Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Darin stood up straight, looking down at me.

"Is this enough for you? Are you satisfied now?"

We stood there, both of us trying hard not to show how much we cared.

I turned away, and Darin, thinking I had changed my mind, sneered, "All this fuss over such a small thing, Jillian, can't you be more generous?"

"Darin."

I fixed my gaze on a spot, my voice trembling slightly, "Can you explain why my wedding ring is on Melany's finger?"

That was the ring I designed myself, made from the same piece of translucent jadeite as Brodie's. It was the best piece of jadeite I had found over the years.

I had spent countless hours designing and meticulously carving the Cupid's bow ring. When it was finally completed, Brodie's eyes lit up, and he praised it highly.

But then he asked if it could be the company's main product for the summer season.

He repeatedly assured me it would only be for exhibition, never for sale. The jadeite wedding ring, combined with our five-year love story, would surely boost this year's sales.

I didn't want to mix our wedding ring with business, but Darin thought I was being too sentimental.

We argued for a long time, and I eventually gave in, handing over the ring to be set in the platinum band with yellow diamonds for the main product.

I never expected to see it again on Melany's ring finger.

Darin was momentarily flustered but quickly regained his composure.

"Company samples are always tried on by Melany, you know that."

I felt a wave of dizziness, my eyes burning hot. "This isn't a sample, it's my wedding ring!"

"Using the excuse of trying on samples, how many rings have you put on her finger! Do you take me for a fool?"

"I spent three months crafting that ring, what right do you have to give it to her!"

Darin hadn't expected such a strong reaction from me and was at a loss for words. "I didn't mean it that way..."

Melany smiled softly, taking off the ring. "Since it's the main product for this summer, I was just trying it on. I didn't realize you cared so much. My apologies."

"Here, take it back."

She smiled nonchalantly, making my anger seem utterly ridiculous.

I reached out my hand, but she deliberately let go of the ring early.

The ring fell onto the tiled floor, the Cupid's bow breaking off and scattering.

It felt like my heart shattered into pieces along with it.

"Oh dear, how careless of me," Melany said, putting a hand over her mouth, her eyes full of malice.

I slowly lifted my eyes to look at her.

Darin instinctively stepped in front of her. "She didn't do it on purpose! Jillian, the company has plenty of rings! That 10-carat pink diamond I've been saving, I'll give it to you for the wedding tomorrow, okay..."

I raised my hand and slapped him across the face, cutting off his incessant chatter.

The slap was hard, and he turned his head to the side, pausing for a few seconds before slowly turning back, his face red and swollen.

He looked at me expressionlessly, his voice very calm. "Feel better now?"

That light question felt like a knife stabbing into my heart, the pain excruciating, then slowly being pulled out.

The blood in my head slowly flowed back into my body, and the chains that had held me for five years fell away with that broken ring.

I exhaled, looking at him calmly.

"Darin, I'll see you tomorrow."

As per tradition, Darin and I couldn't be together the night before the wedding.

Perhaps my slap had wounded his pride, as he didn't contact me all night.

But Melany did.

I scrolled through the messages she sent, calmly contacting the wedding planning company.

"I have some new plans for tomorrow's wedding."