"Us?!" Ruby's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes. She was very specific." Derek stressed, a smirk curling up the side of his lips at Ruby's flustered expression. "She told me how she had been trying to contact you since the wedding day."
"Oh no..." Ruby face-palmed her forehead, instantly regretting turning off her phone.
Mrs Perez has been nothing short of a blessing to their company. Although she couldn't make it down to their supposed wedding ceremony, she had greatly supported them–going as far as buying Ruby her internationally designer wedding gown and matching accessories.
"She even said she got a beautiful wedding gift for us," Derek said, beaming.
"What did you tell her?" Ruby narrowed her eyes at Derek.
"I told her the wedding was great, and the reason you didn't take your calls was because we needed some privacy on our honeymoon vacation."
"You said what?" Ruby flared up, her eyes shooting daggers.
"What were you expecting me to say?" Derek fired back in an equally furious tone.
"How about the truth, Derek? How about telling her that we are no longer together because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants?" Ruby spat out.
"And lose one million dollars worth of investment?" Derek scoffed and Ruby's fist clenched. "Listen, Ruby... I know I messed up big time. But I still believe we can work this out together for the sake of this company. If you give me another chance, I promise nothing will come between us. But don't expect me to throw away our long-life dream of building this brand together just because of a little misunderstanding?"
"Little!" Ruby's eyes darkened.
"Fine... I take that back. Big misunderstanding. Does that make you happy?"
"Don't get cocky with me, Derek. This is all your mess." Ruby jabbed a finger on his chest. "But one thing I will not tolerate is you trying to mortgage my life by lying to our friend. I won't take that from you or anyone."
"Can we at least pretend to be a couple until she signs the proposal?" Derek pleaded desperately. "You and I know that we need this money to step up our game."
"Not in your dreams," Ruby swore. "You and I are no longer together and we do not need to pretend for anyone."
"So what do you suggest we do now that Mrs Perez thinks that we are married? How do you think she would react when she realises that I lied to her? Do you want us to lose the investment? Do not forget the non-refundable fifty thousand dollars she spent on our three-day honeymoon vacation outside the country? How do we explain to her that we wasted her money and efforts in making us happy?"
"That's your mess, young man. You clean it up." Ruby sneered, reaching for her doorknob only to be stopped by Derek.
"Can you at least allow me to handle it my own way without interfering while we are there?"
"Sure." Ruby forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "As long as you don't drag me into any of your lying schemes."
"Fair enough. Let's go."
"Not yet. I have to eat something first before...."
"There is no time for that." Derek cut her off mid-speech. "We have to be at the venue before 3 o'clock sharp. We can afford to keep our client waiting."
Ruby's eyes narrowed at Derek's insensitivity. "This is just a few minutes past, 2:00 PM Derek. "Surely, you can wait for me to grab something to eat before we start heading to the meeting."
"Trust me we don't have the luxury of time on our side. We could have lunch before the meeting commences if we leave now."
Ruby scoffed at Derek's indirect way of asking her out to lunch. But he wasn't done explaining.
"Also we have to factor in the time it will take for you to change before we start leaving."
"Change?" What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Ruby asked, assessing her very plain and simple outfit.
"Are you seriously asking me that question?" Derek used this rare opportunity to feast his eyes on her without getting scolded. "We are going to the Blooming Rose Garden, not a roadside eat out, sweetheart. Or do you want those elite ladies..."
"I get it." Ruby snapped at him, her face flustered with a blend of anger, hunger and frustration.
As annoying as Derek sounded, she knew he was right. The woman they were about to see was the wife of a socialite, with friends who could dissect you into shreds with just a single glare.
But changing into something presentable wasn't the main issue.
Ruby had yet to move all her things from Derek's house, which was supposed to be her home after the wedding. And the thought of returning to Elena's house and borrowing Elena's clothes was out of the question since they wore different sizes.
"We could stop by the house and you can change while I wait." Derek offered as if reading her thoughts.
"No....I, can't..."
"Come on Ruby." Derek persuaded softly. "That house is as good as your home. We've lived together for more than three years. Do you think I would ever want to hurt you? Moreover, it's on the same route down to the Blooming Rose Garden."
"Fine." Ruby let out a sigh of frustration, exhaling through her mouth. "Let's go before I change my mind."
"Awesome! I'll get my car keys." Derek waltzed away, already celebrating his little win.
At that moment, Elena's call came in, lighting up Ruby's mood.
"Hi, cupcake."
"Hey, babes..." Elena's cheerful voice brought a warm smile to Ruby's face. "...I hope you've not been killing yourself with work?"
Ruby chuckled. "You know me."
"Have you eaten anything?"
"Not yet..." Ruby sighed. "I'm so hungry that I can eat a big bowl of rice."
"Then why haven't you gone for lunch?" Elena chided like a mother scolding her daughter.
"I was about to, but Derek just told me we needed to see one of our big clients. I'll have to stop by his house and change into something appropriate before we go down there."
"What did you say?" Elena asked sharply.
"Come on, Ellie. I know you heard me the first time."
"Of course I did, Ruby. I just wanted you to listen to yourself. You want to go to that jerk's house so that he can take advantage of you."
"He wouldn't."
"Excuse me?! Has the hunger fried your brains too?