~RUBY Ash was shirtless as he ran downstairs, his panic stricken eyes landing on Ella's collapsed form. He didn't ask any questions as he carried her, running into his car and sending a quick text to Ethan and the detective. I was trembling, my heart pounded with fear and tears ran down my face. It seemed as though I've been doing a lot of crying these day, and I honestly couldn't remember having a full day with no incident happening. It was always one thing after the other. We were almost at the hospital before Ash asked me anything, and I didn't fail to notice how he asked when I had stopped crying. "What happened?" His voice was low, and I almost didn't hear it. "I don't know. She just... collapsed. We were talking. One moment, she was talking my ears off and the next, she was unconscious." He nodded, said nothing else and kept his eyes on the road. The nurses had been notified beforehand, so we didn't have to wait before she was wheeled into the emerge
~RUBY I stayed by Ella's side all night, my eyes wide awake and alert as I watched her unconscious form. There was nothing else to do. It was my fault that she was here, in this state, and the least I could do was pull an all-nighter. Ethan and Ash stayed up with me, after the depart of the detective and when it was midnight, Ethan went home for a bathe and change of clothes since he would be going to work when it was day break. Ash stayed in the waiting hall, while the nurses gave me permit to stay in the same hospital room with my friend. Dawn crept upon me and met my unblinking stare, fastened on Ella. If only— No. I would not go down that train of thought. There was no use wishing something else had happened. The door opened, and Ethan walked in, worry coating his entire body and making his shoulders rigid with fear. Fear for me. Fear for my friend. Fear for the outcome of these chain of events. "Ruby. Darling. You've not slept a wink since yesterday
~RUBY The silence ended for a moment. Then the courtroom door opened, Ash came in, and all went to hell. The audience began to mutter loudly, pointing towards me. Ethan jumped up from where he was seated and started to shout. "What the hell? Ruby, what are you on about? Tell the goddamn truth," he yelled from where he was standing and Cole, standing with him, was looking at me with anger. I didn't say a word. Instead, I looked where Ash was standing, his back to the door. His familiar indifferent gaze steadied me, and I almost smiled at him. But I didn't. I knew he would have questions for me, too, just like everyone else, but I didn't have answers for them. So I looked away. "Were you threatened? Answer me for fuck sake, Ruby. You know this is bullshit. You know it wasn't fabricated. What...why..." His words broke off, pain making his shoulders rigid. The judge had been trying to restore order to the noise that continued to rise steadily but to no avail.
~RUBY I wandered around in the house like a ghost, trying really hard to not cry. I didn't want Ella to see me this way, so I was grateful that she was in the hospital, 'The Ruby I know is a monster. SHE IS A FUCKING MONSTER,' Ethan's voice rang in my head as I went from room to room, unable to settle down. I can't even imagine how much Ethan hated me now, and my heart seemed to be in an unending abyss. He wouldn't understand. He didn't even want to understand. My actions made him into a monster, and now...now... I don't even know what to think. I wished he had given me a chance to explain though. I wanted him to understand. I wanted my husband to look into my eyes, see my anguish, and tell me that he understood. I just wanted his understanding. But it seemed all I would be getting was shattered glasses, and broken hearts. I wanted to sink down to the floor, and die. I didn't regret what I did. All I wanted to do was to save my best friend, and if I was tr
~RUBY The CEO of Amber Homes paled, his hands forming into fists by his side. “What…what is this?” He asked, his eyes hard on mine. Someone chuckled from the throng of Police men, and stepped out. It was Cole. “You're under arrest, Mike Homes. I suggest you hold your peace. Anything you say or do will be used against you in the court of law,” he said smugly and I resisted the urge to smile. The CEO Amber Homes— whom I just realized had a name since I paid attention for the first time— started to tremble. His eyes went wide with shock and I could see the fear plastered all over his face. But for some reason, there was still a level of boldness and confidence on him which he tried to play along with. “Court?” He began. “On what grounds do you possess that will warrant you to arrest me? You have nothing on me. Ruby already confessed in court,” he pointed at me. I scoffed at him. Mike Homes was yet to understand how grave his situation was. “Oh, I have enough gro
~ASH I stood a few feet away and watched Ruby's rigid shoulder as Ethan walked towards her. The look in her eyes when she first sighted her husband made it clear, maybe not to anyone else, but to me, that she had been hoping he would come. But the stuff set of her shoulders, and how her palms had formed into fists also made it clear that she was embarrassed, ashamed, and most importantly, annoyed at him. The look in Ethan's face was anguished enough to make even someone like me waver, but I watched with a a fierce pride as Ruby maintained her stance. “Ruby…” Ethan's voice was a plea, a small, broken plea. That single word was filled with so much emotion that I almost gave them space. It seemed too intimate. But I didn't leave. More like I couldn't. My feet stayed glued to where I was standing, few feet away from them, watching, listening. Ethan made to touch her, to embrace her, but Ruby took a step backwards, halting his movements. She didn't say anything
~RUBY I held hands with Ethan during the drive home, my eyes still puffy from the tears. But everything was fine. The bad man had been caught. All was right with the world again. Ethan didn't say anything about Ash walking out on him– us, when we approached him earlier. We just watched, Ethan slightly bewildered as Ash walked through the court room door without a backwards glance. I knew Ash’s reaction had something to do with me, but I really could not place my finger on why or perhaps, what exactly I did. The duality surprised me though. One moment he was there, holding me, patting me on the back as I cried. And the next his eyes had turned black with emotions I couldn't decipher, his face expressionless, his shoulders stiff. Sigh. I didn't put much thought to it though, focusing on Ethan and the peace that came with not having to lie and pretend I was something–someone I hated. “Should we grab takeout. I've not really had anything since…well…you know,” Et
~RUBY Surprise flitted across the lawyer's face, as he took my words in. He looked stunned, as though he hadn't been expecting that kind of response from me. I smiled at him, and that seemed to jolt him out of his surprise. “Well. That's a pretty good determination, if you ask me. I wish you erm…good luck in finding whoever it is you want to find,” he said and made to step around me. I cleared my throat. “Sorry to ask, but why are you here? And how did you know we were at the hospital?” I raised my eyebrows at him. The man always seemed to appear wherever we were, and when something happened, too. He smiled and glanced at my husband. “I need to see Ethan about work. We have some legal proceedings we are falling behind on. I texted earlier, and he mentioned he would be here,” he said and walked inside. I never liked the man, his presence unsettled me all the time. Maybe I should just keep an eye on him. I was about to turn around and go back into the room