"Enough," Sylvia cut her off sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Miss Ruby has proven herself. I don’t need to hear excuses or doubts. If you spent half the energy you use doubting others on improving yourself, we wouldn’t even be in this situation."
Lyra’s face turned red as she struggled to respond, but no words came out. The other witches in the room exchanged uneasy glances, clearly not wanting to be caught in the middle of Sylvia’s reprimand.
Ruby watched quietly, her smirk fading into a neutral expression. She didn’t enjoy humiliating anyone outright, but she also wasn’t one to let insults slide. Actions always spoke louder than words, and her work had been her loudest response.
"I proved myself... I better leave now," Ruby said, her voice steady and without any expression, as she turned to walk out of the tent.
Sylvia’s eyes widened in panic. She watched Ruby’s retreating figure and quickly jumped from her seat, rushing after her.
"Miss Ruby, wait! Please wait! Can you work for me?" Sylvia called out, grabbing Ruby’s wrist to stop her.
Ruby stopped but didn’t look at her immediately. Instead, she let out a soft sigh before turning her head slightly.
"What is it, Miss Sylvia?" Ruby asked, her tone calm but distant. "I only wanted to prove myself because your staff accused me of being a thief. The truth is, I was just passing by. But because of Miss Lana...no miss Lyra—ah, yes, that’s her name—I wasn’t able to sleep properly these past nights, knowing my character had been unjustly tainted. I hope you understand."
Her words were a careful mix of truth and lies, spoken with just the right amount of sadness to make Sylvia feel guilty.
Sylvia looked deeply apologetic. "Miss Ruby, I am truly sorry for what you went through. It was wrong of Lyra and the others to treat you that way. I assure you, they will apologize to you personally."
Ruby lowered her gaze, as if pondering her next words. "Ma’am," she began, her tone soft but hesitant, "I still don’t think I can work here. My village is far from here, and I simply can’t afford the travel costs..." She trailed off, letting her voice trembled just slightly as she made her expression look convincingly sad.
Sylvia’s eyes lit up with determination as she quickly responded, "Miss Ruby, please don’t worry about travel costs! I’ll arrange everything for you. Transportation, meals, even accommodation if necessary! Just name what you need, and I’ll make sure you’re comfortable."
Ruby blinked, as if surprised by the offer, but inside, she felt a smirk threatening to escape. Her plan was working perfectly. She adjusted her expression to one of thoughtful consideration, her red eyes softening just a bit.
"That’s very kind of you, Miss Sylvia," Ruby said after a pause. "I just... I don’t want to cause trouble for you or your team."
"Not at all!" Sylvia said firmly. "We need someone like you, Miss Ruby. Please, reconsider. We can work out every detail to make this arrangement convenient for you."
Ruby finally nodded, as if reluctantly agreeing. "Alright," she said softly. "I’ll give it a try... but only because you’ve been understanding."
Sylvia’s shoulders relaxed with relief, and a small smile spread across her face. "Thank you, Miss Ruby. You won’t regret this decision."
Ruby returned a faint smile.
"Since you agreed, can we discuss further inside my tent?" Sylvia asked, her voice calm but eager.
Ruby nodded, her expression neutral as she noticed Lyra glaring daggers at her from the side. Instead of reacting, Ruby casually flipped her hair back, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Without being overly dramatic, she walked past Lyra and followed Sylvia into the tent.
Inside, the atmosphere was much quieter. The two witch sat across from each other at a simple table. Sylvia leaned forward slightly, her hands clasped together as she studied Ruby with curiosity.
"Do you have experience in editing and filmmaking?" Sylvia asked, her tone curious but respectful. "Judging by how you turned that footage around... I’d say your level is higher than most of the people working here."
Ruby couldn’t help but feel a small rush of pride at the compliment. Who doesn’t enjoy being acknowledged for their skills? But she kept her composure, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Thank you, Miss Sylvia," Ruby said with a polite nod.
Sylvia’s eyes lingered on her, trying to gauge her reaction. "So, tell me," she pressed. "Where did you learn all of this? It’s not something just anyone can do."
Ruby hesitated for a moment, carefully crafting her response. "I picked up a lot through self-study," she said, her tone humble yet firm. "I’ve always been interested in visual storytelling, so I taught myself most of what I know. Trial and error, you could say."
Sylvia raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Self-taught? That’s incredible. And here I thought only formally trained editors could pull off something like that."
Ruby shrugged modestly, though inwardly she was enjoying the praise. "Sometimes, passion drives you more than formal training ever could," she said simply.
Sylvia nodded thoughtfully. "That’s true," she said, leaning back in her chair. "I can tell you have that passion. I’d like to offer you something more permanent, Miss Ruby. Not just as a one-time editor, but as part of my team."
Ruby’s red eyes flickered with surprise for a brief moment. "Part of your team?" she repeated.
"Yes," Sylvia said, smiling slightly. "We need someone like you–a fresh perspective, someone who sees things differently. Of course, we’d discuss proper compensation and terms, but I’d love for you to consider it."
Ruby tilted her head, pretending to think it over. "I appreciate the offer, Miss Sylvia," she said slowly. "But I’ll need some time to decide. Joining your team would be a big step, and I’d want to make sure it aligns with my other goals."
"Understandable," Sylvia said, clearly not wanting to push too hard. "Take your time, but I hope you’ll give it serious thought. People like you are hard to come by."
Ruby gave a small smile, silently enjoying how things were unfolding. "I will," she said. "Thank you for the opportunity."
—To be continued...🪄