CHAPTER 31: LET’S FIX IT

Ruby suggested they visit the family of the injured worker after a few moments of silence in the car. The ride had been heavy with thoughts of the chaos at the site. The anger, the pain, and the injustice felt all too close, and Ruby knew that seeing the family of the worker would put everything into sharper focus.

"We should visit his family," she said quietly, breaking the tension in the car.

Stefan glanced toward her, his hand resting on the armrest, his face still calm despite the earlier upheaval. "You think it’ll help?"

Ruby nodded. "I think it’s the least we can do. We need to show them that we care about what happened—that it’s not just business for us. We have to assure them that you’re here to help."

Stefan didn’t answer right away, but the look on his face told Ruby that he was considering it. "You’re right. Let’s go."

When they arrived at the modest home, Ruby could sense the heaviness in the air. The wife of the injured worker, a woman in her early thirties, stood at the door, her eyes swollen from crying. She looked lost, unsure of who had come to her door, but when she saw Stefan, her expression shifted.

Stefan stepped forward, offering a quiet apology. "I’m sorry for what happened," he said, his voice sincere. "I should have been here sooner. I’ll take responsibility of Mr Phil from now hence forth and make sure he receives the adequate medical attention he needs. I’m really sorry I haven’t been able to help all these while."

The woman didn’t speak at first. She simply stared at him, her face a mixture of grief and disbelief. Finally, she spoke, her voice thick with emotion. "It’s not just about saying sorry, Mr Winters," she said, her voice trembling. "It’s about doing something before more lives are lost. My husband may survive this, but what about the others? What about the next one? Someone’s going to die if you don’t do something soon."

Stefan’s face tightened, but Ruby could see the shift in his eyes. He wasn’t just hearing her; he was absorbing every word. "I know and I promise, we’ll make this right," he said, his voice firm. "We’ll fix it."

As they drove back to the office, Stefan was quiet, his mind clearly occupied with the conversation. Ruby could sense the weight of his thoughts hanging in the air, and though she wanted to break the silence, she didn’t know what to say. Finally, Stefan spoke, his voice low but steady.

"I tried to terminate the contract before," he said, his fingers tapping restlessly against the car door. "But it didn’t work. My uncle’s the one who signed off on it, and he’s convinced that Mr. Sherlock’s not responsible for what’s happening. I tried to make him see reason, but it didn’t work. I had to let him be because I didn’t want problem with him."

"What about now? Why are you willing to go against him?" Ruby asked and Stefan shook his head.

"I guess I’ve always wanted to. Just needed someone to support and push me since my mom was in support of Richard letting Sherlock be," he said weakly.

Ruby looked at him, her gaze soft but determined as she took his hand in hers. "Then let’s try again. Together." She paused, waiting for him to respond. "You don’t have to do this alone as I’ll be here every step of the way."

Though she knew going against Elizabeth wasn’t the ideal thing to do, she didn’t care right now. She needed to do right by those poor pitiful workers.

Stefan’s lips parted as if he was going to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he simply nodded.

When they got back to the office, Stefan paced slowly as he thought of what to do. Ruby stood beside him, a steady presence as she watched him.

When he decided on what to do, he asked Ruby to ring him Naomi and when she entered, he cleared his throat.

"I need the presence of the entire legal team tomorrow. We’ll be revisiting the contract and looking for ways to terminate it. I don’t want any more delays. This has gone on long enough."

Ruby could feel the shift in the air as the Noami nodded, but dared not question his authority. It was clear that Stefan was serious.

"Understood," she replied, before leaving to go make arrangements.

Later that evening, as the workday came to a close, Stefan and Ruby walked out of the office together. The cool evening air brushed against their faces, and for a moment, there was a calm between them—a silence that didn’t feel heavy but was more like an understanding. Ruby glanced over at Stefan, sensing the weight of everything that had happened.

"I’m sorry about what happened at the site," she said, her voice quiet. "About what that worker—"

Stefan cut her off with a soft chuckle, his voice light despite the earlier tension. "It’s fine, babe. Besides, you defended me. It was just like having a mother hen protecting her young ones," he added, teasing before his face turbed serious.

"You know, though I didn’t like what he said," Stefan said, his tone sincere. "But I understood. He was right—i haven’t done enough. I’ve let this drag on for too long, and I should’ve done something sooner."

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Ruby reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm. "Baby, you’re not to blame for everything. It’s all okay since you’re ready to change everything now. We’ll make sure it does."

Stefan glanced at her, his expression softening. "I just wish I’d acted sooner."

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Ruby shook her head, her voice firm but gentle. "Don’t beat yourself up over it. The most important thing is that you’re doing something now. We both are. And we’ll fix this."

Stefan found her hand, making her look into his face, and for a brief moment, Ruby saw a flicker of something deeper—something beyond the layers of responsibility he carried. It was a brief look, almost imperceptible, but it told her that this wasn’t just about business for him. It was about doing what was right.

"You’re right," Stefan said, his voice steady. "Let’s fix it together."

Ruby smiled, and for the first time that day, she felt a quiet sense of peace. Whatever came next, they’d face it side by side.