0.1 | No Exit from Deception ✓

0.05 | His Unlicensed Shenanigans

It was morning again. Ruby was all-in and sleeping like a cavalier; her lower body wrapped burritolike in the thin blanket whose tassels touched the floor. The muffled ringing sound of the phone that filled the quiet of the room did not affect the two of them.

Emily soared in her bed as the sound began to hit her consciousness after a while. Her hand sifted through clutter lodged on the headrest, and a few of them showered over her head. She grabbed her phone. Why is Madame Tào calling so early? was what she had popularly assumed. "Hello?" she spoke in a groggy voice and stifled a shark-mouthed yawn erupting from her mouth.

"Good morning, am I talking to . . . miss, Ruby?"

Her forehead creased as she heard an impervious, and husky texture of a male voice on the other end. It is not Horan, she thought. "Can I know your name?" Emily asked timidly, raking her fingers through her golden hair as her gaze traveled to Ruby. Who did Ruby contact? A whirl of doubts tumbled around her brain.

"I'm Joseph Holden. I wanted to discuss some business with her. I'm sure she must have told you about our last meeting," he replied sharply.

"Oh, so you're Joseph! Very good morning to you, and so you wanna talk to Ruby. Alright. Give me a sec." She punctuated her statement with a short laugh. His six-letter name worthy of hope and wealth was more than enough to mitigate the heaviness of sleep.

Emily pulled the blanket and pinned the phone to her ear. Ruby stirred before sitting up, taking a minute to understand what was happening around her. "It's Joseph, the handsome guy from the party a few days back. He wants to talk about some work," she mumbled, covering the lower body of the phone.

"What? Who Joseph?" Ruby let out a faint groan before taking the phone from Emily's hand and returning her jiggly.

"The man who couldn't take his eyes off the party three days ago."

"Oh, it's him. Why is he after my life?" She scratched her head and kicked the blanket until it rolled out and melted onto the floor. "Emily, just tell me I'm in the bathroom scrubbing tiles; it would take time. I simply don't know how to talk to him?" Ruby bit her nails and gave Emily's forearm a rough squeeze.

"Hello Joseph, I'm afraid to say but she's not here for the moment."

"Okay, I'll send you a text please acquaint her with the information as soon as possible," Joseph declared quickly.

Emily hung up her phone and paced toward her with a grimaced expression. "How could you give my number to any stranger like that? I was so terrified with the call."

"Hey, take a chill pill. I thought you said he was tall, handsome, and sorta husband material some time ago," Ruby said jokingly, spreading her arms wide and rolling out of her bed. "You should know that I don't have a cell phone, and I would never dare to involve Madame Tào in this."

Her lips stretched in a thin line as she enjoined herself in her happiness.

"Anyways, I gotta go and get ready. You are doing my make-up, you know that" Ruby said and earned a million-dollar smile from the elder.

"But, Ruby remember to use magic words often," she gave an early piece of advice. "He shouldn't oust you for back-answering."

****

Tapping his foot, lowering his head, grumbling to himself, and setting a man-eater gaze at his phone for the umpteenth time. God. One hour and thirteen minutes late. He couldn't find comfort in keeping himself seated in one place. His face turned purple with fury. He lifted and trudged toward the loo only to find her standing outside the ladies. Boom.