RUBY.
I scrolled through Toby's Instagram account for the umpteenth time. He had amassed over twelve million followers and followed just thirty-seven people, including my recently created account by Sapphire. Surprisingly, I already had over three hundred thousand followers, thanks to Toby consistently showing me off on his page and tagging me.
His bio proudly proclaimed:
Public Figure
• Sole Heir to Daniels Industries
• Award-Winning Model
• Wealthy Celebrity
• Husband to the Most Loving Wife
The way he misled and deceived so many people into believing he loved me was simply unbelievable. I couldn't help but wonder why he continued to do it. It seemed like he sought validation from the public, always striving to appear great, loving, responsible, and amazing—qualities he never truly possessed.
Our wedding remained the talk of the town on social media, making it to the most-discussed list for the week. I was tagged in numerous posts and received invitations to various shows. Even companies, both small-scale and large-scale, inundated me with emails and direct messages on social media, seeking my endorsement as their brand ambassador. It was overwhelming, to say the least.
A notification popped up from @tobydaniels, and I eagerly clicked on it. A picture of his handsome face in a graduation gown and cap greeted me, accompanied by the caption, "another degree earned."
Before I could stop myself, I had already typed "congrats." But as I realized my mistake, it was too late. People had already begun liking and replying to my comment, and Toby himself responded with a "Thanks boo boo."
Mentally, I slapped myself. "Boo" indeed!
However, I was astounded by how quickly his likes and comments multiplied within seconds. That's when I decided to put my own account to use. All I ever uploaded were pictures of Sapphire and me. But now, I searched through my iPhone gallery and selected a portrait photo of myself in my wedding dress. I believed I looked beautiful in it, or at least I thought so. Just as I was about to resume reading the book in my hands, the doorbell rang.
I swung open the door and came face to face with Sapphire. I hugged her tightly, overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. It felt like I hadn't seen her in years. In the blink of an eye, we were engrossed in conversation. With Sapphire, there was never a dull moment—absolutely none.
"How's married life, sis?" she asked once again, despite my attempts to wave off the question.
"I'll be honest, my dear, marriage has been exhausting! I'm starting to regret accepting this," I replied sincerely.
"Exhausting? Regrets? So, you two haven't worked out your issues?" Sapphire probed.
"What we have is more than just issues, my dear," I sighed.
"But he shows you off so much on his social media accounts! It's unbelievable! Your chemistry on TV and in magazines is fantastic! How can you possibly have problems? I can't wrap my head around it!" Sapphire exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"We hardly communicate privately, but in public, he acts like he can't live without me. That man deserves an award for being the best actor. He's so skilled at it, and it's rubbing off on me. I wonder why he hasn't considered pursuing a career in acting," I mused.
Sapphire stared at me for what felt like an eternity before finally finding her voice. "What's wrong with you two? When am I going to have a niece or nephew if you keep acting like this?"
"Wait, what! Is that all you care about right now? Don't even think about it. He doesn't find me attractive enough to even kiss—just a simple kiss! He'll never touch me, and I won't engage with him either if he doesn't make an effort to genuinely like me. I want my first time to be special, so I'm fine with us being mere housemates," I shrugged.
"That's complete nonsense, sis! Make him see what he's missing. Make him long for you in your absence!" Sapphire snapped.
"I think he already thinks about me," I countered.
"No, not in a negative way—make him desire you! Stop hiding so much. You don't have any flaws. Your skin is flawless, so why cover up as if the sun will scorch you if you reveal a little skin? You're not a vampire. Wear sexy clothes, look amazing, make him turn his head when you cross paths. He's your husband, after all," Sapphire said, eyeing my outfit disapprovingly.
"This has nothing to do with my clothes. I like what I wear. It's comfortable. And if he wants to like me, he should appreciate everything about me, including my choice of clothes," I replied, hugging myself defensively.
"Oh, come on, make an effort! It won't hurt to try and win your husband over—the man you still have a crush on. Make him want only you and no one else. Be affectionate and caring toward him. Stop being silent all the time, like a mute!" Sapphire urged.
"This wedding has affected my life as much as it has affected his, so why should I be the only one making an effort?" I argued.
"He didn't exactly agree to this, Ruby. You did. Whether you admit it or not, a part of you did it because you still have feelings for him, and the other part because you wanted to help the family," Sapphire said, hitting me with the bitter truth.
"I don't care. We both need to make an effort," I stubbornly insisted.
Sapphire shook her head before speaking. "I just want you to be realistic, sis. Speaking of which, we're definitely going to turn heads at his graduation party today. You're going to leave him speechless, I promise! Let's find a stunning dress for you to make a statement!" She exclaimed with excitement, clapping her hands.
This girl is like a roller coaster—up and down with emotions.
"Graduation party? What graduation party? There's a graduation party?" I asked, utterly confused.