Talented artist Emma is devoted to her businessman boyfriend of three years, Daniel. But when he proposes with a ring that triggers an unsettling memory, she launches an investigation into the past that unearths the man’s true nature.
The sun was setting, painting the city in orange and pink hues. Emma, a graphic designer, was dining with Daniel, her businessman boyfriend of three years, at a fancy restaurant. They were having a good time, laughing and talking.
But then, Daniel seemed nervous. He took Emma’s hand and said, “Emma, I’ve been so happy with you. You make my life better. I want us to always be together.”
Emma smiled, feeling happy but also a bit surprised. Daniel then presented a ring and asked, “Will you marry me, Emma?”
Some diners turned to look at them…
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But Emma noticed something on the ring — a certain pattern — that made her feel unsure about saying yes. It made her doubt Daniel, but she didn’t show it.
“Daniel, it-it’s beautiful,” she replied, although her intuition said Daniel had betrayed her. Where have I seen this ring?
Not sensing her worry, Daniel asked again, “Will you marry me?”
Emma felt stuck. She didn’t want to create a scene by saying no to him in front of the people watching them.
“I-I need a moment, please,” she replied and went to the restroom to think.
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When she came back, she took a deep breath and faced Daniel calmly. “This is a lot to think about all at once, Daniel,” she said. “I love you, but I need some time.”
Daniel nodded. “Take your time,” he said with a calm smile. “I just want you to be happy. I’ll be waiting for your answer.”
***
The next day, Emma sat at her computer, feeling uneasy. She remembered seeing Daniel’s proposal ring before and started looking through his Facebook photos. While at it, she found a picture of Sophie, his ex, wearing the same ring.
Emma felt betrayed because Daniel never told her he had been engaged to Sophie. Yes, she knew Daniel and Sophie had dated for two years, but when did they get engaged?
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When Daniel came home, Emma showed him the photo. “This ring, you proposed to Sophie with it, didn’t you?”
Daniel looked worried and said, “Yes, but it’s a family ring. It’s important, not because of Sophie, but because it’s from my family.”
“So you gave me your ex’s ring?” she asked.
“Emma, it didn’t work out with Sophie, so she returned it. I wanted you to have it because it’s special.”
Emma was upset.
“Look, Emma, I love you,” he continued. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. I’m sorry I never told you about the engagement with Sophie. It’s an episode I wanted to bury. Please understand.”
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“Is there anything else I should know?” Emma asked angrily.
“I promise you, Emma, there’s nothing else. Sophie is history. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and you only. I’ll be in my office in case you need to ask anything else.”
With that, Daniel retreated to the home office, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Emma’s gaze drifted back to her laptop, the photo of Sophie and the ring fueling her doubts and clouding her mind.
She clicked through her own photos and it was then she noticed things that didn’t match what Daniel had told her. For example, a late night he’d said he’d spent at the office, his location tagged him elsewhere.
She felt confused and called her friend Lena for advice.
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“I think Daniel’s been lying to me,” she told Lena.
“What? Wait, what happened?” Lena asked.
Emma explained the proposal, Daniel’s ex’s ring, and other lies. Lena suggested, “You need to talk to him and clear this up.”
Emma agreed and decided to talk to Daniel.
She went to him and said, “We need to talk more about the ring.”
“Why are you bringing this up again?” Daniel asked, getting upset.
“It’s about trust, Daniel. Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged to Sophie?”
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“Where is this coming from, Emma?” Daniel stood up, his brows furrowed in anger. “I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of this. Yes, it was the ring I gave Sophie, but it’s just a ring!”
“Just a ring?” she asked, her voice rising in anger. “It’s a symbol of your past, Daniel. A past you never shared with me. How can I trust you when you hide things like this?”
“I thought it wouldn’t matter,” Daniel argued. “The ring doesn’t change how I feel about you. I love you, Emma, not Sophie.”
“But it does matter to me,” Emma replied. “I need honesty.”
“What do you want me to do, Emma?” Daniel asked, sighing.
“I need time to think about us, about everything.”
“Take as much time as you need,” he said. “I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.”
***
The next day, Emma was at a café, her mind occupied with last night’s events. Suddenly, her phone rang, distracting her. It was Jenna, another friend of hers.
“Hi, Jenna. What’s up?”
“Emma, I thought you should know something,” Jenna said hesitantly. “I saw Daniel with Sophie a few days ago. They seemed—close.”
“Are you sure?” Emma asked.
“Yes, I’m positive. I was surprised, given his proposal to you—Lena told me about it,” Jenna said.
Emma felt even more unsure about Daniel now. She thanked Jenna and left the café, lost in thought about what to do next.
Upon reaching their apartment, Emma called Daniel. “We need to talk about Sophie,” she said as soon as he answered.
“Why?” Daniel asked, surprised.
“I know you met her recently. Why didn’t you tell me?” Emma asked.
“It was just a chance meeting, Emma. It meant nothing,” Daniel explained.
Emma wasn’t convinced. “It feels like you’re hiding things from me,” she said.
“I love you, Emma. I want to spend my life with YOU. The thing with Sophie is in the past,” Daniel tried to reassure her. “Look, I have to go to a meeting now. Let’s talk when I get home.”
“Ok, see you later. Don’t be late,” she replied and hung up. Emma cooked dinner and kept waiting for Daniel. Soon, it was dark outside, and Daniel wouldn’t be home until Emma was already fast asleep.
The next day was a Saturday. Emma left for a run to clear her mind. But even during the run, she couldn’t help but think about Daniel and her relationship. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, jolting her back to reality. It was a message from Lena.
Emma’s heart sank as she read the message accompanied by a photo. The image displayed Daniel in an intimate conversation with an unknown woman at a café.
Emma took off on a run again and quickened her pace, her thoughts racing as fast as her steps. Upon arriving home, she confronted Daniel.
“Can you explain this?” she demanded, showing him the photo.
Daniel took the phone, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the photo. “It’s not what it looks like,” he said, returning the phone to her. “She’s a new client. I was trying to make her feel comfortable. She’s considering investing over a million dollars in my balanced fund. Do you know how much my commission on a million—”
She didn’t even fully hear what he said. She felt torn between the love she still felt for Daniel and the growing mound of doubts. Maybe he’s telling the truth, she thought, suddenly panicking. Or maybe he’s not.
“Daniel, how can I trust you?” she asked plaintively. “First the ring, then Sophie, now this? It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore. I just don’t know if I can believe you!”
Daniel stepped closer to her, his expression softening. “Emma, I love you. You have to believe me. These are just misunderstandings.”
Emma stepped back, putting distance between them. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Whenever I think we can move past this, something else comes up.”
“Emma, I love you. Please believe me,” Daniel pleaded.
Emma didn’t reply. She retreated to their bedroom, closing the door behind her. She felt overwhelmed by doubts and didn’t know what to believe.
Late that night, Emma was still up and decided to go through Daniel’s laptop. She felt like she couldn’t trust him anymore. She knew his password, and luckily, she found Daniel’s email open.
Emma’s heart sank when she found emails showing he was cheating on her with another woman. The texts between him and the woman were not just friendly; they were intimate, revealing an ongoing affair. And it was the same woman whose photo Lena had sent her. Emma could see the woman’s profile picture.
Tears blurred Emma’s vision. The man she’d loved with all her heart and decided to trust despite her doubts was just taking advantage of her innocence and manipulating her with his lies.
Emma had had enough. The next morning, she decided to meet Sophie. She messaged her through Facebook, and the woman immediately agreed.
At a cafe, the two women sat beside each other, Emma feeling extremely nervous. “Did Daniel ever cheat on you?” she asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.
Sophie sighed. “Yes, he did. I found out through a trail of lies and half-truths.”
Emma’s hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. “He told me you two just grew apart.”
Sophie scoffed in disgust. “That’s what he tells everyone,” she said. “But the truth is, Daniel can’t be faithful. He’s charming and persuasive, but it’s all a façade. He’s a player. It’s like a challenge to him to bed every attractive woman he meets. I’m sorry I didn’t do anything to expose him back then. I just walked away, so he got away with it yet again.”
Emma’s eyes welled up. “I thought our love was different.”
“Men like Daniel don’t change,” Sophie said bitterly.
“Well then, it’s time to stop him.” Emma decided. She planned a gathering at her and Daniel’s apartment, inviting all their friends and close acquaintances, including Lena and Sophie, pretending it was to celebrate their engagement.
As all the guests settled, Emma stood up and raised her wine glass, “Thank you for coming, everyone. I want to say that I have something to share with all of you. Daniel… has been cheating on me.”
A loud gasp rang out in the gathering. Everyone was shocked. Daniel was surprised and scared. Emma showed the emails to everyone. “I also have testimonies from Sophie and Lena,” she continued, turning to acknowledge them. “They’ve both witnessed Daniel’s true nature.”
Lena and Sophie nodded. Daniel tried to explain, but Emma didn’t listen and ended their relationship.
***
Months after breaking up with Daniel, Emma had an art show at a gallery. She was now living alone and was glad to be free from a man like him. Her digital art showed her feelings and growth. At the gallery, her friends and art lovers praised her work.
“Emma, these are amazing,” Lena said, looking at the art.
“Thank you. Each one helped me heal,” Emma replied with a smile.
Then, the gallery owner introduced Emma to Ms. Harper, an art critic. “Your art really speaks to people,” Ms. Harper told her.
Emma felt proud and grateful.
As the night went on, many people told her they loved her work. It made Emma happy to know she was moving on in a positive way. She looked at a piece of art that showed a phoenix rising from ashes, and it reminded her of her own fresh start.
By the end of the evening, Emma felt sure this was a new beginning for her. She was ready to write her own story — one of strength, hard work, and independence.