Chapter 9

"Give me your ring."

…

Kate blinked a few times at the man who opened his palm before her. She didn't understand what he said just now.

"What?"

"I said, give me your ring. I will throw it away."

"T—Throw it away?!" Kate quickly pulled her hand away and covered it with the other. She became sober instantly. "Why would I throw away my wedding ring? Are you crazy?!"

"No, I'm not," as the man spoke his voice didn't falter. His deep green eyes looked into hers, reassuring her for some reason, telling her not to worry about anything. "You told me that you don't want to reconcile with that scum, then let me help you move on by throwing that wedding ring away."

"What the—" Kate was startled by his sudden demand, she thought he was joking, but he looked serious.

His palm remained open, ready to accept the ring from Kate.

"Are you refusing because it's expensive?" he asked.

"No, I can buy ten or even twenty of this ring," Kate said, shaking her head. Indeed, the cost of the ring wasn't the problem. But it was the memories that were attached to the ring that made it precious.

She subconsciously caressed the ring on her finger, "But this is my wedding ring… it has a history and memories in it…."

"I know, that's why I want to throw it away," the man explained. "You told me that you don't want to reconcile with him after what he did to you. But you will keep thinking about him and what he did to you as long as you have that ring. So, if you really want to leave him, to move on from him, then give me your wedding ring."

Kate paused and thought for a moment. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't treasure her wedding with Matt.

In the beginning, she and Matt truly married for love. They were childhood sweethearts who grew up together from elementary up to high school. They had always been a couple, and she was over the moon when Matt proposed to her after they graduated from university.

Who could have predicted that her marriage would crumble after just five years because Matt cheated on her… and also because she was infertile.

Kate looked down and stared at her wedding ring. A memory flashed in her mind as she remembered the moment she began turning into a workaholic.

It was around the time when she started working in this publishing company three years ago. She had invited Matt to go to the hospital to have their health and fertility checked together and see what they could do so she could conceive.

But he scoffed and ridiculed her instead.

-

'Why should I do a check-up when you're obviously the one that's barren?' Matt asked.

'W—Well, who knows there might be a problem for you as well. Let's do a check-up together and see what we can do.'

'Hah, I'd rather save the money for my next casting rather than go for a check-up for something so obvious,' Matt scorned. 'Just accept it, Kate. It's the job of a woman to conceive a baby, and you have failed to do so, there is nothing to change about that.'

'Also, if you have the time to ask about something as useless as this, you have the time to work. Go to work and earn us some money. We're on a tight budget this month after a nepo baby took the lead role from me!' Matt complained. Kate was displeased and heartbroken at his words. She knew that Matt was nowhere close to being a lead actor. He was only good enough to play an extra or a one-episode character most of the time. But he had a point about their financial situation, so she worked harder. After all, if they had more money, Matt would be happier. So she worked her ass off until she got promotion after promotion, until she became the Chief Editor.

She managed to give him a comfortable life, and yet he still wasn't happy, wasn't grateful and cheated on her.

Kate's tears threatened to roll down her cheeks, so she quickly wiped them away. It was ridiculous for her to cry for that deadbeat, especially in front of a stranger.

"Kate?" The man called her name, pulling her out of her daze. "Give me the ring if you want to move on."

"Mm, it can't be helped," she said before she pulled the ring off of her finger.

She felt liberated the moment that ring was off. She felt her burden had been lifted, and thus she believed that she had made the right choice.

She put her ring on his palm and stared at him, "Please throw it away for me. I want to forget about him. I want to forget everything about us. I want to be free"

The man cupped his hand and stared back at Kate. He noticed a tear at the corner of her eyes, and his conscience shook because of it, "You will find a man who will treat you much better than he ever did. You're beautiful. You should know that."

"Haha! Sure, whatever. Just throw that ring away," Kate instructed, feeling a little happier because of the man's small compliment.

She'd usually laugh when someone complimented her looks. She was plain Jane at best. Matt wouldn't even think of cheating on her if she was truly beautiful.

"Alright, let me throw this away," the man turned around and walked to the glass pane facing the city. There was a small window in the corner, and he opened it.

The breeze of summer night hit his face in an instant. He clenched the wedding ring and threw it out of the window.

Kate watched as the young man threw the ring away. Kate saw a glint of the diamond before the ring was swallowed by the darkness outside and disappeared from her sight.

She felt as her heart was crushed and torn to pieces , but she also felt free at the same time.

'Goodbye, the love of my life. I hope I can forget you and move on.'