"You know I'm busy," Ed said, massaging his forehead. The pain was still there. The medicine seemed useless.
"And why do you ask?" Ed inquired, but he already knew the answer.
"You already have a wife. Your responsibility is to come home."
Ed's guess wasn't wrong. Javier was bringing up something he didn't want to hear.
"You care too much about her!" Ed muttered.
"She is now your wife. Of course, I care. You should come and try to get close to her. At least apologize. You hurt her," Javier scolded.
"Should I? I'm not forcing---"
"Whether you're forcing it or not, you made her cry! Do you remember crying? It happens when someone feels hurt, upset, sad, or even angry." Javier was clearly sarcastic, jabbing Ed and calling him heartless for not understanding emotions.
"I'm not that dumb!" Ed grumbled.
"But now you look like it! Come home and take care of her!" Javier was no longer suggesting, but commanding.
"Later!"
Ruby held onto the plate storage rack while regulating her breath. Suddenly, her vision darkened, just for a moment."Senora, are you sure you can handle it?" Tita handed the food tray to Ruby with a doubtful expression."Oh, I can." Ruby straightened her body. Having consumed sweet tea earlier, she felt quite refreshed. Ruby, along with two other servants, had been helping Tita since earlier, without any issues.The meal on the tray in Tita's hand was for Pastor Javier. Apparently, Javier was the only resident of the house who could skip the dining table. Usually, Tita would deliver it.Ruby volunteered to take the food to the cottage next to the chapel, which was Javier's living quarters. This was not due to her meticulousness; rather, the alternative was to prepare the food at the table. Ruby didn't want to be in the dining room. Pedro might come to her again. Mia might be blind to the point where she couldn't see that the man was a womanizer."
"Fainted? Why though?" Ed asked.Javier sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. His brother didn't sound concerned at all. He was just asking out of curiosity."She just suddenly collapsed," Javier replied. He wouldn't reveal what Pedro had done. His brother didn't need that extra burden. Pedro was just a cowardly jerk, really."Maybe she's just pretending because she wants to run away." Ed accusing."No. Do you think I can't tell the difference between fake fainting and real? She was genuinely weak," Javier said, glancing at the doctor currently examining Liz and not noticing anything unusual. The doctor was treating her and even putting up an IV drip. It couldn't be fake fainting.Javier had called the doctor after Tita arrived, worried. He asked Tita to stay quiet for now."Well, you just take care of her," Ed said, not sounding concerned."You're not going to come home? You should see her!" Javier's intention in contacting him
Ruby heard Javier mention Mia before she completely lost consciousness. Not in a bad context. Quite carefully, in fact. Mia influenced the decision to allow Pedro to stay."Maybe it's just a lack of sleep. I haven't been sleeping well for two days now. New place." Ruby decided to stay silent. She exercised the same caution to avoid causing any trouble.This would be the case for at least the next two weeks. Ruby wouldn't fight or do anything to shake up the Rosas household for these two weeks."Well, I'm the same. It's hard to adjust to a new place." Javier believed, and Ruby felt relieved. Her reason made sense."But you don't really need to worry. Well, Pedro may be a jerk. However, no one else will do anything weird to you except him. You can be at ease here."If possible, Ruby wanted to laugh out loud. Javier seemed not to know what Mía's attitude towards her was like. Either he was too blind and fond of his aunt, or he simply didn't und
"It's better for you to rest here for a while," Javier could see that Ruby was still not fully recovered.Ruby's face warmed. There was neither disgust, like when Pedro approached her, nor fear, like with Ed."No. I will go back." Ruby wouldn't go crazy and let herself lose her way even more. Being with Javier any longer would only make her mind go crazy with fascination. Being fascinated by her brother-in-law alone was already problematic, especially considering that he is a pastor."I'll walk you back there."Ruby wanted to shake her head again, but Javier had already taken her arm and helped her walk. Ruby complained inwardly, but she did need the help. Ruby knew her body wouldn't make it out of the room if she walked on her own."I beg you to eat more regularly. Your body seems fragile," Javier commented again as he helped Ruby up the stone steps."Okay." Ruby didn't object, even though she felt a bit uncomfortable. It was the first time
"Sorry, but there's nothing. All parts of your head are fine," the doctor in front of Ed conveyed cautiously, as Ed's eyes seemed to narrow further."But the pain is there!" Ed muttered."I understand, but we can't find anything. The CT scan results, as well as others, are very clean. There are no fractures or abnormalities that we can find."The doctor was also very uncomfortable delivering the news because he had repeated this procedure at least three times. And the result was always the same—no abnormalities in Ed's head."So you mean I'm just hallucinating and crazy?" Ed finally restrained himself from shouting. He hoped the doctor could help him right away. However, the doctor he approached appeared to give up and lack knowledge."Not crazy. You misunderstand. It's just a psychological issue," the doctor said, becoming increasingly uneasy. Although Ed tried to speak as calmly as possible, he knew his patient harbored anger."You j
"Finished already? Tita exclaimed in amazement as she gazed at the row of pots and all the cleaned cooking utensils. Earlier, Tita had asked Ruby to start first, and she would help after finishing sending out the food—for Javier and the workers who always received their share of meals from the house.But upon returning, Ruby had already finished washing the dirty utensils. Ruby found nearly all of the utensils heavily stained, despite their considerable quantity."Done," Ruby reported satisfactorily. Ruby is now in perfect health after eating more regularly. She could do any job without a burden. She became more efficient at assisting Tita."Yes, you're amazing," Tita said, puzzled by Ruby's work. It seemed unusual."Have you done something like this before?" Tita picked up one of the pots that had looked black yesterday, but now its bottom was gleaming. Ruby had scrubbed it vigorously earlier."Oh... that... I just learned from watching you
"Okay." Ruby nodded again with a smile. She wouldn't back down and complain."Are you sure?" The worker was surprised to see Ruby take over the wheelbarrow from his hands."Yes, but may I borrow this?" Ruby pointed to the wide-brimmed straw hat on his head."Oh, please!" The middle-aged man handed the hat to Ruby. The hat was wide, and Ruby needed it to combat the heat. It had rained heavily last night, but today was very sunny."Thank you. Please continue your work." Ruby reassured the man with her smile, putting on a waterproof overall and placing a shovel on top of the wheelbarrow, then pushing it towards the pile of fly-specked dung. Ruby put on gloves and began to swing the shovel.The man still watched Ruby for a moment, but then left her alone as Ruby started to lift the pile of horse manure. The instructions he received were clear. No one was allowed to help Ruby until she finished."Phew!" Ruby tried to muster strength, but when the swarm of flies began to buzz around the fou
"Tia!"The one who called out was Lori, and she seemed eager to help, but Mìa held both of their hands back, letting Ruby struggle to get up. Mud blackened the left side of Ruby's body."Leave her be! This way, she'll contemplate her fate. She shouldn't have set foot in this house from the start!" Mìa still laughed.Ruby heard it all while trying to tidy up the mess. She was trying to stay calm, hiding her anger."Tia Mìa, you're going too far," Lori said again."No. Her father's treatment of Ed went too far. It's foolish for her to dream of living peacefully here! She is a cheap girl, only capable of seducing men." Mìa pulled Lori and Mayte's hands, both of whom looked shocked.Ruby should have been patient and silent, as planned. But this was the moment when Ruby felt that all her acceptance wasn't enough. She yielded, stayed silent, and was obedient. She listened to all the heartless insults without trying to defend herself. However, intentionally pushing her into the filthy mud wh