Before the Wedding, My Father Gave My Black Onyx Ring to My Sister

In the Ferro family, every daughter received a black onyx ring before getting married. The stone was jet-black, with the Ferro family's signature F engraved in the center. My father said it wasn't jewelry. It was a Ferro family vow. As long as you wore it, the whole Ferro family would have your back, wherever marriage took you. My twin sister, Lucia Ferro, and I were getting married on the same day. But in the days leading up to the wedding, my father brought out only one velvet ring box. Lucia held out her hand in delight as our relatives raised their glasses. I stared at my bare ring finger, then turned to my mother. "Where's mine?" My mother, Margaret Ferro, avoided my eyes and pretended to study the oil painting on the wall. My brother, Victor Ferro, kept cutting his steak and didn't even look up. "Lucia's marrying into the Cassano family. She needs to walk in with some real weight behind her. We melted your ring down and added the gold to her band." My father, Robert Ferro, sipped his red wine, his tone perfectly flat. "The Cassano family has strict rules. She needs them to know the Ferro family is behind her all the way. Your fiancé, Aiden Brooks, is just an ordinary doctor who has nothing to do with the family business. You'll never need a ring like that." I stared at the harsh gleam of gold around Lucia's finger. I remembered the year I turned 18, when my father let me touch his ring for the first time. He'd looked at me and sworn that as long as my last name was Ferro, I'd always have someone in my corner. Only now did I understand that he hadn't been lying. I simply wasn't the Ferro he meant to protect. 1 After the pre-wedding family dinner, only champagne corks and crushed rose petals remained in the great hall. My mother pressed the ring box back into Lucia's hands and turned to me. "Chloe, stop pulling a long face. If the press sees this, they'll think we treat you badly." I looked at the ring on Lucia's hand, my nails digging deep into my palms. "Mom, do you remember the onyx you picked out for me on my 18th birthday?" That year, my mother had stroked my hair and said, "Black onyx has a quiet strength. It suits you best. Whatever storms come your way, this family will always be your safe harbor." Her expression stiffened briefly before she frowned impatiently. "Lucia's jewelry box is still missing a few decent emeralds. Don't bother me with ancient history." She turned and went upstairs. When I looked down, I noticed a small black onyx stone with silver veining set into the side of Lucia's ring. It was the one my mother had personally picked out for me when I turned 18. She hadn't forgotten her promise. She'd simply given Lucia the family backing that was supposed to be mine without a second thought. Lucia had been the goddaughter of the head of the Cassano family since she was little. My father said that one day she'd be the most reliable link between the two families. From then on, her gowns, her social calendar, and her public appearances were all carefully planned around the family's interests. Over time, whatever Lucia needed became "what the family needs," while my needs could always wait. Back in my bedroom, I found that the vintage trunks that had stood against the wall were gone. My grandmother's antique jewelry box had been opened, too, and the sapphire brooch inside was missing. The trunks were listed as part of my trousseau, and my aunt had left me the brooch. I went to find Victor, who was taking stock of the supplies. He tossed the list onto the table. "Lucia's moving into the Cassano estate with clothes for every season, and there weren't enough trunks, so I had them use yours for now. You're marrying that broke doctor of yours. Throw your stuff in a canvas bag and move into his apartment. He won't mind." Lucia walked by in a silk robe, dangling the keys to my trunks. "Sorry, Chloe. When we get back from the honeymoon, I'll have the butler send a car to bring them back." Victor stopped her at once. "They're already listed as part of your trousseau. What would it look like to take them back now? Do you want the Cassano family thinking the Ferro family can't even come up with two trunks?" My mother hurried over when she heard us and jabbed a finger in my face. "Why are you being so petty? If your grandma were still alive, she'd want Lucia to have a proper wedding too. We can't let the Cassano family look down on us." My father leaned on the second-floor railing and jerked his chin toward the servants' quarters. "It's not like we didn't give you anything. There are two old furs in there." I knew those two furs. Lucia had thrown up on one of them while drunk, and it still smelled sour after several washes. The other was riddled with moth holes, and just last month, my mother had said she was going to cut it up for the dog's bed. I lowered my voice. "What happened to the 50,000 dollars Aiden transferred for our wedding?" My mother calmly toyed with the diamond ring on her finger. "Some of that $50,000 paid for a few bottles for Lucia's party tonight. The rest went toward two couture gowns for her." I clutched the hem of my nightgown. "So the money Aiden gave me for our wedding was spent making Lucia look good, too?" Lucia's eyes turned red, and she hid behind Victor. "Chloe, if you care that much, I'll just pay you back. But the Cassano family trust takes effect after the wedding, and just one of its estates is worth ten million dollars. If I don't even have a decent wedding, what will people think of the Ferro family?" Mother pulled Lucia into her arms at once. "Your sister never fought you for anything. Why are you arguing with her over this now?" Everyone was waiting for me to back down the way I had for the past 20 years and say, "It's fine." Instead, I walked into the middle of the hall and ripped Lucia's custom name tags off the pile of luggage. Victor grabbed my wrist hard. "Are you determined to make sure this family never has a moment's peace?" I bit back the pain and stared at him. "Since we're all family, shouldn't I get half of the thirty-million-dollar trust Dad set up for Lucia?" The hall went silent. Lucia threw herself in front of the document box, horrified, and my mother shrieked, "How is that the same? She's marrying the Cassano heir!" I pulled free of Victor's grip, went back to my room, and dug an old notebook out of the back of a drawer. Years ago, my aunt had written a line on the first page: "If your family won't give you dignity, you have to fight for it yourself." I looked at it for a long time. Then I picked up my phone and texted Aiden. "You said the art restoration studio in Manhattan was looking for an assistant. Is the position still open?" 2 At noon the next day, Aiden drove his old SUV up to the Ferro estate. His coat was faded from countless washes but neatly pressed, and he carried two boxes of fresh bagels and a square velvet box. The front hall was piled high with wedding gifts from all the major brands, but no one paid any attention to him standing at the door. I dragged a stool out of the kitchen for him. Aiden didn't sit. His gaze went straight to the bruise on my wrist. "What happened?" I pulled my hand back into my sleeve. "I bumped it against a doorframe." He didn't press. He just took a tube of ointment out of his pocket and set it on the table. Then he opened the velvet box. Inside was an emerald bracelet. "This was my mother's. Before she died, she told me to give it to my future wife myself." My fingertips had barely touched the edge of the box when Lucia leaned in. "It's gorgeous." My mother's eyes lit up too. "Lucia's going to a private Cassano family dinner tomorrow night. She'll be sitting with those people. She can't show up wearing jewelry that looks cheaper than everyone else's. Chloe, lend it to her for a day." I closed the box and held it tight. "This was Aiden's mother's. I can't lend it out." The smile left my mother's face. "She's your own sister. Wearing it for one day won't hurt the stones. Since when did you get so stingy?" Lucia bit her lip. "Mom, don't give Chloe a hard time. I'll just wear something plain. It won't matter if people laugh at me a little." Victor came over with his coffee and set the cup down hard. "You're not even married yet, and Dr. Brooks is already teaching you to turn your back on your own family?" Aiden stepped forward and put himself between us. "Victor, this was my mother's. I'm really not comfortable lending it out." Then he turned and pushed the box back into my hands. "It's yours. Keep it safe." My eyes stung. So I really didn't have to give up everything that belonged to me. That afternoon, my mother called Lucia and me into the study to divide up what was left of the assets set aside for our weddings. The deed to the Upper East Side apartment went to Lucia. My father put a family investment account in her name. Victor tossed her a set of yellow diamond jewelry. When it was my turn, the table was empty. Walter, the butler, dragged in two black garbage bags. The bags sagged open, revealing the two old furs, still reeking. My mother didn't even look at them. "You're not moving far, and Aiden's apartment isn't big. These two coats will be plenty." I didn't touch the bags. "Where's the sapphire brooch my aunt left me?" Without thinking, Lucia tugged her shawl up to hide the flash of deep blue at her collarbone. My mother didn't even blink. "She's having dinner with the Cassano family tomorrow night. The dress needed something at the neckline, so I had the brooch reset for her. She can wear it for now." I looked at Lucia. "Do you think it was yours all along, too?" She fumbled with the brooch. "If Chloe wants it, I'll give it back right now." I'd barely reached out when my mother held her still. "Tonight's styling photos have already been sent to the Cassano family. If she takes it off now, do you want everyone to know you two are fighting over jewelry?" Victor slapped my hand away. "She's just borrowing it. Are you seriously going to snatch it back from her?" I slowly pulled my hand back. "Since we're all family, shouldn't my name go on the deed to the Upper East Side apartment, too?" Lucia clutched the deed. My mother looked at me for a few seconds. "That apartment is for Lucia to use when she's in and out of Manhattan after the wedding. It's been part of the plan for ages. You want to change the list now and make the whole team redo everything?" I looked at them. When they wanted something of mine, plans could change in an instant. But when it came to Lucia, a line on a list was suddenly set in stone. 3 Seven days before the wedding, Lucia was trying on the antique lace veil that had been passed down through the Ferro family. Her diamond tiara caught on it and tore a gash in the lace. My mother held up the torn veil, looking grim. "The photography team gets here tomorrow afternoon. How are we supposed to use this?" Everyone in the room turned to me at once. I'd studied art conservation and restoration in college, and antique textiles were my specialty. My mother held the veil out to me. "Fix it for her tonight." "Aiden and I have an appointment at City Hall tomorrow morning to get our marriage license." Victor leaned against the desk. "So make another appointment." I looked at him. "So my wedding plans can just be rearranged, too?" He didn't answer. Father finished reading the document and said, "Mrs. Cassano will be here tomorrow afternoon." My mother took my hand. "It's just one night. Whatever you miss because of it, I'll make sure someone makes it up to you." I'd heard that promise plenty of times. When I was little, they made me give up my things for Lucia. Later, they took the money I'd saved for restoration equipment. Every time, they promised they'd make it up to me. Most of the time, they never did. I pushed the veil back. "Not this time." Lucia looked down at the tear. "It's fine. When Mrs. Cassano asks tomorrow, I'll explain it myself. I'll just tell her the Ferro family wasn't prepared." My mother stopped her at once. Victor's face darkened, too. "Chloe, this isn't just any veil." "I know. But it's her wedding. It shouldn't become my responsibility." My father didn't try to talk me into it. He just looked at Victor. "Hold on to the documents she needs tomorrow." I reached for my bag, but Victor grabbed the strap first. I wouldn't let go. When he pried my fingers off it, my wrist slammed into the corner of the desk so hard that my whole arm went numb. He hesitated for half a second. Then he took my documents, my phone, and my car keys anyway. My mother saw the red welt swelling on my wrist and only said, "Fix the veil, and you'll have everything back first thing tomorrow." "And if I don't?" My father had already turned away. "Then you won't be going anywhere tomorrow either." The door was locked from the outside. At three in the morning, while I was redoing the stitches for the third time, the needle pierced my fingertip. A drop of blood welled up, and my first instinct was to pull my hand away so I wouldn't stain the veil. By dawn, I'd finally repaired the torn section. Lucia came in to try it on. After examining the veil from every angle, the stylist said, "You can't tell at all." Lucia smiled into the mirror. "I knew Chloe could fix it." By the time I reached City Hall, we'd already missed our appointment. Aiden was still standing at the foot of the steps. When he came closer and saw my hand, his smile faded. "The veil?" I nodded. He didn't ask anything else. He just sat me down and put fresh ointment on the cut. "I tried calling you all day yesterday." "They took my phone. I'm sorry." Aiden finished wrapping the gauze. "You don't have to apologize to me for what they did." When I got back to the estate, the photographers had arrived. The stylist checked the veil again and praised the repair. My mother was nearby, looking over the proofs. She said casually, "Someone was working on it the whole time. Of course it turned out fine." Lucia took her arm. "Mom was worried all night." I looked down and pressed the loose gauze back into place. Before leaving, the PR manager pointed at the two black bags of old furs by the wall. "Those should be moved. The cameras will catch them this afternoon." My mother turned to me. "You knew there'd be people all over the house today. Why would you leave those here?" I looked at the two bags. "Aren't these what you gave me for my wedding?" She didn't say another word. 4 Three days before the wedding, I went to the designer's studio to pick up my wedding dress. The owner checked the system and told me the family office hadn't approved the final payment. I checked my account. The $96,000 was still there, but the payment wouldn't go through. My accounts had always been linked to the family office's asset management system, and any large withdrawal required approval from the family office. When I got back to the estate, Lucia's bridal tea was underway in the garden. She'd just been given a diamond-studded panther bracelet from a Sotheby's auction. I went straight to my mother. "Why is my account restricted?" My father was walking down the hall. He stopped when he heard me. "I told the family office to put a temporary hold on any large payments from your accounts. You've been questioning how the family assets are being handled. Until the wedding is over, any major expense will need their approval." "That's money I earned myself." "You'll have full access again after Lucia's wedding." I glanced at the bracelet on Lucia's wrist. "Does that have to wait until after the wedding too?" My mother frowned. "That was a family purchase. It doesn't come out of your account." I fell silent. "Give me back access to my money. And return the brooch and the 50,000 dollars Aiden sent." My mother sounded tired. "We'll deal with all of it together after the wedding." I nodded. "Okay." She probably thought I'd accepted it. That night, back in my room, I packed the things that were truly mine into a canvas bag: a few restoration notebooks, a few changes of clothes, and the tools I used every day. In the end, everything fit into a single bag. When I passed through the great hall, no one noticed me. Lucia's wedding team was going over the floral arrangements. Victor was on the other side of the room talking with the head of security. The guard at the gate checked my ID in the system as usual, then waved me through. And just like that, I walked out of the place I'd lived for 20 years. For the next two days, not one person contacted me. Aiden went with me to get our marriage license. On our wedding day, he picked me up in his old SUV. "Ready?" "Ready." We went to the little chapel we'd booked in advance. Martha Quinn, who had been Aiden's mother's best friend, and two of his friends were our witnesses. I wore a white dress I'd bought at the last minute and signed the marriage license. Meanwhile, back at the Ferro estate, the wedding procession was due to leave in less than half an hour. The wedding planner hurried into the dressing room. "Mrs. Ferro, why is Lucia the only one here? Where's Chloe?" My mother was pinning Lucia's tiara in place and didn't look up. "She's probably still in her room. Go get her." The planner didn't move. "Her room's empty. I just called Dr. Brooks, and he said he'd already picked Chloe up." My mother's hands went still. "When did she leave?" "The gate log says two days ago." The hairpin in my mother's hand fell onto the vanity. She finally remembered. Over those three days, she hadn't seen me once.