CHAPTER 1

Ruby gazed brightly at the jewellery sets in the glass display case. Her fingers could only touch the glass, as it took Ruby months to buy them all.

"Buy them if you want."

The baritone voice made Ruby's body startle, and she turned her head to the left. Ruby's eyes opened wide when she saw Victor's face! Someone she called a brother, but they didn't share the same blood. 

"Victor! What are you doing here?" said Ruby, who initially hesitated to call Victor by name. Since they were no longer close, Ruby chose to part ways with her adoptive parents.

"You want that? I can get it for you," said Victor, who did not respond to Ruby's question.

"No! No... Thank you, Victor," Ruby replied, refusing Victor's offer of a gift.

"I would like a set of this jewellery," Victor said to the waiter standing behind the display case.

"Yes, sir."

Ruby's eyes widened, and she met Victor's gaze with one raised eyebrow. Who wouldn't be suspicious of the man in front of her? They hadn't seen each other in a dozen years. The last time Ruby separated from her adoptive parents, Victor seemed to hate her, even though she and Victor were six years apart in age.

"What? Why are you showing me that horrible look?" Victor replied with a small touch on Ruby's chin.

"What's the point of all this?" asked Ruby, still controlling herself to stay calm since they were in a shopping centre.

Victor raised his hand to stop the conversation. He pulled out his debit card, paying the bill for the jewellery set that had been beautifully wrapped in a dark blue paper bag. 

"Take it." Victor pushed the paper bag toward Ruby.

"No." Ruby refused, pushing the paper bag away from Victor.

"Alright," Victor said casually, throwing the set of expensive jewellery into the trash can in front of him.

Ruby was again surprised by Victor's actions. How arrogant and haughty Victor Anthony was! Ruby looked like a fool taking jewellery from a trash can. She didn't care about the strange looks as long as she didn't feel like she was harming anyone.

"Look at it after it becomes trash. You're willing to pick it up again," Victor hissed, drawing a slight smile to his lips. He was holding back from laughing out loud.

"A piece of trash that became my fortune," Ruby retorted, unconcerned with Victor's sarcasm.

"Because you're just like them."

Ruby stopped her footsteps when she heard Victor's words. She felt slapped by Victor's hurtful words; this was not the first time she had been labelled as trash by Victor just because she came from an orphanage. 

Victor noticed Ruby's footsteps stop. Victor had no intention of turning around, nor did he feel that what he had just said was wrong. Victor was still Victor, who hated Ruby's presence in his family and life. To him, Rubyjane Xavellyn was a parasite!

"Are you hurt by what I said? How long can you accept a fact that I said?" Victor continued once again, turning on the heel of his boot. She stared at Ruby, who looked down with her hands tightly gripping the paper bag.

"Rubyjane—"

Ruby raised her head and focused her gaze on Victor. A man who stood at 185 with pale white skin and a dark brown mane that was neatly combed with a pomade, complete with jet-black eyes. Ruby was only as tall as Victor's chest, so she had to look up to see him.

"Are you angry about what I said?" Victor asked Ruby.

"No, I'm not. I'm proud. You reminded me of where I'm from, Victor. Thank you again; I almost forgot," Ruby replied with sarcasm.

Victor was surprised at the sarcastic reply Ruby gave him. He thought his words would make Ruby's face turn red and cry, but Victor was wrong. The Ruby standing in front of him was different from the Ruby he met eleven years ago.

"Thank you once again. For such an expensive piece of trash, I'll treat you later to an expensive cup of coffee," Ruby said once more before she chose to walk past Victor.

"Damn! Why do I have to see him again?" Ruby cursed internally. She took the elevator down to the first floor.

***

Ruby returned to her modest apartment. She placed the jewellery set on the dressing table, needing more time to look at it. Ruby again had to prepare herself to change her clothes; she worked at one of the material stores in Boston.

Wearing jeans and a brown T-shirt. Ruby put her hair in a ponytail and lightly applied cherry-scented lipstick. After making sure she looked presentable, Ruby took her cell phone and wallet into her briefcase.

At 1 p.m., Ruby went to work. She took a shift where she worked from lunchtime until 10 p.m.

"Thank God this time I don't have to wait," said Ruby, smiling happily and looking at the bus that was the transportation route to her workplace.

The journey to her workplace only takes 15 minutes if she uses the bus. And 30 minutes if Ruby travelled by foot. This time, Ruby wanted to avoid skimp because she was too tired to exercise during the day.

The bus came to a stop, and Ruby put down her bus pass and got off in a hurry. Her breathing was ragged as she ran past six shops. Finally, Ruby stopped in front of the material store where she worked. 

"Good afternoon," Ruby said to the employees, who looked at her sarcastically.

As usual, they didn't like Ruby. I don't know for what reason, but strangely, every time Ruby manned the store, The material store became crowded, and there were even buyers who openly wanted to be served by Ruby. That could also be the reason why the other employees hated Ruby.

Ting! 

Ruby had just finished taking attendance. The customers had arrived; those who usually shop with Ruby welcomed Mrs. Dasha and her husband, Dexter.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Dasha. What materials are you looking for today?" asked Ruby as she approached Mrs. Dasha with a basket to put the groceries in.

"Ruby. My husband and I just made a new room for us to relax in. What colour do you think would be suitable for our new room?" asked Dasha, the young woman she trusted to help her.

"Wow! How about a classic touch? Like nude or other pastel colours?" Ruby immediately picked up a sample paint book that showed the new colours.

"Isn't it too boring, Ruby?" 

"Of course not, Mrs. Dasha. You can add pink furniture if you want a feminine feel or wood if you want a vintage touch. Or go for a classic luxury feel with gold or silver furniture. It all depends on your choice, Mrs. Dasha," Ruby explained quickly and carefully. Dasha nodded, feeling very satisfied that she had been helped to choose her house paint. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Dasha. Come back if you need anything else," Ruby said, holding out two large bags of paint and other knick-knacks.

"Thank you, Ruby. Take this as a small gift to buy candy." Dasha placed a $100 bill in Ruby's hand.

"Mrs. Dasha, this is too much!" Ruby tried to refuse, but Mrs. Dasha and her husband were already waving their hands.

It hadn't been a minute since Ruby's happy smile appeared. In the blink of an eye, her smile faded, and Victor suddenly walked through the glass door and stood in front of Ruby.

"Ruby___"

Everyone there was staring at Ruby. Ruby felt uncomfortable and pulled Victor's hand away from the cashier. Ruby didn't understand what it was about Victor that kept showing up in her life.

Ruby jerked Victor's hand away when they were behind the materials building. The safest place to talk, as only a few people could pass by in the restricted area.

"What's wrong with you, Victor?" Why do you keep showing up in my life today?" Ruby said in an angry tone that she didn't like Victor's presence in her life, which she considered calm and peaceful.

"Is this life only yours? I also live in this life," Victor retorted, looking deeply into Ruby's eyes. 

"Stop saying nonsense! What do you want?" Ruby said, getting straight to the point about Victor's strange behaviour, which must have a purpose behind it.

"To ask you to return the favour for all that my parents gave me," Victor replied casually, haughtily crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?" said Ruby in confusion as Victor asked for a favour that Ruby didn't understand.

"All kindnesses. Whether it's money or anything you've received from my parents, don't you remember to return the favour?" Victor repeated to clarify his words.

"Victor," added Ruby, who was at a loss for words. She couldn't help but wonder what Victor was up to this time.

"I don't need your meagre money. I'm a Billionaire, and I have everything. But there is one thing I need from you," Victor continued with his eagle gaze on Ruby's body.

"My body?" asked Ruby, who immediately understood Victor's meaning. 

"No." 

"So? What do you want?" Ruby retorted.

"I want you to carry my child," Victor explained with conviction.

"You're crazy!" replied Ruby, slapping Victor hard across the face.

Ruby pushed Victor's body away from her. But instead, Victor held Ruby's hand, pushing her body against the wall. Victor's eyes stared intently at Ruby. Victor hates rejection! Whatever he wanted, he had to get.

"I'll see you then," Victor threatened Ruby.

"Go ahead!" Ruby replied with a smirk. A small threat would not easily fool Ruby.

****