04/24/2025
WHEN VERONICA SAW HER HUSBAND WITH ANOTHER WOMAN, SHE DECIDED TO GIVE HIM A GIFT HE WOULD NEVER EXPECT
Veronica slowly put down her cup of cooling coffee, her fingersâdecorated with rings gifted by her husband over 20 years of marriageâtrembling ever so slightly. Through the expansive panoramic window of the âBellagioâ restaurant, the city lights twinkled against the evening backdrop. But she paid no attention to the view or the bustling waiters.
Her entire focus had narrowed to one table at the opposite end of the hall.
âWhat a coincidence,â she murmured, her gaze fixed on Ivan, who was tenderly stroking the hand of a young brunette. âWhat a remarkable coincidenceâŠâ
How many times had she asked her husband to bring her to this very restaurant? Ten times? Twenty? His responses had always been dismissive: âHoney, Iâm exhausted,â âLetâs do this another time,â âIâve got an important meeting, Veronica.â Over the years, his excuses had piled up until she finally stopped asking altogether.
And now here he wasârelaxed, laughing in a way that made him look 15 years younger.
A waiter approached her table. âWould you like anything else?â
âYes,â Veronica replied, her eyes suddenly glinting with something akin to amusement. âBring me the check from that table over there. I want to pay for their dinner.â
âExcuse me?â
âThat man in the burgundy blazer is my husband. Iâd like to treat him and his guest to a giftâbut donât mention who covered the bill.â
The waiter hesitated, glancing at her curiously, but eventually nodded. Veronica retrieved her credit cardâthe very one Ivan had gifted her for her last birthday, accompanied by the words, âSpend it on yourself, my dear.â In essence, that was precisely what she was doingâinvesting in her own future.
Once the bill was paid, Veronica rose and walked past Ivanâs table, slowing her pace just briefly. He was so engrossed in his companion that he didnât even notice her familiar silhouetteâor perhaps he chose not to. Veronica smirked to herself, reflecting on all the times she had been blind to the obvious.
Stepping out into the crisp evening air, she took a deep breath and thought, Well, Ivan, you made your decision. Now itâs my turn.
Back home, Veronica slipped off her shoes and entered her study. Strangely, her hands were no longer trembling. An inner calm had replaced the turmoil she had been feelingâas though the fever of a long illness had finally broken.
âSo, where shall I begin?â she asked herself, looking at her reflection in the mirror.
She opened her laptop and methodically created a new folder titled âNew Life.â Deep down, she knew the next few weeks would be pivotal. From her closet, she pulled out an old box of documentsâthe very one Ivan had never bothered to check.
âItâs always good to be thorough,â she murmured as she began combing through the papers.
Among them lay the deed to their houseâa property bought years ago using funds from the sale of her grandmotherâs apartment. Back then, Ivan had been building his business and would often say, âVeronica, you know all the money has to go into growing the company. Iâll make it up to you later.â
She had understood at the time. She always understood. Thatâs why she ensured the house was titled solely in her nameâjust in case. Ivan had never questioned the specifics of the transaction, trusting her to handle âthe paperwork.â
Next, she logged into their online banking account. Thanks to her meticulous habit of tracking financial details, she knew exactly which funds belonged to her personally.
Her phone buzzedâa message from Ivan: âRunning late for an important meeting. Donât wait for dinner.â
Veronica smiled to herself. An important meeting⊠Yes, darling, I saw just how important it was.
She searched her contacts and dialed Maikahil Stepanovich, the family lawyerâthough he was about to become her personal legal counsel.
âGood evening, Maikahil Stepanovich. Apologies for the late call, but I need legal advice. Would 10 AM tomorrow work for a meeting? Wonderful. Letâs meet at the âSwallowâ cafĂ©âitâs a sensitive matter.â
Ending the call, Veronica stretched and walked to the window. Outside, the city lights shimmeredâsimilar to the ones at the restaurant, but to her, they no longer seemed romantic. Instead, they heralded the beginning of a new chapter.
The morning began with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Ivan, having returned late the previous night, was still asleep while Veronica sat at the kitchen table, reviewing her notes.
For the first time in two decades of marriage, she felt grateful for her habit of documenting every small detail.
âGood morning, dear,â she said as Ivan entered the room. âHow was your meeting last night?â
He hesitated briefly but quickly composed himself. âProductive. We discussed a new contract.â
âOh? And whatâs the name of this⊠contract?â Veronica asked casually, observing him closely.
âWhat do you mean?â Ivan replied, his tone almost normal. But his eyebrow twitched ever so slightlyâa telltale sign of unease.
âNothing special,â Veronica smiled, rising from her seat. âI have a meeting to attend this morning.â
âA meeting? With whom?â His voice now carried a hint of concern.
âWith the future,â she replied cryptically before leaving the room.
CafĂ© âSwallowâ greeted Veronica with the scent of freshly baked pastries and a cozy atmosphere. Maikahil Stepanovich awaited her in a secluded corner.
âVeronica Alexandrovna, your call surprised me,â the lawyer began as they placed their orders.
âLately, many things have surprised me,â she said, pulling out the folder of documents. âTell me, Maikahil Stepanovich, how quickly can one finalize a divorce if most of the assets belong to one party?â
The lawyer nearly choked on his coffee. âExcuse me⊠what?â
âThe house is in my name. And most of the funds in the accounts are my personal savings. I need to know my rights.â
For the next two hours, they meticulously reviewed every document and bank statement. By the end, Maikahil Stepanovich couldnât hide his amazement. âYou know,â he said, âIâve never had a client this prepared. Most people act impulsively in situations like these.â
âAnd I donât intend to act on impulse,â Veronica replied, carefully organizing the papers back into the folder. âThis is all part of a very special gift.â
Leaving the café, Veronica headed straight to the bank. It was time to implement her plan.
At the bank, Veronica spent hours ensuring everything was in order. The young manager assisting her couldnât hide his admirationâclients rarely came in with such clarity about their goals.
âSo,â she summarized, âclose the primary account, transfer all funds to a new one solely in my name, and bl0ck the cards.â
âWhat about your husband?â the manager hesitated.
âHeâll keep his salary card. Thirty thousand a month should suffice for⊠important meetings.â
As she stepped out into the fresh air, a sense of liberation swept over her. Her phone buzzed againâthis time, their joint accountant was calling.
âVeronica Alexandrovna, thereâs been an attractive offer to purchase your share of the company. Should I proceed?â
âAbsolutely, Anya Sergeyevna. But letâs keep this away from Ivan for nowâI have a surprise for him.â
Next, she visited a travel agency. âIâd like to book a two-week trip to Tuscany,â she told the consultant.
âFor two?â the woman asked.
âNo,â Veronica replied with a smile. âJust for meâand Iâd prefer to leave as soon as possible.â
That evening, Ivan confronted her, visibly agitated. âVeronica, do you know why our joint cards are bl0cked?â
âReally?â she feigned surprise. âMust be a system glitch. Iâll look into it tomorrow.â
âBut I needed to make a paymentâŠâ
âFor what, dear?â Her tone turned sweet. âDinner at âBellagio,â perhaps? How was the food, by the way?â
Ivan froze. âYou⊠were there?â
âOh, donât worry,â Veronica said, patting his shoulder. âI even paid your bill. Think of it as⊠an advance on your upcoming gift.â
Their 20th anniversary dawned bright and sunny. Veronica, dressed impeccably, left a beautifully wrapped folder tied with a golden bow on the kitchen table.
Ivan entered holding roses. âHappy anniversary! I reserved a table atââ
ââBellagio?ââ Veronica interrupted with a knowing smile. âNot necessary. Iâve prepared something far more meaningful for you.â
Handing him the folder, she said, âGo ahead. Open it. Iâm sure youâll appreciate whatâs inside.â
As Ivan flipped through the documents, his face turned ashen, his voice trembling with anger: âWhat is this? Have you gone cr@zy?â
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