Chapter 132: A Real Man
As the car pulled away from the sidewalk, Ruby leaned back in her seat, eyes glassy as the world blurred past the window.
Rayna. Of all people.
Rayna had sworn she was on her side. That she would stand by her no matter what. And now, she was meeting Stefan behind her back?
What could they possibly be talking about?
What did Stefan have to say that was so important he needed her best friend?
Ruby’s mind spiraled with questions she had no answers for—and doubts she never wanted to have.
Once she was back at home, she didn’t even change out of her clothes. She simply walked into the living room, sat on the couch, and stared blankly at the TV screen that wasn’t even on.
She waited. She was going to wait here for Rayna when she returned. No matter how long, she was going to wait.
She said there as ten minutes passed. Before she knew it, it was twenty and then nearly an hour.
Then, the sound of a car door closing.
Keys jingled and the front door opened. Ruby didn’t need anyone to tell her who it was as this was the moment she’d been waiting for.
Rayna stepped inside, looking calm, as if she had actually just come back from a peaceful trip to the grocery store.
Ruby didn’t move. Her eyes were sharp now, cold and unreadable.
I took a while.
back, folding her
grocery store?"
in her tone. "It was
was sitting, it looked
that, Rayna froze and the
not a fool. What had given
"How...?" she began.
Rayna. Behind
she said, "Because... he begged to see me. He sent me a message last night and asked for a few minutes to
"Wow. So that’s all it takes now? He begs, and suddenly you’re joining
"Ruby, no. Don’t
"Well, you just did."
I didn’t." Rayna’s voice rose a little, her hands clenching. "Yes, I met with him. But not because I’m choosing him over you. I just... I wanted to hear him out. He was sincere, Ruby.
him. I gave him everything I had left. And
deeply. "He
of that
the words settled
After all, she had left the ultrasound photo in his
it aloud brought a different kind of sting. Was it because he knew that he was trying to get her back or because he truly cared? If it was for the baby, he probably would’ve mentioned it that day he
he wanted to make things right—for you and the baby. I
said nothing, her eyes narrowing, her
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!