The Ring That Vanished

Five years later

The boy who once cried in silence, who had been broken by betrayal and grief, no longer existed.

In his place stood Heinrey Smith, now twenty-three years old — a name that echoed in both boardrooms and university halls. A man no longer known for the innocence he once carried, but for the sharp mind that could rival any Ivy League scholar and a face that adorned magazines as “the untouchable bachelor.” CEO by day, adjunct professor by choice — every woman wanted to catch his eye; every man envied his presence.

But behind that perfectly tailored suit and collected gaze was a soul still tethered to scars no one could see.

Tonight, however, wasn’t about business or past shadows. The Midnight Sun Club shimmered in dim golds and warm reds, buzzing with chatter, soft jazz, and clinking glasses. Heinrey was surrounded by the friends of his youth — people who knew a version of him long buried.

Their table was set in a private corner of the rooftop, overlooking the city lights. Laughter flowed like wine, and so did the teasing.

“Still the same old genius,” Logan smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “Tell me, Heinrey... where’s that ring? Don’t tell me you finally gave it to the princess today?”

The group howled in amusement, their eyes shifting to Sarah Hudson — the girl they all called the princess of their group. She had been abroad for six years, chasing dreams and painting worlds. Now she sat across from Heinrey, glowing with maturity and elegance, but her eyes sparkled the same way they did back then — when they only knew summer breaks, inside jokes, and first loves.

Sarah blinked at Logan’s words, her smile faltering just slightly.

“The ring?” she echoed, gaze shifting to Heinrey’s hand.

It was bare.

Her heart stumbled.

Heinrey froze. His fingers instinctively curled into a fist, then relaxed as he looked down. The ring — the one he used to wear every day, the one he once told everyone he'd save for Sarah — was gone.

Where was it?

He tried to remember. He wanted to remember.

But his mind returned nothing but silence.

“I… must’ve lost it,” he finally said, voice low.

The table quieted for a beat, until Jacob let out a short laugh, lifting the weight in the air. “Come on, Rey, that thing was so plain anyway. You’re rich now — buy her a diamond ring. One of those big ones that blind people.”

The others laughed, some lifting their glasses in jest, but Sarah didn’t join in.

She forced a small smile, her nails digging gently into her palm beneath the table. She didn’t care about diamonds. That ring was supposed to mean something.

Something only the two of them understood.

But now... it was just gone.

Heinrey, meanwhile, wasn’t laughing. His mind lingered not on Sarah, nor the teasing — but on that ring.

When did he last see it?

Why couldn’t he remember?

And why… did his chest feel so heavy tonight?

He stared at the golden skyline beyond the rooftop edge, where the past and present seemed to blur — and somewhere, in the noise of it all, a quiet unease began to settle in his bones.

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