uary of quiet luxury. I was there to pick up my wedding band, a simple, elegant platinum band custom-designe

all smile on my face, when the door chimed and

t necklace! It would be div

ow it was Tiff, with Pres in tow.

transaction with the sales associate. But Tiff,

d, loud enough for the entire store to hear. She

in my hand. "What have you got there, Rory?

. "It's my weddi

ith feigned surprise, then narrowed wi

he reached for the box.

you," I s

ion thunderous. "Don't be rude, R

," I replied, my pa

, darling. Not when you' re making a fool of yourself all ov

s. It' s probably not even real diamon

baseless, barely register

turning to the sales associat

Give Tiff the ring, Rory," he dem

I said

vement, Pres snatched t

re shocked by the au

hant smirk on his face. Tiff

um band lay nestl

appointment. "It's... plain." She reached

r, the one already adorned with a gaudy

t go past

ned, yanking at it. "What

t my defiance. The ring being too small for Tiff was like another rejection, another sign that I was

And with a violent gest

a soft plink in a nearby decorative fountain, a ridiculo

ociates looked horrified. Tiff looked shock

the water. It was just a piece of metal, I told myself. Bu

. "Now it's where it belongs. Just li

"Let's go. This place

aving a stunned si

erling-Cole, we are so terribly sorry. We will retrieve the ring

urprisingly intact. The cold fur

uiet but firm. "It's fine. He jus

etty cruelty, any act of des

was done

Ethan and I would get another. This

ensure Pres never got his hands on Sterlin