~RUBY The silence ended for a moment. Then the courtroom door opened, Ash came in, and all went to hell. The audience began to mutter loudly, pointing towards me. Ethan jumped up from where he was seated and started to shout. "What the hell? Ruby, what are you on about? Tell the goddamn truth," he yelled from where he was standing and Cole, standing with him, was looking at me with anger. I didn't say a word. Instead, I looked where Ash was standing, his back to the door. His familiar indifferent gaze steadied me, and I almost smiled at him. But I didn't. I knew he would have questions for me, too, just like everyone else, but I didn't have answers for them. So I looked away. "Were you threatened? Answer me for fuck sake, Ruby. You know this is bullshit. You know it wasn't fabricated. What...why..." His words broke off, pain making his shoulders rigid. The judge had been trying to restore order to the noise that continued to rise steadily but to no avail.

~RUBY The CEO of Amber Homes paled, his hands forming into fists by his side. “What…what is this?” He asked, his eyes hard on mine. Someone chuckled from the throng of Police men, and stepped out. It was Cole. “You're under arrest, Mike Homes. I suggest you hold your peace. Anything you say or do will be used against you in the court of law,” he said smugly and I resisted the urge to smile. The CEO Amber Homes— whom I just realized had a name since I paid attention for the first time— started to tremble. His eyes went wide with shock and I could see the fear plastered all over his face. But for some reason, there was still a level of boldness and confidence on him which he tried to play along with. “Court?” He began. “On what grounds do you possess that will warrant you to arrest me? You have nothing on me. Ruby already confessed in court,” he pointed at me. I scoffed at him. Mike Homes was yet to understand how grave his situation was. “Oh, I have enough gro

~RUBY I held hands with Ethan during the drive home, my eyes still puffy from the tears. But everything was fine. The bad man had been caught. All was right with the world again. Ethan didn't say anything about Ash walking out on him– us, when we approached him earlier. We just watched, Ethan slightly bewildered as Ash walked through the court room door without a backwards glance. I knew Ash’s reaction had something to do with me, but I really could not place my finger on why or perhaps, what exactly I did. The duality surprised me though. One moment he was there, holding me, patting me on the back as I cried. And the next his eyes had turned black with emotions I couldn't decipher, his face expressionless, his shoulders stiff. Sigh. I didn't put much thought to it though, focusing on Ethan and the peace that came with not having to lie and pretend I was something–someone I hated. “Should we grab takeout. I've not really had anything since…well…you know,” Et

~ASH Her question kept echoing in my head. She might have meant anything, but from the way her eyes didn't quite look into mine, the way she held her body as though to protect it from me, how choppy her breaths were, made me know what exactly she was asking me about. Smart girl. Somehow, my fireball must have figured something was up. She probably connected the dots due to my confession in the art room, maybe? But I didn't give anything away, did I? And I knew Ruby to never be suspicious unless she was aware of even a tiny piece of the truth. Well, she asked a question. I might as well damn everything to hell and answer. Of course. Of course I am keeping a lot of things from you. Things like how I vowed to ruin Ethan on his wedding day through you. Things like how I drugged your husband on your wedding night and slept with you in his stead. Things like how I held myself and came to the memory of you clenching beneath me on nights when I drug your husban

~RUBY My blood was humming with anger. Such audacity! To think the shifty anonymous man, who is somehow blackmailing my father into doing what he ordered, had the guts to speak to my father this way. “Damnit. Daddy give me your phone,” I said and grabbed it from his hands before he could react. “Ruby. What are you doing?” He called out, the alarm in his voice was clear and sharp. It got the attention of Ash and Ella too, and they marched toward me. I copied the number and gave my father back his phone, dialing the number on mine instead. Ash grabbed my wrist, trying to stop me. “What do you think you're doing, Ruby? Why the hell are you dialing that man's number?” His coldness seeped into me and I hardened my resolve. “I am doing exactly what I should have done earlier now that his sim is active. If he isn't such a coward, that fool should be able to show his face. I have found that I rather prefer a face to face battle,” I said back, my voice matching his col