That silence hurt more than any answer could have.
My eyes filled with tears.
I looked down at the diamond, remembering how carefully he had slipped it onto my finger only hours earlier.
Then, slowly, I twisted it free.
My hands were shaking so badly that it took me several seconds to remove it.
I placed it in his open palm.
“There,” I whispered. “Take it.”
He stared at the ring.
For a moment, I thought he might reach for me, apologize, or finally tell me the truth.
Instead, he closed his fingers around it.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Then he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
A few seconds later, I heard the front door close.
I remained standing beside the counter, my phone still pressed against my ear.
“Nadya?” my mother asked. “Sweetheart, what happened? I heard everything.”
I tried to speak, but my throat had tightened.
