Forbidden Passion

Ruby lay in bed, and only after hearing them leave did she weakly get up and head to the bathroom to take a shower.

Ruby felt feverish and kept sneezing under the showerhead.

Ruby was really sick. The usually warm water felt cold against her body, making her shiver. After struggling to finish her shower, she dried herself with a towel.

In the mirror, Ruby saw her pale cheeks and the increasingly visible bruises on her neck.

Ruby closed her eyes and swallowed with difficulty. Her throat hurt so much that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

Summoning her strength, Ruby finished drying off and put on the clothes beside her.

The weakness from the fever made her dizzy. She sat by the bed for a while before heading downstairs.

The kids weren't home, and the living room was empty. Only Ollie came out of the cat bed and circled around her. She noticed the cat food bowl was empty and refilled it before grabbing her bag and heading out. The breeze outside was cool and comfortable.

Ruby arrived at the Building Three. After hesitating for a moment, she rang the doorbell. Soon, the door unlocked, and she took a deep breath before pushing it open and walking in.

Passing through the courtyard, Ruby reached the foyer. A middle-aged man, around fifty, stood at the door. He looked kind and somewhat resembled Elijah.

"Ms. Adams, right? Mr. Ziegler mentioned you'd be coming to cook and clean today. It's still early, so you can start with the cleaning," Trevor Torres said.

Ruby nodded, "Okay, how should I address you?"

"It's Trevor. Mr. Ziegler will need you to take good care of things here. Come in, I'll show you around the villa." Trevor stepped aside to let Ruby in.

worn away by life. She gave Trevor a polite nod before walking

Ruby,

condition, "Ms. Adams, are you feeling

Let's continue the tour." Trevor led Ruby back to the living

ached as if it were being squeezed. "Alright, Trevor, I'll

then glanced upstairs, meeting a

Ms. Adams

top of the stairs, withdrew his disdainful gaze, and turned away. From now on,

involuntarily while washing a rag. She carried a basin of

taken on all kinds of jobs to support herself and Ethan. Being a

progress. After dusting, she took a

of black slippers suddenly stepped on her rag. Fortunately, Ruby pulled her hand

looked up to see Donovan, who had come downstairs at some point, staring at her with a sinister expression, "The daughter of the Adams family, on her knees cleaning my floor. Never thought I'd see the day." Ruby

humiliate her; it

longer the darling of

If I had

exhausted. She stubbornly said, "Think whatever you want, Mr. Ziegler.

shirt, soaked with sweat and clinging to her body, revealing

yanked Ruby up, gripping her chin with his other hand, "Your shirt is

hit Ruby, and she struggled, "What are you talking

suddenly leaned in close, and Ruby, frightened, closed her

mocking voice echoed in her ears, "Ruby,

"You disgust me," ringing in her ears. Her vision