Chapter 3 – Part 5

“Eli. You’re here?”

Marie greeted Eli, who had arrived unexpectedly early.

“Where’s Ruby?”

He skipped the usual greeting.

“I don’t know, but I do know she’s not here.”

“Where is she?”

The urgent Eli wasn’t his usual neat self. In another way, he looked anxious.

“She went to the capital. She said she was going to meet you, but it looks like she didn’t. You don’t know what she did……!”

Marie, furious with Ruby for lying, was about to tell his son about Ruby’s rude and impure behavior.

But Eli didn’t listen and turned away.

“Hey, why don’t you get some rest and go!”

Marie shouted at Eli as he hurried away, but he didn’t hear her.

“Has my brother come?”

Eve appeared when Eli had gone far away.

“He came and left again.”

“Already?”

“He asked where Ruby was.”

“Yeah. I wonder if he got into some kind of accident……”

There was no way, Marie thought, that her son would be in such a hurry to find Ruby.

“He’s a smart kid, he’ll figure it out. Let’s go inside.”

Marie clicked her tongue at Ruby, who was nowhere to be found in Shuban, and walked back into the mansion.

***
Eli washed and groomed for the first time in days and he ran his hand through his neatly combed hair. The capital was just a little further ahead.

If his memory served him right, during this time, Ruby had never been to the capital and only stayed in Shuban. That was until the discussion of divorce came up.

However, now she was staying in the capital.

As he asked about Ruby’s whereabouts, he recalled Marie’s displeased face.

Eli quickened his pace towards the capital.

“Where’s Ruby?”

Eli’s determined strides from the entrance of Grit Manor to his room felt unusually long.

“She’s not here, My Lord”

He stepped into the mansion at a trot and came to a halt.

Damon, who was hastily following him, barely managed to stop before colliding.

“Where is she?”

“She went to a party.”

“Ruby? Did she have someone she was close enough to attend a party in the capital?”

“I only heard it was Lord Del’s party. I don’t know how close they were. Shall I prepare the bath water?”

“Get the carriage ready. I must go to the party.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll get it ready.”

Though confused, Damon quickly moved.

The carriage from Grit Manor soon arrived at Del Manor.

Before the carriage had fully stopped, Eli opened the door and stepped out. His actions were driven by impatience.

Entering the party hall, Eli ignored the gazes of the people and looked for Ruby.

Before he could take a few steps, he stopped abruptly upon spotting Ruby in a corner.

Eli slowly approached the place where she was.

As he got closer, his heart raced.

“There you are.”

Calling her as he neared, she looked at him with a surprised expression.

Eli couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Ruby.”

“Why are you here?”

“Because you said you were here.”

“Oh.”

After that, Ruby said something, but Eli merely nodded without really understanding.

He couldn’t properly hear her words because he was too busy staring at her moving figure.

This was the living, breathing Ruby Grit. The Ruby he had tried so hard to remember.

Eli struggled not to embrace her just because he missed her.

“Let’s just say hello to the host of the party.”

It was only then that Eli thought about who Lord Del was.

He tried to recall if he had known Lord Del before, but he couldn’t remember. It was frustrating to think about his past indifference.

More than that, Ruby, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped.

“But first, let’s stop by the break room.”

Eli halted his movements to tidy up his clothes.

“You said you were only going to say hello.”

She looked as pretty as ever to Eli. He couldn’t wait to get Ruby back to the mansion so he could see her face.

A quick scan of the party hall revealed that all eyes were on the two of them

“Except it’s for you, not me.”

Suddenly, Eli realized where is currently right now.

He’d only gotten his clothes together in anticipation of meeting Ruby at the last inn before entering the capital. When he stopped at the mansion, he hadn’t bothered to straighten his clothes, eager to see her as soon as possible.

As he raised his hand to straighten his clothes, he stopped.

“You can do it,”

“You can just go to the break room and……”

“Or we can just leave.”

He didn’t want to waste time straightening his clothes.

“Then come here.”

Ruby’s voice caught Eli’s step, and he obeyed.

Eli didn’t take his eyes off her as she smoothed out his clothes.

Now that she was closer, he could see her batting eyelashes and her neat nose.

This is what she looked like, this is how her eyebrows crinkled slightly. Why does she look so lovely?

It was a face I’d seen all my married life, but it felt new.

“Was there something urgent?” she asked.

“……Yes.”

I missed you.

Eli swallowed the words he didn’t want to say.

“It’s done.” Ruby patted him lightly on the shoulder one last time.

In response to Eli’s cold gaze, she led him to the lounge.

“Do you know them?”

He asked another question, trying to stop the corner of his mouth from creeping upward as he watched Ruby’s face, and only then did she lock eyes with him.

“Who?”

“The host of this party.”

“Yes.”

Ruby averted her eyes and answered.

“Are you close with them?”

Eli asked, seizing the momentary disappointment.

“No. I got to know them when I arrived in the capital.”

Eli stiffened at that.

“All of a sudden?”

“Yeah. Now, let’s go.”

Not wanting to be pulled away from her, Eli grabbed Ruby’s hand.

“Ruby. You can’t just trust anyone.”

He knows who this guy is. Eli looked over at Viscount Del, who was looking at him in surprise.

“He didn’t approach me first. Well, if we’re being precise, I initiated it,”

But the next words made Eli’s face grow even more serious.

“Why?”

“That’s just how it happened. Let’s go.”

Maybe……

Eli followed Ruby, ignoring the what-ifs he didn’t even want to think about. She didn’t explain further.

“This is Marquis of Grit, Viscount Sorvan.” Ruby presented Eli to Lord Del

“Nice to meet you,” he finally responded reluctantly.

“Nice to meet you, too, Lord Grit,” Sorvan Del replied,

Amid his thoughts, Eli studied Viscount Del carefully and in detail.

Then his eyes met Ruby’s. This time, he looked away first.

During the short time Ruby was fixing his suit, Eli was deep in thought.

Regardless of his mood, Ruby and Viscount Del exchanged formal greetings. The awkward exchanges of glances between them unnerved Eli.

“Then, we shall take our my leave.”

With that, he hurries her out.