Ruby smiled at her. See, her eyes seemed to say. Nothing to worry about.
After half an hour of small talk, they went into the dining room for dinner, a formal multi-course affair at Alice’s insistence. As they ate and made small talk, the atmosphere remained pleasant and civil. Although Nicholas didn’t speak much, Alice seemed to be making an effort to get to know Ruby.
As they finished off the main course, Alice addressed Ruby. “Do you do anything for work?”
Ruby’s mouth was full, so she couldn’t answer immediately. Yvonne glanced at her stepmother. There was something odd about the smile plastered on her face. Yvonne looked at her brother. His face wore the same expression.
Suddenly, Yvonne was aware of an eerie stillness in the room.
“She used to be a waitress,” Yvonne interjected. “But for now, she’s settling into her new life here.”
“Don’t be rude, Yvonne,” Alice said. “I asked Ruth, not you.”
“That’s basically it,” Ruby said. “I was a waitress back in Vegas. I’m not sure what I’m going to do now though.” She looked at Yvonne. “I haven’t talked to Yvonne about it yet, but I’m thinking of going to culinary school.”
Yvonne barely heard her. Ruth. Alice had called Ruby ‘Ruth.’ Her stomach turned to ice. She looked from her brother to her stepmother.
They knew.
That was why they’d been behaving so kindly. This whole thing was a trap. Her brother and stepmother had just been waiting for the right moment to spring it.
She needed to get ahead of this.
Yvonne crossed her arms. “You can drop the act. If you have something to say to Ruby and me, say it.”
Alice gave her a disdainful look. “Yvonne, these outbursts of yours aren’t very ladylike.”
“Don’t play games with me, Alice. You called Ruby ‘Ruth’. Neither of us has told you her real name. What, you did a background check on her? Went digging around in her life?”
Alice brought her hand to her chest, feigning offense. “I would never-”
“Yvonne’s right,” Nicholas said. “It’s time to drop the act. Yes, I had a background check done on Ruby. What I found was very illuminating. We were giving you the opportunity to come clean, but you insist on keeping up this charade.”
Yvonne looked at him blankly. “What charade?”
“Ruby isn’t a waitress.” Nicholas crossed his arms triumphantly. “She’s an escort.” When Yvonne showed no outward reaction, his expression darkened. “Don’t you have anything to say? And don’t try to deny it.”
“I’m not going to deny it,” Yvonne said.
“So you’re admitting it?” Nicholas sputtered. “You married an escort to get Father’s money?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“What-” Nicholas took a deep breath. “But you just admitted Ruby is an escort.”
“She is. That’s how we met. She was also a waitress until recently, but she gave both up on account of marrying me. It would hardly be fitting for my wife to continue her previous occupation now that we’re in a committed relationship.”
Nicholas looked from Ruby to Yvonne. “Do you seriously expect me to believe the two of you are in a relationship?”
“It’s the truth.”
“Really, Yvonne?” Alice said. “Did you actually think such a desperate farce would work? Did you think you could make us believe you fell in love with this woman?” She gestured dismissively at Ruby.
“I don’t see why it’s so hard to believe.”
Nicholas scoffed. “While I’ve heard all about your twisted sexual tendencies, you would never enter a relationship with some Vegas prostitute. This is obviously a plot to get your hands on Father’s money. On my money.”
Yvonne spoke with an icy calm. “You’re very much mistaken. Firstly, that money is mine, not yours. Secondly, Ruby is not a prostitute.”
Nicholas turned to Ruby, his lips twisting up into a fake smile. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to keep up with which terms are politically correct these days. What do you prefer to be called? A call girl? A hooker? A whore?”
Yvonne rose from her seat, planting her fists on the table before her. “Say another word about Ruby, and I will end you.”
Yvonne glared at him, her fists clenched and her body tense. It was taking all her effort not to unleash the full force of her anger on him.
Nicholas smirked. “I don’t see what the problem is. I’m just being honest.” He turned to Ruby. “That’s what you escorts do, isn’t it? Whore yourselves out for money? How much is she paying you to fuck her?”
Rage boiled up inside Yvonne. Before she could say a word, she felt Ruby’s hand on hers.
“It’s okay, Yvonne,” Ruby said. “You don’t need to defend me.”
“Yes, I do.” Yvonne took in a breath, steadying herself. “So what if Ruby is an escort? That doesn’t make her any less deserving of your respect. Ruby is my wife. We are in a committed relationship. You need to respect that.”
For what had to be the first time ever, Alice looked cowed.
Nicholas, however, did not. “I don’t believe you for a second.” He scoffed. “You’re so desperate, you had to pay someone to marry you? In ten years, you couldn’t even find someone who actually wanted to be with you. You’re pathetic.”
Next to her, Ruby began to speak.
But Yvonne cut her off. “I will not sit here while you insult me and my wife.” She looked at Ruby. “We’re done here.”
She grabbed Ruby’s hand, dragged her out of her seat, and marched out of the room.
Yvonne pulled Ruby into the bedroom and shut the door. Their bags were by the bed, so Ruby assumed the room was Yvonne’s bedroom. There was little else to indicate the room belonged to her. It was sparse and impersonal, the only remnant of Yvonne’s childhood a small stuffed bear on a shelf in the corner.
Yvonne sat down on the bed, her body stiff and tense.
Ruby joined her. “Are you
