Ruby fervently hoped that the waiter was just referring to her jewelry, not her name. But this one called her by name, looking directly into her eyes.
Ruby remembered. Paolo, a waiter at the restaurant, was one of her friends. Ruby even remembered his name, despite them not often being on the same shift. But Paolo wasn’t supposed to be here; he was supposed to be in Veracruz!
“I almost didn't recognize you. You all look so different when dressed up like this. Are you a guest at this party?” he asked, moving closer with a curious expression.
“Y-You’re mistaken. I’m not Ruby.” Ruby shook her head vigorously and stammered. This was a mistake, as it diminished her persuasiveness.
“Huh? You’re Ruby. I’m not wrong. My friend is always talking about you, and I know this. Paolo didn’t seem like the type to accept excuses easily.
“No, you’re mistaken. Excuse me.” Ruby decide
“Liz? Are you alright?!”Ruby stood up immediately upon hearing the knock on the door. She straightened out her slightly disheveled black dress and face. She was still weak, but her head was clear enough.“Yes.” Ruby opened the door, and Ed greeted her, helping her back to the bed.“What…”“Maybe I ate something bad.” Ruby had no other excuse. The sound of her vomiting was loud enough. Ed must have heard it.“I’ll get you some tea in just a moment.” Esli quickly exited the room.“You’re too cold.” Ed touched Ruby’s forehead, which was indeed too cold from the sweat.“Yes, I’ll lie down for a bit.”Ruby didn’t want to push herself. Too much had happened to her today. Paulo was just the beginning. There could be other servants with him who also recognized her. The possibility was there, even if small. Ruby felt
Ruby no longer felt like she was seeing a ghost or anything else. It really felt like she was seeing herself walk across the room toward the bed. Liz wasn't wearing makeup, and her clothes were casual. However, Ruby still felt as though she was staring into a mirror.“Why are you out now? I thought you were gone!” Esli was angry, glancing towards the door. He was really worried someone would open it and see both Ruby and Liz together.“I’m bored, Dad! Even if I go out, I can't go anywhere. I can’t meet my friends! What do you want me to do?! I’ve been hiding for hours! You said I could be free soon!” Liz complained, and Ruby snapped out of her shock. She had never whined in such a childish voice. They were different.“Is it just me, or is this a bit creepy?” Liz finally looked at Ruby, rubbing her hands together. Like Ruby, she also got goosebumps upon realizing their similarity.“Are you sure sh
“Are you only going to Guadalajara today?” Pedro inquired, making small talk while chewing his breakfast.“Not really. I’m also going to El Sato. Maybe for a few days.” Ed initially answered casually but then added more for Ruby’s benefit, letting her know he wouldn’t be home for a few days.But Ruby wasn’t paying attention. She looked down, stirring the green and red salsa that accompanied her huevos divorciados—eggs on a tortilla. She was probably daydreaming.“Are you still not feeling well? Should I call a doctor?” Ed inquired, mistaking her lack of interest for a medical emergency.“Uh, no. I’m better now.” Ruby finally snapped out of it and shook her head.“She’s just being spoiled! She’s only pretending to be weak to get attention.” Of course, Mia provided the sneer.“Aunt, how long will you keep this up?” Ed immedia
“Are you always this busy?”Ruby winced and stepped back. Her path was blocked by Pedro, the person she least wanted to see at the moment.“Move!” Ruby didn’t want to pretend or think about her plans now. She just wanted Pedro to go as far away as possible.“Hey! Don’t be so harsh.” Pedro reached out to stroke Ruby’s cheek, but she slapped his hand away immediately.“Leave! I don’t have time for you!” Ruby snapped. She was utterly frustrated, and her mind was overflowing with problems.“Huh? This is the perfect time. Didn’t you say you were going to find the right time? This is it. Ed’s not here, and there’s no guarantee he’ll come back.”Ruby frowned. “He will come back.”It was strange hearing Pedro say that. Ed would come back, of course, though it was uncertain when.“Yeah, I mean not today. We can h
"Who sent you a message? You're so diligent. Was it Ed?" Lori, curious, turned to tease."Oh, no. It was... my father." Ruby wanted to say 'the bald bastard,' but she restrained herself. Afterward, though, her tongue felt itchy.Esli had sent a message instructing Ruby to be ready to receive his orders. Esli would soon replace her with the real Liz. Without Ruby needing to convince him, Esli could see that Ed had deeper feelings. Ruby didn't reply to the message, of course."Ah, Esli Ramos. I heard your father is running for mayor. My dad said his path was smooth because many businessmen supported him. You know, politics and money usually go hand in hand. Disgusting, but that's how it is."Lori finally shifted her gaze from the car window and looked at Ruby."My dad suggested that your marriage resembles a political union because of Ed's support for your father, but I disagreed. You two seem pretty affectionate." Lori gave her own assessment, and honestly, Ruby felt a bit pleased, tho
"It's very unusual."Angelo had politely refrained from complaining when Ruby asked him to meet outside the hospital, but when he had to reluctantly draw Ruby's blood in an open space, he certainly did complain. Still polite, though. Ed's old chokehold grip still made him wary of any member of the Rosas family."Once again, I'm sorry." Ruby nodded her head with deep regret. This was the umpteenth time she had apologized. "I didn't know who else to ask for help," Ruby said."I don't want to interfere, but from experience, it would be better if you're honest about everything—I mean, about the test results. There's no need to keep it a secret," Angelo said while releasing the tourniquet from Ruby's upper arm and continuing to press on the puncture site at her inner elbow.The alcohol swab felt cold on Ruby's skin as she continued to stare at it. Ruby couldn't promise to follow Angelo's suggestion."It's not that easy," Ruby murmured."Of course it's not easy, but I'm sure Don Rosas will
“What makes you reluctant to see a doctor? I just want some clarity. Are you sick or what?”The reprimand, of course, came from Ed—via a phone call. Otiz might have given up on taking Ruby to the doctor, but he still reported it. After lying down aimlessly, Ruby sighed inwardly, moving to sit up.“I was just carsick. I went too far,” said Ruby.“You shouldn’t be so easily swayed by Lori. If you’re not well, don’t go along with her plans.” Ed immediately assumed Ruby went out because of Lori's persuasion.“I wanted to go out. Not Lori. I was just bored at home.” Ruby corrected him, not wanting Lori to get any unnecessary blame.“I’ll rest at home now.” Ruby promised earnestly, hoping to end Ed’s interest in her condition.“As you should. Don't listen to Tia Mia, either. You don’t need to think about anything she says.”“Yes.” Ruby answered with a slightly hoarse voice, holding back tears. Of course, she had moved. When Ed defended her, Mia's insults didn't appear or feel as bad.“Get s
“LEAVE THIS PLACE!”Ed shouted while lying on the back seat, clutching his bleeding ear. The bullet missed only slightly, not quite hitting its mark. It was definitely aimed at Ed and came very close.If he had been sitting straight, the bullet would have hit his back.“More than one!” As the side window behind them shattered, Otiz yelled in panic.The different shooting directions indicated that their enemies were not only tracking them from behind, but also from the side. They'd been watching from the beginning.It was clear they weren't driving since Ed's was the only car on the road.That's why Ed ordered Otiz to leave the road immediately, to avoid remaining a target.However, driving while dodging bullets was no simple task. The car was a moving target, but the fact that they managed to hit Ed’s ear meant the shooter was very professional. Moreover, the gunshots were silenced. They were accustomed to performing tasks with precision. If they couldn’t escape, there was a high chan
“Such chaos,” Liz lamented as she watched the crowd of rowdy children, who had become the main guests at her wedding.“Yeah, I didn’t expect it to get this wild either.” Ruby sat beside her, watching AJ hand out chocolate-covered strawberries to the other kids.He wasn’t alone—Claud, Val's second child, was helping him. They eventually grew close, even though their conversations were sometimes limited because Claud was more fluent in Italian than English. Still, they got along well enough.“How did it all start?” Ed frowned.“I don’t know.” Ruby was also unsure.“Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed when AJ asked.” Liz deeply regretted it.Somehow, AJ had convinced Liz to provide a chocolate fountain for her wedding, and it had become the source of chaos. The younger children were enjoying it, but soon chocolate stains appeared on the white tablecloths, as wel
"Do I have to? I already checked that document yesterday. Can’t you do it instead?" When Ed saw another email from Otiz, he complained.It was a financial report. Since Matteo had spread his investments in every direction—across more or less thirty companies—the financial reports Otiz received came from all directions, across different types of businesses. Ed hadn't anticipated this.Being an investor wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. He still had to work.“You’re the one who has to check it. I’m just the middleman,” Otiz firmly refused.He could refuse because the request was made over the phone. Perhaps if they were face-to-face, Otiz would be more compliant. He was no longer blindly following Ed's orders, carefully sorting out what should and should not be done. He was only responsible for delivering financial reports, not reviewing them.Ed grumbled. He was quite used to reviewing company pa
"‘What do you want to show me?’ As she approached Ed, Ruby inquired.She left AJ's side; he was busy reading a story to his two younger siblings. Elena and Elisa sat quietly, either really listening or getting sleepy. It was already time for their afternoon nap."Read this," Ed shifted, making room for Ruby to sit beside him, and handed her a phone displaying an article in Spanish. Less than two hours had passed since the publication of this hot news story.Ruby didn’t pay attention to that, though, because she was immediately stunned by the headline.‘DEA ARRESTS MAJOR MEXICAN CARTEL AND EXPOSES BILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS NETWORK’"What... you...?" Ruby turned pale and panicked, of course."Read it to the end," Ed said, pointing to the rest of the text that she had not yet seen.Ruby read quickly and frowned. There was no mention of Ed or Rosas anywhere. Only Reyes. Marco Reyes. He was the story's
Two black vans speed down a deserted road. It was already nighttime, and they were the only ones there. The end of the road was in sight—a black iron gate.“Ram it!”A shout rang out, and the vans didn’t slow down. The passengers inside, all dressed in black, held on tight as a deafening crash echoed.The gate fell, bent, but opened. The two vans barged through and stopped right in front of the brightly lit house.“Get in and kill everyone!”Another shout, and the people inside the vans scrambled out, storming into the beachside house. Some were carrying firearms; others were wielding clubs.However, as they entered, everyone froze. No one came to greet them. The house was supposed to be full of guards, which was why they had come in numbers—ready for a confrontation.In reality, what greeted them was silence. Not a single person appeared, even though the house was brightly lit.“
"AJ, don't make Abuela tired!" Ruby reprimanded AJ for running away with something, while Mia pursued him.But it was impossible to make AJ stop, especially since his younger siblings were laughing joyfully at his antics. Elisa and Elena had just learned to walk, and they happily followed him around.AJ couldn't stop when he had such an audience. Mia seemed to be scolding him, but everyone knew Mia could never really be upset at AJ.Ruby had to step in, followed by Ed to watch over Elisa and Elena. Although falling on the sand wouldn't hurt, the beach had sharp rocks that could scrape them."Mommy! They should chase me! Don't pick them up!" AJ didn’t want his little sisters to be carried away and stop the fun."Alright," Ruby said, intending to supervise them closely."How about we take a vacation?" Ed abruptly proposed the idea, having just finished reading a message on his phone."Hm?" Ruby was surprised. There had been no suc
"Here."Ed gave Otiz a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. If it had been just a few, he would have let Otiz cry—and wiped the tears with the sleeve of his jacket.The problem was that Otiz couldn’t stop crying. He had already been emotional when Ed stood beside him at the altar, and it got worse when he saw Lori walking down the aisle, escorted by flowers. It was all too beautiful and dazzling for his eyes.“Sorry,” Otiz stammered, wiping the remaining tears from his face.“What are you apologizing for? At a wedding, shedding tears is not considered inappropriate. You're just too happy. No one will blame you.” Ed gently patted Otiz’s shoulder and then turned his gaze forward.Of course, Lori was the focus of the event. Her choice of dress was perfect, blending seamlessly with the entire garden decor. Flowers, ribbons, music, and all the other elements were carefully and precisely chosen—now showcasi
Ed tapped his finger on the glass in his hand. His eyes were fixed on a single point—Marco Reyes.The man was speaking with Otiz. Nothing important. Marco was just making small talk, and Otiz was doing the same—being polite, answering Marco's questions about his law firm's progress. Ed actually needed to speak to both of them, but he chose to start with Marco first.Ed just needed to gesture with his chin, and Otiz understood immediately. He excused himself, making up a reason, and left Marco alone."I need to talk to you," Ed said as he approached."Oh? What is it?" Marco immediately followed Ed, moving to the quiet side yard. The other guests filled the living room."I want you to handle the shipment to Ecuador and Brazil next week."Marco looked as if he had choked. This was incredibly surprising. Ed had never let him touch the South American market before. Ed had always handled it himself. Marco had only been managing North A
"Mommy, I want to try! You be Elena, and I'll be Elisa."AJ reached out his hand, asking for the milk bottle from Ruby. He wanted to try feeding the babies—and he chose Elisa.Usually, Tita was around to help Ruby, but today Tita was busy, so Ruby had been on her own since earlier."You can, but please be careful, okay? Don’t let her choke, and don’t squeeze." Ruby guided AJ's hand to hold the bottle filled with pre-warmed breast milk, helping him apply just the right pressure so it wouldn't press too hard against Elisa's lips."Wow! Look, Mommy! She's drinking!" AJ exclaimed happily, eyes sparkling with joy. This was the first time he was directly involved—doing something for his little sister. AJ usually watched, but at first he was afraid to hold the babies. He would look in awe but wouldn’t dare touch them.“See? It’s not a big deal, right? You don’t have to be scared anymore.”&l
From their disheveled appearance, it was clear that Liz and Asher had either just rushed out of a room or possibly run over here. One thing was certain: as soon as they heard the news about Ruby, they had hurried over."Where? Ruby... You're pale. Why... It shouldn't be happening now."Just like Lori, Liz was out of breath as she approached Ruby, panicking. The news had shocked everyone. Liz had already planned to stay in Puerto Vallarta next week to be there for Ruby when she gave birth.Of course, Liz no longer lived at Ed’s house. She had managed to buy her own apartment.“I’m fine, and they’re fine too. But the nurse hasn’t brought them here yet. Calm down… breathe.”Ruby was already able to speak clearly and now had to calm Liz down. She was the one lying down, barely conscious, yet had to reassure everyone else."Are you really okay? No problems? Any complications?" Liz touched Ruby’s bo