Chapter 4

Caroline POV

Three days before the wedding, the jewelry company delivered the rings.

Isaac was in the study on a video conference call, so he had me sign for them.

I signed and carried the heavy box into the study.

He was listening to a subordinate's report, his expression serious.

Seeing me enter, his gaze instantly softened. He pointed to the corner of the desk, indicating I should set it down there.

I placed the box on the desk.

As I turned, my elbow accidentally knocked over a stack of documents.

Papers scattered across the floor, revealing a design sketch that had been pressed underneath.

I bent down to pick them up.

My movement froze the moment I saw the sketch clearly.

It was a ring design draft.

The center stone was a rare pink diamond, with the word "only" engraved inside the band.

The date in the corner was from half a month ago.

And the wedding ring I'd just signed for had a white diamond as the center stone, with our initials engraved inside.

Isaac removed his headphones and walked over. "What's wrong?"

Following my line of sight to the sketch, his expression stiffened. He casually pulled it away and tucked it into a folder.

"Nothing, just a discarded draft."

His tone was natural as he put his arm around my shoulder. "Did you try the ring? Does it fit?"

I looked at him and smiled. "Not yet. I'll try it tonight."

At two in the morning, the person beside me was breathing evenly.

I carefully got up and walked into the study.

I opened the safe—the password was my birthday.

Inside lay two identical navy blue boxes.

I opened the one on the left.

Pink diamond, engraved with "only."

Dazzling.

I opened the one on the right.

White diamond, engraved with our surnames.

Conventional.

Isaac once said, "Caroline, you are my only."

So this was what "only" truly meant.

I took out both rings.

And switched the boxes.

I placed the pink diamond in the box prepared for the wedding ceremony, and put the white diamond in the box that had originally belonged to Bethany.

After finishing this, I closed the safe.

Returning to the bedroom, Isaac rolled over, his arm instinctively reaching to hold me.

I avoided his hand and lay at the edge of the bed.

Moonlight spilled across the floor, illuminating the calendar on the nightstand.

The date was circled in red pen.

Three more days until I could leave him.