“I was just too lazy to change it,” Ruby muttered softly, reaching for the phone that Lori held with a look of disgust. Owning that phone seemed to be tantamount to shame among the rich.Lori kept pressing, shaking her head in disbelief, but that reason was more acceptable—it didn't make it seem like Ruby had to be frugal."I'm taking it back. Eduardo was right. This is perfect for you. He’s smart for matching it to your needs. It’s sweet.” Lori withdrew her hasty accusation and opened the phone box for Liz.“Whoa… Custom-made.” Lori’s eyes widened when she saw the highly polished back of the phone, unlike any typical model.Ruby accepted it and gazed in awe. It was, of course, the best and most luxurious phone she had ever owned. The phone was not large and could even be folded into a smaller size. It was the latest model, usually only seen by Ruby on buses or TV.“What kind of leaf is this?” Ruby asked, pointing to the uniquely patterned custom case. As Lori mentioned earlier, the p
Ruby didn't move at all, knowing that the sound of heavy footsteps belonged to Ed, which was surprising. Ed wasn’t supposed to be home—he was supposed to be in Guadalajara until next week or whenever, but certainly not now.Ruby, of course, was even more afraid to open her eyes, so she kept them closed, listening as the closet door opened and other noises followed.“I don’t need to look to know you’re still awake.”Ruby squeaked, for sure. Startled—and embarrassed. She opened her eyes and had to search before finally finding Ed sitting in one of the chairs near the terrace.He hadn’t turned on the lights but had slightly opened the curtains. letting some light in. The light is not very bright, but it is enough to dimly illuminate the room.Ruby sat with her head down. Her embarrassment persisted, partially due to her inability to formulate a response. She glanced and saw that Ed was also observing.“Do you like it?” Ed inquired, pointing to the phone still in Ruby's hands.“Oh, yes. I
“Hmm?” Ruby shifted her eyes from the screen and looked back at Ed.“What?” Ed asked in return.“You said something.” Ruby heard something but wasn't sure what.“Really? I didn't say anything.” Ed shook his head in denial. Ed just realized he had said it out loud. He had intended to keep it in his head.“Oh, okay.” Ruby was hesitant, convinced she heard something. But she couldn't insist if Ed himself didn't feel he had said anything.“You’re twenty-four,” Ed said suddenly.Ruby turned again. “Age? Yes. I'm twenty-four.” Ruby didn't need to think while answering, given that she and Liz were of the same age. Ed should know that too.“You don’t look twenty-four.”Ruby finally put down her phone. It was her turn to feel a bit offended. She didn’t understand why Ed suddenly brought up age, but the statement ‘not like 24’ stung. Her face shouldn’t look that old. Discussing age was a sensitive topic for women.“Then how old do I look?” Ruby tried not to sound snappy, but she still sounded c
Words are like magic, creating wonders. Ruby felt her body glide into the cool water, floating gently, enveloped in quiet comfort. Brief, concise, but not simple.Ruby knew she hadn’t misheard, as she saw those green eyes looking at her. They didn’t blink or show hesitation. Those eyes were gentle.“For everything that happened—for what hurt you. I’m sorry, and I won’t do it again.”Warmth gathered in Ruby’s face, piling up into tears.Ruby hadn’t known she needed it. She would never have dared to ask for or demand an apology from Ed. Ruby had already prepared to adjust, even before Ed apologized.“You shouldn’t have to endure all that harshness or pain. I acknowledge it all as foolishness.”Ed extended a hand, noticing the shimmer of Ruby's tears rolling down her cheeks. But he didn’t wipe them away immediately. Before touching, Ed waited to see if Ruby would flin
Time had never moved so slowly for Ruby. Each second seemed to pass more leisurely, giving her longer moments to absorb her surroundings.Her eyes were still darkened, and Ed's hand was still covering them, but Ruby didn't feel blind at all. Her other senses took over, providing intense stimulation and heightening every tickle in her stomach, as well as every nerve ending throughout her body.When he felt her pull away, Ed cupped and held Ruby's head. He knew she wasn’t avoiding him. Ruby wasn't scared, just weak.Ed wouldn't let her pull away. However, he couldn't resist the allure of her delicate lips. Ed wanted every inch of her, and every response from Ruby was like a fire igniting his body. Ruby didn’t reciprocate properly, but instinctively, her lips parted, inviting Ed to explore.Ed kissed those soft, innocent lips, brushing and playfully biting the corners. He inhaled deeply, taking in the warm pheromones she exuded.Ruby felt
“I don’t want to be cruel, but it seems impossible. She doesn’t appear to love you.” Javier gave his honest opinion, smiling apologetically.“If she’s really scared of you, I think it’s unlikely she likes you,” Javier emphasized.Ed glanced briefly. The affirmation stung a little, but he knew Javier was just being honest. "Well, I offered to leave, but she said she'd stay right away. And she didn’t reject me again.”Javier frowned, trying to understand the context. “Oh, you slept together again.” Javier chuckled, amusingly patting his brother's thigh.“Is that why you’re talking about love?” Javier laughed again.“Stop!” Ed hissed. The mocking laughter, regardless of its appearance, annoyed Ed.“Hermano…” (Brother)Javier stifled his laughter and put down his cup. No longer mocking. “I think you already know t
“Gone? What do you mean? Dead?” When Otiz delivered the unpleasant news about Carlos, Ed had just sat down.“No, but someone helped him escape.”Ed immediately frowned. “You’ve been disappointing me a lot lately. Are you sure you still want to live?”“Forgive me, Don Rosas!” Otiz bowed. He didn’t dare lift his head. He didn't defend himself, knowing his mistake was grave.“How could this happen?” Ed asked.“The doctor ordered another CT scan because Carlos had been complaining of a headache since last night—they were worried about a fracture besides the jaw. There were people following him during the CT scan, but he didn’t return. It seems someone was waiting in that room and helped him escape through the window.”Otiz explained it as thoroughly as possible. Very honestly, despite the severe consequences.“Your skills seem to have rus
"What's up?" Lori inquired, puzzled by Ruby's sudden stop."Nothing. Come on, let's just go to the beach." Ruby pushed Lori out through the side gate, and Lori's suspicion vanished.Ruby had never been to the beach near that house, so she just followed Lori, who kept talking about clothes. But Ruby wasn't listening at all because she was busy thinking about what Lori had just mentioned."Oh, I want to ask about this," Lori said. "While I remember. Where did you get it?"Lori turned and held up her phone, showing a photo from social media. Ruby nearly choked in shock. She felt like she was in a bad horror movie, staring at someone who should be her but knew it wasn't.The photo showed a woman who looked almost exactly like herself. The real Lizeth Ramos. The hair, eyes, and overall appearance were all the same. The hair was the only slight difference. Slightly curly, but the same length.But Ruby had never worn a dress like that. The ki