I'll Fight

"Hello?"

Ruby answered cautiously. The old man seemed friendly and weak at first, but it was a deception. Ruby won't forget the slap the man gave her yesterday.

"You haven't messed up, have you?"

Ruby could hear Esli's question, tinged with annoyance.

Ruby's fear diminished considerably in an instant. She came to the realisation that the annoyance amounted to nothing but empty threats. She didn't need to be afraid; Esli couldn't touch her right now. If it was just scolding, Ruby could handle it.

"Messed up in what way?" Ruby asked a bit more boldly.

Ruby had lost the respect she had shown yesterday, viewing Esli as a man grieving over his child's accident-induced coma. Esli was nothing more than a scammer taking advantage of her.

"Just don't screw things up!" Esli sounded increasingly angry.

"I'm not messing up," Ruby said, trying to keep him from getting angrier.

Ruby recalled that her mother remained with Esli. If she knew Esli's true face as a scammer, Ruby wouldn't let Esli take