I ignored the little box under our Christmas tree for years. My husband said it was just a memory from his first love, but memories don’t haunt you like that. Last Christmas, something inside me snapped. I opened the gift and found a secret that changed everything.
I met Tyler when I was 32 and he was 35. It sounds cliché, but it felt like fate. Our connection was fast and electric, like when you step outside just as the first snowfall starts. Everything was magic, glittering, and impossibly perfect.
A couple walking in the snow | Source: Midjourney
He made me laugh with his dry humor, and I admired his quiet confidence. He was never brash and never postured. Tyler was just steady and certain, a safe harbor in a storm.
At least, that’s what I thought. I later realized his calm demeanor wasn’t confidence; it was cowardice.
Our first Christmas together was everything I’d dreamed of. Candles flickered, soft music played, and snow dusted the windows. We took turns unwrapping gifts, leaving ribbons and bows scattered across the floor. Then I saw it.
A woman sitting in a living room on Christmas | Source: Midjourney
One gift remained under the Christmas tree: a small, neatly wrapped box with a slightly flattened bow.
“Oh?” I said, tilting my head toward it. “Is that also for me?”
Tyler glanced up from the sweater I’d just given him and shook his head. “Nah, that’s… that’s something from my first love. She gave it to me before we broke up.” He shrugged like it was nothing. “Each year, I place it under the tree, though I’ve never opened it.”
A man sitting on a sofa | Source: Midjourney
I blinked. “What?”
He didn’t even look up. Just folded the sweater over his lap. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just a memory of someone who once meant a lot to me.”
I felt a prickle at the back of my neck. “Why didn’t you open it?”
“We broke up soon afterward, and I didn’t feel like opening it,” he said, and that was that.
The moment passed, or at least he thought it did.
A happy man sitting in a living room on Christmas | Source: Midjourney
But I remember sitting there, my smile feeling too tight on my face. A little red flag waved somewhere in the distance of my mind, but I told myself it was fine. People hold on to weird things. Old love letters. Ticket stubs. Nobody’s perfect, right?
The years rolled on, and we built a life together. Tyler and I got married and bought a little starter home. We had two kids together who filled the rooms with shrieks of joy and toddler tears.
We were happy. Or busy, which sometimes feels the same. Christmases came and went like clockwork.
A Christmas tree in a living room | Source: Pexels
I’d put up the tree while Tyler wrangled the lights. The kids would argue over which ornaments went where, and every year, without fail, that little box appeared under the tree.
I asked him about it again around year seven of our marriage.
“Why do you still have that old gift?” I’d said, dusting pine needles off the floor. “You’ve had it longer than you’ve had me.”
He looked up from untangling the lights, brow furrowed like I’d just asked him to solve world peace.
A man untangling Christmas lights in his living room | Source: Midjourney
“It’s just a box, Nicole. It’s not hurting anyone. Leave it be.”
I could’ve argued. I wanted to, but I didn’t. Back then, I still believed that peace was more important than answers. I still believed in us.
Time slipped through our fingers. Christmases came and went. The kids grew up and left for college. They called less and less and skipped spending holidays with the folks more often.
The house was quieter than I expected. It’s funny how you never realize how much noise you’ll miss.
A mature woman decorating a Christmas tree alone | Source: Midjourney
But that box? It never missed a year.
Every December, I’d watch it appear like a ghost. Tyler would place it in a spot where it was out of the way, but still clearly visible. It still had the same stupid paper, as smooth as the day his first love wrapped it.
I didn’t say anything anymore. I’d just see it, feel my chest tighten, and keep moving. But something had shifted.
A mature woman standing near a Christmas tree | Source: Midjourney
The box wasn’t just a box anymore. It was everything we never said to each other. It was his silence on the nights I lay awake, wondering if he’d ever loved me as much as her.
One night, after putting away dinner leftovers, I stood in the kitchen, hands on my hips, staring at the ceiling like it owed me an answer.
Tyler still hadn’t washed the dishes like he’d said he would, and hadn’t taken the trash out either. Instead, he was upstairs, tapping away on his laptop while I held everything together, like always.
A solemn-looking woman standing in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
I’d committed years of my life to this man and our family, and I was tired of always having to fight with him and remind him about chores. I looked around our kitchen and my heart ached for something I couldn’t name.
I sighed, dried my hands on a dishrag, and made my way to the living room.
The Christmas tree lights twinkled softly, casting everything in a warm, golden glow. It should’ve been peaceful. But then I saw that darn box.
Gifts under a Christmas tree | Source: Pexels
It was sitting there, smug, untouched. Still unopened after all these years.
Something deep and sharp unfurled in my chest. I could’ve walked away. I should’ve, but I’d walked away too many times already.
I grabbed it off the floor, and before I could think, I tore it open. Paper shredded in my hands and that stupid, flattened bow fell to the floor. My breath came short and fast as I tore open the thin cardboard and revealed the gift from Tyler’s first love.
A woman opening a Christmas gift | Source: Pexels
Inside was a letter, neatly folded, aged to a soft yellow. I froze.
This was the thing he’d guarded for thirty years. My heart drummed in my ears as I unfolded the page, fingers trembling.
My stomach dropped as I read the first sentence. I stumbled backward and sat down hard on the sofa as my knees went weak.
A woman sitting on a sofa while reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
“Tyler, I’m pregnant. I know this is a shock, but I didn’t know where else to turn. My parents found out and they’re forcing me to stay away from you, but if you meet me at the bus station on the 22nd, we can run away together. I’ll be wearing a green coat.
Please, meet me there, Tyler. I’m so sorry I lied that day I broke up with you. My father was watching from the car. I never stopped loving you.”
I pressed my fist to my mouth to keep from making a sound.
A shocked woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
She’d been there. She’d waited for him. And he never showed. But worse than that — he’d never even opened the letter. He had no idea…
I heard Tyler’s footsteps coming down the stairs. I didn’t even try to hide what I’d done.
When he saw me holding the letter, his face went pale.
“What did you do?!” His voice was sharp, slicing through the air like glass. “That was my most precious memory!”
I rose and turned to him slowly, feeling something inside me crack wide open.
A shocked man standing in a living room decorated for Christmas | Source: Midjourney
“Memory?” I held up the letter like a battle flag. “You mean this? This letter you never even opened? You’re telling me you clung to this ‘memory’ for thirty years and didn’t even have the courage to see what it was?”
He blinked, stepping back like I’d hit him.
“I didn’t…” He stopped and swiped a hand down his face. “I was scared, okay?”
“Coward,” I hissed, thrusting the letter at him like it was a sword.
A furious woman holding a letter | Source: Midjourney
His eyes widened. We stood there like that for what felt like forever, but then he took the page in his hands, and read the letter.
My eyes didn’t even sting with tears as I watched him gasp with shock and sit down on the arm of the sofa. I was too tired for that now.
Emotions flickered across his face, and at one point, he let out a low moan. He seemed to reread her words at least three times before he dropped his head into his hands.
A man sitting with his head in his hands | Source: Midjourney
“She… she was waiting, and I didn’t show up.” His shoulders shook and his voice was thick with emotion.
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. He cried like a man mourning his own grave. But I didn’t feel sorry for him. I’d been waiting too.
“Tyler,” I said, my voice calm like a still lake after a storm. “I’m tired. Tired of being second to a ghost.” I felt my heart settle into something steady. “We’re done.”
He didn’t chase me as I left the room.
An angry woman glancing over her shoulder | Source: Midjourney
The divorce was quiet. Neither of us had the energy to make it messy. We split the house, the cars, and the rest of our lives.
He tracked her down. I found out from our youngest. She was happily married and their son wasn’t interested in meeting Tyler or his half-siblings. He’d missed his chance. Twice.
And me? I got my own place. On Christmas Eve, I sat by the window, watching the soft glow of lights from the neighboring apartments.
A content woman sitting near a window | Source: Midjourney
There was no tree this year, no boxes, and no ghosts. Just peace.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
‘I’m against It!’ Older Man Stops Wedding, a Minute Later Cops Arrest Groom – Story of the Day
While standing in the church with the man she loved the most, a young woman looked at the priest when he asked if anyone had a problem with the marriage. Suddenly, an elderly man barged into the church, telling the priest he was against the wedding.
“You’re gorgeous!” Myron told Hilary minutes after meeting her at a party for the first time.
Hilary felt butterflies in her tummy when she saw him look at her from head to toe. It had been ages since a man last complimented her, and she couldn’t recall what it felt like when a man held her hand while looking into her eyes. Her last relationship was nothing short of miserable because of her ex’s anger issues.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
However, meeting Myron at her friend’s party gave her a ray of hope. It made her feel she could try her luck again and date this man who looked at her like she was the most beautiful girl in the room.
Myron stayed by her side the entire evening, cracking jokes while telling her everything about him. He wanted to impress her during their first meeting because he thought she was the perfect girl for him.
The following day, Myron and Hilary met in a park, discussing their interests, goals, and life problems while walking together. Their discussion only made them grow closer, compelling Myron to ask her for a date the next day.
“Hilary, I think you are the girl I have been looking for all this time,” Myron said. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
“What?” Hilary’s hands went to her face, covering everything except her glistening eyes and forehead. She couldn’t believe the man she had met two days ago wanted to start a relationship with her.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Myron repeated his question, looking into Hilary’s eyes.
“Yes!” she exclaimed and wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll be your girlfriend, Myron.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Hilary was delighted to start a relationship with him because her last relationship had left her heartbroken. She believed Myron’s love would help her heal, unaware he was keeping secrets from her.
However, when Hilary told her parents about it, a grain of doubt crept into their minds.
Soon, Hilary introduced him to her parents, and he took no time to win their hearts. He told them he had lost his parents at a young age and missed them a lot.
“Don’t worry,” Hilary’s mother said. “We are your parents now, okay? You can share everything with us. We’re always here to support you!”
Hilary felt relieved when her parents accepted her boyfriend. Their approval made her believe she had made the right choice by dating him and thought she was ready to spend the rest of her life with him.
The couple dated for five months before Myron made his next move. He took Hilary to an expensive restaurant on a date and knelt while everyone looked at him.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Hilary, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to share all my happiness and sorrows with you,” Myron said. “Will you marry me?”
While others in the restaurant gasped, Hilary couldn’t believe Myron had proposed to her in front of so many people. She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him on his knees, looking straight into her eyes, waiting for an answer.
“Yes!” Hilary said as she held his hands and pulled him up, wrapping her arms around him while tears trickled down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe the man she loved the most wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Since Hilary was head over heels in love with Myron, she didn’t feel that everything was happening too quickly. A man she had only known for five months suddenly wanted to be her life partner, but she couldn’t sense that the timing of his proposal was too odd.
However, when Hilary told her parents about it, a grain of doubt crept into their minds. They thought it was strange of Myron to propose to her too soon, but their suspicions vanished when they talked to him and saw how much he admired their daughter. Soon, the couple began preparing for their wedding, unaware that fate wouldn’t allow them to tie the knot.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
During the preparations, Hilary noticed many things about her soon-to-be husband that she had never seen before. During one of the discussions, she noticed Myron was interested in the material side of things.
“I’m so excited about all the stuff people will bring us!” he said, his eyes sparkling with greed.
“There’s going to be a lot of expensive gifts. I can’t wait!”
Although Hilary did not say anything to him then, she thought it was strange of him to think about the gifts. She wanted him to talk about their relationship, future, and how they would support each other after marriage, but it seemed like Myron was interested in other things.
“I guess he’s just acting immature,” Hilary thought, unaware of Myron’s plans.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
A few days before the wedding, Myron came to Hilary’s house and told her something she wasn’t expecting. “I think we should have a prenuptial agreement. What do you suggest?”
“Yes, I think that’s a smart decision,” Hilary said after a moment’s thought. “We should be prepared for the worst.”
“Exactly!” Myron exclaimed. “I think we should add a clause that states that if you initiate a divorce, you would have to pay up a fortune!” he chuckled coldly.
She thought it was strange of him to bring up a prenup, and she couldn’t be entirely sure if he was joking about it.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Later that day, Hilary called her lawyer and asked about the clause. She thought Myron was acting selfish, but the lawyer assured her this clause was quite common.
“Don’t worry, Hilary,” the lawyer said. “The same rule would apply to Myron if he initiates divorce.”
“He would pay me the same amount?” Hilary asked.
“Yes,” the lawyer replied.
“You don’t have to worry about anything. Most people add this clause to their prenup agreement.”
Hilary felt relieved after talking to her lawyer and felt terrible for thinking Myron was greedy. She called him and said she was ready to sign the prenuptial agreement. However, another strange incident made her doubt his intentions.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
A few days later, Hilary was cleaning Myron’s cupboards when she stumbled upon a divorce certificate with Myron’s name. “What is this, Myron?” Hilary immediately confronted him. “You never told me you were married!”
“Hey, calm down!” he replied. “It’s not what you think. Trust me.”
“How much more are you hiding from me, Myron? We are getting married in a few days!” Hilary yelled.
“Listen to me,” he held her shoulders and made her sit on the bed. “This marriage was a mistake. I was young and impulsive when I married this woman. It’s in the past now and means nothing to me!”
“Why should I believe you?” Hilary rolled her eyes and looked away.
“I swear this marriage means nothing to me,” Myron said. “All I want to do is forget about it, and that’s the only reason I never told you about it. Trust me, honey.”
“I’m marrying you in a few days, and I have no idea who you are!” Hilary started crying. “I’m starting to doubt my decision now.”
“Come on,” Myron hugged her. “You know how much I love you. Why would I ever lie to you, my love? Stop crying, please.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Once again, Myron cleared Hilary’s doubts through his magical words. He convinced her he wasn’t keeping any secrets, but the truth was otherwise.
“I am against this marriage!” an unknown man shouted while walking down the aisle.
A day before the wedding, Myron was talking to someone on the phone at Hilary’s place.
“If you mess it up, I won’t be able to vouch for myself!” he whispered, unaware that Hilary overheard him.
Once he hung up, she asked him who he was talking to. “What you said sounded so suspicious!” she said. “What’s going on, Myron?”
“That was my ex-girlfriend,” Myron rolled her eyes. “She was threatening to show up at the wedding.”
“Really?” Hilary asked.
“Yes,” Myron said confidently. “She has lost her mind or something.”
Yet again, Myron had managed to deceive her, though Hilary’s heart grew restless with each pang of doubt and suspicion. Little did he know she would learn about his true intentions sooner than he expected.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Hilary woke up early on her wedding day and started getting ready. She was excited to marry the man of her dreams but had no idea what awaited her inside the church. She couldn’t wait to see what her groom looked like.
Once she was ready, she went to the church with her family and was delighted to see how well everyone had dressed up for her big day. All her friends and family were waiting for her to walk down the aisle and stand beside Myron.
She walked down the aisle holding her father’s hand while everyone looked at her. Once she reached the altar, the priest began reading the wedding vows. Then, he asked the guests if anyone was against the marriage.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I am against this marriage!” an unknown man shouted while walking down the aisle. “I can’t allow Myron to marry this innocent girl.”
Suddenly, the guests started whispering amongst themselves while Hilary gasped in shock. She looked at Myron, who was staring at the man angrily.
“I warned you, Myron, didn’t I?” the man grumbled. “You refused to listen to me, so now you must bear the consequences.”
Suddenly, a team of police officers barged into the church while Myron tried to escape. However, he couldn’t get away because the police had surrounded the church from all sides. They arrested and dragged him outside while Hilary kept asking Myron what was happening.
“Where are they taking him?” she cried. “What have you done, Myron? Why don’t you stop them?”
Hilary collapsed on the ground and cried hysterically.
Why did he do this to me? Why did he play with my feelings? Hilary thought she would faint from the pain of what was unfolding.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Then, the man who had canceled her wedding walked toward her. “I’m so sorry for what you are feeling right now,” he said. “The police arrested Myron because he was accused of repeated fraud.”
“What?” Hilary gasped. “But how do you know that?”
“I’m Myron’s estranged father,” the man said. “You can call me Mr. Brown.”
“But he said his parents had passed away,” Hilary was shocked.
“I know he keeps lying to girls,” Mr. Brown said. “He cut ties with me when I discovered he was a professional gigolo and was looting girls by marrying them for money.”
“What?” Hilary couldn’t believe her ears.
“I tried my best to stop him, but he never listened,” Mr. Brown said. “I had given up on him until the police knocked on my door one day asking me if my son lives here.”
“Myron had given my address everywhere because he knew the police would come after him,” Mr. Brown continued. “I got so sick of this but knew he wouldn’t stop. His mother cheated on me the same way.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
It turned out that Mr. Brown had contacted Myron to warn him when he learned about Hilary. The father wanted his son not to play with Hilary’s feelings, but Myron refused to listen.
“It was you who called him yesterday?” Hilary asked. “He lied to me that it was his ex-girlfriend.”
“It was me,” Mr. Brown said.
“I called him, but he didn’t listen to me. So I had to call the police.”
Whatever Myron did in the past few months started making sense to Hilary. She finally understood why he had been acting so strangely.
“Thank you for saving me, Mr. Brown!” she said. “I owe you for saving me from getting robbed.”
Soon, Myron’s case was taken to court, and the judge ordered him to compensate every woman he had conned. A few months later, Hilary received her share of the settlement but decided not to keep it.
“This is for you, Mr. Brown,” she said while handing him the money. “Thank you for saving me!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
What can we learn from this story?
- You can’t get away with deceiving people. Myron thought he would keep marrying women for money, unaware he would soon get caught. He wouldn’t have conned multiple women if he knew his father would send him to jail one day.
- Sometimes, you have to take a difficult step for your loved ones. It wasn’t easy for Mr. Brown to send his son to jail, but he did it because he wanted to teach Myron a lesson.
Share this story with your friends and family. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
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