Silver
"If you didn't find anything you liked, we can explore other options," Alice suggested gently, pulling Alisha out of her reverie.
"These are all just too expensive," Alisha whispered, careful not to sound too disheartened in front of the saleswoman and salesman, who stood calmly nearby.
"You two can go," Alice instructed, sensing Alisha's discomfort. He didn't want her to feel pressured in their presence.
"Yes, sir," they both replied in unison before exiting the scene.
"Price doesn't matter, sweetheart. It's for you, and I have more than enough money to spend on you, my love. You'll be my wife soon, and this is nothing compared to you," Alice reassured her softly, gently holding her hand.
Alisha looked at him, then down at their joined hands. "I don't like any of the rings. I've never worn jewellery before, and now they are just too expensive. I'm starting to worry about how expensive those gowns are going to be," she confessed, her voice reflecting her concerns.
"Of course, my soon-to-be wife. They'll be expensive, but you deserve nothing less. Price is no object when it comes to you," Alice replied, smiling at her, touched by her worries.
This situation really shows that Alisha isn't interested in material things, which Alice actually likes about her. Even though he doesn't like gold diggers, he kind of wishes Alisha would ask for more.
Knowing Alisha's background and how she struggled with money before, Alice feels responsible for making sure she's happy, even if she doesn't ask for anything. He wishes she'd feel more comfortable telling him what she wants so he can make it happen for her.
Even if people call him a "simp" for spoiling her, Alice doesn't mind at all. He's more than happy to do whatever it takes to make Alisha happy because he cares about her so much.
To him, Alisha's beauty goes beyond just her looks, and he'll do whatever he can to see her happy, even if it means fulfilling her wishes.
In his eyes, Alisha's happiness is worth any effort. He knows she's been through a lot, and he wants to make her life easier in any way he can. Even if it means being labelled a "simp" or people questioning his motives, he doesn't care.
Though nobody has the guts to question him.
Alice just wants to see Alisha smile, and if fulfilling her wishes brings her joy, then it's worth it.
He believes in their relationship and wants to do everything he can to make it work. So, whether she asks for a little or a lot, he's ready to fill it all .
But the main issue is, she doesn't ask and he doesn't know much about her personal choices. He can gather information about external things, but whatever's going on inside her heart and mind is something only she knows or can share.
"How about you just get me a plain silver ring? You can have the diamond or anything you like. I don't want something so heavy," Alisha negotiated.
One reason she doesn't want an expensive ring is because she knows she might run away before the marriage even happens, so wasting money is the last thing on her mind.
If she knew the cost of those two gowns, she wouldn't even have chosen them. But then again, she didn't even get to choose them.
That's why the matter of fact is, even if she knew the price, she still wouldn't be able to deny it because Alice was the one making the decision.
Now she can make the decision here, so she can at least negotiate.
"You know what a couple rings are?"
"Yes, I do," Alisha replied softly, her brow furrowing with curiosity.
"Tell me then," Alice urged, his eyes locking onto hers with intensity.
"The people both wear it as a commitment," Alisha answered.
"And what more?" Alice pressed further, his tone gentle yet insistent.
"More?" Alisha repeated, feeling a bit puzzled by his question.
"Sweetheart, the couple rings are supposed to be matching," Alice explained tenderly. "How can you choose something silver while I can choose anything? If you like something in silver, I don't mind wearing it too. A ring with diamonds or rubies doesn't matter. What matters is that it matches with you."
Alice didn't even know how he managed to speak those words. They didn't sound like his usual self. Ever since he became a billionaire, he never looked back at inexpensive things.
During his mother's struggles, they always had to settle for cheap items. But after achieving wealth and status, he never considered wearing anything less.
And yet, here they were discussing wedding rings, a once-in-a-lifetime event, and silver was the cheapest option.
But for Alisha, he didn't mind. If it was her choice, he was willing to wear the cheapest option. That's what she wanted from him, after all.
In that moment, Alice felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as memories of his humble beginnings flooded his mind. He couldn't believe how far he had come from those days of struggling.
As he looked into Alisha's eyes, he saw a mixture of surprise and confusion.
With a soft smile, Alice gently squeezed Alisha's hand. "If that's fine, should I call them for silver rings? You can choose whatever you like, and we are getting them in two, as a couple, end of issue, right?"
Alisha nodded her head, unsure of what else to say. Even though the silver rings might end up going to waste, she couldn't risk revealing her plans before she even made them.
At least she wasn't wasting too much money. If it were up to Alice, he would've splurged on expensive things, just like he did with the gowns. The thought of their price still made her heart ache.
Which she didn't even know about, except for the assumption that they must be hellishly expensive.
But maybe they could return them and get his money back. She wasn't entirely sure about that, though.
"Great," Alice commented, as he called for both the salespeople to approach.
"Yes sir, how can we assist you? Have you both decided on a ring?" the salesman asked.
"I want the finest silver rings in your catalogue, the absolute best," Alice declared firmly. "Give me the most exquisite ones you have in your collection.”