Liam knelt in the park, pulling out a velvet box, and my heart raced. I had no idea why he seemed so excited about our picnic, but now I understood.
He looked at me with a love-struck grin. “Lily, we’ve been through so much together. I can’t imagine life without you. Will you marry me?”
He opened the box to reveal a simple gold band with a diamond. “I wanted to use your mom’s ring, but I couldn’t find it, so I got this one.”
I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, tears started pouring out—ugly sobs of pure joy mixed with grief. “Of course, I’ll marry you,” I managed between sobs.
Liam slipped the ring on my finger. “Carl still has Mom’s ring,” I said, wiping my eyes. “She wanted me to have it, but…”
“I know,” he said, pulling me close. “I’m sorry she can’t be here for this.”
After Mom’s death, I had forgotten to ask Carl about the ring, a family heirloom. It was supposed to be mine, but Carl always insisted his daughter, Vanessa, should inherit it. When I visited Carl, I discovered the velvet slot in the jewelry box was empty.
“Where’s the ring?” I asked.
“Vanessa has it,” Carl said. “She just got engaged.”
I was furious. “That was my mom’s ring!”
Carl brushed it off. “It’s just a ring, Lily.”
I stormed out, ready to call Liam, but then I saw Vanessa’s Instagram post—flaunting my ring with a caption about being the “Emerald Queen.”
I drove to Grandma Margaret’s, who immediately sprang into action. Later, she arranged a brunch where, with a sly smile, she revealed that Vanessa’s ring was a replica. “Your mother left the real one with me,” she said, opening a box to reveal the heirloom.
Vanessa’s face fell as Grandma handed me the real ring. “Your mom wanted you to have this when you were ready.”
I slipped it on, feeling Mom’s presence with me. Grandma turned to Vanessa, unbothered by her fury, and suggested she update her social media post: “Oops—turns out I stole the wrong one.”
I didn’t need to say a word. The ring on my finger spoke for itself.
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