When Jane\u2019s husband, Patrick, begins to pay more attention to his phone than to her, she suspects him of infidelity. Then things become heated when she discovers a mystery ring under his car seat.Recently, everything about my husband looked strange. Patrick, who had before been an open book to me, had become a mystery. He changed from not caring about his phone when we were together to being obsessed with it, guarding it like it was a valuable secret.\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been eating alone most nights because Patrick has been cooped up in our study, pretending to work while muttering on the phone. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on, Patrick?\u201d I questioned him after going through the same cold routine for two weeks. \u201cWork is demanding, Jane,\u201d he stated, keeping eye contact. \u201cIt\u2019s going to settle down soon, I promise.\u201dPatrick usually sits down with me to discuss his work, but instead he retreats to his study with a mug of coffee.It wasn\u2019t simply the distance between us; it was the silence and unspoken words that permeated our home.A few days later, Patrick informed me I could use his car for work. \u201cUse mine, darling,\u201d he answered when I noted that stopping at the petrol station would make me late for work. \u201cI filled it up last night.\u201dI got into Patrick\u2019s car, inhaling the familiar aroma of his cologne combined with the old leather seats. While adjusting the driver\u2019s seat, I discovered it\u2014a lovely ring hidden behind the seat in a velvet box. It wasn\u2019t mine, that was obvious. But it was extremely lovely, with a familiar feel to it. My heart sank as I saw the intricate design and how it shimmered in the light.Whose ring was this? I started the car and drove to work, while questions began to pour in. Was there anyone else? Had Patrick\u2019s late nights and guarded phone been intended for another woman? Who was on the other end of his whispered calls? I strolled inside my office, feeling the weight of Patrick\u2019s possible infidelity on me. Patrick informed me that my 30th birthday was approaching, and he had huge plans for it.But what if he won\u2019t be around long enough to rejoice with me? What if he leaves me for someone else? In a moment of rage\u2014or possibly desperation, or even vengeance\u2014I devised a scheme. If this ring belonged to or was intended for the other lady in Patrick\u2019s life, I wished she could suffer a fraction of the sorrow I was experiencing. So I took my bottle of habanero sauce, which I use on all of my meals at work, and drowned the ring in it. After it dried, I returned the ring to its original location, bracing myself for the impending storm. Then I took out my stethoscope and proceeded to examine my patients. When I arrived home, Patrick was cooking dinner, but the soon he turned off the stove, he put on his shoes.\u201cI need to see my mother; she needs some help around the house. I\u2019ll be home shortly,\u201d he remarked as he walked out the door. I paced around the house, expecting something to happen. I considered calling Patrick\u2019s mother to see whether he had actually gone to her. \u201cKeep it together, Jane,\u201d I reminded myself before helping myself to dinner.My phone rang, taking me away from my thoughts\u2014I needed to stay vigilant in case one of my patients had a medical emergency. Instead, it was Monica, my best friend, who spoke in a panicked tone. \u201cJane! I need your help!\u201d she said into the phone, scarcely pausing to breathe. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d I asked quietly. \u201cI put on a piece of jewelry and my hand feels like it\u2019s on fire. What do I do? This has never occurred to me before! \u201cIt is so bad!\u201d Her remarks shocked me. This couldn\u2019t be a coincidence. So the lady I accused my spouse of cheating with was not a stranger, but rather my best friend? I needed answers. After calming Monica down and advising that a quick remedy would be to dip her hand into plain yogurt, I gently asked her why she was in such pain.\u201cI\u2026 I do not know, Jane. It only started a few seconds after I placed the ring on. Patrick didn\u2019t know what to do either, so he told me to call you,\u201d she exclaimed, gasping as she realized she had given herself away. \u201cMy gosh, Monica. Why are you with Patrick? Please just tell me. There was a pause. She had a brief period of uncertainty before admitting the truth. \u201cIt\u2019s not as you think, Jane. Patrick and I have been planning your surprise party. This ring is for you. It\u2019s a family heirloom from Patrick\u2019s side that he wanted you to have. He showed it to me now since he\u2019d just had it cleaned. \u201cI just wanted to try it on.\u201d The parts of the puzzle finally fit together. All the late nights, the secrecy, Patrick\u2019s fixation on his phone\u2014it was all for me.In my eagerness to condemn, I nearly lost the trust and affection we had developed over the years.I urged Monica to have Patrick bring her over so I could look at her hand. When they arrived home, I told them everything\u2014the guilt was overpowering, but I knew I needed to put things right. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, Jane,\u201d Monica soothed me. \u201cWe should\u2019ve said something sooner. I\u2019m just glad we can resolve this now.\u201d\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"