Poisoned ring?

I stood up from the dining table, and walked to the front door. 

This was strange. 

Since Kan’s attitude towards me changed, he never stayed out late. If he was going to, he would tell me in advance. 

I pulled the door open and peeked outside. The guard by the entryway noticed me and hurried forward.

He bowed. 

I nodded and fully stepped out, closing the door behind me.

“Did the chairman leave any message for me?” I asked.

“No Ma'am.” He kept his head down.

I frowned, “Where is he?” I asked softly.

“He is still at the office.”

I nodded. “The kitchen is sending your food to your quaters, you should eat.”

“My shift will be over in a few minutes. Thank you Ma’am.”

I smiled tightly and walked back in, closing the door behind me. 

Kan was still at the office? And he did not tell me? Was something wrong? Did I do something?

I tried to trace back all my actions and the events of today as I went up the stairs towards Oliver’s nursery. 

The thing that stood out in my memory was Blaine. 

Did Kan take what Blaine said to heart? Did he think I was using him? 

I genuinely cared about him. 

Our marriage was way more than our initial business pact for me now. 

Yes, maybe I could not love him anymore after he shut me out all these months, but I cared for him.

When I pushed the door to the nursery open, I saw Oliver rolling onto his belly to stand up in his crib.

His nanny had dozed off into a sleep on the nursery glider.

“Oh my baby.” I hurried to him and picked him up. 

He looked at me confusedly for one second, and then smiled, revealing his few teeth.

“Yes, my baby.” I said in a playful, excited voice, and he let out a high childish laugh, startling his nanny awake.  

I kissed his cheek, and hugged him close, while studying his nanny.

The young girl was exhausted. Maybe I should hire a second person so they could take shifts. 

Oliver was a sweetheart but was growing up to be one high-energy toddler. 

It still frightened me to think about the fact that I had looked away for one minute.

Just one minute, and he managed to choke and almost kill himself.

“Ma’am.” The young woman hurried to her feet and bowed.

I smiled sympathetically at her. “Go eat and freshen up, I will hold him for a while.” I said.

“Arigato” She bowed, and hurried out.

“Do you want to bathe, and then eat?” I said in a sing-song manner, balancing Oliver on my hip, “Or eat and then bathe?”

He looked at me in obvious incomprehension and then gave a cheeky smile. I could not help chuckling. 

“Eat and bathe then.”

“Ma ma.”

“Yes baby.” I said as I rang for the maids downstairs, and stood facing the tablet screen on the wall, waiting for the call to connect.

“Ma ma.” Oliver said again. 

I turned to see what had caught his attention that he wanted me to see too.

“Chairwoman?” I heard a voice from the small screen.

“Please bring up Oliver’s food.” I turned back to say.

“Yes ma’am.”

I finally turned to Oliver and saw he was running his chubby little fingers over the wedding ring on my finger, intently staring at it. 

I laughed and spread my fingers out.

“You like it? Or are you tempted to put it in your mouth again.” I raised the dazzling diamond ring up to his eye level as he stared at it with interest. 

I smiled and also turned to my finger to admire the ring.

It was a beautiful piece that showed just how rich these people were.

It will always amaze me how Kan had gotten a ring that could get the average person an enviable real estate portfolio, for a woman he did not even like at the time.

I squinted as I drew the ring closer. 

Why did it suddenly look so new when I had not sent it for cleaning in the last few months?

“Ma ma.”

“One minute baby. Your food is coming up.” I took a seat on the glider the nanny had just vacated, and moved Oliver to one side of my lap.

I stared at the ring for a few seconds and then took it off. 

I gasped. 

This was not my ring. 

This was definitely not my ring, although they looked very similar.

I gasped again when I thought back to the memorial and my altercation with Ophelia, how she had brushed my sleeve.

This had to be her. 

Was this the main reason why she showed up at that ceremony, knowing I would be there? And followed me around when we all thought she was actually following the minister’s wife. 

How did she do it though? My ring was by no means loose. 

And most importantly, why did she do it?

I flew up, startling my son, who began to cry. Was the ring poisoned?

“Sorry my baby.” I bounced him on my hip as I feverishly looked all over my arm for any kind of allergic reaction or redness.

That witch. 

“Sorry my precious. Mother did not mean to scare you.” I continued bouncing him on my hip when he would not stop crying, struggling to focus and think. 

I had to get this thing tested.

But if this ring was really poisoned, should I even be holding Oliver? 

I froze. 

Oh God. He had been playing with it and brushed his fingers all over it.

Just then, I heard a knock on the door.

“Who is there?” I lashed out in irritation. The door opened a crack and my father peeked in. 

My hand flew to my mouth, and I felt shame wash over me at my reaction, and the hurt and hesitation I saw on his face.

“I heard the baby crying.”

I nodded and gestured for him to come in. 

“I’m sorry. I did not know it was you.” I said softly, and I saw his face relax even as he closed the door and walked fully into the room.

“Please hold him.” I handed Oliver over, and hurried to the bathroom. 

Was my hand tingly and itchy or was my paranoia playing a trick on me?

I took the ring off and turned the sink water on. It was almost scalding, but I did not care as I scrubbed hard, slathering my hand in Oliver’s shower gel.