The ring slipped.
It fell.
The sound it made against the marble floor was soft—but in the silence of the store, it echoed like something breaking.
Time fractured.
The ring spun once, catching the light.
For illustrative purposes only
A man stepped forward.
He had been standing further inside, near one of the central displays—a tall figure in a dark suit, silver threading through his hair, his posture precise, controlled. The manager.
He bent down almost absently, irritation already forming.
“Careful—”
His fingers closed around the ring.
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