###Chapter 2
291 Words
Laughter surrounded Ramona as she struggled against the suffocating water.
Her head felt heavy while male voices taunted her excitedly.
After coughing violently, Ramona finally broke the surface.
The scene before her made her freeze in confusion.
Spectators lined the poolside, watching the drama unfold.
Her evening gown clung to her body, completely soaked.
The familiarity struck her. This was her engagement party with Jermaine three years ago.
Had she somehow ... traveled back in time?
Ramona remembered everything now. In her previous life, Jermaine believed she'd pressured his grandmother Elaine into arranging their engagement prematurely to secure her place in the Bauer family.
To humiliate her, he'd thrown his engagement ring into the pool during their celebration, sneering,"If you can retrieve it, I'll marry you."
Foolishly, she'd taken him seriously. Despite not knowing how to swim, she'd jumped in and nearly drowned.
When she'd finally crawled out with the ring, dripping and disgraced, Jermaine had abandoned the party after learning Tamera had attempted suicide, leaving Ramona as Denver's biggest laughingstock.
Ramona looked down at the engagement ring clutched tightly in her hand, a bitter smile forming on her lips.
"Is this really what you wanted?" she asked herself silently.
Emerging from the pool under everyone's gaze, she endured their mocking comments.
"You actually retrieved the ring from such deep water! Shouldn't you go show off to Mr. Bauer now and claim credit?" someone jeered.
Another added,"Better hold onto it tight. No ring means no engagement for you!"
***
The crowd's laughter continued mercilessly.
To them, Ramona was nothing but a laughing stock.
Amid the crowd's jeers, Ramona expressionlessly removed her engagement ring and flung it into the pool along with the one she'd retrieved.
The loud plunk silenced everyone instantly.
- Writer
