Woman Ate Her Engagement Ring – Story of the Day

Penny starts choking after drinking a glass of champagne and spits out a surprise engagement ring from her boyfriend, Rex. But she was about to find out that the proposal wasn’t meant for her.

Penny's laughter filled the air as she raised her glass. She was at a beautiful restaurant with great food, and the best company possible: her boyfriend, Rex, and their couple friends, Jimmy and Laila.

"Cheers to good friends and good times!" she exclaimed, the champagne disappearing with a single, eager gulp. But her joy was cut short by a sudden choke, and her eyes widened in alarm.

"Penny! Are you okay?" Rex's voice boomed, concern etching his features as he leaped to her side.

Struggling for breath, Penny gasped out, "Water!"

Jimmy reacted quickly and thrust a glass into her trembling hands. After a harrowing cough and a fierce jab on the back from Rex, a ring tumbled out of Penny’s mouth, landing with a metallic ping on the tablecloth.

Tearful and still coughing, Penny looked at Rex, first confused and then astonished. "Oh my god, Rex! You’re giving me a ring?" she managed to say.

Rex’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I didn’t... I mean, I don't know," he stammered. He had no idea what was happening, but Jimmy stood and went to his side.

Jimmy leaned into Rex’s ear. "That's my grandma's ring. I was going to propose to Laila," he whispered, so the girls wouldn’t hear.

Penny beamed at her boyfriend and proudly showed off the ring, which now sat snug on her finger. "It's perfect!"

Both men looked at each other, having no idea what to do. But then, Jimmy’s girlfriend, Laila, spoke up. "That ring looks a bit tight, doesn't it?" she asked, one eyebrow raised disapprovingly.

"Not at all! This is the happiest day of my life!" Penny gushed, ignoring Laila completely.

The restaurant erupted in applause, but Rex’s heart sank. Things only got worse when the waiter brought over a bouquet, adding to the confusion.

"Penny," Rex tried again to tell the truth, but the words choked on his throat. Penny was in her own world, delighting and showing her ring to whoever she could.

Jimmy grabbed Rex’s arm harshly. "We need to talk," he said, pulling him aside. "You can't let this go on."

"What do you suggest I do? She really thinks I proposed," Rex said, shaking his head. He felt powerless.

"This isn’t just about you two," Jimmy insisted angrily. "Today was supposed to be about Laila and me."

Rex gulped and sighed, defeated, as they watched Penny snapping selfies, her joy shining as brightly as the ring she mistakenly thought was hers.

"I get it, man," Rex sighed to Jimmy, "but taking away her joy like that..."

"It’s not real joy, dude! It’s a mix-up!"

Not wanting things to escalate in such a public place, Rex suggested swapping the ring with a simpler band he wore. But Jimmy rejected the idea outright, calling him crazy.

"We need to fix this," Rex insisted, trying to calm Jimmy. Yet, he hesitated, struggling with something deeper.

Finally, he admitted to planning to break up with Penny, the total opposite of what Jimmy had envisioned with Laila.

Jimmy took a step back, laughing at the irony. As they pondered their next steps, Penny’s voice, thrilled with her phone call to her father, froze Rex in his tracks.

The thought of dealing with her father, a stern cop, made Rex even more reluctant to tell the truth.

Jimmy's frustration boiled over. "So, you're just going to live a lie forever?" He leaned closer to Rex, a sly grin spreading across his face. "But what if she decides to end it? We could make her think it’s all too rushed, maybe even a mistake."

Rex's eyes widened. "Really? But how? And what if it backfires?"

"Just trust me," Jimmy reassured him, clapping a hand on Rex's shoulder. "What does Penny hate the most?"

Rex hesitated, then said, "Dogs and lies."

"Perfect!" Jimmy exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

They returned to the table, where Penny was still showing off her ring to Laila, radiating excitement.

Rex felt the guilt weigh heavy as he sat down, but Jimmy dove right into their plan. "Penny, that ring is something else! Rex has outdone himself."

She smiled at Rex, who managed a weak smile in return. "He’s full of surprises," she said.

"So, two years together, huh? Don't you think marriage is a bit hasty?" Jimmy continued, raising his eyebrows.

"It doesn't feel rushed to us," Penny frowned.

"But marriage is a big deal, right?" Jimmy pressed. "You have to plan your entire lives together."

"We’ve talked about it," Penny responded, her eyes lighting up. "We dream of a house with a big backyard and a sunroom for my art."

Rex, surprised by her detail, nodded along.

Jimmy saw an angle and took it. "Sounds perfect. And pets? Big dogs, perhaps?"

Penny hesitated. "I'm allergic to most animals," she admitted.

Jimmy looked triumphant. "Rex loves dogs, though. Big ones that shed."

"Yeah, I've always wanted a couple of dogs,” Rex added, coughing awkwardly.

Penny’s face fell momentarily, then brightened. "I can manage allergies. If it makes you happy, Rex, then I’m all in!"

Rex and Jimmy exchanged a look, seeing as their plan was crumbling.

Jimmy leaned back, defeated, then perked up with a new idea. "Penny, did Rex ever mention his... unique collections?"

Penny’s curiosity was piqued. "No, what kind?"

With a mischievous grin, Jimmy leaned in. "Rex has an interesting array of... let's say, vintage rubber ducks and novelty teapots."

Penny laughed. "Rubber ducks? That’s hilarious!"

Rex shrugged and followed along. "Yeah, it's a bit out there. But it's harmless, right?"

Penny laughed warmly. "Oh, Rex, that's adorable! I love it!"

"Well, Penny, there's more. Rex has a weight problem," Jimmy added, unhappy with Penny’s optimism.

Rex shot Jimmy a glare. "Stop it, man. You’re embarrassing me. I’ve had some issues with eating. But I'm getting better, I promise."

Jimmy couldn't help but push further. "Rex loves his Big Macs, right? Can't give those up!"

Penny tightened her grip on Rex's hand. "I love you for who you are, not how you look," she affirmed.

Finally, Jimmy got tired and decided to shift gears. "What about that 'business trip' last month, Rex?"

"Jimmy, don’t," Rex whispered urgently.

Ignoring Rex's plea, Jimmy said, "That trip wasn't what it seemed, Penny. He wasn't alone."

Penny’s smile faded. "What do you mean, not alone?"

"Rex stayed in the city and threw a big party. Girls were there too," Jimmy admitted gleefully.

"Is this true?" Penny asked, looking at her fiancé.

Rex nodded silently, guilt written all over his face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Penny’s voice was soft yet disappointed.

Before Rex could answer, Jimmy added, "And he lost his job, too."

"What? We could have faced that together, Rex," Penny said, shocked.

Laila, who had been conspicuously silent throughout the exchange, cleared her throat with a sharp crack. "Alright, hold on a second," she drawled. "What's with all the fuss over this… proposal?"

Penny was puzzled by this new topic. "What’s wrong with it?"

With her upper lip curled, Laila added, "Look at that ring. It's hardly what you'd expect from a proposal."

"The cost doesn't matter," Penny frowned. “What matters is the thought behind it. This ring means everything because it's from Rex."

"Oh, please," Laila scoffed. “Think about it, Rex. Proposing in a crowded restaurant? Could you not find somewhere more romantic?"

Rex was seething, but he remained silent, while Jimmy’s entire demeanor changed. He had been so focused on getting Penny to reject Rex that he didn’t see how much disdain Laila had for that kind of proposal.

He was heartbroken by her harsh words.

Meanwhile, Laila was oblivious as she continued her vitriol.

"And this ring, Penny, it's a symbol of Rex's capabilities, which isn't saying much given his finances. A real man would give you diamonds, not this."

"Stop it, Laila!" Penny shouted, hitting the table. “I love Rex, and that's what counts. This ring is a symbol of our love, not money."

Her declaration brought Rex to tears, feeling both ashamed and fiercely protective. Then, as if on cue, musicians entered and approached their table to perform a song for Laila.

"Laila, oh Laila," the singer crooned, his voice dripping with manufactured sentiment, "your beauty shines brighter than the sun…"

Jimmy tried to stop them, but it was too late.

Penny looked like she might collapse, while Rex, infuriated, shouted for the interruption to end. After the performers left, Penny turned to Rex and Jimmy, her expression one of hurt and confusion.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"It's all a misunderstanding, Penny!" Jimmy confessed the truth. "The proposal was actually for Laila, from me."

Laila gasped, "For me?" her demeanor shifting to excitement.

"Penny, please, I didn't mean to—" Rex tried to explain.

"You never wanted to marry me," Penny whispered, as tears surfaced in her eyes. She yanked off the ring and threw it down on the table. "I HATE YOU!"

With those last words, she left the restaurant. Afterward, the table was shrouded in stunned silence.

Laila broke the quiet, picked up the discarded ring, and, surprisingly, accepted Jimmy’s unintended proposal with a smirk.

"Well, this is unexpected," Jimmy said, confused by her sudden acceptance. "You just criticized the proposal."

"I was just stirring the pot, Jimmy," Laila whispered, shrugging. “Penny was probably going to leave Rex anyway for being broke.”

"That’s not fair, Laila," Rex protested, but Laila dismissively cut him off, concerned only about her ring now.

Rex got up and left the restaurant, overwhelmed by guilt and shame, while Laila toasted to her new engagement.

Jimmy hated her attitude and how she had treated their friends, so he asked for the ring back.

"We’re over, Laila," he declared.

Laila protested, but Jimmy remained firm in his decision. Outside, he caught up with Rex, urging him to pursue Penny with his ring.

Rex thought about it for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. He took the ring and hugged Jimmy, patting him on the back in a brotherly way.

With renewed hope and determination, Rex set off to win back Penny, ready to face the future with honesty and love.

***

Rex spotted Penny at a park near the restaurant, her swift stride reflecting the chaos in his heart. He raced towards her, his desperate calls echoing, "Penny! Penny, wait!"

She tried to quicken her pace, visibly shaken, but Rex caught her arm just in time, halting her escape.

"Let go of me, Rex!" Penny's voice was fierce, her tears still fresh on her face.

"Penny, please," he begged, his voice raw with emotion. "Just hear me out."

"There's nothing left to hear! Just leave me be."

But Rex couldn’t walk away, not like this. "Penny, I..." he faltered, the truth heavy on his tongue. "I was going to end things today. I wasn't planning any of this. I thought I was ready to let go, but today’s chaos showed me how much I need you."

"You don’t need to pretend, Rex. It’s clear you don't want me," Penny shook her head, not wanting to hope.

"No, Penny, I was blind," Rex insisted, his heart in his eyes. "But seeing you walk away woke me up. I love you, more than I've ever admitted."

The park around them faded, leaving only the two of them and the weight of their shared history. Rex, with newfound clarity, knelt before her, the ring in hand.

"Penny, will you marry me? Be the beat of my heart, the light of my days?" he asked.

After hesitating for only a second, Penny started nodding quickly. "Yes, Rex. Despite everything, I'll marry you!" she breathed and jumped into his arms, kissing him passionately.

Rex knew, with Penny in his arms, that he had regained not just her love, but a chance to mend their future.

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

While Penny's true love opened Rex's eyes, 18-year-old Serena was about to make a grave mistake by marrying a 60-year-old man. Her father, Billy, was shaken to the core until he unraveled a chilling truth about the groom. Here's the full story.

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