The mood at Tom’s once-lively birthday party went from joyous to chilly due to an apparently innocuous cake delivery. The gathering was silent as the devastating secret revealed in the cake brought friends and family face-to-face with Tom’s treachery.
I was in a mad dash to get the house ready for Tom’s birthday celebration. Floating balloons and colorful streamers adorned every corner, bringing a burst of color to the entire space.
The sound of happy greetings and the aroma of home-cooked meals filled the living room as early visitors began to arrive, accompanied by their laughter and chatting.
The snack table was being set up when the doorbell rang. Hastily, I brushed my hands off on my apron and raced to respond. There was a delivery guy standing there, carrying a big box that had a cheery “Happy Birthday!” sticker all on it.
“For you,” he remarked as he passed the unexpectedly heavy box to me.
As I signed for the delivery, I whispered, “Oh, I didn’t order this,” more to myself than to him. It seemed like a surprise from Tom’s family or friends, so I thought it was from them. In my haste to express my gratitude, I tossed the cake box onto the kitchen counter and promised to get to it later.
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