"Rosalie, isn’t this ring beautiful? Brother Gregory picked it out just for me."
Watching her saunter away, my hands balled into fists at my sides. The cold metal of my own diamond ring pressed into my skin—a ring I had worn for five years.
It was the first gift Gregory had bought me when he earned his first paycheck.
His promise echoed in my mind.
"Rosalie, this ring is my commitment to you. I’ll never marry anyone else in this life. And on our wedding day, I’ll give you a bigger, shinier diamond ring."
I slipped the ring off my finger and tossed it into the trash without hesitation.
Then I packed my bags, moved into my friend's vacant flat and left the place I once called home.
The next day, Gregory finally noticed my absence.
He called me, his tone filled with frustration.
"Where are you? Lucy found the ring I gave you in the trash. What’s the meaning of this?"
He didn’t wait for me to answer.
"I’ve explained everything to you. Can you stop being so unreasonable? It’s just a wedding and a ring! Whatever Lucy has, I’ll make sure you have, too."
He paused before adding, "You’ve already waited for me for so many years—what’s two more?"