Chapter 6

𝘼𝘽𝘽𝙄𝙀

"Abbie!" I heard Ruby calling my name.

I tore my gaze away from the stranger and turned, blinking against the sudden sunlight, to see her approaching. It took me a few heartbeats before I recognized her. It had been eight years since I last saw her, but somehow… she hadn't changed much.

I wasn't surprised to see the way she was dressed. Ruby had always been that way. She loved wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts.

What had changed were the little tattoos etched across her arms. Ruby had never had tattoos before. And her hair… her blonde hair now cascaded longer than I remembered.

"Abbie," she laughed, her voice like a warm spark in my chest, and she pulled me into a hug that felt like home.

She smelled like cigarettes, but I still hugged her. Ruby never hid the fact that she smoked, and that was one of the biggest reasons why she and Mom never got along. But at least, a smoker was better than someone who was having an affair with someone's husband.

She pulled back slightly, her bright blue eyes shining with warmth and relief. I could feel it... she was genuinely happy to have me in Paris.

"Why didn't you call me when you were already here?" she asked, smiling.

"I... was about to call you?" I whispered, nervously touching my earlobe.

Ruby laughed, a sound that always made me feel like a child again. She gently tapped my chin. "You still have that habit of touching your earlobe," she teased.

I smiled shyly and nodded.

"Anyway… welcome to L’impasse des Ombres," she grinned, gesturing broadly to the street. "It's not in the heart of Paris, the so-called city of love, but as long as you mind your own business, you'll love it here. No rules, no cops."

I faked a smile at her.

I wanted to ask her why she was living in a corrupt neighborhood like this, but I decided not to. It might hurt her feelings. She was probably living in this neighborhood because that's what she could afford.

"I'll help you with your luggage," she said as she took it from me and began leading the way to her house.

I turned swiftly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stranger who helped me lift my bag from the pothole, but I could no longer find him. He disappeared like a ghost.

I shook my head to discard whatever weird feeling I was having. I should remind myself that I was only here to escape from my mom.

The streets leading to Ruby's place were impossibly narrow. In fact, the whole neighborhood seemed carved for feet and motorcycles alone.

As I followed Ruby from behind, carefully observing my surroundings, men and women sitting on the balconies of old-looking buildings began calling Ruby.

They were all speaking French, so I didn't know what they were asking her. They were probably asking, "Who's this foreigner with you?"

Ruby laughed at everyone we came across until we arrived at her apartment.

It was an old apartment. It was small, and… cramped. The living room had only two chairs, a central table, and a TV so aged I doubted it still worked.

The living room didn't have much, but it felt like it did because of how small it was.

It wasn't like my home back in California. Only our living room was Ruby's full apartment. The old-looking air conditioner hanging on the old wall was producing heat instead of cool air.

Even the walls were old, and the paint on them had already worn out. I touched my earlobe, wondering if I would be able to live in a small apartment like this.

Just like Dad said, I was used to luxury. Mom provided me with luxury. The only issue with her was that she caged me inside that luxury.

"Abbie," Ruby called softly, opening the old window to let in breeze. The glass looked fragile. One wrong touch and it could shatter into a thousand pieces.

"I know this isn't what you're used to in California," she said, turning to me. "But this is where Landry and I can afford. Life isn't a fantasy land like Regina made you believe."

Ruby lived in a cramped apartment, but I was proud of her. At least she wasn't sleeping with someone's husband to be rich.

"It's okay, Ruby. I'll be able to manage," I cooed.

Honestly, I didn't even know if that was a lie, but anywhere far from Mom was like paradise on earth.

Ruby's smile softened. She stepped closer, her hand brushing mine. "My apartment might be small, but it has two rooms. Landry and I already occupy one. We've been saving the other for our baby, but… now that you're here, you can have it until the baby comes."

I blinked, a small smile forming on my lips. "You're expecting a baby?"

"No," she shook her head, touching my nose playfully. "But we hope to someday."

I smiled back. When Ruby was still in California and living with us, I used to be close to her. But Mom never liked it and always found one silly excuse to separate me from her.

"Come with me, I'll show you to your room, so you can have your shower and then eat," she said, her voice gentle.

I nodded.

Just when she was about to lead me to the room that would be mine for the next forty-five days, the front door suddenly opened.

An average-looking man stepped inside.

My eyes widened slightly as I looked at him.

His beard almost swallowed his entire face, thick and untamed. Dark hair covered his forearms and even peeked from beneath his shorts. He was hairy… really hairy. For a brief second, an absurd thought crossed my mind... he looked almost like a werewolf.

Is he Landry? Ruby's husband?

I had no idea what Ruby's husband looked like. Mom had never allowed him anywhere near our home, so I had never seen him before.

"Landry," Ruby rushed toward him happily and planted a quick kiss on his bearded cheek. She was noticeably taller than him.

Landry's eyes slowly shifted toward me. His gaze lingered for a moment before he turned back to Ruby and asked her something in French.

Ruby replied in French as well.

Landry returned his eyes to me. I forced a polite smile, hoping to appear friendly, but he didn't smile back. Instead, he glared at me.

I immediately knew what Landry had asked Ruby in French. He had asked who I was, and Ruby had probably replied that I was Regina's daughter.

He returned his attention to Ruby and resumed speaking in French.

Why can't he just speak English? I wanted to know what he was saying about me.

Ruby tried to respond, but Landry suddenly stormed away from her, fury written all over his face.

Ruby sighed deeply and ran her fingers through her blonde hair as she stared after him.

"He doesn't want me here?" I asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Ruby opened her mouth, but the words seemed to die in her throat. She stepped forward and gently touched my cheek. "Wait outside. I'm just going to talk to him," she said softly.

Ruby was American, so she could speak English like me.

I had this feeling that Landry didn't want me in his house. If he did, he would have welcomed me just like Ruby did. I couldn't blame him though... Mom treated him like trash.