“You’re always so… uncertain. But this? Impressive.”

My blood ran cold.

“Where’s Thomas?”

She sighed. “At another hotel. I saw an opportunity and took it.”

“Opportunity for what?”

“To get rid of you, sweetheart.”

My stomach twisted.

“The cake…”

She smirked. “I baked it myself. Did you like it?”

I clenched my jaw.

“Thomas loves me. You’ll never separate us.”

Gloria laughed. “Oh, I play the long game.”

But I had one last move. I held up my phone.

“Didn’t I mention? I called Thomas the moment I walked in. And when I realized the suit on the bed wasn’t his? I left the line open.”

Gloria’s smirk faltered.

Thomas’s voice boomed through the room:

“Mom, I can’t believe you! How could you?! Anna, wait in the lobby. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Her brilliant scheme? Crushed.

I turned to the brunette, still dripping in frosting.

“Oh, and Gloria?” I smirked. “Thanks for the cake. It looks amazing on Alicia’s face.”

And with that, I strode out like I had won the Oscars.

Standing in the hotel lobby, I caught my reflection—a mess of tangled hair, smudged makeup, and buttercream on my sleeve. Yet, I had never felt stronger.

Behind me, the elevator chimed. Thomas appeared, breathless.

“I don’t even know what to say,” he admitted.

“Try ‘my mother is insane’ for starters.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Anna, I had no idea…”

“Look, we’ll talk later. Right now? I’m starving.”

Over dinner, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box.

“Is this from your mother?” I asked, wary.

He chuckled. “No. This is actually from me.”

Inside was a stunning ring.

“My gift for you is back home,” I teased.

Thomas smirked. “Is it another cake?”

“No. But if you ever travel on our anniversary again… then yes. But it won’t have frosting.”

We laughed. That night wasn’t perfect—but it was ours. And one thing was clear: I wasn’t letting anyone cross my boundaries again.