Fragments of the Past

Conflicts

Chapter 4

Sparks of Conflict

The married life of Ruth and Joseph, some months after their wedding as a couple living under the same roof was characterized by conflicts of different forms. Their union was a battlefield of resentments and misunderstandings.

Ruth, determined to be independent, refused to be controlled by her husband's fortunes. She found a skill acquisition centre where she could practise her fashion designing and baking skills-a passion she’d nurtured before her family’s financial troubles began.

On the other hand, Joseph buried all his energy and strength into work, his schedules had always been characterized by board meetings and late-night negotiations. There had been no meaningful conversation between them. He had always regarded Ruth as a tenant in their own house.

One fateful evening, Ruth, tired of the lack of communication between them, decided to attempt to allow peace between them. She cooked a delicious dinner. As Joseph walked in, still wearing his suit and an air of exhaustion, the aroma of garlic and freshly baked bread greeted him.

“What’s this?” he asked, his tone wary.

“Dinner,” Ruth said, pointing towards the table. “I thought we could eat together tonight.”

Joseph frowned. “I don’t need you to play house. This isn’t some romantic fantasy.”

His dismissive tone lit a fuse in Ruth. “Maybe if you stepped off your high horse for two seconds, you’d see I’m trying!”

Joseph’s lips curled into a bitter smirk. “Trying? You mean pretending? Let’s not kid ourselves, Ruth. This is nothing more than a merger—one you benefit from more than I do.”

The insult hit hard. Ruth, trembling with anger, grabbed the nearest plate and flung it at him. The porcelain shattered against the wall, pieces falling like jagged snowflakes.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then Joseph laughed—a low, unexpected chuckle.

“Well,” he said, his tone amused. “You’ve got more fire in you than I thought.”

“Shut up,” Ruth snapped, but her lips twitched involuntarily

As if that was not enough. On that same night while Ruth had already retired to her room, he was greeted by a familiar figure: Isabella, his ex-girlfriend.

“Joseph,” she purred, her red lips curving into a smile. “You’re looking well.”

Joseph stiffened. Isabella had been a whirlwind in his life, all charm and chaos. Their breakup had been a fiery affair.

“What do you want, Isabella?” he asked coldly.

“Oh, just a chat,” she said, moving closer. “I heard about your arranged marriage with that brat and so it must have been too difficult for you pretending to care for someone like her.”

But Isabella wasn’t done. “You should know, darling, that secrets have a way of surfacing.”

They were in this conversation when suddenly, Ruth appeared from her room.

She confronted Isabella bitterly.

“You again? Do you want to be bundled out of here like that night? Who allowed you in? Please, get out of my matrimonial home!” She shouted.

Joseph had intentionally remained quiet. He didn't want to be involved in the altercation between the two. He had wanted to see how Ruth would deal with Isabella. Isabella was no longer wanted by him again. Otherwise, his right as the heir of the family would be ruined. He now has a home he could call his.

Immediately, two hefty men who were among the workers carrying out orders for them showed up and bundled Isabella like a dead dog.

Later that week, Ruth came across an envelope hidden in Joseph’s study room. It was thick with legal documents, many of which referenced offshore accounts and something called “Project Bull”.

When Joseph caught her with the papers, his expression darkened.

“What are you doing in here?” he demanded, snatching the envelope from her hands.

“I was looking for a pen,” she lied, her voice shaking.

Joseph didn’t believe her. “Stay out of my business, Ruth.”

But Ruth couldn’t let it go. Who was Joseph really? And what was Project Bull?

Ruth, determined to investigate what Project Bull specifically entailed, was shocked to realize the truth of the project.

The project involved the families of Ruth and Joseph where the grandfathers of the two families were involved in fraudulent practice. They had one time laised with a g**g of armed robbers to cart away millions from a new generational bank.

It was from the proceeds of this fraudulent practice they used to found their own companies. Since then, they had been lying low to pretend as if their achievements were by dints of hardwork.

The security operatives had been in a serious search of this g**g of armed robbers but to no avail.

When Ruth confronted Joseph and revealed the secret hidden in the project, his eyes softened. He became afraid that Ruth, a strong-willed and independent young woman might want to involve the security operatives.

“If we’re going to survive this, we need to stick together,” he said.

For the first time, Ruth saw a glimmer of vulnerability in Joseph. Could they really be a team, or was this just another manipulation?