Married To a Stranger

Chapter 21

Matilda lay in Ruby's arms, her limbs dangling without strength. Owen strode toward them, maintaining a composed exterior.

While his heart pounded violently against his chest, his grandmother was the one person he loved, the one.

In person, he'd take a bullet for, and seeing her like this.

Broke his heart. Her deteriorating health had been evident for years, and the family doctor had cautioned that she might not make it till the year's end.

The thought of losing her always made his stomach churn, and he refused to accept that possibility.

Now, seeing her unconscious in Ruby's arms made it only worse.

Ruby saw him approaching and recognized the gravity of the situation.

"She's having a heart attack." Her voice rose with urgency. "She's out of her nitro. We need to get her medicine now."

Owen's jaw clenched as he extended his arms, lifted his grandmother's frail body, and rushed inside the Knight Manor.

Isabel gazed after his retreating figure, and her eyes widened with sudden recognition.

"Wait. Was that Matilda Knight?" She paused, connecting the dots in her mind.

"What was she even doing in Ruby's company? Does that mean Owen is actually..." She couldn't even finish her sentence.

"Nonsense." Sheila scoffed. "Owen's merely concerned about someone dying on his property. It would create quite the PR nightmare for the Knights if they were accused of standing idly by."

Isabel's frown melted away. Of course, there had to be some explanation. Ruby would never, could never do better than her.

"Well, that certainly adds up." She shook her head in disbelief. "To imagine Ruby's husband might actually be Owen Knight."

"What was I even thinking?"

At that moment, the gates of the Knight Estate creaked open, and Carter stepped out.

Isabel's face lit up immediately.

"Carter," she said with a warm smile, "you really didn't have to come out. You could have just waited for me in the garage."

Carter looked annoyed. Isabel had texted him earlier saying she was arriving with a car full of gifts and asked him to come help.

He had been waiting in the garage forever, worried something might have happened. He came to check.

He was about to snap at her when he saw Ruby.

He quickly masked his irritation with a calm, polite smile and turned to Isabel.

"Hey, it's your first time here. I didn't want you getting lost," he said, gently ruffling her hair.

Isabel curled into his side and hooked her arm through his.

"Aren't you the sweetest?"

Then, tilting her head, she asked carefully, "Is your grandma home?"

Even though Sheila had assured her earlier, Isabel wanted to hear it directly from a Knight.

"Yes," Carter said.

"Has she been home all day? She didn't go out at all?" she pushed.

"No, she hasn't been feeling well, so she's been in bed," Carter replied.

He explained that Matilda lived in her own private wing and wasn't to be disturbed unless necessary.

Hearing him, Isabel exhaled a sigh of relief.

This was all she needed to hear.

The old lady was definitely not Matilda Knight.

Carter slowly looked at Ruby, searching her face for even a flicker of jealousy, envy, or regret.

But he saw nothing, not a hint of emotion.

His expression darkened, and quite against his will, he felt irritated that she was over him.

So quickly.

Ruby, meanwhile, was too deep in her own thoughts to notice their little drama.

The realization hit her with almost complete certainty.

Owen Knight had to be the grandson she'd been texting.

She stared at the Knight gates, unsure whether the guards would stop her if she tried to follow.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her.

Carter was standing right in front of her.

"Well, well, well," he drawled.

"Look who we have here."

Ruby blinked at him, confused.

Carter's lip twisted into a sneer.

"Tell me. How exactly do you plan to get inside? You think the Knight Gate welcomes every stray who wanders over?"

Ruby pressed her lips together and refused to respond.

Her indifference did something to him as he suddenly changed his tone.

"If you really want to come in and see the place," he offered, "I guess you can."

"Carter, you've got it all wrong." Isabel jumped in. "Ruby's here for her husband's grandmother. The old woman had a heart attack, and Owen carried her inside for emergency treatment."

"He is so kind, like all of your family."

Carter froze.

"Her, who, husband?"

Isabel smiled sweetly and clapped her hands in false excitement.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?"

"Ruby's married."

Carter clenched his jaw and swiveled to look at Ruby.

"Married? Ruby, who is he?"

He looked like a man who'd just been betrayed.

Ruby almost laughed.

"Who my husband is has nothing to do with you," she responded calmly.

Carter's voice suddenly rose.

"How is it none of my business? I want to see which i***t dared to marry you."

When she didn't respond, his fists tightened.

"Fine. Don't tell me. I'm sure he is some piece of lowlife trash, just the perfect match for you."

Isabel quickly interrupted, not liking his jealousy one bit.

"Carter, calm down. She's not worth it."

"Even her own mother thinks she's a lowlife. Honestly, it all makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if she did it to please Owen."

Ruby's lips curled into an icy sneer.

"Isabel, for someone who pretends to be so refined, your mind really lives in the gutter."

Isabel's face stiffened, her fingers curling into fists.

She let out a dramatic sigh.

"Ruby, I know you're only doing this to get back at me and Carter, but you need to understand, Owen is a married man."

"You shouldn't try to break someone else's marriage."

That was the final spark.

Carter exploded.

He'd waited two days for Ruby to call, imagining she'd beg him, and maybe he'd take her back.

But she had already moved on.

His rage snapped.

How dare she do the dumping?

That was his ace in the hole.

"I knew it. You expect me to believe your husband's grandmother just happened to have a heart attack on my doorstep? You came here for Owen, didn't you?"

"You're so shameless."

He jabbed a finger toward her and shouted at the doorman.

"Look at her face. Get a good look. Don't ever let her step foot on Knight property again."

Isabel lowered her head to hide her smug smile.

She still felt like she had power here.

But then the Knights' head housekeeper stepped out from behind the gate.

Her gaze swept across the group and landed squarely on Ruby.

"Miss Anderson, sir is asking for you inside."

Isabel's jaw dropped.

Carter went pale.

Ruby simply lifted her eyes to the doorman and gave a small smile.

"So," she said softly, "can I go in now?"

The doorman shot a nervous look at Carter, then immediately opened the gate.

He knew exactly who held real authority in the Knight Estate.

Inside, a shuttle waited to take Ruby to the main residence.

The property was enormous, almost overwhelming.

The housekeeper spoke respectfully as she guided her forward.

"Adam is doing well now. She and sir are waiting for you in the reception hall."

A wave of relief washed over Ruby.

As she stepped out of the shuttle, she noticed the Anderson family's car pulling up right behind her.

Isabel, Sheila, and Carter stormed toward the entrance, fury written across their faces.

"CEO probably wants you to fetch your grandmother," Sheila hissed. "Once you have her, take her and leave. We wouldn't want the two of you dirtying the Knights' carpets with your trash."

But the moment they entered the living room, all of them stopped dead.

Matilda was sitting upright on the main sofa, staring them down with a fiery, regal glare.

"Mind your tongue," she snapped. "Who are you calling trash?"

Everything was different.

Matilda was now dressed in an elegant outfit, though her complexion was still pale.

Owen sat rigidly at her left, and a dignified older man, his father, sat at her right.

Carter's parents were already there as well.

Even without introductions, anyone could tell Matilda Knight, the true matriarch, was in full command.

Sheila stood frozen, her mouth opening and closing.

"You... you..."

Isabel's legs buckled, and she nearly collapsed before Carter caught her.

"What is wrong with you?" he muttered.

Isabel's hands trembled uncontrollably.

She was about to marry into this family, and every person in this room was someone she needed to impress.

Yet before she'd even entered the Knights properly, she'd already offended the most important elder in the entire household.

A bitter smile twisted her lips.

"Ruby."

"Why did you lie to us? You said she was your husband's grandmother. You made us disrespect her."

Immediately, Ruby felt every pair of eyes in the room turn on her with suspicion.

Sheila snapped out of her stupor and pointed at Ruby.

"You shameless girl. You knew Mrs. Knight has Alzheimer's and still took advantage of her."

"Do you think this family is a joke? Get on your knees and apologize right now."

Ruby's expression darkened.

Classic move.

Twist the entire situation so Isabel looked innocent, and she looked guilty.

Ruby could almost admire the precision.

But before she could speak, Matilda launched her teacup straight at Sheila.

It smacked into her chest, spilling hot tea all over her expensive clothes.

Sheila didn't dare make a sound.

"How dare you?" Matilda yelled. "That's my granddaughter-in-law you're speaking to."

Sheila bit back a scream from the burn.

"Mrs. Knight," she choked, "she's tricking you. Her husband is probably a nobody."

"There's no need to argue," Carter's mother cut in. "Let's ask the man himself, Owen."

"Is she really the wife you've been hiding from us?"

Ruby looked at Owen, bracing herself.

"No," he said coldly.

Ruby felt heat flash behind her eyes.

What a backstabbing, ungrateful jerk.

Isabel exhaled in visible relief, almost glowing with satisfaction.

Sheila sneered.

"See, I told you it's all Ruby's fault."

Ruby opened her mouth to fire back, but Owen's deep voice cut through the tension.

"My grandmother was confused," he said calmly.

"So I asked Miss Anderson to keep an eye on her for a while."

The room went still.

No one saw that coming.

Ruby froze.

Okay, fine.

Maybe she had judged him too quickly. :::