Ruby sat hunched over the bar, staring into her third glass of whiskey as if it held the answers to all of life's problems. She swirled the amber liquid lazily, not caring that the bar was a little too loud, a little too crowded, and reeked of sweat and regret. It suited her mood just fine.
"So, let me get this straight," Ruby muttered to herself, taking a sip of her drink. "No job, no family, no boyfriend. Perfect."
Her life had unraveled in record time. First, the news at work that morning—laid off. "Economic reasons," her boss had said with a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Then, when she'd rushed home to seek solace in Liam, her long-time boyfriend, she found him with her step-sister of all people.
The betrayal had been like a slap in the face, and now, with no family to turn to, no job, and nowhere to go, she was drifting.
She sighed, her chest tightening at the memory. Maybe one more drink would make it better.
As she signaled the bartender for another round, a figure slid onto the stool beside her. Ruby didn't bother to look up at first, but then she felt a hand brush against her arm. She stiffened.
"Hey, gorgeous," a slurred voice crooned. "Why so glum?"
Ruby turned her head and found herself face-to-face with a man whose breath smelled like a distillery. His eyes were glazed, his grin lopsided, and his hand was creeping up her arm.
"Not interested," Ruby said firmly, pulling her arm away.
But the guy didn't take the hint. He leaned closer, his hand finding its way back, this time on her thigh. Ruby's pulse quickened—more out of irritation than fear.
"I said, not interested," she repeated, louder this time, trying to shake him off.
"Aw, come on, don't be like that," the man slurred, clearly enjoying the fact that he was making her uncomfortable. "Just one drink."
Before Ruby could shove him away, a shadow fell over them, and she looked up to see a man looming over the sleazeball—tall, well-dressed, and, by the smell of it, also a little tipsy.
"Didn't you hear her?" the newcomer growled. "She said no."
The sleazeball blinked in confusion, but when he saw the determined glint in the stranger's eyes, he backed off, mumbling something unintelligible before staggering away into the crowd.
Ruby blinked, taking in her unlikely rescuer.
Her gaze traveled up his tailored jacket, the casual disarray of his collar, and finally settled on his face. Sharp cheekbones, piercing eyes, and a strong jawline. He was undeniably handsome, in that effortless, dangerous kind of way. She squinted. There was something familiar about him.
"Having a rough night?"
"You could say that," Ruby muttered, halfheartedly. "Just lost my job, my boyfriend cheated on me with my step-sister, and I have no family. So, yeah, rough."
Arnold raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing.
"With your step-sister?Ooh that's bad"
Ruby nodded, her stomach churning at the reminder.
"That little bastard," Arnold muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disgust. "Always was spineless. Should've known better."
Ruby laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, well. Now I'm homeless, too. No family. No job. What about you? You look like you're enjoying yourself." She gestured to his drink.
Arnold chuckled darkly.
"Enjoying? Not quite. My older brother is breathing down my neck. Wants my inheritance. My grandfather left me a fortune, but I won't get a dime of it unless I've been married for at least a year before I turn 35." He took a long drink from his glass. "And guess what? I'm turning 34 next week."
Ruby's eyes widened in surprise.
"Seriously? That's... weirdly specific."
Arnold nodded, a bitter smile curling his lips.
"Yeah, my grandfather had a twisted sense of humor. He knew my brother's manipulative as hell and would stop at nothing to make sure I never got that inheritance. I'm pretty sure the old man thought it'd be funny to watch us fight over it."
"And now your brother's trying to... what, sabotage you?"
Arnold laughed, but there was no humor in it.
"Oh, absolutely. He's already spreading rumors about me, trying to make sure no one with half a brain would want to marry me. Thinks he can squeeze me out, leave me penniless."
Ruby frowned, her head spinning a little from the whiskey and the strange turn this conversation had taken. "That's awful."
Arnold shrugged, his eyes glinting with something dark.
"It's just how things work in my family. Everyone's out for themselves."
There was a long pause as the two of them sat there, nursing their drinks. Ruby glanced at Arnold out of the corner of her eye. He didn't seem like the cold, distant businessman she'd heard stories about. Tonight, he just seemed... tired.
"We're both kind of screwed, aren't we?" Ruby muttered, half to herself.
Arnold smirked. "That's one way to put it."
An idea, fueled by alcohol and desperation, sparked in Ruby's mind. She turned to Arnold, her pulse quickening with a mix of nerves and reckless abandon.
"So... what if we got married?"
Arnold blinked, clearly taken aback. "What?"
"Think about it," Ruby said, her voice gaining momentum.
"You need a wife to get your inheritance, right? And I need... I don't know, a fresh start. We both have no one. Why not just... get married? It's not like either of us has anything to lose."
Arnold stared at her, his brows furrowed. For a moment, Ruby thought he was going to laugh it off, tell her she was crazy. But then, to her surprise, he leaned back, considering her words.
"You're serious?" he asked, his voice low and measured.
"Why not?" Ruby said with a shrug, trying to play it cool despite the fact that her heart was hammering in her chest.
"It's not like it has to mean anything. Just... a marriage of convenience. You get your inheritance, I get a new start. It's a win-win."
Arnold was silent for a long moment, his sharp eyes studying her. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Alright," he said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Let's do it."
Ruby blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Why not?" Arnold echoed her words with a shrug. "You're right. We've got nothing to lose."
Twenty minutes later, they were standing in front of a courthouse, swaying slightly from the alcohol but grinning like idiots. Ruby giggled as Arnold held the door open for her, mockingly grandiose.
"After you, Mrs. Aagaard," he said with a wink.
"Not yet," Ruby teased. "Let's make it official."
The courthouse was about to close, but after some quick talking and the right paperwork, Ruby and Arnold found themselves standing in front of a sleepy-looking clerk who muttered through the ceremony.
Before Ruby knew it, they were signing their names, exchanging rings (courtesy of the clerk's drawer of cheap rings), and sharing a bemused look.
"We're really doing this, huh?" Ruby whispered, her stomach fluttering.
Arnold smirked, his eyes gleaming. "Guess we are."
They stumbled into the nearest hotel, laughing about how ridiculous the night had been. After booking a room, they collapsed onto the bed, still in their clothes, the alcohol catching up with them fast.
"Goodnight, Mr. Aagaard," Ruby mumbled, her eyes already drifting closed.
"Goodnight, Mrs. Aagaard," Arnold replied, his voice low and surprisingly tender.
As the room faded to darkness, Ruby let herself sink into the oblivion of sleep, never expecting the whirlwind she had just signed up for.
The next morning, Ruby woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains... and a stranger lying beside her.
"Holy crap," she whispered, eyes wide. "What did I just do?"
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[A/N]
OMG!
thank you for reading my book. This is my first book on Web Novel, however, I had to take it down to be edited.
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