#Chapter 12: Rings of Deceit

The jewelry store sparkled with enough diamonds to ransom a small country. I sat rigidly on a plush velvet chair while Raymond paced in front of the glass cases, his expression distant as if this were just another business transaction. "What about this one?" the clerk asked, pulling out a delicate band with a modest diamond. I nodded. "It's beautiful." "No," Raymond cut in immediately. "Too simple. Show us something more... elaborate." The clerk, sensing a big commission, eagerly pulled out a gaudy ring with an enormous center stone surrounded by smaller diamonds. "This might be more suitable for the future Luna," she beamed. I cringed. "It's a bit much for everyday wear, don't you think?" Raymond barely glanced at me. "We need something that makes a statement. People expect certain things from the Luna's ring." For an hour, this painful dance continued. Every ring I showed interest in, Raymond dismissed. Every ostentatious piece I disliked, he considered. The poor cler