Dealing With The Aftermath

RUBY'S POV

"Ugh! You stink like you drank the entire bar!"

I jolted awake with a gasp. The first thing I felt was an intense pain in my temple. My head pounded as if someone were using my skull as a drum. I squinted against the sunlight pouring in through the curtains and groaned, pressing a hand to my temples. My mouth tasted like I’d chewed on a sock soaked in cheap whiskey.

Turning my head slightly, I realized I wasn’t on the couch where I’d passed out last night. No, this was a bed—a soft, inviting bed that smelled faintly of lavender. Ariana’s bed.

“How…?” I croaked.

“You were a mess last night,” Ariana’s voice came from across the room. She was perched on a stool before her vanity, her face smeared with some white, creamy substance that made her look like a ghost. “Drinking yourself stupid at the bar. Your driver had to half-carry you here. Do you remember?”

Ah, yes. I remembered that much now. Vaguely. The bar, the drink I demanded, the suffocating noise… and then nothing.

I sat up slowly, every movement sending sharp stabs of pain through my skull. My stomach churned ominously. “God, I feel like death,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

“Hangover?” Ariana asked casually, dabbing something onto her cheek.

“No, enlightenment,” I snapped, regretting the words as soon as they left my mouth. My irritation wasn’t with her; it was with myself.

And then it hit me like a freight train.

Dominic Rutherford.

My stomach dropped, and I froze mid-motion. Oh, sweet mother of all regrets. I’d slept with Dominic Rutherford.

A low, colorful curse escaped my lips, and I buried my face in my hands.

“What’s wrong with you now?” Ariana asked, glancing at me through the mirror.

What wasn’t wrong? How could I look her—or anyone—in the eye again? How could I explain this… this monumental lapse in judgment?

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and tried to keep my voice even. “Nothing. Just… regretting my life choices.”

Ariana turned on her stool, arching a perfectly sculpted brow. “You want to talk about it?”

“No.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Ruby, come on. You’ve been acting weird since last night. What happened?”

I shook my head. “I said nothing happened. Drop it.”

Ariana’s eyes narrowed, and I could tell she wasn’t buying it. “Did someone say something to you or do something to you at the masquerade ball?”

“No, Ari.” I sighed.

But of course, Ariana didn’t know when to quit. “You sure? Because if someone hurt you, I swear I’ll—”

“No one hurt me!” I moaned out loud.

Her eyes narrowed. “Then what the hell’s going on with you, Ruby? You’re not yourself. First, you drink yourself into a stupor, and now you’re snapping at me like a cornered animal.”

“Maybe I’m just hungover,” I shot back, flopping back onto the bed and glaring at the ceiling.

“Or maybe you’re hiding something,” she countered, crossing her arms. “And if you are, you should know I’m not letting this go until you tell me. I'm not Lilac. I won't let It go.”

I turned my head to glare at her. “You’re relentless, you know that?”

“It’s called being a good friend,” she said with a shrug.

“Well, sometimes being a good friend means minding your own business,” I retorted.

Ariana’s expression hardened, but she didn’t reply. Instead, she turned back to her vanity and resumed her skincare routine.

Good. That’s what I needed—silence. Time to think. Time to figure out how the hell I was going to survive the guilt of sleeping with a total stranger.

I rolled onto my side, away from Ariana, and pulled the blanket over my head. “I’m going back to sleep,” I mumbled.

“Of course you are,” she muttered under her breath.

I ignored her, shutting my eyes tightly. But Ariana didn’t let me sleep.

Just as I thought I’d get a moment of peace, she jumped onto the bed behind me, wrapping her arms around me like an overenthusiastic child. “Ruby, come on. Talk to me. What happened? You know you’ll feel better if you get it off your chest!”

I groaned into the pillow. “Ari, I said nothing happened. Let it go.”

“Oh, please. That’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told me, and you’re a terrible liar. Spill it!”

“Go away!” I pulled the blanket tighter around me, but she tugged at it like an annoying little sister.

“Not until you tell me,” she sang, shaking me slightly. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

I sighed heavily. There was no escaping her. Ariana could wear down anyone with her persistence. “Fine,” I grumbled, turning over to face her. “You really want to know?”

Her eyes lit up with curiosity. “Obviously.”

I took a deep breath, deciding where to even begin. “Julia tried to drown me in the bathroom last night.”

Ariana’s jaw dropped. “What?"

“She was asking for some key,” I continued, waving my hand vaguely. “I don’t even know what she was talking about. Then Dominic Rutherford came in and stopped her.”

“Oh my God!” Ariana’s hands flew to her face. “Are you okay? That’s insane! As if fucking your husband was not enough for that ostrich!"

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to downplay it. “But that’s not all.”

Her eyes widened. “What else?”

I hesitated, biting my lip. “After he saved me, we… uh…”

Her brows shot up. “You what?”

I exhaled sharply, the words tumbling out in a rush. “We had sex in the bathroom.”

There was a beat of silence before Ariana let out a dramatic gasp. “You WHAT?!”

“Keep your voice down!” I hissed, glancing toward the door as if someone might overhear.

“You had sex with Dominic Rutherford?” she whisper-yelled, her tone dripping with disbelief and excitement. "THE Dominic Rutherford? CEO Dominic? Gold Mask Rutherford?"

“Yes, okay? It just… happened.” I flopped back onto the pillow, already regretting telling her.

Ariana stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Ruby, you’ve been ranting about how much you hate him for days, and now this? You’re full of surprises!”

“This isn’t funny,” I snapped, sitting up and glaring at her.

“Oh, it’s hilarious.” She was grinning from ear to ear now, practically bouncing on the bed. “This is like something out of a trashy romance novel. The hero saves the damsel in distress, and they have a steamy moment right after.”

“Oh, for the love of God, stop!" I groaned, covering my face with my hands.

But she didn’t stop. She leaned closer, her voice teasing. “So, did he give good dick? Come on, you’ve got to give me some details.”

“Jesus Christ, Ariana. No!” I turned over and yanked the blanket over my head again. “Can you just let me sleep?”

Her laughter softened, and I felt her sit still for a moment. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”

“Sure it is.” My voice was muffled, but I didn’t care.

Ariana sighed dramatically, sliding off the bed. “I’ll let you have your beauty sleep, but you’d better be ready to spill more later.”

I didn’t respond, waiting until I heard the door click shut behind her. Only then did I exhale deeply. At last, some peace and quiet. But sleep was the last thing on my mind with Dominic Rutherford’s face burned into my thoughts.