They Forced Me to Return the Heirloom Diamond—But My Wedding Ring Cost Only $9.99 Chapter 12
I held the ring.
“Ethan.”
“Yes.”
“Winning me back means I can say no.”
“Yes.”
“I can take a long time to decide.”
“Yes.”
“You might have to wait in line.”
He paused.
“Who’s ahead of me?”
I saw his sudden alertness and finally laughed.
“No one, for now.”
He visibly relaxed.
The vendor was nearby, trying so hard not to laugh
that her shoulders shook.
“Miss, you can keep this one. Good–looking and
willing to wait in line that’s rare.”
Ethan looked at her seriously. “Thank you.”
She laughed so hard she nearly pulled down her
stall canopy.
I looked down and handed the ring back to him.
His eyes went dark in an instant.
Then I held out my hand.
“Aren’t you going to put it on?”
He froze.
“But let’s be clear,” I said. “This is just a trial.”
A light slowly came back into his eyes.
“Okay.”
He took the ring with more care than he had ever
signed a contract.
When it reached my ring finger, he stopped.
“Does it hurt?”
I looked at his stiff, nervous hands.
“You haven’t put it on yet.”
He whispered, “I’m afraid of hurting you again.”
I was quiet for a few seconds.
Then I moved my finger forward just a little.
“It doesn’t hurt this time.”
The ring slid on.
Perfect size. Not loose, not tight.
Ethan looked down at it for a long time, and the
corners of his mouth finally lifted slightly.
I picked up the men’s ring.
He immediately held out his hand.
I looked at the $9.99 ring still on his other finger..
“What about that one?”
“Keep it.”
“Wear two?”
He looked at the finger that had been red from
being stuck.
“A reminder.”
I didn’t argue. I slipped the new ring onto his other
hand.
The vendor applauded.
“Much better than last time!”
Ethan turned and handed his phone to her.
“Could you take a photo of us?”
I was surprised. “You ask for photos now?”
“Need to catch up.”
He stood next to me
–
not too close.
The vendor raised the phone. “Get closer! You just
made up, don’t be so stiff.”
He looked down at me.
I moved half a step toward him.
His hand brushed my shoulder, then stopped.
I glanced at him.
“It’s okay.”
He let his hand rest lightly on my shoulder.
The photo captured the messy night market lights. behind us, rows of rings on display, the $9.99
band on his finger, and the one he had chosen for
me on mine.
On the way back to my apartment, he walked me
to the door.
He didn’t ask to come up.
Just pressed the cold medicine box back into my
hand.
“Can I bring you breakfast tomorrow?”
I thought for a moment.
“Unsweetened almond milk, not too hot.”
“Okay.”
“No sugar.”
“Got it.”
“Don’t fry the hash browns too hard.”
He pulled out his phone and actually started.
taking notes.
I watched him type, tried to hold it in, then failed.
“Ethan.”
He looked up.
“Did you take notes like this for business deals?”
“Deals change,” he said. “I’m afraid of missing.
what you say again.”
The hallway light clicked on at that moment.
I stood on the steps, looking at him.
The ring on my finger felt warm against my skin.
Not heavy at all.
Before I turned to go upstairs, I looked back.
“Seven–thirty tomorrow.”
Ethan stood downstairs, a very faint smile finally
reaching his eyes.
“Okay.”
The next morning at 7:28, the doorbell rang.
I opened the door.
He stood there holding unsweetened almond milk,
hash browns, and a small bag of hot chicken.
noodle soup.
He handed them over, then checked my hand first.
The ring was still there.
He tried to hide a smile but couldn’t.
I asked, “What are you looking at?”
He looked down and pulled a receipt from his
his wallet
the old $9.99 receipt from the back of
phone case.
then tucked a new receipt behind his
“Just making sure I’m wearing the right one
today.”
