About a year ago, during our office Secret Santa exchange, my coworker Sarah gave me a beautiful silver ring with a small emerald. We had always been friendly, so I wore it often, never thinking much of it—just a sweet gift from someone I got along with.
Fast forward a year: I noticed a tiny groove around the gem. Curious, I fiddled with it and to my surprise, it twisted open.
Inside was a folded note. Just two chilling words: “Hate you.”
I sat there stunned. For twelve months, I’d believed everything between Sarah and me was perfectly fine. Now I’m left wondering—was it a twisted joke? A mistake? Or had she secretly disliked me all this time?