He Bought Her Dream Gift with My Ring Money

On the eve of my engagement party to my fianc, Brooks, our friends put together a Mystery Box Game.

Each guy put a gift inside a box, and the girls drew them at random.

When I opened mine, there was only a thin slip of paper inside: [Thank you for participating.]

Brooks rubbed my hair gently. Still as unlucky as ever, babe.

Bryant, my best friend since kindergarten, lowered his voice too. "Its just a game, Alice. Dont let it ruin your night."

Then it was Michelles turn. She opened her box.

Inside was a pink diamond necklace Brooks had personally picked out, and a voucher for a couple's getaway to Mauia trip I had been begging Brooks to take me on for three years.

There was also a card written by Bryant: [We will always protect you.]

I forced a tight smile and set my empty box back on the table.

It was just a lucky draw, right? It was all about luck.

Until I went to the restroom and overheard the coordinator in the lounge checking the guest list. "Mr. Brooks, did we distribute the boxes correctly?"

"The one with the gifts goes to Miss Michelle. The empty one goes to Miss Alice."

Brooks gave a casual "Yeah."

Bryant chimed in with a chuckle, "Perfect."

Standing outside the door, I quietly tore the paper slip into pieces.

Im canceling the wedding.

This little game of luck they rigged? Im not playing anymore.

When I walked back into the VIP room, everyone was crowding around Michelle, taking photos.

The pink diamond necklace rested against her collarbone, sparkling like a teardrop being cradled in someones palm.

Someone teased, "Brooks, you have crazy good luck. If I didnt know any better, Id think you were proposing to Michelle tonight."

Michelles eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Dont say that. Itll make Alice uncomfortable."

The moment she spoke, every eye in the room shifted to me.

Seeing me walk in, Brooks frowned slightly.

"Why are you standing by the door?"

"Anyone would think someone was bullying you."

I looked at him, suddenly finding it hilarious.

I was the one who got hurt, yet even my silence was treated as me throwing a tantrum.

So, I didnt move.

Brooks' brow furrowed deeper.

Bryant stood up first and walked over to me.

He had gentle eyes and always seemed to look at people with a warm smile.

Before I turned eighteen, I always believed Bryant was the last person on earth who would ever embarrass me.

But now, he bent down, keeping his voice incredibly low.

"Alice, dont make a scene and embarrass Brooks tonight."

I looked up at him. "Did I say anything?"

Bryant choked on his words.

Michelle clutched the necklace, her tears falling faster.

"Alice, let me give the necklace back to you. I shouldnt have taken it anyway."

The moment her hand touched the clasp, Brooks spoke coldly. "Keep it on."

Then Brooks turned to me. "The game decided who got it. That's it."

I let out a soft chuckle. The room went dead silent.

Brooks gaze turned icy.

Bryant frowned. "Alice, its just a game. Do you have to make things so ugly?"

He stepped in front of Michelle, shielding her. His voice was still soft, but it felt like a cold blade pressed against my throat.

"Michelle has been insecure since she was a kid. Shes finally happy for once. Cant you just let her have this?"

There it was again. That same old line.

I couldnt help but look at Michelle.

She was hiding behind Brooks, tears still hanging on her lashes, but the look she shot me was filled with a smug, silent triumph.

A second later, Brooks stood up and walked over to me.

He smelled of cold cedarwood. I was the one who chose that cologne for him.

I told him it suited himclean and sophisticated. But he used to complain it was too subtle.

Later, Michelle said she liked it. He had been wearing it for three years now.

He reached out, trying to ruffle my hair like he always did. I tilted my head and stepped back, dodging his hand.

Someone in the room gasped.

Brooks expression finally darkened completely.

"Ill be there for your bridal fitting tomorrow."

I looked up into his eyes. "You actually remember?"

He stared back as if I had just said something ridiculous.

"When have I ever forgotten a promise I made to you?"

Just then, Michelle let out a soft cough.

Brooks turned around instantly. "Whats wrong?"

Michelle shook her head. "Nothing. My neck is just a little itchy. Maybe I'm not used to the necklace yet."

Brooks picked up his coat from the couch and draped it over her shoulders.

Bryant looked at my pale face and sighed.

"Alice, stop overthinking."

"Brooks is marrying you tomorrow. Michelle is just like a little sister to us."

I looked him dead in the eye. "Does a 'little sister' accept a pink diamond handpicked by the fianc?"

The smile faded from Bryants face. "Do you have to be so bitter?"

Brooks looked back, his voice dropping to a warning whisper. "Alice, thats enough."

Suddenly, I didn't want to say another word.

In this game of theirs, even after being humiliated, I was expected to smile and say, "Oh, I guess I'm just unlucky."

When the party ended, Brooks drove Michelle to the hospital.

Her neck had broken out in a small red rash.

Bryant stayed behind to take me home.

As we reached the exit, he took off his scarf and wrapped it around my neck.

"The wind is cold tonight. Don't catch a cold."

I stared down at the scarf.

He always did this. Just when I was about to give up on him completely, he would throw me a tiny crumb of warmth.

And in the next second, he would push me right back into the dark.

Sure enough, once the scarf was secured, he said, "Alice, dont take tonight to heart."

"You know Brooks. Hes cold on the outside, but he cares about you."

"Hes going to your fitting tomorrow, and you guys are getting your marriage license the day after."

"Youve already won. Stop fighting Michelle over these little things."

I looked at him. "What exactly did I win?"

Bryant froze.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Because even he couldn't answer that.

The next morning, I went to the bridal boutique alone.

When the stylist pulled the main wedding gown out of the dust bag, her eyes lit up.

"Miss Alice, this is absolutely perfect for you. Is Mr. Brooks joining us today?"

I hesitated. "Hell be here."

That was the very last time I would ever make excuses for him.

But ten oclock came, and he wasn't there.

At ten-thirty, his assistant sent a text:

[Miss Alice, Mr. Brooks has an urgent matter to attend to. He might not make it today.]

I dialed Brooks' number. He actually picked up.

But over the line, I could hear Michelle's muffled whimpers in the background.

"Alice, Im at the hospital," Brooks said.

I gripped my phone tightly. "What happened to you?"

"Not me. Its Michelle. She had an allergic reaction to that necklace last night. Her neck is severely swollen."

I looked down at the wedding gown I was wearing.

The corset was laced so tightly it made it hard to breathe.

"Today is our wedding fitting."

The line went silent for a moment. Then, Brooks let out a heavy sigh.

"Alice, dont compare yourself to her."

"Youre the one registering the marriage with me tomorrow. Youre the one who will stand beside me at the altar."

"Michelle is sick, and Im just staying with her for a bit. Do you really have so little security in our relationship?"

A lump formed in my throat, choking me.

Just then, a stylist walked over, holding a box.

"Miss Alice, Mr. Brooks just had this delivered."

Inside was a pair of off-white satin wedding heels.

The heels weren't too high, and there were blister pads pre-applied to the back of the shoes.

A card lay next to them: [Your heels blister easily. Don't wear them too high.]

Staring at the card, a sharp ache bloomed in my chest.

So he did remember.

When I was eighteen, the first time I wore high heels, my heels ended up bloody and raw.

On the phone, his voice softened. "Did you get the shoes?"

"Yeah," I whispered.

"Be good," he said, coaxing me. "I'll come home and have dinner with you tonight."

Before I could reply, Michelles voice drifted through the receiver.

"Brooks, is my neck going to scar?"

Brooks immediately turned away from the phone. "No, let me see."

The call clicked dead.

I looked down at the shoes.

The shoes fit perfectly. But the man who sent them never showed up.

At 3:00 PM, Bryant arrived.

By then, I had already finished trying on all the dresses.

Bryant pushed the door open, and when he saw me, his eyes widened slightly. "You look beautiful."

He walked closer and looked down at my feet.

His brow furrowed instantly. "Did you get blisters again?"

He knelt down, pulling a tin of Band-Aids from his pocket. "Don't move."

He applied the bandage with extreme gentleness, a routine he had mastered years ago.

Once done, he looked up at me. "Does it hurt?"

I didn't answer.

Bryant stood up and helped me up. "Let's get in the car. It's freezing outside."

It was pouring.

He tilted the umbrella completely over my side, leaving his own shoulder soaked within seconds.

I followed him to the car. Just as I was about to slide in, I noticed a white plush lamb sitting on the passenger seat.

I froze.

Bryant hesitated for a split second, then quickly held the door open, speaking in a casual, dismissing tone. "Just sit in the back."

I stared at the toy. "It can't sit in the back?"

Bryant went stiff.

"Don't start, Alice. Michelle has been waiting for this toy all afternoon."

"So, I sit in the back, and the toy gets the front seat?"

He sighed deeply.

"Alice, you're different."

"You're stronger than her."

Tears stung the back of my eyes.

But I reached out and pushed his hand off the car door.

"Bryant, I don't want to be strong today."

The warmth on his face vanished. "Don't make this hard for me."

I smiled weakly. "You always tell me to be understanding. Why do you never tell her to be understanding?"

Bryant was silent for two seconds. Then, he said:

"Because she actually cries."

I nodded slowly. "And I don't."

I hugged my wedding gown bag tightly, turned around, and walked into the rain.

The downpour was heavy. Within steps, the back of my heels began to throb with pain.

I didn't look back, and Bryant didn't chase after me.

Honestly, it didn't matter anymore.

Twenty minutes later, Michelle posted on her Instagram.

In the photo, the white plush lamb was sitting clean and cozy next to her hospital bed.

Her caption read: [Someone ran through the storm just to bring me this. He said he won't rest until my pain is gone.]

I stood by the side of the road, holding my heavy dress garment bag, my feet completely numb from the cold and pain.

The boutique assistant ran out, handing me a small paper bag.

"Miss Alice! You forgot your veil!"

I took it. At that exact moment, I decided I didn't want to register the marriage anymore.

But the next morning, I still went to City Hall.

I just wanted to see, with my own eyes, if he would actually show up.

At 9:15 AM, I saw Brooks car pull up across the street.

When the car door opened, my chest loosened. I even subconsciously smoothed down my hair.

Honestly, if he had just walked up to me and said, "Alice, Im here," I might have swallowed all of last nights pain and pushed forward.

But then his phone rang. Brooks answered it.

I didn't know what Michelle said on the other end, but his face turned pale.

In the next second, he got right back into the car and drove away.

The sound of the car door shutting was quiet, but it felt like a sledgehammer to my heart.

Ten minutes later, Michelle posted on Instagram.

[I told him I didn't want to be alone, and he actually came back for me.]

The photo showed Brooks holding her hand while she was hooked up to an IV.

At 9:40 AM, Bryant rushed to City Hall.

When he got out of his car, his face was lined with exhaustion, looking like he hadnt slept.

"Stop waiting, Alice. Brooks isn't coming today."

I stared at him. "I saw him."

Bryant was stunned.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he only said, "Michelles allergy flared up again last night. She can't handle any stress right now."

I asked quietly, "But I can?"

He frowned. "Alice, stop asking things like that."

He stepped closer, his voice taking on a coaxing tone.

"You're the one getting the wedding, the title, and the name Mrs. Brooks."

"What does Michelle have? She only has us as her friends."

I packed up my ID, turned, and walked away.

Bryant grabbed my arm. "Where are you going?"

"The wedding planning company."

He let out a sigh of relief. "To finalize the schedule?"

"Yeah," I murmured.

His face softened. "Good. Don't ruin the big day. If you make a scene, you're the one who will look bad."

At the wedding planners office, the coordinator looked incredibly uncomfortable.

She pushed her tablet toward me to show me the screen.

On the screen was a giant photo of Brooks standing in the middle, with me on his left and Michelle on his right.

The photo was taken at Michelles birthday party last year.

She was wearing a white dress, holding Brooks arm, looking like the real bride.

I was standing off to the side, still holding the knife we used to cut her cake.

The welcome sign had been changed too: [Thank you for witnessing our ten years together.]

But why did "our ten years" have to include Michelle?

I scrolled through the itinerary. Everything had been modified.

In our wedding vows, there was even a paragraph dedicated to thanking Michelle.

I looked at the coordinator. "Who approved this?"

The coordinator said timidly, "Mr. Brooks did."

Seeing my face turn pale, Bryant immediately spoke up.

"Its just the welcome area, not the main stage."

"Michelle never had a real family. She just wanted to feel included."

I looked at him. "Its my wedding. Why does she need to feel included?"

Bryants voice grew heavy. "Alice, dont be so petty."

Just then, Brooks called my phone.

The moment I picked up, he asked, "Did you see the new itinerary?"

"I did."

"Michelle cried all night, saying she felt like an outsider. I had them add a few photos."

I asked, "Do you think thats appropriate?"

"What's wrong with it?" he snapped, his voice filled with impatience.

"Shes your maid of honor, and shes our mutual friend. Youre marrying me tomorrow, Alice, not a digital screen."

I kept scrolling. When I reached the jewelry confirmation page, my fingers froze.

The note read:

[Pearl earrings to be worn by Miss Michelle for the wedding promo video shoot.]

Those pearl earrings were a family heirloom left to me by my mother.

Before she passed away, she told me she wanted me to wear them on my wedding day. It was my "Something Old."

I asked, "Why is Michelle wearing my mother's earrings?"

Brooks was silent for a moment. "She's just modeling them for the promo..."

I cut him off. "Those belong to my mother."

"I know."

I let out a bitter laugh. "You know, and you still let her wear them?"

Over the phone, Michelle started crying softly.

"Brooks, forget it. I won't wear them. I don't want to make Alice mad..."

Brooks voice softened instantly as he comforted her. "Don't say that."

When he spoke to me again, his voice was like ice.

"Alice, Michelle was just trying to help you test them out. Do you have to be so harsh?"

I said, "Get them back. Now."

Brooks didn't reply.

Standing next to me, Bryant suddenly spoke up.

"Alice, if your mother were still here, she wouldn't pick a fight with a young girl over this."

I whipped my head around to look at him. The conference room went dead silent.

Bryant flinched under my gaze, but he kept pushing.

"Am I wrong? Your mother would have wanted you to be the bigger person."

"If she saw you making such a massive scene over a pair of earrings, she wouldn't be happy either."

Slap!

I slapped him across the face.

On the other end of the line, Brooks roared, "Alice! Did you just put your hands on him?!"

Bryant stumbled back, his hand on his cheek, his eyes wide with utter shock.

"Alice... I don't even recognize you anymore!"

I didn't answer him. I grabbed my bag and walked out.

Behind me, Brooks' voice came through the phone: "If you walk out now, don't expect me home tonight."

I paused for a fraction of a second. "Whatever."

At 11:00 PM, Brooks wasn't home.

I sat in the living room of our new house, flipping through the wedding program from start to finish.

My name only appeared twice.

This didn't look like a wedding between Brooks and me. It looked like a celebration of three people.

At 1:00 AM, the front door unlocked.

Brooks walked in, smelling heavily of hospital sanitizer.

Seeing me still sitting there, he frowned. "You're still up?"

I asked, "Where are the earrings?"

He stopped unbuttoning his collar.

"Michelle has to shoot the promo video tomorrow morning. They're staying with her tonight."

I stood up. "Get them back. Now."

Brooks face darkened, the last of his patience completely evaporating.

"Alice, I am marrying you tomorrow!"

"What more do you want?!"

I said, "I want my mothers things."

Brooks let out a cold, arrogant chuckle that cut like a knife.

"Shes literally just wearing them for a video, and you can't even handle that?"

"Alice, dont be so greedy."

I stared at him, dumbfounded.

To him, wanting my deceased mothers heirloom back was "greedy."

Right then, Bryant called Brooks. His voice was frantic.

"Brooks, we have a problem."

"Michelle says the earrings are gone."

My entire body went rigid. Half an hour later, we rushed to the hotel dressing room.

Michelle was sitting in front of the vanity mirror, wrapped in Brooks coat, her eyes swollen red from crying.

The vanity table was a complete mess.

But the pearl earrings were nowhere to be seen.

I looked at the stylist. "Where's the security footage?"

The stylist kept her head down. "The cameras broke this afternoon."

How convenient.

I looked at Michelle. "Give them back to me."

Tears streamed down Michelle's face.

"Alice, I swear I didn't take them!"

"Then we call the police."

Michelles face turned pale. She suddenly stood up and made a move to throw herself against the wall.

"It's all my fault! I shouldn't have touched Alice's things! I should just die!"

Brooks caught her in his arms, and Bryant rushed over to help hold her back.

The two of them shielded her, one on each side, keeping her safe in the middle.

Brooks looked back at me, his eyes colder than ice. "Apologize."

I thought I had misheard him. "What did you say?"

"Apologize to her."

He said it slowly, emphasizing every word.

"She is already having a breakdown. How much further do you want to push her?"

I stared at him. "Brooks, she lost my mothers only keepsake."

"She said it wasn't on purpose!"

"And you just believe her?!"

"Do you have any proof that she did it on purpose?"

I was speechless.

Bryant pleaded in a low voice, "Alice, just swallow your pride."

"You've already won. Why do you have to make things so hard for her?"

Looking at them, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over me.

Michelle was clearly the one winning everything, yet everyone treated her like the victim.

So, I nodded. I didn't want to fight anymore.

"Fine."

The dressing room went quiet.

Brooks frowned, clearly not expecting me to give in so easily.

Even Bryant looked stunned.

I turned to Michelle. She was still shrinking behind Brooks, tears pooling in her eyes.

I said, "I'm sorry."

Bryant stared at me, his lips parting. "Alice..."

I didn't look at them again.

I slipped off my engagement ring and placed it quietly on the vanity.

"The wedding can go on tomorrow."

"Don't let me ruin your fun."

I turned and walked out.

Brooks looked like he wanted to chase after me.

But Michelle suddenly clutched her neck, her voice trembling, "Brooks, it hurts so bad..."

Brooks immediately turned back to her, and Bryant instantly focused all his attention on her.

In that split second, I stepped out of the room.

By the time they looked up again, the door had closed, and I was gone.

That night, I went back to the house and canceled every single wedding vendor, one by one.

The wedding planner took my call at 3:00 AM, her voice trembling with panic.

"Does Mr. Brooks know about this?"

"He doesn't need to."

Before the sun rose, I dragged my suitcase and left the city.

On the morning of the wedding, at 10:00 AM.

Brooks went to the jewelry store himself and picked out a pear-cut diamond ring.

He stared down at the ring, his voice quiet. "She's loved this cut since she was eighteen."

Bryant stood beside him, holding a long, black umbrella.

My name was engraved on the handle.

He smiled softly. "This should work too."

"Shes remembered that rainy night when we were eighteen for so many years."

Brooks shot him a look. "You still remember that?"

Bryants smile faded a bit. "Yeah."

He paused, then added, "She apologized way too quickly last night."

Brooks scoffed.

"She was just tired."

"After throwing a tantrum all night, she needed a way out."

Bryant nodded. "True."

He forced a laugh.

"Alice has a soft heart."

"With you giving her the ring and me giving her the umbrella, she won't be able to stay mad once she sees them."

But when the two arrived at the hotel venue, they found the staff taking down the wedding decorations.

Brooks froze. "Who told you to tear this down?"

The coordinator was shocked to see him.

"Mr. Brooks... wasn't the wedding canceled?"