About 20 years ago, when I was 18 I had a bad relationship with someone. He was 5 years older, manipulative and loved drama. I had painfully low self-esteem. When I realised I wasn't happy I broke up with him, which he didn't like, and he proceeded to stalk me for months with phone calls through the night and turning up where he knew I'd be. Even years after he'd get in touch through my website (I'm self-employed and advertise online), and he'd give a false name and pretend to be interested in my services, and he'd pop up doing a bit of Facebook stalking and send me anonymous happy birthday texts. I didn't respond to any of this and eventually it stopped.
Thankfully I hadn't heard from him for a few years but now he's sent me an email apologising and asking if he gave me a ring that belonged to his mother. His mother has died and, if I have it, he'd like it back.
I have an awful memory and it was 20 years ago. I have no memory of a ring, but that doesn't mean he didn't give it to me. There's a chance that, even if he did give it to me, I might have thrown it out when he was harassing me.
Do I respond and ask what it looked like then look through my things to see if it's there? Or can I continue to ignore him in the hopes that he goes away again? Was there ever a ring or is this just an excuse to get in touch with me again? I definitely don't want to encourage contact but I'll wonder if I'm being cruel and keeping his mother's ring from him.