Cheating B.C. husband sues lover over cost of ring at request of scorned wife

A B.C. man has lost his civil suit against a former lover over the cost of a diamond ring he had gifted her for Christmas.

After the wife found out about the affair, R.T., an anonymous name granted to the husband due to the extra-marital nature of the case, immediately demanded that A.L.T. repay the cost of the ring, valued at $1,000 plus tax in 2017.

R.T. had originally given A.L.T. $1,000 dollars to spend and she paid the tax herself.

Initially, A.L.T. had agreed to pay $800 back, but then put a stop order on the cheque due to the wife’s erratic behaviour towards her. R.T. and his wife then decided to bill A.L.T. for $5,000 dollars but would accept $4,000. The wife’s logic is that the money spent on gifts for A.L.T. over the years could have paid for car repairs during that time.

“The [woman]  says a few days later she received a letter from the applicant’s wife asking for more money,” tribunal member Sarah Orr wrote.

“[R.T’s] wife said [he] was billing [her] for $5,000 for 10 years labour fixing her car, but that they would accept $4,000.”

According to CBC,the civil resolution tribunal handles disputes under $5,000, but this is the first dispute involving an extra-marital affair.

Weighing in on post-breakup jewellery is common, with many male parties’ arguing that a ring is an investment with the promise of marriage being part of the bargain—that logic doesn’t apply here, as marriage was never on the table. He was already married, so the ring is clearly a gift with no explicit strings attached.

“Orr said that she was satisfied that R.T. gave A.L.T. the money “as a gift to buy the diamond ring,” reports CBC.

“There is no evidence this was a loan,” Orr wrote.

Orr also said that repayment for car repairs was a red herring and that there is no reason to believe R.T.’s love interest should be responsible for his wife’s mechanical needs.