h4Chapter 161: Not Important./h4

    The golden light of morning filtered through the sheer curtains, casting delicate patterns across the creamy duvet of the master bedroom.

    Birds chirped softly from the garden beyond the windows, their melody blending with the faint hum of the city waking up in the distance. Inside the room, warmth lingered from the night before, and the scent of vani from the candle Ruby had lit still hung faintly in the air.

    Ruby stirred beneath the covers, her eyes fluttering open to the soft light. Her first instinct was to roll over and snuggle into Stefan’s chest—but the space beside her was empty. Cold.

    Her brows furrowed as she pushed herself up on one elbow. Stefan wasn’t on the bed nor in the room.

    The bathroom door was ajar, the lights off. A nce at the ornate clock on the wall told her it was well past eight. She’d slept in.

    She sat up fully now, tucking the duvet around her waist as she reached for her phone. There was nothing to see there.

    She was about to get up and head downstairs when the door opened, and Stefan stepped inside, already dressed in his navy suit, his Rolex watch glinting beneath the cuff of his shirt.

    "You’re awake," he said with a small smile, walking over to the bed.

    Ruby nodded, still a little drowsy. "I can’t believe I overslept. Why didn’t you wake me?"

    He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You looked peaceful. Besides, I already asked the kitchen to make you breakfast. No stress for my queen today."

    She smiled softly at the gesture but soon found her expression shifting. Her brows creased as a thought hit her, her eyes trailing away from his face.

    Stefan noticed instantly. "Hey," he said gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What is it? You just frowned. Are you okay?"

    She shook her head slightly, hesitating.

    "Baby."

    She sighed. "Have you... have you heard from Ethan?" she asked.

    Stefan blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. We spokest night. Why?"

    Ruby tilted her head. "Well, he hasn’t called Rayna. Not once since she arrived. And I know she’s pretending not to care, but she checks her phone every five minutes. She won’t admit it, but I know she’s worried."

    Stefan frowned thoughtfully. "I’m sure there’s an exnation. Maybe work or something?" he said even though he knew exactly what it was.

    "Or maybe," Ruby said slowly, "he’s seeing someone else."

    Stefanughed softly, shaking his head at her silly assumptions. "No, he isn’t. Trust me. Ethan’s not like that."

    "You sure?" she pressed.

    "Yes," he said firmly. "I would’ve known."

    Ruby exhaled, nodding though her frown lingered. "Okay. If you say so."

    He brushed a thumb across her cheek. "Don’t worry about them, alright? I’m sure Ethan would sort everything out with Rayna soon enough. I already told the driver to be on standby to bring you and Rayna to thepany by 6 pm. I’ll be getting dressed there. I have a feeling she might need the distraction too."

    Ruby smiled faintly. "Alright. We’ll be ready."

    Stefan kissed her again, slower this time. "I love you."

    "I love you more."

    He gave her onest smile before heading for the door. As he stepped into the hallway and descended the stairs, he found Rayna already in the sitting room, her hair tied up in a messy bun, dressed in soft loungewear. She held a mug of tea in her hands, her phone lying untouched on the armrest beside her.

    She looked up as he approached. "Morning. Is Ruby awake?"

    Stefan nodded. "Yeah, she just woke up. The kitchen is making her something now. You can ask them to make anything you want if you think you wouldn’t like what they’re making for Ruby."

    Rayna nodded. "It’s fine. I’m good with anything," she said and Stefan nodded.

    As Rayna looked at Stefan, she felt the string urge to ask about Ethan. She had told herselfst night that she wouldn’t ask. That she wouldn’t bring it up. That Ethan wasn’t worth a sliver of her morning.

    But the words came out before she could stop them. "Have you heard from Ethan?"

    Stefan paused at the foot of the stairs, giving her a subtle look. "Yeah. We spokest night."

    "Ah," Rayna said shortly, lifting her mug to her lips. "Okay."

    That was all she managed. But internally, the words echoed cruelly.

    He called Stefan. But not me. He had the time. He just chose not to. She took a sip, the tea suddenly bitter.

    Stefan offered her a gentle nod. "Alright, I need to get going. I have back-to-back meetings today and we’re still going for that event. Take care of Ruby, alright? The driver will be here to bring you both by 6 pm."

    "Alright," she said with a small smile.

    As the door closed behind him, Rayna sat there, staring at the mug in her hands, her fingers tightening around the ceramic.

    So that was it.

    She’d allowed herself to believe in something soft. Something promising. Ethan had whispered possibilities into her ears in Florittle. He had made herugh, made her feel like the center of something rare. And now? Now he couldn’t even be bothered to call.

    Her pride screamed at her to delete his number. To let him go and call herself foolish for ever hoping he was different. Because clearly, he wasn’t.

    He was just like the others. Just better at pretending.

    And maybe it was a good thing he showed his true colors now. Maybe it was better to be disappointed early than devastatedter.

    She set her mug down and leaned back against the couch, pulling the throw nket over herself.

    But even as she told herself it was fine, even as she tried to pretend it didn’t matter, a quiet ache pulsed in her chest—persistent, undeniable.

    She had let her guard down. And Ethan hadn’t even noticed.

    Deciding not to waste her time thinking about Ethan, she stood up and headed to the kitchen, deciding to help with whatever she could just to get her mind off Ethan.