0.1 | No Exit from Deception ?

0.08 | This Is Crazy #$%@

Breath.

Fine. It's in her custody now.

"Did you get it?" he asked from behind.

"Ah, it wasn't expensive. Just a plain simple ring." She faked a laugh and swing the conversation away from the search. "Thanks for helping me."

"I'll ask Sarah to fi-"

"Not a biggie. Let's get back to Elizabeth Warner. That's more important. Although, she and the underpants incident is so gross. I literally would have knocked her out if only I were her mother," she commented imperviously, crossing her legs as she ensconced on the high chair across the kitchen counter. She got carried away as she read the rest of the matter with growing amusement, exasperation, and rage.

Joseph gave her a steady stare. He forbore to say anything, for he was mentally counting on the number of chances he was giving her to stop making fun of the matter and get all serious.

"On 15 Feb 2004, a tragic car accident occurred due to which we lost Benjamin Warner and his daughter, leaving Katherine Warner who had survived with minor chest injuries. While her father died on the spot, Elizabeth's body was nowhere to be found. That incident also took away the life of their─"

"Stop. Skip this part." Joseph waved his hand nervously and his breath quickened.

Ruby was confused, nodding while turning over the page. But why did he want her to skip reading that part?

"Elizabeth was used to getting what she wanted and her stubbornness was also responsible for that incident somewhere. Mr Benjamin would've never left the mansion if it wasn't for the insistence of his wife and daughter's wish to go to the butterfly garden on that stormy day." Ruby breathed out, bringing out the point of differences between Elizabeth and herself.

"Acting like a fucking bitch. I would have never gone out of my blanket in that weather," Ruby joked, dismissing the man's assiduous efforts in consolidating various facts about the the-then-present girl.

"Get up! Get up from here!" Suddenly Joseph's voice grew louder and louder causing Sarah to trample down the stairs.

"What happened, Joseph? Why are you shouting at her like that?" Sarah's brows knitted as she retraced her steps.

"This girl." He threw a tight hand in Ruby's direction, looking away. "Why did I even choose this pleb in the first place? I'm regretting my decision," he barked, and Ruby squeezed shut her eyes at the proximity.

"Stop right there, Joseph. You are scaring her."

"She's finding it bloody funny, like it's a travesty, Sarah! How can I trust her and expect to get the right results from her?!" Even the loose chain of words in his breath sounded like a curse from a devil, "She's so second-rated."

"Joseph, you can talk to her nicely as well. Sound professional, why are you threatening her?" Sarah yelled in the pressed tone and tried playing a peacemaker.

Joseph pushed Sarah aside and grabbed Ruby's shoulders harshly; he shook her while gritting his teeth. "Listen to me, you are capable of doing nothing. Mark my words. You will bring dishonor to your body, your brains, and to anyone who is in touch with you!"

For several seconds, Ruby just stared at him, silence could be heard at the moment.

"Yes, I agree. I may not be capable of hurting others ─ of making pots of black money, and of fooling a mother who hasn't seen her daughter in fifteen years or so," Ruby admitted truthfully, in one breath.

She continued, breaking free from his grasp, "You think this will make you look like a whip-smart guy? But the reality says that you are a fucking crackpot who wants to sit on the bank vaults of his mistress. At least hang in there for two minutes and look around. Just see how lucky enough you have been to own a nice roof to protect you from the rain. You aren't ripped out of food, clothes, and respect. I pity you for craving more money," Ruby hissed and stopped right at his face, ceasing to fire questions at him with her chin reaching out for the sky. "You have spent half a lifetime working for her, must I remind you."

"Thanks for opening my eyes and disregarding every second of these fifteen years of hard work I've been putting in. Now," He landed his face closer to hers. "Don't show me this face of yours. I can't afford to waste my time dealing with an ill-bred girl like you," his words laced with poison.

"I don't want to waste my single breath either talking to a cheater like you," Ruby retaliated with the same energy as his.

Sarah felt like opening the orange six-spoke umbrella kept on the sofa to protect herself from the stormy bluster of heated counterattacks from both sides.

"I was in dire need of money. I thought I could leave that rotting place and change my fate by working for someone who would pay me for my talent. But I was so wrong. Thankfully, now I know what I've to do," Ruby hauled before picking up the folder that had slipped from her hands amidst what he shook her a few moments ago.

She turned around and found the matchstick box that sat on the side table.

Ruby lit the matchstick and brought it dangerously closer to the folder. "As I said, I'll never do this. Now I hope this makes sense." She tilted her face before setting the file on fire.

She walked away confidently, muttering a trail of profanity lowly. He proceeded quickly to clutch her forearm and dug his hand into her coat pocket. "This should return to its rightful place."

She jerked away from his hand and breezed through the passage.

"Ruby, stop!" Sarah ran after her.

Joseph stopped her by raising a hand adjacent to her abdomen as he stated, "I shall not hear her name again. Got it!"

Word count - 2180

a/n; Aishh... a bad start!