Married To a Stranger

Chapter 10

At the Anderson family estate, Isabel sat on the living room sofa, fat tears running down her face. The red shape of a handprint was still stark against her swollen cheek.

Sheila's voice turned into a snarl when she looked at her darling daughter's condition.

Izzie, that little brat only attacked you because she's jealous. You're marrying into the Knight family. Stop crying. When your father gets home, I'll have him teach her a lesson.

Natalia made her way slowly down the stairs, her frail body shaking with each deep cough. Her voice was weak, but her words were firm.

Ruby isn't like that. You must have done something to provoke her.

Isabel clenched her fists and lowered her head. She hated it when Natalia spoke up for Ruby. Her voice was thick with hurt.

You're right, Mom. It's my fault. I never should have accepted Carter's proposal. Ruby obviously still has feelings for him.

That must be why she went after Mr. Owen. Maybe she wanted to see if Carter's uncle could reunite them.

Natalia seemed unmoved.

That can't be right, Izzie. Ruby's had a strong moral compass since she was a little girl. She'd never do something like that.

If she wanted favors, she never would have moved out of the house all those years ago.

Isabel seethed with hatred.

Sheila eagerly jumped in before she could open her mouth.

Ruby must have fallen in with a bad crowd these past few years. The girl's rotten to the core. Today, she didn't just hit Izzie.

She was about to hit me. Her own mother.

Natalia still looked unconvinced.

Doesn't sound like the Ruby I know at all.

Isabel's eyes darted thoughtfully before she chimed in with a soft, tragic sigh.

Mom.

Maybe this is on us too. We haven't cared about her enough all these years, and now she's completely changed.

That was all Sheila needed.

Don't blame yourself, Izzie. All this is because Ruby never comes home. Mrs. Anderson, you were always so good to her.

But did she ever visit? Not once. She's ungrateful. She doesn't remember any of your kindness.

Isabel masked a tiny smirk.

All she needed to do was hand Sheila the matches, and the woman would gladly start the fire all on her own.

This time, Natalia flinched.

She had never held a single unkind thought toward Ruby. She'd practically raised the girl as her own.

When Ruby left home, Natalia told her she'd always have a place here.

But Ruby truly hadn't returned.

Not once.

Had the child she raised really grown up to be so cold?

Noticing the wavering doubt in her mother's eyes, Isabel felt relieved.

She quickly pivoted her tone, turning syrupy sweet.

Mom, do you think you could invite Dr. N to be a mentor at Hudson University?

Natalia's response was immediate and sharp.

Absolutely not.

You know I would never force someone to repay kindness.

And Dr. N has already done so much for our company. We've profited greatly thanks to them.

Asking for more feels wrong.

Isabel wasn't surprised.

Natalia Anderson's moral uprightness was often frustrating.

But Isabel knew how the game was played, so she kept her sweet smile and persisted.

Um, that's not what I meant.

Hudson is the best university in the state.

Maybe Dr. N would be interested in a faculty position there.

We'd just be making the introduction.

It would be a way of thanking them for all their help.

Natalia considered it.

It wasn't unreasonable.

She pulled out her phone and opened her email.

You know, Izzie, I've never actually met Dr. N.

It feels like a lot, but...

Fine.

I'll ask.

Then let's arrange a meeting.

Dr. N has done so much for us.

They deserve more than a simple thank you.

We should host a dinner in their honor, and it would be much easier to discuss the Hudson offer face-to-face, don't you think?

If Dr. N came to dinner and Natalia asked them to mentor Isabel, there was no way they could refuse.

Just as Isabel planned, Natalia was convinced.

She composed a polite email.

Dr. N,

Are you working this Saturday?

It's funny. We've spoken for so long, yet never met.

I'd love to treat you to dinner.

When Ruby read it, her heart skipped.

Why did Natalia suddenly want to meet?

Was her illness worsening?

Or was it about business?

Ruby hesitated.

Revealing her identity as Dr. N terrified her.

What if Natalia mentioned it to Isabel or Sheila, or even Warren?

But another part of her longed to tell Natalia the truth.

Of all people, Natalia, her role model, the woman who had shown her kindness when no one else did, deserved to know.

And Natalia had invested in Dr. N without ever demanding a face-to-face meeting or questioning their identity.