The Wedding Ring That Never Made It to My Finger Chapter 09

The Wedding Ring That Never Made It to My Finger Chapter 09

It took Ethan over a month to find out where I’d gone.

He called in every favor he had, asked everyone he knew.

Finally, an acquaintance came through. “I ran into her in Crestwood.”

He bought a ticket that same day.

When the plane landed, he walked out of the terminal and stood there, staring at a city he didn’t know.

He had no idea where to begin.

Crestwood was enormous – thousands of offices, millions of faces.

He started calling companies, one after another.

Most said they had no one by that name. Some just hung up.

He called from afternoon until night, until his phone died and his throat was raw.

The next day, he started going in person.

He’d hold up my photo at every front desk and ask if anyone recognized me.

Most people looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

A few were kind enough to shake their heads gently and wish him luck.

The days wore on. He got thinner. His eyes sank into hollows, and stubble crept across his jaw.

Some days he’d buy a sandwich from a corner store and eat it on the curb, watching strangers walk by.

He didn’t know if he’d ever find me. But he had nothing else left to do.

Then one afternoon, he walked into a design firm in Riverbend.

The receptionist looked at the photo and paused.

‘Are you looking for Clara?”

His heart skipped a beat.

“She’s out with a client right now.”

“She’ll be back soon.”

He didn’t wait inside. He stood outside the building. quiet, still.

Every few seconds he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth it down. His palms were slick with sweat.

When I got back to the office, he was standing outside. I almost didn’t recognize him.

The Ethan I remembered would never have looked like this.

–

He used to check the mirror three times before leaving the house every hair in place, every wrinkle ironed out of his

shirt.

Now he looked like he’d been sleeping on the streets.

The surprise faded fast. What replaced it was nothing flat, empty calm, like I was looking at someone I’d never met.

We just stood there, facing each other.

The wind picked up. It was cold.

He pulled his coat tighter around himself, the motion small and defeated.

“Clara. His voice cracked on the second syllable. “It’s been a while.”

“Don’t say my name.*

He faltered. He hadn’t expected the ice.

He took a step toward me anyway. The guilt in his eyes was suffocating.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your mom – I had no idea she-”

He couldn’t finish. His voice broke, and something in his chest twisted.

“It’s all my fault. I ruined everything. It’s my fault she’s dead.”

“Hit me if you want. Scream at me. I deserve all of it. Just don’t disappear on me like that.”

“I was out of my mind with worry.”

Worried?

I laughed sharp, hollow, nothing warm in it.

–

“I got out of your way, Ethan. I gave you and Nina exactly what you wanted. So why are you here?”

“Is that what this is? You only want what you can’t have?”

When I was right there – devoted, giving him everything – he couldn’t see it.

Now that I’d left now that I was finally trying to survive on my own

Ethan went quiet. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees.

“No. Clara, I was a piece of shit. I know what I did to you.”

“I hate the man I was. I’d tear him apart if I could.”

“Nina’s gone. I ended it –

he’d come chasing.

completely, I swear to you, I will never see her again.”

The words poured out of him- frantic, desperate, like he’d rip his own chest open to prove he meant it.

I watched him the way you watch rain on a window. Nothing moved inside me.

Panic seized him.

He slammed his fist into the concrete. Once. Twice. Hard enough to split his knuckles open.

Clara, please. One more chance. That’s all I’m asking, Please.”

‘Eight years, Clara. Eight years. Can you really just throw all of that away?”