138 — JULIAN ADAMS (POV)

My phone buzzes inside my pant pocket, but I make no mention of picking it up because I know exactly why they’re calling me so much; I have a meeting in a few hours, and I should be going through all the papers instead of standing in front of this jewelry store, looking for the most beautiful diamond I can find.
I run my hand through my hair, messing it up a bit, but I don’t care — the clock is ticking, and *I have no idea how I’m going to do this.* My fingers dig into the blonde strands, and I close my eyes tightly, with Angel’s worried face appearing in my mind every time I close them, bringing that damn cold in my stomach with it over and over.
I almost didn’t stop Angelee from saying. I almost let those words slip past her soft tongue that would invite me in for a kiss later... But I had to because, from the moment she tells me, we can’t go back.
I knew it ever since I crossed that line with her... When I tasted her kiss, held her in my arms, and listened to her moaning my name... I knew there was no turning back anymore... I would keep wanting her again and again, like an addict.
Just like that, Angelee messed with my head.
*She dazed my heart.*
And now, I love her so much that I probably would forget how to breathe if she left me. I’d already made a mistake and almost lost her... it scares me to think that she may given up on me. I don’t want to take the slightest risk again... That’s why I haven’t let her tell me yet... Because this time, I want to do everything right.
I love Angelee. I want to spend every day of my life by her side. I want to wake up with her in my arms every morning, to be the last thing she sees when she goes to sleep. And I want to build a family with her — not because she’s pregnant, because it’s inevitable, or because it just happened...
I want Angelee to be sure that I *chose* this... that I chose her to be my wife... because I can’t imagine my life without her, and not because I took responsibility for our child.
And for that, I’m going to make sure that doubt never crosses her mind, not even for a moment.
I take a deep breath and enter the store, straightening my posture as my firm steps guide me to the counter. A young, elegant girl immediately flashes a smile when she sees me; her eyes slide down my body, and I can tell she likes what she sees by the discreet nibble on her lips, lifting her gaze back up to mine, batting her eyelashes slowly.
“Hello, Mister... How can I help you today?” She asks in a sweet, soft voice, trying hard not to look at my arms again.
“Hello.” I give a discreet smile and look at the name on the plaque above her breast. “Could you bring me the most expensive engagement rings you have, Amber?”
Her smile immediately falters, and she clears her throat, tossing her hair back. “Yes, please, just a minute.”
She turns her back on me, disappearing behind a door quickly, leaving me alone for a few long minutes. I glance at the watch on my wrist, seeing the pointers tick by, and feel urgency burning in my throat.
*Maybe Saturday really is too long...*
“Mister, these are the most expensive rings we have.” The young attendant returns, her tone now more serious and eyes down on the small velvet box. “They all above thirty thousand dollars.”
I look at the rings in front of me, at their huge diamonds of different shapes. There are round ones, oval, square, and even heart-shaped ones; white and gold, smooth surfaces, or with other small diamonds — there are all kinds. But despite the shape, they all look the same.
“Which is the most expensive?” I ask, lingering over them, trying to imagine how it would look on Angelee’s finger.
The attendant takes out a ring full of small diamonds that increase in size until it holds a large square diamond, so big that it barely seems to be supported by this ring. There’s even a certain pinkish hue at the diamonds that are spread along the white circle. “This is a platinum 6-carat emerald cut rose diamond, with VS1 clarity. The total of the other diamonds is 0.5 carat.”
She hands it to me, and I can really notice the majesty of this ring just by looking at it. It is an eye-catching yet elegant piece. The center stone is so big that it’s easily two inches... But I’m not sure it will suit Angelee’s delicate fingers, which are thin and long.
“This ring costs 86,000 dollars.” The young woman says, but I don’t raise my eyes as I’m a bit annoyed. I didn’t ask the price of the ring, and I don’t care if it’s 86, 100 thousand dollars, or a million... I want Angelee to feel comfortable wearing it since she’ll be using it for the rest of her life.
“It’s nice,” I say at last, and the attendant snicker.
I raise my eyes to look at her, and the girl hurries to add, “This is the best we have, the most beautiful and the most expensive! Any woman would dream of having it.”
Yes, it really is beautiful, and I’m sure many women would love to put on a ring with 6-carat and this many details that I honestly don’t understand and don’t give a damn about because I’ve never bought a piece of jewelry for a woman before, let alone a ring.
But even so, I don’t think Angelee will feel comfortable wearing something like this.
I look again at the velvety box, the rings lined up majestically, each one displaying a unique sparkle... When my eyes finally pause on a specific ring. The center stone is oval, with three round diamonds on each side forming a triangle. Its delicate vintage shape reminds me of a flower, and I can easily picture my wife wearing it.
*My wife.*
I feel a chill in my stomach... a chill that spreads through my whole body, every inch of my skin, until it settles in my chest.
I swallow hard, handing the ring back to the attendant, still looking at the one that caught my eye. I point to it, raising my eyes to see the name of the girl I’ve already forgotten... “Amber, can I see this one?”
She looks confused as she picks up the 86,000-dollar ring like it’s the most precious thing in the world, and, well, I can understand why. This little thing is probably worth her annual salary. And thinking like that, I can even imagine Angelee feeling bad about wearing it.
But the attendant looks so confused and surprised that I have to knock on the ring I want so she’ll finally take it.
When she finally hands it to me, I place it in the palm of my hand, and my heart beats faster.
“This is a 4-carat diamond in the center, with three round diamonds on each side, each 0.1 carat. All with VS1 clarity, also crafted in platinum.” She says it almost like she doesn’t care about this one.
When I hold it and bring it closer, I can see the fineness of every detail. Its vintage style really makes it discreet and incredibly beautiful. The stone is smaller than the other one, maybe an inch, but so shiny that I’m mesmerized.
Suddenly, I feel an inexplicable urge to put this ring on Angelee’s finger.
I wonder how she’ll react when I kneel in front of her and offer her this ring... somehow, I can imagine her watery eyes and that sunny smile on her lips.
And I know I’ll find myself mesmerized by her hands when they wave at me, reminding me that she’s going to be by my side forever... When she caresses her belly as I caught her doing, such a simple and discreet act that if I weren’t so crazy about her, I certainly wouldn’t notice. And definitely, I’ll remember that I made the right choice every time she takes our child in her arms or holds my hand.
“That’s the one,” I say with conviction, and my words make the young attendant’s eyes widen even more. “I’ll buy this ring.”
“This ring costs 40,000 dollars.” Her voice sounds loud, a little high-pitched. “Mister, this is half the price of our best ring. Are you sure you don’t want the first one? Women like big and expensive diamonds; the more carats, the better.”
“I’m not worried about the price, and certainly not my fiancée.” I hold out the chosen ring to her, looking steadily into her eyes. “But since you’re telling me that the more carat, the better... why don’t you bring me the most expensive necklace and earrings in this place? I’ll take it.”
She opens her mouth in surprise, but no sound escapes, and I’m quick to add, already reaching for my wallet and pulling out the black card, “And you don’t have to tell me the price; just pass them along with the ring I’ve chosen.”
The attendant quickly turns away, entering the room she had just left, taking all the rings with her.
When I’m left alone, I can’t help but feel my heart punching my chest once again. I take a deep breath, loosening my tie a little so that I can breathe better. I glance at my watch, the pointers ticking away, bringing me closer and closer to the meeting.
Honestly, it’s a relief that I found the perfect ring on my first try. I thought it would take a bit longer, but it was quite easy. In fact, it’s almost like the universe was at our side — and I’m not one to believe in such things as fate or destiny. But this ring seems to have been made to be on Angelee’s finger; I can imagine it so perfectly that it looks almost like a glimpse of the future... *our future.*
“Julian?” I hear a female voice, and I look over my shoulder, noticing long brown hair and a smiling face. My eyes meet the familiar face I didn’t expect to meet again, and not here, of all places, and my eyes widen in surprise, memories coming back to me like a broken record, making me catch my breath.
“Oh, it’s really you... Long time no see! You still remember me, don’t you?” She stops next to me, her smile turning mischievous and her eyes shining with mischief, reminding me why I never liked this woman. “Of course, you remember... You wouldn’t forget the woman who almost married your best friend, right?”