The Ring She Tossed Away

When I finally opened my eyes, the ward was completely empty. Glancing at the calendar on the wall, I realized I had been in a coma for three full days. Though a lingering exhaustion weighed on my bones, my body was already healing. I dragged myself out of bed and completed the discharge procedures entirely on my own.

But the moment I stepped out of the hospital, I was intercepted and whisked away to a private chamber in an exclusive club. It suddenly dawned on me. Today was Lucius’s birthday.

[Flashback]

In my previous life, Lucius had thrown a lavish birthday party. Yet, despite being the guest of honor, he was the one giving the gifts. He had gently placed a paper crown on my head and handed me a share transfer agreement, effectively signing over the majority of his empire to me. I had wept tears of joy back then.

[End of Flashback]

Pushing open the heavy doors, I found Planette sitting in the seat of honor, that very birthday crown resting on her head. Seeing me enter, Lucius hurried over, guided me to the sofa, and presented a shareholding document with both hands, his eyes shining with rehearsed devotion.

“Amara, I love you. On my birthday, I want to give you the most precious gift. Here is all my fortune, everything I have. I only wish to be with you forever, never to be apart.”

I curled my lip, suppressing a sneer, and signed my name without a word. It clearly never occurred to him that I would actually accept. I caught a glimpse of momentary stiffness in Lucius’s expression. He had fully expected me to reject his present, just as I had in my previous life. I could practically feel his panic as he realized things were slipping out of his control.

All of a sudden, the crowd erupted into cheers.

“Amara, what birthday gift did you prepare for Lucius?”

“You two are so affectionate! You must have gotten him something amazing. We’re dying of curiosity!”

It seemed everyone in the private chamber was tacitly pretending Planette didn’t exist. I offered a wry, enigmatic smile.

“I actually prepared two gifts for Lucius. I’ll go home and fetch them so you can all see.”

A relieved smile tugged at the corner of Lucius’s mouth. He was absolutely certain that my earlier coldness was just a figment of his imagination.

Half an hour passed. I didn’t return.

An hour passed. I still hadn't returned.

After two hours, Lucius couldn’t sit still any longer. Grabbing his coat, he bolted out of the chamber, nearly colliding head-on with a delivery courier at the door.

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Lucius Corleone? This is a package Ms. Amara Conti sent for you.”

Everyone in the private chamber crowded around, jostling to catch a glimpse of what I had brought. Lucius’s heart soared. She prepared this for me days ago, he thought, thrilled beyond measure. He tore open the box, eager to unveil my gift, but his triumphant words died in his throat. A divorce agreement lay inside. His fingers trembled violently as he flipped it open, and a single plane ticket fluttered out, drifting down to land on the floor.

At that exact moment, a text message pinged on his phone. Lucius stood frozen, his limbs turning to lead. He stared at the screen, his mind reeling, unable to process what it meant.

“Lucius!” someone shouted, breaking the suffocating silence. “That’s Amara’s ticket! She must want you to go after her and win her back! Hurry up! Just go find her!”