“Come on, sweetheart,” Ruby said between sobs. “Let’s go. Mommy can’t breathe here. I don’t want you to see this ugliness.“% Jude looked confused, but not upset. He just got up and followed. Torren pulled Ruby close, held her like she was made of something valuable.
“Don’t cry, baby,” he said to her, kissing the side of her head. “You are the only one who matters. Let’s go upstairs. Just ignore
her
I was still on the floor, trying
g to sweep the ashes into one pile with my bare hands. Jude suddenly turned and ran toward me.”
His foot came down hard. Right on top of the ashes.
“Witch!” he yelled. “You made my mommy cry!”
He stomped again. The ashes scattered farther.
No!
Then he kicked what was left of the urn across the room. It hit the wall with a dull sound and fell apart completely.
I froze. My body stopped working. But my chest was shaking. My throat was making sounds I could not stop.
Torren came down in front of me and grabbed my face with one hand. Fingers digging into my cheeks like he was trying to crack me open.
Enough,” he said. “Enough of this show.
I blinked at him. His face looked like stone. Cold and unmoved.
“I almost believed you,” he said slowly. “I really did. For a second. I almost cried. For your pathetic little boy.”
He leaned closer. His breath hit my cheek.
“But then the hospital sent proof. Videos. Cleo laughing. The doctor said you used him. Said he was pretending to be worse than he was. Said you knew. And you let it happen. Just to get attention.”
Behind him, I saw her.E
Ruby.
She was watching from the stairs. Her hand on the rail, her head tilted just enough. That look on her face. It was small. But it was there.3
A smile
Not full. Not wide. Just the corner of her lips pulling up like a secret slipping out.
She did it.
She paid someone off. Lied about Cleo’s condition. Sent the photos. Faked the story. And Torren? He fell for it. Again. Again. and Again.
They started going upstairs. Ruby held Jude’s hand and leaned her head against Torren’s shoulder. He wrapped his arm. around her like she was his whole world.&
“Let’s just go to bed, baby” she said softly. “I can’t deal with her anymore tonight.”
Jude turned back once but only for a second. Then he looked up at Ruby again and followed.
The house went quiet and I stayed on the floor. With what was left of my son. With my shredded hands and a mouth too dry to cry anymore.”
I do not know how long I stayed like that. Hours maybe.
Until even my heart stopped trying to beat.
That night I could not sleep. My body ached. My knees were scraped raw. There was dried blood behind them I had not even noticed. I was still in the same clothes, still smelling like dust and pain and bone. I stayed curled on the floor, back against the wall outside my room, hugging my knees.!!
Sometime past midnight, I heard coughing.!!
At first I ignored it. I thought it was one of the maids. But then I heard Torren’s voice. Panicked. Loud.
“Ruby. Ruby. What is it. Where does it hurt?”
I stayed quiet.!!
Ruby was sobbing. I could hear her… Her voice was hoarse and dramatic.
“I can’t breathe. Oh God. My stomach hurts! My chest–Torren–I feel cursed. That um. Ever since she brought it into the house, I feel like something’s been choking me.”
I heard the bed creak. Footsteps. Torren pacing. He was cursing under his breath.
8:31 PM
I heard the bed creak. Footsteps. Torren pacing. He was cursing under his breath.
0
“That bitch!”
Ruby sniffled and made this sound like she was about to faint.
“I heard the maids talking… they said she bought something. Some kind of poison. Maybe she put it in the urn. Maybe she wanted to kill me. She hates me so much, Torren. I’m scared. I don’t want to die. Not me. Not the baby.”
I did not move. I did not even blink.
And still, somehow, I knew he would come for me.
The door slammed open so hard I thought it cracked. Torren barged in. His face looked like a demon in the dark. His eyes wild. His breathing heavy.
He grabbed my wrist. Yanked me up like I weighed nothing.
“You did this.”
I stumbled. My ankle twisted. My arm throbbed.
“You put poison in this house,” he spat. “You cursed Ruby. You sick freak. You knew she was pregnant and you still brought death into this place.”
I didn’t I tried to speak but he cut me off.
“She could’ve died tonight. You want that? You really want her dead?“\
He pulled me out into her room, dragging me like a child being punished…. “KNEEL!” he said.E
I stood still. I stared at him.
“Kneel and say sorry to Ruby.” “No.“[
He slapped me. I saw stars.
“On your knees.“[
I still refused. That was all I had left. My spine.”
He kicked the back of my knees and I dropped. Hard. My skin tore open again from the same spot. Blood soaked through my pants. I felt it warm against my calves.
Ruby sat on the couch like she was royalty. Hair perfect. Belly on display. A little blanket over her lap like she was cold. She was crying into her hands, but there was no real sadness in her face. She looked like someone watching her favorite movie.!! “I don’t believe her,” Ruby said. “She doesn’t even mean it. I can’t hear her. Make her louder, Torren, I want to hear her cry.” He stood behind me like a wall. His shadow covered the floor in front of me.
“Apologize,” he hissed. “Say it until she forgives you.”
I looked down. My lips trembled. “I’m sorry.”
My voice was hoarse. It did not even sound like mine.”
I’m sorry.”
Again. And again. And again.
Until it felt like my throat was bleeding. Until my voice cracked. Then Ruby stood slowly, and her hands pressed against her belly like it was about to fall. She was wobbling, swaying, making little gasping sounds like her breath was running out. “T–torren! Something’s wrong… my stomach… I think I’m bleeding.”
