The Ring That Wasn’t Meant for Me—Until I Made It Mine
When Adam proposed to me on a windy afternoon at the summit of Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park, it felt like something out of a movie. He knelt down, opened a silk box, and inside was a ring that took my breath away—a gold band with a deep sapphire at its center, surrounded by tiny diamonds like a constellation. It wasn’t flashy. It was timeless.
“Where did you find this?” I whispered.
He smiled. “It was my great-grandmother’s. My dad kept it after she passed. I want you to have it.”
The weight of that gesture hit me hard. It wasn’t just a ring. It was a legacy. And it felt like a quiet promise—I belonged.
I wore it proudly. People noticed. Friends admired it. It felt like a part of our love story. But then, six months later, that story took a turn.
We were having dinner at Adam’s parents’ house. His mother, Diane, was warm on the surface—poised, polite—but her compliments always had a sharp edge. That evening, she kept glancing at my hand.
When Adam stepped out with his dad to check the roast, Diane leaned in with a tight smile.
“Enjoying the ring?” she asked.
“I love it,” I said honestly.
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