Chapter 6 – Part 1 “Change”

Ruby had fallen asleep without knowing when, and when she woke up, it was already dark.

The man she was supposed to be with wasn’t there. Even in her dazed state, Ruby felt a cold sensation as she touched the bed where he had been lying.

It had been a long time since she’d felt it, and it brought back memories she didn’t want to think about.

“Again…”

As Ruby mumbled, the door opened, and she was surprised to see him. Eli was also taken aback. Seeing Ruby, whom he thought was still asleep, he stopped in his tracks at the doorway.

“When did you wake up?”

He asked as he slowly approached and set the light on the nightstand.

“……Where did you go?”

“Just downstairs for a while.”

“What’s with that expression?”

He sat down close to Ruby on the bed and found her eyes fluttering weakly. Then, as if trying to comfort her, he cupped her cheeks with both hands and gave her a light kiss.

“Because you weren’t here when I woke up.”

Ruby hugged him, leaning on his chest. He chuckled at her cute gesture.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

He kissed her a little longer than before.

“No, not like that.”

“That’s a shame.”

Eli said, sounding regretful. He wasn’t going to go any further for Ruby’s sake, but his regret was genuine.

“Eli, I have something I want to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

While saying this, he was kissing Ruby’s fingers this time, seemingly captivated by each one.

“In the past, you never stayed in our room after we made love.”

He paused at her words.

“Why did you do that?”

“Um…”

Could there be such a thing? Eli was about to ask Ruby, thinking she might be upset because he couldn’t be with her, but memories of the end of his past marriage flashed in his mind.

“Sorry.”

While waiting for her response, Ruby didn’t seem to want to reproach him. Eli, reflecting on his mistakes, apologized on his own.

Realizing that he, too, played a significant role in causing her wounds, a wave of self-blame washed over him.

“I didn’t ask for an apology. I was just curious.”

“Because I wasn’t there when you woke up?”

His pointed question left Ruby silent; her eyes were silently rolling.

“I won’t let it happen again.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I want to. Please let me apologize properly.”

Eli hugged Ruby.

“I know it may sound like an excuse, but I thought you needed some time to rest.”

While holding her hand and grabbing her wrist with the other, he continued,

“Anyone would have felt the same seeing you back then.”

“I wasn’t in pain, though…”

Ruby muttered quietly. She was tired, but not in a bad way.

“No husband would be comfortable with a wife who’s been skinny all their married life, and you couldn’t sleep with me.”

“You know…?”

It had been so long since she’d spent a night with him that she was nervous and excited, and sometimes she lay awake looking at him. She thought he didn’t know.

“Of course, you look like you haven’t slept.”

The more she listened to it, the more she realized that she used to be so blind that she stopped looking. She couldn’t control the overflow of her heart, which couldn’t be hidden.

She’s a little embarrassed because she didn’t think he knew that.

“I had no idea either.”

“What did you mean?”

Ruby couldn’t speak hastily, and Eli refrained from pressing her.

“I thought you didn’t like sleeping with me.”

“…Why?”

“Because you just walked out on me every time as soon as our lovemaking ended. I thought you were sleeping with me because it was mandatory for your succession.”

As she spoke, Ruby glanced at him with a glimmer of curiosity.

“I didn’t realize you thought that.”

Eli responded with a shocked expression. Although he expected her to think he was indifferent due to his lack of expression, he never imagined she would think he disliked sharing a bed with her.

“I’ve always loved sleeping with you. Don’t you remember when we were newlyweds and we stayed up all night?”

It was a late first night, but he remembered it vividly. They couldn’t forget the heat between them.

From that day forward, every day they were together was hot, except for the days when they really had to take a break.

Ruby, of course, remembered it as well. Ironically, because of those memories, her interest in the once-enjoyable aspect of their relationship had waned.

“I adjusted my schedule several times just to be with you.”

“You adjusted it?”

Ruby had no idea.

“Otherwise, how could we have stayed in the same lodging for several days?”

If they hadn’t changed lodgings, Ruby could have rested more, allowing them to spend even longer nights together. There were times when Eli wrapped up work quickly and took a few days off just to stay with her.

“I really had no idea.”

Ruby felt a pang of guilt as Eli spoke with a petulant tone.

“My expression must have been a problem, too.”

Kane and Leton had often commented on his expression.

“I won’t let it happen again.”

Ruby knew she was supposed to say no at times like this, but she didn’t want to say it either.

“Express yourself more, too.”

Eli spoke while kissing her cheek.

“…I will.”

After a deep kiss, his lips moved towards her ear and then back down.

Ruby couldn’t shake the feeling that she had given him an excuse, but soon she accepted his overflowing affection.

“Stay in the bed a little longer.”

Eli shielded Ruby’s face from the sunlight with his hand, pulling the curtains a bit more.

“We need to have breakfast.”

Ruby, who had slept late, mumbled in a sleepy voice. While doing so, she rested her head lightly on Eli’s shoulder, still unable to wake up.

“They’ll eat their own.

“What if people find it weird?”

Eli gently stroked her head.

“There’s nothing to be weirded out about.”

“That’s because I’m ashamed.”

“There is nothing to be ashamed of. A good marriage is something to be proud of.”

Ruby had been waking up at his mansion for several days now. During these few days, there had been subtle changes, and those who knew them well were already aware that their relationship had evolved.

“Then I’ll stay in bed a bit longer.”

Ruby, with an empty mind, mumbled, embracing his waist.

Since resolving their misunderstandings about their sleeping arrangements a few days ago, Eli had indeed always been there when Ruby woke up. Thanks to him, Ruby was enjoying the honeymoon life she hadn’t experienced before.

“Sure.”

Finding her cute, Eli gave her a light kiss. The problem was that the kiss didn’t end with just one.

Under a barrage of kisses, Ruby couldn’t bear it and used her hand to cover his lips.

“I didn’t say anything about sleeping more.”

“No, I won’t allow it. Then we won’t have dinner together either.”

“It’s okay. These days, even Dominic can’t have dinner with us when they date at Aaron’s house.”

Coincidentally, the spark in Dominic and Aaron’s relationship had begun around the same time. It wasn’t every day like Ruby and Eli’s, but there were plenty of days when Dominic didn’t come home.

“Really…”

“Okay, I’ll get you something nice for dinner.”

Eli teased Ruby as if soothing a child.

“Which one?”

Even though Ruby knew his intention, she intentionally asked.

“Food that will make you healthier.”

Since Ruby could see through his intention to spend more time in bed, she chuckled and kissed him.

* * *

As Ruby and Eli expected, Dominic finished work roughly and left the house. Emily and Leton were the only ones left at Ruby’s mansion, spending time together.

“Isn’t there anything fun to do?”

“Shall I teach you a game?”

“What’s Leton looking at?”

“Oh, this? Would you like to take a look?”

The documents Leton was looking at were filled with complicated items and numbers.

While Emily was looking at the paper Leton handed her, his eyes were sharply watching her expression.

“What is this?”

“It’s about goods going in and out. It’s marked like this to prevent others from figuring it out.”

“Is that so?”

Showing interest, Emily sat next to Leton.

Leton explained how to read what was written on the paper.

Afterward, he even suggested Emily try it on her own.

At first, Emily groaned at the idea of doing something she had never done before.

Watching Emily, Leton got lost in thought.