RUBY'S POV What the hell did I just do?I leaned against the cold sink in the bathroom, my hands trembling as I tried to steady myself. My reflection in the mirror looked just as lost as I felt. My red lipstick was smeared, my hair was a mess, and my dress clung to me in all the wrong ways. How had I let myself get carried away like that?Dominic Rutherford. His name echoed in my head like a curse. A stranger. A man I had barely known for all of five minutes, and yet I’d let him pull me into something reckless and stupid.Unprotected sex!This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the type to lose control, to throw caution to the wind. I was sharp, calculated, and independent. But somehow, around him, I became a version of myself I didn’t recognize—soft, pliant, and completely at his mercy. What had he done to me?I quickly adjusted my dress and reached for my mask, pulling it over my face. The voices outside the bathroom grew louder, and panic bubbled in my chest. I had to get out of here. I had to p
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 s
DOMINIC'S POV "We're here, boss." I didn’t bother answering my driver. Instead, I motioned for him to leave. “Get out and take a smoke. I need a moment.” “Yes, sir.” He nodded, turned off the ignition, and stepped out into the drizzle. I watched him walk a few feet away, his silhouette barely visible through the rain-splattered windshield as he moved under a shade and lit a cigarette. Once I was sure he was out of earshot, I pulled my phone from the pocket of my jacket. My thumb hovered over a secure app before I tapped it, initiating the call. The line clicked after two rings. “Don Dominic,” came the familiar rasp of Rocco’s voice. Always too casual, too comfortable. “What’s taking so long?” I snapped. "Tuesday was what you promised. Today Is Friday." “Ah, buona sera, boss,” Rocco replied smoothly, as though we were old friends chatting over wine. “I see you’re in one of your moods again.” “This isn’t about moods,” I said sharply. “Five years, Rocco. Five years I’ve ke
DOMINIC'S POVThe rain hadn’t let up. It kept hammering against the roof of the car like an impatient messenger. I stared at the image of Ruby on my laptop screen, trying to arrange my tangled, messy thoughts.I should tell Damien.The logical part of me knew that keeping this information from him would be a betrayal. We’d been friends for well over a decade, and finding Ruby had been Damien’s obsession for years. He deserved to know that his sister was alive, safe, and living her life in plain sight.But then there was the other side of me—the selfish side. The side that wanted Ruby close, where I could see her, where I could have her. And that thought made my stomach churn, because I wasn’t sure I could control myself around her.My phone buzzed on the seat beside me, jolting me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen.Damien.“Of course,” I muttered under my breath. As if the universe had decided to test me at the worst possible moment.I stared at the screen, debating. Answering
RUBY'S POVI woke up feeling strangely energized, though my body ached in a way that only reminded me of the tiring night of the masquerade ball.Stretching lazily, I glanced around Ariana's bedroom. It was a little chaotic, clothes spilling out of her closet and shoes scattered on the floor, but it was so her. Ariana was just that: familiar, warm and safe. I got up and rifled through her closet until I found an oversized sweatshirt. I pulled it on, comforted by its soft fabric and the faint scent of Ariana’s floral perfume.Padding downstairs, I caught the sound of voices coming from the kitchen. I didn’t even need to hear the words to know who it was—Ariana and Lilac. My two best friends. They were probably dissecting some random gossip or laughing about their latest antics.As I reached the doorway, I paused, leaning against the frame.“Oh, come on, Lilac! You should’ve seen her talk about it,” Ariana’s voice rang out, excited and slightly dramatic, as usual. “Ruby and Dominic Ruth
RUBY'S POVI walked back into the kitchen, trying to mask my irritation. Ariana and Lilac were still leaning against the counter, but their laughter faded as they noticed me walking in.“What’s wrong?” Ariana asked immediately. "Who was on the call?"I leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “I need to head home and get ready to see Ambrose tomorrow. He wants to ‘talk.’” I curved my fingers into air quotes at the last word.Lilac raised an eyebrow. “What’s this about?”I groaned, running a hand through my hair. “He called to check on me, said he’d been trying to reach me since he heard about the divorce. Then, instead of supporting me, he started listing reasons why I shouldn’t have left Gabriel.”“What?” Ariana’s voice rose an octave, her eyes wide. “Are you kidding me? After everything Gabriel did?”“That was my reaction too,” I chuckled dryly. “Apparently, because Ambrose introduced us, he feels the need to play marriage counselor.”Lilac tilted her head. “What exactly did he say
RUBY'S POV The sound of the door opening behind me made me freeze in my seat and grip the armrests even tighter. I turned slowly, dread building in the pit of my stomach. Standing there, with that smug expression I’d grown to despise, was Gabriel. My husband—correction, ex-husband. The man who had shattered my trust and dignity in one fell swoop. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I shrieked, glaring at Ambrose. “So, this is why you invited me here? To ambush me with him?” “Ruby,” Ambrose began, gesturing for me to calm down, “this isn’t an ambush. It’s a chance to have a civilized conversation with your husband—” "Ex-husband!" I corrected quickly. “Civilized? You expect me to sit here and chat with this snake after what he did to me?” Gabriel cleared his throat and stepped forward, hands in his pockets. “Ruby, I—” “Don’t,” I cut him off sharply. “You don’t get to speak to me, Gabriel!” Ambrose raised his hands like a mediator at a peace summit. “Hey, hey. Let’s all calm down.
RUBY'S POVThe cafe smelled like roasted coffee beans and baked pastries, a comforting aroma that might have soothed me on another day. I sipped my cappuccino, but its warmth didn't do much to settle my nerves. Sitting in this booth—the very booth where I’d called Gabriel and heard another woman’s voice in the background—was funny to me. Only a week and a half had passed since then, but it felt like a lifetime ago.“Dominic Rutherford. CEO of Rutherford Conglomerate. Family business. Billionaire, obviously,” Ariana’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She was glued to my laptop, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she muttered under her breath.“Very cliché,” I said, setting my cup down. “A mysterious billionaire with a family business. Shocking.”Ariana snorted, not looking up. “Well, excuse me for stating the obvious. This man is like a ghost, Ruby. He’s done a stellar job at keeping his private life private. You sure you want to go chasing after him?”I didn’t answer, instead
Ruby’s POVTwo hours later, Ariana was snoring softly beside me with her arm thrown across my stomach like a deadweight. I shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, when my phone buzzed on the nightstand.I grabbed it, turned it on and blinked against the brightness. It was a voice note from Dominic.I hovered my fingers over the screen. I could ignore it, pretend I never saw it. But curiosity got the best of me. I tapped play."Ruby… I’m sorry." His voice was familiar but more quiet than I remembered, rough like he hadn’t slept. "I know I messed up, but can we talk? Please."I exhaled through my nose. Just hearing his voice was already loosening all the knots of resolve in my head.Then, in the background, Ariel’s voice chimed in, "Ruby, you should come back. Daddy’s been a grumpy old man since you left. I miss you too."A chuckle slipped out before I could stop it. I typed out a reply. Sure. I’d love to meet. I’ll come by the house tomorrow.Almost immediately, Dominic responded wi
Ruby’s POVA day after Dominic came to see me, Ariana, Lilac, and I sat crisscross applesauce on the floor with a giant bowl of popcorn between us. The TV was on, throwing a soft glow around the living room as we watched Pride and Prejudice.Lilac tossed a kernel of popcorn into her mouth and chewed loudly. "So, Ruby, are you ever going back to your condo?"I exhaled and leaned back on my palms. "Eventually," I said. "But right now? No. That house is too big and too quiet. And Dominic could find me there."Ariana patted my thigh. "You can stay here as long as you want."I gave her a small smile. "Thanks."Lilac crunched on another handful of popcorn. "Okay, serious question. Do you really believe Dominic slept with Rosalie?"I gasped and my hand flew to my chest in exaggerated horror. "How dare you!"Lilac snorted. "I mean, think about it. If Dominic didn’t care about proving his innocence, why would he come all the way here to find you?"I scoffed, shaking my head as memories of that
Dominic’s POVThe past week had been hell for me.I barely left my study, barely ate meals, barely spoke to anyone. My days blurred together. I'd stopped going to the office and moved my work to the house. It was endless hours of staring at my laptop, pretending to work when all I could think about was Ruby. The house was too quiet without her. Too empty.I didn’t even know where Ariel was half the time. Not that she’d come looking for me, after our last conversation.Tonight was no different. I sat at my desk, peering at the screen, but the words meant nothing. My coffee had gone cold beside me. My body ached from sitting too long, but I didn’t move.The door creaked open."I said I don’t want to be disturbed!" I snapped. "I told the house manager that I don't want to be disturbed!""Nice to see you too, Dad."I exhaled slowly and brushed a tired hand against my face. "Ariel, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."She stepped inside, balancing a tray in her hands. "I brought yo
Ruby's POVI had one peaceful sleep after some days, and I could say that I slept like a baby, or maybe, like a log of wood. Who knows?It did not matter how I slept, as long as I was able to forget everything that had happened these past few days.Now I was awake, but I felt too lazy to get out of bed. I just wished it was not morning already. I closed my eyes again hoping I could fall asleep again but then came some noise outside my room.Sliding into my slippers, I walked towards the door and pinned my ear against it."Do you think she's okay?" Someone asked. I immediately recognized the voice as Lilac's.A heavy sigh, then Ariana replied. "I don't know, Lilac. She appeared at my front steps yesterday, looking like a bat out of hell. She's sleeping in there right now.""This is why I don't like powerful men like Dominic." Lilac grumbled. "They think they can do anything they like to anyone."I shook my head slowly as I listened to my friends. I knew they were only looking out for m
Ruby's POVThe darkness seemed like it would swallow me whole, as I could not see anything in front of me or behind me. I was terrified, perhaps because I had not stepped out of my cage for a while.I sighed and glanced around; the road was dark. Mid drive to my condo, I'd told the Uber driver to stop. I wasn't sure I could afford to stay in that silent house, all by myself. I just might run mad. I'd paid the Uber driver and now I stood by the roadside, with four bags and no car in sight.I needed my friends tonight.I'd tried to call Lilac and Ariana, but neither of them were picking up. I couldn't blame them; it was eleven at night. Lilac was an early sleeper, and Ariana would most likely be binge watching New Housewives of New York or some such show on Netflix.The wind blew West, sweeping my hair off my back. I felt like someone would come out of nowhere, and pull me by the hair, so I threw the cap of my hoodie over my head and wrapped my arms around myself.Dominic would surely
Dominic’s POVThe drive home that evening felt longer than usual. Streetlights flashed past in a blur, but my mind was stuck in one place.I kept thinking about Rosalie. In my mind, I saw her smirk and heard her threats. The way she had moved close to me, whispering filth in my ear like she actually thought I wanted it. The way she had suggested sex to me.I had agreed. I had said yes to her, because I wanted to protect Ruby from the truth. But the moment we stepped into that hotel room, I knew I couldn't do it. Not with her or with anyone else. Not when Ruby existed and she was a part of my life now. I had never been attracted to any woman since Ruby came into my life.Rosalie had been livid, as I'd expected. She spat out her threats, said she’d tell Ruby the truth, that I had been lying to her from the start. But I didn’t care. Let her tell Ruby. Let the whole damn world know.Because nothing, no secret or lie, was worse than betraying Ruby like that.I gripped the steering wheel ti
Ruby’s POVThe office felt off that day. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something wasn’t right.It started when Dominic walked out of his office and called for Rosalie.I barely looked up from my computer when he did it at first, but then Rosalie’s response made my head snap up."Coming, Dominic!" She purred.Dominic?!I turned to him, expecting him to correct her, to tell her to keep it professional. But he didn’t. He didn’t even look at me. He just stood there, staring straight ahead, then turned and walked back into his office. The door closed behind him.I turned to her in surprise. Rosalie smirked, flipping her hair over one shoulder. She stood from her desk, adjusting her blouse like she wanted to make sure she looked perfect before going in.My stomach twisted."What the hell is going on?" I demanded, marching over to her side of the office.Rosalie just chuckled. "Things are changing in this office, Ruby," she said sweetly, grabbing a folder from her desk. "You migh
Dominic’s POVI turned off the ignition and glanced at Ruby. She hadn’t moved or even spoken a word to me. She just sat there, staring out the window like she wasn’t really seeing anything."Talk to me, Ruby."She said nothing."You can’t keep this bottled up," I tried again. "I know you’re hurting."She scoffed, but it was barely audible. I could tell she was hurting. She had been hurting for three days since Julia died. I didn't understand why she still felt so much emotion for a person who ha stabbed her in the back, but I tried to reason with her anyway."I see it," I continued. "You pretend when you’re around others, but I know you. You’re not okay."She shifted slightly but still didn’t meet my eyes."You’ve barely slept," I said. "You don’t eat properly. You look like a ghost of yourself."Her fingers dug into her lap. "Drop it, Dominic.""I’m not dropping it.""Well, I’m not talking."I exhaled sharply. "Julia’s death...."Her head snapped toward me. "Don’t.""You need to let
Ruby’s POVThe smell of coffee pulled me from sleep. I blinked against the morning light and turned to the side to see Dominic sitting beside me. He was eating breakfast in bed. He lifted a forkful of scrambled eggs and grinned."I figured the smell would wake you up," he said. "Thought it’d be a nice way to start your day."I groaned and smacked his arm. "You are a villain in my life!"He chuckled and waved another fork heaped with some bacon close to my mouth. "You want some?"I rolled my eyes and sat up. "I don't like you, Mr Rutherford."Dominic smirked and bit off the bacon. "Are you coming to work today? You know I’d understand if you needed some time off, after everything that happened last night."I didn’t even need to think about it. "No. I'm not staying away from work."He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that, Ruby?""Staying away will give nasty people like Rosalie the chance to talk all kinds of trash about me," I muttered. "And I can't have that."Dominic sighed an