CHAPTER 15: DESPERATE SOLUTION

Ruby’s mind raced as she sat motionless, her gaze fixated on the window, though she barely registered the outside world.

Stefan’s suspicions were growing—she could feel it in the air, thick and suffocating. The dinner tonight, orchestrated by Elizabeth, was more than just a casual get-together. It was another piece in the web, another layer of the charade that she was barely holding together.

The realization was gnawing at her now: she was living on borrowed time. Every conversation, every glance from Stefan felt like an interrogation.

How long before he pieced it all together? How long before he saw through her carefully crafted mask and realized the woman he thought was his fiancée wasn’t his fiancée at all?

She stood up abruptly, pacing again, but this time her steps felt heavier, more deliberate. The unknown person who had messaged her was still lurking in the back of her mind. They knew something. They had proof. And they were waiting for her to slip, to make the wrong move.

Ruby’s eyes flicked back to the phone on the bed. There was no way she could sit idle and wait for this person to make their next move. She had to control the situation—take the reins before things spiraled completely out of control.

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But what could she do? Who could she trust? Elizabeth was playing her cards close to her chest, and as much as she hated to admit it, her mother wasn’t someone she could rely on either. She had to think of something—anything—to keep herself from being exposed.

Ruby took a deep breath and reached for her phone again, scrolling through her contacts. She needed a plan, and she needed someone who knew how to navigate a game of secrets and lies. But who?

Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers idly tracing the edges of her phone. She needed someone to talk to, someone who wouldn’t judge her, someone who could help her think clearly.

Her mind drifted to Rayna. They’d been best friends for years, and despite everything going on, Ruby knew she could trust her.

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Rayna wasn’t like everyone else in Ruby’s life. She didn’t have an agenda or any expectations. Rayna was always there when she needed her, without judgment.

Ruby scrolled to Rayna’s contact, her thumb hovering over Rayna’s contact before she pressed the call button.

It rang a few times before Rayna answered, her voice light and teasing as usual. "Well, well, look who finally decided to call me back. I was starting to wonder if it was you who got married and not Ivy."

Ruby’s heart skipped a beat, a tight knot forming in her stomach. Rayna’s teasing was almost like a breath of fresh air, but today, it felt like a reminder of just how much Ruby had been hiding.

She couldn’t just laugh it off. Not this time. There was too much weighing on her, and Rayna needed to know what was happening.

"Rayna," Ruby began, her voice serious, "there’s something I need to tell you."

Rayna paused, her tone instantly shifting to curiosity. "Oh? And here I thought I was going to have to drag it out of you. Fine, you go first. But you should know there’s something I also want to tell you."

Ruby hesitated, looking down at her phone. How could she even begin to explain? But before she could speak, she felt that familiar pull, that need to share, to finally let someone else in.

She shook her head, exhaling a deep breath. "No, you go first. What’s going on?"

Rayna let out a dramatic sigh on the other end of the line, and Ruby could almost picture her rolling her eyes. "Well, since you insist," she said, drawing out her words for dramatic effect. "I’m actually in Zeden."

Ruby froze. Her mind went blank for a moment. Zeden? Rayna was in Zeden? She hadn’t said a word to her. When had she come here? Why? And why hadn’t she told her?

Ruby’s voice trembled as she spoke. "What? Since when? And why didn’t you tell me?"

Rayna burst into laughter, the sound of it too innocent for Ruby’s liking. "I was planning on surprising you, duh! It’s been over two weeks, and you said you’d be back after two weeks. So here I am, ready to surprise my favorite person in the world."

Ruby’s heart skipped a beat. She was here, and Ruby hadn’t even known. She should be happy that Rayna was in town, that her best friend was nearby. But everything felt so... off right now.

The feeling of being on edge, of constantly worrying about the consequences of her actions, hadn’t gone away. And now, Rayna’s surprise made her even more anxious.

"Rayna..." Ruby said, her voice soft but edged with a little panic. "You’re here? In Zeden? Where are you staying? Are you at the hotel, or are you staying with someone?"

Rayna chuckled softly, and Ruby could hear the playful tone in her voice. "No, no. I’m in a hotel. I didn’t want to worry you. I just arrived last night. I was going to text you and let you know, but then I figured I’d just show up and give you a proper surprise."

Ruby closed her eyes for a second, taking in the news. Rayna had been here for almost 24 hours, and Ruby had no idea. What else was going on in her life that Ruby didn’t know about? What else had she been hiding from her? She didn’t like the uncertainty that was gnawing at her. But at the same time, Rayna’s presence felt like a lifeline, a small anchor in the storm of confusion that Ruby was drowning in.

"Okay," Ruby said, her voice steadier now. She was trying to steady her nerves, trying to act like everything was normal, like she wasn’t falling apart inside. "Text me the hotel name and room number. I’ll come pick you up," she said, trying not to let her tension show.