I Lost It When I Saw My Fiancé’s Christmas Gift to Me After I Bought Him a PS5 – Karma Caught Him Fast

My fiancé, Ben, and I?

We were far from equals financially. He was a pediatrician with his own private practice, and I was a hairstylist trying to build my clientele. Yet, I never let that be an excuse to fall short when it came to gifts.

Especially for Christmas.

Last year, I worked double shifts for months to buy Ben the one thing he’d been talking about for ages: a PS5.

“I just want something that I can do while switching my brain off. Work is tough enough, Ash,” he would say.

Ben loved gaming, but for whatever reason, he hadn’t bought the console for himself.

I figured that this was my chance to surprise him, to let him know that I had been paying attention for the longest time.

But there was a catch. The PS5 was impossible to find at retail price. I searched online, checked every store in town, and finally found one through a cousin, who kindly added a hefty markup for “his troubles.”

I couldn’t argue and dipped into my savings. It was Christmas, after all. Didn’t the man who saved children deserve something special?

And it was worth it. I couldn’t wait to see his face when he opened the gift. I imagined it would be a moment of pure joy. Ben would beam at me, and I would feel like I’d just knocked Christmas out of the park.

But what happened that Christmas morning?

That was a whole different story.

He was doing so well that he moved into a newer apartment that had three bedrooms and a study.

“It’s perfect for us, Ash,” he said, showing me the photos online. “And we won’t have to leave for a while. Not until we decide to have kids in the future.”

He even gifted his parents his old apartment as their Christmas present, which came with fancy upgrades that only Ben was used to. And what about his brother, Evan? Ben had bought him a new customized Mercedes. Mandy, his sister, got a pair of diamond earrings and an exclusive art kit. I’m pretty sure her kids also got a few presents.

Everyone seemed to benefit from Ben’s financial success, and I was genuinely happy for them. He deserved to celebrate after all the years of hard work.

But it was a bit weird that these gifts were given before Christmas, meaning that there was more to come.

And what about me?

I started to notice something was off when he didn’t even ask me what I wanted for Christmas. A few days before the holidays, I casually brought it up. I mentioned that I could use a few practical things for work.

Ben listened and nodded, making me believe he’d taken the hint.

Boy, was I wrong.

Christmas morning rolled around, and Ben’s family came over to his apartment. It was a great start to the day because their laughter and holiday spirit were infectious. We all gathered around the tree, exchanging gifts, and I watched as Ben opened his PS5.

The excitement in his eyes was everything I’d hoped for. He grinned ear to ear, kissed me, and thanked me over and over.

Then, it was my turn.

Ben handed me a small gift, smiling widely like he had some secret he couldn’t wait to reveal. I could feel the anticipation in the room. Mandy even had her phone out, ready to record the moment.

I was actually excited for a second, as my fingers ripped the wrapping paper apart.

Only to find… a bottle of toothpicks.

I blinked, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

Literally anything to indicate that this was some kind of elaborate joke. But no, he just stood there, smiling.

His sister burst into laughter, her phone still recording as she zoomed in on my face. I couldn’t believe it. After months of planning and saving to get him the PS5, this was my Christmas gift? A pack of toothpicks?

“I thought you’d like it,” Ben said, still smiling. “But if you don’t, I can give it to my niece instead.”

The room filled with laughter. Ben’s mom chuckled, her hand on her mouth. His sister was practically in tears from laughing so hard, and all I wanted to do was disappear.

Both.

I stared at the pack of toothpicks, speechless. He thanked me again for the PS5, like that made up for everything.

I excused myself and walked straight to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I stood there, staring at my reflection, trying to keep it together. Outside, I could still hear Ben’s family giggling about the gift.

A few minutes later, Ben knocked on the door.

Ben’s voice was calm, like this was all just some light-hearted joke I should laugh off.

But I couldn’t. How could I pretend that it was all okay?

I took a deep breath, wiped away the tears that had started to form, and opened the door.

“What kind of prank is that?” I snapped. “Toothpicks? After I spent months saving up for something you really wanted, this is what you thought would be funny?”

His family gathered around as the tension escalated. His sister was still holding her phone, capturing every second of our argument, too.

“You’re overreacting,” Ben said, crossing his arms. “It’s just a joke. Lighten up.”

“Overreacting?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “This wasn’t a joke; it was cruel. You’re a grown man, Ben, not some teenager. And the fact that you think this is funny shows just how little you actually care.”

The laughter from earlier had died down, replaced by awkward silence. His mother gave me a pointed look, like I was the one ruining Christmas.

I could smell the turkey burning in the oven, but I made no move to get it out.

I’d had enough. This family was ridiculous. Instead, I grabbed my coat and my keys and headed for the door.

The rest of Christmas was spent at my mom’s house. The peace and quiet were everything I needed after Ben’s family. Ben texted me later, saying that he was sorry and that he’d bring my “real” gift the next day.

Apparently, the toothpicks were his sister’s idea all along, and I should have taken the joke in my stride.

“I agree,” I said, picking at my turkey and mayo sandwich. “It’s just that Ben has been doing this a lot lately. Whenever his family says something, he’ll automatically go with whatever they say. It doesn’t matter if it conflicts with anything else. How am I supposed to marry a man like that?”

“Darling, the only thing I can tell you is that you need to think about this long and hard. Is there a future with Ben or not?”

The next day, Ben showed up with a small box. His face was apologetic, but I was already checked out of our relationship.

“Here’s your real gift,” he said, handing me the box.

I took it, but it didn’t matter at all.

“Ben, I’ve thought about it, and this isn’t just about the gift. It’s about how little you thought of me,” I said.

“I’ve been putting in so much effort, trying to make this work, but I can’t keep pretending that everything is fine.”

“What are you saying?” he asked.

“I’m calling off the engagement.”

Ben was stunned. He stammered, trying to talk me out of it, but I had made up my mind. The disrespect, the childish behavior, the disregard for my feelings… it was all too much. I needed more than that.

Turns out, a malpractice lawsuit had come down on Ben from a patient’s parents. With that, his entire reputation came crumbling down around him.

I hadn’t asked for any of this to happen, of course. But karma has her way of showing up when you least expect it.

A week after the breakup, Ben and his family showed up at my door, yelling at me for being “vindictive.” They accused me of sabotaging his career.

When they wouldn’t leave, I called the police, who kindly escorted them off my property. As I watched them go, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time.

Relief.

The weight of the relationship, the hurt, the disrespect. It was all gone.

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.