When The Tides Turn

Chapter 4 He's getting married

“What do we do to your ex-husband and his cruel family?” Said Ryan.

“Please, Ryan. Just let them be.” Ruby pleaded, a pang of pity pestering her face.

“What? After everything they did to you?” Ryan snorted.

“They were ignorant, Ryan. And I didn't know either before I signed the contract that day. I'm sure if they knew my real identity they wouldn't have treated me like that.”

“Hey, don't be too nice. What they did to you is absolute wickedness.” Ryan roared, his voice barely over a whisper.

“I know Ryan, I know Eitan and his family weren't good to me, but this is not about them. Think about Shira’s future, Dan. What if she grew up now and asked for her father? What am I going to tell her? What would Shira think of us when she finds out that we harmed her father in the sake of revenge?” She said, while patting Shira's cheek gently.

“Look Dan, Shira alone is enough revenge and comfort for me. Just let them be. I know time will tell who lost the battle.” She smirked, biting her lips unconsciously.

“You have a good point, Ella. Time shall reveal who lost in the end.” Ryan surrendered.

At night, when Ruby was resting in bed with Shira lying on her chest, her phone beeped twice, and she picked it up.

A sneer of contempt crept into her lips as she glared at the screen. A news story about billionaire Eitan getting married in two days to a hot woman, attached with some pictures of the two.

‘They can't even wait a week.’

Beep!

A new message entered her phone, sent by a number she saved as HONEY.

[Where are you?]

She giggled, “what's that got to do with you?”

Beep!

2 new message alerts.

[Are you ignoring me?]

[Stop hiding now and come take a check, or do you want to starve till you die?]

With a disdainful look, Ruby responded with a single line of text.

[Get lost ex-husband!]

After she blocked and deleted the contact, she put her phone back on the side table.

Reminiscing on her past with the Koes family.

Although Eitan might not be giving her much attention because he's always busy managing his family's business, he also doesn't care about her emotional feelings and always takes sides with his family every time a misunderstanding ensues, regardless of who's at fault. He'd always dismiss and condemn Ruby without hearing her own side of the story.

All the time, Maria and Leah will break something valuable to Eitan and put the blame on her when he returns.

Sometimes, they'll humiliate her before the maids, making her feel less worthy than the maids. Other times, they'll lock her up when Eitan has gone on a business trip and pretends to be nice to her when he comes back for dinner.

Ruby knew she had no option than to keep mute because any complaint would only multiply her suffering next time Eitan is not around, and it's not like he even gives a damn to know the truth.

All he cared about was her role as a homemaker, meek and polite. She was expected to suck up whatever feelings she had, everyone treated her indifferent and useless, only their head chef, who used to give her food and tablets sometimes when she felt pity for her young madam.

But, ever since the day Leah caught her and treated her miserly, she never dared to help Ruby again. She could only feel pity for her in silence.

The whole three years she was married to Eitan had been nothing but pain, until the day she gave birth to Shira, and they deliberately threw her out, only for another woman to move on the same day.

That woman is also not a stranger, she is Leah's close friend, and she attends the family special dinner every month. All her efforts to seduce Eitan were clear to Ruby, but what could she do in such a helpless and hopeless state?

She can only cry her heart out to God, whenever she's alone at night.

The worst part of her history with the Koes is her financial dependency. After Eitan won her over to be his wife with the promise to take care of her needs, he barely talks to her or even asks her what she needs.

After Maria and her daughter had convinced him he could always sign Ruby’s monthly allowance with the check they received from him monthly.

He had believed everything she needed to be had been taken care of. Not minding whether she's happy with the decision or not. He was also aware that his parents were getting old and weak, but never for once had he asked to visit them, not even face time.

All of these memories are what took over Ruby’s mind that she didn't notice when someone entered her room.

“Crying again, huh? I thought you knew better, Ella. Stop wasting your energy on someone who treats you like a piece of coin. You've promised to focus on Shira, haven't you?” Ryan commented, carrying Shira up from Ruby’s chest as tears kept flowing nonstop from her eyes.

She neither shook, nor responded, she was just lying down like a lodge of wood, blinking her eyes every passing second.

“You know what, let's leave tomorrow.”

“Leave? To where?” Ruby suddenly sat up when she heard they'd be leaving.

“A friend of mine is opening his new media company in San Francisco next week. I'll take you with me so you'll have the chance to breathe and get over all this mess. Also, he's still a bachelor…I presume he is going to be the right man for you.” Ryan said, the corner of his lips spread out slightly.

“Relax and clean your face, you look more adorable when you're crying.” He said.

“You…you know you're good at making people feel better.” She said, cleaning her face with the tip of her finger. “What about him? What's his name? Is he fun, enigmatic, does he have money?”

“Seems you're so eager to meet my friend, okay, I'll give you a hint.” he sat beside her on the bed.

“Kieran is a good person, and he's a successful entrepreneur venturing in numerous businesses. Apart from his father's company which he inherited, he single-handedly started two companies and they succeeded. I'm sure he'll be glad to meet you too, especially knowing you're my sister. He's also aware I've been searching for you. In fact, if it was not that he was busy with his start-up firm, he would've come with me.”

That being said, he put Shira back in Ruby’s hands and patted her on the shoulder.

“He’ll be back in six months. We have an ongoing project that'll be commissioned then… Ruby, remember, this will pass.” He said, patting Ruby on the shoulder before he walked out.

“Baby, your father has dumped us and moved on, and your uncle is taking us away from people who aren't fair to us. No more tears baby, I promised to take a car. I promise to take care of you…of us. I love you, my precious baby.” Ruby said, hugging Shira slightly to her chest.