Ruby spoke, her voice unwavering but laced with the weight of responsibility. "We have one week. Six days to prepare, because the seventh day, they'll be here. We need to have everything ready within five days. The function starts on the sixth day. And on the seventh, when they arrive, we cannot afford any complaints." Her gaze hardened, locking eyes with the visitors who were listening intently. "No complaints. This is a changeover for us."
The words landed heavily in the room. The visitors nodded, understanding the gravity of what was being asked. Ruby's thoughts swirled—seven months had changed everything. *This village, this life, this her. The girl who had arrived uncertain and naïve was now a woman with a purpose that stretched far beyond her initial role as a daughter-in-law. The village was hers now, a part of her soul, and she would not let it crumble under her watch. The time for action had come. Her six months of toil—her blood, her sweat—were not going to waste. The village would change, and with it, the lives of its people. She had made that promise to herself.
A brief smile, barely noticeable but filled with quiet pride, touched her lips. She stood, grabbing her bag from the chair beside her. There was no more time to waste. The clock was ticking, and there were still so many things to arrange. As she rushed out, the weight of her task hung over her, but beneath it was something lighter—anticipation.
When she arrived home, her feet slowed as she approached the grand door. The mansion-like house loomed before her, a stark contrast to the simple homes that dotted the village. But this was hers now, a symbol of all she had built and everything that had changed. She paused for just a moment, her chest tightening as she took in the familiar sight of the doorway. This is where it all began. She took a deep breath, pushing away the weight in her chest, and stepped inside.
The warmth of the house wrapped around her as she entered, and the sight of her father-in-law, mother-in-law, and grandmother-in-law sitting together at the table, engaged in conversation, calmed the rush of emotions that had been building up inside. As soon as she stepped through the door, they all turned to look at her, their expressions softening instantly.
A smile appeared on her father-in-law's face. He rose from his seat, his movements slow but deliberate, and approached her.
"Ruby, my child, you're back," he said, the words heavy with affection. His eyes, warm and kind, locked onto hers.
Ruby's heart gave a painful lurch at the sound of my child. It was the way he said it—so full of love, of care. She had come here a stranger, an outsider, but now she was his. The man who had abandoned his own blood for her. The man who had chosen her, taken her in, and treated her as his own flesh and blood.
Her throat tightened, and she felt the sting of tears that threatened to rise. My child. It was a simple phrase, but it carried the weight of everything.
Ruby blinked back the unexpected rush of emotion, swallowing the lump in her throat. She managed a soft smile, even as her heart swelled. "I'm back," she whispered, her voice quieter than usual, but steady.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip gentle but firm, grounding her in the moment. His eyes were filled with pride, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Ruby allowed herself to feel the full impact of what she had accomplished.
"You've done well, Ruby. You've worked so hard for this village. We're all so proud of you."
She felt the tears threatening to spill, but she held them back, not wanting to let the emotions overwhelm her. Instead, she nodded, her voice thick with gratitude. "Thank you."
Her father-in-law smiled warmly at her, a smile that was more than just a gesture—it was an affirmation, a recognition of all she had done and all she had become.
What would this new beginning mean for her? For the woman she had fought so hard to become?
But for now, Ruby allowed herself a small moment of triumph. Her village would rise. And she would be at the center of it, guiding them through the tides of change.
But deep inside, she knew there was still a battle ahead—a battle to rebuild herself, to reclaim the pieces of her heart Edward had left in ruins.
She wasn't sure if she could win that fight, but she would face it—because now, finally, she had the strength to stand tall.
Seven months ago, on that tragic night—the night her world shattered—Ruby had lost all hope. Days passed in a blur, the weight of betrayal and devastation pressing down on her until she could barely breathe. She had locked herself away in her room, staring at the walls, unable to speak, unable to read, unable to do anything but exist in the wreckage of what once was.
It was her father-in-law who pulled her out of that abyss. He was the first to say the word divorce, the first to acknowledge the truth that she had been too broken to face. But he had not spoken it with pity. No—he had spoken it with conviction, with purpose. He had given her power when she had none left, had shown her that standing up again was not just an option but a necessity. He had been the one to tell her that in life, revenge was not just an act—it was a force that could drive her forward.
He had reminded her of her worth, not just to him but to the entire family. And more than that, he had made her see that losing one person did not mean she had lost everything. That years of love and care did not vanish because of one betrayal. That family was not defined by blood alone but by the bonds forged in trust and loyalty.