It was just beginning to dawn when Susan Cooper got up to prepare breakfast. It was Saturday, and that night they would be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Twenty-five years married to a wonderful man. Because David Cooper was wonderful – attentive, affectionate, a good father. Susan looked out the window and saw the first rays of sun shining on her flowers. She was the luckiest woman in the world.

"Good morning, darling," David Cooper said, pulling his wife out of her thoughts.

"Good morning. I thought you would sleep a little longer. I'll serve you coffee," she replied.

"I have to review some contracts at the company, but I'll be back in three hours. What time will they come to set up the furniture in the garden?"

"Around eleven," Susan said, while serving breakfast to her husband.

"What time will the girls arrive?" David asked.

"In the afternoon. Remember that Ava will bring her boyfriend, Mark, and they'll bring Amelie along."

"I suppose you told her that the young man will sleep in a separate room?"

"Of course, dear. I talked to Ava, and I already arranged for your parents to be transferred and set up a room for them to stay. Tomorrow after lunch, I'll take them to the nursing home," Susan responded.

"That's fine. Don't forget to take my suits to the dry cleaners."

"I already did it yesterday. I'll pick them up in a little while."

David smiled. Susan was a good, devoted, and obedient wife. Life with her was easy and predictable. They had been married for twenty-five years and had two wonderful daughters. Ava, at 23, was working for an international company in Los Angeles, creating training content. Amelie, at 19, was attending the University of California, Berkeley.

After so many years of marriage, David Cooper considered himself fortunate. They got along well, and at 45, Susan still looked beautiful. At 52, he himself remained a handsome man capable of arousing great passion. That night, they would celebrate their anniversary with a big party with over fifty guests.

"I'll see you later," he said, kissing his wife on the cheek.

David Cooper got into his new sports car and drove off to the office. Meanwhile, Susan finished her breakfast and checked the long to-do list. It was better to start moving soon, or she wouldn't be back by eleven when the catering service arrived, which would make David furious.

She went up to her bedroom and chose a comfortable pair of shoes, linen pants, and a matching blouse. Twenty minutes later, she was behind the wheel, driving first to the dry cleaners to pick up David's suits and then to the store to collect her dress, specifically bought for the occasion.

Determined to make a change, she entered the hair salon. Her long blonde hair reached her waist, and she usually tied it up, but this time she wanted a change and decided to cut it above her shoulder.

Meanwhile, David Cooper was in his office, carefully reading the document he had had prepared.

"I thought you wouldn't work today. Don't you have an anniversary to celebrate?" Steve, David's friend and partner, said.

"Technically, I'm not working. I just came for a document Marcus prepared for me."

"Is everything in order? You seem somewhat worried," Steve commented.

"I was just thinking," David said, handing the folder to Steve for him to read.

Steve was surprised; he couldn't understand the decision David had made.

"Are you sure? I thought you had given up and that you would put an end to all this. Why did you let it continue?"

"I was going to let it go, and in fact, I even sent her away, but it still haunted me. I just couldn't, so this week I made up my mind. I even found a place already. Don't look at me like that; I did my best. I thought you would understand," David replied.

"I'm not judging you. You're my friend, and you have my support. But I care about her; I've known her for 27 years. Understand, I care about her, and she's a great woman. If you had already made a decision, you should have canceled the party. When will you talk to her?" Steve asked.

"I'll wait for the girls to leave. I suppose tomorrow night. Please make sure everything is in order, I need to return home."

David returned home at ten-thirty in the morning and, upon entering the garage, noticed Susan's car was not there. He headed towards the kitchen.

"Where is the lady?" he asked.

"She went to the dry cleaners and to pick up the wine, sir. She hasn't returned yet, replied Doris, the housemaid."

David Cooper sighed, unable to believe that Susan had forgotten she had to oversee everything. He headed towards the living room and was dialing her number when he saw the car pull up in the driveway. He hung up the phone, and a minute later, Susan entered the kitchen.

"I'm here now, Doris. Bring everything in from the car, she ordered. I'm sorry, David, I didn't mean to be delayed at the hair salon."

"You got your hair cut," he said surprised, it looks great on you.

She smiled at him. _ Thank you. I'll take care of setting up the garden.

From his bedroom window, David Cooper watched his wife organize the whole garden: the dance floor, the tables, the stage for the band, everything carefully chosen.

He picked up his phone and read the message he had received, unable to resist smiling.

"I would have loved to debut it with you"

...****************...

It was three in the afternoon when the girls finally arrived, accompanied by Mark.

Susan rushed to the door to welcome her daughters.

"Hi, Mom. This is Mark, my boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cooper. I'm glad to finally meet you," Mark said.

"Welcome, dear. You're at home, and call me Susan."

"Hey, Mom, you look great with that haircut," Amelie said, hugging her mother. Unlike Ava, Amelie was more attached to her mother, while Ava was more attached to her father.

"Daddy, this is Mark," Ava said hugging her father.

"Hello, sweetheart. Welcome," David said, observing the young man accompanying his daughter.

It was nighttime and everything was ready to start receiving the guests. Susan had taken care of every detail. The waiters began working as the guests arrived, and the band played classical music.

Steve arrived accompanied by his wife, Margaret.

"David, congratulations dear. Where is Susan? asked Margaret as Steve shook hands with his partner."

"Getting ready, you know, she's been taking care of everything until the last moment."

"As always! That's why she's a great hostess."

"But please, make yourselves comfortable. I'll join you soon," said David Cooper, still receiving the guests. He looked at his watch when he heard voices behind him. He turned around and saw Susan. She looked stunning that night, wearing a long champagne-colored dress cinched at the waist, with lace sleeves. She smiled at him as she walked towards him. Despite her age, Susan still had a good figure.

"Sorry, I'm delayed a little bit," she said, trying to smooth the situation.

"You look beautiful," he said to her.

"Thank you, you look very elegant," she replied, and they continued receiving the guests.

Susan received and settled her in-laws, accompanied by their nurse. David Cooper's parents were around 80 years old, married for over fifty years. They adored Susan; she always took care of them.

David dedicated a few words to his guests and his wife.

The party was in its best moment, waiters distributing the food, background music, everyone enjoying the party. David Cooper took his wife's hand and led her to the center of the dance floor.

They danced to their favorite song, Unchained Melody.

"Look at them, don't you think they're lovely?" said Amelie, watching her parents dance.

"Yes," indeed, replied Ava.

When the song ended, they posed for a photo. Susan signaled her daughters; she wanted a photo of the four of them together.

They all posed for the photo, like the happy family they were.

...****************...

Chloe Morrison walked through her new apartment, a luxurious penthouse in Seattle. At 20 years old, she had left behind a life of deprivation. Soon, she would become Mrs. Cooper.

He had promised her this after leaving her and transferring her to another branch. It made her realize that he truly cared for her. Although she had initially been interested in him for convenience, he managed to make her fall in love. And how could she not, when despite being over 50 years old, David Cooper was a very handsome man, confident and capable of arousing her deepest passions.

She knew that he would be there with her in the next few hours. He had promised her that when they returned, and the condition was that she would only return to him if he left his wife.

And as proof that he would keep his word, he had bought this luxurious apartment for them.

She knew that the next few days would be difficult, and that David might start to doubt keeping his promise, especially considering he still had a high opinion of Susan. With this in mind, she went shopping that afternoon. She bought the sexiest lingerie she could find, looked at herself in the mirror, let her long brown hair loose, posed in front of the mirror, and took some pictures with her phone. Then, she sent them to David.

She might not have twenty years of marriage or children, nor was she a devoted wife, but she had what it takes to give him a fight.

The party had ended, David's parents had stayed at the house along with his daughters and son-in-law Mark. They were in the bedroom.

"It went pretty well," Susan commented, standing in front of the mirror removing her jewelry. David Cooper looked at the photos Chloe had sent him on his phone.

"Everything always goes well for you, or almost everything. Do you remember that Thanksgiving turkey? Our first one," he reminded her, laughing.

"You'll never let me forget it. Completely burnt, what a shame," she replied, still laughing.

"In that small apartment, I thought you would leave me," he said, turning off his phone.

"I did think about it at times. It used to get cold at night. But I don't think my dad would have taken me in," she joked, and they both laughed.

"Thank you for believing in me when no one else did. For these years we've shared together, always by my side."

"And we still have so much ahead of us. When these girls get married, our grandchildren – I hope we have many," she said excitedly. David smiled at her.

He went to the bathroom, undressed, and headed to the closet to put on his pajamas. Looking at himself in the mirror, he couldn't help feeling worse. He had already made a decision. Would that change anything, or would it?

Susan entered the closet, took off her shoes, and searched for a nightgown.

"Is something bothering you? I've noticed you've been pensive," she asked.

"No, I'm just a bit tired," he replied.

"It's been tough days. You've been working longer hours. You need to relax. How about we go to the lake house this weekend? You can go fishing, play golf, and I'll relax in my comfortable armchair with a book," she suggested.

He didn't deserve her worrying so much about him. He approached her and kissed her. If only he could turn back time.

The first time David Cooper saw Chloe Morrison, he needed a temporary secretary. His secretary had been involved in an accident that left her incapacitated for two months. He still remembered the first time he saw that stunning brunette walk into his office, wearing a black miniskirt, a tightly fitted white blouse accentuating her figure, her long brown hair. He still remembered how that one button placed so tightly hindered the view of her cleavage – beautiful, sensual, and efficient.

A month after working together, a month of daily torment with those beautiful legs, they attended an event. He needed her to take notes during a talk he had with clients. After the event, he offered to drive her home and in front of her door, he kissed her for the first time. And so, the following month went by, always so exciting. He possessed her on his desk, in the office bathroom, in his car – it didn't matter the place or time, she was always willing.

When his secretary recovered, she returned to her position, and Chloe was transferred to another department.

Four months later, he decided to end it with her. He relocated her to a sales branch, hoping to keep his distance. He tried to get closer to Susan, and they went on a trip. He encouraged her to celebrate that night. Susan was a good wife, if only they hadn't lost that spark.

And there he was, months later, with divorce papers in his briefcase, Chloe waiting for him in their new apartment to start their life together, and Susan making plans for a future they wouldn't share.

That night, after making love and while watching her sleep in his arms, David Cooper made a decision.

...****************...

The next day, after lunch, David's parents returned to the retirement home, his daughters and Mark headed back home. David Cooper, using the excuse of meeting some friends for a poker game, went to the apartment to see Chloe.

The lights were completely off, with candles on the floor drawing a path. Soft music played in the background. He followed the path and then he saw her standing next to the jacuzzi. There were candles and his favorite bottle of wine.

"I was waiting for you," she said, as she opened her silk robe and let it fall to the ground, revealing a tiny set of red lace lingerie that barely covered the essentials.

"Well, here I am," he replied.

"I told you I wanted to try it on with you," she approached him and began undressing him.

He kissed her passionately, and once they were both naked, he led her into the jacuzzi, holding her hand, and they made love.

In the early hours of the morning, when he returned to his house, Susan was fast asleep. He looked at her and then headed to the kitchen.

There was a note on the kitchen table: *I left you food in the oven, turn it on for ten minutes*.

David poured himself a glass of water and headed to the bedroom.

The next morning, Susan was preparing breakfast. She noticed that the food was still in the oven. Surprised to see that David had not yet risen, she decided to go to the bedroom to see if something was wrong.