A year ago, my Secret Santa coworker Sarah gave me a beautiful silver ring with a tiny emerald—a surprisingly thoughtful gift. We’d always gotten along well, sharing coffee breaks and occasional inside jokes. So, I wore the ring often, never thinking much of it.One evening, absentmindedly twisting it on my finger,

I felt something unusual—a tiny groove around the gem. Frowning, I twisted it carefully, and to my surprise, the emerald popped open with a soft click. Inside was a tightly folded piece of paper.Curious but uneasy, I pulled it out and unfolded it. My stomach clenched as I read the two words written in sharp, deliberate letters: “Hate you.”