CHAPTER 4

Victor was still annoyed by Ruby's words from yesterday. His focus split, he no longer listened to the meeting this time. His fingers fiddled with the spinning pen with his legs wide open, pulling slightly on the tie that felt like it was strangling his neck.

"Mr. Antony, how about my explanation?" Instantly, the center of attention shifted to him. Like a soul possessed, Victor showed the side of a leader and company owner that was more than just a name.

"I will confirm this tender once again. I don't want to waste a large amount of money on something that is still lacking in planning," Victor explained straightforwardly and firmly. Everyone in the room just nodded in agreement, and Victor knew in their hearts there must be someone swearing at him.

"I think today's meeting is enough," Victor said as he stood up and straightened his suit. He walked away from the meeting room, his footsteps quickening as he made his way to the elevator.Just now, he wanted to vent all his anger. He didn't expect Carly to be in his room with a paper bag from their favorite restaurant.

"What's wrong with your face?" Carly said, looking at Victor as he walked closer, realizing his head was resting on her shoulder. "Just a work issue," Victor replies, cupping the top of Carly's hand as it caresses his cheek.

"Big deal?" Carly looked seriously into Victor's face."No, it's not. Everything's fine, honey, it's not as bad as you think," Victor continued, his lips curving into a wide smile.

"I'm sure things will get better soon. I brought food, let's have lunch together," said Carly, starting to open the food and prepare it for her boyfriend Victor.Victor just stared at Carly's face. No! Carly is perfect enough in Victor's eyes, with her beautiful face and soft words. Everything in Carly was perfect for him, even though he wanted to have offspring born from her, but he tried to understand that he could not get rid of the trauma of his lover's past.

"Thank you, baby. I love you," Victor said before accepting a bite from Carly."I love you too, Victor," Carly replied with a faint smile and a touch of blush on her cheeks.

"How did you meet that woman? Wait, what was her name?" Carly asked.

"Rubyjane," Victor added quickly.

"Rubyjane? Why do I feel like I'm familiar with her name?" continued Carly, trying to remember where she had heard a name that was completely familiar to her.

"Honey. There are many Rubyjanes in the world," Victor replied with a small smile. He stood up and walked over to the small refrigerator in the corner of his room.

"That's right! Rubyjane is a lot. I also forgot where I heard the name, probably from one of my clients." Carly accepted the welcome water Victor handed her.

"Not yet. I haven't seen her yet because of an unexpected meeting yesterday," Victor said, pulling off his tie and rolling up his shirt sleeves.

"Can we see him when you get off work?" "Hmm. I'll call her to tell her to meet us at the place we've set up." Victor took out his cell phone and searched for Ruby's number that he had saved on his phone.Victor put the phone to his right ear. Waiting for the unanswered dial tone, Carly's face was already so excited while Victor continued to contact Ruby, who did not answer his call at all.

"She's not answering my calls. Maybe Ruby is having lunch right now," added Victor, trying to find an excuse so that his girlfriend wouldn't be disappointed in him.

"Oh my! It's still lunchtime, we shouldn't have disturbed her." Carly felt guilty asking Victor to call Ruby without knowing the time.

***

Ruby shuffled her feet. Accompanied by a can of beer and a pack of cigarettes, Ruby sat on the rooftop. Her eyes repeatedly looked down. She was on the 10th floor, which was quite high if you looked at it from above.Seven missed calls and dozens of incoming messages in a row on her master's cell phone. Ruby had no intention of even looking at, let alone answering, the bastard and the biggest jerk in her life. "Shit! Why did I have to be adopted by Antony's family?" Ruby shouted. Her voice echoing, Ruby was still not satisfied with just one shout."Why do I have to meet him?" she continued with a second shout.Ruby's hand squeezed the empty beer can. Her eyes closed, and she thought back to the request Victor had made—why her adoptive mother and father had a bastard son like Victor. Asking for something in return for what she received as an adopted child from her parents, Ruby did not receive a penny from her adoptive parents. Ruby was adopted when she was 7 years old, and she also left Antony's family when she turned 16. Ruby wouldn't have left if her adoptive parents were still alive, she left after the accident that killed Dean and Zoe.It was 17-year-old Ruby and 23-year-old Victor. Ruby left home without Victor's knowledge, she wouldn't be able to live with Victor, who had seemed to hate her for a long time.Her cell phone rang again, and Ruby, who had accidentally shifted the green button to make a direct call, immediately connected."Where have you been, Ruby?" The sound of snapping was already clearly heard, greeting Ruby's ears. Ruby put her phone away, taking a deep breath."Where are you right now, Ruby?" Ruby still didn't answer Victor as she opened the second can of beer, taking a quick sip to enjoy the beer with a pleasant view of the blue sky."Rubyjane___""Be polite. I'm not going to answer your questions," Ruby shot back."Tell me where you are. Do you have time to meet? My lover wants to meet you.""Ummh... What should I introduce myself as in front of my lover? An adopted sister or a hired woman.""Rubyjane___""Stop calling me my damn name! Just answer the question I asked.""The woman I hired.""Okay! Where to meet?" Ruby replied, taking another sip of beer.Ruby disconnected the phone unilaterally. She had listened to where they were going to meet, she thought she had enough information, and she didn't want to mince words. Ruby saw this as her advantage, becoming a rich woman overnight was impossible, but becoming a filthy rich woman in nine months could happen. There was no turning back, Ruby would make the most of this opportunity.

****

Another message notification popped up while Ruby was on her way to the restaurant.'Act like an innocent woman."Ckck! He thinks he can manage me?" monologues Ruby, putting her phone back in her pocket.The taxi stopped in front of a five-star restaurant. Ruby's eyes were fixed on the restaurant's name display, her feet stepped boldly inside, and Ruby approached the waiter, who welcomed her."On behalf of Mr. Victor Antony," said Ruby, who immediately followed the waiter's directions as he led her to a closed room.The door to the VIP room opened. Ruby entered slowly, and the face of a beautiful woman who had been sitting stood up to greet her."Rubyjane?""Yes," replied Ruby as she approached and sat in front of the young woman whose name she did not know, perhaps Victor's girlfriend."Nice to meet you, Ruby. I'm Charlotte Matthews, Victor's future fiancée," Carly introduced herself."Ummh. I heard about you earlier, Miss, from Mr. Antony," Ruby replied politely."Victor is in the toilet. We'll talk when he arrives, but before that, we can order some food," added Carly, excitedly calling the waiter. "Miss, I've already eaten." Ruby tried to politely decline Victor's girlfriend's offer."Ruby. It's not nice to refuse a meal," Carly said with a faint smile.Ruby stared at the woman in front of her in silence. How did that bastard Victor get such an angelic woman? "Honey. Ruby's here," Carly added, looking at Victor, who was walking towards her.Ruby remained silent. Her body didn't move an inch, and she didn't greet Victor by standing up when she saw his face in front of her. Instead, Ruby was busy looking at the menu book, which was much more interesting to her.Carly looked confused at Victor, but finally, Victor calmed her down by rubbing her shoulder. Victor sat down next to Carly, directly opposite Ruby, who was still busy flipping through the pages of the menu book."Rubyjane." Victor called out to Ruby with a small step on Ruby's foot under the table. Forcing Ruby to raise her head, she looked up at Victor with one eyebrow raised."I'm sorry, Miss. Charlotte and Mr. Victor," Ruby said, lowering her head, now feeling like she wasn't herself. "No problem, Ruby. Honey, Ruby is just too awkward because it's her first time breathing the air in Boston," Victor explained to Carly, which made her nod and understand.Ruby, on the other hand, was just holding her heart. Victor was telling lies, Ruby had even lived in Boston for almost 26 years! How could Victor say Ruby had just breathed Boston air?"Ruby. There's no need to be awkward, Victor and I will be the ones who see you the most," Carly added, taking Ruby's hand and rubbing it.Ruby felt awkward, very awkward—in this situation. Lying to Victor's angelic lover. "Yeah, thank you, Miss. Charlotte," Ruby replied with a faint smile on her lips."Carly, call me by my name, as we're not that different in age," Carly chimed in."Ruby is 26 years old, dear, you're 2 years older than her," Victor continued immediately, making Carly and Ruby stare at Victor simultaneously."Really! Well, I have a little sister then," said Carly, clapping her hands and looking very happy."No Miss. Don't think of me as your sister, I just work as a machine that gives birth to sons for you two," Ruby replied, sounding very sarcastic, but she didn't mean it. She was just reminding herself of where she was because of the womb that Victor and Carly needed."Mr. Victor, it looks like you brought the engagement letter," Ruby continued, looking at the brown envelope beside Victor."Yeah, I brought it. Want it signed?" asked Victor as he looked at Ruby and picked up the brown envelope, pulling out a white sheet of paper with stanza after stanza of the agreement for Ruby to undergo the pregnancy-to-birth program."Honey," Carly murmured, stopping Victor."What if I give birth to a baby girl instead of a boy?" murmured Ruby, looking into Carly and Victor's eyes alternately.

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