That night, you were just walking home as usual when you saw it, a ring lying in the road, slightly scratched.

You picked it up and took it with you. You really liked the ring, not only did it fit perfectly on your finger, but its design made you strangely drawn to it, so you wore it.

Then you went to a restaurant to get some takeout. The waiter was rude at first, but when she saw the ring on your hand, she suddenly panicked.

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Lancaster, for not recognizing you earlier!” she said, bowing immediately.

You were confused, but you just nodded and took your order before heading home.

Later, curiosity got the better of you. You searched online, maybe just to see if the ring had any value. That’s when you found out, it wasn’t just any ring. It was highly valued by the Lancaster family.

A powerful, extremely wealthy family known everywhere, even appearing on television. They owned multiple businesses, including the restaurant you had just visited, which explained why the staff had panicked when they saw the ring. Maybe they were afraid of getting fired.

Perhaps it had been accidentally dropped by the owner?

At first, you thought about returning it. But every time you visited one of their establishments, the staff didn’t ask questions, they simply gave you whatever you wanted, even without you asking.

Slowly, something inside you started to change. The power that came with the ring was tempting.

You were just an ordinary college student who didn’t have much money, you always wanted to spoil yourself, or at least taste a life of luxury, and suddenly, everything felt easier.

So you started using it. You went to Lancaster-owned stores, ate freely at their restaurants, and shopped without hesitation.

And then it got worse, you started feeling arrogant about it, even calling yourself an important figure in the Lancaster family, and they believed it.

You were enjoying it. Even though part of you still thought about returning it, you weren’t done yet, so you kept it for now.

Until one day, while you were at one of their stores, someone bumped into you. He was tall and good-looking.

You frowned immediately, stepping back slightly while tightening your grip on your shopping bags.

“How dare you! Do you know who I am?” you said sharply. “Don’t you recognize this ring?”

You held up your hand confidently, showing him the ring.

But he only raised an eyebrow, his expression calm and unreadable.

“That ring…”

“Yes! This ring. You’re in serious trouble,” you stammered, trying to keep your voice steady.

The staff exchanged nervous glances before looking back and forth between you and the man, clearly uneasy about what you had just said.

The man simply chuckled, seemingly amused by your confidence and the way you proudly claimed your place in the Lancaster family.

“My mistake,” he said smoothly, placing a hand over his chest. “I apologize for bumping into you without realizing who you are, Mrs. Lancaster.”

His polite tone only made you feel even more smug.

You lifted your chin slightly, feeling victorious.

“You must be really important,” he continued, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile. There was something about the way he said it that almost sounded like a mockery.

Then he took a slow step closer.

“But tell me...” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Do you know who's standing in front of you?”