Linda’s eyes widened as she saw the ring, her face lighting up with surprise. For a moment, she seemed genuinely stunned, and Andrew’s heart soared. But then, she looked around the shabby living room, her smile faltering as she took in the peeling paint and creaky furniture.

“Andrew…” she said slowly, still staring at the ring. “This… this is beautiful. But what are we doing here? Why did you bring me to this place?”

Andrew tried to keep his voice steady, his heart pounding in his chest. “This is my home, Linda,” he said. “I don’t have much right now, but I love you, and I want us to build a life together. It might not be fancy, but it’ll be real, and it’ll be ours. So… will you marry me?”

For a moment, Linda was silent, her eyes flicking between Andrew and the ring. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, as if trying to choose her words carefully. Andrew could see the wheels turning in her head, and he held his breath, waiting for her response.

Finally, she forced a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Andrew, I… I’m just a little confused,” she said, her voice wavering. “I mean, I thought… you always talked about having big dreams and being ambitious. I never imagined… this.” She gestured around the room, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Andrew’s stomach sank. “I do have big dreams, Linda,” he said quietly. “But right now, this is where I’m at. I wanted to be honest with you about who I am. This is me, and I hope that’s enough.”

Linda’s eyes flickered, and she let out a soft, nervous laugh. “But Andrew, how can you afford this ring if this is all you have?” she asked, her tone skeptical. “This ring must have cost a fortune. Are you in debt or something?”

Andrew hesitated, carefully considering his next words. “I saved up for it,” he said. “Because I wanted to give you something special, something to show you how much you mean to me.”

Linda’s face softened, but there was still uncertainty in her eyes. She looked down at the ring again, her fingers brushing against the diamond. “I just… I thought we’d be starting our life together in a different place,” she murmured. “I mean, this isn’t exactly what I imagined.”

“What did you imagine?” Andrew asked, his voice gentle but probing. “Was it the ring? The house? Or was it me?”

Linda hesitated, biting her lip. “Andrew, I love you,” she said, but there was a faint tremor in her voice. “But… I’ve worked really hard to get where I am, and I want a certain kind of life. I want stability, comfort… and I thought you did too.”

Andrew’s heart ached at her words, but he nodded, understanding what she was really saying. “I do want those things, Linda,” he said softly. “But more than that, I want someone who loves me for who I am, not just what I can give them. I needed to know if you were that person.”

Linda’s face flushed, and she stiffened slightly. “What are you saying?” she asked, her voice sharper now. “That I’m some kind of gold digger? That I don’t love you?”

Andrew shook his head, trying to keep his tone calm and even. “No, that’s not what I’m saying,” he said. “But I wanted to make sure that your love for me wasn’t dependent on things like money or status. That’s why I brought you here today, to see if you’d still want to be with me if this was our life.”

Linda was silent for a long moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed his words. Then, she let out a frustrated sigh, her shoulders slumping. “I just… I can’t believe you’d do this, Andrew,” she said, her voice bitter. “I thought we were on the same page, but it’s like you’re testing me, trying to catch me out. That’s not fair.”

“I’m sorry,” Andrew said softly. “I just needed to know.”

Linda looked at him, her eyes cold and guarded. “Well, now you know,” she said flatly. “I’m not interested in living like this. I thought we were building a future together, not scraping by.”

Andrew’s heart broke at her words, but he nodded, finally seeing the truth that he had been too afraid to face. “I understand,” he said quietly. “And I wish you all the best.”

Linda blinked, as if she hadn’t expected him to let go so easily. “What… what do you mean?” she asked, her voice faltering.

“I mean, I won’t stand in your way,” Andrew said, his voice calm and resolute. “If this isn’t the life you want, then you’re free to walk away. No hard feelings.”

Linda hesitated, her eyes darting around the room, as if she was searching for something to anchor her. “So… that’s it?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re just letting me go?”

Andrew nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Because I need to be with someone who loves me, not my lifestyle.”

Linda stared at him for a long moment, her face a mix of shock, anger, and something that almost looked like regret. But then she straightened up, her expression hardening. “Fine,” she said, her voice cold. “I guess it’s better that I found out now.”

With that, she turned and walked out the door, leaving Andrew standing in the middle of the rundown living room, the diamond ring still clutched in his hand. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him, but also a strange sense of relief. It hurt to let her go, but at least now he knew the truth.

The next day, Andrew returned to his real home — a sprawling estate on the outskirts of the city, far from the modest neighborhood where he had staged his test. As he walked through the grand foyer, his grandmother was waiting for him, her eyes searching his face.

“Well?” she asked, her voice gentle. “How did it go?”

Andrew gave her a sad smile, holding up the ring. “She left,” he said simply. “She couldn’t handle the idea of a life without luxury.”

His grandmother sighed, her expression both sympathetic and relieved. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she said softly. “But I’m glad you found out now. You deserve someone who will love you for who you are, not for what you have.”

Andrew nodded, slipping the ring back into its box. “I know,” he said. “It hurts, but I’d rather face this now than live a lie.”

As the days passed, Andrew focused on his work, throwing himself into his projects at Hardy Industries, the company he had built from the ground up. But he couldn’t help but feel a sense of closure, a chapter that had ended, even if it didn’t have the happy ending he had hoped for.

A few weeks later, as he was leaving his office, he ran into someone he hadn’t seen in a long time — a former colleague, Emma, who had always been kind and genuine, even when he was just starting out. They chatted for a while, and to his surprise, Andrew found himself enjoying her company more than he expected. There was no pretense, no hidden agenda, just two people catching up after a long time apart.

As they said goodbye, Emma hesitated, then smiled. “You know, Andrew, I’ve always admired how down-to-earth you are,” she said, her eyes bright. “It’s rare to find someone like that in your position.”

Andrew smiled, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in a while. “Thank you, Emma,” he said softly. “Maybe we should catch up more often.”

And for the first time in a long time, Andrew felt a flicker of hope — that maybe, just maybe, he would find someone who loved him for the man he truly was, not the millionaire everyone else saw.