Twelve

Adam's POV:

I left the hotel feeling speechless, a boiling anger simmering within me. Images of Lucian kept flashing before my eyes, irritating me to no end. I had suspicions, and now I had confirmation as I traced them.

However, the disappointment I felt in Ruby was overwhelming. I had shown her true love, and my deep affection for her was never a secret.

"This is unbelievable," I muttered to myself, seething with anger as I stormed out of the hotel. Ruby followed me, attempting to explain how it all started.

"Please, just listen to me. I have nothing to do with Lucian," Ruby pleaded, her emotions evident as she walked alongside me.

Hearing her only fueled my annoyance, and I pretended not to hear her words. Reacting would likely result in an overreaction, so I maintained my silence as she spoke.

As soon as I reached my car, I got in and left the hotel immediately. Ruby seemed genuinely concerned and unsure of what to do. I watched as she entered a taxi and was driven home. Once I arrived at my house, I began packing my clothes into a bag.

While packing, I heard Ruby opening the door, intensifying my anger. I struggled to control my rising temper. Ruby entered and approached me, repeating the same story.

"I'm deeply sorry. It's not what you think. Please hear me out. We can resolve this," Ruby said, her emotions evident.

Her words only served to fuel my anger further, and I regarded them as a meaningless song, trying to avoid becoming consumed by rage. I continued packing my clothes.

After securing my bag and packing some essential items, I shouted at her in anger when she persisted in begging.

"Please give me some space. It's over between us," I snapped at her.

Ruby was already distraught, and I could sense her sadness in her voice. However, my temper didn't allow me to display any concern for her feelings; I was even more agitated than she was.

"I don't want anything to come between us anymore. I'm calling off the wedding. Please leave my house before I return from my friend's place. I need some space," I angrily declared to her.

"Don't do this. I can explain. Please," Ruby pleaded emotionally.

"Don't make me do something I don't intend to do. Just let me leave," I replied curtly, walking away from her.

Ruby continued to follow me until I reached the car. I placed my bag in the car and got inside. As soon as I entered, I drove away calmly, needing some distance from her to regain my composure. I headed to my friend's place, hearing her call my name and trying to stop me, but who would believe her lies after what I had witnessed?

***

Ruby's POV:

After an intense argument with Adam, I eventually gave up trying to explain what had happened. He drove off, leaving me standing there. Deep down, I knew I had made mistakes, but I wasn't solely to blame for the entire incident. I tried my best to explain myself, but he never gave me a chance. "What else could I have done when he wouldn't listen?" I thought to myself, consumed by depression and feeling utterly alone as I sat in a corner.

The image of Adam's angry face at the hotel kept haunting my heart, and I felt deeply disappointed in myself. "If only I had listened to Tyler... What if Adam had also caught me talking with Tyler? I believe he would have reacted the same way," I mused to myself, lost in my thoughts.

"What can I do now? Am I really going to lose my marriage because of Lucian? Is that how it will end?" I spoke to myself, overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness.

After much contemplation, I made up my mind and went to the fridge to grab an alcoholic drink. "Well, I have to move on and accept that my wedding was ruined," I thought to myself as I retrieved a bottle of wine.

I started drinking, trying hard to numb my mind. Despite consuming multiple bottles, my thoughts about the earlier events continued to plague me.

With each drink, the various perspectives of the matter kept resurfacing in my mind. I kept drinking until I became drunk.

While sipping my wine, I was taken aback when I received a text from Lucian. As I read the message, I felt even more surprised because it was not the apology I had expected. "Hey, Ruby, I'll be meeting you at home for dinner soon," Lucian texted. My heart sank as I read the message, and I slumped into my chair, letting out a deep sigh. I tried not to react based on my current mood as I replied with a simple "Okay." If I were to act on my emotions at that moment, I might cause harm to someone.

Despite being drunk, I decided to leave my house and meet Lucian at home that night. I knew it was completely wrong to do so, but I wanted to teach him a lesson. I needed him to understand how hurt I felt.

I stayed awake, eagerly awaiting his arrival, feeling like a hungry lion hunting for prey. I read his message again and locked my door before heading to his house. As soon as I arrived, I knocked on his door, and he opened it as I had expected.

When he saw my face, he attempted to greet me, but the fear in my eyes made him hesitate.

Without letting him utter a word, I unleashed a torrent of anger and frustration upon him. "Please don't ever come near me again. I'm only here to give you a warning," I said angrily, venting my emotions before storming out of his house.

Lucian was taken aback by my actions and tried to engage me in conversation, but I didn't give him a chance. I knew how dangerous he could be.

As I tried to escape from Lucian, I felt my phone vibrate. I picked it up, and it began to ring. Without a second thought, I answered the call, hoping it was Adam.

"Please come and take me home, please," I pleaded with the caller, desperately trying to evade Lucian's influence.

Tyler's POV:

I was shocked and somewhat confused when I received a reply from Ruby, asking me to come and take her home. I could hardly fathom what she must be going through at that moment. Numerous thoughts raced through my mind.

"Does Ruby really want me to pick her

up without even questioning or wondering how I got her contact?" I questioned myself, doubting the validity of Ruby's request.

I remembered how I had managed to obtain her contact from the Night Owl manager, Athena, whom I had once intimidated.

To clear my confusion, I called Ruby again. Her phone rang several times before she answered.

"Hey Adam, please come and pick me up. It's not safe here," Ruby responded to my call, her voice trembling with fear.

Without a second thought, I asked her where she was, and her response alarmed me.

"I'm in front of the devil," she replied emotionally.

Hearing her say that made me extremely uncomfortable. I tried to inquire about her exact location, but her phone became unreachable. I was even more confused at that moment and contemplated what I should do because I could sense that she was in a terrible condition.

"I must save her no matter what," I resolved to myself, continuing to dial her number, but it remained unreachable. After several failed attempts, the idea to track her phone number came to mind.

I immediately instructed one of my employees to track her number for me. After a few minutes, her location was revealed, and I discovered that she was at Lucian's house.

I swiftly drove off and rushed to Lucian's house as fast as I could. Relief washed over me as I saw Ruby standing by the gate. I quickly opened the car door for her to enter. She looked utterly distraught, so I drove her home.