The Birthday Gift from My Husband Chapter 2

I was in the hospital for three days. For three days, it was as if Guillermo had vanished from the face of the earth.

The next time I saw any news of him, it was on a trending topic on Instagram.

A rising starlet named Alana had posted a photo that set the internet on fire. Her caption was playful: Finally got to have that dinner with my old college mentor! followed by a cutesy, tongue-out emoji.

In the photo, a man’s wrist was clearly visible. On his hand was a ring—the one I had custom-made for him.

The comments section exploded with well-wishes.

Alana had already gained a legion of fans after her private account was leaked. Everyone knew the story: the glamorous actress was secretly just a shy girl, hopelessly in love with an upperclassman from her past. Her private feed was a shrine to him, filled with poetic entries detailing her unrequited love through high school and college.

Even her username, @ChasingTheAura, was a nod to him.

The story had been dormant for years, ever since her private account went public. Now, with this new post, the unrequited love story had a sequel. The internet crowned it the most epic crush of all time.

Her fans, never ones to miss an opportunity, egged her on.

【OMG GIRL, GO FOR IT!】

【Get together! Get together!】

【Alana, follow your heart!】

【Did she finally get her man?!】

The post trended all day. It didn't take long for sharp-eyed netizens to notice the wedding band on the man's ring finger.

A married mentor and the innocent starlet. The story was too juicy to ignore.

The speculation intensified as more details were dug up. The ring's unique design had only been seen on one person: Guillermo Anderson, the celebrated new genius of the tech world.

Soon, Guillermo's bio was all over the web, and he and Alana were trending together. The scandal was so big that the topic was forcibly scrubbed from the trending list.

And through it all, Guillermo—the man at the center of the storm—offered no explanation.

I stared at the circus on my phone, a hollow laugh escaping my lips.

Three days passed. No call from him. No text. No explanation.

A few nights later, he came home as if nothing had happened. He looked exhausted, his usually perfect hair disheveled.

“Babe, I’m so sorry. Things have been insane at work. I haven’t been able to check in.”

He didn't mention the hospital. He didn't mention the scandal.

My eyes fell on his left hand. His ring finger was bare. A surge of cold anger washed over me.

“Where’s your ring?”

He instinctively glanced at his hand, his voice suddenly strained. “I… I lost it.”

Lost it? Or got rid of it? Only he knew the truth.

The rush of emotion made my sinuses ache. I massaged the bridge of my nose, too tired to fight. We’d had this same argument, or variations of it, for years. I was done.

As I turned to leave, Guillermo grabbed my arm. “The stuff online… I can explain.”

“Liv,” he said, his voice earnest. “Alana is just… we knew each other in college. We were both in London at the same time, so we had dinner. That’s it.”

“Nothing happened between us. I swear.”

A cynical smile touched my lips. “Then why not just say that? One press release would have cleared it up. Why kill the story and let the rumors run wild?”

He sighed heavily. “Alana’s career is just taking off. I couldn’t risk ruining it for her.”

I let out a short, sharp laugh. “She’s the one who created this mess, isn't she? If her career gets ruined, she has no one to blame but herself. And besides, how would a simple clarification destroy her career? That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“Liv, don’t be so cruel.”

I couldn’t believe those words came from the man I’d been married to for seven years.

For the first time in a long time, I completely lost control. “Cruel?” I yelled, my voice shaking with rage. “You want to talk about cruel? My husband disappears while I’m in the hospital having surgery, only to pop up in London having a cozy dinner with his little admirer, and you have the nerve to call me cruel? You’re disgusting, Guillermo.”

I ripped my arm from his grasp. “Get out. I’m done with you.”

I had become so numb over the years, so emotionally stable. This raw, screaming version of myself felt like a stranger. A deep sadness settled in my chest. When had we become this?

A flash of panic crossed Guillermo’s face. He pulled me into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m so sorry.”

I pried his fingers off me, one by one. My voice was chillingly calm. “I think we both need some space to cool off.”

The ugly, contorted face I had just seen in his eyes was one I never wanted to see again.