0.1 | No Exit from Deception ✓

0.19 | Calvin Klein : Proceed At Your Own Risk

Joseph assessed her face with amusement and chuckled, "You are educating me on how to get on informal terms with you? At least respect the age difference between us. I'm twenty-seven. What you have seen in all these years is nothing but the tip of the iceberg. There's no point in explaining it to you." His jaw didn't budge when he ended his last sentence.

The conversation derailed as he made his way out of the room, leaving an appalled Ruby behind. As she took umbrage at his words, she knew it was unthinkable to imagine him as a true gentleman accepting the olive branch she had offered.

Why is it so hard to convince him? she thought to herself.

"Excuse me, can I use this room?" asked a curly-haired, tall boy; his wide doe eyes critiqued Ruby's facial expressions intensely.

She noticed the boy and his weird mien, giving him a weird look. "What! Are you going to report me for using the men's changing room?" She wanted to slap him so hard but decided to walk out of there without straining the vein on her forehead.

Sarah ran to her. "Ruby, where have you been? And did you try it on?"

"Yes. The dress was gorgeous but I looked like a drenched cat wearing it." Ruby thrust the dress in her hands, forgetting the immensity with such she took care of it. Her face looked sullen as she walked away.

"What! Are you telling us that we are not buying this? This. Do I've got to remind you that this is a piece of art-- here, look at this; it's so Kardashian!" Sarah yelled as she tugged her finger in the neckline of the dress.

The store manager came to her rescue haphazardly. "Are you okay miss?"

"No! You first take back this shit." Sarah pressed the dress to the manager's chest. "I suggest you change the entire stock before aiming to hit a high sales turnover rate. Just look at this─── it's so cheap looking. How do you like them apples?"

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"So, I heard you all went shopping? Why is everyone so silent? Dude, shall I assume this silence as a sign of you going bankrupt? Well, I came here with a hunch that I will see the collection of clothes spreading from the closet hangers to the dresser to the room ─ then ─ to this floor. Is it happening this way? No? Yes?"

Nobody dived into the conversation, especially the two of them who needed a change in the topic to let the uneasiness fade away. Anshuman tittered, clapping his hands as he slumped on the sofa. Sarah returned with a bowl of steaming eggplant Pomodoro noodles and kept it before him, giving him a sweet peck on his cheek.

Nobody spoke. Ruby riffled through the crispy pages of the manuscript she was learning. Joseph shot up and beckoned Anshuman to meet him outside the house.

Anshuman slurped the spicy juice and sprinted out of the drawing room without taking much time.

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The sky was painted with an ink blue hue behind the linen clouds stampeding slowly to the east. The uneven line of treetops provided a beautiful border to the sky. The park across Joseph's home was unusually silent except when Anshuman ran through the field to spill his frivolous nature into the environment.

Anshuman's forehead sensed the tension brewing inside Joseph's brain and creased. "You okay, man?"

"You remember the guy who used to forge fake identification documents like passports, birth certificates, and bank accounts?" Joseph tilted his head toward Anshuman. "We need to give her a legal identity and make sure that no one accuses her of being someone else later on."

"Hmmph . . . Mac has left that kind of work ever since being caught up in jail and started anew with a back-office job in a telecom company. We met each other about three years ago and then I got busy with my job and girlfriend's chores," Anshuman chewed his lower lip.

"Then . . . then what about Sherry? His other partner? Can you get me his number, so that I can get rid of it within a week?"

"Hey, why are being so weird? I got you, and yes I can give you his phone number. I bare knowledge regarding his sectarian whereabouts. He can give it to you in a day, to say the least," Anshuman assured, and his voice was already swimming in victory. "He's a pro."

Meanwhile, Joseph's phone rang for the third time and Ruby, as always, was alone in the room. She called out to Sarah several times, who had gone upstairs. But complying with Joseph's words that it was forbidden for her to go up there, she picked up the phone herself.

"Hello," she said hesitantly.

"Ah, may I speak to Joseph please?" said the other deep unembodied voice.

"Yes, but may I know who you are?" Ruby answered, slipping her feet into the slippers and closing the door behind her.

She walked over to Joseph who was sitting right across the road under the shade of a big tree alongside Anshuman.

"Well, I'm his mother."

Mother! Ruby's eyes widened as she transferred the device into Joseph's hand tardily.

He moved his jaw. "Who is it?"

"Your mother," she replied to him, unfazed. Why did he hide the fact that he had a mother?

"Hello? Oh, Mrs.Warner. Tell me how are you feeling now?" Joseph asked, his voice laced with concern, placing his hand on his waist.

The conversation went on for a minute, Joseph ended the call and didn't miss to cast a glance at Ruby who looked no less than a statue. "You just talked to your mother, Ruby. It was from Katherine Warner."

Anshuman cackled, "Ruby breath! It wasn't a video call. Be grateful to God for that."

"I think I peed in my pants, gotta change it. Anyways, h-her voice is so deep and commanding. As if she is the leader of some creepy gang. More like a lady don." Ruby slapped her chest with her hand as if she was caught up in this lie, words laced with broken breath.

Joseph broke a smile for the first time. "It's fine Ruby. She isn't close enough to your imagination. Cool down."

"And yes, for tomorrow's schedule get your joggers ready. I'll see you here at four in the morning. Be on time," Joseph ordered and wagged his index finger in the air as she moseyed past her.

Ruby nodded carefully with one question boggling her mind. At 4 am? Is he high on drugs?

Word count-2100

a/n; oh my gosh my book just reached 2k reads *weeps sweet tears* I love all my readers, voters, and commenters. SARAGHAE!

anyways Ruby just heard Mrs Warner's *ahem ahem* her mother's voice. 😆

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