Rachel treasured the heirloom jewelry left to her by her late mother—until one day, she found the box empty. After her husband’s confession, she realized it was only half the truth. But when she spotted her mother’s earrings on another woman, all the pieces of the puzzle finally connected…
Now
That morning, I went to the store for milk, chicken, and raspberries. A strange combination, but it was exactly what I needed. Milk for coffee and cereal, chicken for dinner, and raspberries for the white chocolate and raspberry muffins my husband loved.
I walked into the store expecting to do my usual grocery run, but I walked out with a truth I never saw coming.
Standing in the dairy aisle was her—our neighbor. Young, blonde, and newly divorced. She was scanning the different yogurt options, smiling as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
And hanging from her ears were my mother’s earrings.
My breath caught. A sickening feeling curled in my stomach. My grip on the shopping basket tightened so hard my knuckles turned white.
No. No way.
I forced my voice to sound light and casual as I approached her.
“Mel, hi! Love your earrings.”
She smiled, touching them gently as if they were the most precious things in the world. And they were.
“Oh, thanks, Rachel! They were a gift from someone special.”
A gift. From someone special. From someone… married?
The world tilted slightly. I swallowed the rage burning in my throat. Mel looked at me for a moment, and I wondered if guilt was eating away at her. She didn’t seem guilty, but for a second, her glow dimmed.
“They’re absolutely gorgeous,” I said through clenched teeth. “Didn’t they come with a matching necklace and bracelet? That would make such a stunning set…”
She blinked, confused.
“It definitely would, but I only have the earrings. Maybe someone special will complete the set for me.”
The ground steadied beneath me.
There it was.
Derek hadn’t just pawned my mother’s jewelry. He had given part of it to his mistress.
A selfish, well-thought-out plan.
Except for one thing.
Me.
Then
I was vacuuming under the bed, lost in the monotony of house chores and an annoying children’s song stuck in my head, when I saw the box.
Something made me stop. Maybe instinct. Or maybe grief had sharpened my senses.
I crouched down, grabbed it, and lifted the lid.
It was empty. The box that held my most precious possessions was empty.
The air left my lungs. The irritating song vanished from my mind. And just like that, the shock hit me full force.
My hands shook as I stood up. I scanned the bedroom as if, somehow, the earrings, necklace, and bracelet would magically appear before my eyes.
But they didn’t. Of course, they didn’t. Wishes don’t work that way.
There was only one person who knew where I kept the box and how much it meant to me.
But Derek… would he really take them?
Maybe he had put them away for safekeeping, knowing how important they were.
Maybe he had moved them to our safety deposit box. But if he had… why wouldn’t he tell me?
“Derek!”
I stormed into the living room, where he was lounging with his laptop.
He barely looked up.
“What, Rachel? It’s too early for this drama.”
“My mother’s jewelry. Did you take it?”
His brow furrowed as if he were actually thinking.
“No… maybe the kids took it. You know they’ve been into dress-up lately.”
My stomach twisted. No. Something wasn’t right.
I marched straight to the playroom, where my three kids were sprawled out on the floor, engrossed in their toys.
“Nora, Eli, Ava,” I asked, almost breathless. “Did any of you take the box from under my bed?”
Three pairs of innocent eyes blinked up at me.
“No, Mommy.”
But Nora hesitated. My eight-year-old daughter, my eldest, my most sensitive and honest child.
She bit her lip and looked at me cautiously before whispering:
“I saw Daddy with it,” she admitted. “He told me it was a secret. And that he’d buy me a new dollhouse if I didn’t tell.”
A sharp, burning anger shot through me.
I had been robbed.
And the thief…
Was my own husband.
After
For days, I pretended.
I pretended to believe his excuses.
I pretended to let it go.
I waited patiently for Derek to relax, to think I had given up. And when he least expected it…
I struck.
First, I recovered my mother’s jewelry from the pawn shop.
Then, I went straight to Mel.
I showed her my mother’s will, which clearly stated the jewelry belonged to me. Then, I pulled out the necklace and bracelet I had reclaimed.
“They’re part of a set,” I told her. “They’re family heirlooms, and I need you to return the earrings. Derek had no right to give them away.”
She paled.
“Rachel… I had no idea,” she murmured. “I thought they were a gift. I didn’t know they belonged to your mother.”
I saw something change in her expression. First, disappointment. Then, realization.
Without another word, she rushed inside, came back with the earrings, and placed them in my hand.
“Here,” she said. “They’re not mine. And honestly, neither is Derek.”
There it was.
And I…
Was ready for the grand finale.
The next day, I walked into Derek’s office and, in front of his boss and coworkers, handed him the divorce papers.
“You should never have given away my things, Derek. Did you really give my mother’s earrings to your mistress?” My voice was louder than I expected. “You stole from me. You lied to me. You betrayed me. And this is the last mistake you’ll ever make in our marriage. It’s over.”
He froze.
I turned around and walked away.
Derek begged, of course.
But it was too late.
He had taken the last piece of my mother that I had left. He had betrayed me. And now, he had nothing.
What would you have done?