The Great Transformation

Jayson burst through the front door, his eyes shining with excitement. He had spent his entire paycheck from his part-time job at the Burger Barn on a perfect gift for Erica's birthday. It was a beautiful silver necklace, he had purchased it for his wife Erica. He loved her so much and would do anything for her, even if it is to use his entire savings to make her birthday special. He carefully placed it on the coffee table, admiring the way the light danced across its delicate chain. He began to decorate the house with balloons and streamers, his anticipation grew. He couldn't wait to see Erica's face light up when she saw the necklace. But as the minutes ticked by, his enthusiasm began to wane. Jayson checked his watch for what felt like the hundredth time. 5:45 PM. She was usually home by now. He tried calling her phone, but it went straight to voicemail. "Erica, where are you?" he muttered to himself, pacing back and forth across the living room. Just then, the doorbell rang. Jayson's heart skipped a beat as he rushed to answer it. But to his disappointment, it was only their neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, with a batch of freshly baked cookies. "Hey, Jayson! Happy birthday to Erica! I brought some treats to celebrate," she said with a warm smile. Jayson forced a smile, trying to hide his growing concern. "Thanks, Mrs. Jenkins. That's really sweet of you." As the minutes turned into hours, Jayson's excitement turned to worry, and worry turned to fear. It was unlike her to return home so late and he started to worry, she might be in danger. Jayson's heart raced as he dialed Erica's number, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Finally, she answered, her voice distant and detached. "Hey, Jayson." Her tone was icy, a stark contrast to the warmth he was used to. "Hey, babe! Happy birthday! I got you a surprise," Jayson announced, trying to sound cheerful despite his growing unease. "Jayson, I'm in a meeting. Can we talk later?" Erica's words were curt, her focus clearly elsewhere. "Okay, no problem. I just wanted to... Never mind. Take your time, I'll be here, I'll wait till you come. I love you." Jayson replied. "What's going on, Jayson? You're being really clingy today," Erica snapped, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. "I just missed you, that's all. And I got you a gift," Jayson responded, his enthusiasm waning. "Jayson, I appreciate it, but I'm really busy. I'll see you later." Erica's tone was firm, and she hung up on him. He had prepared Erica's favorite dinner, her favorite cake, and even her favorite wine. The clock on the wall ticked away, each passing minute feeling like an eternity. Jayson's eyelids grew heavy, but he refused to give in to sleep. He was determined to stay awake, to be ready for Erica the moment she walked through the door. But as the hours dragged on, his body began to betray him. His head nodded forward, his eyes drooping. Jayson's chin hit his chest, and he was out. The silence of the house was broken only by the sound of his gentle snores. The next thing Jayson knew, he was waking up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window. He sat up with a start, his heart racing. "Erica?" he called out, his voice hoarse from sleep. But there was no answer. Jayson leapt to his feet, his eyes scanning the room frantically. The cake was still on the table, the dinner congealed on the plates. The flowers he had bought her were wilting, their beauty lost. He stumbled to the phone, to check if she had called him but there were no missed calls. With a growing sense of unease, Jayson dialed her number, his heart pounding in his chest. "Hey, Erica, where are you?" Jayson asked, trying to keep his tone light despite the worry and frustration that had been building up all night. "Jayson, I'm busy. What do you want?" Erica's voice was curt, her tone harsh. "I waited for you all night, I thought we were going to celebrate your birthday together, I even prepared your favorite meal and wine." Jayson retorted, trying to keep his disappointment in check. "Celebrate? Are you kidding me? I had a meeting, then a shoot, then a dinner with some investors. I didn't have time for your little party," Erica snapped, her words cutting through the line like a knife. "But... but I thought we were going to spend the night together. I got you a silver necklace with my entire salary, I really wanted to surprise you." Jayson’s voice cracked with emotion. Erica was fast to cut in. "Jayson, stop being so ridiculous. I can't deal with this right now, I have a lot on my plate. Your efforts could be wasted for all I care, all you could buy me is a silver necklace. You can't even get me real gold.” Jayson stood there, holding the phone, feeling like he had been punched in the gut as Erica cut the call. He couldn't understand why Erica was being so harsh, so mean. He sighed and looked around the room, at the cake, the dinner, the flowers. It was all still there, a reminder of the night that had never been. Just then, Jayson got a call from his trusted friend, Max. “Jayson! You need to check the ongoing live broadcast.” His friend announced. “What broadcast?” Jayson was surprised by the sudden need to watch a live broadcast. “Your wife, she's seen going into a hotel room with a man in a compromising position.” Max replied. Jayson couldn't believe what he just heard and he had to confirm by himself. He searched and saw the live broadcast and recognised the hotel to be the one his wife frequently visited. He suspected that the live broadcast was a deep fake video. Shocked by this since she didn’t tell him, he went to the hotel only to hear a familiar moan at the doorstep of the hotel room.