Chapter 26
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The day flew by quickly, and Ruby checked her watch as she walked into The Black mall. She had ended up spending way more time than she had planned with her mother, but it all worked out since she still ended up getting to the mall early with enough time to enquire about the bag before Christian got there. She reached the Hermes store where the bag was from and paused in front of it, hesitating. She felt entirely out of place, she no longer felt like she belonged there. And after struggling for so many years to pay medical bills, spending an outrageous amount of money on material things didn’t make any sense to her anymore. She glanced down at the bag and her heart wrenched. She could still remember the big smile on her mother’s face when she had given the bag to her. She remembered she had wanted the bag, and usually there was a waiting list of several years for that particular bag, but not for her mother Her mother had gotten the bag custom made for her birthday and she’d been so ecstatic. When she asked how her mother had managed to acquire such a coveted bag in such a short period of time, Louis Smith had only ‘chuckled and said that she had her way around those kinds of things.
Ruby inhaled deeply before walking into the store. The store assistants smiled at her and she nodded politely, still feeling out of place and oddly nervous. “Hi” she murmured, slowly placing the bag on the counter in an awkward fashion. “I would like to enquire about getting this bag serviced. Do you think that’d be possible?
Sharp laughter rang out behind her the second the words left her mouth, and she tensed, immediately recognizing her half- sister before she turned around to look. “How embarrassing. You can’t even afford to just buy a new bag?” Melanie taunted. Ruby turned to look at her, with a forced smile on her face. She should’ve known there would be a chance that Melanie would be there. Hermes was her favorite brand, and this was their flagship store. It was the only place in town to get their newest products, and Melanie had been buying at least one item weekly from the brand for as long as Ruby could
remember.
“Melanie” she said slowly, dragging out the name
Melanie looked her over like she was rubbish and then burst out laughing. “The last time I saw you at the house, you looked like a beggar, and now you’re wearing clothes that you can’t possibly afford. Is this fake? She asked as she pulled on the scarf wrapped around Ruby’s neck, unraveling it
Ruby clutched the scarf in a panic, but it was too late. Melanie gasped when she saw the hickey on her neck, and then burst out laughing again for the second time
“I see. A sugar daddy, huh? I guess you had no other choice after dad cut you off.”
Fire flashed in her eye at what Melanie was insinuating. “You do remember that I have a husband right?”
“Oh please!” Melanie exclaimed, waving her off with a finger. “I think we both know that Alex wouldn’t waste his money on you. You think just because you’re married to him, you’re one of us now? You think we’re on the same level. Everybody knows that you have no real access to his money. We all know that he’s just using you for your body. Not that there’s even much to see,” a look of disgust followed her words.
“Melanie..” She growled, visibly seething. But the diabolic witch he called a sister wasn’t totally wrong though. And that was what hurt the most. The fact that Alex did in fact want just her body alone.
“So tell me, where’d you go? A gentlemen’s club?” Melanie asked.
itby turned away from her and fixed her scarf back in place, her cheeks burning with shame. Her half sister’s words grated on her, and it hurt to have her suspicions confirmed- Melanie was the one who had sent her to the gentlemen’s club. It was her biggest fear come true If Melanie was able to get her mother’s nurse to hand her that card from the club, then there was much worse that she could do, so much more that she had access to, Ruby was just thankful that her mother was out of there. She www.about to controut her about it, but the sales assistan butted in.
Ma’am the sales assistant taid, looking embarrassed on her behalf.
Kuby wished she could sink straight through the floor as she turned back to the counter. “So the bag.” she said, trying her best to remain unaffected. Do you think
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10-23 Wed, Oct 15
Chapter 26
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Melanie broke into laughter behind her. “Oh my God, I can’t believe your sugar daddy can’t even buy you a new bag. But then again, these bags are so expensive, they’re the equivalent of a couple of hospital bills, aren’t they? Man, you alway acted so innocent and righteous, Ruby, but I can only imagine the old wrinkly dick you must be sucking to be able to pay for
all that
The sales assistant looked as flustered as Ruby was feeling, and she shook her head. “Damage like this is just almost impossible to undo,” she said, sounding apologetic. “The problem is the leather. It’s damaged beyond repair,” she added, trailing a gloved finger over the tears.
“I see,” Ruby murmured. “I..umm.. Would it be possible to get an identical bag?”
Melanie laughed again, the sound resembling that of nails against a chalkboard in Ruby’s ears. “Are you stupid?” she asked. “It’s not like you could even afford a new one. Stop wasting everybody’s time.”
Ruby turned to face her, her expression a picture of annoyance. “Why are you all up in my business, Melanie? Mind your own damn business.”
Melanie grinned, knowing that she had riled Ruby up. “Oh, I’m just bored waiting for the staff to bring out the new bags that dad ordered for me. Besides, why would I be concerned about somebody that was at our house begging just the other day?” She laid emphasis on the word “dad“.
Ruby heart twisted painfully. It wasn’t even the humiliation of everything she had lost. What hurt the most was the fact that her father clearly had the money to buy Melanie bags that she didn’t need, but he wasn’t able to spend that same money to save her mother’s life. She was shaking so hard from the betrayal and the pain that she couldn’t even come up with a retort. Her throat was closing up and the words had escaped her. She was well on the brink of tears when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. “I’m sorry I’m late, baby, but I’m here now.
