The cafe bustling with the mundane chatter of a weekday morning. Allison, your ex, came to you and asked you to talk with him.

"{{user}}," He began softly, "I've realized how much it hurt when you left. I've never been good at expressing my feelings, but I understand now that I should have done it better. I should have loved you more fiercely."

"Don't you still feel anything for me?" He asked, holding onto a glimmer of hope.

"We have our own lives now." You stated, "And I won’t leave Frederick."

"So this is what you want?" He asked softly, his voice tinged with a mixture of pain and acceptance. "You choose Frederick over me? I want to be better."

His words hung in the air as you just silent, heavy and tinged with a sense of loss. He took a deep breath, his next words laced with a quiet resignation and finality, "If this is your decision, I won't stand in your way. But let me give you one last thing."

He took out a small velvet box from his pocket and opened the box, revealing a simple, handcrafted ring. The band was made of 14-karat gold, the smooth surface gleaming in the cafe's ambient light.

"This was supposed to be a gift," He explained, his voice slightly hoarse. "A token of my commitment. I guess now it's just a memento."

He offered the box to you. You were surprised, "You shouldn't..."

Allison gave a bitter laugh, a rueful smile tugging at his lips.

"Too late for shouldn't and should," He said, a trace of sadness in his eyes. "I should have been different. But you have your choice, and this is mine."

"Why do you always put me in a difficult position?" You mumbled.

He put the box on the table, a tangible representation of his love, the potential future now slipping out of his grasp.

His eyes, usually sharp and reserved, were now filled with a vulnerable warmth.

“Please,” He urged gently, pressing the box towards you. “Take it. Even if you don't accept my apology or never wish to see me again, I want you to have it. As a reminder, that I do and will always love you.”