He walked over, impatiently picked up the matching men’s ring, slid it onto his finger for a second, then tossed it back into the tray without a second glance. “Alright, that’s enough. I have somewhere to be, so take a taxi home.”
His cold, dismissive tone was a far cry from his earlier warmth. As he turned to leave, I stood there silently, no longer feeling the urge to chase after him, to argue, to fight like I had in the past.
Instead, I slowly removed the diamond ring from my finger, placing it back into the tray with a quiet resolve. “Have it melted down,” I told the clerk. “I don’t want it anymore.”
After the shock settled, the young clerk’s face turned pale with worry. “Mrs. Wright, was something not to your liking? We can remake it if necessary.”
Seeing her on the verge of tears, I quickly softened, offering a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, everything is perfect. The ring is beautiful… but the person isn’t right.”
I took out my card and handed it over. She hesitated, then nodded. “Of course. Just one moment, please.”
After a brief word over her headset, two craftsmen emerged from the back. They carefully began prying each diamond from the ring, as if they were peeling away the final remnants of my love for Landon. One by one, the gems dropped, until only the smooth rings remained. The craftsmen then melted them down, transforming what was once a symbol of love into a shapeless piece of platinum.
The clerk gently collected the diamonds and the small bar of platinum, placing them into a box. She handed it to me with a hopeful smile. “These are fine stones. If you ever want a necklace or bracelet, please come back to us. And… I wish you find the right person someday.”
I took the package with a grateful smile, feeling lighter. “Thank you for the blessing. I know I will.”
Just as I stepped out of the jewelry store, my phone buzzed. Landon’s so-called distant cousin, Brittany Walker, had just posted a new update. In the photo, Landon was on one knee, holding the custom diamond ring I’d just seen, surrounded by flowers. Across from him stood Brittany, smiling brightly and clutching a bouquet of roses. The caption read: [Romantic until death!]
I couldn’t help myself—I hit "like" before turning off my screen. But just then, a message from Brittany popped up:
[Olive, Landon and I are just joking. Please don’t take it seriously.]