I Found a Strange Ring in My Husband’s Car That Turned My Life Upside Down

But it was absolutely stunning, and there was a familiar sense to it. The delicate design and the way it shimmered in the light made my heart sink.

Whose ring was it?

I started the car and began driving to work, while questions started to flood in. Was there someone else? Had Patrick’s late nights and guarded phone been for another woman? Who was at the end of his hushed phone calls?

I walked into my office feeling the weight of Patrick possibly cheating on me. My 30th birthday was coming up soon, and Patrick told me that he planned something big.

But what if he wouldn’t be around long enough to celebrate with me? What if he was going to leave me for someone else?

In a fit of anger—or perhaps desperation, maybe even revenge—I came up with a plan. If this ring belonged to the other woman in Patrick’s life or was intended for her, then I wanted her to feel a fraction of the pain I was going through.

So, I took my bottle of habanero sauce — a staple for all my meals at work, and drenched the ring in it. After it dried, I put the ring back where I found it, waiting for the storm I was sure would follow.

Then, I took my stethoscope and began to see my patients.

When I got home, Patrick was cooking dinner, but the moment he switched the stove off, he put on his shoes.

“I need to see my Mom; she wanted some help with things around the house. I’ll be home soon,” he said, walking out the door.

I paced around the house, waiting for something to happen. I almost phoned Patrick’s mother to see if he had really gone to her.

“Keep it together, Jane,” I told myself, and helped myself to dinner.

My phone rang, pulling me away from my thoughts—I needed to be alert, in case it was a medical emergency for one of my patients.

Instead, it was Monica, my best friend, her voice tinged with panic.

“Jane! I need your help!” she exclaimed into the phone, barely pausing to breathe.

“What’s wrong?” I asked calmly.

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