RUBY’S POVThe pounding in my head when I woke up was relentless, like tiny hammers striking behind my eyes. I winced as I threw the covers aside and stood from bed.I could hear voices and giggling downstairs, coming from Dominic and his daughter. Sighing, I reached into my bedside drawer and fetched a bottle of aspirin. Popping two pills into my mouth, I washed it down with the cup of water beside me.Five minutes later, I stood under the warm shower, letting the water flow down my body and wash off all the physical pain from the previous night. It helped, a little. Once I was dressed in an oversized blue sweater that reached halfway down my thighs, I shuffled downstairs, my bare feet padding softly against the wood.The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was a rich aroma of sizzling bacon, eggs and something sweet. My stomach rumbled. I followed the scent to the kitchen, where Dominic stood at the stove, flipping eggs like he’d done it a hundred times. Ariel was by his side, h
Dominic’s POVI stood at the foot of the staircase, glancing at my watch for the third time in five minutes. Ruby was taking her sweet time, and I wasn’t about to tell her to hurry. After last night, I figured it was better to let her move at her own pace.A voice carried down from the second floor: Ariel’s voice.“How did you do that with your eyeshadow? And your lipstick, wow. You look like an office siren.”Office siren? I raised an eyebrow at that. Ariel had a way of saying the strangest things.Ruby’s voice followed, calm and amused. “Ariel, it’s just makeup. Nothing magical.”I could hear Ariel’s footsteps trailing behind Ruby as the two of them descended. Ariel kept going excitedly. “What shade is that lipstick? Do you always blend your eyeshadow like that? How do you even get your bun to stay up so perfectly?”I smirked to myself and shook my head. Ariel had an endless supply of energy and apparently, Ruby was her new favorite subject.Then I saw her.Ruby appeared at the top
RUBY'S POVWe stayed that way for minutes: Dominic in the driver's seat, me straddling his laps and resting my head against his shoulder. I couldn't see much of his face, but the slight curve of his lips told me he was amused about something.“So,” I raised my head to look at him, “you said we were going to be late, right?”He glanced at me, quirking up his eyebrows. “We are late."“Then maybe you shouldn’t have wasted time kissing and fucking me in your car like this." I teased. "Or dragging me outside."Dominic gave a low chuckle. “Dragging you? I don’t recall dragging. I seem to remember you willingly following me.”“Because you were pulling me,” I sighed.“You had plenty of time to get ready,” he said. “If anyone’s to blame for us running late, it’s you.”I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. You were the one standing at the bottom of the stairs like some smitten schoolboy. If you hadn’t been staring, we’d already be at the office by now.”Dominic’s lips twitched into a full smile. “You
RUBY'S POV"Let's go to work." Dominic announced.He started the car as I put the sex toy back into the box and returned it back to the glove compartment. The car rolled back into motion, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were stuck on what had just happened. My lips still tingled, and the memory played on a loop in my mind. I crossed my arms and tried to forget about it but the blush refused to fade.Dominic glanced over at me and smiled. “Did a cat get your tongue?”I shook my head and kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead. “I'm just thinking.”His chuckle carried a teasing edge. “About me, I hope.”I rolled my eyes. "You really like to flatter yourself.""I know you're thinking about me." He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. I didn’t push further, and neither did he. It was still weird unlocking this playful side of Dominic; It was hard to even remember the brooding man who had walked into that club on the night after I divorced Gabriel.When we finally pulled up to the office,
RUBY'S POVI kept my focus on the woman across the room. Something about her just didn't sit right with me or my head. Even though she had her back turned to me, I could see how stiffly she sat. I could also see that her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. Twice, I caught her stealing quick glances in my direction. Both times, she looked away sharply when I noticed.It was unnerving. My instincts told me to take this seriously, but I brushed it off. What else could I do? If she wanted to speak to me, she would. Until then, I refused to waste energy puzzling over her behavior.The sound of heels sounding against the polished floor broke my train of thought. I looked up and saw Dominic’s blonde secretary entering the room. Still the same as ever, I thought to myself.She had a skin-tight pencil skirt and fitted blouse on, which accentuated her figure 8 shape. There was a full pound of makeup on her face: dark blue eyeshadow, penciled eyebrows, red lips, the works. She move
RUBY'S POV"Thank you."I gave the Italian man a smile over the counter, accepting the hot cup of latte. I took a sip, the frothy sweetness coating my tongue, and felt a pang of satisfaction. Nothing like a cup of coffee after a long day at the gym. My mornings were sacred—my time to unwind, to shed the facade of "Mrs. Perfect Wife," and to just exist.As I settled back into my chair, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts, and finally froze on one. My so-called absentee husband.My thumb hovered over his name for a moment too long, debating if I really wanted to ruin this blissful moment. But boredom had been gnawing at me lately.I hit call.The phone rang twice before his voice came through, clipped and impatient. "What do you want, Ruby?""Good morning to you too, darling," I chirped, keeping my voice as sweet as the latte in my hand. "I was just calling to check on you. Is that a crime now?"He sighed. "I'm busy. Can we do this later?"I leaned back in my chair,
RUBY'S POVI sat at the head of the table, facing the window, a single glass of red wine cradled between my fingers. The wait was almost over; I could barely contain my amusement. The silence was thick, broken only by the faint tick of the clock on the wall. No explanations, no theatrics—just a simple dinner.The door opened behind me, and I didn’t even bother to turn. Gabriel’s nervous shuffle was unmistakable, and the hurried clatter of heels behind him told me Julia was with him. My lips curved into a slow smile as they entered the room.They stopped at the table, neither daring to sit. Slowly, I turned.“Don’t be shy,” I cooed. “Take a seat. After all, you’re my guests tonight. You know, since we’re all... acquainted now.”Gabriel slowly took his seat, and Julia followed. “Ruby, I can explain—”“Don’t bother.” I set my glass down on the table, the soft clink silencing him. “I didn’t call you here for an explanation, Gabriel. I caught you red-handed already.”My so-called best frie
RUBY’S POV "YOU DIVORCED GABRIEL?!"Ariana’s voice tore through the pounding bass of the club, loud enough to make the heads of nearby patrons turn. Her bright blue eyes were wide with shock, her curly black hair bouncing as she leaned closer to me.“Yes, I divorced Gabriel,” I shouted back, rolling my eyes as I took a sip of my martini. “I told you this already!”“No, no, no,” Ariana insisted, waving her manicured hand. “You said you were thinking about it. You didn’t say you actually did it! When did this happen?”“Today!” I yelled, the thudding beat of the music forcing us to scream over it. “Oh, my God!” she shrieked, grabbing my arm. “Finally!”Lilac, sitting calmly across the table with her signature poised demeanor, sipped her wine and gave me a knowing smile. Her warm hazel eyes twinkled under the neon lights of the club. "About time, Ruby. I mean, the man was a walking red flag. I’m proud of you for leaving him.”“Thanks, Lilac,” I said, flashing her a grateful smile befor
RUBY'S POVI kept my focus on the woman across the room. Something about her just didn't sit right with me or my head. Even though she had her back turned to me, I could see how stiffly she sat. I could also see that her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. Twice, I caught her stealing quick glances in my direction. Both times, she looked away sharply when I noticed.It was unnerving. My instincts told me to take this seriously, but I brushed it off. What else could I do? If she wanted to speak to me, she would. Until then, I refused to waste energy puzzling over her behavior.The sound of heels sounding against the polished floor broke my train of thought. I looked up and saw Dominic’s blonde secretary entering the room. Still the same as ever, I thought to myself.She had a skin-tight pencil skirt and fitted blouse on, which accentuated her figure 8 shape. There was a full pound of makeup on her face: dark blue eyeshadow, penciled eyebrows, red lips, the works. She move
RUBY'S POV"Let's go to work." Dominic announced.He started the car as I put the sex toy back into the box and returned it back to the glove compartment. The car rolled back into motion, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were stuck on what had just happened. My lips still tingled, and the memory played on a loop in my mind. I crossed my arms and tried to forget about it but the blush refused to fade.Dominic glanced over at me and smiled. “Did a cat get your tongue?”I shook my head and kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead. “I'm just thinking.”His chuckle carried a teasing edge. “About me, I hope.”I rolled my eyes. "You really like to flatter yourself.""I know you're thinking about me." He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. I didn’t push further, and neither did he. It was still weird unlocking this playful side of Dominic; It was hard to even remember the brooding man who had walked into that club on the night after I divorced Gabriel.When we finally pulled up to the office,
RUBY'S POVWe stayed that way for minutes: Dominic in the driver's seat, me straddling his laps and resting my head against his shoulder. I couldn't see much of his face, but the slight curve of his lips told me he was amused about something.“So,” I raised my head to look at him, “you said we were going to be late, right?”He glanced at me, quirking up his eyebrows. “We are late."“Then maybe you shouldn’t have wasted time kissing and fucking me in your car like this." I teased. "Or dragging me outside."Dominic gave a low chuckle. “Dragging you? I don’t recall dragging. I seem to remember you willingly following me.”“Because you were pulling me,” I sighed.“You had plenty of time to get ready,” he said. “If anyone’s to blame for us running late, it’s you.”I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. You were the one standing at the bottom of the stairs like some smitten schoolboy. If you hadn’t been staring, we’d already be at the office by now.”Dominic’s lips twitched into a full smile. “You
Dominic’s POVI stood at the foot of the staircase, glancing at my watch for the third time in five minutes. Ruby was taking her sweet time, and I wasn’t about to tell her to hurry. After last night, I figured it was better to let her move at her own pace.A voice carried down from the second floor: Ariel’s voice.“How did you do that with your eyeshadow? And your lipstick, wow. You look like an office siren.”Office siren? I raised an eyebrow at that. Ariel had a way of saying the strangest things.Ruby’s voice followed, calm and amused. “Ariel, it’s just makeup. Nothing magical.”I could hear Ariel’s footsteps trailing behind Ruby as the two of them descended. Ariel kept going excitedly. “What shade is that lipstick? Do you always blend your eyeshadow like that? How do you even get your bun to stay up so perfectly?”I smirked to myself and shook my head. Ariel had an endless supply of energy and apparently, Ruby was her new favorite subject.Then I saw her.Ruby appeared at the top
RUBY’S POVThe pounding in my head when I woke up was relentless, like tiny hammers striking behind my eyes. I winced as I threw the covers aside and stood from bed.I could hear voices and giggling downstairs, coming from Dominic and his daughter. Sighing, I reached into my bedside drawer and fetched a bottle of aspirin. Popping two pills into my mouth, I washed it down with the cup of water beside me.Five minutes later, I stood under the warm shower, letting the water flow down my body and wash off all the physical pain from the previous night. It helped, a little. Once I was dressed in an oversized blue sweater that reached halfway down my thighs, I shuffled downstairs, my bare feet padding softly against the wood.The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was a rich aroma of sizzling bacon, eggs and something sweet. My stomach rumbled. I followed the scent to the kitchen, where Dominic stood at the stove, flipping eggs like he’d done it a hundred times. Ariel was by his side, h
DOMINIC’S POVI came down the staircase, my laptop balanced on my arm, AirPods plugged into my ears. The screen was crowded with the faces of my management team scattered across time zones. A man in London was talking about projections, his voice echoing in my ear. I nodded occasionally, giving curt responses when necessary but my focus was all over the place.As I reached the living room, I paused. Ariel was perched on the couch at her usual spot, her legs tucked under her, completely absorbed in her phone. Her face glowed faintly from the screen’s light, and she didn’t look up as I approached.“Ariel,” I called out to her and pulled one AirPod out. She glanced up lazily.“Hmm?”“Is Ruby back yet?”“Nope,” she replied, popping the “p” as she turned back to her phone, her fingers moving rapidly across the screen.I frowned and glanced at the clock on my laptop. 9:45 p.m. That was far too late.The last time I’d spoken to Ruby was this afternoon around 1 p.m., if I remembered correctly
GABRIEL’S POVThe hot spray of the shower hit my shoulders as I thought about Ambrose. That old, smug fossil had the audacity to intercept me on my way to Wisconsin some days ago, spewing his sanctimonious bullshit about “jeopardizing the plan.”I scrubbed the soap against my chest with a ferocity that nearly tore my skin. “Jeopardizing the plan,” I sneered. If I had my way, Ambrose would be nothing but a mangled corpse rotting in a ditch. But I couldn’t kill him, not yet anyway. The key was still out of reach, and Ambrose, unfortunately, was a necessary evil for now.I tilted my head back, letting the water rinse the soap suds from my body. The steam around me thickened, clouding the bathroom mirror. My hands baller into fists, knuckles white as I imagined Ambrose’s neck in between my hands. How satisfying it would be to feel his life drain under my fingers.When the water ran clear, I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack. It smelled faintly of mildew
RUBY'S POVDamien. The name sounded familiar, like someone I had known a long time ago.Estelle continued. “Ruby, your mother's family comes from a long line of nobility. Damien is next in line to inherit the dukedom of our hometown. But he…” She paused and sighed. “He’s refused to accept it until he finds you.”"What?”“He’s spent years searching for you,” she said. “After Eleanor passed, he became consumed with the idea of finding his sister. The last time I saw him, he was preparing to come to the U.S. to look for you.”I couldn’t speak. The idea of having a brother, an older brother nonetheless, was overwhelming enough. But knowing he’d been looking for me all this time? That he’d put his life on hold for it?Estelle reached out and touched my hand gently. “He loves you, Ruby. Even though he doesn’t know you, he loves you. Eleanor made sure of that.”Tears stung my eyes but I blinked them away. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I have been so terribly alone for eleven years. Why did nob
RUBY'S POVEstelle Tredwell could have passed for my mother. Almost. The red hair was the same, bright and vibrant, but that was where the similarities ended for us. Estelle was tall and lanky, towering over me even when she stood by the table. I was also a tall woman, but my figure had always been more curvy, pear shaped. Estelle's gray eyes brightened up when they met my green ones, and her British accent wrapped around her words with a grace that felt foreign to me.She walked over, unbuttoning her coat and draping it over the back of a chair. Every movement was elegant and practiced. Her clothes were tailored, her jewelry was understated but expensive. It was obvious that her family, my mother’s family, had money. Maybe as much as my father's family.“You’re Ruby,” she noted. Then her red-lipped mouth dropped open. “Good heavens, you look just like Eleanor. The green eyes, the dimples… It’s so uncanny. It's like I am staring into the face of my sister again!”I smiled, feeling a