Their Four-Person Test, My Unopened Parachute Chapter 02

I followed them all the way into the penthouse VIP lounge of Apex Noire Club.

Apex Noire Club was Damian’s private extreme-sports club, and the top floor was our private suite — just the five of us.

Luca popped open a vintage champagne. Golden foam spilled over the bottle’s lip and pooled across the marble counter.

“Come on — a toast! To Celeste nailing her high-altitude free fall, and to Damian finally breaking Avery in. Cheers!”

Glasses clinked.

Nico swirled his drink, then suddenly glanced at the dark-green velvet box on the table.

“Speaking of which, Damian — that pink diamond ring you picked up at Sotheby’s. You planning to give it to Avery today?”

Inside the box sat a pink diamond the size of a pigeon’s egg. Rumored to have once belonged to a European royal house, it had fetched an eightfigure price at auction.

Six months ago, he’d chosen it as our engagement ring.

Too bad I’d never get to wear it.

Damian’s voice was cold.

“She walks back here today, apologizes to Celeste, and admits every suspicion she ever had was wrong, then I’ll put it on her.”

Celeste’s gaze landed on the velvet box, a flicker of resentment passing through her eyes.

She stepped forward suddenly, extending her pale fingers.

“Damian, I’ve never seen a pink diamond that big. Can I try it on first?”

Luca chimed in right away, “Come on, what’s the harm in trying it on? Avery’s not here anyway.”

Nico laughed along, “Exactly. Besides, Avery’s fingers are thick — they might not even fit. Celeste has beautiful hands. It’ll look great on her.”

Damian nodded indulgently.

He opened the box, took out the ring, and slid it onto Celeste’s ring finger without a second thought.

“Fits perfectly.”

Celeste raised her hand, admiring it eagerly in the light.

“So pretty… Damian, if it doesn’t fit Avery, why don’t you just give it to me?”

Damian shook his head.

“This is the engagement ring I promised her. It belongs to her alone.”

“If you like it, I’ll have someone buy you another one of equal quality.”

“And if it doesn’t fit her, she can just get the size adjusted.”

Hearing all that, I couldn’t muster so much as a ripple of emotion.

My ring, and he didn’t even know my size.

When he’d measured it six months ago, my fingers were swollen from an allergic reaction.

He’d frowned at me back then, saying I couldn’t even manage my own body. The sizing had been shelved.

And once the swelling went down, he never brought it up again.

“Damian, why hasn’t Avery called?” Nico checked his watch.

Two hours had passed since the jump.

“She usually blows up your phone every half hour when she doesn’t see you. Why is it so quiet today?”

Damian let out a cold laugh and pulled out his phone.

The screen was empty.

No calls. No texts.

“She’s got some nerve.”

His eyes went cold, and he tapped the table hard with his fingertip.

“She’s playing psychological warfare with me? Thinking that if she doesn’t reach out, I’ll panic and send people scouring the mountains for her?”

“Ridiculous. What does she take my limits for?”

He picked up his phone and typed out a line:

[Avery, my patience has limits. If I don’t see you before dark, the engagement is off.]

[And don’t bother coming back to the Moretti house.]

Sent.

I leaned in front of him and laughed out loud.

Damian, you won’t have to wait until dark.

I’m never coming back — not in this lifetime.