Chapter 24 X Torren flinched but didn't back away . I moved beside Ephraim , looked Torren dead in the eye , and spoke so quietly only he could hear . " The last man who called me ' wife ' destroyed our son's life without lifting a finger to save it , " I whispered . " You don't get to call me anything anymore . Not even my name . " He swallowed hard . " Therese … " " If you ever try to make me feel small again , " I added , tone like ice , " I will destroy everything with your name on it . Do you understand me ? " His lips parted , but no words came out . I turned away without waiting for a response and stepped into the car . Ephraim followed , calm and composed , like nothing had happened , though I felt the tension in his body long after we sat down . As the door closed behind us , he took my hand and kissed it again . " You didn't need me back there , " he said softly . " But I'll always be there anyway . " I rested my head against his shoulder . " I know ," I whispered . " And that's why I'm marrying you . " ** RUBY'S POV I stared at myself in the mirror , wine glass in hand , swirling the last few drops like they held answers . My mascara smudged down my cheeks , but I didn't care . The silk nightgown clung to my skin , expensive and soft , but it couldn't stop the chill crawling down my spine . I could still see it . Torren's eyes locked on her . Not me . Not even Ruby Massaro , the perfect picture beside him all night . It was her he watched . Therese . Like some saint reborn from ashes . Like she hadn't vanished and left a war behind . I set the wine down and touched my stomach . Flat . Empty . Cold . There was never a baby . Just timing , tears , and the right words whispered in the right ears . A man who thinks he's losing a child won't walk away . Guilt is more loyal than love . I should've had him on a leashi by now . " Mommy ? " I turned and saw Jude rubbing his eyes , hair messy , dragging his blanket like a ghost . He looked so small , standing in the doorway . 3/3 69.7 % 22:14 Sun , Aug 10 . - 48 % 2 X " Why doesn't Daddy come home anymore ? " he asked . " He used to bring me robots . Remember ? And the chicken from that place I like . Do we need to run away again ? " My breath caught for a second . He remembered that . The last time we ran . I crouched in front of him and smiled softly . " Daddy's busy right now , baby . But it's okay . " " Did I do something bad ? " he mumbled , bottom lip trembling . " Did I make him mad ? " I smoothed his hair back . " No , no . You're perfect . It's just … Daddy and Mommy are actors , remember ? We pretend sometimes . " His eyes widened . " Like in a movie ? " " Exactly , " I said , voice sweet as honey . " And tonight , we need to make the world believe our movie is real ." He nodded slowly , confused . " Do you remember when your toy robot broke and you screamed so loud the neighbors thought the house was on fire ? " He nodded again , smaller this time . " Do that . Just like that . Scream and cry like your favorite toy broke . Can you do that for Mommy ? " His voice was tiny . " Will Daddy come back if I do ? " I kissed his forehead . " Maybe , baby . Maybe he will . " He looked down , then gave me a shaky little nod . " Okay ." " Good boy ," I whispered , eyes gleaming . I picked up my phone and dialed Mico . Let my voice shake , just enough to sound real . " Mico ? It's Jude . He's burning up , I don't know what's wrong . He collapsed and I - I'm taking him to the hospital now . Please call Torren . Please . He needs to know . Tell him it's bad . Tell him to come . " We arrived at the VIP suite like a scene from a drama . Nurses rushed out when they saw me , mascara streaked , heels in hand , carrying Jude like a porcelain doll . I gave them fake charts , slipped a nurse an envelope . I told them what to say and how . They didn't even blink . IV hooked . Heart monitor blinking . Oxygen mask for show . I sat beside his little bed , eyes glassy , back straight , waiting . One hour . Then two . Then five . Mico came . Asked questions . Brought juice . He paced like the loyal dog he was . But Torren never came . No call . No flowers . No message . Just the steady , robotic beeping of fake machines and the weight of my own humiliation pressing on my chest like a stone . Chapter 24 213 7178 22:15 Sun , Aug 10e NA A21 By dawn , I snapped . ונוחוח 48 % X I ripped the flowers from the vase and flung them across the suite . They hit the glass wall and shattered everywhere . Nurses ducked . Mico shouted . I screamed at all of them . " This is a Massaro child ! Do you hear me ? Get bett deserves better than this joke ! " Nobody answered me the way I wanted . Not even the walls . cet the head doctor ! My son I locked myself in the bathroom and stared at myself again . Still pretty . Still Ruby . But not enough . Not his anymore . And that bitch ? She thought she could walk back into his world and steal the crown like it always belonged to her . Like I hadn't bled for it . Lied for it . Faked every pregnancy test and sob story for it . So I grabbed my phone and I typed slowly , each word dripping in poison . To Therese : You filthy little ghost ! How dare you come back from the dead and confuse my Torren like this . He's mine ! He's always been mine . You will pay f this . I promise you . One way or another . I hit send and smiled . She wanted war ? She was going to get one . E 3/3