Chapter 2 - The Secret Ring
Rachel stared at the glittering diamond in the dimly lit closet.
Her hands shook so violently that she almost dropped the velvet box onto the hardwood floor.
She and Daniel had been married for two years, and her own modest wedding band was currently sitting in a safe downstairs.
This ring was brand new, extravagant, and clearly meant for someone else.
She tucked the small box into her pocket and silently walked out to her father’s waiting car.
The drive to her childhood home in the quiet suburbs was entirely silent.
Her mother was waiting on the front porch with open arms and a face full of unspoken heartbreak.
For the first two days at her parents' house, Rachel mostly slept, letting the heavy pain medication dull her physical and emotional agony.
On the third morning, the mental fog finally began to clear.
She sat at the small kitchen table, staring at the velvet box she had smuggled out of Daniel's closet.
There was a tiny logo printed in gold foil on the inside of the lid.
It belonged to a highly exclusive, appointment-only jeweler located in downtown Chicago.
Rachel pulled out her laptop and found the boutique’s phone number.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart, and dialed the number.
A polite woman with a polished voice answered on the second ring.
"Hello, I am calling from Daniel Sterling's office," Rachel lied smoothly, using her old professional tone.
"Mr. Sterling asked me to confirm the final sizing details on the custom ring he recently purchased."
The saleswoman paused, the sound of keyboard clicking echoing over the line.
"Oh, yes, I see the file right here," the woman said cheerfully.
"But I actually already confirmed the size five with his fiancée when they picked it up together last Tuesday."
Rachel felt all the air completely leave her damaged lungs.
"Right, of course," Rachel forced herself to say.
"Could you just remind me of the spelling of her name for the insurance paperwork?"
"It’s Chloe," the saleswoman replied brightly.
Rachel immediately hung up the phone.
Chloe was not just a random stranger.
Chloe was a fellow beauty consultant, Rachel’s former coworker, and the woman who had introduced Rachel and Daniel three years ago.
A wave of overwhelming nausea hit Rachel so hard she had to grip the edge of the kitchen table to stay upright.
She opened her social media accounts for the first time in months.
She typed Chloe’s name into the search bar, her fingers trembling over the keys.
Chloe’s profile was completely public and filled with glamorous photos of her luxurious lifestyle.
Rachel scrolled down to a post dated just two days ago.
It was a picture of Chloe holding up a champagne glass, with that exact diamond ring sparkling on her left hand.
May you like
The caption simply read: "Forever with my soulmate."
But it was the background of the photo that made Rachel’s blood run completely cold.
