CHAPTER 136: SET UP A MEETING

The evening sun dipped lower into the sky, painting soft orange hues across the bedroom walls. The quiet inside the house was almost too loud, a silence that felt thick and heavy, pressing against the walls like it was trying to make her speak. But Ruby said nothing. She hadn’t said much all day.

She was still in bed, tucked under her light blanket though the room wasn’t cold. Her back rested against the headboard, one hand gently placed over the small, almost unnoticeable bump beneath her shirt. It was barely there, but she could feel it—tiny, warm, and alive. A part of her. A part of Stefan.

Her eyes stared at the ceiling, yet her mind was far from it. Rayna’s words from that morning circled her thoughts like a quiet storm. Every sentence, every sigh, every moment of truth had carved itself into her heart, forcing her to face things she hadn’t been ready to admit.

She had felt betrayed by Rayna. But what hurt more than anything was the truth in Rayna’s voice. Stefan didn’t know the full story. He hadn’t known she wasn’t Ivy. He hadn’t known that the woman he was falling for was someone entirely different, someone who had been pushed into pretending but had fallen hard for him.

But she knew. Ruby had known all along. And she hadn’t told him. She had a lot of chances but she never did. Every time, she would shy away from it and postpone it until that day.

A deep breath left her lips as her fingers lightly traced slow circles over her belly. "I’m sorry," she whispered, not sure if the apology was meant for the baby, for Stefan, or for herself.

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She wasn’t just angry at Stefan. That was the truth now. Her anger had layers, and buried deep beneath them was the guilt she had been carrying quietly. Guilt for not telling him the truth when she should have. Guilt for staying silent when her heart had wanted to scream. Guilt for letting fear lead her.

If she had told him who she was that night, after realizing she was pregnant or after he started trusting her, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe he would have still chosen Ivy. Maybe he would have walked away. But at least she would have known. At least she would have given herself the chance to be truly loved—or not.

She turned her face to the window. The sun had sunk lower now, almost out of sight. Shadows danced across the floor in gentle strokes.

The creak of the front door snapped her out of her thoughts.

Footsteps. Light and familiar. Then a soft knock.

"Ruby?"

It was Rayna. She’d heard when Rayna left and though she hadn’t told her she was going out, she’d wanted to go ask her but was too ashamed to face her after what she did that morning.

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No matter how she tried to put it, she’d also been wrong to follow Rayna that way. What if she hadn’t met with anyone? What if it was someone else she met with? She’d wanted to go out to talk to her but the Shame of facing her was too much.

The door opened, and her best friend peeked inside, holding a small pizza box in her hands. The scent floated into the room with her, warm and cheesy.

"Hey," Rayna said quietly. "I brought you dinner. Thought you might be hungry."

Ruby sat up slowly, adjusting her pillow behind her. Her hand remained on her belly.

"Thanks," she said, her voice quiet.

Rayna walked in fully, closing the door behind her. She crossed the room and sat at the edge of the bed, placing the pizza on the bedside table.

They hadn’t spoken since the morning. Not after everything that had been said. And now that they were in the same room again, Rayna could feel the weight of it. The words. The tension. The worry that maybe she’d pushed Ruby too hard.

"How are you feeling?" Rayna asked.

Ruby gave a slight shrug. "I’m okay. Just tired."

Rayna nodded, her eyes drifting to Ruby’s belly. "I didn’t mean to upset you earlier," she said gently. "I know I said a lot. Maybe too much."

Ruby shook her head. "No. It wasn’t too much. You said what needed to be said."

Rayna looked surprised.

Ruby finally turned to face her, her expression softer now, though still tired. "You were right, Rayna. I know you were. It’s not just Stefan’s fault. It’s mine too."

Rayna sat a little straighter. "Ruby..."

"If I had told him who I was," Ruby continued, "then maybe... maybe things would have been different. If he had still chosen Ivy after knowing the truth, then fine. At least I’d have known where I stood. But I didn’t give him the chance."

Rayna bit her lip, her heart aching a little as she watched Ruby struggle through her feelings. "So... have you decided what you want to do?"

There was a long pause. Ruby looked down at the pizza box, her hand resting gently on it though she had no real appetite. Then she looked back at Rayna and gave a small, almost shy nod.

"Tomorrow," she said. "You can set up the meeting."

Rayna’s eyes widened slightly, her breath catching in her throat. "Really?"

"Yeah," Ruby whispered. "I think I need to hear him out. No more hiding. No more pretending like I don’t care. Because I do."

A slow smile spread across Rayna’s face, one of pure relief and support. She reached out and squeezed Ruby’s hand.

"You made the right choice."

Ruby nodded, though her eyes glistened slightly. "I hope so."

They sat in silence for a moment, the bond between them slowly beginning to mend. And outside the window, the sky darkened fully, leaving the two women in the gentle hush of night—ready for a new day, and maybe, just maybe, a new beginning.

"Also, I’m sorry. Sorry I had to follow you that way without asking you first. Maybe if I had asked when I had my suspicions, I’m sure you would’ve told me. Following you was really uncalled for...."

"It’s okay. I don’t blame you, Rubes. It’s a sign that you’re truly my friend and I’m rubbing off on you," Rayna said with a wink and Ruby laughed.

"I never felt wronged that you tailed me. If anything, I felt bad I had to lie to you. I’m sorry, Rubes. I should’ve told you..."

"Thank God you didn’t. I’m sure I wouldn’t have let you go," Ruby said and Rayna shook her head.

"You can’t be so sure."