While navigating the business tumult of Zip2 and PayPal, Musk found a moment of peace in his personal life. He’d spent years courting Justine Wilson from afar, flying her out for visits on the weekends. For a long time, his oppressive hours and his roommates put a crimp on the relationship. But the Zip2 sale let Musk buy a place of his own and pay a bit more attention to Justine. Like any couple, they had their ups and downs, but that passion of young love remained. “We fought a lot, but when we weren’t fighting, there was a deep sense of compassion — a bond,” Justine said. The couple had been sparring for a few days about phone calls Justine kept getting from an ex-boyfriend — “Elon didn’t like that” — and had a major spat while walking near the X.com offices. “I remember thinking it was a lot of drama, and that if I was going to put up with it, we might as well be married. I told him he should just propose to me,” Justine said. It took Musk a few minutes to cool down and then he did just that, proposing on the spot. A few days later, a more chivalrous Musk returned to the sidewalk, got down on bended knee, and presented Justine with a ring.
— Elon Musk (Ashlee Vance), Loc. 1236–43
‘Where is the ring?’ she said. One ring, to rule them all, one ring to bind them—