Regina swept in wearing a lavish vintage gown, spilling out apologies that couldn't hide the smirk tugging at her lips.
"Melanie, I'm so sorry, it just slipped."
As if that wasn't enough, she tipped the last of the red wine "by accident" right over my head.
The alcohol ran into my eyes, and I doubled over on the floor, crying out from the sting. Oliver didn't react at all. His eyes held nothing but delight at Regina's sudden appearance.
"Regina, what are you doing here? You've got wine all over your hands, quick, wipe it off."
Watching her look grow smugger by the second, fury flared through me. I grabbed the wineglass, smashed it to the floor, and swung my hand across her face.
She hit the ground in an instant, cheek red and swelling.
"So sorry. I bumped into you by accident. You're okay, aren't you?"
Broken glass drove into her hand, and Regina shrieked with the pain.
"Melanie Henson, you're insane!"
Oliver couldn't sit still another second. He hauled Regina up and rounded on me. "Melanie, how could you raise a hand to Regina? She only knows you like your wine and was joking around with you."
He had someone fetch a bandage at once and wrapped the cut, the ache in his eyes practically brimming over.
"I shouldn't have joked. I thought Melanie wouldn't mind."
Regina nestled against him, all pitiful and fragile. I wiped the wine away and forced my eyes open, and met the faint disgust in Oliver's gaze.
"Wasn't this a surprise for me? Regina, why are you even here?"
Regina choked on it, at a loss, and it was Oliver who smoothed it over for her.
"Regina wanted to give you her blessing too. She's your best friend, after all."
"The greatest blessing she can give me is leaving right now. Thank you."
I glared at her, and though it clearly galled her, she had no choice but to stand and go.
The dinner was ruined, the air a little awkward, and though Oliver stayed there with me, his mind was on someone else.
A ringtone cut through the tension, and the sullen frown he'd been wearing smoothed away in an instant.
Even as he angled the phone away, I caught the pinned contact at the top: "baby Regina."
He tapped out a text on the sly, and at last a smile curved his mouth.
Just as I'd expected, he turned to me with an apologetic face.
"Melanie, I'm really sorry. I had your tenth-anniversary gift all ready, and I meant for us to open it together, but something's just come up at the company..."
Fine, I'd play along with his little act. I only nodded, all understanding. "It's fine. Go take care of work."
He left in a rush, and I got up at once and followed quietly behind.
He didn't stop until he reached the luxury car down in the garage, where Regina had already been waiting a good while.
"What took you so long? Is Melanie Henson really that fascinating?" Regina rolled her eyes, impatient.
Oliver said nothing. One kiss was all it took to settle her.
She curled into his arms. "Go on, then. How are you going to make it up to me? That slap hurt like hell."
Oliver stroked her cheek gently. "It's all my fault. I don't know what got into Melanie today, going off like that."
"Don't worry. Anything you want, except the seat of Gilbert matriarch, and I'll give it to you."
Oliver popped the trunk right away and pulled out the couture gift he'd prepared.
When she finally broke into a smile, he leaned in close. "That's my surprise. So what did you get for me?"
Regina slid onto his lap and let her whole weight fall against him, the bow at her chest already pulled loose.
"That, of course, you'll have to unwrap yourself. I promise you'll be more than satisfied."
Oliver lost himself completely and buried his face against her chest, and then the light inside the car dimmed.
Their moans reached my ears, and I was sick to my stomach right there on the spot.
My heart hurt as if a thousand needles had run it through. That luxury car was my birthday gift to Oliver, and now it had become the stage for their passion.
I forced down the storm surging inside me. Three more days and it would be over.
Once I was calm, I called the dealership's sales department and put the car in my name. Oliver no longer deserved the right to use this gift.
After I recorded the proof of the two of them cheating, I braved the cold wind and went home. I built up a fire in the back garden and burned every gift Oliver had ever given me.
The wedding dress in the cabinet, the one I'd kept for ten years, I looked at for a long while. Then my heart sank, and I gathered it up and flung it into the flames.
Late that night I was sleeping deeply when Oliver burst through the door.
His face was all worry. "Melanie, I finally found you!"
It was three in the morning by then. They'd tangled together for another six hours. Watching Oliver overdo his little performance, I found it utterly laughable.
