She Showed His Diamond, I Broke Up

For our 3rd anniversary, Julian Stone gifted me an expensive Aurora Diamond necklace. Overjoyed, I put it on and posted a picture on i********:. Chloe: 3 years have passed, yet the starlight remains unchanged. A few minutes later, my best friend Sofia Lloyd sent me a screenshot on w******p. It was an i********: post from Lexi Chase, Julian's newly hired intern. She had posted it just one minute before me. In the photo was a massive, flawless Aurora Diamond center stone. The necklace resting against her collarbone was identical to mine, but her diamond was larger and far more brilliant. Below it, her caption read: He says offcuts are only for brushing others off, but the center stone will always belong to me. I opened my chat with Julian and checked the message he had sent 5 minutes earlier. Julian: Babe, do you love the necklace? I had it specially customized overseas just for you. It's one of a kind. I listened in complete silence. Walking over to the vanity, I unclasped the "one of a kind" necklace and dropped it straight into the trash can. My response was immediate. Chloe: I love it. In fact, I've decided to prepare a huge surprise for you in return. ***** The diamond in the trash glinted under the light. I forwarded the screenshot to Julian, adding a single question mark. He paused for a good 10 seconds before texting back. Julian: Lexi just joined the company, so she doesn't know much about high jewelry. I'll have her delete the post. It's our anniversary today. Don't let a joke ruin the mood. I stared at his tender defense of her, my fingertips hovering over the screen. Chloe: So labeling me as the offcuts was just a joke as well? Julian called immediately, his voice steady and low. "Chloe, Lexi is only 22 years old. She's straightforward, and she only posted that to feel valued. You're already my wife. There's no need to stoop to her level." "She's wearing the center stone," I stated. "We needed the center stone for the promo shots. She's young and looks good on camera," Julian explained. "Your accent stone has better clarity, and it's much more practical for daily wear. Don't take product grading so personally." The front door clicked open. Julian walked in, a trace of cold fragrance drifting from his coat, the exact same scent of the white roses in Lexi's photo. He set a paper bag on the table, saying, "I passed by your favorite bakery and got you a low-sugar chestnut cake. Have a bite. Don't starve yourself just to prove a point." I didn't touch the bag. "Did you come back to coax me or to make me delete my post?" I asked. Julian glanced down at the trash can, his brow furrowing slightly. He leaned over, fished the necklace out, and wiped it clean with his handkerchief. His movements were as methodical as if he were inspecting a returned client sample. "You threw it away?" he asked. He rested the clasp in his palm and said, "Chloe, shipping this diamond from overseas involved heavy insurance, customs, and company protocols for the setting. You can't just trash it because you're throwing a tantrum." "Then take it back to the office," I replied. "It's for you," he said as he walked behind me, his thumb brushing against the back of my neck. "Put it back on. We have an internal review tomorrow, and clients will see your post. It'll look terrible if this blows up." I shifted my shoulder away. "You want me to cover for her?" "For me," Julian stated. His hand hovered in the air, his tone remaining gentle. "Lumina Group is raising capital next month. The Aurora Collection can't take a hit right now. You're my wife. You should know what's at stake better than anyone." "Oh, I know," I sneered and slammed my phone face down on the vanity. "That's why you chose to lie to me five minutes ago." He stared at me for a long moment before suddenly snatching my phone. The screen was still on, displaying my post. I reached out to grab it back, but he dodged, his thumb tapping the delete button. "It's not a lie. It's damage control," he said. "Once the project wraps up, I'll take you to pick out a new one. Whatever color or carat you want." As the post vanished, so did the comment from Sofia. Sofia: Wait, is this the same one? His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Lexi. Julian glanced at the caller ID and walked over to the window. His voice dropped to a low murmur. "Don't cry. I've taken care of it. Keep the center stone and wear it to the office tomorrow as planned." He hung up and turned around, looking completely unfazed. "She gets scared easily. She was worried you'd misunderstand." "If she didn't want me to get the wrong idea, why post that caption?" I asked. "I'll make her delete it," Julian said and placed the necklace back into its velvet box. "Go to bed early tonight. Come to the office with me at ten tomorrow. PR will draft a statement, and you just need to post it." "And if I don't?" I uttered. He rubbed his brow, acting as if I were a nuisance he shouldn't have to deal with. "Chloe, I really don't want to fight with you on our anniversary." The bathroom door clicked shut, and the sound of running water drowned out the heavy silence in the room. I flipped the jewelry box over. Tucked beneath the velvet insert was a thin insurance slip. The policy was dated 3 months ago. Next to the center stone's serial number, the designated custodian was listed as Lexi.