To the Love of My Life

The sound of water splashing in the bathroom made its way into the bedroom. Steve Burton found it irritating, and he slightly raised his hand in agitation to loosen his tie, trying to catch his breath.

Ruby Gregory had prepared hot water for a bath and thoughtfully placed a towel and bathrobe near the pool. Walking out of the bathroom, she spoke to Steve, still frozen in place, “The bath is ready.”

Steve didn’t move, his eyes locked onto Ruby, realizing he never learned his lesson about her. So, he spoke the first words after coming home, “Did you call tonight?”

He brought up the matter that she refused to mention.

Ruby’s expression was gentle, unbroken despite his words.

Upon hearing his question, she nodded slightly before speaking, “Over the weekend, when I went shopping with my mom, I saw a tie that I thought would suit you, so I bought it.”

As she spoke, Ruby pointed to a gift box placed on a corner of the sofa.

Steve looked at the box for a while, “You came tonight to give me this tie?”

Ruby nodded gently.

“You could have sent it tomorrow as well. Why bother coming over at midnight?”

Ruby didn’t know what to say. Lowering her eyes, she admitted to using the tie as an excuse. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t stay in the Gregorys’ house any longer and felt compelled to drive over to his place alone.

Steve stepped forward, standing in front of Ruby.

Ruby smelled a strong scent of alcohol mixed with a pungent perfume.

It wasn’t the pleasant, light scent unique to Steve, nor it was a perfume most women would wear.

Was it from the woman who answered his phone earlier, leaving a trace of her perfume on him?

Ruby felt a suffocating, indescribable heaviness in her heart. Afraid of losing composure in front of Steve, she forced a smile and said evenly, “Did you drink a lot tonight? I’ll go downstairs and get you some watermelon juice.”

In the kitchen, Ruby took a watermelon from the refrigerator, cut it open, removed the seeds, and put the flesh in a juicer.

Her actions were flawless, but her mind was elsewhere. By the time the juicer stopped, she regained her senses, picked up the freshly-made watermelon juice, and walked upstairs to hand it to Steve, “Drink this, and you will feel better.”

Steve first stared into Ruby’s eyes for a while before his gaze fell on the watermelon juice in her hand.

She was calmer and more composed than he had imagined.

Ruby thoughtfully took his empty cup, and with a gentle smile, said, “Go take your bath. The water will cool.”

With the empty cup in hand, Ruby prepared to go downstairs and wash up.

What he feared most was her attitude, yet that was precisely what he saw.

As Steve watched Ruby walk away, he suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and threw her onto the bed, pinning her down beneath him.