Josh and I had been living together for just over a year, and everything felt perfect. It was like life had finally aligned the way I had always dreamed. A few days before our anniversary, I was looking for something in his bag when I stumbled across it.

The ring!

My heart stopped for a second. I stood there, frozen, holding the little velvet box, staring at the diamond inside.

Is this really happening?

I closed the box quickly, afraid if I looked too long, I’d spoil the surprise. But still, I couldn’t help myself. Josh was going to propose.

This has to be it!

The timing was perfect, and the anniversary dinner with his parents seemed ideal for him to pop the question.

I had just wrapped up a huge project and submitted it to investors for review. My schedule was wide open now, and it felt like fate gave me this time to focus on us.

I planned a surprise for our anniversary: a weekend trip to Paris. I had saved up for months, cutting back on everything. I turned to Wayne, Josh’s best friend. He had always been around, and I trusted him to keep the surprise under wraps.

“Wayne, I want this to be special,” I said, explaining my idea. “Do you think you could help me organize everything? I’m not great at keeping secrets, and Josh will notice if I’m acting weird.”

Wayne nodded, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “Sure, Kate, I can help. But… don’t you think you’re going a bit overboard?”

“Maybe, but I want it to be perfect. It’s important to me.”

“Alright, I’ll make some calls and help set it all up. But just remember, sometimes the simplest things are the most memorable.”

I appreciated his advice, but I wanted Josh to feel how much he meant to me.

***

The following day, we arrived at Josh’s family estate. The place was enormous, far beyond anything I had imagined. Josh’s mother, Darlene, gave Josh a quick hug, smiling warmly at him.

“Josh, darling, it’s been too long,” she said, holding his arm. “I trust the city hasn’t made you forget your roots?”

Josh chuckled nervously. “Of course not, Mom.”

I stood there, waiting for some sort of greeting from her, but nothing came. She didn’t even glance in my direction. I smiled, but it was like trying to break through a wall of ice.

At dinner, things only got worse. Darlene glanced at me between bites.

“So, Kate,” she began, placing her fork down delicately, “you must be quite busy with… your work?”

“Yeah, I’ve just finished a big project. I submitted it to some investors last week.”

“Oh, how nice,” she replied, her tone more dismissive than impressed. “Women in this family aren’t just pretty faces, you know.”

Is this a compliment or a jab?

“We’re strategists,” she continued, leaning forward slightly, her sweet smile deepening. “We know how to protect what’s ours.”

Her words hung in the air, cold and heavy, like a warning. Josh, sipping his wine, seemed oblivious to the tension.

Later, as we sat quietly in the living room, the tension from dinner still clinging to me, I couldn’t shake the feeling of not belonging. Still, every time doubt crept in, I thought of the ring.

No matter what, our love will withstand anything. The ring is proof of it.

***

The next day was our anniversary, and I woke up with butterflies in my stomach, excited for the dinner we had planned at a luxurious restaurant.

“Today’s the day,” I whispered to myself, smiling as I imagined the ring on my finger by the end of the evening.

Surprisingly, Darlene was much more pleasant than the night before.

“I hope you slept well, Kate,” she said over breakfast.