part 4
PART 4
For ten days, Jameson behaved like a redeemed man.
He brought Ruby coffee.
Played with Emma before bed.
Told Eliana to stop criticizing the nursery.
Kissed Ruby in the kitchen and whispered, “Fresh start.”
Ruby wanted to believe him.
That was the part she hated most.
Even after the documents.
Even after Brooke.
Even after the lies.
A small, wounded part of her still wanted the father of her child to become the man he pretended to be in photographs.
Then the credit card alert came.
A jewelry store.
Nine thousand dollars.
Ruby stared at the notification while Emma stacked blocks on the carpet.
Jameson said he had a client dinner.
He came home smelling like perfume that was not hers.
The next morning, Ruby found a hotel receipt inside his jacket pocket.
Brooke’s name was on the loyalty account.
Ruby did not cry.
She took a picture.
Sent it to Denise.
Then made pancakes for Emma because toddlers do not understand betrayal before breakfast.
Three days later, Eliana moved into the mansion “temporarily.”
She arrived with six suitcases, a pink satin robe, and a list of things Ruby did wrong.
The curtains were too plain.
The baby was too attached.
The coffee was too strong.
Ruby was too cold to keep a husband happy.
Jameson did nothing.
That silence told Ruby everything.
Then came the afternoon Ruby returned from the grocery store and found Brooke in her kitchen.
Blonde.
Barefoot.
Wearing Ruby’s cream satin robe.
Eliana sat at the island drinking tea as if the mistress were a guest and Ruby were the intruder.
Emma was upstairs napping.
Ruby set the grocery bags down.
Jameson came from the hallway, face tight.
“Ruby, we need to talk.”
Brooke looked down at the robe.
Not embarrassed.
Smug.
Eliana sighed.
“Try to keep your voice down.”
Ruby stared at Jameson.
“What is she doing in my robe?”
Jameson looked away.
Brooke smiled.
“I didn’t know it was yours.”
Ruby said nothing.
Because in that moment, she understood the plan.
He had used her to solve the debt.
May you like
Now he was ready to replace her in the house she saved.
Read the full story 👉 Ruby came home to find Brooke wearing her robe while Eliana sat beside her like the affair was already approved.
