She's not mine | 𝔍𝔢𝔫𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔞

Chapter 36

Jennie

My heart is pounding as I walk into the highly exclusive jewelry store that Lisa asked me to meet her at. In all the years that she and I have bought jewelry for Irene together, she never once bought anything for her here, not even when she pleaded with her, which I know she did. This isn't the kind of store that just anyone can buy from, no matter how much money you have. Their designs are iconic, and they're all handcrafted.

"Mrs. Manoban," the owner of the store greets me, his head bowed. "It's an honor to have you here today."

"Mr. Laurier, the honor is all mine," I reply, surprised.

He shakes his head bashfully, as though he's genuinely happy to have me here, and it leaves me feeling flustered.

Throughout my career I've become accustomed to having nearly anything I could possibly want, yet this is one of the few things that has always been out of reach for me.

"Jen." I look up at the sound of Lisa's voice and smile when she holds her hand out for me. She entwines our fingers and pulls me into her, her eyes on mine. The way she looks at me reminds me of this morning. Just as Irene managed to shake my confidence, she stepped in and restored it, showing me how much she wants me. Even if what we've got is nothing more than passion, it's still a start. It's more than I had just a few weeks ago.

"Let's pick you a ring."

"Please follow me, Mrs. and Mrs. Manoban." Mr. Laurier leads us to a desk, where he's got several designs laid out for us. "Do you have anything in mind?"

I glance at Lisa nervously as we sit down, but she merely smiles and reaches for my hand, entwining our fingers before she brings our joined hands to her lips.

"Anything you want, Jennie. There is no budget. I just want you to have a ring you'll wear with pride." She looks at Mr. Laurier then. "My only request is that you engrave my name on the inside of my wife's ring."

My heart skips a beat as heat rushes to my cheeks. She has no idea how many of my dreams she's fulfilling today. I hesitate for a moment before I take out my tablet.

"I drew something," I admit. "But I'm not sure if it'd be possible to create this."

Mr. Laurier smiles as he takes my tablet from me. "We can definitely make this, Mrs. Manoban. It'll be a shared-prong eternity band with a trellis design. What kind of carat weight were you thinking of?"

Lisa tenses and straightens her back, her grip on my hand tightening. "I need it to be visible from across the room," she says, her expression unyielding. "Would ten carats be okay? Perhaps fifteen."

My eyes widen, and I turn toward her. "Are you insane? That's far too much."

Lisa looks at me and shakes her head. "You're a Manoban. You're my wife. Nothing is too much." Mr. Laurier smiles at me reassuringly. "Because this is an eternity ring, there will be several diamonds on your ring with a combined total weight of ten carats. I will ensure that the end result looks classy, Mrs. Manoban. I understand your worries, but please rest assured. The final result will be breathtaking and befitting your stature."

I nod hesitantly, worried for a reason I can't quite identify. I suppose I'm scared to truly step into my role as Mrs. Manoban. I'm scared that this thing that appears to be growing between Lisa and me will fall apart. I'm scared my heart will end up shattered and trampled.

"What's wrong?" Lisa asks, her voice soft.

My eyes drop to her simple platinum wedding ring. She hasn't taken it off since the day we got married, and that should fill me with relief, but all it does is heighten my anxiety. It's the ring Irene chose for her.