Ruth

"Ruth, wait." Ethan called out.

Ruth's steps quickened as Ethan called out to her, but she resisted the urge to slow down. The tension in the air escalated, and she knew this confrontation was inevitable.

Ethan sighed, seemingly frustrated by her lack of response. when I didn't even slowed down. Infact, I increased my pace. the tension in the air escalating.

"I sent you emails; you didn't reply to them." he said, his attempts to justify his invasion of her privacy with the excuse of unanswered emails only fueled her irritation.

"That doesn't give you permission to track me," Ruth retorted, her voice firm and unwavering.

"I don't need anyone's permission. You are my wife," Ethan argued, the possessive undertone in his words sending a chill down her spine.

"I am your fake wife," Ruth asserted, determined not to let him forget the nature of their relationship. "And I have my right to privacy."

The weight of their complex marriage pressed down on her, and she couldn't allow him to cross her boundaries. Even though they were bound together by their agreement, it didn't give him the right to invade her personal space.

The tension hung in the air, and she could feel the weight of his gaze on her. But she refused to back down.

Ruth's mind raced with conflicting thoughts as she continued to walk away from Ethan. She couldn't believe that he had been tracking her, especially since their interactions had been limited and distant. She had assumed that he cared little about her life or whereabouts, which only made his invasion of her privacy more shocking.

Her thoughts wandered to the few times she had seen him since their fake marriage began. He had been distant, barely engaging in conversation with her.

It seemed as if his heart was still held captive by someone from his past, someone who had broken his heart. That knowledge had given Ruth a false sense of security, believing that he wouldn't be interested in her life or actions.

But now, everything had changed. His intrusion into her privacy shattered the illusion she had created. It was a stark reminder that their fake marriage had its consequences, and she couldn't afford to be complacent.

Her thoughts also drifted to Ethan's father and his role in their arrangement. If not for his father he would never have married. Ruth thinks his father also knew that, it is why he made it his last wish.

Fortunately for the old man, he survived the heart attack. But it was unfortunate for them as they would have only pretended to be married for a year and then parted ways.

But his father's wish had entangled them in this fake marriage, leaving them bound by a charade they had not fully anticipated.

Before she could ponder further, her train of thought was interrupted as someone caught her arm, halting her in her tracks.