Chapter 18 Finding peace
CHAPTER 18
Finding peace
“No. We haven’t seen him since this morning. He left very early. The guards only said he drove out before sunrise.”
Ruby’s heart dipped.
“Oh.”
She didn’t know why disappointment washed over her, but it did.
She had expected—hoped—to see him. To thank him properly. To tell him she felt safe here. Maybe to ask if she was truly not a burden.
But he was gone. Out working. Out handling things she didn’t understand.
“I see,” she whispered, trying to mask her emotion.
Nora noticed, her voice gentle.
“He’ll return. Mr. Carter always returns. And… he always checks on the people he cares for.”
Ruby looked down, a soft blush warming her cheeks.
“I doubt he cares about me,” she murmured.
Nora gave her a knowing look. “You’d be surprised, Miss Ruby.”
The walk continued in silence for a moment, peaceful but emotional. Ruby watched birds drift across the sky, butterflies dance around the flowers, and sunlight ripple across the fountain nearby.
It felt like a dream.
A dream she was afraid to wake up from.
A dream she didn’t feel worthy of.
But something in Leo’s world, something behind his cold eyes and controlled voice made her wonder if maybe, just maybe, she was allowed to stay. Allowed to breathe. Allowed to exist without being shouted at, judged, or unwanted.
By the time Nora guided her back toward the mansion, Ruby felt lighter. Not healed or whole. But better.
She paused at the entrance, looking back at the estate with softened eyes.
“Nora?”
“Yes?”
“Do you… think I’ll ever get used to all this?”
Nora smiled warmly.
“With time. And with Mr. Carter around? I think you’ll find your place sooner than you expect.”
Ruby nodded, holding onto the fragile hope those words planted in her chest.
As she stepped back inside the mansion, the cold air of the hall brushed her skin, and for the first time since arriving, she didn’t feel intimidated.
She felt… welcomed.
And though she didn’t admit it out loud, she looked forward to Leo coming home.
Maybe not just to thank him.
Maybe to see the man beneath the cold exterior—the man who had cared enough to bring her here… and make sure she woke up to peace instead of pain.
The rest of Ruby’s morning passed quietly. Nora gave her a gentle tour through different parts of the mansion—the indoor garden, the library that smelled like polished wood and old stories, and the lounge where Leo sometimes held meetings.
Everywhere Ruby went, the maids whispered. She didn’t need to hear the words to know they weren’t friendly. Their stares were sharp, curious, and judgmental.
Nora stayed close beside her like a silent shield, answering the other maids politely but firmly whenever necessary.
Ruby tried her best not to shrink under their stares. She gripped her fingers together as she walked, keeping her eyes forward.
Nora noticed.
“Don’t mind them,” she murmured.
“They’re just… surprised. Mr. Carter doesn’t bring guests home. Especially not young women.”
Ruby’s heart stuttered.
“Oh,” she whispered, unsure what that meant.
Nora smiled at her. “Besides, they don’t know your story. They don’t know why you’re here.”
Ruby nodded slowly. “I don't even know why I’m here,” she admitted. “Leo just… decided.”
Nora gave her a soft look. “Mr. Carter sees things people don’t. Maybe he sees something in you.”
Ruby laughed nervously. “I don’t think he sees anything except problems.”
Nora bit back a smile. “Hmm. You’d be surprised.”
After the tour, Nora led her upstairs again.
“You should rest a little,” she suggested. “You’re still recovering.”
Ruby didn’t argue. She lay down on the soft bed again, to breathe. Her mind wandered—to her father who left her behind, to Clara’s voice telling her she was worthless, to Leo lifting her in the rain as though she weighed nothing.
She remembered how warm his hands felt despite the storm.
How his jaw tightened when he looked at her, like he was angry at the world for hurting her.
She remembered how his voice lowered when he told the head maid to take good care of her.
That voice had stayed with her.
She didn’t know how long she stayed lost in those thoughts until Nora returned quietly.
“Miss Ruby,” she called gently, “lunch will be served soon.”
Ruby sat up, and Nora helped her brush her hair.
“Do you think Leo will return soon?” Ruby asked before she could stop herself.
Nora lifted a brow, amused. “You’re worried?”
“No!” Ruby blurted, then looked down, flustered. “I just—he brought me here. I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not,” Nora said immediately. “Mr. Carter doesn’t tolerate burdens. If he didn’t want you here, trust me—none of us would be preparing meals and rooms for you.”
Ruby chuckled awkwardly.
When she walked down for lunch, the long dining table was set again, but Nora guided her to a smaller, more comfortable section.
“This is the family side,” Nora explained. “Mr. Carter eats here when he’s not working.”
Ruby looked at the empty chair across from her—the one she imagined Leo normally sat in. It was perfectly placed, perfectly positioned, like everything else in the mansion.
“Does he ever eat with… guests?” Ruby asked softly.
“Rarely,” Nora replied. “He eats alone most times. Or he forgets to eat at all.”
Ruby’s brows are knitted. “He forgets?”
Nora sighed. “He works too much. Mr. Carter carries a lot more than people see.”