It Was For Her
As he lifted the package he had selected from the rows of others in the back of the truck, he couldn’t stop smiling – blissfully oblivious to what was in store for him. He affectionately traced the name printed on the parcel with his fingertips.
It was for the woman he’d recently fallen in love with. His plan was to surprise her with it in person. He rang the bell and waited for a few seconds. Little did he know, things were not as they appeared to be.
Delivery
Eagerly ringing the doorbell again, he couldn’t contain his excitement. But when the door opened, there was someone else standing there. With his smile fading, he pulled out his clipboard for a signature and walked back to the truck.
He was sure she’d be home today, but he had been greeted by an entirely unexpected face. Of course, he had questions. Doubting himself, he wondered if he had gotten the right address. Or was there something else going on?
Todd Emerson
Todd Emerson had always loved his job. He enjoyed driving around Chicago and delivering parcels to their owners. But, on the downside, his job could also be challenging.
He was always on the move and worked long hours, so he didn’t get to have much of a social life. His job took up most of his life, so he also worried about finding the right woman to settle down and start a family with.
Searching For Love
On the rare occasions when Todd had some spare time to spend with friends, they made a point of going to bars frequented by other singles. The plan was to find a woman who could be a good match for Todd.
One evening, someone caught his eye. She was sitting alone at the bar, playing with her long blonde hair and looking at Todd with her big, blue eyes. Could this be the woman of his dreams?
Candice
Of course, Todd didn’t waste a second. He went over, bought her a few drinks. Before they knew it, they were laughing and talking like old friends. Her name was Candice Smith, and Todd knew right away that he wanted to see her again.
When the evening grew late and it was time to leave, Todd and Candice exchanged phone numbers. Over the next few weeks, they met up to talk and have a few drinks. But Todd felt like he wanted to take Candice out on a proper date. He had a good feeling about the next step in their relationship.
Insomnia
One night, after seeing Candice again, Todd couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and how they seemed to suit each other so well.
Todd had always been a romantic, and he had made his intentions clear: he was tired of being alone and wanted someone to share the rest of his life with. Of course, he couldn’t have known what was really going on.
Texting
The very next morning, Todd messaged Candice while he was at work. He didn’t care if it made him seem desperate – he wasn't interested in playing games. And, to his delight, he got an immediate response.
“I would love to see you tonight!” she replied. Todd couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. He felt like everything was finally falling into place. But he had no idea what was coming.
He Couldn’t Wait
While he continued his delivery rounds, he couldn’t help thinking about Candice. He couldn’t wait to see her again and his stomach fluttered with butterflies.
Finally, he had found someone to share his life with. There would be no more lonely nights eating microwaved dinners by himself. He was convinced that he’d finally found his soulmate.
Getting Ready
When his watch finally ticked over to five, he almost ran to his car. He only had around 30 minutes to get ready for the big night. After a quick shower, he dressed and inspected himself in the mirror.
He was going to try his best to impress Candice – after all, tonight he was going to ask her to be his steady girlfriend.
Drop-Dead Gorgeous
Todd’s breath left him when he saw Candice. She was wearing a beautiful dress and had let her long hair fall around her shoulders. He only hoped that she was impressed with him, too. His anxiety faded the more time they spent together and her bright smile put him at ease.
But, as the evening wore on, Todd noticed that Candice’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Sensing his concern, Candice apologized.
On Cloud Nine
But Todd didn’t mind. His head was in the clouds, and he couldn’t believe that a beautiful woman such as Candice would be willing to give him a shot.
He just didn’t know why she was so distracted and wasn’t paying much attention to their date. Her phone was ringing nonstop, and at that point, Todd became concerned.
Taking A Call
“Is everything alright? Seems like someone is trying very hard to get hold of you. Why don’t you answer? I don’t mind,” he said. He could see the gratitude in her eyes.
“Thanks. It’s work. I won’t be long,” she replied and dashed off to the balcony of the restaurant. Todd didn’t think that anything was wrong. He had no reason to think that.
Is Everything Okay?
She returned to the table, and Todd immediately noticed a change in her demeanor. She seemed distant and didn’t want to talk to him as much.
“Is everything okay? Did you receive bad news?” he asked her. She looked down at her hands, not wanting to say anything. Todd assumed that something was wrong.
I Need To Go
“Um, yeah. I have to get going. I need to finish some work things that I left for tomorrow, but it seems to be urgent. So I have to take a rain check,” she said.
Then she kissed Todd on the cheek and walked out of the restaurant. By now, Todd was left confused. He didn’t know what to think.
A Bad Feeling
He picked up the bill and left the restaurant with his head hung low. He hoped that Candice would contact him and let him know that everything was fine.
But he had a bad feeling about it. Something just didn’t feel right. Throughout the whole evening, she was very distracted, and he didn’t even get to ask her to be his girlfriend.
Worried
That night, he once again didn’t have a good night’s rest. But this time, he was more worried than excited. He kept thinking about whether he would ever see Candice again.
She didn’t even text him that night. Had he lost his dream girl already? The girl he didn’t even ask to be his, to begin with?
A Bad Day
The next day, he was having a very bad day at work. His colleagues noticed he was very moody, and they knew they had to just stay out of his way.
He bundled up the packages of the day and took them to his delivery vehicle. He just wanted to get the day over with. He still hadn’t even heard from Candice.
A Sign
It was not his day, and not hearing from her made it even worse for him until he saw something unexpected. When he stopped to drop off a package, he noticed the next package on his list.
His heart raced as he read out the name Candice Smith. This was the sign he had been waiting for. He just knew that this was his Candice because the contact number was the same one he had on his phone.
Determined
He took a deep breath. His day was finally looking up. He knew she worked from home, and he was sure it would be a pleasant surprise to see him on her doorstep.
He started the engine, determined to get to her on her lunch break. He hoped they could talk about her leaving so abruptly on their date the previous night. But Todd had no idea what awaited him.
All Planned Out
He stopped at the address. He quickly hopped out and grabbed the package that had her name on it. This was his chance to finally get through to her.
He was going to ask her out on a date again, and then he could finally ask her to be his girlfriend. He had it all planned out.
An Unexpected Face
He eagerly rang the doorbell and waited for her to open up. But then, to his dismay, someone else was standing there. He signed off the package and walked back to his truck.
He thought she would be home today. But instead, he was greeted by an unexpected face. Todd had a lot of questions. Did he have the correct address, or was something else going on?
Confusion
He rang the doorbell again. He needed to know something. The man opened the door again. “Hey man, did you forget something?”
Todd looked at him and then spoke up. “Uh, I just wanted to know if I had the correct address for Candice Smith,” he asked. The man looked at him with a confused expression.
A Revelation
“Um, yeah. Candice lives here. She’s just not home. My wife is out with her friends on a workday. Can you believe that?” he chuckled.
Todd’s heart dropped. He didn’t know what to say. He thanked the man and got into his vehicle. His day just went from bad to worse. Candice was playing him for a fool.
Betrayed
Todd's hands trembled on the steering wheel as he drove away from Candice's supposed home. The revelation that she was married was a crushing blow.
He had thought he had found the woman of his dreams, someone to settle down with, but now he felt betrayed and foolish. He wished he hadn’t met her in the first place.
An Idea
As he continued on his delivery route, Todd's emotions swirled with a mix of anger and sadness. He couldn't believe that Candice had led him on, making him believe that they had a future together.
He wanted to confront her, to demand an explanation, but he knew that wouldn't end well. But would it all be worth it in the end?
The Vengeful Plan
Instead, an idea began to form in Todd's mind. He recalled the package he was planning on sending to her. What if he used it to send her a message, to let her know that he was aware of her double life?
It was a daring plan, but the anger coursing through him fueled his determination. He wanted to get back at her.
The Message
As the day went on, Todd finally arrived at his last delivery for the day. He couldn't resist the temptation any longer. He carefully opened the package he had intended to give Candice, and inside was a beautiful bouquet of roses.
He removed the bouquet, replaced it with a single red rose, and left a handwritten note that said, "For the woman who broke my heart." Then, he resealed the package and sent it on its way.
A Bitter Smile
Todd watched as the delivery van pulled away, taking his message of betrayal to Candice. He couldn't help but smile bitterly, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction in getting some form of revenge. He knew it was a small act, but it was all he had at that moment.
A few days later, Todd received a call from an unknown number. Hesitant but curious, he answered. To his surprise, it was Candice on the other end of the line. She sounded both apologetic and desperate.
Candice's Confession
Candice confessed everything to Todd. She explained that her marriage had been loveless for years, and she had been trying to find a way out of it. Meeting Todd had given her hope for a better future, but the timing was never right. She claimed she hadn't meant to hurt him.
Todd listened to her with mixed emotions. He was still hurt and betrayed, but he could hear the sincerity in her voice. In the end, he decided to forgive her, understanding that life could be complicated and messy.
Moving On
They agreed to remain friends and to see where life would take them. But he wouldn’t forget what Candice had done to him. Todd had learned a valuable lesson about jumping to conclusions and taking revenge.
As he continued his job as a delivery driver, he hoped that one day he'd find a genuine love, free from hidden secrets and double lives.