I immediately got on my motorcycle and started it. I spent hours going from shop to shop looking for a metal workshop. Luckily, I found one at the very end of the street. It was tucked in an alley, the place messy and loud as soon as I stepped inside.
Inside, a muscular man greeted me, a little taller than I was. He was so huge that even I wouldn't stand a chance against him. I had to admit—his presence was intimidating.
"Good morning, sir." I was surprised when his serious, frightening look suddenly turned into a sweet smile. I was forced to smile back.
"What can I do for you?" he asked.
"Is this a metal workshop? Can you cut this ring off my hand?" I said as I showed him the ring.
"What are you doing here, my husband?"
"Damn it!" I shouted when the ghost woman suddenly appeared beside me again.
"Are you cursing at me?" the man in front of me asked.
"Ah… no… I just… saw a cockroach run by," I lied. He only shook his head.
"Over here, sir," he said, and I followed him.
"My husband! What are we doing here?" she asked again at my side. She kept poking me, but I chose to ignore her.
The man left me sitting on a chair. After a few seconds, he came back holding a huge, scissor‑shaped piece of metal. I felt a bit nervous when I saw how large it was. Moments later, he told me to place my finger on the metal and suddenly clamped it shut.
"Ah!" I looked at the ghost woman when she cried out. She was clutching her chest now, as if she were in pain. I looked back at the ring the man was trying to cut.
"Sir… it seems this one's really tight. My first tool didn't work. It's better if you come with me so we can cut it with a sharper blade," he said as he stood up. But I couldn't respond because I was staring at the ghost woman, not knowing why she looked like she was struggling to breathe.
"Sir?" I snapped back to reality when the man called me again.
"Let's go," he added.
"Ah… okay." I stood up and followed him. We went to a table where a thin circular blade was spinning. It looked razor‑sharp even at a glance, terrifying to put your hand or finger under. It would definitely cut through.
"Put this on, sir. It will protect your finger." He handed me a small metal guard, which I slipped onto my finger.
"Place it here," he said. I suddenly looked down and saw the ghost woman sitting on the floor, clutching her chest. She lifted her gaze to me, and for the first time I saw her eyes—strained, pleading.
"My husband," she said. I was startled when she collapsed just as the screeching blade began trying to cut through the ring on my finger.
Could it be… this was affecting her?
She grew weaker and weaker, almost gasping for breath, yet she never took her eyes off me. I swallowed hard, then quickly looked away.
No! Carlos, you can't feel sorry for a ghost. Remember, she's a ghost, not a human. Don't ever pity her.
"Stop!" I couldn't help myself anymore and called out to the man. He shut off the machine, and it stopped spinning.
"Sir?" he asked.
"Uh… never mind. Let's not do it," I said. He looked confused for a moment.
"Are you sure, sir? This ring is really hard to cut. It's strange—it doesn't even have a scratch," he said. I looked at the ring on my finger and was shocked to see that it truly had no marks or damage, even after the machine tried to cut it.
"How… did that happen?"
"The metal used for this must be expensive. That's why it's extremely durable," the man said.
"Thank you anyway." I took some money from my pocket and placed it on the table in front of us.
"I'll be going now," I said as I walked away. I searched for the ghost woman, but she was nowhere to be seen.