Two hands were clashing to pay the bill for their meal. Ruby's hand tried to push out a few bills, while Noah pulled Ruby's hand away and replaced it with his debit card. This continued for a few minutes until the waiter finally took Noah's card.Ruby looked at Noah, who showed a happy reaction, smiling very brightly, beating the cold weather today. She felt bad, even though she had said from the beginning that this time Ruby would treat Noah to lunch. "Didn't I say, Let me pay?" Ruby touched the surface of Noah's hand and placed the cash she had refused earlier. "Ruby, I'm successful now. I can marry you now," Noah said as he put the money into Ruby's outer pocket. She was again made silent by Noah's words. Why did Noah look different this time? There was no shame in Ruby getting a blatant invitation from Noah. What's wrong with Noah? "Noah, stop joking," Ruby said with a faint smile as she brushed her mane. With her hand gently rubbing the surface of her nape, Ruby felt instantly
Ruby tried many times to adjust her sleeping position. She couldn't fall asleep at all; she tried everything but still failed. Her stomach suddenly rumbled. Ruby had passed her dinner by refusing the waiter's call. Apart from being embarrassed, she was also too lazy to meet Victor. "Argh! Why be hungry at night?" muttered Ruby, who chose to get up and walk away from the bed. There was no other way but to find something that could stop her hunger. The maid might be asleep, and Ruby would prepare a meal for herself. As she opened the door to her room, Victor also came out of his study. They met again by accident in the same hallway, and Ruby was again left speechless. Then Victor walked away from her and into the elevator. Ruby thought she could let Victor get off first. But she was wrong; Victor was waiting for her in the elevator, and Ruby, who realized it reluctantly, got into the same elevator. Victor leaned against the elevator, while Ruby was in front of him. They stayed silen
Victor took off his suit and put it on the chair. He was still able to smile and pretend as if nothing had happened between him and Carly's father. Victor picked up his wine glass and took a slow sip. Carly turned her head and touched the surface of Victor's hand. "Honey, are you okay? You just keep drinking," Carly whispered. "Ummh, I need to use the restroom now," Victor said, putting his cell phone in his coat pocket. "Take care; come back soon." Victor nodded and walked away, leaving Carly at the dining table with her parents. Jena stared at the departure of her daughter's future husband. Then she looked back at her husband, Leo, who placed his spoon and fork down firmly. Making two pairs of eyes stare at him. "Stop playing Carly." Leo looked at his daughter. Carly, looked surprised by Leo's father's high tone, Then Carly's face, which initially looked warm, turned cold, and both Carly's hands were clenched under the table, holding back anger. "Does Daddy think I'm playin
Ruby never thought she would get to this point. Watching her first love find happiness, Victor and Carly's engagement party was just minutes away. Ruby, who found it strange to stay inside. Choosing to go outside for a breath of fresh air, she sat with her legs crossed. Taking a sip from a can of soda and waiting for Noah's arrival turned out to be boring for Ruby. "Mr. Leo, congratulations on your daughter's engagement." Ruby slightly turned her body to look at the two people not far from her. They were slightly shielded by a tree, but Ruby could hear their conversation. "Thank you, Mr. Hendrick," Leo replied, accepting the hand of the man who had once been his rival and now turned into his best friend. "I thought you refused to accept a candidate from Antony's family," Hendrick replied, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cigarette, burning the end quickly. "Of course I refused! But on second thought, there's no harm in making the most of Antony's son." Leo accepted the
A sharp, deadly glare. Ruby felt it when she accidentally looked at Victor, whether it was just a feeling or whether it was true that Victor kept stealing glances at her. Ruby began to feel uncomfortable; even Noah's voice, which continued to tell her about the funny incident he experienced, did not get any response from her. "I rescued that cat; it has a very cute face; unfortunately, I can't adopt it," Noah explained, excitedly recounting today's unexpected events. Although he noticed that Ruby seemed uncomfortable, Noah's eyes repeatedly saw Ruby rubbing her wrists and rubbing the back of her neck. "Should we move?" asked Noah, shifting slightly to block Ruby's view. "Move?" repeated Ruby. Her eyes widened in surprise at Noah's question. "It looks like you're uncomfortable. Let's find a place that makes you feel a lot safer," Noah replied, wrapping his arm around Ruby's shoulders and bringing their bodies closer together. Noah led Ruby through the crowd of guests and to a more s
Ruby returned to the mansion after dropping Noah off. Her hand reflexively touched her lips, and the kiss that happened between her and Noah made Ruby even more certain. There were no feelings left for Noah, no crazy little vibe, unlike when she got a kiss from Victor. Ruby walked into the mansion with bare feet and heels in her right hand. Ruby hoped she wouldn't run into Victor, but she was wrong! As her feet stepped through the living room, the sound of Victor's deep voice came back. "Are you home?" Ruby twisted her body slightly to look at the sofa; she didn't expect Victor to be lying there. The man's eyes stared back at her, and strangely, Ruby saw the sadness on Victor's face. Her fear gone, her small feet took sure steps towards the sofa, and she stood within a short distance of Victor. "What happened?" asked Ruby, diverting Victor's question. "I don't know," Victor replied curtly. "It looks so sad. Are you Victor Antony?" quipped Ruby, looking at the glass and a bottle
After almost four days in Canada, Victor finally returned to Boston by taking a flight at night using a private plane, his hand holding a tablet, and reading the news that was trending this week. Reading trashy articles about his engagement made Victor feel sick; they wrote articles as if Victor were the main character who ruined his engagement. "We're here, sir." The voice of his driver made Victor stop reading the news and throw his tablet to his left. The car had passed through the main gate of Antony's mansion. Victor got out of the car after the door was opened by his driver. Some of the servants looked surprised by the sudden return of their master, but only some of them looked down to welcome Victor's arrival. Victor didn't care either, he continued to walk in with one of the servants carrying his suitcase. "Where is Miss Ruby?" asked Victor. "Miss, in the back garden, sir," replied the waiter quickly. Victor, who originally wanted to enter the elevator, turned around. H
"How are Daddy and Mommy?" Victor asked, opening the conversation as he and Carly were in the same car. "Daddy and Mommy are fine. They're happy to be in Boston, but unfortunately, the day after tomorrow, Daddy and Mommy have to leave." "Where are they going?" Victor asked, looking at Carly, who was leaning on his shoulder. "Spain, Los Angeles, and the many destinations they have to visit before the end of the year," Carly replied, looking up slightly to kiss Victor's lips. "Very productive parents!" Victor chuckles. "They won't be so busy when we're married, dear. Because you'll be helping Daddy run the company," Carly continued to speak in a very excited tone. "They will be much busier because their goal is to take over my company." Victor's monologue opened, one by one, the incoming emails on the tablet. "I'll try to do better," Victor said, kissing the top of Carly's head. They had arrived at a five-star restaurant that had just opened a few months ago. Victor had rented ou
Jaxon hummed a little while staring at his reflection in the glass of the sink, he wiped away the dew on the glass that was blocking the full face of his good looks. Fine hair began to grow shyly along his firm jaw, Jaxon always shaves regularly, every week but this week. He didn't think it was necessary. He will let all the hairs on his body extend naturally-except for the lower hairs.His feet stepped broadly out of the bathroom in a waist-length towel. Stopping at the table next to the television, there was the expensive wine Victor had given her. It was a pity to enjoy it too soon, she carefully poured it into the glass and sipped it slowly with her eyes closed. Tonight she was going to romanticize her long life, her body jerked in shock as the tone of her phone rang making her eyebrows furrowed."Damn it, I'll kill whoever ruined my romantic time!" he swore, grabbing the phone and looking at the caller's name."Victor?"He felt like retracting what he had just said. Jaxon caught
"Jaxon! Is my tie band skewed?""Jaxon! The shoes are too narrow!""Jaxon, Jaxon, Jaxon. Is Ruby ready?"Who's getting married and who's getting a headache. Jaxon had to hide behind the door to take a deep breath and let it out rudely, he hunched his body to correct the position of his tie, put on his widest smile until he had to show a row of neat teeth that were almost dried by the wind."Mr. Antony can't you stay calm? Sit down, breathe slowly. You're the one getting married, but I'm the one who's tired of dealing with you," Jaxon said, opening one palm to ask Victor to sit on the sofa.Victor sat down and then slightly lowered his head to inhale and exhale slowly. "I-I'm nervous Jaxon. It's my first wedding after a long wait, I can't help but be nervous." Victor stared at Jaxon with his hands clutching his chest. It was like winning dozens of tenders in one go."You're already perfect. You deserve all this," Jaxon praised sincerely. Jaxon also felt feelings of joy and sadness, he
On the other hand, Victor was waiting at the dining table. With Rune sitting on his lap, , he never let Rune eat on his lap like this. Rune had been taught to eat independently since he was one year old; since he was waiting for Ruby to come down, there was no harm in playing with his son first."Daddy, Daddy. Let's try to call Rune Daddy in full," Victor said, stroking Rune's tiny back."Daddy." Rune eloquently called Victor without stammering anymore.Until Victor showed his big smile for so long, unbelievably, when Rune repeatedly asked him to call him loudly, it was almost like a shout that did not bother Victor. He even praised Rune with loving compliments, kissing his little son Rune's face. Ruby, almost near the dining table, smiled with Rune's laughter. The interaction between father and son touched Ruby deeply, as she used to receive affection from her father as well. Victor's father treats Ruby like their own child, and Ruby understands why she was not adopted as their chil
It was already two in the morning. Still sitting on the floor surface, hiding beside the bed, Ruby kept reliving the events that happened a few hours ago. Her index finger didn't even stop rubbing her slightly swollen bottom lip, that hot kiss in the park had really made her heart pound. Hundreds of butterflies seemed to fly in his stomach, his heart beating almost intermittently with irregular breathing, as his eyes were stared at by Victor's beady eyes for a split second."When are you ready? I don't want to delay the wedding any longer, how about tomorrow? I have to prepare everything quickly. I don't want you to change your mind and cancel.""Victor-""No Ruby, no more procrastination. The sooner the better, the more you delay, the less certainty there will be. I'm old enough, there's no time to wait.""Then what about your girlfriend, Olivia?""Olivia? Since when has she been my girlfriend? And where did you find out about her, I'm not in a serious relationship with her yet.""Ho
19:00 Mansion"Rune. Why are you crying and screaming so loudly? Listen to Mommy; if you want something, ask slowly," Ruby said, soothing Rune after the servant asked her to leave."Mom-my. The bird is dead," Rune pointed at the television screen."No, it's not. It will come back to life," Ruby replied, understanding why Rune was screaming and crying.Rune nodded and pointed at the clock on the wall. Ruby frowned as her eyes also looked at the clock; why was Rune suddenly pointing at the clock?"What's wrong with the clock?" Ruby asked."Dad, come back."Just as Ruby was about to find out why Victor hadn't returned yet, at the sound of a car, Rune got out of bed and approached the window. Asking Ruby to open the balcony window, the window opened. Rune's tiny feet ran to the barrier, waving his hand, waiting for Victor, who had just gotten out of the car, to realize his existence. No reaction made Rune shout."Dad! Here!!!" Rune shouted.Ruby watched from behind as Victor smiled and wa
From that day on, Victor completely avoided Ruby. He always avoided her whenever he met her, even by accident. Just like today. After removing the cast on his leg, Victor returned to work so he had time to get busy and try to forget slowly. He tries and continues to try until Victor tries to stop loving Ruby. His desire to make Ruby feel free, so the only simple way he can do it is to forget Ruby first. Forget his feelings of love and consider what Ruby is doing to Rune as necessary."Is the steak not cooked right?" A woman's soft voice came back to Victor's ears. He glanced briefly at the woman before him; Victor had almost forgotten Olivia's existence. The woman had been getting close to him for the past few days; Victor liked Olivia's mature character - the way she spoke and her speech also reflected an educated woman. "Olivia, I'm sorry I forgot you existed," Victor said, putting down the fork and knife in both hands. He pulled the glass between himself and Olivia, taking a sma
"Who was the man who picked you up four years ago?" The car suddenly stopped on the shoulder of the road. Ruby turned her head and found Victor's eyes staring intensely at her, locked in silence."Who do you mean?" repeated Ruby."The man who took you away from the Netherlands. Who?"Ruby thought back to when she left the Netherlands. She started a life in Shanghai; the man she was with was just a stranger who also happened to be going to Shanghai."My ex-boyfriend. We broke up two years ago," Ruby replied briefly. I don't know why she preferred to lie.Click.Victor unbuckled the seat belt and brought his body closer to Ruby's. "Don't try to lie to me, Ruby; I know all the bastard men who approached you," he said."If you already know about all the men who approached me. Why would you ask again, uh? You have the power, but you have no right to invade the privacy of my life."Victor ruffled his hair, closing his eyes briefly, fed up with Ruby. Victor's hand quickly pulled Ruby by the
"I'll drive," Ruby said without a glance, stepping quickly into Jaxon's car. "How did everything happen?" Ruby continued, sitting behind the wheel.She started the car's engine and drove at high speed. The car she was driving had already left the hotel; Ruby's hands were deftly holding the steering wheel and focusing on the road, even though it was challenging to concentrate under these circumstances."Before we both stopped by a bar, I had much to talk about with Tuan, and so did he. I didn't realize how much whiskey I had sipped, so I felt a little drunk. It wasn't long before I heard the faint sound of Tuan's voice saying that he would drive," Jaxon explained in detail."I kept refusing and asked him to call one of the drivers at the mansion, as I knew he was probably a little drunk as well. He asked me to sleep along the way, and everything happened unexpectedly," he continued.Trembling. Ruby's fingers were trembling after listening to Jaxon's story; what if Victor had left her l
"What do you mean," Ruby said, pushing Victor's body away. She looked deeply into Victor's eyes, putting away her nervousness. Deepen the feeling of hatred! It was true that hating Victor more would reduce the unclear feelings in her heart."Do I have to give you quips to make you understand what I mean? I honestly don't like small talk; make it clear! That I was widowed until this moment waiting for you.""Widowed? You've been married all this time," Ruby retorted with a furrowed brow. Indeed, she hadn't looked up to Victor in years. "No, I haven't. I made that clear to you, Mrs. Antony," Victor continued, not accepting the thought of Ruby accusing him of being married."Stop calling me Mrs. Antony; I'm not married. Can't you tell the difference between Miss and Mrs.? And one more thing, my name is no longer Antony. Enough Rubyjane, Mr. Antony." Victor nodded with a slight smile. "Get used to it. You are no longer my sister but will be my wife."Once again, after hearing what Victo