A soft ray of the early morning sunlight filtered through the cream curtains, casting a gentle glow on Ruby's face. She stirred slowly, blinking against the brightness, while rubbing her eyes.
Thinking she was at Elena's house, she reached forward to wake Elena up, but all she felt were plush sheets and soft pillows.
Her eyes opened wider as realisation finally hit her. She had spent the night in her new paradise of a home and on her own king-sized bed, which could take five persons.
Her lips curled into a smile as she sprawled across the bed, stretching her arms and whispering a thank you to Kai.
"So this is what rich people enjoy?" She thought out loud, a tiny laugh bubbling in her throat. She slid to the side and checked the time only to realise that she had overslept and on top of that she was still feeling a bit feverish and nauseous.
"I think it's time I had an appointment with the doctor."
She slipped out of bed and hurried toward the bathroom to relieve herself. The steaming shower felt like a gentle embrace washing away her fatigue and reducing her headache.
When she finally stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a plush white towel, she felt like a new woman. She headed straight to her elegantly furnished walk-in wardrobe.
Ruby was still in shock as she scanned the sleek racks lined with colour-coded clothes for every occasion.
There were separate shelves for kinds of footwear, a separate shelf for different fashionable handbags and a centre island with drawers for jaw-dropping accessories, including the ones she turned down back at the beach resort.
This didn't look like a normal wardrobe. It looked like a high-end boutique meant only for the selected few.
"Oh, Kai… you didn't just buy the house overnight. You have been planning to bring me here all along, you shameless man." She shook her head chuckling.
Running her hand over a silk blouse, she whispered, "This is just too much for an ordinary young woman."
Exhaling, she chose a simple white blouse and a pair of fitted jeans, slipping them on before heading downstairs.
The delicious aroma that hit her before she reached the dining room, left her salivating.
"Good morning, Madam Ruby," Mary greeted warmly as she set a tray on the table.
Ruby blinked twice at the title. "Mary, please don't call me Madam. Just Ruby is okay."
Mary chuckled. "Alright, Ruby." She pulled out a seat for her. "Please have your seat. Breakfast is served."
"Thank you." Ruby slowly eased herself onto the seat, her eyes widening at the delicious spread before her.
There were golden pancakes, crispy toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, diced sausages, freshly baked bread, steaming vegetable sauce, fresh fruits, muffins, juice, ginger tea and hot coffee.
"Mary… this looks like heaven. Are we expecting visitors this morning?"
"No, dear," Mary replied, chuckling. "This is all for you."
"For me?"
"Yes. I wasn't sure of what you would like so I made everything."
"Oh dear....thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Ma. Enjoy your breakfast." Mary turned around to leave, but Ruby's sharp voice stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To finish up in the kitchen, Madam...I mean Ruby." Mary chuckled at Ruby's playfully scrunched face.
"That can wait for later. Please join me."
"But...."
"I won't take no for an answer. Except you don't want me to eat."
Mary sighed. "I don't think Mr Kai would appreciate me eating at the same table with you."
"Good thing Mr Kai doesn't own this house." Ruby pointed out, proudly. "I do and you work for me. So there're going to be a lot of changes around this place. And one of those changes is that you must always join me at the dining table. Okay?"
"Okay. Thank you, Ruby." Mary pulled out a chair beside Ruby and sat down.
"You're most welcome. But before we eat, just give me a few seconds to capture this moment. My bestie has to see this." Ruby pulled out her phone and took beautiful pictures of the dining table and herself beaming, leaving Mary grinning.
"All done... let's dig in." Ruby clapped her hands excitedly, her early morning sickness gone and her appetite awakened.
After breakfast, Ruby grabbed her bag and a fancy lunch box which Mary had packed for her, before heading outside where Stan was already waiting by the car with the rear door opened for her.
Mary followed behind her holding a fancy paper bag.
"Good morning Miss Ruby." Stan gave a curt bow, smiling politely.
"Good morning, Stan. I trust you rested well."
"Yes, ma'am. Thanks for asking."
Ruby collected the fancy bag from Mary and handed it over to Stan.
"This is your breakfast since you didn't get to join us."
"Oh..." Stan was moved by generosity. "Thank you so much, Miss Ruby. You are too kind."
"It's nothing. Mary, here is the chef who deserves your gratitude." Ruby slid into the car while Stan thanked Mary before taking the wheel.
Just then Ruby received a text message from Elena.
"Stan, please can you take us to the Kels cafe first? Elena is waiting for us there."
"Of course, Miss Ruby."
Twenty minutes later, Ruby's car pulled over by the roadside opposite the cafe, where Elena was patiently waiting outside.
"Elena!" Ruby waved, rolling down her window slightly.
"Oh my goodness!"
Elena wasted no time, hopping into the back seat of the car while almost screaming Ruby's ear off.
"This is your ride! Oh my God! This is the life." She quickly acknowledged Stan before focusing on Ruby.
"Wait till you see my new house, girl," Ruby said, laughing her heart out.
"Aww....look at you... Every disappointment is indeed a blessing." Elena's eyes shimmered with tears as she appraised Ruby's glowing and infectious aura.
"You can say that again." Ruby opened her lunchbox and brought out neatly packed food. "I saved breakfast for you."
"Oh my!" Elena's eyes lit up as she collected the food pack. "How did you know I haven't had breakfast? I practically ran out of the house."
"You know me." Ruby chuckled, admiring her friend's bubbly spirit.
"God bless Kai for putting a smile on your face, Ruby. I haven't seen you this happy for a while." Elena pulled Ruby to herself and hugged her warmly.
Ruby's heart warmed up just thinking of Kai. "By the way how is Mom?"
"She's doing better than me." Elena scoffed, digging into her breakfast.
"I'm so sorry." Ruby sighed. "Is all my fault that she is staying at your house."
"Don't be. Thank God things happened this way. Now you have a house of your own and a car to get away from her and her he-goat of a son."
"Ellie.... That's harsh." Ruby nudged her on the arm. "Mom doesn't deserve that."
"I'm sorry but I don't trust her. She's up to something and I'm very weary of her. Can you imagine she's trying to bring you and Derek together after everything that happened?"
Ruby sighed, leaning back on her seat. "I don't blame her. But there's no way I'm going back to my vomit."
"Good. And I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen." Elena said firmly and Ruby chuckled.
"By the way... I wanted you to come with me to the hospital."
"The hospital?!" Elena raised a brow, pausing mid-chewing and scrutinising her friend. "Are you sick?"
"No.... I just have to..." Ruby's gaze shifted to Stan's, and then she carefully pointed to her stomach.
"Oh...Sure." Elana checked her time. "I'll just call my boss and tell him I'll be running late for work."
"Thanks, bestie."
Ruby's car finally pulled to a stop in front of the general hospital.
"Stan, we won't be long. Please wait for us." Ruby instructed him softly.
"Of course, Miss Ruby."
She straightened up to leave before she remembered something and added. "And please, not a word about this visit to your boss. I don't want him worrying about me."
"Certainly, Miss Ruby." Stan chuckled inwardly as he found Ruby's statement both cute and amusing. If only she knew her husband was always a step ahead of her.
Ruby and Elena made their way into the hospital and followed through the procedure of seeing a doctor.
She was asked to run a series of tests, including a pregnancy test, to confirm her status before she was finally directed to go to the antenatal ward.
When Ruby and Elena stepped into the ward, they were both relieved to find only one pregnant woman waiting to see the gynaecologist.
"This is going to be quick." Ruby smiled, settling down on the waiting room bench beside the heavily pregnant woman.
"Hi, I'm Zina." The pregnant woman extended her hand smiling warmly at Ruby.
"Hello, Zina." Ruby shook her hand while admiring her huge baby bump, imagining what she would look like when she got to Zina's pregnancy stage.
"Your first time?" Zina asked, admiring Ruby's pregnancy glow.
Ruby was stunned as she looked sideways at Elena.
"Trust me, I know." Zina chuckled softly. "This is my third."
"Wow!" Ruby exclaimed.
"So, how many weeks?"
"Six weeks and..." Ruby's words caught in her throat as the consultation room door opened and a couple stepped out of the room, beaming and holding hands.