22 A Ring, A Ring

After signing the documents, the official, quietly left with the photographer and Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewellery box. Placing it on the table in front of them, he opened it up and removed two rings from inside.

As he then picked up Abigail's left hand, despite the nerves he felt, as calmly as possible he said "These are your rings. You can wear them if you want but know that they represent the promises that I made to your grandfather, the commitments set out in the documents and my commitment as I informed you of being committed to this marriage. Promise me, that when you leave them on permanently that it will be your acknowledgement of a willingness to commit to every aspect of our marriage."

Without further hesitation, Daniel slipped both rings onto her finger, and internally sighed in relief because the rings fit Abigail perfectly.

Without waiting, he pulled out the remaining ring in the box, and showing it to Abigail, added "Will you put this on my finger. It will remain there as a sign of my promise to be committed to our marriage, even if no one else knows who that commitment is."

Abigail looked at Daniel stunned and not knowing what to say, before she heard him add "Did you hear me, Abigail?"

"What?!?"

Daniel slightly smiled and said "The rings on your fingers are yours and are a visible reminder of the promises that I have made to you. This ring," and again he showed the Ring in his hand, "I am asking you to put on my hand, as a reminder to me of those commitments. I will leave this on, even if no one else knows who the promise that it is a symbol of was made to."

With that Daniel, turned and handed the ring to Abigail, who stared at the ring in her hand. In that moment she started to question what she had just done.

Sensing the confusion on Daniel, calmly removed the ring he had just placed in Abigail's hand and slipped it onto his ring finger before saying "When you are ready, I will remove this and let you place that back on my finger, but…"

"What are you getting at?"

Smiling Daniel calmly said You seem slightly away in your own world presently. I wanted to give you the opportunity, as my wife to place the ring on my finger, like I did for you, but you did not seem to her me."

Abigail simply shook her head and said "Whatever…"

Rather than responding further Daniel calmly took Abigail's hand and escorted her to where Cole was waiting for them. Cole looked at the two of them, before Daniel, calmly said "Uncle Cole. Can you please look over Abigail's copy of our marriage certificate."

As Daniel handed over Abigail's red book, he could see Cole smiling as he looked carefully at the certificate, before he said, "I can, if Abigail wants me to?" while looking at Abigail to see her reaction.

Abigail simply shrugged her shoulders, and Cole nodded, before adding "It will be in my safe, if it is needed."

Daniel, after observing that interaction and checking the time on his watch, calmly said "I will leave you for the moment. I need head back to the office for a last-minute teleconference, but I will se you at the party later."

At that moment, Daniel, reached into a pocket and pulled out a velvet jewellery bag, before handing it to Abigail, adding "This is for you, so you can remove your rings and hang them on when you cannot wear them."

Quietly Abigail said, "Thank you."

Resisting the urge to lean down and kiss Abigail's lips, which he knew would send her running, Daniel reached over picked up her left hand, turned it over and lifted the palm to his lips before giving it a slight kiss, saying "I will see you later."

With that Daniel dropped her hand, turned and decisively walked away.

Cole, as Daniel exited the building watched his granddaughter's reaction, before saying "Abigail, things will be alright."

Shaking her head, Abigail added "You have to be kidding, grandfather. Nothing has been the same in my life for the last three, coming up four months. I was, despite all appearances happy because I had my plans, as simply as they appeared to everyone else. You arrived, threw money around and changed things before dumping me with those who hate me to their core. Now, you arranged this marriage, and you know I think of every person who has come into my life in the last four months, Daniel Wu is the one that will, I believe, give me the chance to go back to my plans. But, whether that is the case is just to be seen."

Abigail turned away from her grandfather and took three paces away from him before turning back to Cole and saying, "I just need my space, so I will make my way to the hotel and meet Rebecca."