Chapter 1
At the Tiffany store on Fifthmont Avenue, the sales associate slipped the most expensive diamond ring in the store onto my fiancé's childhood sweetheart's finger.
Chloe Frost admired the ring with a bright smile. "Sophie, Ryan said my fingers are just as slender as yours, so he asked me to try it on first and make sure the size is right."
The sales associate quickly chimed in, praising how beautifully the ring looked against Chloe's skin.
I looked at Ryan Reed. He came over and held me back, lowering his voice. "Sophie, don't start something today."
His voice was low, but his eyes kept wandering toward Chloe. "It's a wedding ring. It's a formality. What's the big deal if someone else tries it on? When we bought clothes, you let Chloe try things on for you too, didn't you?"
"But this is our wedding ring," I said.
Ryan frowned. "With this many people around, do you really have to embarrass Chloe?"
Chloe raised her hand and asked Ryan, "Ryan, does it look good?"
Ryan didn't look at me. He nodded.
I pulled my hand away and met his eyes. "I don't want the ring."
If someone else could slip on my wedding ring, then there was no reason for me to walk down the aisle.
*****
Before my mom passed, she made me promise something: my wedding ring would be something sacred between me and the man I married. The first time it went on my finger, it should be a moment that belonged to the two of us, and no one else.
Ryan had sworn up and down to her that he'd make sure of it. And here I was, watching my wedding ring sit on another woman's finger.
After hearing me, Chloe lowered her head and started slipping off the diamond ring, but her fingertips lingered over the stone. "Sophie, I had no idea this would bother you so much."
Her voice was soft, but loud enough to reach Ryan.
"I thought Ryan said we'd all be family someday, so I figured it didn't matter who tried it on first." As she spoke, she pulled her hand back, and the ring snagged on her knuckle. Tears spilled down her cheeks at once. "It hurts! Ryan, did I cause trouble for you again?"
Ryan spun on me. "Sophie, you're usually so easygoing. Why blow up over this today? Chloe's still young. How was she supposed to know it'd mean that much to you?"
Then Ryan turned back and caught her hand. "Don't force it. You'll hurt yourself."
He lowered his head and gently rubbed the red mark around her finger.
Chloe's friends gathered close, whispering among themselves.
"Sophie's being ridiculous. What's the harm in trying it on?"
"Right? Chloe's basically grown up with Ryan."
"They aren't even married yet, and she's already acting like she owns the place."
I stood there watching them. So Ryan did know how to care for a woman. That woman had simply never been me.
I turned to walk away, but Ryan caught my arm.
His face was dark as he stared at me. "Sophie, do you really have to take this that far? It was only a try-on. Do you really have to sour everyone's mood over something so trivial?"
'A trivial matter? That's my wedding ring, sitting on another woman's finger. And he seriously believes that's no big deal?' I thought.
Chloe stood behind Ryan, lightly tugging at his sleeve. "Ryan, this is all my fault. How about I buy the wedding ring? Consider it my way of apologizing to Sophie."
She pulled a bank card from her purse.
Ryan pushed her hand back down. "What can you afford with that paycheck of yours? This has nothing to do with you."
He turned to me. "Sophie, apologize to Chloe right now. Otherwise, there's no wedding."
I met his eyes and nodded. "Fine. Then there's no wedding."
