I wanted to tell him that I didn’t want a diamond ring, but something told me that Bradon wouldn’t put this matter to rest unless I decided on a ring.
“I’m not sure. Anthony, can you help me pick out a few that you like?” I asked as I forced a smile that I hoped looked natural.
Since I couldn’t come up with any other reason why he was doing something like this, I figured that he must be playing the role of Anthony by acting as the perfect husband in front of everyone. He must have regretted that slip up that happened at the office. Perhaps, he didn’t intend for his lover to turn up like that. It would make Anthony look bad and it would cause a lot of trouble if news about that woman’s sudden appearance were to spread. I nodded my head slightly as the dots began to connect. In order to cover up for that, Bradon needed to create evidence that Anthony was still the perfect loving husband and that our relationship was smooth like butter. That must be it because I couldn’t think of any other reason why he would be doing this.
If he bought me a large diamond ring, then everyone would think that we were so in love and the perfect match made in heaven just like they had thought all along. If that was the case, then I also didn’t see why I should turn down his offer. It was also my job to play along with this role-playing situation that he had set up.
“Hmm...what about this one? And...maybe these as well?” Bradon suggested as he pointed his index finger at a few rings.
“The round solitaire is definitely a classy classic. This heart-shaped one is also popular at the moment,” the manager said before beaming a smile at me.
If I had to choose...
“What about this one?” I asked as I pointed my finger to a ring featuring a round diamond with a diamond-paved halo around it.
“The halo does add to the sparkle. It is a great choice,” the store manager said with a smile.
“Isn’t the diamond kind of small?” Bradon objected as he looked doubtful.
“Honestly, I don’t think any of these diamonds are supposed to be considered small,” I pointed out before I could stop myself.
“Is there a ring with a bigger diamond that also has a halo?” he asked the manager.
“Please wait a moment. I will bring out all the options,” she said with a smile.
I watched the manager turn away to prepare another selection based on Bradon’s instructions. The time that she had the back toward us was the perfect opportunity for me to snap out of my role as Diana to confront him for a bit.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked in a hushed whisper.
“What do you mean?” he replied like he had no clue what I was talking about.
“Why are you suddenly buying me a ring?” I asked as my eyes glanced from him toward the back of the manager in the distance.
“You don’t have a big diamond ring, right?” he asked although he already knew the answer.
Since Diana and Anthony got engaged when they were both young, a proper diamond engagement ring wasn’t part of their union. Later on, when I married Bradon we exchanged a simple matching wedding band that was probably made of white gold. They were elegant, classy, and very traditional. Of course, I didn’t pay the rings there were arrange for us to be part of the ceremony any attention at all. At that time, I was too giddy with happiness to get to marry Anthony. Then after finding out that I ended up marrying Bradon instead, I removed the ring and placed it somewhere in my bedroom at his mansion. I hadn’t seen it since and Bradon had not asked about the fact that I wasn’t wearing my wedding band. My eyes dropped to the empty ring finger of his left hand. Just like me, Bradon never wore his wedding band either.
“You don’t need to do this...” I whispered.
“Just wear it,” he replied curtly.
“Why? Why do I have to wear a wedding ring when you’re not even wearing one?” I asked as I glared at him.
“Will you wear one if I wear one?” he asked.
“Well...” I murmured as I was slightly taken aback by his unexpected response.
Before I could say anything else in response, the manager approached us with a smile on her face while holding another tray of impressive diamond engagement rings. All the rings featured amazingly large, round cut diamonds with a halo setting. The store manager clearly knew what she was doing.
“Which one would you like, dear?” Bradon asked before smiling my way.
“I have to say that you are so romantic. Getting your wife another ring although it hasn’t been that long since your wedding,” the store manager said while sounding very impressed.
“Once a month doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” Bradon replied to her flawlessly.
“Wow...you’re making me feel very envious,” she replied with a soft laugh.
We must have appeared like a very happy newlywed couple. The fact that the Vulkan family was well-off and could afford to pay to show off our relationship only added dozens of cherries on top of the cake.
“Which one is the most expensive?” I asked to save us all the time and pain of deciding.
“Oh...that would be this one here,” the manager replied before picking up a diamond ring and handing it my way.
“Please let me,” Bradon said softly.
He took the ring from the manager’s hand before taking my left hand in his. It all happened so fast, and I found myself panicking slightly when I realized that he was about to put the ring on my ring finger. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done this once before but the way my heart skipped a beat and began beating faster in my chest was unlike what I experienced during our wedding ceremony.
--To be continued...