Q: Before you assume that the ring will become an object of contention, take the mature approach and ask your former partner what they want to do with it. You might be surprised how peacefully the issue can be resolved; in many cases, the buyer of the ring decides they want the other to keep it, or the recipient seeks to return the ring as a matter of course. For example, find a time when both of you are calm and agree to have a chat. Say something like, "I was hoping we could discuss what we should do with our engagement ring. I think we can find a solution that will satisfy both of us." You don't have to force a face-to-face if your breakup was particularly bitter, but you might nevertheless want to make an effort to reach an informal agreement before taking legal action. Ask a mutual, level-headed friend to act as the go-between, or try communicating with your ex through civilly worded emails or letters. In most countries, a gift is presumed irrevocable, meaning that it cannot be taken back or rescinded retroactively. This presumption is complicated, though, in the case of romantic gifts and engagement rings: almost all courts view engagement rings as falling under one of two categoriesthat is, conditional or absolute. A conditional gift means that the donor (the giver) gave the donee (the recipient) the ring on the condition that the couple will eventually marry. If this marriage never occurs, then this condition has not been met. An absolute gift means that the ring was given with no expectation or precondition for its bestowal. In many cases, the two parties disagree on the nature of the gift: the donor claims it was conditional, while the donee asserts that it was absolute. Whatever your opinion, you should look for evidence to support your claim. For example, if you have an email or texts from your ex where they assure you that the ring is a gift simply meant to honor you and your love, this can be used as evidence of an absolute gift. On the other hand, if you have a written agreement wherein the recipient agrees to return the ring if the engagement is cancelled, this counts as evidence that the gift was indeed conditional. In many places, courts which usually mandate return of the ring to its donor contradict this ruling if the couple was married and is now getting divorced, or if the ring was a family heirloom. In the latter case, the condition of the engagement ring was fulfilledthat is, the couple got marriedso the ring should stay with the donee. In the former case, the ring is regarded as property of the original owning family and not of the recipient. If your ring was a family heirloom but you have no documentation proving this origin, you should consult your attorney as to how to validate this claim. The legal precedent wherever you live will determine who should take possession of the engagement ring. In the U.S.A., for example, state courts determine this question. All states with the exception of Montana have decided that an engagement ring constitutes a conditional gift and thus should be returned to its donor when an engagement is called off. In contrast, courts in the U.K. generally side with the recipient: unless one can prove otherwise, the gift is deemed absolute and can be retained by its recipient. Many courts view an engagement ring as a conditional gift or the symbolic emblem of a contractual bargain, but they also consider the reasons and details of the breakup relevant to the settlement. For example, Australian courts have ruled that, if the recipient of the ring breaks off the engagement, they must return the ring. If, on the contrary, the donor breaks off the engagement, they have no right to demand the ring's return. Some states in the U.S. also take responsible parties and causes for the engagement's cancellation into consideration. South Carolina, Illinois, and California, for example, determine that, even though the ring is a conditional gift, the rights for it go to whichever party was not at fault for the broken engagement. Many states disagree with this reasoning and have adopted a no-fault policy which decrees that the ring should be returned to its donor, regardless of who was at fault for the engagement's dissolution. Once you've done a bit of research and decided that you want to fight for the ring via legal action, you should find a local attorney who specializes in family law. Try to find a firm that offers free consultations and estimates so that you don't hire a pricey attorney only to discover it was a big waste of time and money. Before signing anything and initiating the process, be sure that you're prepared to go through a lengthy and potentially painful legal process. From a purely practical, monetary standpoint, the ring is unlikely to be worth enough to justify the steep costs of litigation. After all, even if you or your ex paid a tidy sum for the diamond engagement ring, its actual value is only a fraction of the retail price.
A: Talk to your former fiancee about the ring. Determine if your ring was a conditional or absolute gift. Evaluate evidence for your claim. Consider special circumstances which could affect the ring's ownership. Review legal precedent. Evaluate reasons and responsible parties for the breakup. Consult a lawyer.

Q: This can be difficult because you don't want to seem desperate or overly hurt, but if your crush didn't give you a good answer as to why they didn't want to go out with you, it could be good to meet up with them and ask a few questions to gain some insight as to what they are thinking. If they very bluntly stated why they didn't want to go out with you, like "I'm not interested in you for this reason" or "I'm going through something difficult and don't need the stress of dating," then you don't want to irritate them by asking for more explanation. People are often caught off-guard when asked out, so a lot of times they come up with an answer on the spot that may not be the complete truth. Calmly approach your crush and ask them if they wouldn't mind grabbing coffee (not as a date) because you wanted to talk through some things with them. Then, when you are together, ask if there was a specific reason they didn't want to go out with you or if your approach was what turned them off. Do not then proceed to ask them out again, but thank them for giving you some insight and be understanding and be patient. Sometimes it's the essence of the relationship that is what caused the rejection. Are you asking out your best friend and they are worried that it will ruin the relationship? Have there been conflicts recently that have left your crush confused or irritated with you? Thinking through your relationship can be helpful to know if it was part of the reason you were rejected. If you asked out someone you met once at a party or on a night out, this doesn't necessarily apply to you, but if you asked out a good friend it's possible that they don't want to ruin your relationship or there's something else going on in their life that's keeping them from jumping into something new. It's also possible that at this point they just aren't attracted to you, which in that case it just takes time and patience before you can ask them out again. Did you just ask someone out that you didn't know in a very demeaning manner, were you confident or really nervous in your approach, or did you catch your friend off guard and they didn't know how to respond? If you have asked other people out, think about the approaches that were successful and those that weren't and think about how you came across to your crush. If you asked someone out and were rejected, don't insist on taking them on a date. It can seem desperate and be incredibly annoying to your crush if you persist when they've already told you no. Once you have figured out why they rejected you, respect their answer and don't ask them out again right away. As previously stated, you want to respect the person you asked out by giving them time. Sometimes people need to process and think over things, and over time they may realize that they are interested in you. Giving your crush space to think over their feelings towards you could lead to a much more positive answer later on.
A:
Figure out why they rejected you. Think over your current relationship. Examine your approach. Respect their answer. Be patient.