My husband gave me money for breast implants and a nasty birthday note – I taught him a harsh lesson Before receiving a terrible birthday present from husband Jack that destroyed her self-esteem, Nikki thought she had the perfect marriage.
Jack’s preoccupation with perfection forces Nikki to devise a devious scheme to prove her worth and teach her a lesson he won’t soon forget. Although Jack and I have been together for six years, we’ve been married for over a year. At first, everything was like a fairy tale. Jack was the love of my life, my confidant and my greatest friend.
We had an unbreakable bond, lots of laughs and late night conversations. A year ago, I would have laughed at the thought of my Prince Charming becoming just another superficial stranger.
Yet here I am, about to tell the story that completely ruined me. Jack’s innocuous trip to the gym six months ago set off a chain of events that shattered my self-esteem and brought our once perfect life to an abrupt end. It started quietly. Jack was showing me pictures of fitness models with the ‘perfect’ 90-60-90 figure scrolling through Instagram. He exclaimed,
‘Look at her, Nikki,’ his admiring gaze flickered. ‘Isn’t she beautiful? What would you do if you had a body like that? At first I brushed it off with a laugh, thinking it was just harmless admiration. But the remarks didn’t stop. One night, as we were getting ready for bed, Jack said: ‘You know, you’d look amazing if you had a little more boobage.’
‘Have you ever thought about getting breast implants?’ Each comment was like a little knife. When I started looking at myself through Jack’s eyes, it wasn’t very pleasant. I could see all the flaws and imperfections. My self-confidence that I once prided myself on had completely evaporated. But a month ago, on my birthday, that was the last straw.
The day started as usual, but with a sense of excitement that often happens on birthdays. Jack woke me up with a bright bouquet of flowers, their scent filling the room with an almost saccharine sweetness. Jack said: ‘Happy birthday, Nikki,’ and leaned over to kiss my forehead. With a proud and wide smile, he held out an envelope to me. ‘Open it.’ My interest piqued, and I sat down. On my birthday, an envelope? This must be a unique event. I opened it, hoping to find tickets to a dream holiday, a romantic gesture or a meaningful message. Instead, what I discovered was a pile of money.
Not with enthusiasm, but with a rapid heartbeat. ‘That’s very generous, Jack,’ I forced myself to smile. Among the notes lay a folded piece of paper that my fingers lightly touched. I opened it and read the words that seemed to scream at me, ‘Time to renew your mosquito bites.’ My mouth dropped open. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks and the rage and terror boiling in my stomach. Jack smirked, clearly expecting gratitude, and asked in an enthusiastic but uninformed tone: ‘Do you like it?’
I tried to catch the impertinence by looking at him. ‘You want me to get…breast implants?’ He nodded, ignoring the storm that was brewing inside me. ‘Nicky, I’ve been considering that option for a while. You’d look fantastic if you changed your breasts a little. Imagine how people would look at you.’ I suppressed the bile that was on the verge of rising.
I managed to say, ‘Thanks, Jack,’ I said in an even voice. ‘It’s…unexpected.’ ‘Only the best for my girl,’ he replied, kissing the top of my head. ‘I knew you’d be thrilled.’ Delighted? I was furious. Many ways I could have retaliated flashed through my mind, but I realised I had to act more sensibly. I had a lesson for Jack that he would never forget. Over the next few days, I was very good at playing the role of the grateful wife. At dinner I would jokingly tell him, ‘I called the clinic today.’
‘They said the results would be fantastic.’ Each time, Jack came over excited and didn’t notice the hardening of my words. ‘Nicky, that’s fantastic. I’m excited.’ Meanwhile, I was working out my strategy. With the money, I booked a full medical examination instead of making an appointment with a plastic surgeon. Despite Jack’s superficial expectations, I needed to know that I was fine inside and out. With the money I had left over, I made an investment in myself. Defying Jack’s expectations, I joined a gym. I wanted to regain my strength and confidence. I kept my new habit a secret from Jack.
Or rather, I would get up early, go to the gym and get home before he discovered my absence. I got a new haircut and bought amazing new clothes. Every day my confidence grew and I began to see the old Nikki, the one who valued herself, emerge from the shadows. One night I was getting ready for bed when Jack surprised me. ‘You seem different lately,’ he said, wrapping me in a hug. ‘I can’t wait to see the final result.’ I knew he had no idea what was about to happen, so I grinned to myself.