When the Aurora Falls on No Man’s Land
Chapter 2
The next day, I didn’t go with Ethan to choose the wedding rings.
Instead, his assistant, Zack, sent me a message.
“Stella, Ethan went to pick up the rings. He asked me to push your wedding dress fitting to next week.”
“Does he have something else to do?”
“Yeah. He said he’s going to the airport to pick up a friend.”
Other than Linda Summers, Ethan didn’t have any friends he would personally go to the airport for.
That afternoon, Ethan came home.
He placed a small velvet box on the coffee table.
“I picked up the ring. Try it on and see if it fits.”
I opened the box.
Inside was a plain band.
No diamonds.
No detail.
The most basic style possible.
“Which store did you buy it from?”
“Online.” He poured himself a glass of water. “The stores charge ridiculous prices. No need to pay a premium for a brand name. Besides, you do housework all the time. A diamond ring would just get in the way.”
I opened the other shopping bag he had brought back.
Inside was a cashmere scarf from a luxury brand.
Deep space gray.
Soft enough to melt in my hands.
“Was this bought online too?” I asked.
He walked over, took the scarf from my hands, and stuffed it back into the bag.
“That’s for Linda. She just got back from Paris, and it was cold there. I picked it up at the duty-free shop on the way.”
“One scarf. Twenty-three thousand dollars.” I looked at the receipt.
Ethan frowned, already impatient.
I said nothing else.
I slipped the plain band onto my finger.
It was a full size too big.
It hung loosely on my ring finger.
“It’s too big.”
He glanced at it.
“Bigger is better. Your fingers will swell when you get pregnant anyway. It’ll fit then. Just make do with it.”
For four years, that was exactly what I had been doing.
Making do.
That evening, a message popped up in Ethan’s college group chat.
“Welcome-back dinner for Linda tonight! Same place as always. Everyone come!”
Ethan stood in front of the closet, choosing a shirt.
“Come with me tonight. You should meet everyone.”
“I’m not going.”
“You’re my fiancée. It’ll look bad if you don’t show up.”
So I changed and went with him.
By the time we arrived at the private room, everyone was already there.
Linda was sitting beside the seat of honor, the twenty-three-thousand-dollar cashmere scarf wrapped around her neck.
“Ethan! Stella! You’re here.”
Linda smiled and waved.
Ethan walked over naturally and sat down beside her.
I sat on his other side.
The server brought the menu.
Ethan took it and started ordering without hesitation.
“Grilled sea bass, sauce on the side. Roasted vegetables, no garlic. And lemon herb salmon, no scallions.”
Linda propped her chin on her hand and smiled sweetly at him.
“Ethan, you still remember I don’t eat scallions or garlic?”
“We’ve known each other almost ten years. How could I forget?”
Someone at the table started teasing them.
“Ethan’s memory is all reserved for Linda.”
The waiter asked, “Would you like anything else? Our tomato basil soup is one of our specialties.”
“Let’s get one. Stella likes it.” Ethan closed the menu.
I looked at him.
“I’m allergic to basil.”
The private room went silent.
The smile on Ethan’s face stiffened.
“Since when?”
“For four years. I ate basil once and broke out in hives all over. You were editing photos at the time and told me to go buy medicine at the pharmacy by myself.”
His grip tightened around his glass.
“That was a long time ago. I forgot.”
Linda quickly poured a glass of warm water and pushed it toward me.
“Stella, don’t be mad at Ethan. His head is full of work. How could he remember every little thing in daily life?”
“Did he forget,” I asked, “or did he just never care enough to remember?”
Ethan slammed his glass onto the table.
“Stella, do you have to embarrass me in front of everyone?”
He turned and called the server over.
“Cancel the soup. Replace it with something she can drink.”
Linda let out a soft sigh.
“Stella, are you still upset about those photos from Iceland? You and Ethan are about to get married. Don’t let me come between you two.”
Someone beside her couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Stella, Ethan only went there for work. Aren’t you being a little controlling?”
“Exactly. Marriage is for the long run. If you’re going to keep checking up on him and getting jealous over everything, who could stand that?”
Ethan sat there without saying a word.
He let everyone accuse me.
He never shielded me from any of their open or hidden attacks.
Because in his eyes, I deserved it.
I stood up.
“I’m going to the restroom.”
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