At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. But then, when Stephanie put her hand on the side table to set up my IV, I got a closer look at it.
On the back of the heart charm was a small engraving of a smiling face.
My grandmother had asked a jeweller to make this smiley face. She said it was especially for me.
Suddenly, I felt dizzy.
How is that even possible? I thought.
I had looked everywhere for it and was sure I had lost it. But now it was right there. On my nurse’s wrist.
‘That’s a beautiful bracelet,’ I said, forcing myself to smile. ‘Where did you buy it?’
Stephanie looked down, then smiled. ‘My boyfriend gave it to me.’
A chill ran down my spine.
‘That’s sweet,’ I said. ‘When did he give it to you?’
‘A month ago.’
My fingers clenched the hospital blanket.
Suddenly, memories flooded back.
I was getting ready for a party. I had done my make-up and reached for my jewellery box when I realised my bracelet was missing.
‘Toby, have you seen my bracelet?’ I asked, rummaging through the drawers.
‘You must have left it somewhere,’ he said.
‘But it’s always in my box.’
He sighed, glancing at his watch. ‘Kate, we’re late. Put something else on.’
At the time, his reaction seemed strange to me, but I didn’t think much of it, deciding that I had lost it.
Now, as I looked at the bracelet on Stephanie’s wrist, all the pieces fell into place.
Toby had taken it.
And he had given it to Stephanie.
Before I said anything else, I needed to be sure.
My heart pounded as I reached for my phone. I quickly scrolled through my photos until I found one of Toby and me at our anniversary dinner.
Then I turned the screen towards Stephanie.
‘Is this your boyfriend?’ I asked.
She glanced at the photograph, her smile lingering for a brief second before fading.
‘How do you know him?’ she asked, confused.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. ‘Because he’s my husband.’
Silence.
Her eyes returned to the bracelet on her wrist, then back to me.
‘What do you mean? Your husband?’ she asked. ‘I… I don’t understand.’
‘I mean, Toby isn’t just your boyfriend,’ I explained. ‘He’s my husband. And that bracelet? It was mine before he stole it and gave it to you.’
Stephanie took a shaky step back, crossing her arms. ‘That… that can’t be true. He wouldn’t do that to me.’
‘He’s been doing this to me for months,’ I said bitterly. ‘You just didn’t know.’
‘No…’ she said. ‘He told me he was single. He never mentioned a wife.’
I almost laughed. ‘Of course he didn’t.’
Stephanie’s breathing became uneven as she processed everything. Then her expression hardened.
‘I can’t believe it,’ she exhaled sharply. ‘I can’t believe I trusted him.’
I met her gaze as a plan formed in my head.
‘If you’re willing to help me, we can make him confess when he comes here tonight,’ I suggested. ‘He said he’d be back from his trip today.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked.
‘We’ll call the police,’ I said. ‘And when he arrives, we’ll make him confess to what he’s done.’
‘Okay,’ she nodded. ‘I’ll do that.’
Then she took the bracelet off her wrist and held it out to me.
‘It’s yours,’ she whispered. ‘Keep it.’
That evening, Toby arrived at the hospital. He looked frantic and exhausted as he rushed to my bedside.
‘Kate, baby, I came as fast as I could,’ he said, running his hand over mine. ‘How are you feeling?’
I studied him closely.
This was the same man who had been my husband for three years. The man I trusted. The man who had stolen from me and lied to my face.
Before I could answer, the door opened.
Two police officers entered, followed by Stephanie.
‘What’s going on?’ Toby asked, his face filled with confusion.
Stephanie stepped forward and pointed to my bracelet. ‘She says you stole it from her and gave it to me.’
Toby raised his eyebrows. ‘What?’
The officer looked at me. ‘Ma’am, is that true?’
Before I could answer, Stephanie’s voice rang out. “No. That’s not true. I don’t have a bracelet. I don’t know why she thinks her husband is interested in me.”
I couldn’t believe it. Was this the same woman who had just agreed to expose Toby? The same woman who seemed as loyal as I was?
‘See?’ Toby chuckled nervously. “This is ridiculous. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
I was still reeling from the betrayal when I heard that.
A sigh.
Then a quiet, trembling voice.
‘Okay… I did it.’
I turned my head towards Toby, watching him run his hand over his face, his expression defeated.
‘I stole the bracelet,’ he confessed, his voice heavy with guilt. ‘I took it from Kate’s jewellery box and gave it to Stephanie.’
‘Toby!’ Stephanie cried. ‘No!’
But he ignored her.
‘I met her at a bar one night after I had a fight with Kate,’ he confessed. ‘It wasn’t supposed to be anything serious, but… it happened. I took the bracelet because I thought Kate wouldn’t notice. But she did.’
I breathed a sigh of relief.
The officers exchanged glances before one of them spoke. ‘Ma’am, do you wish to press charges?’
I looked at Toby. He didn’t even meet my gaze.
‘No, officer,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to press any charges.’
Toby looked up in surprise.
‘I’m not going to ruin your life,’ I said. ‘But I’m not going to stay in it either.’
As soon as the officers left, I turned to Stephanie.
‘What the hell was that?’ I yelled at her. ‘What were you trying to do?’
‘I… I…’
‘Get out!’ I shouted. ‘Just get out of this room. Now!’
She hesitated, but then nodded and left without saying another word.
Toby came closer and tried to apologise. ‘Kate, I…’
‘Don’t.’ My voice was calm. ‘Just go.’
His eyes filled with regret, but I didn’t care anymore.
He left, and that was the last time I saw him. Shortly after that, our divorce was finalised.
Leaving him wasn’t easy. Letting go of the life I had built wasn’t easy. But I had no choice. I couldn’t stay with a man who had betrayed me so deeply.