When Emily ordered pizza while her fiancé was away, she didn’t expect anything unusual to happen. But then she got a message that changed everything. She didn’t realize it at the time, but that pizza delivery ended up saving her from a bad marriage. Living with Jake felt comfortable but boring. Our small apartment, with its comfy blankets and different pillows, seemed like a safe place. I’m Emily, and for the last three years, Jake and I have enjoyed doing simple things together. One thing we did a lot was order pizza from the same place on our quiet nights at home. It was our little tradition. Jake would look for movies to watch while I called our favorite pizza place.
Tom, the delivery man, always knew who we were. He came by like clockwork, asking his usual cheerful “How are you?” as he entered our small hallway. But tonight, it was just me there.
Jake was away for work, and the silence felt even more noticeable than usual. I ordered my usual pizza, pepperoni with extra cheese.
When the doorbell rang, it was Tom, just like always, but he seemed different tonight. His smile didn’t seem genuine, and his hands were shaking a little as he gave me the pizza box.
“Hey, Emily. Jake’s not here tonight?” Tom asked, his voice sounding a bit shaky.
“No, just me tonight,” I said, trying to sound happy. Tom nodded and left quickly, maybe too quickly. As I closed the door, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Was Tom okay? Pushing aside my worries, I took the warm pizza box to the kitchen.
The smell of garlic and tomato sauce usually made me feel cozy, like a hug. But when I opened the box, I felt my heart race. There, written inside the lid with a black marker, was a message: “He is not who you think. Check your door camera.” Suddenly, I didn’t feel like eating anymore as fear crept over me.
I put the box down, feeling scared, and the apartment suddenly felt very quiet. What would I see on the camera? My hands shook as I tried to use the tablet that controlled our door camera. The message in the pizza box had really scared me, and every moment until I opened the app felt like forever. I checked the camera’s history, and then I saw it.
I saw Jake, my Jake, welcoming a woman at our door. She wasn’t just any woman—she was laughing and giving him a bottle of wine. I felt really sad. I kept scrolling. On other days, there were other women.
Each time I was away, it seemed like Jake had someone over. Different women, and the camera he had installed for our safety showed everything clearly. I sat there, feeling stuck and unable to move, the tablet slipping from my hands.
I couldn’t believe it. When did our life together become like this? Tears filled my eyes, and each video on the camera felt like a stab in my heart.
I trusted him and loved him, but was it all just me? Did he feel the same? Each time I saw another woman with him, each shared moment, it felt like the walls were closing in on me. I used to love this place, our life together, but now it felt like a place of betrayal.
I felt sick, like there was a heavy weight in my stomach. This wasn’t a mistake or a misunderstanding. It was deliberate betrayal, over and over again. I was angry and sad, tears running down my face. I knew I had to talk to him, to get answers, but first, I had to calm down and gather myself. I couldn’t let him see me upset. I had to be strong for myself. The love I thought we had was gone, replaced by anger. Jake had a lot to explain, and I was going to make sure I heard it.
When Jake came back, the apartment was quiet and tense. I sat at the kitchen table, thinking about what I’d seen on the camera. He smiled at me, unaware of how I felt. But I didn’t smile back.
“We need to talk,” I said, and Jake’s smile disappeared. “What’s the matter?” he asked. I showed him the tablet, with a picture of him and one of the women paused on the screen. “Can you explain this?” Jake glanced at it and shrugged, looking relaxed. “Emily, you’re overreacting. They’re just friends.” “Friends?” I snapped. “Different women every time I’m not here? Seriously, Jake?” He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Look, Em, you’re being paranoid. These women don’t mean anything.” “Don’t mean anything?” I raised my voice, anger breaking through my calmness. “How can you say that?” Jake’s tone got tougher. “I contribute a lot to this relationship. You really want to end it over some insecurity?” That was it. His dismissal, his arrogance—it made everything clear. “It’s not insecurity when I have proof, Jake. I can’t do this. I won’t marry someone who thinks so little of me.” Jake’s face tightened, shock replacing his arrogance. “Are you serious? Over something so trivial?” “Yes,” I said firmly. “I’m done. We’re done.” He stared at me, then left without saying another word, grabbing his coat on the way out.
The door closed loudly after him, and just like that, it was done. After a bit of time alone to think, I called the pizza place. Tom picked up. “Tom, it’s Emily. I… I wanted to thank you. You were right about Jake.” There was a pause. “I’m really sorry, Emily. I thought you should know.” “I appreciate it,” I said sincerely. “Could I… maybe take you out for coffee sometime? To talk?” “I’d like that,” Tom replied warmly, comforting my hurt heart.
The next day, meeting Tom at the café, the fear of facing Jake seemed far away. Tom’s genuine care made me feel understood for the first time in a while. “Thank you for being honest with me, Tom. It must have been tough to decide to tell me,” I said as we sat down with our coffees. He nodded. “It was, Emily. But I couldn’t keep it from you. Everyone deserves the truth.”
As we talked, I realized how much of myself I had tied to Jake. Sitting across from Tom, I felt free and hopeful. He valued honesty, and it felt good. Our conversation moved from serious to light, and soon we were laughing. I hadn’t expected to feel so relieved after such a tough time. It reminded me that sometimes, from bad things, good opportunities can come.
Sitting with Tom, we laughed together, and I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was like breathing fresh air after being stuck inside for too long. “I never thought a pizza delivery could change my life,” I joked, looking at Tom. His smile showed he understood. “Life is strange, Emily. Sometimes help comes from unexpected places,” he said kindly. Leaving the café, I felt hopeful. I was ready to move forward, not sure what the future held, but sure I was on the path to happiness again, one step at a time.
Now let me tell you about the time I, Matilda, learned that sometimes the universe knows when to step in. It all started when my boyfriend, Jake, was asked to be the “man of honor” at his female best friend, Lisa’s, wedding. He was excited; I wasn’t. Lisa planned a bachelorette getaway in a cabin by a lake.
To my disappointment, Jake was the only guy invited! “It’s just a fun trip, babe! You know I love you,” he reassured me. He said this while excitedly packing his bags ahead of time at the apartment he shared with three other guys, as I hung around. This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been changed for creative reasons. Names, characters, and details have been altered to protect privacy and improve the story. Any similarity to real persons or events is purely coincidental. The author and publisher do not claim the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misunderstandings. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed belong to the characters, not the author or publisher.