The moment my eyes landed on the delicate gold bracelet wrapped around Nurse Stephanie’s wrist, my breath caught. I knew that bracelet—my grandmother’s gift, engraved with a tiny smiley face. I’d searched for it for weeks before accepting it was gone. Now it was here, glinting under the hospital lights, on the wrist of the woman caring for me. When I asked about it, Stephanie said her boyfriend had given it to her a month ago—the same time mine disappeared. My stomach twisted. A month ago… when my husband Toby was home.
It had all started after I broke my leg in a fall. Toby, away on a work trip, promised to rush back. While in the hospital, Stephanie and I grew friendly, chatting about life, family, and relationships. She mentioned her “kind” boyfriend who spoiled her. But when I showed her a photo of Toby, she froze. My husband was her boyfriend. The bracelet? His gift. My gift. My suspicion turned into certainty—Toby had stolen it from me and given it to her.
Stephanie seemed shocked, even agreeing to help me confront him. She handed me back the bracelet and promised to stand by me. That evening, Toby arrived, looking concerned. Two officers and Stephanie entered the room, and at first, she denied everything. But then Toby broke down and confessed—he’d met her at a bar after an argument with me, taken the bracelet, and lied to us both. The officers asked if I wanted to press charges. I didn’t. I wasn’t going to ruin his life. I just wasn’t going to stay in it.
After the officers left, Stephanie revealed her true colors—cowardly backtracking in front of Toby—so I threw her out. Toby tried to apologize, but I told him to leave. That was the last time I saw him. The divorce was finalized soon after. Losing Toby wasn’t easy, but losing myself by staying with a man who betrayed me would have been far worse. The bracelet was back on my wrist, but the marriage was gone—and I was better for it.