A lil stupid

RUBY JUNE.

I arrived at the pack house and flopped onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow to muffle a silent scream. In less than twenty-four hours, I had already made a fool of myself in Charles' presence. I acted like an obsessed i***t, and I’m sure he thought so poorly of me after the way I behaved in his home. How could I ever look him in the eyes again? I wouldn’t be surprised if he never wanted to be in the same room as me.

My mom sent me here to uncover secrets that could destroy the Fox family, but I had forgotten entirely. What kind of sister am I, harboring feelings for a member of the family responsible for my favorite sister’s death? Maybe my mom was right—I should never have been born.

As I wallowed in self-pity, Genesis, Alexa, and Zoey gathered around, sitting on my bed.

I turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

“We just wanted to ask you a question,” Alexa said first.

“And what’s that?” I asked, feeling confused.

Alexa cleared her throat. “Charles took you to his private home; you are the first young woman ever to be there.”

“Oh, that,” I murmured, nodding.

“So, how was it? People say his presence is heavenly,” Genesis asked.

I scoffed. “That’s not true.”

Zoey frowned, shaking her head vigorously. “You are lying. Charles was at my family’s art gallery on his way home, and I almost fainted in his arms. ”

Zoey, Genesis, and Alexa exchanged glances, and the air in the room shifted subtly, tension crackling between them. They were all too good at pretending to be friendly, but I knew better. Charles was the prize they all had their eyes on, and none was willing to back down easily.

“So, how was it?” Genesis asked, her voice just a shade too sweet. “You spent the whole day with Charles and acted like it was nothing. Come on, Ruby, spill.”

I forced a smile, knowing full well that they were fishing for details, anything that might give them an edge. “It was fine. We talked, and he showed me around his place. That’s all.”

Alexa arched an eyebrow, skepticism written all over her face. “Just talked? Ruby, you are not fooling anyone. We all know how Charles is. He doesn’t spend time with just anyone.”

“Yeah,” Zoey chimed in, though her tone was laced with a hint of bitterness. “Especially not alone in his private home. That’s a pretty big deal, Ruby. You are the first girl to step foot in there, and you are brushing it off like it’s nothing?”

I shrugged, trying to keep my cool. “Maybe he just wanted to be polite. It’s not like he’s picking out wedding rings.”

The words were barely out of my mouth when Genesis let out a laugh, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Oh, Ruby, don’t be so modest. Charles must have seen something in you to invite you to his home. But just remember, he’s not exactly known for settling down. He might be interested today, but who knows about tomorrow?”

The implication was clear: I was just another girl, another temporary distraction. But before I could respond, Alexa chimed in, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. “You know, Ruby, if things don’t work out between you and Charles, it’s not like he will be short on options. He’s got plenty of admirers.”

I glanced at Zoey, who was staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, almost dreamy. “I sometimes think about what it would be like to be with someone like Charles. To be his wife, to have a family. But I guess that’s just a dream, right?”

She said it like she was sharing a secret, but I knew better. Zoey, just like the rest of us, was a competitor, and her daydreams were more calculated than innocent. She wanted Charles, and she was playing the long game.

Genesis snorted, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Dreams are nice, Zoey, but you know as well as I do that Charles isn’t someone you just dream about. You have to go after what you want. And I plan to.”

Alexa nodded, though her expression was unreadable. “You are right, Genesis. Charles is a man who knows what he wants, and we’re all just trying to figure out how to be that.”

The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and I could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me. They saw me as competition now, and I had no doubt they were sizing me up, trying to figure out if I was a threat. But I wasn’t about to let them get under my skin.

“Look,” I said, my voice firm, “I’m not interested in playing games. Charles can choose whoever he wants, and I won’t lose sleep over it. If you guys want to fight over him, be my guest.”

Zoey finally looked at me, her expression unreadable. “We are not fighting, Ruby. Just… keeping our options open.”

“Yeah,” Alexa added with a smirk. “May the best woman win.”

After Zoey, Genesis, and Alexa left, I sighed and sank into bed, exhaustion washing over me. As I closed my eyes, memories of the day flooded back—especially the warmth of Charles’ touch. The way his hand had lingered on mine sent a shiver through me, making my heart race all over again.

I blushed, embarrassed at how easily he affected me. But as I drifted off to sleep, the memory of his touch stayed with me, softening my thoughts until sleep claimed me, a faint smile on my lips.