Seven Engagements and Not One Ring

Evelyn's POV

The whole city is waiting to see me, Evelyn Parker, make a fool of myself at my seventh engagement party.

Six years ago, I declared before the city's social elite that I wouldn't marry unless my fiancé put the ring on my finger himself. Mason and I grew up together. I never doubted that he would.

The first time, he said he had left the ring at home. The second time, his assistant had brought the wrong jewelry box. The third time, he showed up drunk and claimed he'd lost it.

Six years. Six engagement parties. Six excuses.

Tonight, he checks every pocket, then smiles and says, “Sorry.” Then Sophie, my adopted sister, leads him backstage with my parents and older brother gathered around them.

The guests can barely contain their snickers.

I face the room alone and apologize to every guest. As I pass Nate, a man whose family has never been on good terms with the Parkers, he sets down his drink.

“If you're willing, I'll marry you.”

I give him a faint smile and head backstage. I need to ask Mason how much longer he expects this ridiculous waiting game to continue.

Before I can open the door, I hear his voice from inside.

“Sophie is leaving for London soon. I don't want to become her brother-in-law before she goes.”

My parents agree.

“Evelyn has already waited six years. What difference would one more year make?”

They knew all along.

And every single time, they chose to make me the one who had to give something up.

I turn around, walk back into the ballroom, and stop in front of Nate.

“Did you mean what you said?”

Nate studies my reddened eyes but doesn't ask what happened.

“I meant it.”

He takes a velvet box from the inside pocket of his suit and drops to one knee as every guest in the ballroom stares in shock.

He opens the box.

A brilliant diamond ring rests inside.

Someone who truly wants to marry me won't forget the ring.

“Evelyn, will you marry me?”

I hold out my hand.

“Yes.”

The ring slides onto my finger perfectly.

For a moment, the ballroom falls silent. Then thunderous applause erupts around us. The same guests who had been waiting to laugh at me rise to their feet and offer their congratulations.

Nate takes my hand and stands. Leaning close, he says quietly, “In a few days, I'll come to the Parker estate and get you myself.”

The guests begin to leave, and the backstage door finally opens.

Mason emerges with my family gathered around Sophie. They're talking and laughing together as if they're the real family.

When Mason sees me, he walks over as though nothing happened.

“Don't be mad, Evelyn. I promise I'll bring the ring next time.”

I raise the hand now wearing Nate's ring and stare coldly at him.

“What exactly is going on between you and Sophie? Why has everyone been hiding it from me?”

Their expressions change at once.

Sophie turns pale and ducks behind Ryan. Ryan's face darkens as he strides toward me.

“Were you eavesdropping on us?”

I don't back down. “So the six times Mason forgot the ring were all planned?”

A hard slap lands across my face.

Ryan shakes out his hand, his expression full of irritation.

“We owe Sophie! You've had everything your whole life. What difference does one more year make?”

My mother puts an arm around Sophie and scolds me for being unreasonable. My father frowns at me.

“Evelyn, it's only one more year. Stop embarrassing everyone.”

My cheek burns, but all I can see are the five engagement parties that came before this one.

Each time, I saw the guests out alone. I faced the ridicule in the press alone. I even cried as I asked my family whether Mason simply didn't want to marry me.

Every time, they told me I was imagining things.

Now, as I watch them stand together like a happy family, the version of me who kept waiting for Mason seems almost laughable.

I should have seen the truth years ago.

I just kept lying to myself.

Mason looks at my swollen cheek and finally frowns.

“You hit her too hard, Ryan.”

He steps in front of me, picks up an elegantly wrapped gift box from the things a server has brought over, and holds it out to me.

“Evelyn, I know we put you through a lot tonight. I picked this out especially for you. Next year, I promise I'll put the ring on your finger myself.”

His voice is as gentle as ever, as if one gift can erase everything that just happened.

I take the box.

Mason immediately relaxes. A satisfied smile spreads across his face, as if this is exactly what he expected.

“That's better. Once Sophie comes back from London, we'll have another engagement party. You can invite as many people as you want, and we'll plan the entire wedding exactly the way you like.”

I unwrap the gift.

Inside is an expensive crystal swan. My name and the words “Love, Forever” are engraved on its base.

It's beautiful.

And ridiculous.

I lift it high and smash it against the floor.

The sharp crack echoes through the ballroom.

Crystal shards scatter everywhere. The smile freezes on Mason's face.

“Evelyn, have you lost your mind?”

“I'm thinking perfectly clearly.” I look straight at him and say each word slowly. “Mason, our engagement is over. There won't be another engagement party, and I will never wait for you again.”