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‘Don’t act so precocious. I hate rebellious girls like you the most. Ruby!’

Ruby's last memory of Chris, the older boy next door, was clouded with confusion. Was it wrong to see him as a prince, to want him for herself? She had loved and admired only him, never looking at anyone else.

‘You're annoying! Can you just stop following me?!’

At that time, Ruby admitted she found Chris’s scolding amusing and never once felt ashamed. Even after Chris had someone he loved, she still clung to him, refusing to let go. No matter who tried to stop or warn her, she wouldn’t listen. Convinced that she had been there first, and no one else had the right. But she was wrong. When Ruby turned eighteen, Chris punished her in a way she would never forget. From then on, the young woman could hardly bring herself to go near him again.

“Still thinking about the past, Ruby?” her mother asked with a gentle smile, noticing her daughter’s distant expression.

“A little, Mom. I haven’t been back here in years. Everything has changed so much,” Ruby said. Now twenty-five, she had just returned from another province after her father’s passing. The young woman turned to smile at her mother, who had grown older with age.

“Your bedroom is still the same. Let’s go take a look,” Amber said, leading her daughter upstairs to the second floor of the wooden house. The lower floor had been renovated with concrete two years ago, while the upper floor still featured a white wooden balcony surrounding the house.

As soon as Ruby stepped into her bedroom, a wide smile spread across her face. The small bed with its white curtains, along with just a wardrobe and a vanity were the only furnishings in the room. The bedroom window could be opened wide to reveal the view of the neighboring house. In the past, she had loved using this spot to secretly watch someone. But now, the scenery had completely changed. The old two-story wooden house next door had been transformed into a modern one, taller than hers, to the point where one had to look up to see its second floor.

“When did Paula build a new house, Mom?”

“About five years ago. Paula’s family business had been thriving. They had gotten wealthy in leaps and bounds.”

“With that tall fence, you and Paula stopped chatting, didn’t you?”

“Something like that, Ruby. Paula went to work at the company, unlike me, who stayed at home as a housewife. However, she was talented; she managed the company until it prospered and became well-known. And once Chris stepped in to help, it flourished even more.” Her mother’s words made Ruby falter at the mention of his name.

It seemed as though the circumstances had driven her and him even further apart. In the past, she had only needed to slip through the old wooden fence to run and play in the house next door. But now, a heavy concrete wall nearly two meters high stood between them. How could she possibly cross it? She had to accept the reality that they now lived separate lives.

“Are you hungry, Ruby? You must be exhausted after driving such a long way,” Amber said as she walked over and placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, who was still standing there, gazing at the fence of the neighboring house.

“I’m used to it, Mom. Back at Father’s farm, I often drove long distances as well,” she said with a slight smile. Her father had a new family, yet he had supported her until she graduated with a bachelor’s degree. When he passed away from a grave illness, Ruby decided to give half of the inheritance—the house along with the land—to her father’s new wife.

“You are not angry with me, Mom, for giving half of Father’s inheritance to Fiona and Nico?”

“Your father left it to you, Ruby, which meant he trusted that my daughter would handle everything fairly. So why would I be angry with you, my dear?”

“Fiona had been very good to Father, and Nico was sweet. I did not want to make things difficult for them.” Although it hurt that her father had given his heart to another woman, she could not escape the truth. Yet as time went by, she gradually came to terms with it.

“Yes, I know it.”

“But you are my mother, the one I loved most in my life,” she said as she walked over to embrace her. And she knew well why her mother had sent her to live with her father, because with only a small livelihood as a dessert vendor, it would have been impossible to support her through university. Even the water and electricity bills had nearly been paid from one installment to the next.

‘Father said he would not support me if I did not go to live with him. He said you were taking advantage of him by raising me on your own.’

In the past, Ruby had not felt the least bit pleased with her father’s conditions, but certain events had made her no longer wish to stay here. Living with her father had therefore been her last choice.

“I would come back to live with you permanently, Mom. That house had already been given to Fiona, but part of Father’s savings still remained with me.”

“I’m glad you chose to live with me. You were used to life on the farm—what work will you do here, my dear?” she asked, her joy mingled with doubt.

“I do not really know, Mom. For now, I just want to rest. I still have some money left, and with Father’s savings added, I can live quite comfortably.”

“It’s alright. If you want to rest, then rest as much as you need. I’m still selling sweets as usual. These days, people have been ordering delivery from various shops, so I haven’t really set up a stall much. Why don’t you help me make desserts while you’re on break? That way, you won’t get bored, and I won’t have to turn down so many customers. Most people want desserts in the morning, but I can’t finish them in time after waking up. If you help me, we can manage.” Amber pictured her income increasing with her daughter’s help.

“That works. I won’t get bored, just like you said, Mom.” The young woman, who had always been working, agreed with her mother.

“Come help me sell desserts. If we have the strength, let’s open a shop. What do you think?”

“Hmm, really? That sounds interesting, Mom. You have so many customers. If we open a shop and have helpers, we might get rich without even realizing it!”

“Yes, quite so.”

The mother and daughter looked at each other and laughed happily, enjoying their plans for the future together. Even though they didn’t have a big house, and her daughter wasn’t working in a stable company, Amber didn’t feel any resentment at all.

“Put your clothes in the wardrobe first, Ruby. I’ll go downstairs and make dinner for you. Oh, and once you finish putting away your clothes, you can take a bath and rest. When the food is ready, I’ll come and get you.”

“Okay, Mom.” Ruby watched her mother leave, a smile blossoming across her face.

Even though her mother didn’t attend her father’s funeral, Ruby knew well that her mother had already forgiven him. When love ends, people must part ways. One cannot force the heart. Thinking this way made her feel ashamed. Many years ago, she had been young and self-indulgent, doing many things without thinking, without considering how others might feel. If she could go back, she would never do those things again.

‘What are you doing, Ruby?!’

‘You’re not feeling well, so I came up to take care of you.’

‘This is my bedroom.’

‘Paula has already given permission.’

‘And what are you wearing, you little brat?!’

‘Uh…’

‘Who taught you to come and seduce men in their rooms like this? Go downstairs! Go back to your own home!’

What had gotten into her, going without a bra and coming up to a guy’s room? Paula didn’t know because she wore a robe over it. She only took off the robe when she entered Chris’s room, leaving just a thin nightgown that revealed far too much.

‘Ruby, what were you thinking at that moment to act so disgracefully?’

She didn’t know where she got the idea to flirt with a guy. It was only natural that Chris scolded her so harshly. Then he grabbed her and tossed her out of the room along with the robe.

‘Don’t act so precocious.’

‘I hate rebellious girls like you the most, Ruby!’