Ruby glared at Ed, but she didn't immediately get frustrated with him. She crouched down and cleaned AJ's dirty knee while AJ kept his head down.
“AJ, did you forget what I told you?” Ruby asked, not shouting, but sharply and firmly.
AJ shook his head and didn't dare lift it.
“Then why are you with him and not with Ms. Summers? You can't go near strangers.” Ruby pointed to the daycare caregiver watching from a distance.
Ed followed her gaze and finally understood. The sight of Ruby puzzled him slightly, as he had expected her to arrive later. But seeing the phone in Ms. Summers' hand made the answer clear. Ruby came because they reported to her.
“But I was only talking to Beast. He's not a stranger,” AJ muttered, his hands fidgeting nervously.
“AJ didn't…”
“QUIET! You can't interfere! I'm scolding my child!” Ruby cut off Ed, who was trying to defend AJ. The shout was t
"We're going to move to a new house in a new city. It might even be more beautiful than this one."Ruby coaxed, pushing aside AJ's curly hair that covered his forehead. She still wanted AJ to accept her suggestion."I love this house! Why do we have to leave? I love it here. All my friends are here." AJ shook his head. He couldn't empathize with that reason and would continue to refuse."You'll make new friends, and there will also be...""I want to stay here! My friends are here. Why go? What about Abuela? She's sick." Even AJ realized he couldn't take his grandmother far away.Ruby sighed and patted AJ's head, then unlocked the car."Get out. Ms. Rosemore will worry if you're late." Ruby stroked AJ's head and kissed his forehead."I don't want to move!" AJ repeated it once again."I know." Ruby gently patted AJ's cheek and then opened the car door."Bye, bye, El Cielo."AJ only smiled after hearing that nickname
Ruby felt like she was swimming in dark soot without a way out. She couldn't understand how her day could change so suddenly. It seemed as though someone suddenly twisted her fate in an unexpected direction."A detective will come in later to explain. This… is for the lawyer." The officer who had brought her into the police station handed her a phone, and Ruby could only stare.She had yelled for a lawyer out of reflex. Ruby didn't really know any... Alejandro! Ruby didn't feel like she knew him well, but he was the only lawyer she knew."Delia?!" Of course, Ruby could only call Delia. She didn’t have Alejandro’s number memorized."Ruby? Where are you calling from? Why...""Please call Alejandro. Tell him to meet me at the police station." Ruby mentioned the police station’s address, which wasn’t far from her home."Huh? But...""Sorry, do it quickly." Ruby couldn't explain further because the officer ha
Otiz hurriedly crossed the street in front of the police station, opened the door of the parked black sedan, and sat in the passenger seat. Ed was there.“What happened?” Ed asked. He didn’t know anything yet.“Child abuse.” Otiz handed over a copy of Ruby’s case file, which he had access to as her defender.“Who abused whom?” Ed, confused, read the file, and initially thought it was a joke until he saw the photographic evidence and gripped it tightly. The bruises were very real.“Who did this?!” Ed hissed. He might be ruthless, but he could never harm a child. That required more than ruthlessness—it was the work of a demon.“That’s the problem; only Senora... Sorry, but she looks a lot like Senora Rosas.” Otiz, who usually finishes reports before discussing trivial matters, couldn’t help but comment on Ruby’s resemblance.“Yes.” Ed nodded, offering no further explanation.“Very similar. Too similar.” Otiz was obviously unsatisfied.“Now you understand why I wanted that information as
"Should I... do you need a taxi?" Otiz accompanied Ruby out of the police station but was then confused. He hadn't received any further orders from Ed."No," Ruby answered weakly, her eyes never stopping glancing at the police station door behind her."AJ is no longer there. CPS has taken him to a shelter," Otiz informed her, ensuring that AJ wouldn't suddenly appear from that door.Ruby refused Otiz's offer earlier because she still hoped to see AJ from afar, at least. She would have waited in front of the police station if necessary, but AJ was no longer there."I'll..." Otiz was about to offer the taxi again, but a car slowly pulled up in front of them. Of course, Ed had been waiting in the car all along, and he approached when he saw them.Ruby still didn't react—she couldn't think about anything or weigh right and wrong at that moment. So Otiz finally opened the door and gently nudged Ruby to get into the car."RUBY!"Ruby was slightly startled and turned around. Alejandro finall
“Ruby!”Ed ran towards Ruby's motionless car. Despite the car's dent, Ed noticed the airbag deployment between Ruby and the steering wheel. Ed felt slightly relieved, as there shouldn’t have been a dangerous impact.Ed tugged on the door, but it remained locked.“RUBY! Wake up!” Ed tried to rouse Ruby by making noise—banging on the car window and shaking the door.“Ruby!” Ed’s eyes darted around, searching for something to break the car window, but stopped as Ruby finally moved.“Ruby! Unlock the door!” Ed resumed banging on the window and shaking the car door as Ruby tried to sit up.Ed wanted Ruby to get away from the car as quickly as possible because anything could happen to it. Ed's memory of half his face burning in his own accident haunted him, making him imagine the worst. He couldn’t just stand still.“Good… Unlock the door! Hurry!” Ed
“Y-yes, I considered it. If I asked first, AJ would suffer even more. The perpetrator would become more aggressive if confronted. I took the safest route.”Mrs. Rosemore, once intimidated, grew stronger as she spoke from her convictions.“Safe for whom? What if you’re wrong? You’re hurting Ruby and AJ at the same time. Did you ever consider that possibility?” Ed remained calm, but his narrowing eyes made Mrs. Rosemore step back.“Yes, that’s why it took a long time before I reported it. Enough!” Mrs. Rosemore closed the door. She didn’t want to talk anymore—or maybe she was too scared.“WAIT! I’m not finished! Open the door!” Ruby pounded on the closed door, but Ed caught her hand again.“Let go! I need to talk…”“The police will arrest you again if you cause a disturbance.” Ed stood in front of Ruby, blocking her from pounding
Ruby pushed a strong cup of coffee toward Ed.“Thank you... for your help.” Ruby tried to act as normal as possible, and Ed certainly deserved a thank-you.“Yeah.” Ed responded curtly, not liking the thanks. It wasn’t wrong, but it reminded him that he had done something he shouldn’t have.“It’s coming off.” Ed pointed to Ruby’s leg. Her shin had been injured earlier.Ruby had tried to clean it and wrap it with a bandage, but in her haste, it wasn’t tight enough and had come loose as she paced around.“No… need!”Ruby stepped back when she saw Ed kneeling, but Ed’s hand quickly grabbed her ankle, almost making Ruby stumble. She didn’t fall because she managed to grab the nearest thing for support—Ed’s hair.“OH MY!” Ruby screamed and immediately let go of Ed’s hair.“Sorry… I’m so sor
"Where did you go all night, Don Rosas?" Otiz asked since Ed had returned to the hotel at dawn."Why do you sound more like my wife than my actual wife?" Ed raised an eyebrow. He certainly wouldn't mention that he had just taken Ruby home."Were you with Mrs. Herrera?" Otiz didn't need an explanation, though. He could guess what had suddenly kept Ed so busy. They didn't actually have any more business in New York.Ed just shrugged, not wanting to hear a lecture."The longer you stay here, the more dangerous it will be. If Russell finds out you're here, he won't sit still." Otiz hoped Ed would at least stop wandering outside the hotel."I can't leave this city until I get the report I asked for! I want to know who AJ's father is!" Ed hissed.He knew a similar face wasn't a guarantee, but he wanted to hope. All the coincidences or chances that led him to meet AJ—and Ruby—were unusual. Ed didn't know what it would be like, but it fe