Chapter 11

“River, you shouldn’t wear it, right?” Luke’s eyebrows pressed together as he stared at the ring.

The storm in Luke’s eyes didn’t read offense for himself, rather it was like he saw through the ring to its real identity. River held his palm beside his waist, also lowering his head to stare at the bottom of the ring. He opened his mouth as if he had many important words to get out, but only cold tears fell off his lips.

“River? What is it, what are you thinking?” Luke’s voice rose in confusion as he spotted the tears, but for River this was only the unsurprising tide of the past coming up his shore again. Luke had looked at the ring like he saw chains, and he was right. The unique design and high quality should have been a token of love but in reality, it was a diamond collar.

“I was just remembering a lie.” River’s voice was steady but barely audible. Luke tried to close the distance between them again but River turned his back to him. “Maybe you should go.”