When she saw the caller ID, her expression changed slightly and she immediately answered the call.
’’Ruby... Is everything alright?" It was unlike Ruby to call her out of nowhere.
"Are you going to attend your parent’s anniversary this time?" Ruby asked suddenly.
’’Yes..." Ella paused for a moment, "Have they asked you to go there with Max? Ruby, you don’t need to worry about me..."
When Ruby remained silent, Ella continued speaking, ’’When I said that there is nothing between me and Max, I mean it..."
Ella would eventually show Ruby Max’s true colors to protect her from her horrible fate but till then, she would not let the girl misunderstand her.
In this life, a man would never be the reason for conflict between their friendship.
Ruby was silent for a few moments before she opened her mouth, "Actually, I am not—"
Following the sound, Ruby went silent.
Ella straightened on the couch, "Ruby... Ruby?!" Her heart thundered.
Suddenly Ronan’s revelation from a few days ago floated in her mind.
’Various scars and wounds, old and new were etched onto her back, her body and in other parts where they would not be seen after being dressed.’
"Ruby, are you there...? Are you fine...?!" Ella shot to her feet and walked towards the door as she spoke.
The calm voice halted Ella in her tracks, her heart was still hanging high.
"I just knocked over a vase. It got messy."
Ella exhaled sharply.
Her heart gradually returned to its place.
After Ruby hung up, Ella returned to the couch and opened her phone.
The moment she logged in to her socials, her phone glitched.
Notifications blasted her phone screen abruptly!
Meanwhile, in the Ambrose mansion.
Ruby placed her phone aside and walked to the door.
She could hear the sounds of heavy footsteps.
Ruby’s body turned cold.
"Ahh....!" A sharp cry tore through her room and Ruby’s feet moved before she could think.
She rushed to the room next to hers and the sight that greeted her knocked the breath out of her chest.
Her mother was splayed on the floor, surrounded by a few shattered vases. A trail of blood flowed from the corner of her lips.
Her husband stood by the edge of the bed with a belt in his hand.
’’You ungrateful bitch! Have I not given you enough? You are still thinking of him—" As he spoke, he whipped his belt forward.
The woman closed her eyes but the expected pain never came.
But instead, a pair of thin arms hugged her.
Ruby turned around and glanced at the man who was towering over them, "Coward,’’ she spat.
"What did you say?" The man grabbed her chin, yanked her up.
"You are a coward!" Ruby enunciated each word as she looked at the man emotionlessly.
Ruby’s head whipped to the side by the impact of the slap.
Mr. Ambrose threw the belt away as he stepped back, "I have decided. In about a month, you will be marrying Max."
"No, she is still young... She hasn’t even finished her studies..." Mrs. Ambrose cried.
"She can study after marriage," Mr. Ambrose looked at Ruby, "In this month, you better be good and behave yourself, hmm?"
After the man left, Mrs. Ambrose rose up to her feet and dragged Ruby to the bed, "Why did you come here? Quick, sit... Let me apply some ointment to your face..."
Ruby looked up at the woman who was covered in wounds from head to toe, offering her medicines for her wounds, "Mom... Why don’t you just leave him now?"
Mrs. Ambrose’s long red hair swayed slightly in the light breeze as she wiped her tears, "It was my fault today..."
Ruby looked up at her, a hint of bitterness crept up her throat.
’’In a few days, it’s your father’s death anniversary. I asked him to make some preparations..." Mrs. Ambrose lowered her gaze.
"He hit you because you mentioned father? He is father’s adopted brother, not enemy..."
Mrs. Ambrose sighed, "Things were not that simple between them. You are too young to understand it, Ruby. He... just loves me and he thought..."
’’Mom," Ruby stood up and grabbed the woman by her shoulders, "I might not understand love but I know that no matter what you do, you don’t deserve to be hit by anyone! Absolutely not by a man who claims to love you!"
"Ruby... Wait... Let me apply your medicine. Ruby—"
The door closed. Ruby was gone.
Mrs. Ambrose slumped on the bed.
On the other side, Ruby slumped in her bed, looking up at the ceiling.
The sting in her face was still palpable but what stung her more was probably her mother’s response.
Her phone lit up in the darkness of the room.
Ruby moved her finger to block the number but after a moment, she typed a reply: [Who?]
Ruby: [What do you want?]
Ronan: [Nothing much. I was just checking up on you.]
Ruby: [We are not familiar with each other.]
Ronan: [You slept with me. And I am your doctor. Yes, Miss Ambrose, we are familiar with each other.]
Ruby sat up on the bed and dialled the number.
The call was answered on the first ring and idle ’Hello~’ floated over.
"Stop saying such misleading things..."
’’Misleading...?" Ronan cut the girl off, "Which part? That you slept with me or the part where I am your doctor?"
Ruby looked out of the window, the moon had partially hidden behind the clouds, just like that night, "What happened back then was an accident. Rest, thank you for treating my wounds."
Ruby was about to hang up the call when she heard the man’s voice from a distance.
"...Accident?" Ronan chuckled, "Miss Ambrose, are you claiming that you accidentally took my virginity? And now, I have to accept it and move on just because you said it’s an accident?"