Chapter 3: "Who was the woman with you last night?"

Ruby’s POV

I was already dressed by the time John walked in.

Hair brushed. Face fresh. Sitting at the dressing table like I hadn’t spent the whole night trying to forget him.

He smiled like nothing had happened.

Came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

“Baby,” he said softly, “when did you go out?”

I met his eyes in the mirror.

“A while ago. I just needed some fresh air,” I said, keeping my voice even.

He kissed my neck, his hand tugging lightly at my collar.

My stomach turned.

Before he could go further, I shifted in my seat. “John,” I said, carefully, “I was thinking… maybe I should get back into the company.”

That got his attention.

He pulled back just slightly, eyes on mine.

I continued, steady. “I know I left everything to you before we got married, but I’ve been thinking about our future. About being more involved.”

While I waited for him to speak, my thoughts ran fast.

We built that company together from scratch.

I’d naively thought that because we were in love, it was only right to let my husband manage everything while I focused on building and managing our home.

It was foolish of me.

But now I knew better.

After what he’d done, I couldn’t afford to stay blind or powerless. If I had access to the financials—if I could see the cash flow, the profits—I could protect myself. Legally. Emotionally. All of it.

It was still joint property.

And if it came to divorce, I’d need proof of what I was owed.

Especially since he was the one who broke us first.

John’s smile faded just a little.

“You really don’t have to worry about the company,” he said. “Why don’t I just increase your living expenses? And we could start thinking seriously about a baby. You’ve always wanted that, right?”

I stared at him.

A baby?

He wanted to bring a child into this mess.

I couldn’t even look at him without remembering what I saw last night.

How could I even think about raising a child with a man I could barely trust to hold my heart?

“I’m not asking for more money,” I said. “I just want to be part of what we built.”

His jaw tightened. “Ruby, that world is stressful. Long hours, constant pressure. People out there are grinding nonstop just to stay afloat.”

He let out a quiet breath,  he was trying to stay patient. “What exactly are you dissatisfied with in your life now? You’re comfortable. Taken care of. Isn’t that enough?”

I held his gaze, calm. “Why are you so against me going back to work?”

I let my voice soften, just slightly. “Is there… someone else there you don’t want me to see?”

His eyes flashed—just for a second—with something raw, almost like panic. Then he forced a laugh, too quick, too loud.

“Are you serious right now?” he said, his voice rising. “How could you even ask me that?”

He stepped back, arms out like he was on trial. “Look at everything I’ve done for you. The house. Marriage. The ring. Do you think I’d spend all that on a woman I didn’t love?”

His tone sharpened, desperate to make it sound like devotion. “I’ve never cheated on you. Never! You’re my wife, Ruby. How could you question that?”

I leaned back in the chair, suppressing the mockery curling behind my ribs—he was so predictable it almost bored me.

I offered a soft smile. “Relax. I was just joking.”

He looked at me, uncertain for a second. Then, without a word, he turned away sharply, frustration written in every movement.

He raised a hand to his temple, pressing his fingers there like he could rub the anger out. The silence stretched.

Even he seemed to realize he’d overreacted.

Finally, he sighed and turned back around. “Fine. If it matters that much to you, you can help out. There’s always stuff that needs handling in the business department.”

The business department.

Glorified errand work. Cleaning up behind staff. Coordinating athletes. Managing client moods. He was giving me the scraps.

I nodded anyway.

Back when we started this company, John worked like a man possessed. He said it was for us—that once the business was stable, he’d make me the happiest woman alive.

He’d probably forgotten all those promises by now.

He didn’t fight me on it anymore. Because he didn’t need to.

He’d already decided to send me somewhere quiet—uninvolved, easy to manage. A place where I’d either get frustrated and quit, or learn to stay in my lane.

I said yes anyway.

For a second, his eyes softened—just barely. A flicker of something that looked like pity, like he still wanted to be the good guy in his own story.

But there was no guilt in it. Not even a trace.“

“I’ll go in with you,” he said easily. “It’s been a while since you’ve been to the office—I’ll help you get settled. Walk you through how we do things now.”

We rode down in the elevator together, him on his phone half the time, answering texts, smiling to himself. I kept my eyes on the floor numbers blinking above us, trying to calm the flutter in my chest.

I hadn’t seen Austin since I walked out of his apartment before dawn.

I wasn’t even sure I’d see him again.

But fate apparently had a twisted sense of humor.

Because when the elevator doors opened on the underground parking level, Austin was standing there, about to get in.

My breath hitched.

He looked exactly the same—and completely different—from last night. Crisp black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, chest broad, posture relaxed like nothing in the world could shake him.

And of course, he saw me immediately.

His eyes flicked to mine, unreadable.

I swallowed.

John smiled when he saw him. “Austin! What are you doing here this early?”

Austin shrugged casually, stepping into the elevator with us. “Didn’t feel like waiting for traffic. Figured I’d check in.”

He turned to me with polite detachment. “You must be Ruby. John’s wife.”

I nodded, lips tight. “Nice to finally meet you.”

He smiled, cool and easy. Like a stranger. But his eyes held that same wild heat I remembered from the night before. It made my stomach twist.

John clapped him on the shoulder. “So. Ruby, this is the brother I told you about,  Austin—Marcus’s son from his first marriage..”

He glanced at me. “Marcus is our father. My mom was his second wife. Austin’s mom left when he was still little. He went abroad and kind of vanished, but he just came back a few days ago.”

“Welcome home,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t shake.

Austin’s lips curved. “Thanks.”

The elevator was quiet for a beat.

Then John leaned in with a smirk and said, “You’ve got a hickey on your neck, man. Out having fun already?”

My heart stopped.

Austin didn’t even blink.

He reached up, touched his neck like he’d only just noticed. “Huh. Guess I do.”

John laughed. “Who was it this time? Blonde? Brunette?”

Austin looked right at me when he answered.

“She was beautiful,” he said. “Actually… you know her.”

John let out a low whistle. “Don’t tell me it was someone from the company. Was it Rose? God, I won’t even be mad—just tell me.”

Austin chuckled, looking away.

But I could still feel the weight of his gaze, even when it wasn’t on me anymore.

My pulse kicked up like prey sensing a predator—loud, sharp, impossible to quiet. I didn’t know if he could hear it… but somehow, I felt like he could smell it.