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
DOMINIC'S POVThe glossy picture felt heavier in my hand than it should have. Ruby DanCliffe. Her name played in my mind like an endless loop, and her image burned into my brain. The way her red hair caught the light in the photo, flowing down in waves that begged to be touched. Her green eyes sparkled with a mischief I was sure she carried in spades.I sighed, dragging my fingers through my hair as I leaned back in my chair. My laptop sat open on my desk, a Skype meeting droning on. The voices of my board of directors filled the office, but I wasn’t listening.“…As you can see, the projections for the third quarter…”Blah, blah, blah. Numbers, graphs, plans—I couldn’t care less. The only thing that mattered was the picture in my hand. I didn’t even know why I printed it out, but it felt more tangible this way. Like she was closer to me.Ruby wasn’t just haunting my waking hours; she’d taken over my nights too. Every time I closed my eyes, there she was. That fiery hair, those mesmeri
RUBY'S POVThe mirror in my hotel room reflected a woman I barely recognized. All I had on for make up was a bold red lipstick and red eyeshadow. My red hair had been replaced with glossy black that I dyed earlier that day. My dress matched my hair in the colour, and it was armless with a sweetheart neckline, the length stopping just above my knee. I would pair It with a black silk scarf thrown around my shoulders.Tonight, I was determined to make an impression—and to find Dominic Rutherford.As I fastened my earrings, my phone pinged. I picked it up, smiling as I saw the message in our group chat.Lilac: I’m bringing my car. I’ll pick @Ruby up at the hotel first.Ariana: Don’t forget me! Unless you plan to leave me behind.Lilac: Tempting, but no. I’ll pick you up after I get Ruby. Don’t forget to wear something that doesn’t scream “college hobo.”Ariana: Don’t forget to mind your business, Lilac.I laughed softly, shaking my head. Their banter was always so ridiculous, but I loved
RUBY'S POVThe beauty of the hotel simply took my breath away the moment I stepped out of Lilac’s car. The towering structure seemed to touch the skies. I stood there, not even realising that my black dress was catching the soft evening breeze, as I tilted my head back to take it all in.“Wow,” Ariana whispered beside me, holding her bejeweled clutch to her chest. “I’ve only seen this place in magazines. It's so beautiful!"“Same,” Lilac added, linking her arm with mine. “You sure you’ve never been here before, Ruby? I mean, your family has a reserved suite and all.”I shook my head. “Never. My father used to come here for business when I was younger, but I guess I never had a reason to visit.”Even though my father had enough money to put a small country's economy to shame, he never exposed me much to this life. I attended private boarding schools in the suburbs. And even after my father died and I finished high school, I was shipped off to Yale University, miles away from home. The
DOMINIC'S POV The moment Damien spotted me, his face broke into a wide grin, and before I could stop him, he pulled me into a bear hug. I froze immediately. I wasn’t a fan of physical affection—especially in public—but this was Damien, my best friend. The one person in this world who could get away with something like this.So, for once, I allowed it.“Dominic!” he boomed, “you look as sharp as ever! Man, it’s been too long.”I sighed, patting his back awkwardly. “Damien, we saw each other less than a year ago. Not exactly a lifetime.”“Still too long. And we only saw each other for one day,” he replied, grinning and pulling back to look at me. “I missed you, bro.”“Keep your voice down,” I muttered, stepping out of his grip and brushing imaginary lint off my jacket. “We’re not at a family reunion. You’re embarrassing me.”Damien laughed, loud enough to turn a few heads at the party. “Embarrassing you? Oh, come on, Dom. You need to lighten up. Let people see you’re human for once.”
Ambrose’s POVI walked out of the store room and typed out the message. Short. Precise. The kind of thing that would drive a blade straight into Dominic’s chest.“I wonder how it feels to know your daughter is slipping through your fingers as we speak. Tick tock, tick tock. Time is running out. If you ever want to see your daughter again, you will do exactly as I say. Instructions will be relayed to you very soon. I don't want any cops or dumb tricks. You know what to do.”I read it over once, then sent it. A moment later, the screen blinked. The message had been delivered.I stared at Ariel's name glowing at the top of the message. The irony of it almost made me laugh. There was something delicious about making a father’s worst nightmare come true.I slid the phone back into my pocket and sighed, walking to the rusty elevator and taking It back up. When I got up, I walked past the smoking men and stepped out into the cool night air. Chicago was quieter than usual, even though I knew
Ambrose's POVThe building smelled of dead animals. It was an old hotel, now reduced to nothing but dust and silence. I stepped over a broken floorboard, my polished shoe grinding against the dirt under me. The place was barely standing. The ceiling sagged in places and the corners darkened with mold, but it would serve me for now, at least.Some of my old and loyal men were sitting on a wooden slab in the middle of the room, smoking and drinking. When they saw me, they gave me deferent bows. A few of them waved, and I waved back. I had called them together at such short notice, but they still came. It was good to know that they were still loyal to me. I would pay them handsomely once this was over.I walked toward the rusted iron elevator, its metal cage rattling as I stepped inside. The doors groaned as they slid shut and with a shudder, the elevator descended. Dominic Rutherford had taken everything I worked for away from me. Rachael was meant to be mine, but he stole her. And wh
Dominic’s POV“Oh, my God!” Ruby screamed.She sprang to her feet and started pacing her hotel room. Her hands tangled in her hair, her pants legs flapping against each other as she walked about. I'd told her about everything, from the news of the prison break that I got during the meeting, to Ariel being kidnapped at home, to her boyfriend who was in the house when it happened.“You’re telling me some random guy just waltzed into your house and claimed to be Ariel’s boyfriend?" She roared. "And you let him go? What If he was behind it all?”I squeezed my eyes shut. “He said he was in a long-distance relationship with her. That they met when she was in Switzerland.”Ruby spun on her heel, eyes burning into me. “And you believed him? Dominic, I thought you were smarter than this.”I scoffed. “Hell yes, I am. But he didn’t seem like a threat. If he was dangerous, I’d have known. Trust me, Ruby, I have been around a lot of dangerous people, and that Brandon boy is not one of them."Her a
Ruby's POVJust like that, five years disappeared between us.Five long years, and now I was standing here, face to face with the man I had once given my entire heart to.There was a whole myriad of emotions within me. But more than anything, I felt love. Because despite everything that had happened, despite the distance and the silence and the longing, despite every reason I had given myself to move on… I never really moved on from him.I let my eyes roam over him, drinking in every change that time had carved into him. Five years had really done him good.He was broader now, his body was solid with muscle like he had spent every day training, pushing himself harder. His hair which used to be in a ponytail was now styled into neat, sharp cornrows that framed his face perfectly. A well-trimmed beard lined his jaw, making him look even more powerful and more manly.And God help me, he looked so... fucking.... good!I felt my heart stutter, and for the first time in a long time I was br
Dominic's POVThe Basement was filled with voices but none were louder than mine."Spread out!" I roared, slamming a fist against the table. "I don’t want excuses! I want results! Do you hear me?"The metal rattled under my hand, but I didn’t care. My men scrambled around, some on their phones, others poring over maps and documents. None of them moved fast enough for me. Ariel was missing, and the more time we wasted, the more danger she was in.I knew it was Ambrose. There was no doubt in my mind. That bastard had taken her, and I had let it happen.I balled my fists so tight that they hurt. I kept running last night over in my head, every single mistake, every moment I should have done something differently.I should have never told the men that guarded my house to go home. The house had been unprotected because I thought for one damn second that we could let our guard down. I should have gone home after that call with Ariel, not go to the bar with Damien. I should have..."Sir."I
Ruby's POV"I understand what you’re saying, Martin, but we are not doing another take of that scene."I held my phone between my shoulder and ear, flipping through a thick script with one hand while signing a document with the other. My assistant stood beside me, watching with nervous eyes as I scrawled my signature across the last page."I don't care if the lighting was slightly off," I continued, shifting the phone back into my hand as I turned to grab a bottle of water. "The emotion was perfect. The moment was perfect. If you ask me to reshoot it again, I swear I’ll throw something at you."Martin the director laughed on the other end of the line. "Fine, fine. You win, DanCliffe. You always do.""Exactly."The assistant took the signed document from me and scurried off. Another person approached with a clipboard, but I raised a hand. "Not now. Give me a second to breathe."She hesitated before nodding and stepping back. I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing my temples. My head was poun
Dominic's POVThe Chief’s words played over and over in my head. Eight inmates had escaped, and not a single one had been found. It didn’t make sense. How could a group that large vanish without a trace? Someone had helped them. Someone with power and enough resources.I gripped my whiskey glass and set it down hard. The sound made Damien glance at me. He could see the frustration in my face."Dominic," he murmured in warning.I shook my head. "He’s the Chief of Police. How does he not have a single lead? Not even one?"Damien leaned back, stretching his arm across the booth. "Agitating yourself isn’t going to change anything.""So what do you suggest?"He looked at me for a long moment. "We need to get some sleep. We regroup in the morning and think about our next step then."I opened my mouth to argue, but he raised a hand. "No arguments. You know I’m right."I ran a hand over my face. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."We finished our drinks in silence. Damien paid the bill, and we walked out
Dominic's POVThe world around me blurred the moment I saw the news. Only three words rang in my head. Ambrose was free. Ambrose was free!And if he was free, I knew without a doubt that there was only one thing he would want.Revenge.“Dominic!” Damien yelled, and I gave a small start.I looked up in horror. “Ambrose escaped.”His entire expression changed immediately. The chatter in the room faded as the other men picked up on the shift in atmosphere.“What the hell do you mean he escaped?” Damien took my phone from my hand and skimmed the article. The longer he read, the thinner his lips turned. “Son of a bitch!”I ran a hand down my face, trying to tell myself to stay calm. “They set fire to the penitentiary and used the chaos as cover. The authorities haven’t been able to track him down.”“Of course they haven’t.” Damien groaned and closed his eyes. “Ambrose was never the kind of man to just sit and rot in a cell. He planned this, I know he did.”I nodded, already running through
Dominic's POVFive years later..."I don't see why this meeting can't be handled over a conference call, Damien."I pushed open my office door with my shoulder, my phone propped between my ear and my collarbone. With one hand, I shrugged on my jacket while the other gripped my briefcase. "It’s not like we haven’t done this a hundred times before."Damien’s sigh came through the line. "Dom, you know how these high-rollers are. They like to see who they’re dealing with, shake hands and size up the competition. You want to lock this deal down, we do it my way.""Your way? Why the fuck? My way is better.""Because," Damien said on the other end, "when you're dealing with potential buyers for a deal this big, you look them in the eye. You gauge their reactions. You see if they're hiding anything."I sighed. "We have people for that.""And people can be wrong," Damien countered. "Come on, Dom. I already set this up. Look, the least you can do is to just show up and listen."I reached the fr