Lost Rings, Lost Love (Short Story)

 

Lost Rings, Lost Love

The resort was huge—white marble floors, blooming bougainvillea, fairy lights everywhere.
But Aditi couldn’t see any of it.

Because she had lost her engagement ring.

“Great. Just great,” she muttered, searching under the lounge chairs, behind flower pots, even in the pool area.

“Looking for treasure?” a voice came from behind.

She turned—and there he was.
Tall, unfairly handsome, with messy hair and a smirk that instantly annoyed her.

Aditya.
A stranger… unfortunately, a very observant one.

“What did you lose?” he asked.

“Nothing you can help with,” she snapped.

He grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

Before she could protest, he started helping her search—
in his own strange ways.

He made her crawl under tables.
Check the sandpit.
Even inspect a couple’s dog because “maybe he swallowed something shiny.”

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, out of breath.

He shrugged. “You look like you need someone.”

“I have someone,” she said sharply, showing her bare ring finger and then instantly regretting it.

His eyes softened. “Fiancé?”

She nodded.

“And you’re here… alone?” he asked quietly.

“Work trip,” she lied.
In truth, she wasn’t sure if her fiancé ever noticed when she left or returned.

Hours later, when her legs gave up, she sank on a garden bench, defeated.

“Maybe it’s a sign,” Aditya said gently.

“A sign of what? That I’m careless?”

“No.” His voice dropped.
“A sign that you’re holding on to something that doesn’t hold on to you.”

Her breath caught.

He sat beside her, close… too close.
She could feel his warmth. His steadiness.

“People lose things,” he murmured. “But sometimes… they find better ones.”

Something fluttered inside her chest.

Before she could respond, he held out his palm.
Something sparkled there.

Her ring.

She gasped. “Where— How—”

“It was stuck near the pool ladder,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I saw it an hour ago. But you looked cute searching everywhere.”

“You let me—”
She stood up, furious.

He raised both hands. “In my defense, you get adorably angry.”

She couldn’t help it—she laughed.
For the first time in months.

She looked at her ring.
Then at Aditya.

At his smile.
At the strange comfort he gave.
At the way he made her feel seen.

Her heart whispered something her mind wasn’t ready to admit.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

He leaned closer.
“Then let me ask just one question…”

His eyes locked with hers.

“Do you really want to marry the man who couldn’t even be here to help you look for this?”

Her breath trembled.

She looked at the ring again.
It suddenly felt heavier… colder.

Then she looked at Aditya.

Warm.
Steady.
Unexpected.

“I… don’t know,” she whispered.

“Then figure it out,” he said.
“I’ll be around.”

And when he walked away—
she realized it wasn’t the ring she was afraid of losing anymore.

It was him.