"This ring is custom-made. I got it back just before the mission but never found the right moment to give it to you, so I kept it with me."


    "Is this ring... exactly the same as the first one?" Yvonne asked, admiring the diamond on her finger.


    "Yes," Bet nodded. "The original was destroyed in the fire, so I had a new one made. It doesn''t matter—past life or present, no matter what you be, you will always be my wife."


    With that, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace.


    Yvonne sat on hisp, looking startled.


    "Bet, let me go! What if you tear your stitches?"


    But he only held her tighter. "I''m not letting go. Not ever again. Vonnie, you''re wearing my ring now. You''re mine."


    He took her hand, the one with the ring, and gently caressed the back of it.


    "The ring is beautiful. Is this diamond five carats?" Yvonne asked, still admiring her hand.


    "5.20 carats," Bet smiled. "It means I love you."


    "5.2 carats? That must have been expensive. It''s such a shame the first one was destroyed. I spent so long looking for it in that pond," Yvonne said sadly.


    Bet''s arm around her waist tightened, his eyes darkening.


    "The water must have been freezing that time of year. You foolish girl, don''t ever do something like that again. Rings can be reced. You can''t."


    Bet could barely stand to think about the past.


    She had spent a whole night searching for a ring in the icy water, bearing all the misunderstandings and pain alone. She must have felt so helpless, so desperate.


    And he hadn''t been there for her. Damn it, why hadn''t he stood by her side, unwavering?


    "Well, it''s a rare day when Mr. Bet Thompson says something so sweet," Yvonne murmured, her arms wrapping softly around his neck. Her hand with the ring rested on his shoulder.


    The diamond was brilliant, sparkling in the light.


    "Finding a diamond of this size and quality must not have been


    have been easy bo


    that''s why you tookset


    ontent belongs to


    propose."


    Bet just smiled warmly and ruffled her hair.


    Having epted Bet''s proposal, the first thing Yvonne wanted to do was tell Sandra.


    She took a picture of her right hand with the ring and sent it to her.


    The photo had barely been sent when Sandra called.


    101


    "My dear girl, have you lost your mind? Why are you in such a hurry


    vered so young?" Sandra''s


    vajce bogmed over the phone


    Yvonne instinctively held the phone away from her ear.


    She held the phone in one hand while admiring the ring on the other, a smile on her face.


    Such a beautiful hand, such a beautiful ring.


    Sandra could hear Yvonne''s silly giggling through the phone.


    Sandra put a hand to her forehead. Sigh. There was no cure for being love-struck.


    "Fine, you can get married. But you have to keep it a secret for now. And it can''t interfere with your work."


    "Got it. I promise," Yvonne said, raising her right hand as if taking an oath.


    "Alright, at least you''re not a


    week, Sandra said.


    "Next week? I can''t. I have to take care of Bet," Yvonne replied without a second thought.


    Sandra: "..."


    She took back her previous words. This was a terminal case of being love-struck. Utterly incurable.