The Handmade Ring

I found a flyer for a diamond ring in Zane Sterling's pocket right after he tried to break up with me for the twenty-ninth time.

Zane didn't even blink when he saw me holding it. He just leaned back and said, I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. But since you found it, we might as well go pick one out this weekend.

I felt like a complete idiot standing in front of that jewelry store all day Sunday. He never showed up.

On my way home, I scrolled through my phone and saw a post from his ex, Roxie Hart.

"Even though a certain someone didn't take me ring shopping, he made one for me with his own hands. I guess I can forgive him!" she wrote, captioning a photo of a delicate, handmade band.

In the past, I would have screamed at Zane. I would have begged him to stay like a pathetic loser.

But this time, I was the one who pulled the plug.

Seeing Roxie's post made me realize I was nothing but a clown in their circus.

Every time Zane tried to leave, I clung to him. I hurt myself just to get a scrap of his attention.

I acted like a beggar, pleading for a man who didn't even see me.

In that photo, the ring they made together looked like a masterpiece. It was a slap in my face.

I was hiding in the shadows, spying on my own boyfriend's happiness with another woman.

It was beyond pathetic. Why did I have to be the stepping stone for their epic romance?

Zane kept dumping me just to crawl back to Roxie. He ignored everything I did for him while I ran in circles like a fool.

I was done being the sacrificial lamb.

The next morning, I stormed into Roxie's design studio. Before anyone could react, I swung my hand and slapped her hard across the face.

The gasps from her coworkers echoed in the room.

I didn't care about the whispers. For the first time in years, I felt a rush of pure, unadulterated relief.

Roxie clutched her cheek, her eyes burning with rage. Suddenly, a pair of strong hands grabbed my arm and shoved me back.

I stumbled and slammed into a heavy wooden chair.

A sharp, biting pain shot through my back, making it hard to breathe.

When I looked up, Zane was already there, cradling Roxie's face in his hands.

His eyes were dark with a hatred so intense it felt like he wanted to rip me apart.

I finally saw it. He was capable of tenderness and worry. He just never felt those things for me.

Seeing him look at me like I was a monster made my heart turn to ice.

Before I could even open my mouth, his hand flew out. A stinging slap landed right on my jaw.

My head snapped to the side. My ears rang, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

I could feel my cheek swelling instantly.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Zane roared. "Roxie never did anything to you. Why are you acting like a psycho?"

I looked at him and let out a cold, mocking laugh.

He actually hit me. He hit me in front of all these people to protect her.

He stood there like a shield, blocking me from even looking at her.

But I saw her. Over his shoulder, Roxie was smirking at me.

"Zane, we're done," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

There was nothing left to say. I'd treat our years together like a piece of trash I finally threw away.

I wasn't going to fight for a spot in a life where I didn't belong.

I was just the temporary distraction they used to spice up their drama.

I turned to leave, but Roxie stepped out from behind him.

Zane tried to stop her, looking like he thought I might pull a knife, but she brushed him off.

She walked up to me and let out a low, sharp chuckle.

It was a direct hit to my pride. I stared at her, my eyes full of venom.

She leaned in close, so close that only I could hear her. Her words were dripping with malice.

She reached out and mockingly brushed some dust off my shoulder.

I wanted to swing again, but Zane grabbed her and pulled her away. His voice was sickeningly sweet when he spoke to her.

"She's a lunatic, Roxie. Don't go near her."

He looked at me with pure disgust, as if I were a pile of rotting garbage.

Roxie put on her best damsel-in-distress face. "It's okay, Zane. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

She glanced back at me one last time, her eyes dancing with triumph.

I stood there while the whole room whispered about me. I felt like the villain in a story where I was supposed to be the lead.

I stayed holed up in my apartment for a few days, trying to heal. I figured I was finally done with Zane and his little drama queen.

I thought we were out of each other's lives for good.

Then, a loud, violent banging on my door shattered the silence.

The second I turned the lock, a group of men shoved their way inside.

"So you're the little bitch who's been trashing my sister's life?" a massive guy yelled.

"You've got some nerve hitting her!" another one barked.

"Boys, tear this place apart!"

Before I could even process what was happening, they started smashing my furniture.

Within minutes, my home was a disaster zone.

They broke everything I owned, from my TV to my favorite ceramic vases.

"Who the hell are you?" I screamed, my blood boiling.

The leader stepped into my face. "I'm Jaxson Hart, Roxie's brother. She told me everything about how you tried to steal her man and then jumped her at work."

I let out a harsh laugh. "You want to talk about homewreckers? Look at your sister!"

Suddenly, his fist slammed into my shoulder.

The force sent me flying backward, and I collapsed onto the floor.

"Keep my sister's name out of your mouth," Jaxson spat. "I'm going to make sure everyone in this neighborhood knows exactly what kind of trash lives here."

A cold pit formed in my stomach.

Before I could scramble away, they grabbed me by the arms and dragged me out of the apartment.

They pulled me all the way to the local park, right where people were out walking their dogs and playing with their kids.

I fought with everything I had, but I was no match for three grown men.

I'd never felt so humiliated in my life.

"Hey everyone! Take a good look!" Jaxson shouted to the growing crowd. "This woman is a homewrecker! She's been stalking my sister's fianc and attacking her at her job!"

People started gathering around, whispering and pointing.

"What a disgusting person," someone muttered.

"She looks so normal, too," another whispered.

I saw some of my neighbors in the crowd. People I used to wave to every morning were now looking at me like I was scum.

"I didn't do anything! He was my boyfriend!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I wasn't the one who cheated. I was the one who got played.

"Roxie is the one who couldn't stay away from a man she knew was taken!"

"Shut your mouth!" Jaxson yelled.

His palm connected with my face so hard that my vision went blurry.

I fell back onto the grass, the taste of copper filling my mouth again.

"You're still lying?" Jaxson mocked. "Zane and my sister have been together since college. When did you even show up?"

Looking at his furious face, I knew I was in real danger. If I didn't find a way to end this, these guys were going to put me in the hospital.

"Why don't you ask Zane yourself?" I gasped, clutching my aching jaw. "Ask him who paid his rent for three years."

I stared at him, refusing to back down.

"Fine," Jaxson sneered. "I'll call him down here right now. Let's see what he has to say about you."

I expected Zane to show up alone, but of course, he had Roxie clinging to his arm.

This was the lowest point of my life.

"Alright, Zane," Jaxson said, gesturing to me. "Tell everyone the truth. Who is this girl, and how long has she been stalking you?"

Zane looked around, clearly caught off guard.

He hated Jaxson. He always complained that Roxie's brother was a meathead with no class.

But right now, he needed Jaxson to be his muscle. He forced a tight smile.

"We met while I was on a solo road trip right after college," Zane lied, his voice loud enough for the crowd to hear.

He was framing it like a random, meaningless encounter.

He was literally erasing three years of our lives together.

I stared at him, my heart breaking all over again. He was willing to let these people destroy me just to keep his lies alive.

"You hear that?" Jaxson shouted to the crowd. "She's been obsessed with him ever since he was nice to her on a trip. And my sister was waiting for him at home the whole time!"

The crowd started jeering. The judgment was thick in the air.

"She's so young, why would she do that?" an old woman asked.

"Some girls just love the drama," a man replied.

"She should be run out of town for this," someone else added.

I noticed one of Jaxson's friends was filming the whole thing on his phone.

My heart sank. My entire reputation was being burned to the ground on a live stream.

"We didn't just meet on a trip, Zane! You lived in my apartment!" I screamed.

He looked at me with mock pity. "Cassie, please. Get help."

Roxie stepped forward then, looking like an angel of mercy.

"Jaxson, stop," she said softly. "You're embarrassing her. This is enough."

Jaxson shook his head. "You're too kind, Roxie. This bitch tried to ruin your life."

I wanted to vomit. "Roxie, if you've been with him this whole time, show us the proof. Show the messages from three years ago."

Zane had been single when we met. They had been broken up for ages.

Roxie bit her lip, looking nervous for a split second.

Then she shook her head sadly. "I don't think that's a good idea, Cassie. It'll only make you look worse."

"Do it!" I yelled, struggling to stand up.

I was sick of the acting. I was sick of them being the golden couple while I was the dirt under their shoes.

Roxie sighed and pulled out her phone. She scrolled for a second and then showed the screen to the people closest to her.

My jaw dropped. There were messages, clear as day, showing they were in contact during the time we were together.

They were full of pet names and heart emojis.

I felt like the world was spinning. Had they really been talking behind my back the entire time?

Was I actually the other woman without even knowing it?

"Can you just stop now?" Zane asked, his voice cold. "Stop harassing us, Cassie. It's over."

Tears finally spilled over. I couldn't believe the man I loved was this cruel.

I remembered when he first moved to the city. Roxie had stayed behind in our hometown.

They had kept meeting up while I was at work, and I never suspected a thing.

"No wonder your own parents disowned you," Zane suddenly spat. "You're a parasite. You don't deserve to be loved."

The park went dead silent for a moment.

That hit me harder than any fist.

"Oh, so she's got family issues too? Figures," someone laughed.

"Broken home, broken girl," another person chimed in.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. That was my darkest secret, something I only told Zane in the middle of the night.

I grew up in a tiny, conservative town where my parents treated me like a servant for my younger brother.

I had to beg them to let me go to college. I promised I'd pay for everything myself and send money back for my brother's house.

I spent my childhood working in the fields, and if I messed up, I didn't get to eat.

I told people I was an orphan because the truth was too painful.

And now, the man I trusted with my soul was using my trauma as a weapon to humiliate me.

He knew exactly where to twist the knife to make me bleed the most.