Ruby’s POV I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Ambrose? Here? What the hell was he doing here? Gabriel strolled inside and tossed some paper bags onto the table. The greasy scent of fried chicken filled the air. He dusted off his hands and turned to me with a grin. “If you’re hungry, dig in.” He said. "There's enough to go round, courtesy of Ambrose." I ignored him. My eyes were still locked on Ambrose. He stood near the door with his hands in his pockets, watching Gabriel calmly as he laid the food on the table, like this was just another casual meeting, like he hadn’t just walked into the room and shocked me to my wits. He looked so at home here. I knew this wasn't his first time of visiting Gabriel in the trailer. I narrowed my eyes at him. “What are you doing here?” Ambrose caught my stare and smiled wider. “Relax, Ruby. I’m only here to get one thing from you. You don’t have to worry about me hurting you unless you do something very stupid.” His voice was smooth and cal
Ruby’s POVGabriel howled.His blood sprayed across the couch, spattered on the floor and soaked through my shirt. He staggered back, gripping the knife lodged deep in his shoulder, his face twisting in rage and pain."You bitch!" he roared. His knees buckled, but he caught himself, panting through clenched teeth. "I’m going to kill you, I swear to God!"I didn’t wait to see if he meant what he said. I ran for the door, yanked on the handle. It was still locked.“No, no, no,” I whispered, jerking the knob with both hands. My heart slammed against my ribs. I banged my fists against the door. “Help! Somebody help me, fuck!'But nothing happened.I screamed again, but my voice felt small, swallowed by the silence outside. No one came. No one was coming.Still, I kept pounding the door until my palms stung and my fingers felt like raw meat. My panting turned into ragged sobs. I leaned against the door and my body slid to the floor, shoulders shaking as tears streaked my face.How had my l
Ruby's POVThe moment the hot knife touched my thigh, a scream escaped my throat. My back arched against the chair and every muscle seized with agony. The ropes cut deeper into my wrists as I thrashed, trying to jerk away, but there was nowhere to go. The plastic chair rattled against the floor, scraping loudly.Ambrose didn’t even flinch. He kept on pressing the blade against my skin as the scent of burning flesh filled the air. His face was blank, detached. Like he was watching a fire burn instead of causing the pain himself.“Where is the key, Ruby?” His voice was patient.I sobbed through clenched teeth, my body jerking violently. “Go to hell!”He sighed. “Wrong answer again.”The knife stayed on my skin for another second before he finally pulled it away. My thigh pulsed, the searing pain digging into my bones. Sweat dripped down my temples. I was panting unevenly.Then with every bit of fury left in me, I spat in his face.Ambrose went still. A bead of my spit dripped from his c
Ruby’s POVIt felt like I was floating. Or maybe I was being dragged, I was not sure.My body felt weightless, but something pressed against my ribs, jolting me with every step. My head lolled and it felt heavy and useless. My limbs wouldn’t move no matter how hard I tried.A low and calm voice murmured something close to my ear. “You’re going to be fine, Ruby. The ambulance is almost here.”Then I heard sirens. Loud, piercing, disturbing. They cleared through the fog in my head. My stomach lurched as I was lifted, carried and placed onto something firm. Cold air rushed past my face.Then I saw a blinding light. My eyes fluttered, but everything blurred together. I saw faces, felt movement, heard the soft hum of voices. Someone was talking. I tried to focus, but the words drifted away. Then, I saw and felt and heard nothing again.It was all silence.When I blinked awake again, the world was still and quiet. There were no more sirens and no more voices. But I was no longer in Gabriel'
Ruby’s POVThe man claiming to be my brother walked closer. I stayed still as I warily watched him approach me. I didn't know how to feel.Ariana leaned toward Lilac, but her whisper was loud enough for all of us to hear. “Oh my God, Jonas really wasn’t lying. Look at them. They’re the spitting image of each other.”I didn’t react. I just watched him.Damien turned to Ariana. “You can call me Damien,” he said. “Jonas is my middle name. I had to tell you it was my first name to hide my true identity. I didn’t want anyone outside of Ruby and Dominic knowing I was in the U.S.”Ariana frowned. “Why so secretive?”Damien frowned and looked away. “Apparently, my father still has enemies here. If they knew I existed, they’d kill me.”Ariana blinked. “Kill you?”He nodded. “Because they'd think I am a beneficiary of the DanCliffe estate.”Silence settled over the room. Then Damien turned back to Ariana and smiled. “But I have to thank you.”She tilted her head. “For what?”“For leading me to
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 POVThe man claiming to be my brother walked closer. I stayed still as I warily watched him approach me. I didn't know how to feel.Ariana leaned toward Lilac, but her whisper was loud enough for all of us to hear. “Oh my God, Jonas really wasn’t lying. Look at them. They’re the spitting image of each other.”I didn’t react. I just watched him.Damien turned to Ariana. “You can call me Damien,” he said. “Jonas is my middle name. I had to tell you it was my first name to hide my true identity. I didn’t want anyone outside of Ruby and Dominic knowing I was in the U.S.”Ariana frowned. “Why so secretive?”Damien frowned and looked away. “Apparently, my father still has enemies here. If they knew I existed, they’d kill me.”Ariana blinked. “Kill you?”He nodded. “Because they'd think I am a beneficiary of the DanCliffe estate.”Silence settled over the room. Then Damien turned back to Ariana and smiled. “But I have to thank you.”She tilted her head. “For what?”“For leading me to
Ruby’s POVIt felt like I was floating. Or maybe I was being dragged, I was not sure.My body felt weightless, but something pressed against my ribs, jolting me with every step. My head lolled and it felt heavy and useless. My limbs wouldn’t move no matter how hard I tried.A low and calm voice murmured something close to my ear. “You’re going to be fine, Ruby. The ambulance is almost here.”Then I heard sirens. Loud, piercing, disturbing. They cleared through the fog in my head. My stomach lurched as I was lifted, carried and placed onto something firm. Cold air rushed past my face.Then I saw a blinding light. My eyes fluttered, but everything blurred together. I saw faces, felt movement, heard the soft hum of voices. Someone was talking. I tried to focus, but the words drifted away. Then, I saw and felt and heard nothing again.It was all silence.When I blinked awake again, the world was still and quiet. There were no more sirens and no more voices. But I was no longer in Gabriel'
Ruby's POVThe moment the hot knife touched my thigh, a scream escaped my throat. My back arched against the chair and every muscle seized with agony. The ropes cut deeper into my wrists as I thrashed, trying to jerk away, but there was nowhere to go. The plastic chair rattled against the floor, scraping loudly.Ambrose didn’t even flinch. He kept on pressing the blade against my skin as the scent of burning flesh filled the air. His face was blank, detached. Like he was watching a fire burn instead of causing the pain himself.“Where is the key, Ruby?” His voice was patient.I sobbed through clenched teeth, my body jerking violently. “Go to hell!”He sighed. “Wrong answer again.”The knife stayed on my skin for another second before he finally pulled it away. My thigh pulsed, the searing pain digging into my bones. Sweat dripped down my temples. I was panting unevenly.Then with every bit of fury left in me, I spat in his face.Ambrose went still. A bead of my spit dripped from his c
Ruby’s POVGabriel howled.His blood sprayed across the couch, spattered on the floor and soaked through my shirt. He staggered back, gripping the knife lodged deep in his shoulder, his face twisting in rage and pain."You bitch!" he roared. His knees buckled, but he caught himself, panting through clenched teeth. "I’m going to kill you, I swear to God!"I didn’t wait to see if he meant what he said. I ran for the door, yanked on the handle. It was still locked.“No, no, no,” I whispered, jerking the knob with both hands. My heart slammed against my ribs. I banged my fists against the door. “Help! Somebody help me, fuck!'But nothing happened.I screamed again, but my voice felt small, swallowed by the silence outside. No one came. No one was coming.Still, I kept pounding the door until my palms stung and my fingers felt like raw meat. My panting turned into ragged sobs. I leaned against the door and my body slid to the floor, shoulders shaking as tears streaked my face.How had my l
Ruby’s POV I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Ambrose? Here? What the hell was he doing here? Gabriel strolled inside and tossed some paper bags onto the table. The greasy scent of fried chicken filled the air. He dusted off his hands and turned to me with a grin. “If you’re hungry, dig in.” He said. "There's enough to go round, courtesy of Ambrose." I ignored him. My eyes were still locked on Ambrose. He stood near the door with his hands in his pockets, watching Gabriel calmly as he laid the food on the table, like this was just another casual meeting, like he hadn’t just walked into the room and shocked me to my wits. He looked so at home here. I knew this wasn't his first time of visiting Gabriel in the trailer. I narrowed my eyes at him. “What are you doing here?” Ambrose caught my stare and smiled wider. “Relax, Ruby. I’m only here to get one thing from you. You don’t have to worry about me hurting you unless you do something very stupid.” His voice was smooth and cal
Ruby’s POVThe moment Gabriel mentioned the key, my hand shot up to my throat, but my fingers met bare skin.The pendant was gone.A cold wave of alarm rushed through me, but I forced myself to keep calm. If Gabriel had taken it, then maybe he didn’t realize what was inside.Gabriel’s sharp eyes didn’t miss a thing. He snorted and slipped a hand into his pocket. “Looking for this?”He pulled out my pendant and dangled it between two fingers, letting it sway back and forth like it was nothing more than a cheap trinket.“This little thing,” he mused, tilting his head as he looked at the pendant. “Did you know it’s a DanCliffe heirloom?”What?“I did some digging,” he continued. “It turns out that something like this could go for at least thirty grand. Not bad for a necklace, don't you think?”I barely heard him. It was an heirloom?I had no idea. I knew it had been in my family for generations, but I never thought about it beyond the fact that it was mine. Just a simple pendant my fathe
Ruby’s POVI was alive... barely.Pain pulsed behind my eyes as I forced them open. The world around me was very blurry, shapes shifting in and out of focus. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish, my head thick like it had been lathered with honey. I tried to sit up, but the second I moved, nausea curled around my stomach.I retched and spat on the ground. A groan slipped past my lips as I fell back down. Then I inhaled slowly, willing my senses to return.The air smelled like old cigarettes and male sweat.... or was that my body? There was no way to tell. The couch under me was lumpy and the fabric rough against the bare skin of my thighs. I pushed myself upright, blinking hard. That’s when I really saw where I was.The living room I was in was nothing short of disgusting. The single lamp in the corner barely brightened the room. The couches were peeling, their stuffing poking out in jagged clumps. Cigarette butts and ash filled a glass tray on the coffee table. The ceiling was water
Ruby’s POV"Ari, are you sure about this?" I yelled over the booming sound that surrounded us in the club. "I think I just want to go back to the hotel!"Ariana turned to me, a slightly dazed look in her eyes. "What? Oh, no, you won't you're here to forget about your troubles."I glanced around nervously. I wasn't sure I'd be doing a lot of forgetting in here. The club was filled with more gyrating, drunken people than my brain could keep up with. The swirling lights and tobacco smoke emanating from all corners was too much for me to handle as well. My vision was beginning to turn, and we'd only spent nothing more than ten minutes here.Ariana made an impatient sound and grabbed my hand, weaving us through the crowd like she owned the place.“Two shots,” she told the bartender, then turned to me. “Don’t argue.”I sighed but took the shot glass she shoved into my hand. The tequila burned down my throat, making me wince. Ariana grinned.“There she is,” she teased. “Now, let’s find you a
Ruby’s POVI barely remembered the drive back to Ariana’s place. My mind was a mess filler with everything Rosalie had said, everything I’d seen on her laptop. My chest felt hollow and my throat felt raw, even though I hadn't cried yet.As soon as I stepped inside, Ariana walked out from the kitchen with a large spoon in her hand. “Ruby? What happened?”I shook my head, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “I just need some time alone.” She took a step forward. “Ruby, talk to me....”“Not now, Ari.” I gasped as I felt the tears coming. “Please.”Something in my face must have stopped her from pressing further. She sighed, stepping back as I walked past her. The room door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it for a second, squeezing my eyes shut. I needed to breathe and I needed to think, but every time I did, Dominic’s face swam in my mind. I remembered the way he’d looked at me, touched me, whispered promises into my skin, all while hiding this big secret from me.Wha