I Kept His Paper Ring for Years,Then He Proposed to Another Woman

I found a lip balm in Ferris Gilbert's car. Strawberry flavored, a brand-new seasonal release.

Half-joking, I asked him whose it was.

Ferris froze for a split second, then blurted outMust've been Samuel Delgado. He rode with me last time and left it behind.

A flash of irritation crossed his face, and he pulled out his phone, insisting on calling Samuel for an explanation.

If this makes you misunderstand, babe, I'd never forgive myself.

The call connected.

Samuel sounded thrilled and immediately complained that he'd been looking everywhere for it.

I was gonna give it to my girlfriend. Spent ages picking it out, too. Can't believe I left it in your car.

I listened in silence, then handed the lip balm back to Ferris.

Return it to him. A gift for someone special should be treated with care.

Ferris smiledI remember you like this brand too. Your lips always get so dry in summer. Want me to buy you one?

I shook my head, calm on the surface, while something inside me sank inch by inch.

Because that lip balm was already mine.

The drive home was ten minutes. It felt like ten years.

Who was she?

How long had it been going on?

One casual phone call and Samuel had understood instantly, played along without missing a beat. Had they done this before?

Cold crept through me wave after wave, my thoughts tangling into knots, my fingertips trembling no matter how hard I pressed them together.

Ferris noticed my silence and tried to lighten the moodDon't be mad, babe. Samuel being unreliable is nothing new. Once our anniversary's over tomorrow, I'll make him take us out to dinner as an apology.

I managed a nod. That same night, I called Samuel.

His voice came out thin, unsteadyMel, come on. You don't trust Ferris? One call from you and the guy would drop everything, fly back from the other side of the world. Today was my fault, I'm sorry. Don't overthink it.

But he was still too green. A few more questions and the cracks showed.

Honestly, Ferris just felt sorry for her. The new girl's got a rough situation, so he looks out for her a little more

A face surfaced in my mind. Soft, pale, delicate.

Hannah Pruitt. Ferris's new secretary.

The last one just quit, and there's a mountain of work piling up. I'm training her myself so she gets up to speed faster.

That was what Ferris had told me. At the time I'd been busy making herbal broth for his stomach problems and barely looked up.

Sounds like you really take care of her.

Back then, I genuinely hadn't thought twice about it.

Now I knew. He wasn't just working late with her. He'd bought her limited-edition designer bags and expensive coats. On top of that, he'd sent Samuel on late-night errands to bring her ginger tea and ibuprofen for her cramps.

He'd even left me behind with a hundred-and-four-degree fever to drive her to the hospital for a scraped wrist.

She's not like you, Mel. You're strong. You stuck with Ferris through all the hard years. But she's had it rough. Single-parent home, mom just passed away. Without Ferris, she's got nobody.

She's had it rough?

I didn't understand.

How was it that blatant betrayal, coming out of his mouth, somehow made it sound like I was the one bullying a helpless girl?

Back in bed, Ferris pulled me into his arms in his sleep. I lay against his chest, cold all the way through.

Every grievance I'd swallowed rose to my throat and turned into tears that fell before I could stop them.

Then the phone on the nightstand buzzed.

The screen lit up.

No need to unlock it. Every word was right there, perfectly legible.

Ferris, you're going to be a daddy!

You promised that once your anniversary is over, you'll come clean to Melody James. The baby and I will be good and wait for you.

I got the engagement ring! It's gorgeous. And you said you'd take me to see the snow at Mount Fuji. I've been thinking about it every day.

I stared at those three messages. Read them top to bottom, then bottom to top.

The screen went dark. I tapped it awake.

Dark again. Tapped it awake again.

They hit me like a slap across the face, so hard my mind went blank and my chest burned with something I couldn't swallow down.

Grief crashed over me like a wave, and in the middle of it, my mind latched onto something absurd.

What if Ferris's phone had a virus?

What if the three of them were just messing with me?

What if, any second now, Ferris would open his eyes, pull me into his arms, and laugh as he tapped my noseGot you! You didn't actually believe that, did you?

How could I possibly propose to someone else and have a kid? It's all fake. We were just messing around, and you fell for it!

Then he'd spread his hands in that helpless, what am I going to do with you way of hisMel, you're so gullible. I can't leave you on your own for a second.

I'd curl into his chest, crying and hitting him at the same timeDon't ever joke about this again. When you proposed, you promised it would only ever be me.

Looking back, he always made me cry.

When he confessed his feelings. When he proposed. When we got married.

When he got hurt, I cried then too.

In the early days of his start-up, he got caught in a downpour one night. He and his scooter went straight into a ditch, and a gash tore open along his arm, long and deep.

He came home covered in blood. I was out of my mind with panic, but the first thing he asked was whether I'd eaten.

I got you those little cakes you love. Didn't crush them, didn't get them wet.

I cleaned his wound and cried the whole time.

He smiled like he wasn't the one in pain, wiped my tears with his good hand, told me there was nothing to cry about, and nagged me to eat the cakes.

My name has "snow" in it, and I've always loved watching it fall, but it hardly ever snowed where we lived.

Once, he went up north on a business trip. Three days later, he came home with a glass jar.

The lid was sealed tight with plastic wrap, and the jar sat nestled in a bag packed solid with ice packs.

Inside was snow. White, fluffy, perfectly clean.

His eyes were bright, his face lit up like a kid showing off a prizeYou wanted to see snow, right? I'm too busy to take you right now, but it happened to snow while I was there, so I packed a jar and brought it back.

The jar was ice-cold against my palms, but my face burned.

I wrapped it in layers of clothes and packed a dozen ice packs around it. I was so nervous going through security, terrified they'd confiscate it.

I held that jar and cried like an idiot, my heart aching with how much I loved him.

Ferris pulled me into his armsWhat are you crying for? Someday I'll take you to Mount Fuji to see the snow.

When he proposed, he had nothing.

He folded me a ring out of paper in our basement apartment. He'd done it so carefully, every corner lined up, every crease sharp.

Kneeling on one knee, holding it out to me, his palms were slick with sweat and his voice shook.

Mel, I can't give you a real ring right now, and I can't afford a wedding, but I swear, one day I'll throw you the wedding you've always wanted at Mount Fuji and put a real diamond on your finger.

I was shaking so hard I could barely nod. I said yes.

Not because of Mount Fuji. Not because of the diamond ring.

Just because, back then, I was the only person in his eyes.

That paper ring yellowed and went soft over the years, but I could never bring myself to throw it away.

In the end, I never got my snow at Mount Fuji.

What I got instead was the news that he was taking another woman there to see the snow and propose.

He hadn't forgotten the promise.

The plane tickets, the hotel, the diamond ring, the twenty-thousand-dollar-a-night hot spring resort at the foot of Mount Fuji.

He could afford all of it now.

He just forgot who he'd made the promise to.

The next day, Ferris pressed a lip balm into my palm.

Strawberry. New release for the season.

Babe, your skin always dries out in summer. Once things slow down at work, let's take a trip down to Savannah.

I looked at him. What I really wanted to ask was whether he'd cheated because Hannah was younger and prettier than me.

Because I'd wrecked my health supporting him through the start-up years, and now I couldn't give him a child?

But I was more afraid he'd offer an explanation that would make me sick.

A hundred furious accusations surged to my lips. All of them dissolved into a bitter smile.

It's fine. Go take care of your stuff.

I called Samuel again.

Mel, don't overthink this

Relax, I'm not going to rat you out,

I choked back the ache in my chest and sniffed hard. I just have one condition.

Don't tell him I know.

Mel! You're

He went quiet for two seconds, then finally said okay.

For our fifth wedding anniversary, Ferris actually offered to take me to dinner.

There was a time when he'd write me a whole love letter in advance and schedule it to send at midnight, just in case a business trip kept him on a plane past twelve.

I used to read that sappy confession over and over, laughing and crying at the same time, until I had every word memorized.

Now he was always busy. A quick text and flowers delivered to the door were about all I got.

He'd booked a three-star Michelin Japanese restaurant. My favorite.

If it weren't for the lip balm, I would have believed he still thought about me.

But now I wasn't sure whether he'd reserved this expensive restaurant and ordered the finest food and wine because he was planning to come clean.

The polished, adult way of saying, I'm sorry, but I'm going to hurt you anyway.

I booked a table for seven. We can head over together soon. The roses are stuck in traffic, otherwise I wouldn't have come back empty-handed

Ferris.

Hm?

Is there something you want to tell me today?

His eyes flickered.

No, why would there be? It's our fifth anniversary. I just want to spend the whole day with you.

I finished getting dressed and waited in the living room. His phone, sitting on the coffee table, buzzed again.

A cutesy crying-bunny sticker popped up on the screen.

Ferris, my stomach hurts. You're not here and I'm so scaredCan you come?

Just stay with me for a little while, please!

I know today is your anniversary with Melody, but it really hurts so bad. What if something happens to the baby

I drifted toward the kitchen without a sound. Then I heard the bedroom door open.

Ferris walked into the living room in a full suit, picked up his phone, glanced at the screen, and when he looked at me, a flicker of conflict crossed his face.

Mel

Ready to go?

Not exactlysomething just came up at the officeit's urgent. I need to handle it in person.

I clenched my fists, fighting to keep every churning emotion locked down.But you just said you wanted to spend the whole day with me.

It was so sudden. I didn't want to leave either

His phone buzzed once. Twice. Three times.

He frowned, unable to meet my eyes.I'll just run over real quick and come right back. I'll have my assistant take you to the restaurant first, okay?

I wasn't angry. If anything, I found it almost laughable.

They couldn't even give me one day.

I nodded.

Fine.

He blinked, caught off guard, then visibly relaxed.

Wait for me. I'll be back soon.

Ferris jogged toward the door. Before he could leave, I stopped him.Take the trash down with you. It's getting hot out. It'll attract flies.

He nodded and grabbed the bag, but his grip slipped, and a familiar glass jar tumbled out and hit the floor with a crack, shattering into pieces.

Water, slivers of ice, and broken glass scattered across the tiles.

The color drained from his face.

Mel, you

I kept my back to him and didn't turn around.I read an article the other day. Experts say you should clean out the fridge before summer hits, so you don't end up with a stomachache.

That's not what I meant.

I knew what he wanted to ask.

He wanted to ask why I was throwing away that jar of snow from up north, the one I'd insisted on keeping through every move, no matter how much of a hassle it was.

But right then, I didn't want to explain.

Ferris opened his mouth, then closed it.

His eyes flicked to his phone screen, just for a second, and his expression shifted.

He looked up at me, flustered, chest heaving, his voice roughMel, I have to go. I'll see you soon. When I get back from dinner, we'll talk. Really talk.

He made it to the door and froze, as if some instinct told him that if he walked out now, everything would be over.

The hesitation lasted less than two seconds before he pulled the door open and stepped through.

My heart sank with him, but I forced the corners of my mouth upGo ahead. Drive safe.

A flicker of relief passed through his eyes.

Youwait for me.

I walked to the window and watched his car turn in the opposite direction from the office.

It wasn't that I didn't hurt. But my tear ducts, usually so reliable, couldn't produce a single drop.

Back in the bedroom, I finished packing, set the divorce papers and the yellowed, soft paper ring on the bed, and dialed my mother's number.

It barely rang once before she picked up.

Melody?

Her voice carried a cautious kind of joy.

What is it? Isn't today your anniversary with Ferris?

My throat closedMom, I justI want to come home.

Ferris was halfway there when his phone buzzed again.

This time, Hannah had shared her location. She was at the airport.

I bought two tickets to Japan tonight.

There's an hour left. I can't wait anymore. If you don't come, I'm going alone.

Ferris stared at the message, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.

The airport, or the restaurant.

He thought of the shattered jar. But the image of Hannah standing alone, dragging her suitcase, kept circling through his head.

Three years, five years, Melody had waited all this time. A few more days wouldn't matter.

He clenched his jaw and hit the gas.

At the airport, Hannah threw herself into his arms, tears spilling instantly.

I'm sorry, Ferris. Every time you say you'll come clean with her, every time you tell me to wait, but the baby in my belly can't wait.

I don't want to keep sneaking around. I don't want to drop you off at home and then sit alone imagining you eating dinner with her, talking with her.

She tilted her face up, eyes red and raw, her voice small and wounded.

You said the snow on Mount Fuji was the most beautiful in the world. You said that's where you'd give me an answer.

Ferris looked at her, his mind a tangled mess.

But in the end, he nodded.

Okay. I'll go too. I can't let you go alone.

At the check-in counter, dragging Hannah's suitcase, he called me.

Phone off.

He tried again.

Still off.

He frowned and sent a text.

Mel, something came up at work. I need to travel for a few days. We'll talk when I'm back.

After hitting send, he dialed Samuel's number.

Samuel, I have to go out of town for a few days. Keep an eye on Melody for me, will you? She's been off lately. I'm worried.

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

FerrisI'm sorry, man.

Ferris went stillWhat do you mean?

Samuel's voice was barely above a whisperMelodyshe knows about Hannah. I told her.