Stranger With a Ring

Jim looked at me like he wanted to say more, but he stayed quiet.

"Good that you understand me. I know you’re the best, Ella.

"When you're not grounded anymore, we'll go out, okay?"

His words hurt.

I watched him walk back into the party, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

'There's no future for us, Jim,' I thought.

I went home feeling hollow and smashed the pendant he gave me.

For five years, it wasn’t just me hoping and holding on.

If he hadn’t kept giving me hope after turning me down, I wouldn’t have chased him for so long.

My parents tried to warn me, but I refused to listen.

Now, after getting hurt so badly, I finally saw they were right.

Jim must have still been worried about me because he sent another message.

[Ella, I'm going to ask your parents to let you out early, okay?]

[Even if they don't like me, I'm going to stand up for you.]

Before, a message like that would’ve melted my heart.

I would’ve believed that Jim really cared about me, that he was the only one who truly understood how I felt.

Now, it just felt like a cruel joke.

I didn’t reply his message, and put him on Do Not Disturb.

Then, out of nowhere, I got a friend request.

It was from Rowena.

The moment I accepted, she flooded me with photos—dozens of shots of her and Jim looking intimate and close.

[You saw what happened today in the VIP room, didn’t you?]

[I actually spotted you there earlier, but I pretended not to.]

My hands trembled as I scrolled through the photos.

Jim was smiling in a way I had never seen before.

He wasn’t always so serious and cold.

He just wasn’t happy when he was with me.

When I didn’t reply, Rowena messaged again.

[I’ve been waiting for Jim for five years, waiting for him to prove himself in the Larson family before I made my move.]

[Now that Jim’s grandpa, Mr. Trevon Larson, is close to passing, Jim’s sure to inherit part of the shares. My patience is finally paying off.]

[Ella, don’t think being a rich girl makes you special to Jim. He’s only ever had eyes for me.]

That’s when it hit me—she wasn’t trying to show off. She wanted to crush whatever was left of my hope.

"You're wrong. Jim's not worth my time," I replied calmly.

Then I powered off my phone and tried to rest.

However, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I’d done for Jim over the past five years.

Like that time at the auction, I bought up everything for him just to make sure no one dared look down on him.

However the next day, I saw an ancient bracelet from the auction on Rowena’s wrist.

Jim had brushed it off with a casual excuse.

I wanted to believe him. When he asked me not to go, I even gave up my chance to study abroad.

He promised at the airport that he’d treat me well from then on.

Yet three days later, he turned me down again.

All those memories came rushing back, weighing on my chest like a big rock.

I didn’t sleep the whole night.

Then, in the early morning, Jim showed up at my place.

When he saw the dark circles under my eyes, he almost looked smug.

"Ella, do you miss me that much? You look so worn out. Was it because of me?"

I was stunned and about to tell him off, but he cut me off.

"I came today because I need a favor.

"My grandpa wants to see me engaged before he’ll hand over the shares.

"So, will you pretend to be engaged to me?"