Ruby St. Clair's POV

I didn't have any idea how to answer him when suddenly asked me—out of the blue—to stay with him forever. Honestly, it caught me off guard. I never thought that Roman had been thinking such things when we both agreed that whatever we had was temporary and we'd let things run their course and no hard feelings in the end.

So why now, all of a sudden, when he announced to me that he's planning to buy that huge penthouse and thinking of setting up a permanent office here in New York he was asking me to stay with him forever?

He's not as if he's in love with me, right? Because love is just a fictional emotion that doesn't need to define how you live your life. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in love. I love my family, my sisters, and even my dear old granddad but it was an entirely different thing when you're talking about romantic love. A love between a man and a woman is messy and it would always end up bitter in the end. I saw that before from my family.

I sighed deeply, shaking my head. There was no reason to mull over yesterday's event when I didn't give Roman the answer to his sudden question. Instead, I asked him to give me time to think about it since he didn't prepare me for his plan. For his part, he smiled understandingly in my direction and said he was willing to wait for my answer.

I was grateful that he didn't press the matter and demanded my immediate response. Truth be told, I think I am not the girl who's fit to have a long-term relationship with my sisters. I saw what marriage could do to a person one good example of that was our parents.

If I was just honest with myself I was scared to answer Roman. Heck, I didn't even know how to give him an answer. I need time and space to clear my head because whether I like it or not this thing between us moves faster than we probably both wanted.

Since he told me over breakfast that he has an important meeting this morning I decided to take this opportunity to be away from him for a while and visit my grandfather in his estate in Hamptons. I need to forget this permanent setup I have with Roman for now and focus my attention on other matters.

Checking my appearance in the full-length mirror one last time I picked up my shoulder bag from the bed and went out of Roman's apartment.

Once outside I hailed for taxi and gave the address of my grandfather in Hamptons. After almost two hours of a long drive from the city, I finally arrived at the estate. In our teenage years, Emerald and I spent most of our summers here with our grandparents. I like it here away from the prying eyes.

I walked to the familiar meticulously-cared English garden my late grandma always loved going to the main entrance of the castle-like home of the infamous King of Diamonds of New York. Before I had the chance to knock at the huge wooden double in the foyer. Granddad's loyal butler opened the door with a ready smile on his face.

"It's been a while, Miss Ruby."

I smiled at the elderly man serving my granddad for decades. "Long time no see, Grayson. I thought you already left Daniel last time I was here I didn't see you."

He was one of the few people on earth that could differentiate me from Emerald. "Probably the time you visited here was the time of the year when Mr. St. Clair gave me a long vacation to be with my family, Miss Ruby."

I smiled at him thoughtfully. "I'm surprised the old man is letting you have such a long vacation I always thought that he couldn't bear you out of his sight. I believe Daniel couldn't move without you in his side."

Grayson laughed heartily, as pride showed in his eyes. "That's not quite true, Miss. I think he just wants to make sure everything in here runs smoothly. Please come in."

It was common knowledge that Grayson runs this forty-two-acre estate with precision. He was in charge of everything from maintaining the garden to renovations, and many more. He was my grandfather's trusted butler for years after all.

"Is he here or perhaps he's in the city?" I asked once we were inside the mansion.

"Your grandfather is here, Miss," Grayson answered, closing the door behind. "He's in the library with a business associate, I believe."

"Thank you, Grayson," I replied with a smile on my face. "I will chat with him after his meeting. I will just go to my room to kill time while waiting for him."

"Very well," He nodded, watching me ascend on the grand staircase. "I will inform you immediately once his meeting ends, Miss."

I went to my old room on the second floor. I pick this room among the fifteen remaining. I always love this room since it has the best view of the sea outside. There's something about waking up and the sea was the first thing you would greet me in the morning. Nothing has changed since I've been here. Even, the photographs I selected on the dresser table were still in place.

Being in my old room felt like I was eighteen again full of hope for the future. I reluctantly moved to the dresser table and gazed at the rows of framed pictures. I took the picture of us as a family with mom and dad. It wasn't the formal family picture you would always frame but this one was a raw and candid picture taken by one of the maids through Emerald's new camera at the time. I always like it so different from the stiff, formal family portrait we always had for the yearly calendar for the St. Clair Diamonds. In this photo, we almost look like a perfect family. 

Well, almost...

Placing back the framed photograph on the dresser table. I brushed off the nostalgia in my emotion like dirt I suddenly felt seeing these pictures. Perhaps, being here was a bad idea after all. I didn't like the way my old room stirred old, forgotten emotions inside me. I buried away the same day we buried our parents.

Remising the past won't do any good for me. It would only bring old unwanted sentiments I'd rather keep where they belong in the deepest and darkest part of my strongbox. Being in this room only stirred unwanted feelings. I stepped out of the room and searched for something that would entertain me while waiting for Granddad.

I just happened to pass the library. Maybe his meeting was already done. Knowing Daniel he doesn't conduct meetings in his Hamptons estate if it would belong. He always conducted business meetings in the city not here.

I carefully opened the door and tried to peek inside if his meeting was already finished. I heard my grandfather's voice and realized that it was not done yet. I was about to close the door again when I froze when I heard a familiar voice.

He can't be...

My heart suddenly pounded loudly in my chest as I froze on the doorway debating if I would continue to eavesdrop on their conversation or not. After all, there's a saying about listening to other people's conversations, right?

"Didn't I tell you that I'll take care of this matter?" I heard Daniel speak almost smugly. Right now, I couldn't move in my place my body wasn't listening to my brain.

"I have to admit that I was skeptical at first but you were right." The blood on my face drained. It was Roman. I cannot be mistaken for his deep voice I would recognize it everywhere. Now I became interested in their conversation.

"Told you, boy." My grandfather replied with the same smugness in his voice earlier. "Trust this old man with this matter. I know how to make my grandchildren dance to my tune. You don't know how happy I am with this turn of events with your relationship with Ruby."

"Like I said, a big thanks to you, sir," Roman answered. No, I don't want to believe this. I pray to God that this was all a big nightmare. I hope I was sincerely mistaken about this. Roman was not teaming up with Granddad.

With my heart slowly breaking into pieces I still stood rooted in my place. "You don't know how happy I was when I learned that you and Ruby were already married long before she went home. It's always my dream to see them married by now and Ruby just fulfilled my dream."

I placed my hand on my mouth to prevent myself from gasping from my shock. This can't be happening. I told myself silently. Why did Roman act like he didn't know Granddad when we visited here? Are they trying to make a fool out of me?

"You don't know how grateful I am that you help me bind your granddaughter to me. She's the most reluctant woman I've ever met. When she sets her mind into something it would be hella difficult to change her mind."

"What can you expect?" Daniel answered with laughter in his voice. "The St. Clair blood runs in her."

"You might be right." My conniving husband said after a moment. Right now, every inch of muscle in my body was shaking with these freaking secrets from these two people I wrongly trusted in my life. They planned this all along with the two of them.

They should be burned in hell for playing me like a stupid person. They almost gotten away with their conspiracy if I hadn't overheard their conversation. Where do they plan to continue to act as if they didn't know each other if I didn't discover them?

Now everything fell into place. Granddad's strange request when I first arrived made me work as Roman's chef. And this man's mysterious trip a few times. He was probably traveling here in the Hamptons to give Daniel an update on our relationship.

I never thought they could do this to me. To think that I almost gave my heart to this lying bastard when he was being deceitful from the start and working with granddad to tie me into a relationship against my better judgment.

Suddenly, I had enough. If I stayed more I feared that I would probably lose my mind with this unexpected revelation. I carefully close the door behind me and walk in the hallways dejectedly. I slowly descended the staircase as if my soul already left my body. I noticed Grayson eyed me worriedly. "Are you okay, Miss Ruby?"

I managed to nod my head without really thinking. My mind was blank as of now, I couldn't think straight anymore. "Please call me a taxi."

"You're not going to wait for Mr. St. Clair?"

Grayson was probably aware that his 'meeting' wasn't done yet. I shook my head. Right now, my whole body feels numb. I couldn't feel anything it was as if any emotions inside my body abruptly died. "Something came up. I need to go."

The elderly man picked up the telephone to dial a taxi company. After his phone call, he stared at me with worried eyes. "Why don't you eat something while waiting for the taxi, Miss?"

I shook my head. "Thank you but I'm not hungry. I will just wait for the taxi outside."

"But it's rather chilly outside."

I managed to smile at him when I thought I was not capable of showing any more emotions. "I'm fine, Grayson."

As I stood outside with freezing air, my body couldn't feel anything. After a few more minutes the cab finally pulled in. I rode inside the warm interior of the car I noticed Grayson looking after me from the entrance of the house.

On my way back to the city, I was staring sightlessly at my window. Then, I just realized that tears had fallen in my eyes. Damn it to hell, I reflected angrily. I don't remember the last time I cried.

No one was going to play me for a fool. Not Roman, not Granddad. I would show them who has the last laugh. Finally, I arrived at the apartment I shared with Roman. I immediately packed my things because there was no reason to stay with him when I finally learned their dirty secret. I almost believe him for wanting to stay with me forever when all along he was just working with Daniel probably to make me fall in love with him in exchange for good favor from Daniel St. Clair.

When I finished packing my things I sat on the sofa. All I needed to do was wait for my fraudulent husband and break the news to him. He didn't come home until almost five in the afternoon.

He had this big smile on his face that I didn't trust anymore. I stood from the sofa with my luggage in my side I stared blankly in his direction whatever feelings I had for him died instantly a while ago. "Let's divorce, Roman."