e Jack podem morar conosco. Temos uma casa de campo no nosso quintal que seria perfeita para vocês dois”, ofereceu o Sr. Jefferson.
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“Você só precisa trabalhar algumas horas por dia, e então pode se retirar para a casa de campo onde você e Jack podem passar mais tempo juntos. Você criou um jovem cavalheiro que realmente se importa com sua mãe – você deve valorizá-lo!”
Naquele momento, o Sr. Jefferson tirou um buquê de flores de debaixo da mesa. “Isto é do seu filho”, ele sorriu, entregando-o a Debra. “Vá para casa e tenha um ótimo dia com ele.”
Debra não conseguia acreditar na sua sorte. Pela primeira vez em anos, ela e Jack puderam tirar férias. Eles viajaram para as Bahamas com a família do Sr. Jefferson, com todas as despesas pagas. Quando retornaram, eles se mudaram para sua nova casa de campo, que ficava em uma propriedade luxuosa que eles costumavam ver apenas em revistas.
O que podemos aprender com essa história?
- Mesmo as pessoas mais trabalhadoras têm seus pontos de ruptura. Debra se recusou a tirar um dia de folga porque precisava trabalhar para pagar as contas. Ela chorou sobre sua exaustão, mas se esforçou no dia seguinte e ainda foi trabalhar de qualquer maneira. Prestar atenção aos nossos corpos é importante, pois não cuidar de nós mesmos pode levar a complicações mais caras.
- Nossos filhos merecem nosso amor e atenção tanto quanto nossos empregos. Debra e o Sr. Jefferson não podiam passar tempo com seus filhos por causa do trabalho. No final, ambos perceberam que a família deve sempre vir em primeiro lugar e que suas vidas não devem girar apenas em torno de seus empregos.
Compartilhe esta história com seus amigos. Pode alegrar o dia deles e inspirá-los.
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