EMBER"Why are.. you here? Didn't I tell you to leave before I woke up? Why did you think you can still stay here?" She said, trying to be cruel when in reality she couldn't even meet his eyes. There were already so many unanswered questions and he left no opportunity to keep adding more to the confusion. She would lose her mind any moment now."Leave? You didn't really seem like you wanted me to leave last night," he said with a slight chuckle as he rubbed his thumb on her hand as he propped up on the bed, casually like it was his house."I asked you to. We already ended this so there's no reason for us to jump back on it. I said no yesterday.. and whatever happened after was a one time thing. That's it. You.. being Jack.. doesn't change a thing," she said, barely looking at him. But when she did, she noticed his smile fade on the last line, at the mention of Jack."Jack?""Yes, you. Jack.""Wait.. what?""You told me last night you were Jack, from the past. You were drunk and you jus
EMBERIt trailed to the date and then the weekday, just the sight of it made her want to physically repel it completely. It was Saturday, a weekend. There was no job. And even though she was rushing and all distracted, all that struggle was for absolutely nothing. That was something that made her feel everything she was not. Worthless.It was also a way she could see Zaire around and maybe get at least some opportunity to try and understand him but it was all gone. She wouldn't see him and neither would he want her to be anywhere near him. That felt like her breaking point with nowhere to go further.That's when she sat on her bed and started crying, she couldn't hold it in anymore and it just burst out on its own without having to try, she had been wanting to do so almost all night because as much as he made her happy, as much as he broke her heart, shattering it completely. What happened had seemed to be irreversible. It could only go worse from there.She waited till she felt her ey
EMBER"I know you're surprised and this might be far from the best way to say this.. or do this. Maybe this isn't the time at all but I realised if I don't do this, it would eat me up alive, because that's exactly how much you mean to me," Will said, sounding like this was a grand proposal that made her heart settle deep down. What was he trying to do, she thought as she stepped out of her table as well and walked over to him."What is all this?" Her face was shocked but not impressed."I've never gotten a chance to apologise, not for what I did on our date but what I did 6 years ago. The way I treated you and everything I've done wrong. And I knew I had to tell you how much I messed up and how sorry I was for it. I couldn't have thought of a better idea," he said, not caring if everyone was listening but Ember did not understand it yet."So you bring me here? At a place completely similar to the place that had created all these issues and trauma in my head for all these years? This wa
RUBYIt felt like she was counting every step she was taking ever since she was shifted to a room to stay with team Iris under Travis's instructions. And she already knew she had to watch all of her steps, moves, even her words, everything around her completely drowned in paranoia somewhere in the back of her brain.She knew the kind of gossips and conversations she was stirring up between everyone on team Iris and she hated how she was almost blackmailed into joining them, almost against her will because she had no option at all.Ruby knew the kind of people team Iris were and the things they did to get what they wanted from the gossip and stories she heard from her own team, but after all, she was here now, she had to deal with this. But she had no actual intention of getting along with him because even Travis had texted her very seriously that she wasn't expected to do any job as Iris had everything settled pretty well. Ruby apparently just needed to sit there and pretend like she
EMBER When they were done with that tedious process of reconstructing everything about Ruby, they were ready to show her the mirror like a big reveal and honestly, Ember wasn't ready for it. She didn't know what Travis had asked them to do, maybe to use makeup to change her entire face, she was just nervous.The royal blue velvet dress that hugged her body and her sleeveless straps and corset upper body gave her body an undelectable hourglass. Her cleavage and waist looked perfect, nothing like it had ever appeared like, neither did she feel suffocated. The slit in the evening gown ran up til her thigh with a very comfortable pair of heels that didn't even feel like heels. Her hair was curled a little to make way for the waves in them and was left open, beautifully set and it looked pretty healthy. And unlike her worries, she looked at her face and none of her features were changed. The make up was very light and beautiful, it made her feel like an absolutely different person even th
RUBY"What am I supposed to say if someone asks us our story? How we met and fell in love?" She asked because that indeed was the most commonly expected question. Travis took some time to think. Even though he didn't really talk much, he mostly looked out of the window absent mindedly and stole glances occasionally at Ruby. He was indeed acting weird."We'll tell the airport story, bending it just a little bit. We'll say that the airport incident happened between us not years ago but just 2 months ago and the outcome was us falling in love," he explained while Ruby just stared at him in disbelief because there was no way he was serious."No.. not happening. Why that story? Do you wanna make me look like a maniac to people?" She protested because in the story that's how she had behaved."It's alright, I can use this reference as a reason for our breakup, they'd easily buy it and also my career would stay intact," he said and she could only hope he was being ironic. "You-""Shut up and
RUBY"Then I'm sure you're aware how pathetic you are to be doing all of this, either way, I don't care about your opinion and most certainly do not like you. Quit feeding into your delusions," she said, it was getting hard to maintain a content expression when he was infuriating her while they were making 5 heads turn in a second. "You are totally obsessed with me," he said, putting words in her mouth for no reason that acted like an ick up her spine."I am not, I hate you and your demented cocky personality who believes he is too good for everyone else. You need to tell me who the girl is or else I'm gonna walk right up to your grandma and help her announce the news that our relationship is nothing but a pretend play," Ruby threatened and it almost worked like magic because he fell into that trap.She waited as he clenched his jaw and then turned to look at her like he was about to commit a heinous crime on her."Are you blackmailing me?""Yes."That made him let out a sigh and he h
RUBY"We most definitely have to, it's her party she's just busy with others so we didn't have a chance yet," he said, still looking around like he was searching for something. And maybe she knew what it was, it felt natural."Alright.. but what do I say to ease off the blows she got when I lied to her about.. everything. I don't want her to think that I am a weird person," she said, unconsciously worried about their opinion on her because that was what she did. It was natural to her. "You don't need to worry about that," he said hastily, not really listening."No you don't understand. I can't just go to her and pretend to be normal, she'd definitely look down on me, how do you expect me to be okay with that?" She asked, trying to get him to focus on her and give her a convincing reply. He finally looked at her and fixed her with an unbothered gaze."I told you before and I'm telling you again, there's no need for you to make an impression or even fix the one that you have because..",
EMBER"But I never talked to you because I knew I didn't deserve you yet. You were all I could imagine wanting and it only grew after that night when I tried to make you stay but you left the next morning. I knew I'd see you again and I was determined to have you the next chance I got with you," Zaire said with a grin because she knew he meant that the next chance meant them right at that moment."I.. had no idea.. but.. why me?" She asked, not being able to understand."You're seriously asking me that question? Have you ever known yourself enough? What exactly do you think you don't have? You're perfect, you're absolutely perfect. And you're the only one I need. I'm sorry for all the times I've hurt you, it was all because of shortcomings. But none of that would happen again. I promise to keep you happy with all I have," he said and it sounded so genuine, it wrenched Ember's guts. She was too high up on the clouds."I think I'm falling for you," Ember let the words slip out."Glad. I'
EMBER"We totally understand and apologize for this regrettable situation and we are deeply sorry-"."For nothing," a voice came from the opposite side of them that dragged all the attention. Someone had walked in with a bold voice and a knowing smile on their face. Ember's eyes widened and so did others. That's when Ruby Ramirez walked into the scene, bringing a wave of shock and confusion. "They have to apologize for absolutely nothing.""What do you mean.. and who are you?" Mrs. Davis asked but not with conviction but curiosity. Her eyes widened as she recognized her from the news all over, Travis Prescott's alleged girlfriend."I am Ruby, a former employee of Sarte and currently an employee in Iris. And I can assure you that you'll believe me when I saw Sarte has done nothing unprofessional," Ruby said, confidently."Hey! What are you talking about?" Melvin Harvey chimed in, trying to control the situation."That's right, I should just show you what I'm talking about," Ruby said wi
EMBER"We'll see," she muttered. His hold only got tighter on her, making her lips part a little."I'll show you. You're trapped, I'll show you how long you can be trapped here, hmm?" He said, and Ember's blush turned into something just a little more sinister. The game wasn't over yet. She looked to her side to see someone passing by, towards their direction. Zaire saw Ember look at people passing by who can easily spot him holding her, which would be quite scandalous. But her eyes were set, and afraid he would read into it wrong, he started moving his hand away to not be noticeable. That's when Ember's eyes snapped up towards him."Keep holding me, that's the next challenge," she said, knowing for sure that this would push him way out of accepting. Her job was only to make the challenges hard enough for him to back down. And he definitely wouldn't want a scandal so he would surely accept defeat. He surely wouldn't..."Perfect," he said immediately and that's when his hand wrapped ar
EMBEREverything looked exceptional. So magestic and gorgeous that there was no way anyone could even think of a better way than this. Every inch of it looked straight out of a mythical movie.Ember sure had to know they were all professional and talented enough to modify the theme "heaven" given to them to something like this. Sarte has added lots and lots of detailings that embraces the dark elements. Like black vines and rust like textures on the while that looks like the darkness or hell is infiltrating the heaven's gate.It was grand and if Ember could recall it properly, she knew the kind of costumes Iris had prepared, it would look so good together. If only the whole idea passes and no one steps in to say a word against it. Technically, Sarte was breaking the rules by not following the theme entirely but incorporating heaven theme into hell because they were misled by Sarte.The only saviour would be if the fashion show preparations overall look so good that it impresses Mr and
RUBYIt went on and on, the only entertainment being Melvin Harvey's scowling face at her. She tried not to laugh at his face every time, it was weirdly entertaining."So, because Sarte asked for some more time, we are going to have to display the fashion show we prepared once again so we need to get everything ready by the end of the day," Max said and everyone noted something down but Ruby didn't bother."And what about the models? What timing were they given to report here so that we can do the rehearsals beforehand?" Travis asked and suddenly it got a little silent as they all looked at each other. "What's going on?""W-we didn't know we had to give them the time right away before the meeting so we didn't give them the time yet," Cara explained and that made Travis visibly annoyed."What does that mean? Shouldn't you have completed that before coming here? I didn't expect this from you," Travis said but Ruby noticed something very strange. It was unusual but not surprising but prob
RUBY"W-what did you just say? What does that-""You know exactly what that means. I am demeaning you for the way you run your team by gaslighting hate into them. You're misusing your authority, bet half of them don't even know why they actually hate Sarte," she shrugged like she had said enough."You think you can badmouth our company and I'll just stand here and hear you out?" He was visibly running out of words to say because of being caught off guard. He was threatening to report her to someone but that was just funny at that point."You can say whatever you want. You can even bring the board of directors, the managers, even your Chairman out here and I'll still repeat the exact same words. Don't take me for a fool like you do with everyone around you, you are a coward anyways," Ruby could feel the satisfaction coursing through her veins as she told him off, watching the colours fade from his face too fast. "It doesn't matter who I am dating, I'm not afraid to speak up so don't ev
RUBY"Fine then, you really think you're that slick when you are anything but that. If that's what you're deciding to do then I'll do something too. And something that you won't be able to hold against me because in your style, technically, I am not going against the deal as well. That's okay, I'm guessing?" She said, with a menacing look on her face that emitted what she actually felt and it certainly cannot be faked."You can't do that, it will be a clear breach of the contract and it certainly would not be as well explained as mine because there's no such detail written in the papers as well," he said, a little defensive in her opinion but something that can be very well recognised through his body language. She knew she didn't have to work that hard to unleash the goal.Ruby offered him a bitter smile before turning around and pulling out a piece of paper. It was the copy of the contract they signed and Travis watched her carefully as she opened the paper and started running her ey
RUBYRuby didn't know on a scale of one to ten, how angry she was and how larger it can grow. Maybe her anger might just break and split open the scale because she was furious.She had no idea how this happened or how it was even possible because when she agreed to the deal with the unscrupulous man he clearly said he wouldn't come in the way of Sarte or disrupt the project at all. But they did it, they completely sabotaged Sarte by giving them information about a fake theme. They had been planning on doing Hell as the theme the whole time but Sarte was told the theme was Heaven.This was clearly breaking the deal and the rules, it was totally unacceptable.Ruby could feel her mind going blank with anger as she rushed through the gate of Florence building and up to the floor given to Sarte and Iris. This was her first day of work as a member of Iris and it was bound to be strange. But when she got the news from the Iris group chat, how they fooled Sarte into believing a completely diff
EMBER"What are you thinking?" He asked, finally breaking the silence."So, anything, right? Anything I ask you, without questions," she made sure, as a trick to test him."I already said it, anything you want," he answered right then, with no hesitation at all. Ember thought, if he wasn't hesitant, what was her excuse? The drive was still going on and the wild idea took over her. "Okay so..", she started, not giving him time to comprehend he was going to be given a task right at that moment. "Stop this car in the middle of the road and kiss me."His head snapped to her at that rash and unusual task but Ember knew she was doing it to see to what extremes he would go. That seemed fit enough for the first task. He scanned her face and realised she was serious. A quick look behind him and he immediately brought the car to a stop at that exact moment, 0 questions or hesitations.Hurrying, he leaned in and snapped off her seatbelt and in one moment, he had swept her off her seat and placed