We ate quietly. The box sat in the

We ate quietly. The box sat in the middle of the table. Tony didn’t look at it or question it. He ate two servings and demolished the garlic bread. I assumed that meant he enjoyed it. When he was done, I slid the box toward him. “I got this for you.”
He glared at me. “What did I say?”
“You told me not to acknowledge your birthday. I’m not. I just found something I thought you’d like.”
He didn’t grab it.
“Tony, please.”
He sighed then opened it. When he held up the scarf, he stared at it for a long time. “Did you make this?”
I nodded.
A small smile stretched his lips. “That was—very sweet.”
“I hope you like it.”
“I love it.” He turned his gaze onto me, his eyes a little brighter than they were before. He rose from his chair then kissed me on the lips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll wear it to every game.” He returned it to the box and placed it on the table.
I cleaned up the dishes and he tried to help me.
“No,” I said. “Go sit down.”
He didn’t argue with me and went into the living room.
After I was done, I sat beside him. “Is there anything you’d like to do?”
“No.”
His sour mood had returned.
“Tony, why are you acting like this?”
He sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Now or ever?”
“Ever.”
I rubbed his arm. “I thought we told each other everything.”
He turned off the TV and tossed the remote on the couch. “Every year, my sister cooks me dinner. Mom, Dad, and Beatriz and Hank come over and we spend the evening playing board games and talking. It’s been a tradition since I can remember.”
I felt my heart fall. “I’m so sorry.”
Tony was silent.
“Did she call?”
“No.”
I rubbed his arm, not sure what to do.
“I miss her,” he whispered. “I miss my family.”
I forced the words from my mouth. “We can break up and—”
“No.”
I stared at his face.
“Janet is wrong. She needs to realize that and apologize.”
“But you—”
“No,” he said. “I won’t change my mind. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t difficult for me. I pick on my sister but she’s my closest friend. I tell her everything. I’ve wanted to talk to her so much this past month, tell her what’s going on in my life. You don’t realize how much you need someone until they are gone. Scott gives me reports about her, but it isn’t the same. I haven’t heard from her once. It’s like she disappeared.”
This was killing me. I hated being separated from Janet, but seeing Tony this miserable over it just made me feel worse. I felt like I was breaking up a family. This was all my fault. If I wasn’t selfish, I would just end the relationship. Family was more important than I was. But no, I was a very selfish person, caring more about keeping my boyfriend than doing what was right for him.
His phone rang in his pocket but he didn’t answer it. Instead, he stared at the blank screen. When it rang again, he sighed. He dug it from his pocket and looked at the screen. It was Victoria. He answered it.
“Hello?” He paused for a moment, listening to her speak. “Thank you.”
I assumed she called to wish him Happy Birthday. A text message would suffice. She didn’t need to call him. I really hated her. She wanted to keep Tony all to herself. I didn’t understand why she was helping with my career or why she gave me that letter, trusting me implicitly, but I knew there was a reason.
“What letter?”
Fuck.
“No, Cassie didn’t give me anything.”
This was going to be bad.
“I’ll talk to her.” He hung up.
My heart was beating so fast I thought it would stop. I was caught red-handed.
“Cassie, Victoria just told me she gave you a letter a couple of days ago. Why didn’t you give it to me?”
“Uh, I forgot.”
“Well, can I have it now?”
I was cornered. There was no way out. “Tony, I—I don’t have it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“Because it was shredded.”
“I’m not following,” he said. “Why did you destroy something she wanted me to have?”
“Because she wants to get back together with you.”
Tony stared at me, his eyes starting to turn dark. “How do you know this?”
“I read it…”
He stood up and paced around the room. “So, she gave you a letter to give to me, and you decided to open it, read it, and then destroy it without telling me?”
I avoided his look.
“Answer me.”
“I—I was just scared that she wanted to get back together with you.”
“What does it matter?” he snapped. “That’s not an excuse. I can’t believe you would go through my stuff like that. And you had no right to destroy it!”
“I’m sorry! Orlando is the one who shredded it. I was going to give it to you but he took it away.”
“You still could have told me,” he said.
“I tried, but…I was scared how you’d react.”
“And you really thought it would be better if I found out like this?”
“In the letter she said she would never mention it again.”
His eyes shined with anger. “So you were never going to tell me? Wow.”
“I’m sorry! I just didn’t want to lose you.”
“How can you not trust me?” he snapped. “I told you I loved you. I gave you thirty million dollars! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Danny…I just don’t want to go through that again.”
He kicked my coffee table on its side. Everything on the surface crashed to the ground. “Is that supposed to justify it? I’m sorry that your ex cheated on you, I really am, but how dare you assume that I would do the same.” He shook his head, clenching his fists. “This is unacceptable.”
“I’m sorry…”
“You said that already.”
“I mean it.”
“Fuck you, Cassie. You were pissed when I lied to you, even though I didn’t, and you did the same thing but a million times worse. You’re a fucking hypocrite.”
I felt my eyes water. I blinked my eyes so the tears wouldn’t fall.
“Now I don’t trust you.”
“I love you so much,” I whispered. “I just didn’t want to lose you.”
“I ended the relationship with Victoria because I didn’t love her. Why would I go back to her? That makes no fucking sense. You just dug your own grave, Cassie.”
My heart clenched painfully. “What does that mean…?”
He stared at the ground, putting his hands on his hips.
“Tony?”
He still didn’t speak.
“Please don’t leave me.”
Tony walked to the door then opened it.
“Wait! Please don’t go.”
“I need space right now.” He didn’t turn around.
I was growing desperate. I didn’t want him to leave. When I thought about Victoria, my brain started to hurt. Why did she ask him about the letter if she said she wouldn’t? None of it made sense. Then it hit me. “I know what she’s doing.”
He turned around. “What?”
“Victoria planned all of this so you’d break up with me. Then she would slide in and pick up the pieces.”
He shook his head. “You’re fucking unbelievable.”
“Why would she help me if she wanted to get back together with you? It doesn’t make sense. Why would she give me the letter that proclaimed her love for you? She did all of this to make herself look good and me look bad.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Even if that was true, no one forced you to open that letter, Cassie. I don’t care what Victoria does. As long as she doesn’t touch me or make a move, I will always be civil to her. If she made a trap, you’re the one who walked right into it. This is the bottom line; none of this would have happened if you trusted me.”
“I do trust you.”
“Don’t lie to me!”
“I do,” I said. “I just let my past get to me.”
His eyes burned with anger. “How can I ever trust you?”
“You can,” I said. “I’ll never do something like that again.”
“Have you been going through my phone too?”
“Of course not!”
He shook his head.
“Babe, I’m so sorry. I love you. Please don’t go.”
“I’m so fucking pissed right now.”
“Please don’t break up with me.” The tears fell down my face. I started to sob, hating the idea of losing him. I couldn’t go on if he left.
He gave me a sympathetic look. Tony came to me and wrapped his arms around me. “You still don’t trust me.”
I sobbed into his shoulder. “What?”
“I’m not leaving you. I’m hurt you think I would.”
“But—I was wrong.”
He sighed. “I’m really pissed at you right now, Cassie. I can’t say that I’m not. But we’ll work through it.”
I gripped him tightly. “Thank you.”
Tony pulled away. “I should go.”
“Please stay.”
“I haven’t been this angry in a long time, Cassie. I just want to be alone.”
“But it’s your birthday.”
“And it’s the worst birthday of my life.” He walked out and slammed the door.