Not that she used that card, but that didn't mean that people didn't recognize her for it. People were well aware of who she was, and at times it bothered her, mainly because she was always asked about it. The project would take place in the UK, taking her away from Lucas for a couple of weeks.
“Maybe some time away will do us both some good.”
Ruth sat at her desk, opening her laptop. Responding to emails usually took up an hour of her morning before the real work began, a slow part of her morning that she couldn't ignore. She hadn't completed her first email before her phone buzzed, taking her attention away from responding to a construction company. A brief look at her cellphone had her groaning.
“George again! Why won't he just leave me alone?”
His text was the same as the other messages he'd sent her, all asking for her forgiveness and begging for her to return to him.
“I wonder if Tally is aware of what her husband is up to?”
Although the woman had been 'the other woman', Ruth would find no satisfaction in letting her know that her beloved husband was trying to get back into her life again.
"I would become known as the other woman, and everyone will assume that I'm trying to get my revenge on her for stealing George away."
It didn't matter that she wasn't trying to do that, in the eyes of most people she would be seen as the villain while George would mostly get away scot-free. Wasn't that always the case when it came to cheating spouses? The woman would always be the main one blamed. In her case, Ruth had known enough to understand that George had been the one to actively pursue Tally just as he was doing to her now, but that didn't mean that the woman was not to blame for willfully dating a married man and becoming pregnant.
“I wouldn't have been able to compete with a perky, blonde, twenty-something-year-old, and she likely knew that.”
Ruth was never going back down this road again with George. She was now with Lucas who she respected and had come to care for more deeply than she liked to admit.
"Besides, I'm a married woman, and I'm committed to this marriage. Lucas has never given me a cause to worry as George did, and he respects me far more than George ever did."
She would be a fool to ever go back to the cheating dog. Ruth decided to ignore the message, focusing on her emails instead.
An hour later, Ruth felt the need for a snack. Keeping to her red meat-free diet wasn't an easy thing, especially as she wanted a chunk of chorizo right now.
“I'll just have some turkey ham or something.”
She pulled a face. Ruth was becoming tired of eating only chicken and fish, and she would likely crack under pressure soon. A knock at the door made her backtrack, heading to the front door rather than the kitchen. A servant came hurrying out, making it to the door before she did.
“Mrs. Ross, let me get the door.”
"Alright, Suzette, go ahead. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."
The knocker was probably just a delivery guy as that time of the morning was usually when all her deliveries were made to the house. Ruth took a turn at a corner, pausing when she heard the male voice at the door.
“I need to see Ronnie.”
Ruth's mouth dropped open. “You've got to be kidding me!”
What was George doing here? Ruth rushed out to confirm what her ears were telling her, groaning when she saw him with her own two eyes. No, no, no, he shouldn't be here.
“Uh, Suzette, I'll take it from here.”
“Yes, Ma'am.”
The maid walked away, casting curious gazes in their direction. George tried to step inside, but she stopped him.
“Don't you even think about it! What do you think you're doing coming to my home like this?”
“Well, after you ignored my last text, I decided that the best thing to do was to come here.”
A bouquet of red roses appeared from behind his back, but she slapped them to the floor.
“You just don't get it, do you? I want nothing to do with you, George, nothing at all, okay? It's over between us and has been ever since you decided to cheat on me with some blonde bimbo!”
George leaned on the door frame, looking every bit the smug man he was.
"Baby, the jealousy in your voice tells me that you still love me. Just name the day, and I'll come and take you away from here."
Ruth could just about tear her hair out. Maybe I should tear his hair out instead, why should I have bald patches?
“Do you have a problem with your hearing or something? What part of 'I don't want you' don't you understand?”
"You deny me with your lips, but I know what your heart is telling you."
“My heart?”
Ruth had to turn away from him for a minute, she was going absolutely crazy just listening to the man. He's going to make me as insane as he is! She tensed when she felt his arms go around her, surprised that he had the audacity to do so.
“Let me go, George.”
“Not until you can feel that my heart only beats for you.”
She snorted. “Where did you get that line from? A cheesy movie?”
Ruth elbowed him in the stomach, thinking to push him away and close the door, but she only succeeded in bringing herself face-to-face with him, his arms still firmly around her.
“Let me go.”
“Baby, I can see in your eyes that you want me, stop denying it.”
When his face began to dip toward her, she went absolutely nuts. Ruth summoned every bit of strength she had, tearing herself away from him. As soon as she was free, she pulled her arm back and slapped him, putting her full weight into the blow. She watched his cheeks bounce from the force of it, making him stumble back.
"Didn't I tell you that I never wanted to see you again? I love Lucas, alright? I love my husband, and no one else!"
Enraged that he would try such a thing for the second time and on her property, she grabbed the umbrella sitting against the wall, pointing it at him. George's eyes grew wide, his gaze locked on the umbrella.
“Ronnie, you wouldn't want to hurt me, would you?”
“Ha! You don't want to know what I wish to do with you. You better leave this place now before I use this umbrella, and let me tell you that this point is sharp.”
George took a step back. “Fine, alright. I'm leaving, okay?”
“And you better not come back here again, do you hear me? I'll call the cops on you next!”
George turned away from her but not before she heard the words 'crazy woman' from him. Almost laughing, she watched until he climbed into his car before going back into the house. Did she just say that she loved Lucas? Ruth realized that she actually meant what she had said, she did love Lucas!
“I love him, I truly love him. Why didn't I see this before?”
She needed to tell him, she needed to pour her heart out and see how he felt about her. Ruth felt such a lightness enter her heart, the type of lightness that could only be experienced by a woman in love. Her mother had told her about this kind of love, a love that empowered you rather than made you weak. Ruth felt that she could take on the world, whereas her love for George had left her helpless and insecure.
“I need to find out how he feels, but how will I do that?”
He was hardly talking to her right now. Her earlier thoughts about planning a dinner sounded like a good place to start. But what if he didn't feel the same?
“What is love without a little risk?”
Was that George Chazelle that he just saw leaving his house? Lucas stopped the car, watching the man's vehicle drive out of his driveway. Hot anger filled him when he realized that it was the same man.
“What is he doing here?”
Was Ruth cheating on him? The thought filled him with inexplicable pain, such as he'd never felt before. The same man who'd cheated on her was the same man that she was cheating on him with.
“Has she no shame?”
George's car drove past him, not noticing him. Lucas could see that he didn't lo
ok too happy, but that hardly mattered to him. What mattered was that his wife had been talking to her ex, and was likely cheating on him.
“Not just likely, she has been cheating on me. Only a foolish woman with no self-respect would do such a thing.”
He needed to confront her about it, to give her a piece of his mind. Lucas roared into the driveway, climbing out of his car the minute he yanked the car brake up.
“Ruth!”
Lucas strode to the door, pushing it open with a bang. “RUTH!”
The servants came running out, followed by a confused-looking Ruth.
“Lucas? What's wrong? Why are you yelling like this?”
“How long has this been going on?” he demanded.
“What are you talking about? You're not making any sense.”
“Your affair with George Chazelle! How long have you been cheating on me?”
Ruth's mouth dropped open. “Cheating? But I've never cheated on you, let alone with George, Lucas. Why are you saying this?”
“Don't lie to me! I saw the messages on your phone, I saw them with my own two eyes!”
She looked stunned as she stared at him, unable to say anything. Lucas took this as confirmation of her infidelity, and it was like the dam waters had burst as he continued to yell at her.
"You're nothing but a cheap woman, you know that? How dare you bring him into our home? Have you no shame? No, of course, you don't! Just look at where you come from! How could I have ever thought that a woman like you could ever be a wife to a man like me? You people only know how to lie and steal, I should have never trusted you. How can you go after a married man? Don't you understand that he has a child with his wife? Does the sacred bond of marriage mean nothing to you? My sister was right about you, Maureen was right! You are nothing but a trollop. You know what? Go back to your ex, just go back to him. You two belong together!"
The servants had slunk away by the time he'd finished shouting, no doubt embarrassed to be witnesses to such an argument between a man and his wife. Heaving, he stared at the woman he believed he'd come to love, wondering how foolish he had been to think that anything good could come out of this business deal. Tears were streaming down her face, and they tore at his heart, but he remained firm. He wouldn't allow some fake tears to get the best of him! He'd pretty much caught her red-handed, there was no coming back from this betrayal. Ruth began to nod slowly, forcefully wiping her tears away.
“Alright!” she shouted. “Alright! I'll go and never come back, do you hear me? You can live your perfect life without the likes of me to dirty it! I cannot believe that I actually thought myself in love with you—what was I thinking? You're nothing but a spoiled rich boy who can't see past the end of his nose! Well, I've had enough, you hear me? I've had enough!”
Lucas watched her run up the stairs, hearing her door bang. He didn't move from his position, only staring up at her bedroom door. She loved him? No, she couldn't mean it, she was just saying that. Ten minutes later, Ruth came down with two suitcases, nearly tripping as she got to the bottom. Lucas instinctively reached out for her, but she slapped his hands away.
“Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me!”
Lucas began to feel remorseful of the way he'd handled the situation. In fact, he was embarrassed about it. He'd never spoken to a woman like this, but his pride wouldn't allow him to say a word. The bottom line was that she'd betrayed him. He watched her leave their home, walking to the door as she got into her car and drove away. As she pulled further and further away from him, Lucas couldn't help but feel that he was making a mistake.
Chapter 12
Ruth didn't know why she'd agreed to meet with Lucas' mother. Did the woman want to confront her? By now, Lucas had to have told her about their split, but she didn't know precisely what he'd told his family.
“They could hate me for all I know, I might be making a mistake coming here.”
Ruth had received a phone call from the woman two days ago asking to meet with her. She'd declined at first, but the woman had basically begged her.
“She sounded sincere on the phone, she didn't sound angry at all. Unless she's just covering up and is planning to give me a talking-to?”
Well, she was only going to know once she went inside the building. Oddly, the woman had requested that they meet at the very hotel where Maureen and Hermanus were married, and the same place where she met Lucas. Who would have known that over ten months later, she would be in the process of divorcing him? It seemed so surreal, almost as though these past couple of months hadn't been her life at all but some lousy TV show. She pulled into the parking lot, finding a space near the entrance. Surprisingly, the woman met her outside, coming toward her. Ruth stood still, stunned when the woman hugged her.
“How are you, Ruth? It's been too long.”
Ruth awkwardly patted her back. "Uh, hi, Mrs. Ross. How are you?"
“No, not Mrs. Ross, but Mom. Aren't I your mother, dear?”
Was the woman kidding? Mother? Since when? Ruth didn't know how to react to the woman's words, so she stepped back.
“Uh, yes, okay. Can we go inside?”
“Of course, dear, I'm just happy that you agreed to see me. I've got a table waiting for us. Did you know that Lucas has included a restaurant inside? Do you know what he's called it?”
No, she didn't know any of this, Lucas hadn't shared this information with her.
“What is it called, uh, Mom?”
“Ruth's Place.”
Ruth came to a standstill. "Excuse me?"
When had this happened? Did he do it before they'd called everything off? In that case, he'll be wanting to change it. I'm surprised he hasn't done it yet.
“Oh, I didn't know that. When was the restaurant opened?”
"Just last week. The name was a last-minute change, you know."
This confused Ruth. Why would Lucas do this? It didn't make any sense at all, there had to be a catch in all of this. She said nothing, silently walking beside the woman as she jabbered away. It was when they came to the restaurant and Ruth saw her name on the front that she believed it.
“He actually did it, why?”
“Why, that's simple dear—he loves you.”
Ruth had to laugh. “You have it all wrong, Mom. Didn't Lucas tell you about our split? Don't you hate me?”
"How can I hate the woman that has made my son so happy? Come, dear, let's sit."
If I wasn't confused before, now I really am. Didn't Lucas tell his family anything? Ruth was led to a window seat that overlooked the meticulously kept gardens. The last time she'd been there, it had still looked a mess from the landscaping just being done. Ruth had often asked herself why Maureen would have accepted to have her wedding at the hotel that was still under renovation, especially as she was the daughter of a wealthy billionaire like her father, but who was she to question anything? They were hardly her concern, she was about to become the ex-daughter-in-law of the family, what they did was no longer something to worry about.
“So, what do you think about the place? It's lovely, isn't it?”
Ruth looked around the restaurant, admiring the romantic touches to the place. It was exactly something that she would have done, in fact, it was something that she'd spoken about to Lucas some time ago. Had he done this because of what she'd said? But why? Ugh, my mind is going to hurt with trying to figure this man out. He hates me, I know this, why would he do all of this? Is he mocking me? Is he trying to show me what I'm missing out on? That's cruel. It was bad enough that she missed him like crazy, but she would never admit that, not in a million years. Lucas had hurt her far more than even George had with his betrayal, she would never forgive him for that. He'd been the only man to know of her past, and what did he do? He threw it back in her face and used it to hurt her. No man in love would do something like that!
“It's a nice place.”
“Ruth, can I be frank with you?”
“Do I need to be worried?”
Her mother-in-law laughed. “No, not at all. I just want to speak to you woman-to-woman.”
“Oh, okay—go ahead.”
“Well, I'd like to start off saying that I know everything about the business deal my son cooked up, his father knows as well.”
Ruth felt ice travel down her spine. “Does this mean that you're taking away the presidency from him?”
"Oh, no, no. My husband and I discussed it at great length, and while we aren't happy about the fact that he lied to us, he's done great things for the company. At the end of the day, the presidency is his right, and he has proven himself. Which brings me to your marriage with my son. Tell me something, do you love Lucas?"
Ruth felt like that question came out of nowhere. Where was this conversation going? What should she say?
“W-what do you mean? Love, uh, l-love him?”
“Yes. I have to tell you the truth and say that I didn't approve of your marriage at first, I felt that it was too sudden. I mean, I hardly knew anything about the woman my only son was about to marry! But now I'm happy that he was able to meet a woman like you, even if your marriage was just a business deal at first. It has been many years since I last saw my son this happy—I believed that the world had gotten to him, sucking out the joie de vivre he used to have as a young man growing up. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the two of you are getting a divorce? How could that be? Lucas wouldn't tell me the truth at first, but I'm his mother. Which leads me to my previous question: do you love my son?”
Ruth frowned. “This is an odd question to ask considering the situation. Lucas doesn't love me, how can you ask me this?”
The woman shook her head. “That's just the thing, dear, he does love you.”
“No, no, you're mistaken. Did he tell you this?”
“He didn't have to because I could see it with my own two eyes—four if you count my specs. But yes, he did admit to me that he loves you.”
Ruth rubbed her forehead. What game was Lucas playing at? Why would he tell his mother something that just wasn't true? She looked at Lucas' mother, wondering if she knew the full story.
Ruth and Lucas Page 12
