Chapter 30
Hayden stared at Lucinda, his voice tight. "What do you mean it's broken?"
Lucinda turned the ring over, her fingertip pressing against a nearly invisible seam along the inner band. Her tone remained calm. "Here. The gold wire connector—it's broken. This ring uses a technique from the court artisans of the last century. The entire structure relies on this single wire to support the weight. Once it breaks, the gemstone's load-bearing structure collapses."
She looked up at Hayden. "If it's not repaired, the stone will loosen and eventually fall out—anywhere from a few months to a year or two. And the sharp edge of the broken wire can easily cut your finger."
Reginald's gaze fell on the spot where her finger rested. His brow furrowed slightly.
He took a step forward, positioning himself calmly at Lucinda's side, his voice steady. "Dad, Lucinda's straightforward. She says what she sees. You—"
Hayden suddenly laughed.
The sound came so abruptly it startled the butler and cut off Reginald mid-sentence.
Hayden leaned back against the headboard, laughing so hard the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunched together. He patted the edge of the bed, his voice tinged with admiration. "Young lady, you've got sharp eyes!"
Lucinda looked at him but said nothing.
When Hayden's laughter subsided, he extended his right hand and turned his index finger toward her.
On the inside of his fingertip was a faint scar, long since healed. The color was slightly lighter than the surrounding skin—barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
"See that?" Hayden's tone carried both helplessness and nostalgia. "The ring did that. Started about three months ago. I never mentioned it. You're right—the wire broke, and the edge flared up. Wore it long enough, and it left a mark. Sometimes it would even cut me."
The butler stood nearby, mouth hanging open, his expression shifting from tension to astonishment.
He'd been caring for Hayden all this time and hadn't known a thing.
Hayden lowered his gaze to the ring in his hand, fingers gently tracing the stone's surface. His voice softened. "But this was left to me by my wife. When you get old, you need something to hold on to."
"I knew it was broken." His voice grew quieter, almost like he was talking to himself. "I knew it would cut me. Knew it would fall apart eventually. But I couldn't bring myself to take it off. If I did, it would feel like she was really gone."
He looked up at Lucinda, his eyes reddening slightly, though his lips still curved into a smile. "Young lady, you're right. It's time to get it fixed."
The butler hesitated, then finally couldn't hold back. He spoke quietly. "Mr. Lancaster, this ring's craftsmanship... I'm afraid there's no one left who can repair it. The techniques used by court artisans of the last century—just the gold wire soldering alone has been lost for decades..."
Hayden waved his hand dismissively. "If it can't be fixed, it can't be fixed. I won't be wearing it much longer anyway."
"It can be fixed." Lucinda's voice cut in suddenly.
The butler froze.
Lucinda kept her head down, fingers lightly holding the ring. "The gold wire soldering technique hasn't been lost. People just don't want to spend the time learning it. The problem with this ring isn't major. The wire broke, but the break hasn't oxidized. It just needs to be reconnected."
The butler's mouth fell open. He wanted to say "How is that even possible?" but swallowed the words.
He glanced at Hayden, then at Reginald. The latter stood calmly beside Lucinda, his expression composed, as if he saw nothing unusual about what she'd just said.
"Young lady, can you really fix it?" Hayden's voice trembled slightly.
Lucinda didn't answer. Instead, she turned to the butler. "Do you have a needle? A thin one."
The butler nodded instinctively. "Yes, I'll get it."
"And a candle. And a lighter."
The butler hurried out.
Hayden looked at Lucinda, his eyes filled with both hope and disbelief.
He'd shown this ring to several master craftsmen. All had said it couldn't be repaired—the technique was lost.
Could this young woman really fix it?
Lucinda lowered her gaze to the ring, her fingers gently cradling the stone. Her focus was absolute.
Reginald stood beside her, looking down at her hands. He said nothing, but his body leaned slightly toward her.
The butler returned quickly, carrying a needle, a candle, and a lighter.
Lucinda took the items, lit the candle, and held the needle's tip over the flame for a few seconds.
She picked up the ring and carefully inserted the needle into the narrow gap at the break.
Her hand was steady. The needle moved delicately through the tight space.
Under her touch, the fractured metal seemed to come alive, slowly—bit by bit—returning to place.
The butler's eyes widened further and further.
He'd seen plenty of restoration masters, but none who could reconnect a break of this caliber with just a needle.
This young woman's technique wasn't ordinary restoration.
She was using the needle tip to simulate the temperature and pressure of soldering, causing the metal to re-fuse at a microscopic level.
He'd only seen this kind of technique described in the journals of court artisans from the last century.
Hayden's gaze moved from the ring to her face, then back to the ring. The anticipation in his eyes grew thicker.
Five minutes later, Lucinda turned the ring over and held it up to the window light.
The broken gold wire had been fully restored. The edges were smooth and flush—you couldn't tell it had ever been broken unless you looked closely.
She lightly rubbed her fingertip over the repaired section, confirming it wouldn't cut, then handed the ring back to Hayden.
"Done."
Hayden took the ring, turning it over and over, his fingers brushing repeatedly over the repair.
His eyes grew brighter. His lips trembled. It took him a long while before he finally looked up, his voice hoarse and barely audible. "It's fixed? Really fixed?"
"It's fixed." Lucinda's voice was calm. "You can wear it normally from now on. It won't break."
Hayden slipped the ring back onto his finger, examining it again and again. Suddenly, his eyes reddened.
He lowered his head, fingers lightly tracing the stone's surface, his voice soft. "Over thirty years... I thought it wouldn't last much longer."
The room fell utterly silent.
The butler stood nearby, discreetly wiping the corner of his eye.
Reginald looked at his father, silent for a moment, then his gaze shifted back to Lucinda.
Hayden looked up at her, eyes still red but the smile lines around his mouth deep and warm.
He reached out, grasped Lucinda's hand, and patted the back of it. His voice was solemn. "Young lady, this ring—I'm giving it to you."
Lucinda froze.
Reginald froze too.
The butler's mouth fell open.
Hayden slipped the ring off his finger and pressed it into Lucinda's palm, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "Take it. This thing's been with me for over thirty years. It's time it found a new owner."
Lucinda looked down at the ring in her palm, then tried to hand it back. "Mr. Lancaster, this is too valuable. I can't accept it."
Hayden's face grew stern. He pushed her hand back. "Valuable? In my hands, it's just a keepsake. In yours, it's still a ring. Take it."
"This is your wife's heirloom. You should keep it for yourself—"
"Didn't I just give it to you?" Hayden cut her off, tone brooking no argument.
He glanced at Reginald standing nearby, and the smile on his lips deepened. "This thing was always meant to go to my future daughter-in-law. I've waited all these years. Finally, I've found her."
Lucinda's fingers paused.
Reginald stood to the side, his gaze shifting from his father's face to Lucinda's hand, then to her face.
Her expression remained calm as ever, but her fingers held the ring suspended mid-air—neither handing it back nor pulling it close.