ONE

"Is he leaving just like that?" The young woman on the bed mumbled to herself as she stared at her handsome husband who was busy getting ready and didn't even notice she was awake already. 

It was a chilly morning. 

"Good morning, Darling!" Alexis, the woman on the bed muttered, her sweet voice complementing her gorgeous features. 

Evan, her husband was a bit startled by the sudden sound. 

"Morning!" Evan replied curtly not turning around to look at her. 

"Have you forgotten what today is?" Alexis was so tempted to ask that question but held herself back. 

"Let's not be too forward. Of course, he can never forget." She thought to herself and heaved a sigh, a smile spreading across her face. 

"I know he loves surprises, he is definitely going to..." She was saying to herself inwardly when Evan finally turned around to look at her. 

He had finished dressing up and looked dashing as always, with his adorable brown eyes and inviting lips. 

"Bye." That was the one word Evan uttered to his wife and wanted to rush out. 

"Hey, why the rush?" Alexis stopped him with a loud voice. She sat up on the bed, staring at him. 

"I have something important and urgent to attend to. And yeah, I am going to be late, so don't wait for me for dinner." Evan told her, walking to the door. 

"You are even going to be late? Why?" Alexis asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

"Have you actually forgotten..." She continued, wanting to blurt out the question she had been fighting the urge to ask, but Evan interrupted her. 

"I just told you that I have something urgent and important to take care of. I really have to go now, okay." He told her, his voice not really loud but firm. 

"I love you." He added and as an afterthought, he walked closer to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. Afterwards, he walked out of the room. 

"Love you too." Alexis muttered, even though she knew he was out of earshot. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~

"No, Lexi. Be calm. He surely can't forget your birthday." Alexis' friend, Maya said to her over the phone, her voice gentle and persuading. 

Alexis heaved a sigh. 

"Maya, I really want to believe that but he didn't even wish me a happy birthday before leaving the house." Alexis muttered in response. 

"He is definitely planning to surprise you. Didn't you tell me that you found a jewelry box on his drawer yesterday, he wouldn't get that for him, would he?" Maya inquired. 

At that, Alexis nodded her head forgetting the caller couldn't see her then cleared her throat to speak. 

"Yeah, right. There were also two rings in it. And a cheesy love note, which is too cheesy for me, by the way..." Alexis added the last part lightly and let out a chuckle. 

"But now you are eager to receive it from him and read, aren't you?" Maya teased her and also burst into laughter. 

"Well, I wouldn't mind, as long as it is from him." Alexis responded, still smiling. 

"Okay, now that the birthday girl is calm, can I go attend to something else now?" Maya asked, sounding like she was in a hurry to end the call. 

"Oh, you are indirectly telling me that I am disturbing you right?" Alexis asked, a hint of mischief in her voice. She knew her best friend would never complain that she was disturbing her. 

"Girl, you called me this early in the morning! Not every one is a boss who doesn't need to go to work to earn money. I need to start preparing for work." Maya protested. 

Alexis let out an amused chuckle. 

"I have told you to come and work for my company but you refused. If you do, you won't need to be rushing like this." Alexis said jokingly. 

"No, thank you, I love my job. Now get away from my phone." Maya retorted, feigning annoyance. 

"I hate you." Alexis said. 

"No, you love me so much and I love you too." Maya replied and the conversation finally ended. 

Alexis, feeling a bit relieved from talking to her best friend finally got up from the gigantic bed and went into the bathroom to get ready for her big day. 

She hadn't planned anything for the day because she was thinking her husband would take care of everything just like how he had done the previous year. 

That was two months after their wedding and he was so sweet on her. 

"Has anything changed now?" Alexis couldn't help but wonder as the warm water poured on her head down to her toes. 

"I hope not. I hope I still have the sweet husband who had gotten up very early in the morning to wish me happy birthday, in my Evan." She thought to herself. 

"I hope he is still that same husband who sang my favorite song to me even though his throat was sore." She mumbled and that thought brought a small smile at her lips. 

To the wealthy boss lady, Alexis Sterling who owned a large business that was striving well, it was the small romantic things that mattered. 

After taking her shower, Alexis got back into the bedroom and due to something she couldn't explain, she found herself going back to her husband's desk. 

"The box is no longer here..." She observed, tightening her jaw. 

"If it is for me, why did he need to take it away from home?" She wondered aloud, staring at the emptiness before her. 

"Well, enough of the guesswork, let me go find out what is going on. I am going to give him a surprise visit at the office." Alexis concluded and started getting dressed. 

In no time, she was dressed and was looking as breathtaking as always. She hopped into the car and instructed her driver to take her to the office. 

If only she knew the unpleasant surprise that awaited her at her destination...