Prologue:

“How dare you, Ruby.” Aiden seethed. “You know how important it was to me, but---how dare you do that!”

“No,” Ruby lowered her head, stopping the sob from coming out from her throat. “It wasn’t me.”

“You lie!” Aiden raised his voice, making her flinch and cower. “I saw it with my eyes, but you still want to lie?!”

Ruby bit her lips, refusing to speak.

Her clenched hands were trembling. Sharp nails dug into her palms, drawing blood from them. The pain was stinging, but Kimberly felt nothing.

No, she really didn’t.

She did not do that!

Ruby raised her head and saw a sobbing figure behind Aiden.

The figure was sobbing pretty hard, her head buried on her maid’s shoulders.

Ruby can feel her anger rising.

It was her!

It was she who did it!

She must tell him that.

Though it was impossible that he would believe her, because he always trusts her more than Ruby, but Ruby thought she could try.

Maybe, just maybe, this time… He will choose her.

But she was wrong.

Pa!

“How dare you accuse my wife?” He slapped her without hesitation. Fury burned in his eyes like fires of hell.

Ruby’s face turned sideways with how hard he hit her. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Anger, frustration, but above all, disappointment.

Ignoring the stinging pain on her cheek, Ruby cried out, her voice cracking at the end. “But I am your wife!”

Aide looked at her coldly, before turning his back on her and pulling a paper from the drawers.

Ruby’s body chilled.

Aiden’s eyes were hollow as he stared at his ‘wife’. Without thinking twice, he tore the paper.

“Wife?” Aiden snorted, watching as the contract fall lifelessly on the ground. “Not anymore.”

The tears she was holding back fell one by one.

Aiden felt no remorse. He pointed at the door and demanded. “Leave.”

And through the tears on her eyes, she saw her smile.

She smiled at her.

Mockingly.

Rage welled up inside her.

Ruby forced herself to stop the tears, harshly wiping them away.

Ruby glared at them, her lips stretching for a smile.

“Fine.” Ruby can’t stop a sob from escaping, but she didn’t care.

She left, determined to leave everything behind.

They can now rejoice. She’s gone. And she will be gone from their life forever.

Ruby clenched her stomach and smiled bitterly.

She took one last glance at the house she had lived for almost a year.

“… I’m not going back.”

Aiden, I hope, you prayed that we wouldn’t cross paths again.

Because I will too.

I will kneel and beg, just to never meet you again.

---

“Ruby?”

However, heaven had no plans on hearing her prayers.

Years passed, scars began to heal, and Ruby started to have the life she’s been waiting for, but---

In the middle of the day, Ruby just found herself trapped in his arms again.

“Ruby! It’s really you!” Aiden hurriedly said, not masking the excitement in his voice. He cupped her face, scanning all over.

Contrary to him, Ruby stiffens.

She looked at him, wide eyes in shock.

Why?

Why?

She did everything just to make sure she won’t be dealing with him again, but why is he here?

How did things end up like this?